‘Think before you throw’: This event will teach you how to use scraps in your kitchen for zero waste cooking

Anand Raja, the man behind the famous zero-waste juice shop in Malleswaram Eat Raja, is a man with a mission. In his juice shop you are served juice in the shells and rinds of the fruits, instead of plastic cups. Zero waste and sustainably is his mantra. On May 9, he will team up with volunteer group Beautiful Bharat, for an event called Kitchen Secrets where participants can learn how to use kitchen scraps and leftovers, and also sample the dishes.

The event will happen in Panchavati in Malleswaram, a bungalow and grounds that were once the home of Nobel Prize winning physicist CV Raman.

“We all keep talking about not wasting food. Here we are making the waste into food. There are so many things that are commonly discarded, such as when we use the coriander leaves, we throw away the stalks. What we are telling people at Kitchen Secrets is, ‘think before you throw’. What we throw away is probably more nutritious than what we use,” Mr. Raja said.

He gives the example of watermelon rinds, which usually get thrown away. At the event they will make chutneys and dosas with it. Musk melon seeds will be used to make milkshakes, that are healthier than just a muskmelon shake. “We will also demonstrate how to make protein laddus with the discard from ragi milk.”

An image from a previous zero waste event. (On the left) Anand Raja from EatRaja, and next to him Odette Katrak
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Odette Katrak, from the Beautiful Bharat volunteer group, explains how if we all reduce our wet waste by using these techniques, it will have a net positive impact on the environment. “Wet waste, when it is tied in plastics bags and discarded, releases methane gas, which is terrible for the environment and contributes to climate change.” Participants are also encouraged to bring their own zero recipe dishes, and a winner will be chosen who will be awarded a home composter.

They are hosting the event on Mother’s Day, as it is an ode to Indian mothers who run their kitchen with principles of zero waste and sustainability naturally.