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Cooking always felt like a chore. Till it didn’t. I don’t remember when I started enjoying cooking. Perhaps, it was during the Covid 19 lockdowns when my husband and I didn’t have the option to order from different restaurants or go out to eat, depending on what we were in the mood for. All of a sudden, I was making biryanis, butter chicken, a variety of soups and salads, etc.

As much as I enjoy indulging in my newfound hobby, one thing that puts me off is the amount of waste. From onion peels and lemon rinds to vegetable scraps and chicken skin and bones, there’s just so much I have to throw out every time I step into the kitchen to prepare a meal. My mother composts but I’m too lazy to do that. So, I wallow in guilt every time I throw out a trash can full of scraps.

I came across ‘The No-Waste Kitchen Cookbook’ by Arina Suchde at Bookverse in Civil Mall, Kathmandu, while hunting for some new cookbooks. I confess I bought it without even reading the blurb because the cover was so interesting. It had images of watermelon rinds, orange peels, corn husks, and such on a pastel-blue background. The cover also proclaimed that there were 75 recipes to begin your zero-waste journey. I was sold.

The book offers many ways in which we can reduce wastage of resources in our kitchens. It provides the readers with tips on how we can grow our own herbs. There are also recipes for basic pantry staples that can be made at home—this reduces the need to buy different condiments while ensuring our food is as preservative-free as possible. Suchde gives you 75 vegetarian recipes across seven sections. They are not just food recipes. You can also learn to whip up some mean cocktails. She also shines the spotlight on composting.

Some of my favorite recipes from the book include ‘Leftover Subzi Pav Bhaji’, ‘Carrot Peel Pasta Sauce’, ‘Wilted Lettuce Dressing’, and ‘Banana Peel Sleepy Tea’. These recipes drastically reduce kitchen waste as everything can be salvaged. You can throw every vegetable that is about to go bad as well as scraps and peels into the pot to make the Leftover Subzi Pav Bhaji. The Carrot Peel Pasta Sauce puts all the peels to use and the sauce is delicious. For a household that consumes a lot of carrots daily (our dog alone needs a carrot after every meal), this recipe is such a lifesaver. I don’t feel bad about having a banana daily because the peel can be saved to make a great-tasting tea. (Earlier, I would rub it on my face but I would still eventually have to throw it away. Not anymore.)

The book highlights the importance of sustainability in the kitchen and the author shows how simple steps can go a long way in achieving it. But she also talks about how it’s not possible to go zero-waste overnight and neither should we aspire to do that. We must be consistent in our efforts to manage the resources that are available to us. The No-Waste Kitchen Cookbook arms us with many ways in which we can make small changes in the kitchen that can, in the long run, drastically reduce waste.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199364564-the-no-waste-kitchen-cookbook  

The No-Waste Kitchen Cookbook

Arina Suchde

Published: 2023

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 157, Paperback

Archana Thapa is an author, researcher, editor and founder of Akshar Creations, a publishing house based in Kathmandu. She is the author of Kathaputala, a compelling collection of stories. She has edited numerous books including Telling A Tale, Swastitwako Khoj and Smritikathama Satwa. Currently she is writing her first novel. Ken Subedi converses with Thapa on literature, publishing and translation in Nepal.

As an author and publisher, do you find the shift of women’s condition in Nepali literature now compared to a few decades back? In what ways are they similar and different?

Compared to a few decades ago there has been a profound shift in the landscape of women’s writing in Nepali literature. The majority of contemporary women’s writing reflects a departure from traditional regressive norms, challenging orthodox and regressive values that were accepted as natural, not cultural. Through their writings women authors now are assertively expressing their voice and views.

In the narrative crafted by these authors, female protagonists have undergone a remarkable transformation. More protagonists seem independent, visible, articulate and actively taking the role of change makers rather than being confined to the victimhood. Their writing signifies an end to the perpetual wait for a savior and the tendency to attribute their oppression to fate. Furthermore, it is not only just the portrayal of women protagonists that is changing; the very essence of women’s writing is marked by refreshing shifts in writing style, themes, issues and narratives. Such evolution not only brings diversity and depth to diverse stories, but also contributes to a broader and more inclusive literary landscape.

As a publisher yourself, do you agree publishers largely have been less interested in short story collections than novels? Is it because the readers tend to buy novels more than the story collections?

As a publisher, I have noticed a more influx of novel manuscripts compared to short stories. On a personal note, my creative writing journey commenced with longer stories. However, it raises the question of why upcoming writers are more inclined towards the novel genre. Perhaps a more in-depth exploration will uncover the underlying motivations.

However, it is essential to underscore that short story writing remains a vibrant and significant facet of literary expression. An illustrative example is the annual story writing competition organized by 12Khari for the past five years. This competition attracts submission in large numbers from Nepali writers around the world showcasing the enduring popularity and creativity inherent in the short story form. It may seem that novels dominate the Nepali literary landscape, yet the short stories are very important for diverse literary tapestry.

In laws, Nepal identifies non-binary sexualities and genders. Is the number of literary productions and discussions in popular culture coming from/about those sexualities satisfactory?

Nepal has seen increased recognition and visibility of non-binary sexualities and gender. The acceptance and representation of non-binary sexualities and identities in literary productions as well as in popular culture may vary because of the evolving nature of social attitudes and cultural shifts.

The level of satisfaction regarding the representation of non-binary sexualities and genders in literary production and popular culture can be subjective. Considering the dynamic nature of cultural shift there is a growing inclination to portray a more diverse world. However, it is true that not much is written on non-binary sexualities and genders. I would like to mention that one of the stories in Kathaputala is about Trans identity. I am optimistic that in the days to come, there will be a surge in the creation of stories that explore the diverse expressions of sexualities and genders.

Do you think the location where the author publishes matters in terms of the reach and reception?

In an ideal world, a book would organically find its own readership and make its way in the literary arena solely based on its own quality and merit. However, the reality is far from the ideal. Also, unfortunately, publishing is becoming more challenging than ever. In the era completely dominated by multimedia and marketing, publishers are immersed in diverse channels of information, advertisement and literary propaganda to reach readers. To capture readers’ attention, bigger publishers employ various marketing strategies, utilizing all the tricks of the trade to make a huge splash in the competitive book market. 

Publishing books has transformed into an investment and it goes beyond the writer receiving royalties; it involves the collaborative efforts of many others in the book marketing process. Consequently, a publication house having substantial resources can generate significant buzz in the book market using all its resources in terms of reach and reception. However, it is crucial to understand the difference between instant popularity and earning a name as a timeless literary piece. While a publication house with ample resources may use all its marketing strategies to sell the book in large numbers, smaller publication houses face many challenges. Akshar Creations favors the enduring quality of a book that is shaped by its substance and lasting impact. 

In order to globalize the Nepali literary productions, translations have always been emphasized by the literary fraternities of Nepal. Why do you think translations are not happening in numbers as they should have been?

The prospect of Nepali literary translation holds immense significance in the world of literature as it will contribute to fostering a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of Nepali literature in the global literary stage. While some of the Nepali literary works have been translated into English and other languages, that number remains less than satisfactory. Acknowledging the constraints of living in a resources-limited society, it is evident that there is less enthusiasm in the academic arena and insufficient support from the government level. 

As I have only translated poems till the date, I may not be able to pinpoint the exact reasons behind this challenge, however, as I understand, translation endeavor requires increased resources, enhanced infrastructures, proficient translator with a strong command of language and a nuanced understanding of cultural subtleties, needs good investment and also a good channel to take the translated works into the international market.

The translated project, in essence, demands a multi-faceted approach that addresses not only linguistic challenges, better translation skills, but also the structural and market orient aspect of the literary world. I firmly believe that with enhanced resources and more effective strategic support, translated Nepali literature holds the great potential to secure a more prominent and well deserved space on the global literary readership.

Nepal is home to three species of bears, namely the Black bear, Brown bear and the Sloth bear distributed across Himalayan, mountain and Tarai regions, respectively. Among these three members of the Ursidae family, Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), commonly called ‘Kathe Bhal’ in Nepal, is facing existential crisis highlighting the need for more tailored conservation actions.

Distribution and biology

Sloth bears are found primarily in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. In Nepal, Sloth bears are distributed along the Tarai and Chure regions of Nepal mostly below the 1,500 meter elevation range. Sloth bears inhabit different habitat ranges, including grassland, moist evergreen forest, riverine forest and Sal forest.

Sloth bears are omnivorous, primarily feeding on termites, ants and insects. They use their front teeth to dig for catching their food, which makes them myrmecophagy mammals. Sloth bears also feed on fruits, flowers and climb trees to hunt for honeycombs. By consuming the termites and ants, this species helps balance the ecosystem apart from helping with seed dispersal, regeneration of plants and creating suitable conditions for seed germination. Furthermore, it also supports the structure and composition of forests.  

Conservation

Though nationally-endangered, sloth bears have yet to get conservation attention in Nepal. Most of Nepal’s sloth bears inhabit Chitwan National Park enjoying a protected habitat, apart from Parsa National Park, Bardiya National Park, Banke National Park and Suklaphanta National Park, forests in Dhanusha and Deukhuri valley in Dang and Triyuga forest in eastern Nepal, which is the second largest habitat of the species in the country. 

As many of these habitats are near the sites with high human population density, the frequency of encounters between the species and the humans is high. Such encounters are largely undocumented. Increasing dependency of communities on natural resources, especially on forests in the Tarai region, has caused a decline in the population of this mammal. 

Anthropogenic threats including habitat loss—due to fragmentation and deforestation—overharvesting and use as dancing bears are leading causes of this decline. 

Furthermore, body parts of this species are in demand internationally for ‘medicinal purposes’ and this factor is triggering the trapping, hunting and trafficking of the species’ body parts. 

The species seems to be moving toward the core area of the jungle due to an increasing exploitation of resources in its habitat. 

Recent instances of the species’ extirpation in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Suklaphanta National Park of Nepal suggest the need for an appropriate conservation action plan.

Normally in our country, charismatic species like the Tiger, Rhino and the Elephant have been prioritized for conservation, while the rest live in the shadows. Nevertheless, conservation is the process that must emphasize conserving biodiversity and embracing the ecosystem as an entire system, demonstrating that it is not selective toward any particular species. 

But our conservation rules and regulations seem to be species-oriented, despite the fact that every species has a role to maintain the ecosystem and that declination and increasing extirpation of the species are signs of an unfavorable ecosystem. Many of the records of Sloth bears in Nepal are from the studies targeted at other species, where records of Sloth bears are captured as a by-catch. Besides, the CNP species study hardly covers unprotected areas. Despite being in the threatened category, Sloth bear has not been prioritized for its study and conservation.

Generally, Sloths bear a sense of insecurity during accidental appearances/encounters with humans, so they try to defend themselves. Because of this behavior, local communities feel that these bears are harmful, so they even seek to kill the mammals by trapping them. 

Sloth bears enjoy some protection at both international and national levels as they fall under appendix I of CITES that seeks to protect the species from threats related to trafficking. Furthermore, Oct 12 is celebrated as the Sloth Bear Day with the aim to promote its remarkable ecological role. Defeating the negative perception and spreading awareness on the importance of this species in maintaining the ecological balance should be our main focus. 

Understanding the prey-predator relationship, trophic cascade should be prioritized to create suitable habitat for particular species. 

Developing a corridor between its habitat and enhancing coexistence should be a top priority at the community level, which has direct connection with the species. This can be done by involving communities for conservation on the basis of their indigenous knowledge.

For many decades now we have labored under the delusion that education is something desirable in itself. While this might be true of moral and spiritual education, it is bullheadedness of the worst sort to deny that our education is supposed to provide us with a living. Only when we have placed education in its proper context can we begin to shape it so that through it we achieve the results we desire. Since education as we know it is a source of income, it is best to treat education as a business or an industry, so that we employ the least number of resources to produce the highest possible results.

Those who argue for the state/government to take charge of education usually contend that since education is a basic need, the state should not let it be run by the chaotic mechanisms of the market. By this argument, the state should take charge, like in all failed socialist countries, of food and water, of health, and even of vital industries. This is obviously a faulty argument. By putting education out into the market, we can make sure that schools compete in prices and in quality.

The magic word here is competition. Competition is the most vital ingredient of a free market. All trusts (often referred to as cartels) are anathema to competition. If 20 schools form a cartel to fix prices and fix the curriculum structure, the public is denied the benefits which would result from those 20 schools competing for the favor of a student’s money. Trusts turn markets into one large monopoly and should thus be eradicated by trust laws.

In order to make sure that schools don’t violently revolt against the eradication of their trusts, the legislature must pass laws which forbid the state from interfering with private enterprises—at the very least their prices. Government intervention in fixing price levels has the same exact effect as trusts fixing prices—they turn the market into one big monopoly.

Unions work the same way as trusts but from the opposite direction. While a trust would fix prices in order to eliminate competition between schools, a union of teachers would fix wages in order to eliminate competition between teachers. It is the consumer’s right—in this case a student—to demand that the teacher demanding from him a certain wage has earned that wage through fair competition. Unions thus deserve the same treatment as trusts. Again, it is the legislature’s job to satisfy the teacher’s unions that schools don’t form into trusts and hamper the teacher’s ability to negotiate in a free market their wages.

It has been argued that there remains a fringe group in every society which is too marginalized to participate freely in its market operations. This is true but not as abundantly true as we might first suppose. There are two ways through which we can approach this issue. The first is without incentives. If state funded schools are given charge of these marginalized students, there is no reason to suppose that they would not operate inefficiently. The second is with incentives. By tendering the education of these students to private schools (the fund would come from the government, preferably local) we can incentivize private schools to compete for this public fund. This would put the economically marginalized on a far better footing than if they had been subsidized without proper incentives.

Another point of contention has been the treatment of students as market products. Critics argue that while it might be okay to subject an ice-cream to an economic analysis of cost-benefit, it is not moral to do the same to a student. This argument depends on false equivalency. No child is by default a student. His studentship is something he acquires for his future benefit—much like a child born in Sparta would acquire military training. If it is perfectly reasonable to expect a child’s piano instructor to be a competent teacher who can deliver the maximum value in the least amount of time and resource, why is it not reasonable to expect the same of his mathematics instructor? And I ask you, if we are to decrease the effort it takes a child to complete school without compromising the quality of his education, what can we do but allow providers of that education to compete? If parents want their children taught the same syllabus in a lesser number of hours, the schools will gear up towards that task.

Of course, all of this is a discussion of semantics if we cannot produce a free-market economy that can absorb these people. The international sphere, dominated by economic and social freedom borrowed from the West, has made it abundantly clear that what most people want is prosperity. The direction of migration, focused as it is on capitalist countries, has also made clear the direction towards which we consciously or otherwise aspire. What remains is to apply the fundamental tenets of a prosperous economy—a free market, rule of law and a political organization geared towards individual freedom.