Analysing Structure — Julie Sahni’s “India’s Soul Food” (IB May 2021 past paper)
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Essay Response
In this New York Times Magazine excerpt from Julie Sahni’s book India’s Soul Food, Sahni structures her piece to gradually build both emotional connection and intellectual understanding of tandoori cuisine. She begins with vivid storytelling to engage readers personally, then moves into historical context and myth-busting to educate and challenge assumptions. Finally, she offers clear, practical guidance to empower home cooks. This deliberate progression, from emotion to logic to action, not only makes her argument persuasive, but also positions tandoori as a culturally rich, inclusive, and accessible culinary tradition that invites both appreciation and participation.
Sahni opens with an emotional appeal, a powerful, relatable comparison, “Like Sunday supper for some Americans…”, that immediately builds trust by linking cultural traditions across communities. This strategy not only appeals to universal values like family and shared meals, but also reduces cultural distance, making readers more receptive to what follows. Sahni then deepens this emotional foundation with an anecdote, writing, “I remember gathering with my family…”, a device that fosters authenticity and intimacy, helping readers connect with her on a personal level. She further enhances the scene with sensory details such as “cool breezes… tamarind and mango trees,” incorporating gustatory imagery that evokes the tangy, sweet flavors of the setting. This vivid combination of visual and taste-based descriptions makes the experience feel real, immersive, and deeply relatable, not only engaging readers emotionally but also awakening their appetites, and making them more receptive to the broader cultural narrative. By grounding her argument in lived experience and shared human connection, Sahni ensures her audience is emotionally invested from the very beginning.
After establishing a connection, Sahni then satisfies the curiosity of food enthusiasts through rich historical context, explaining, “It debunks the myth that tandoori is originally Indian: it has Central Asian and Middle Eastern roots.” This sentence uses myth-busting and antithesis to surprise and engage readers, directly contrasting popular belief with historical truth. The use of antithesis challenges assumptions, creates intellectual curiosity, and builds Sahni’s credibility by showing she understands the deeper origins of the dish. Sahni reinforces her expertise by highlighting the Pathan influence, noting the “signature bright orange color,” an example of cultural attribution and symbolism that adds both depth and memorability to the narrative. By connecting a specific visual detail to a particular cultural group, she transforms tandoori from a dish into a symbol of identity and tradition. By focusing on historical context, Sahni satisfies food enthusiasts’ desire to connect with the story behind the food.
Sahni then moves from celebrating the cultural richness of tandoori food to addressing its misconceptions. She opens with an appeal to logos, citing its “mild herbal flavor” and health benefits—“low in fat and cholesterol”—to counter assumptions that it is spicy and unhealthy, making it more approachable. This factual foundation sets the stage for deeper analysis. Rather than resting on surface-level persuasion, she uses refutation to confront historical stigma: tandoori food was once labeled “low-class” and considered taboo for high society as recently as 1947. By exposing this outdated bias, she challenges the assumption that foods linked to rural or working-class origins are inherently less valuable. Her strategic contrast between past prejudice and present popularity creates a compelling narrative arc, reshaping how readers view tandoori’s cultural significance and inviting a more inclusive appreciation of the cuisine. Sahni’s focus on mythbusting serves to counter the belief that tandoori is inherently Indian, spicy, or suited only for certain social classes.
After refuting misconceptions that might discourage people from trying tandoori, Sahni strategically shifts her focus to reader concerns by breaking down the cooking process into simple, digestible steps. She emphasizes accessibility with the declarative claim, “Tandoori cooking is simple. It requires little time, effort or skill,” appealing to logos by offering a logical reason for readers to feel confident. She clarifies that a traditional clay oven isn’t necessary, directly countering a key barrier: “many people never attempt tandoori cooking at home because they assume that it requires the tandoor clay oven.” By addressing hesitation head-on, Sahni builds credibility (ethos ) and positions authentic tandoori flavor as accessible to all. Through this clear, methodical guidance, she moves readers from cultural appreciation to practical empowerment, encouraging them not only to understand but to confidently cook and enjoy tandoori at home.
While the previous paragraph focuses on making tandoori cooking accessible to all home cooks, the final paragraph reinforces Sahni’s argument that tandoori is both inclusive and versatile. By explaining how marinade ingredients should be adjusted based on the type of protein, Sahni uses parallel structure, “for chicken… for tandoori squab…”, to emphasize methodical precision while making the content easy to follow. These specific examples serve as exemplification, grounding her broader claims in tangible, real-world applications. Her inclusion of fish, shellfish, and vegetables further expands the scope of tandoori cooking, employing enumeration to show variety and inclusivity, reinforcing that tandoori is not limited by culture or diet. By addressing readers’ needs for versatility and inclusivity, Sahni ensures that tandoori feels not only approachable but also relevant to a wide range of cooking styles, tastes, and dietary preferences.
Overall, Sahni structures her argument to build trust, challenge assumptions, and empower readers. By moving from emotional connection to historical clarity and practical guidance, she makes tandoori feel culturally rich, inclusive, and accessible, proving it’s not just a dish, but a tradition anyone can embrace.
