NEW YORK, NEW YORK, November 30, 2023 (News India Times, by David Farley): Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, an Iberia flight attendant hovered over me holding a tray of food. He looked at me – a middle-aged white man – then at the aluminum-foil-wrapped food he was holding, then at me again: “Uh, did you order the, um . . . Hindu meal?” It was no mistake. As a frequent traveler, I’ve grown tired of the typical gruel they feed us on long-haul flights. Airlines’ philosophy of free meals is to offend as few palates as possible. So, will that be the chicken or the pasta? I will no longer accept either. Scientific studies have shown that a combination of changes in cabin air pressure and a reduction of humidity while 35,000 feet in the air reduces our palate’s sensitivity to sweet and salty flavors by about 30 percent. Even loud background noise, such as the humming of a jet’s engine, dulls our taste buds. Meanwhile, spicy flavors are almost unaffected by the change in air pressure, humidity and noise.

So, a handful of flights ago, I started experimenting by taking advantage of the special meals that airlines offer. I began by eliminating options: Low-sodium and diabetic were out. Vegan and vegetarian sounded suspiciously dull in terms of rousing my anesthetized in-flight palate. Kosher was tempting, but I feared being left to subsist on hummus and carrots. Instead, I zeroed in on anything that exuded spice. One day a few years ago, I opted for the Hindu meal on a United flight from Rome to JFK. I unpeeled the foil cover and unleashed a wall of aromas, butter and cardamom wafting up to my face. The dish, dal makhani, is a northern Indian staple. I grabbed a fork and dug into the lentils and rice, taking intermittent bites of naan.

More at source:
https://www.newsindiatimes.com/forget-chicken-or-pasta-order-the-hindu-meal-on-a-flight/

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