My childhood memories are filled with good, wholesome and nutritious food being cooked everyday. My mother was interested in introducing us to a variety of tastes and textures from an early age, and prepared dishes from all over the world in her kitchen. A typical day of eating could include a breakfast of Paratha (a flaky unleavened bread) with Khageena (spicy scrambled eggs with onions and potatoes) and homemade orange marmalade. Lunch could be home cured Tongue sandwiches with coleslaw or simply vegetable fried rice. Dinner was more elaborate, like Shahi Haleem (a slow cooked stew like dish of meat, lentils and grains served with lots of fresh ginger, green chillies and lemons) with naan and then Gajar ka Halwa (carrot halwa) or Bread Pudding for dessert.
My cooking style is very distinct from my mother’s. She is more of a traditionalist and believes in the robustness of the process, time + effort = Big Flavour Rewards. Through necessity, my style leans more towards keeping time and effort to the minimum without compromising on taste and depth of flavour.
I have also been lucky enough to have learnt from several other excellent cooks throughout my life. My grandmother taught me my first dish at the age of 12. Her table was always full, and she taught me an awareness of a ‘complete’ meal: the subtle art of combining dishes to create great menus.
An aunt then untaught me the elaborateness of my grandmother’s table and exposed me to the joys of eating only one dish, a dish cooked so well that no accompaniment was needed.
My ex-husband’s grandmother exposed me to regional variations of staple childhood dishes and the actual power of spices. How varying the quantities in the combinations of spices used, paired with knowing their affinity to the main ingredients can change the entire flavour profile of the dish. Something as simple as changing the timing of the addition of a certain spice can elevate a dish from good to great.
To all of these superb ladies, some of whom are not with us anymore, a huge thank you.