….make the kutti kathrikka (small brinjal) rasam even though I bought them. My Mom and I simply loved making and enjoying this special rasam. Whenever possible, we also shared it with others we had introduced it to. The normal reaction, when we said kathrikka rasam was “What!! kathrikka in rasam??” But only until they tasted it.
Brinjal was one of Mom’s favorite vegetables. She liked it in various ways – as a curry with oil and masala, as a roasted seasoned dip, as a rasam, as a kootu (gravied brinjal), stuffed brinjal, vetha kozhambu and as a dry roasted curry. She also loved a particular gravy-type Andhra recipe one of our neighbors introduced us to.
We used to build up the excitement of the rasam right from the moment we set our eyes on the tiny brinjal while vegetable shopping and plan and make it.
Sigh. I finally just ended up making the regular curry to eat with paratha…and missed her so much when I ate it. She would have loved the way it turned out. It also reminded me of those innumerable afternoons when we would have our lunch together, relishing what we shared and gossiping away to glory about everything on earth.
Incidentally, while mom was undergoing physiotherapy, the therapist told us that brinjal is full of calcium and advised her to include more in her diet. Which Mom gladly did.
They miss her too.
Just found this lovely picture, courtesy Tracy Backes’ photostream
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| Yummy Kathrikka |
