…is even better than Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Breakfast in America. Because our breakfast at Seva Sadan commemorates the eighth of every month for us. Oh, what a pleasure to feed people. Mi – now (as you wisely predicted) I understand lots of things that I got bugged about when you mentioned it.
“When am gone” was a phrase I hated to hear from you. But who can stop Fate from playing her game? Fate, indeed is a woman.
I thought of you so much on Sunday when I was making aalu curry and chapati for the Music Get-together. I kept imagining how quickly you would have turned out the chapatis. As a child I was always fascinated at how you made several fulkas simultaneously, flipping them over like a juggler on the tava and then on the fire, then rolling them off, like beautiful balloons onto the plate. Then we would add a layer of ghee to the chapati – and – in an ambiance that only the fragrance of cooking chapatis can bring, we would enjoy our roti and subzi.
mmm…I can still smell those long winter evenings when we would make “Keerai” and roti because we had a strict food budget. What lovely days those were. We used to make sambar so rarely and generally manage with a mixed subzi and plain rice. Funny – those days we actually bought an assortment of veg for Rs.5 and returned home with two carrots, two onions, one potato, a handful of peas, and a couple of tomatoes, all of which went into making one dish that doubled up as a side-dish for rice or roti.
You know, Mi, you’ll be proud to see me make rotis, fulkas and parathas with ease, just like you. I am so grateful for the lifelong education you affectionately passed on to me, mostly without me being conscious about it.
I still recall those hot afternoons when I came in from the 45 degree sun, to a welcoming wash at home and a yummy lunch of seasoned curd rice and beetroot curry which you would have lovingly arranged in glass dishes because I admired how it looked.
It is sometimes hard to believe that Vidur is going to be fourteen. Remember how we spent the better part of the night before his birthday decorating the living room and blowing loads of balloons! Someone told me that “blowers” are available – we were so stupid and huffed and puffed and did it. And how appreciative Vidur always was. He has a nice plan for his birthday this year – and he talks of you all the time. I am so glad you are alive in his mind and heart. I am blessed to have a gentle child.
I made dosa molaga podi and paruppu podi a couple of days back. And of course I heard you telling me, in my mind, that I should remove the podi from the mixer and put it in the airtight container to retain the flavor. It seems am not so bad at making podis myself, considering you were/are the podi queen. Not surprising, eh?
Now, let me pretend you’re sitting with me, and sharing kaapi.
