For the most part, the kitchen is easily considered to be the heart of the home. In a time where it’s become increasingly common for everyone to have their own private quarters and space, it’s become the meeting place where we all start each day, and the spot where we gather around and congregate as we undress the happenings at the end of each day. It’s true, nothing has the power to bring people together quite like sitting down together for a meal – followed by a group effort in cleaning up the mess afterwards too. Some of the best conversations and banter has been had in the kitchen…either eating a meal; or bending over the wash basin while someone else dries up and my husband sweeps 🙂

Culturally, and Indian woman’s place and value has always been (unfairly) tied to her abilities and flair in the kitchen. Looking back at my own childhood; we were never indoctrinated in that way. I have as many memories of my mom pottering around in the kitchen as I do of my oldest sister’s culinary faux pas as well as my brother and my Dad taking over the reigns some Sundays. Growing up, the kitchen was not a place reserved just for the women. In fact, my brother has always displayed a greater prowess and flair for all things culinary compared to my sisters. It’s something he and I have in common – although his taste buds sometimes borders on the weird. And it’s something I’ve seen follow through in my own home too.

I’ve never pressurised kitchen duties on any of my kids based on gender. I’ve always allowed them to develop their own interests at their own pace. It just so happens that my daughter’s interest in the kitchen is slowly starting to peak; and even though she hasn’t taken over the kitchen in any way at all, she has successfully broadened my own set of skills through her willingness to venture beyond our conventional taste pallet…and forcing me to cater for it 😉

Lately she’s expressed a desire to learn a few tricks of the trade. And though she has yet to don an apron and pick up a wooden spoon, I can’t help but feel a little excited at the prospect of passing down recipes that she will one day use to create meals for her own family. Many years ago, just before I got married, I wrote down all my basic daily recipes to pass down to my sister. In a way, it was a piece of my heart inked onto those pages. Similarly, I want to do the same for my daughter…so I’m reviving this little segment on my blog that’s been neglected for far too long as a means to leave her with a few recipes of her own favourite dishes for whenever she’s ready to venture into the culinary universe. In a way, I’m leaving her with a piece of my heart too.

The heart of the home is considered to be the kitchen, and my own heart is very much tied to the recipes I share here. It has an origin and a story and a history of how it’s made its way onto our favourites list and into my kitchen…and what makes me keep making it over and over again.  This one in particular is dedicated to my daughter. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than creating things that my family loves, and this is up there as one of her favourites!

*I’ve written the recipe down on these recipe cards below  for easy reference since it is easy to save, print and add to your collection of recipes 🙂

Happy Cooking!

Peace,

NAMU 🙂