Born into an Indian family, I was always surrounded by strong wafting aromas of food, the whistle of pressure cooker, an abundance of food textures and colours. It was like food was an answer to everything. "Oh it is raining - the perfect time for Pakoras!". You are coming down with cold, "let me bring you some Seera!". My Child you fell and bruised your knee, do not worry, "some Haldi Milk (Turmeric) will fix it". Although I have learnt that trying to find logic in these statements will get me nowhere, my brothers still continue to try. They have the knowledge which they use to link food to healthy body but I am trying to savour the delights that made my 'soul' happy. Being the youngest, I spent longest in home watching my mother prepare meal after meals for years. I used to find it weird when at every mealtime, she turned towards us and asked "is the Daal ok" or how are the "Channas". This was not a casual question. She always wanted an answer and Dad would always critique the dish. That is how I learned to pay attention to the finer details of cooking. The tenderness of a Chickpea - it should be tender yet not cracked. The Basmati rice is very fragrant, therefore only that would be used for "Kheer".
I an adult now and during my growing age I have had an opportunity to travel to at least 15 different countries. I noticed how a simple fruit like coconut was used in different ways. A Malabar 'Shrimp Curry' was totally different from Thai 'Penang Curry' or 'Pina Colada' of the west. My curiosity to learn more led me to taking professional cooking. I understood that fine cooking is a very complicated process and a 'Fine Art' and 'Science'.
I am a culinary student now. I am also very passionate about travelling. As a family, we continue to travel to different destinations and enjoy various international cuisines. I have explored food starting from simple street food to eating in a Michelin Star restaurant. I have learned that every cuisine in the world offers a variety of delicacies, drinks , desserts and entrees. As I continue to try new cuisines, I become more curious to know how those dishes are prepared. I want to know how an Indian pulao is different from the Middle Eastern Biryani or the Spanish Paella or for that matter an Italian Risotto. Through this blog I invite you to travel with me and explore food for soul.
