Indian chefs talk about their fondest food memories with their mum
Chefs Ranveer Brar, Sanjeev Kapoor, Pooja Dhingra and more reminisce about their maa ke haath ka khanna and the things they have learnt from her
Food forms an inextricable part of our memories. On Mother’s Day today, noted chefs reminisce about their childhood and share some of their most cherished moments with their mums, her food and how they are constantly inspired by their mothers them in the kitchen. Here's a look.
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor
So the one thing that I took away from my mother is not one single dish, but the way she chopped the onion and tomatoes. This isn’t something I realised in my initial years of cooking, but when I noticed it, it made a huge difference in the cooking and flavour. As a chef, we are taught to cut our vegetables to be the same size, but my mum’s uneven veggies add variation in terms of flavour and texture. This cannot be taught in any school. As chefs, we are taught to find perfection, but sometimes, it’s these imperfections that we don’t capture that add to the flavour.
Ranveer Brar, chef and owner, Kashkan
When I was in school, my dadi was the star cook and at that time, my mum didn’t really cook. Anytime we got stuck in recipes or while cooking, we would go to our grandmother. So, one day, my friends were coming home and had always eaten food that my grandmother had cooked. They said, the food at your home is always amazing and we are coming for the food. But my dadi wasn’t home that day. So i told my mum, ‘These friends are coming over and it’s a really big deal for me. They always rave about the food, so you have got to cook something.’ That day she made makki ki roti and sarso ka saag which my dadi used to always cook. It was the first time I had ever eaten her version of this typical Punjabi dish. It was the best I had ever eaten, in my life, to date. I was the star of my class after that and the only conversation for that winter was my mum’s makki ki roti and sarso ka saag.
Pooja Dhingra, pastry chef and owner, Le15 Patisserie
I remember when I was growing up, our home kitchen often smelled of rose syrup. My mom loved using it ~ whether it was a rose milk soda to beat the summer heat or adding a splash of it to desserts; it was almost a staple in my house. Over the years as a chef, I’ve incorporated rose syrup into various desserts ~ be it a Rose Macaron that has been a best-selling macaron on our menu for years now, or Rose Pistachio Cupcakes every time the festive season rolls around!
Kunal Kapur, chef and owner, Pincode
As a kid, life was much simpler as most of the food was cooked at home, from your aachars, and chutneys to even sauces, papads and vadiya. I have always been a mama's boy, I would love to help her out and I've grown up watching her cook. One of my favourite memories is Mum preparing mango pickles during this season. Also, first Cauliflower, which is my favourite vegetable, was very seasonal and you would only get it in winter. So, we would take cauliflower, cut florets, put them in a thread and hang them to dry in the winter so that they could be used in summer. That had a very different taste. These are the things that kind of stayed with me.
Garima Arora, Michelin chef and owner, Restaurant Gaa
So much of the food I still make comes from the women in my life. The Gobi Paratha has always been really special to me and the recipe we currently serve in our restaurant is a cherished one from my paternal grandmother. The white butter that accompanies it is a recipe passed down by my maternal grandmother, making this dish incredibly meaningful to me. One practice that I still carry on today is using Ajwain - When I was young, my mom would give me Ajwain whenever I had a stomachache. She would put it in my food or boil it in water. Now, I follow the same practice with my baby, and it continues to work well for him.
Sanjyot Keer, chef and content creator
In my family, my mum’s kheer is very famous. I have shared the recipe with friends and even on my social media, and people have tried it and loved it. It is very unique, she makes the kheer in a cooker. It has this light pinkish tinge and only has three ingredients - rice, milk and condensed milk - so it is very easy to make as well. But like most Indian mothers, she doesn’t follow a recipe or have fixed quantities. I have tried to recreate it so many times but it just doesn't turn out the same. On special occasions, she will make puda, it is like a smaller malpua, and she will serve it with the kheer. That meal is so simple, but it is truly something special. I believe the thing that makes it special is my mother’s love.
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