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Taste of nostalgia

Subhadra Rau's recipes are packed with the rich memories of the Andhra culinary tradition

PEDATHA KNOWS BEST From left: Art collector Akumal Ramachandra releasing Subhadra Rau's recipes compiled by Pratibha Jain and Jigyasa Giri PHOTO: SAMPATH KUMAR G.P.

Sometimes the most unexpected of people are inspiring. Eight-five-year-old Subhadra Rau Parigi, the eldest daughter of India's former President V.V. Giri, was remarkably down to earth in the midst of a high society release of her book of classical Andhra recipes. "Every woman in India can cook well. I am only one among them. I do not think I am the best. I think my two little daughters here have made a mountain of a mole-hill!"

Humble pedatha

Jigyasa Giri and writer Pratibha Jain, who put together and launched Subhadra Rau's Cooking at Home With Pedatha: Vegetarian Recipes From A Traditional Andhra Kitchen, wouldn't have expected the grand old lady to be so modest and present herself as just one more ammamma who can cook well.

"I am lucky that luminaries have come and graced the occasion. I feel happy and I will remember it. But I always cooked things that everyone else cooked and I only cooked things that my mother passed on to me," Subhadra remarked about her recipes.

The recipes, traditional Andhra vegetarian fare, Subhadra says, were passed on from generation to generation in her family by word of mouth. The recipes reflect an old-world charm and remain unchanged over time. Jigyasa and Pratibha, who would always visit pedatha (father's sister in Telugu) at her house in Bangalore felt that this illustrious culinary legacy had to be preserved in more ways than one.

"We would come every now and then to her house and savour her absolutely delicious food. One day we asked ourselves why we should not record her knowledge of some very delightful cuisine. We thought everyone, from family and friends to people who love Andhra food, should get to know of pedatha's great traditional recipes. We also believed recording it would help preserve her knowledge. That is how we began this journey, a journey of love."

Perfect cook

Jigyasa and Pratibha put together Subhadra's recipes on their laptop first and in course of time turned it into a book. "We are amazed by her perfection in cooking, her consistency in taste that she has maintained all these years, the patience and work she brings to her cooking and the wisdom she exhibits. It had to be put down in the written word," say Jigyasa and Pratibha of their resolve to bring out the book. The book, the authors point out, revisits the culinary oral tradition of an illustrious family of India.

Jigyasa Giri is the wife of V.V. Giri, General Manager, Park Hotel, also the grandson of the former President V.V. Giri. Subhadra is Jigyasa's aunt-in-law. Jigyasa, also a dancer, began her Kathak lessons with the late Krishna Kumar Dharwar, training in the Benaras gharana. She now trains with Maya Rao in the Lucknow gharana and teaches dance in Chennai. Pratibha has been a close friend of Jigyasa for many years. The two have worked togetheron many projects including books and social service. Pratibha, with a doctorate in Philosophy of Language, is a writer, translator and is also based in Chennai.

Aesthetically presented, the book has on every page a recipe, accompanied by pictures. It also presents variations of many recipes, special tips by pedatha and transliteration of Telugu terms. Published by Pritya, it is priced at Rs. 450.

PRASHANTH G.N.

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