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“I learnt more history, geography, sociology, religion, and economics of my region, in my mother’s kitchen than in school,” says Sucharitha Reddy, author of the beautifully written and produced coffee-table book “Nostalgia Cuisine”. The talented and charming seventy-year-young woman grew up in a zamindar family in Hyderabad State just before Independence. It was in her family’s large kitchen where meals were conjured up for a hundred (extended) family members at a time that the young Sucharitha imbibed all her cooking knowledge. Each festival revolved around fascinating food. From Vinayaka Chaturthi’s twenty-one vegetable curry to the most lavish feast on Vijaya Dashmi, to the traditional pachadi, with varying flavours — sweet, sour, tangy and spicy — signifying a year filled with hope, sorrow, joy and prosperity. “Every food had a significance and a history,” she says.

As though this wasn’t enough, the young Sucharitha would often organise her doll’s wedding (Bommala pelli) complete with a priest doll and followed by a lavish feast for her cousins and servants. Since refrigerators were a rarity and instant food non-existent, they ate according to the season, freshly cooked and nutritious.

Sucharitha’s passion for cooking (fortunately for us) led her also to researching the nuances and collecting the most authentic recipes. Culinary expertise apart, Sucharitha continues to be a major source of strength and support to her husband Dr. Prathap C Reddy, the Founder-Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group.

Her book is rich with history (some families mentioned in it can trace their lineage back to 21 generations, 700 years) and traditional glory.

I love the fact that “Nostalgia cuisine” is a treasure house of Telengana Reddy’s cuisine (which has a conspicuous Marwari touch, influence of the Moghul and the Nizam rulers too). As the author explains, “this book is more about migration cuisine rather than just Andhra.” It is more than that too. A culinary heirloom to be passed down generations.

Here’s an easy-to-make recipe from the book...

Pori Mamsam (Scrambled mutton fry)

Servings: 5

1 kg / 5 cups - mutton cubes

1 cup - onions chopped

2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tbsp red chilli powder

One and a half tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

4 cloves

5 cardamoms

3 cinnamon sticks

Half cup oil

Salt to taste

Clean the mutton cubes well. Mix with the onions, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, coriander, turmeric powder and salt. Boil it in a pressure cooker with little water for two whistles. Remove the lid and continue cooking till the water evaporates. Remove and keep aside.

Take a shallow pan, heat oil, toss in cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Add the meat and fry till it turns translucent.

Serve Pori Mamsam with puris or rotis.

P.S. A simple dish, but a favourite of many. Normally meat dishes require long cooking time, but pori mamsam can be made in a jiffy.

* Teenie Daswani from Meenakshi Apartments (from Spurtank Road) takes orders for vegetarian and non-vegetarian Sindhi food for five to 100 persons. She does not home deliver. Ph: 98848 38725.

Cookery Classes

Manisha Modi from Kilpauk will be conducting the following classes:

January 28 - parathas and rotis, rajma roll parathas, minty vegetarian parathas, stuffed kulcha, naan and coriander roti; January 30 - varieties of rice (Kashmiri pulao, green rice with paneer, rice risotto, Mexican rice and layered rice with vegetables); February 1 - party dhoklas, paneer dhokla, ameri khaman, khandvi and green peas dhokla; February 6 - spicy sandwiches (finger pack sandwich, baked bean sandwich, French toast, chutney sandwich, cucumber sandwich, pinwheel sandwich, seasame masala, cheese sandwich; February 11 - chaat items (bhel puri, pani puri, dahi papdi chat, pav bhaji and samosa). Classes for company employees are also undertaken. The fee for the first three and last classes is Rs. 250 (for one day) and for the fourth is Rs. 300. For details call 26403766 or 94440 35883.

* Samuel from Perambur Barracks Road needs chapattis with vegetarian side dish for three people (for dinner) to be home delivered everyday. Ph: 98849 96893.

* Boji Thomas from Nelson Manickam Road wants lunch and dinner (preferably Kerala style) for two home-delivered everyday. Ph: 42082437.

* Farida Khan wants someone to deliver chappatis with subji for one in the evening for a month in Alwarpet. Mail fkhan1m@gmail.com or call 98418 25253.

* R. Subramaniam needs vegetarian breakfast, lunch and dinner for 15 persons for seven days from January 31 to be delivered at D-57,Garden of Hearts, Manapakkam (opposite Babuji Memorial Ashram). Ph: 99403 28199 or mail anna.subramaniam@gmail.com

In response to a query about an organic food store, readers can visit Eco Nut, which is a health food shop and stocks organic products.

Address: First Floor, E-34, Second Avenue, Besant Nagar, ph: 94440 46299 or 24919592.

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