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Recipe of a classic
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For generations of brides, this unpretentious book was an invaluable storehouse of information on vegetarian cooking says SABITA RADHAKRISHNA.
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WHEN women of my generation got married. We were given Samaithu Paar as one of the wedding gifts. If not, we got it ourselves, treating it as a bible for cooking delicious South Indian food. That it was not available in any of the well-known bookshops made it more precious and I remember, how, after a long search, I purchased my copy at a relatively small shop in Mylapore. It seemed incredible that Meenakshi Ammal, a simple housewife from a traditional Tamil family, untrained in the intricacies of logical writing and publishing, should venture to document all that the she knew in cooking with such meticulous detail. She was encouraged by her uncle K. V. Krishnaswamy Iyer "a leading advocate and ex-president of the Music Academy."
The first edition of the book was published in 1951, which was followed in quick succession by two more volumes — all of which have been translated into English. Since then, the first volume of Samaithur Paar has seen translations in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
With my scant knowledge of Tamil, I managed to go through the recipes and tried many of them with success in the earlier days of my marriage. When my daughter got married Samaithu Paar evolved into Cook and See with an English translation, and the three volumes went along with her trousseau. Again for this generation of brides, the unpretentious book was an invaluable storehouse of information where vegetarian cooking was concerned. The translation was so literal, with its singular brand of charm. Despite so many new books flooding the market, Samaithu Paar remains a classic among cookbooks, the ultimate in Brahmin cooking. I did wish, however, that we learnt a little more about Meenakshi Ammal, her aspirations and the kind of woman she was... did she ever think she would be a trail blazing cookery author?
In keeping with contemporary times, and to complete with cookbooks of a new genre, Samaithu Paar has emerged in a new avatar thanks to her discerning son. P. S. Sankaran, a book more exciting and readable to the young cooks who are excited by traditional food. The Best of Samaithu Paar, in the 21st Century version, is more user-friendly, and attractive with its hard cover and glossy photographs. Except that one feels that it reads suspiciously like some of the books in the market today, the kolams on each page and even the preface that leaves one with a sense of déjà vu. The impeccable editing and the content covers minus points if any.
It is a book that should get pride of place in every home, for its simplicity of presentation, the authenticity and the anticipation of possible blunders by young inexperienced cooks. The best recipes have been selected from the three volumes of Cook and See. The sections cover sambar and rasam, vegetables, rice, tiffin, savouries, sweets, salads, pachadis, chutneys and pickles, comprising 100 recipes with interesting variations.
The miscellaneous section covers powders like rasam powder, sambar powder and chilli powder. And who can do without the recipe for genuine filter coffee that only true-blooded South Indians can make to perfection?
To those who love Indian cuisine, especially foreigners, Samaithu Paar in its new edition would be very useful because of the uncomplicated preparation of its recipes, and its non-spicy flavour. Take the dhal stew or poritha kozambu, a meal in itself, with its dhals and vegetables, laced lightly with sambar powder. When mixed with rice, it is a gastronomical delight.
The tender pumpkin milk kootu is ideal for the diet conscious. The salads, like plantain stem salad, cucumber salad, Bengal gram salad, and if you like it slightly more exotic, ladies finger pachadi, jack fruit pachadi and mango pachadi are sure winners. The lime rice is easy to prepare, at a pinch, and the tamarind rice or puliyodharai is a simpler version without addition of the powders and just as tasty.
Samaithu Paar lists homely much loved and daily recipes, but to even the most seasoned cook it makes excellent referral matter, when you are stumped on how to make colocasia leaf curry or the yam masiyal which you had eaten in mami's house.
Despite the plethora of cook books in the market, Samaithu Paar will always score high, what with the author Meenakshi Ammal an institution by herself. Her books are a must buy for every housewife who enjoys simple South Indian vegetarian fare.
The Best of Samaithu Paar — The Classic Guide to Tamil Cuisine; S. Meenakshi Ammal, Viking, Penguin Books India 2001, p.150, Rs. 395.
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