When I received an invite to attend a book launch titled
‘Great Grandmas’s Kitchen Secrets’, I was fascinated. It was a double
celebration. Sharing the age-old family recipes with the world and celebrating
a birthday on an auspicious day of GudiPadva. It was no ordinary birthday. It
was a huge celebration of a milestone for the celebrity Susheela Pathak
celebrating her 96th birthday on this big day.
Wow!
This was quite inspiring! I was very touched by the love
and the unity of her large family. Imagine living long enough to see three generation. There were grandchildren and even great grand
children present for the launch, happy that they would be able to carry on the
traditional recipes for many years more. Her family claimed that she is the
senior most living author in India and is currently in consideration for Limca
book of records.
Many film and theatre personalities were present at the
launch, and many stories told. Her friend of 75yrs of friendship had some
memorable stories to share.
Her journey with writing books began at age of 90years,
when her grandson asked her to pen down fables so that he could share with his
children who were in America at that time. Shrimati Susheela Pathak has written
two storybooks, one on idiom and this latest book on recipes that has been also
translated in English to reach a bigger readership. She plans to write a new book on
house-hold remedies too. I begin to realize that one should never stop living; life has great surprises in store for us.
The English edition of ‘Great Grandma’s Kitchen Secrets’
was initially hand-written in Marathi. Besides tradition Maharastrian recipes
like Sanja, gud papdi laddos and Mohri ki Mirchi that she had learnt from her
mother, there are more than 150 old, new, and modified dishes along with
recipes for left over food.
There are some helpful tips too f
“While making baigan barta, before you roast the whole brinjals, apply mustard oil on the skin and insert garlic cloves. It will be well done and also not cause flatulence.”
Also
“To make fluffy puris, add two spoons soojee to the cup of wheat flour and knead in soda water. Poories will remain fluffed for long time after it is fried.
There was a small demo of mixing of Poha bhel by chief
guest Sachin.
We were served the delicious plate of chaklis and poha
bhel and some fresh juice.
The favorite dish of Aaji (as she is lovingly called) was
a take-away of 2 Pooran Poli, Amti Masala and chili pickle for every guest. I
enjoyed the pooranpoli with chili pickle. The masala I plan to use when I cook
dhal the next time.
Sharing a leaflet (page65) from her book of the ‘Mustard
Chili’ that I enjoyed during snack time
Ingredients
1/4kg Green long stemmed chilies
1/4kg Mustard
1/4kg salt
1tsp Fenugreek seeds
1tsp turmeric powder
1tsp asafetida
2tsp oil
Lemon juice from 12-15lemons
Method:
Wash the chilies and cut into small pieces. It will get
deseeded automatically. Separate the seeds and keep the pieces aside.
Clean mustard seeds. Grind them fine in a mixer. Add
salt and cup of water. Grind them well together
Add turmeric and asafetida
Shallow fry fenugreek seeds till they become brown.
Grind the fenugreek seeds separately.
Add lemon juice extracted from 12-15 lemons
Add chili pieces and mix well.
Close the lid tightly, seal it with cloth.
Keep stirring ever1 or 2 days. This chili mustard has a
shelf life of many years.
Whenever you wish to consume it, remove small portion
and temper with oil seasoning.
