Food has always been the universal symbol of love, care, hospitality and goodwill all across the globe. Be it the mouth-watering delicacy in a corporate dinner or the simple healthy and hearty meal prepared by your mum fresh from the kitchen, every plate has a story and reason of its own. There may exist thousands of tales about all the food that we consume in a day. Every dish might have its peculiar purpose, but what is really intriguing is how the food that is served to us on a plate exhibits the love that went into preparing it.
When we talk about a love-laden meal who could possibly contend against the supreme entity of love in our lives – our mothers? Perhaps no one! Of course, we have a fondness for all of those food delivery apps that promise to provide us with the most delicious treats from around the city within an hour of placing the order. Sure, that is a great advantage for any foodie, but are you sure that you will be craving for such lavish and spicy spreads when you are feeling down and depressed? Probably not.
You see, when we eat, we are not just consuming spices and meat and vegetables and fruits at random. We are trying to replenish our depleted energy through something wholesome, and it’s not just possible to lay your hands on food that is wholesome yet not prepared with a personal touch. In moments when we feel sad or worn out, we crave for that personal touch in everything that we use.
Just as we run to our mothers when we are hurt and try to find a cozy nook in her lap to hide from mundane worries, the food she prepares helps us forget all our worries and face the world anew. But wait, do not start thinking that our mothers are just as good when it comes to comforting us only during our bad times; even thinking something like that will be nothing short of a disservice to their great efforts.
Take a moment to reflect on all the years you have passed by. From being a newborn who was suckling at your mother’s breast to a toddler, from being a school student to a college goer, from landing your first internship to bagging your first job, from your first prize in a cultural or sports event to your first promotion…. You have, indeed, come a long way. And who has been present, in each step of your way, to celebrate sometimes silently and at other times exuberantly? Your Mother.
She was the one who prepared you those early morning breakfasts before you left for school – the nutritious bowl of cornflakes or muesli with milk and fruits with a boiled egg on the side. She was the one who made your tiffin – that delicious spread of your favorite paratha cooked with vegetables. Face it, you love it now just as much as you loved it in your school days. You even remember how your friends craved for it!
When you went up to college, you wanted to eat something from the canteen every other day. Your mother was not that strict and she let you have it your way on most days, but sometimes she insisted that you should go with the ghar ka khana. You didn’t refuse because you knew that her aloo ka paratha was a hot favorite among your college friends.
Be it the occasional chicken she prepares especially for you on weekdays while you are slogging it out in the office or the kheer on your birthdays, mothers know what’s best for the tummy and the soul. And she will leave no stone unturned to make it for you.
Food, taste, flavour, nutrition and feel good is learnt first from our mothers who we spend most of our early lives with. And much of our lives is spent in handling the primary need of food for ourselves and our friends and families and this early learning stays with us for life.
Mom will always want to make some of my favourites when I visit her. Rajma with Rice, an evergreen North Indian dish and something that I can never say no to. Tomato Rice, a dish that she pretty much created for me. And even though she is a vegetarian she would make the most amazing mutton tikkas for my husband when I got married and we would visit. Finally, I will always treasure the pickles that she makes for me every year, even as she continues to age and has so much stress with her knees. That is just her way to shower us with love. Our boys also love eating food made by both their grandmothers.
Most kids may find it a tad annoying, but the first question I get when I call my mom to tell her that I am coming over is “What do you feel like eating?”.
Do remember that it is simply her outpouring of love, nothing else.
Written by Gouri Gupta
Week 6, February 2021
