|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I was born in Madras, brought up in Madras and Rajahmundry in Andhra; I grew up from the age of 4 or five till 14 years in a remote village in Saurashtra. I had a unique opportunity to absorb all these cultures including enjoying dishes from all these three regions. I was born in a joint family, with dozens of children around, each had their own taste including a dog, which too had his own preferences, and the kitchen never slept! My mother, my aunt in Saurashtra and my Periamma in Andhra were good cooks. Since there was no other form of entertainment in village, women used to make all the tidbits like wafers to pickles and sweets at home. We were never allowed to buy even fried tidbits and savories from outside shops. Our house was the hub of all activities of the entire community and it all revolved around my aunt who would help every one prepare a variety of foods including pickles and wafers. People in the community used to prepare dishes with the recipes given by her almost every day. Being a precocious child, I was roped in to cast wafers, cut mangoes, or remove seeds from Muk-salli pazam for pickles. My duties were to help in cleaning wheat and rice including removing stones and grind wheat on stone grinder. Deepavali and other festivals were special times for sweet preparations and what not. |
|
Another reason of intense activity on the food front was due to my grandfather being a world-renowned Samveda scholar and a great astrologer. There was not a single day when we have not had guests. With five sisters and their in-laws, we had no dull moment in the village. Thus my taste for good food was fired in my village! I got back to Madras for middle and college level education and then I joined my family business because of which I was constantly on tour. My primary worry used to be good food followed by a good hotel. My wife (I was married at 23) also turned out to be a very good cook and was eager to learn and prepare new dishes. In the course of my marketing career of over 25 years, I had visited the whole of India, Japan, Korea Hongkong, Thailand, Singapore, Britain and Germany. I had more exposure to the Orient having visited Japan and stayed there for weeks at a stretch. Thus I had an opportunity to sample the Japanese cuisine from roadside kiosks to 37TH floor Bunny Girl club which offered the most exclusive rare Japanese food. My tryst with cooking started fairly early when we were forced to cook when our Aiyaramma Kamalamma would absent herself from work for 5 days every month. None of my elder brothers were married and all the sisters were married. Later on, when I was staying in the house of Suryakantham, the telugu actress who was very popular in telugu cinemas in the role of a mother in law, she was instrumental in introducing us to the Andhra cuisine. I also owe it to the two finest Andhra restaurants near my house in CIT colony. Both my wife and myself used to cook for our small family. Later on even when we shifted back to our house on walltax road, I continued cooking. By this time I had already had become famous in my sisters and other friend's homes as a food specialist. My full freedom to experiment with food started in 1995 when I shifted with my son to Bangalore and my wife was in Madras due to my daughter's education. Every day was a new experience and a new experiment. Thus in a period of five years, my already good food preparing ability was perfected and you people are the proof of it. I have always tried to get recipes from anyone if I liked the food. It ranges from the street hawker of food in Bangalore to street dwellers to five star chefs, and I have hassled them all for recipes. Over the years I have made several improvements and have given you the fruit of love on a platter. This is because I have found that books cannot give you proper guideline how to cook. No one can teach you how to cook and worst of all, NO ONE GIVES YOU COMPLETE RECIPES. If you love food and your family, a little guidance from me will make you prepare good food. I am in the evening of my life and I am passionate about good food. I want my experiences and experiments in creating new dishes shared by all. I was given a wonderful opportunity by FORUM HUB to showcase my talents in concrete form. All of you forum hubbers have worked with my recipes and have given feedback that would be the envy even of popular chefs who run TV shows. I'd like you all to continue to give me your feedback, suggestions and comments, as it will keep me going! I love you all. Hemant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Thanks to all the
ForumHubbers
for making this happen
|
Being
Born in South India is by itself a blessing and that too for a
Saurashtrian Gujarati! and Saurashtra, is one of the Pancha Dravida
region.