Food: Creating Memories With a Pinch of Salt
by Farida Haji“Maa, send the corn chicken recipe.”
It was a way of indirectly letting mom know I was missing her. That, this lonely, hug-less being needed her embrace and presence more than ever.
I am not a terrible cook, but it’s not my first choice or love when it’s time to step in the kitchen. If I ever earn that extra buck, I wouldn’t flinch before hiring a cook. I would happily clean the house!
The Whatsapp list where you see names, I saw, Maa typing…
I opened her chat and sat there waiting for her fingers to work magic; like they always did when I was young.
This time transported me elsewhere though. I stared at the screen.
It started reading….
- Place boneless self in situation,
- Pour time, add some eye rolls, a handful of tantrums and slaps, 2 tbsp of criticism. A dash of encouragement.
- Let it boil.
- Poke self with a knife, check for character and behavioral tenderness. Set aside.
- Remove frozen memories from the freezer, add fresh moments. Rinse under flowing time. Grind them together to form a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Take a separate circumstance.
- Pour elements of frustration, a tinge of anger, and salt, definitely salt. That’s mandatory. Stir.
- Add your flavorful self to this concoction, saute until all elements combine and shape you.
- Pour in memory paste.
- Cover the circumstance with a lid of hope, let it simmer.
- 15 mins later, check on your situation, use the magic liquid where your boneless self brewed to adjust the temperament of your dish.
Maa is typing…..
Ting!
I followed her recipe.
My family and I sat to eat. Some found it bland, some lacking salt.
But, for me, for me,
Every bite was perfect.
It was what I made.
It was what mom had made.
It was me.
The plates and pans were clean. The food was in their tummy.
Tomorrow will be another meal.
I’ll miss you again mom. I’ll cook another version of me!
This article first appeared on Little Humans: The Life of 2 Offsprings.
About the Author
Farida Haji is a writer by profession. She documents her parenting journey through series of anecdotes. She reflects on her upbringing and style of motherhood through a variety of metaphorical stories on her personal blog Little Humans.
thanx for sharing this made me remind of something that i suppose to do a long time ago. so sad. but better late than never
Outstanding for all d moms out there. A lesson indeed!
Sound’s interesting,would love to read more Alhamdulillah.Taste Good too,looking forward to more BC still hungry.
Wow this article is so amazingly written.. its a fusion of tradition, a mothers love and everything that is inclucated in the upbringing of a child.. we dont realize this until we become mothers and want to imbibe those same thgts, tradition, love and manners in our child. Whats more is that, you miss all of this the most when you are miles away from your parents in another country. This article reflects a mother and daughter bond. Something what my husband tells me – a woman is what holds the house together. Takes it all inside her the good, bad and ugly and just gives love and happiness in return.
I LOVED THE ELEMENTS THAT MADE UP THE RECIPE THE MOST. It is such a priceless connection between mother and child through a recipe.