cookings

 The Dish That Defines My Childhood: A Taste of My Roots

 

Some of it you have to smell and taste. It smells like the Masoor dal boiling on the stovetop, or garlic and jeera ready to hit the hot ghee waiting to temper. The dish that epitomizes childhood. There’s nothing fancy about it, and you won’t find it on a restaurant’s Spacial menu. but in our Home,  it was everything.

Growing Up with Masoor Dal

 

A middle class Maharashtrian family brought me into this world in the city of  Pune.           We didn’t eat out much. She would cook every meal that was made with love and what was on her hands at the moment in the kitchen. Though one constant in my meals was for sure, Masoor dal with steaming hot rice (which we call dal – bhaat). 

Gosh, it was simple: Then add just red lentils, a pinch of hing and a little salt as well as turmeric powder. But when the Tadka (ghee with garlic, cumin seeds, dry red chillies) is added to the curry, that’s when the real magic happens. To this day I can still hear that sizzling sound from the Kadhai.

It was sometimes full of chopped onions or tomatoes, sometimes it wasn’t. Though, it always tasted like a warm hug after a long day at school. It didn’t matter how tired, happy or even angry I was when I came home, dal-bhaat held the power to make everything alright. Spacial menu. In our home, everything. Comfort. Warmth. Home.

More Than Just Food

 

I realize now that it was more than just food. It was our daily ritual. There were plates and tumblers in stainless steel, and we sat cross legged on the floor. On the side, my father would always begin with a spoonful of lemon pickle. 

THERE was always too much rice my brother would grumble. And I? When Maa gave me an additional spoon of ghee above, it made me happy. Food didn't just fill our bellies, it connected us. It was that meal that made us so connected at the end of the day. It also reminded me that even the most basic ingredients can become like magic, if cooked with an extra bit of love.

Cultural Significance of Dal in Indian Homes

 

In India, dal is not just food, it is a way of life. From north to south, east to west, every region has its own version:

⦁ Toor dal in Gujarat and Maharashtra

⦁ Moong dal in UP and Bihar

⦁ Sambar in Tamil Nadu and Kerala

⦁ Panchmel dal in Rajasthan

It is its own story, its own Flavour, its own memory. But one of the most humble forms is masoor dal. It's rich in protein, easy to digest and quick to cook — a favourite  with working families and students alike. Regardless, of how modern or fast life gets, dal finds its way back to our plates.

Learning to Cook It Myself

 

After college, I moved out and I missed home cooked food like anything. Hostels are not exactly known for their culinary excellence, you know? One day, missing home like crazy, I called my Maa and asked her, “How do you make that masoor dal?”

“It’s not rocket science,” she laughed. Just cook it with your heart.”

The first time, of course I messed it up: too watery, undercooked dal, burnt tadka. However, I finally got it. I’ve eaten everything, but when the first time it tasted like Maa’s and when it came close, oh it felt like I finally brought home with me.

Food and Identity

 

There is so much emotion in the one dish, funny. Food can be a way for you to feel connected to your roots if you don’t live at home. When I’m down or nostalgic or overwhelmed, what I need is comfort food and that’s that dal I go back to.

It grounds me. It sees me as the person I am.

You may have a different dish that brings back childhood memories may be it’s idiyappam, appam, paal kozhukattai, dosa, khichdi, or even maggi! But one thing is for sure: Food and memory go together.

The Power of Simple Food 

                   In a world where food is the most palatable, the most glamorous (certainly not the most nourishing) from the ingredients, to the food presentation, it is so easy to forget the undeniable power of simplicity. You don't have to spend money to get something delicious – masoor dal reminded me of that. You need love, a little patience, and a good tadka!

And you know what? Even now, when I cook it for my friends, they always say the same thing: “Yaar, this tastes like home.”

Let’s Celebrate Our Food Stories

    Each one of us has such stories. We love it, because it reminds us of home. The recipe for our childhood. Maybe you’ve never done it, but why not now? To be honest, think about your favourite food growing up! What made it special? Who made it for you? What memories come rushing back when you eat it now? It’s about so much more than taste. For me, it’s cultural, family, love and identity