A couple of years ago T came into our lives. A very sweet, helpful woman from south India that speaks malayalam and excellent English. She quickly learned all of my grandmothers recipes for mandel bread cookies, potato kugel, and eggplant parmesan.
When she goes to the market, she makes a special stop at the asian food market and buys ingredients for her own food. Spices that remind her of home, vegetables and rice flour. An Indian cook, right at our doorstep, but not our own.
One day, after hinting elegantlly that as much as I love my grandma's food, an Indian meal would be kinda awesome, T hosted us for a meal. I was just on a vegan not gluten diet and it was lent, so she was also vegan for the week. As soon as I entered the house, the smell of authentic Indian food was everywhere. Right after the hug to my grandma, I was immediately given a chair and a plate and the feast began. Appam Rice flour pancakes, spicy vegetable kurma stew, flatbread, curried potatoes and for desert Bengka Ubi Kayu a sweet tapioca cake.
After the delicious meal, I was given recipes and tips on how to recreate the dishes myself, but I know it won't come out the same...
After years of hunting for Indian food in Israel, it's nice that sometimes Indian food finds me.
Thanks T,
നന്ദി!
