Naturally South Indian
Naturally South Indian
The founder of Nirmal Herbal is a naturopath with a flair for cooking. Nirmala Shetty toiled when she knew UpperCrust was coming into her kitchen. Check out the amazing results
Text & Photographs: Farzana Contractor
Nirmala Shetty is quite the extraordinary woman. Everyone knows her today as Dr Nirmala Shetty who runs these successful spa salons, called Nirmal Herbal. But her story starts on the first rung of the ladder when 30 years ago, she discovered, quite by chance, that she had an inherent talent to comfort those who weren’t feeling too good. Someone who had a splitting headache or someone who was feeling low because her face was full of pimples and marriage was around the corner… Colleagues around her at HPCL, where she worked, who just didn’t feel comfortable in their skin, pun intended, turned to her because she was so involved with natural remedies and was very knowledgeable about food ingredients and their uses in natural cosmetics.
“It’s really strange how two important aspects of my life, which I am crazy about even today, took shape on train journeys. Beauty and food…” begins Nirmala, “This was even before I was married when I would travel by a local train going from Sion to VT. We were regulars and we were friends. Exchanging food from our tiny tiffins and recipes, too, engaging in laughter and fun, culling info from each other, all the time. Life was like that in those days. I learnt so much on the train about cooking, even before I was actually cooking,“ says Nirmala.
At work, as on the train, Nirmala was everyone’s friend. Her colleagues and friends said she had magic in her hands. If someone had a headache, Nirmala was there in the restroom to ease it out, pressing the forehead gently. It was the woes of those anxious ones that they would never find a suitor because of their dark skin that got Nirmala even more motivated.
Before she knew it, a naturopath that she always was, she married food and beauty. Searched, researched, read up, talked to people, she educated herself and before long she had hit upon formulas using plants, fruits, juices, grains and lentils and was making face packs and skin toners, shampoos and conditioners which she was giving away for free. The first facial she ever gave was in the bedroom of her apartment. She was so thrilled with the Rs 600!
Not one to be allowed to frequent beauty salons herself, her first experience at one was much later when she was getting married. She says the staff was rather condescending because all that she wanted was to have her eyebrows shaped. What was worse was that the atmosphere was so jarring. The staff were loud and careless, even rude. A spontaneous thought went through her mind; when she starts her own salon it will not be like this!
“I couldn’t believe that thought passed through my mind. I mean, I didn’t even know that I would have a salon one day!” smiles Nirmala, at the memory. Destiny is destiny and she got her salons. First in Chembur in 1992 and then in Bandra and Mulund. Nirmal Herbals are wonderful havens of peace and quietude. A soft atmosphere prevails, the fragrances are soothing, there are always fresh flowers around, the brass is always shining, staff speak kindly, very softly. The treatment packs even today are made freshly, every morning in Nirmala’s home kitchen and then sent to all her centres.
Subsequently Nirmala did a course from Integrated Nutrition, New York and became a Health Coach. Realising the importance of a healthy mind in a healthy body she counsels you only after an intense consultation on both your physical and emotional state. “It is important, you know, how you feel, how you think, for an overall state of being. Carbs, proteins, vitamins are all fine, but so are your relationships. I have seen how even issues with maids, cooks and drivers give cause to many women to have physical disorders!”
Well that was Dr Nirmala Shetty. Now let’s talk about Nirmala, the housewife. Life was not all roses for Nirmala. She had her share of thorns. Falling in love with and marrying a Mangalorean was not easy for a Tamilian. Daily woes prevailed, families had to be appeased. But she and her husband Jay, who she says is a gem of a man, the wind beneath her wings, went through all the ordeals, the ups and downs, and succeeded in pacifying everybody, carrying on with their lives and achieving everything they wanted to. A roof over their head, children and a flourishing business which they love. “The fruits of labour are sweet,” says Nirmala, adding with a smile, “And so is my husband, who would take the children out to the park just so that I would get two hours before dinner time to give facials to my clients, 30 years ago!”
Now in her 60s, Nirmala, has rekindled her passion for cooking on a public platform. Encouraged by her two sons she has started to engage herself with Instagram. She is also part of a large and devoted food and cooking group on WhatsApp. So she creates time to cook and post very interesting recipes and lovely food pictures. What’s good is she does all her traditional classics and then she tweeks them too to give a healthy twist.
So you have idlis made from millets, organic jaggery instead of sugar, the use of old and forgotten fruits like wood apple for chutneys and the like. She enlightens us, “Millet is the new era food getting popular among health conscious people. One should in fact substitute bread with millet to make food more nutritious, especially for children. The first step is to make millet idlis. One can choose between finger millet or little millet. Red Bell pepper is full of antioxidants and chutney made from it is a welcome change to eat idlis and dosas with or even just spread on toast. Since it is fried before grinding it stays well in the refrigerator for two or three days. Wood apple is a super fruit to be had in summer. It has a great deal of benefits for the body, due to its high fibre, vitamins and minerals. Some like to eat a spoonful straight from the shell as they break it open. I got hold of the chutney recipe after checking with a lot of women from the yesteryears.
Dry Fruit Sandwich is my most loved snack at home. Even my clients at the spa who have had it at our anniversary parties enjoy it immensely. Healthy for sure, the goodness of dry fruits is manifold.”
Apart from health tips, Nirmala also offers good cooking tips. “Neer dosa, typical to its name is a thin lacy dosa, light to touch and light in your stomach, too. The trick is to pour the thin, watery batter quickly all over the pan. Please note it is cooked on one side only. Coconut chutney needs no roasting of ingredients. All have to be ground raw. The green chillies concoction can be had as a side dish or just eaten with rotis. The Egg Roast is a dish you can have for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it is easy and quick to make. As for dry prawns, it’s a good idea to stock up for the coming monsoon when fresh fish is not available and you miss the taste of seafood. Dry fish chutney really works well with dal-chawal and pickles and papad when it’s raining outside!”
