Page 120 - UpperCrust e-Magazine Third Quarter 2024

'TIS THE SEASON | RASAM
Rasam shots, ready for the tasting
“No!” Not no, I don’t want to, but no,
how can I? Who am I? She was overcome
with shyness. Once she was convinced
she had to let the world see what a the list that she had sent, written out in
marvellous rasam-maker she was; she Telugu and zeroed in on a cross section of
was totally committed. Even indignant
that Preethi had told us she could make
only 22 different kinds of rasam. Not
118 | UPPERCRUST | JUL-SEP 2024
often considered comfort food. Rasam,
the thin, soupy concoction is typically
served with steamed rice, which is what
Amma (we had now started calling her
that), had also prepared and kept ready
for me and Rozina, my colleague. That,
apart from the 13 different rasams!
It was rather unbelievable. How
Amma, who insists on living by herself,
without any full-time help, had laboured
at preparing and keeping ready these 13
rasams, all with love and perfection. Not
only the method, but also the proportion
of each ingredient you put in there, is
important, she cautioned.
I had fallen in love with Amma the
instant I had seen her at her door, waiting
for us, as we climbed up the wooden
staircase of the 92-year grand building,
where she has lived ever since she came to
Bombay. Her beaming smile, bright eyes,
her enthusiasm, her innate simplicity, her
affection shone through… This is how
grandmothers should be, I thought. As
if reading my mind, Preethi, who was at
hand helping her mum, smilingly asked
me to add, ‘a strict disciplinarian’ to her
mother’s list of attributes. That’s a good
thing, too, I said. Need of the hour in
today’s crazy world! Parents ought to
bring back the adage, spare the rod and
spoil the child, in full force!
Well, going straight to the kitchen,
as I arrived, I clapped my hands in joy
at the sight that greeted me. Amma had
followed instructions to the T. Every
ingredient she had used in the cooking
of the rasams was there on the side table,
in little glass bowls, for me to examine,
study, ask questions about… And all,
save one of the rasams were made and
kept ready to be shot. We had asked her
to make just one in our presence. Which
she did.
22, she corrected her daughter, she could Now understand this, Amma always
make 35! makes her rasam in an eyam. That’s the
Preethi and I had a laugh, went through big secret. Or even if not a secret, it’s
a lesser-known fact. No self-respecting
South Indian will ever make rasam in any
rasams which incorporated a wide range other material. Not stainless steel or any
of ingredients and which would do justice other cookware. It has to be an eyam. Go
to this beloved South Indian dish that is look it up on Google. You will learn it is