Several times over the year I met with Laxmi and Praveen in their home to eat together and learn about there heritage and food habits. They often get asked by friends why
they cook the hard [traditional] way when good Indian food is available everywhere in
Melbourne.
Cooking is important to both of them for maintaining
links to home, with dishes that reinforce connections to family, culture and
religion. Both are from Telangana state in the southern middle part of India, where the cuisine is influenced by diverse cultures and climatic conditions.
Laxmi making corn roti
Laxmi making millet roti
Laxmi’s grandmother taught her how to cook
traditional Roti bread using Finger Millet flour or Yellow Maize flour, while
Praveens mother taught him to make spice mixes Karivepaku podi (curry leaf),
kandhi podi (Tumeric flavour), kaaram podi (chilli).
Their desire is to pass on knowledge of how
care and attention to cooking as a family pursuit can be satisfying,
save money and above all lead to good health and spiritual well-being. This care toward food and how it contributes to their lifestyle is something they hope to pass on to others.
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