on this quiet father’s day, I am attempting to pass my father’s origin to my child; honoring my grandmother, here is my home cooked brunch…
My father is from a remote village in Bangladesh. I used to visit my grandmother with him quite often…
She would often cook up chicken, rice, omelette (all from her own backyard). It would taste out of this world. Those memories instantly transport me to a different era — colorful, spirited, complex, and spiritual…
My grandmother lived in a remote village in Bangladesh. She could barely read or write; never had a formal education of any kind; yet she managed a farming and sharecropping business quite successfully.
She mobilized, organized, and managed a collaborative community of farmers, merchants, and seasonal workers. She had nine children, executed all household affairs, and made time to spend with her grandchildren when we visited her. She was barely five feet tall, skinny as a rod, and very soft-spoken.
This village had no electricity, no modern conveniences, no phones, and barely had passable road transportation.
It is at that remote village in the mid ’70s that I was introduced to entrepreneurship and leadership. I just didn’t realize it then!
On this quiet Father’s Day, I am attempting to pass my father’s origin to my child…
Honoring my grandmother, here is my home cooked brunch…
Chicken curry cooked with mustard oil, black cumin seed, shallots, turmeric, ginger, garlic, coriander…
Rice and lentil cooked with spiced mango pickle…
Omelette made with chilies, cardamom, herbs…
"Bangladesh has been aptly described as a new state in an ancient land. Much has been written about the past glory of Bangladesh, notably in old records like the evidence of Pliny and Periplus of the Erythrean Sea (first century AD). It was drawn in Ptolemy's map. These indicate that from the earliest times Bangladesh was known to the West, particularly for its Muslin, the finest fabric the world has ever produced. Travellers and scholars who were attracted by the charms and fame of Bangladesh since time immemorial had showered effusive epithets on its bounties and wealth, affluence and prosperity, craftsmanship and cultural advancement.
Bangladeshis are essentially simple in nature. Since time immemorial they are noted for their valour and resilience as well as hospitality and friendliness. Bangladeshis are also equally known for their creativity. They have an innate quality of open mindedness. Communal or ethnic feeling is alien to them and despite diverse racial mix from pre-historic days they are, by and large, a homogeneous group. -- M. S. Raunak.
behind the scene
Making rice with mustard oil and black cumin seed...
Mustard Oil -- "Mustard oil can mean either the pressed oil used for cooking, or a pungent essential oil also known as volatile oil of mustard. The essential oil results from grinding mustard seed, mixing the grounds with water, and extracting the resulting volatile oil by distillation." -- Wikipedia
Black Cumin Seed -- "The seed of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) has been used in different civilization around the world for centuries to treat various animal and human ailments. So far, numerous studies demonstrated the seed of Nigella sativa and its main active constituent, thymoquinone, to be medicinally very effective against various illnesses including different chronic illness: neurological and mental illness, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, diabetes, inflammatory conditions, and infertility as well as various infectious diseases due to bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral infections." -- NIH
Cooking rice with mango pickle...
Mango Pickle -- "When I think of childhood summers, I can still smell and taste the distinct flavors of my grandma’s mango pickle: pickle oil slathered on a roti rolled into an afternoon snack, pickle oil mashed with potatoes and onions to go with rice and dal, pickle straight up." -- Dhrubaa Mukherjee
Omelette...
"An Indian omelette or masala omelette is a variant of the omelette originating from the Indian subcontinent. Its main ingredients are eggs, herbs, tomatoes and spices that vary by region." -- Wikipedia
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