South Indian Filter Coffee with Amma by Julie Sahni

By King Meera -
This chapter of our textbook appears to be written for non-Indian people, as we see when the authors writes the English version of the word before the Hindi one, as in "elixir 'amrita'", "creamy pudding kheer", "jaggery gur", "mother, Amma" and the unfunny joke: "form an asana (in my language it means twist into a pretzel!)"

She tries too hard to get the reader to relate to the magic of the milk-related memories of her childhood, and her attachment to her mother, but for reasons I can't place my finger on, fails, and fails miserably at that - succeeding only in getting us mildly irritated.

Perhaps it is the pretentious Nigella tone of the text, or the occasional lapses in meaningful sentence-formation: "She just isn't fond of it, but obsessed with it."

Also, there is the issue of her over-zealous description of everything.

 One question that caught my attention: Examine the interconnected themes of memory and taste.

Note to self: do not let hate in mind get transformed into hate on page.

Analysis:
  • author loves milk not because of ancient Vedic significance as God's favorite food or its referral to as amrita, but because of childhood and younger experiences being greatly influenced by milk
  • milk in kheer, kulfi, barfi, rabri, thandai form. When emotionally drained, warm frothy milk + jaggery + crushed Malabar cardamom +  Kashmiri saffron. Also, khoya with Granny Smith apples
  • or khoya + decoction = milky South Indian filter coffee
  • mom a foodie - author blessed with that special gene
  • describes morning scene: New York to Delhi flight - reached late - jet lag, Delhi air, not early riser - at dawn, bells, bhajans, azan, yoga instructor on neighbor's TV set - back to sleep, but mom whispers, "Julu, come smell the coffee" - author deliberates but only momentarily - will not miss mother's coffee "not today, not any day, never"
  • mother preparing sambar: picks lentils clean of stones, (mention of perfect 20-20 eyesight) then washes and adds them to deep pot for slow uncovered boiling. Seasons with turmeric (rhizome or powder) virgin sesame oil, spices, tamarind, adds shallots and tiny eggplants
  • sambar usu. accompanies idli
  • coffee decoction almost ready
  • now for milk
  • launches into childhood-milkman-memory-recounting-mode <facepalm> <whyyy????>
  • cool winter morning in Kanpur
  • Chandramukhi the cow - adorable calf - secret pact between Lallan and Chandramukhi
  • handful of raw milk straight from cow for author - ensured by mother
  • memory of buffalo-milk from farm - buffalo feisty, kicked Lallan; milk: scent pure and primal
  • back to present - milkman bring 2 litres in morning, and set quantity in evening - ice cold packets - crisis if not used till last drop - donor/receiver list: sister at top of list - excess milk packed and sent to her
  • why mom doesn't bring milk home herself, and why doesn't she use "gadgets meant to zip through cooking"
  • answer: 1. "Employing a person is the best one can do for this country and its people. This is how we are going to build self-worth and esteem." Milkman can now send kids to school - kids can aspire (not only dream) to achieve anything they want
  • answer: 2. A. gets philosophical about cooking lentils (end result equated to butter poached oysters)
  • answer: 2. B. food evolves and transforms - pay attention to detail and you have a recipe for success in life and in food
  • then describes kitchens - hers, sister's, mother's
  • describes mother's appearance: decked up and beautiful but not to go out - to cook; art form and sensual display
  • how to stir boiling milk
  • mother pours coffee, they sip it, author praises mother
  • strong person of character, perseverance and generosity
  • inspires and empowers anyone who comes in contact with her
  • not a rich woman of material wealth - rich within
  • beautiful woman of 84
  • mother of four very fortunate daughters
  • still creating and perfecting the recipe of food and life
  • an eternal optimist - the true Renaissance woman
  • FINALLY, the end of this stupid essay - birds chirping louder, sun rays entering kitchen, slowly flooding it; author has had coffee and is now warm all over
Now that I have summarized this chapter of ungodly length, here are the questions that could be asked:
The role women play at home
Narrator's childhood experiences with milk
Narrator's relationship with mother
Mother's character
Connection between love for mother and love for milk
Memory and taste
Continuation of past into present
Lastly, cliche but possible: How does milk affect the author?

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 30, 2021 at 6:35 PM

    I literally survive on filter coffee this things keeps me running throughout the day

    ReplyDelete

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