Food
Decadent aromas of roasting onion, mashed garlic, and ground spices tickle my nose, making it crinkle. My dad is in the kitchen, dicing tomatoes my mother picked from our garden earlier that day. Precariously balancing six eggs on a plate, my sister huffs in impatience as she inadvertently drops one, proceeding to tip the remaining five into a pot of boiling water. Smiling as I realize that we are preparing rasam, a South Indian savory tomato stew, I immediately head outside to pick some fresh cilantro.
https://food.ndtv.com/recipe-rasam-218325
Rasam is a staple in our household, eaten when we are sick to having company over. The relative simplicity of the recipe-- just tomatoes, onion, garlic, spices, and egg-- lends itself to the mouthwatering deliciousness of the soup. Especially on winter days, this dish usually makes an appearance on our dining room table. However, most importantly, my family pushes all other work to the side to contribute to the making of this dish. While cooking and waiting for the rasam to cook fully, we talk about everything from family overseas to current happenings at school or work. We work in perfect harmony-- my father adding spices, my mother stirring the pot, my sister studiously ensuring the eggs are soft boiled to perfection, and me chopping up the garnish and setting the table.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/garlic-bread-recipe-1951706
Traditionally, rasam would be eaten with steamed rice, making the perfect stew. However, my family will pick up a loaf of garlic bread from the nearest Safeway and heat it up in the oven. This combination of cuisines serves as a unique look into the niche identities of my family and I. While my mother and father often give up with the combination of the crumbly bread and soup and opt for rice halfway through dinner, my sister and I appreciate our Indian twist on a classic “tomato soup and grilled cheese” dinner. To me, the meal is much better than simply garlic bread and tomato soup or rasam and rice. The rasam adds a spicy kick to the meal, and the garlic bread adds flavor steamed rice can not. This blending of culture has been a constant in my life as a first generation Indian living in America, but I view it as a positive thing. After all, the more spices the better.
I really like how you not only described the process of making rasam but also your family’s unique twist on this classic Indian dish. It’s interesting to see the role of food in different families depending on tradition and individual preferences; my family only eats rasam with steamed rice and sometimes with potatoes as a side dish. I like how you chose to write about a staple Indian food to connect it back to your family and culture. I might need to try rasam and garlic bread the next time we make it at my house!
ReplyDeleteIt's so interesting how your family combines traditional South Indian rasam with garlic bread! I relate to this blend of cultures as well as my family also eats both traditional Indian food and other cuisines. Have you considered including how the garlic bread tradition started? Did your parents pick this up or was it you or your sister? That will give a backstory to the combination of dishes.
ReplyDeleteI love the detail you use especially from the get-go of the blog. You made it really relatable so even people who don't experience the same culture can resonate with your words. I like the idea of bringing two different cultures together and combining favorite comfort foods with your heritage.
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