A series by Pratibha Jain about silvers who believe nurturing the body and mind is the key to joy.

Featuring Nirmala Mardia from Chennai
 
There is no greater joy than cooking with your own hands and serving your loved ones,” says 67 year-old Nirmala Mardia, a Rajasthani Jain from Chennai. She enjoys cooking a wide range of dishes for her friends and relatives. In fact, whenever my sister-in-law Namita visits Nirmalaji, her aunt-in-law, she promptly regales me with details about the innovative menu, presentation and the array of delicacies served. Evidently, Nirmalaji is passionate about hospitality and happiest in her kitchen! Even though she claims she has retired from kitchen work, her daughter-in-law Payal says otherwise. “It is amazing how even at this age, Ma often cooks all by herself without any assistance,” she says. Her son Manish adds, “The special ingredient that makes my mom the ‘World’s Best Cook’ is the love with which she cooks. Whatever she makes—from a simple meal to an exotic spread—you have to taste it to believe how exceptionally delicious it is.”

I met Nirmalaji at her charming home in Chennai. And even though she is reticent and quite an introvert, the conversation flowed with ease: about food, recipes, leftover recipes and kitchen tips. As we spoke, I could see her attention to detail and her silent but untiring enthusiasm.

IN HER OWN WORDS

I was raised in Jodhpur in a rather liberal and literary environment. My mother was a dynamic woman who kept abreast with changing times. Many years into her marriage, she started studying again and completed the ‘Sahitya Ratna’. My father was steeped in the nationalist spirit and took us along to meet great stalwarts of the time, like Vinoba Bhave and Acharya Kriplani. At home, we were encouraged to learn activities such as dancing and swimming. I graduated in Jodhpur and after my marriage to Shri Prakashji Mardia, I moved to Chennai and have been living here ever since.

The environment at my in-laws’ place was quite strict. I don’t know how and when but I adjusted to their way of life. I found my happiness in the kitchen. My husband is a perfectionist and this matches my own need to do things as perfectly as possible.

CULINARY INSPIRATION

My mother was my inspiration in all facets of life. When I got married, she gifted me five cookbooks from Kolkata. I learnt how to make pizza from her. She encouraged me to experiment in the kitchen. When I got married and came here, they cooked typical Rajasthani food. I was the first one to introduce pizzas and cheese balls in their menu.

APPRECIATION & COMPLIMENTS

I have always received praise for my cooking, from my in-laws as well as my maternal family. Personally speaking, I feel most cherished when someone calls and asks me to prepare a specific dish. My grandchildren have their list of dishes they want me to prepare. That makes me truly happy. Hospitality has always been an integral part, both in my parents’ home as well as my in-laws’.

QUICK & EASY RECIPE

For me, the joy of cooking is an inspiration in itself. I really like to improvise and innovate. Let me share a quick and easy recipe for bread dahi toast, which looks like dhokla and is not just instant but also delicious! Make sandwiches with spicy yoghurt—for this, mix coconut chutney (or green chutney) into thick yoghurt or just add a dash of chopped green chillies, ginger and salt to spice up the yoghurt. Quarter the sandwiches and set aside. Heat oil on a tava and add urad dal and mustard seeds. Immediately place the quartered sandwiches on the tava. Cook till crisp and golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a plate and garnish with grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves.

HEALTH SECRETS

I soak a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in half a cup of water overnight. In the morning, I strain the fenugreek seeds and keep the water aside. Then I add a dash of lemon to the seeds and consume them. Next, I drink the strained fenugreek water. I believe it really keeps me healthy. I am also a great believer in the health benefits of amla (gooseberry) juice. For one person, grate two gooseberries and crush in the mixer with a little water. Strain and drink. You can add mint, tulsi and/or black salt to this juice.

LEFTOVER RECIPES

Whenever I make amla juice, I do not waste the strained pulp, which can be used to make a quick pickle. Temper a pinch of mustard seeds, a few curry leaves and chopped chillies in hot oil. Add the amla pulp and salt. Allow it to cook for five minutes and the pickle is ready! You can also add this pulp to coriander and mint chutney for a tangy flavour.

KITCHEN TIPS

To thicken any gravy, add breadcrumbs. I make them at home by toasting slices of bread and powdering them in a mixer. For those who don’t eat bread, you can powder khakra (hardened rotis) and add to the gravy for instant thickening. Also, if your dal is not completely cooked, mix a teaspoon of wheat flour in half a cup of water and add this paste into the dal. Cook for a few minutes and you will now be able to churn the dal into a fine paste.

FAVOURITE OUTINGS

Both of us enjoy socialising. Meeting our large extended family and keeping in touch with them regularly is a priority. We hardly go to restaurants or other places. We are happy to visit our near and dear ones.

A HOBBY I CHERISH

I enjoy reading Hindi magazines such as Navneet. I grew up with books and magazines around me. Love for reading was part and parcel of growing up. I also never miss the Gujarati cooking show on ETV in the afternoons.

CHANGING VALUES

Values change with time. What we valued earlier is different from what youngsters value today. I think the one traditional value I really liked was respect for elders. Today, it is more about taking decisions for oneself and prioritising one’s aspirations. However, what I do like about this day and age is the availability of opportunity and exposure. For instance, I really loved singing but never got the opportunity. Today’s generation is fortunate as opportunities present themselves at every step.

As I left her residence, her words
stayed with me. If the environment
had been different, she surely would
have found an outlet for her innate
talent. I could also see her equanimity
and serene acceptance of life as it
presented itself. In her own way,
even within the four walls, she has
found the way to happiness. That is
truly admirable.

KALAKAND

(A sweet dish with curdled milk)

A favourite mithai in North India, kalakand was traditionally prepared by curdling milk and cooking it until it thickened. Nirmalaji adds an interesting and healthier twist by the addition of sandesh. As she says, “You can make it whenever you have excess milk. Add fruits and/or nuts to easily create many interesting and attractive variations.”

Ingredients

• Milk: 2 litre; preferably low fat
• Yoghurt: 3 tbsp
• Sugar: ½ cup
• A pinch of citric acid
• A few strands of saffron
• A pinch of cardamom powder
• Pistachio slivers (optional)

Method

Prepare saffron water by rubbing it in 1 tsp warm milk until the milk turns orange. Set aside. Heat 1 litre of milk in a pan and allow it to thicken. Cook on a high flame and stir continuously so that it thickens without turning red. Switch off the flame when it is still free-flowing and set this rabdi aside. Heat the remaining 1 litre milk. As it comes to a boil, add 3 tbsp of yoghurt and a very small pinch of citric acid. Stir. As soon as the milk curdles, switch off the flame. Immediately, strain it in a sieve. You will now get soft paneer. (Adding the small pinch of citric acid makes the paneer extra special. Do not waste the strained liquid, says Nirmalaji. Use it to knead dough and prepare soft chapattis). Mix the paneer and rabdi, mashing them lightly for 2 minutes with the back of a spoon. Add sugar and mash for another minute. Decorate with pistachio slivers, dots of saffron water and cardamom powder. Serve warm or chilled. This can be served as a mithai at the beginning of meal or as a dessert at the end. It is also a great accompaniment with hot, tava-roasted parathas.

Pratibha Jain, an author and translator from Chennai, is the co-author of two award-winning books Cooking at Home with Pedatha and Sukham Ayu. Her area of specialisation is documenting Indian traditions through research, translation and writing

Photo: Chennai Pix
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
February 2017