Monica Bhide
I never wanted to learn how to make my father’s signature dish – butter chicken: a glorious dish of chicken pieces marinated in yogurt, fenugreek, ginger, garlic, oven-roasted and then cooked in a sinful, creamy butter and tomato sauce.
(istock photo)
This was the most beautiful piece of writing re: how food can create bridges between generations and enhance already strong and loving relationships. You have such an elegance to your writing. I could almost feel, as the reader, what it was like to be in your shoes as a young girl beside your father, cooking his famous butter chicken. I plan to try and make it one day, but I know even though it will taste amazing, it will never be as amazing as the sensory and emotional memories you have attached to that dish – those are a truly a gift that belong to you and your father. Thank you so much for sharing.
The best food is so much more than mere sustenance for our bodies. It is nourishment for our souls, and when a dish carries such wonderful memories, for our hearts as well. Your essay is beautiful, tender and loving. You are as blessed to have grown up with such a man as he is to have you as his daughter.
I cannot wait to try the recipe, and I promise to put as much love and care into it as you and your father do. Thank you!