A tasteful tale

Down foodpath

At 87, I am proud to express how passionate about cooking I still am. I have always loved to cook because it pleases me to watch other people enjoy my dish. Cooking for my children and grandchildren has inspired me to improve constantly.

 When I was young, I lived with my 8 brothers and sisters. My mother used to cook day and night for us. I was inspired by the excellent cook that she was. Not only did she make our favourite dishes for lunch, but also many delicious goodies for tea that varied each day. Some of my favourites were ‘maani’, ‘mandas’ and coconut panrolls, all of which are Mangalorean dishes. Helping her out in the kitchen made me pick up her unique style. My mother not only taught me how to cook but also several other family members and friends. I too have passed on my culinary skills to my children, who have surpassed my excellence in many ways.

 Some people say they don’t have time to cook. For me, cooking is a priority as I have always made time for my passion. Some cooks are passionate about cooking but not so much about eating. However, I like both. Some of my favourite dishes that I have enjoyed cooking are pies, bakes, chicken roast, papaya spinach curry, chicken roce curry, pork sorpotel and pork indad. Today, I live in a senior citizen’s home where my meals are provided to me. Nevertheless, I make it a point to make small things like fruit salads and desserts for all my friends to enjoy.

 Cooking is a way of life; it is an art. It has also helped me keep busy over the years. I consider myself a perfectionist — from measuring each little ingredient correctly to keeping my kitchen spotless when I am done.

 I am sharing a recipe for pork chops today. This is a dish that one cannot simply help taking second helpings of. Its delicious aroma, saucy taste and smooth thick texture can make anybody’s mouth water.  It goes well with almost everything including ‘chapatis’, rice or even ‘appams’. I chose to share this recipe as it is a children’s favourite, being tasty and not too heavy on the stomach.

Pork chops

Ingredients

  2 kg pork cut into chops

For the masala
*  12 red chillies
*  13 peppercorns
*  2 dessert spoons jeera
*  1 dessert spoon mustard
*  2 onions
*  1 tomato
*  3 bits, 1 and a half inch ginger
*  4 big pods of garlic
*  2 big bits of turmeric
*  1 spoon sugar
*  Salt and vinegar according to taste.

Method

Grind the masala in vinegar. Apply the masala with salt to the chops.

Keep it aside for half an hour. Put ghee/oil in a pan and fry the chops one by one. Take them out and leave to dry.

In the same ghee/oil, put the other sliced onion and one sliced tomato.

Spread it nicely and put all the chops over that and a little of the remnants of the masala water. Simmer it over a slow fire until it cooks.

The dish will take about an hour to be ready for consumption.


The author can be contacted on [e-mail]
(As told to Lara Faye Fernandes)