An indigenous art

"Uthra! evlavu naazhiya kuptundrukken.. variya illiya chappathi idardhukku!" - Mom used to bawl at nights in her thick voice.. I would be surfing the net while watching a favorite program on TV (the usual Airtel Super Singer.. God! why would they telecast it at 8PM in the night when mom wants to make chappathis!!??). Sheesh! I used to despise it so much when I had to make at least 25 chappathis for all of us in the family while my mom would roll them. I did not learn to roll them until after I went to Bangalore for work. "Hmm.. Its ok, I'll do the rolling part today again", she would initiate the process with her usual satiric comment, everytime indicating that I haven't grasped it yet! And then it would roll on along with the chappathis.. with chapters of My Life being stuffed in them.. "Whatever you will do, if you get married.. however you will learn the nuances of cooking! You know, I started cooking when I was 13 (only) and that too for 50 and 100 people at a time, the whole village would have to be fed on a lot of occasions.." blah blah blah! She is not a mom who would throw tantrums at me all the time, but she wouldn't spare me once I'm inside the kitchen with her. Not to deny that she is fun and very easy to get along with, except for snobs! Btw, all this drama was for receiving a sarcastic comment from my dad on the chappathis that we made!

When I come to think of it today, I wish I get an opportunity to make these wonderful "phula hua" chappathis specially for her, simply to show her how chappathis are actually made, unlike how she used to make.. hee hee!! It is in the needing and the rolling of the dough and has nothing much to be done once it comes on to the tawa. Needless to say.. mellow and melting inside the mouth.. here puffs my flawless chappathi! Its not even required to show it on the flame to get it puffed. Part of my gratitude goes to the room-mate at Bangalore who taught me how to roll a chappathi round and the rest goes to my husband's colleague who gave a demo of the puff. Even after his demo, it still took a while to conceive the mood and consistency of the dough and the synchronization of the mind, heart and hands during the process to evoke this indigenous art in me - The art of making soft and fluffy chappathis! "And I know that mom will only be proud of me" ;-)