My Instagram page says that I discovered the word “Hiraeth” 23
weeks ago. After almost 20yrs of searching for a word I did not even know
existed, I finally feel a strange relief, a satisfaction... the kind of satisfaction
that comes not from getting a void
filled, but from just knowing that that void is real.
That’s what I did. Bay leaves for that sweet, earthy fragrance of childhood, curry leaves and coconut for all mom’s Sunday Special meals, poppy seeds or “posto” that flavour my East Indian upbringing… And the new – some Goan chicken masala, vinegar and soy to add the sourness of adulthood.
Hiraeth… When the home you grew up in becomes a palace in
your memories, when childhood escapades take on the epic feel of fairy tales, when
the daily grind of that distant past seems imbued with a golden glow… That is
my kind of Hiraeth, a homesickness that no home can ease.
If you, like me, love to live in your past, then this word might
just be for you. Try it on for size. Say it in your head first. Then taste it
on your tongue. Take that H from a long-held sigh, roll that R with a mild
sense of impatience, and then, end it on the deep, warm sound of TH. The cozy
way the word “hearth” ends. Hiraeth.
And when the memories flood your eyes and nose and mind
(because my memories sure have a fragrance)… Just reach for those familiar
childhood ingredients and cook something new. Old-as-time earthy ingredients each
of which remind you of home, made into a dish that brings alive the flavour of
sunshine and cycles, bougainvilleas and bees, stone floors and steel plates, jasmine
strands and juicy pickles…
That’s what I did. Bay leaves for that sweet, earthy fragrance of childhood, curry leaves and coconut for all mom’s Sunday Special meals, poppy seeds or “posto” that flavour my East Indian upbringing… And the new – some Goan chicken masala, vinegar and soy to add the sourness of adulthood.
THROW-EVERYTHING-IN
CHICKEN CURRY
Ingredients:
Chicken on the bone – 1 kg
Shallots – ½ cup peeled
Bay leaves – 2
Cardamom whole – 2
Cloves whole – 3 to 4
Curry leaves – 10 to 12
Green chillies – 5 to 6 (As per your spice threshold)
Shredded fresh coconut – 2 tbsp (Or use dried coconut pieces)
Garlic cloves – 5
Poppy seeds – 1 tbsp
Vinegar – 1 tsp
Soy sauce – 1 tsp
Goan Chicken Roast Masala (optional – I used it just because
I had it) – 2 tsp
Salt – as per taste
Oil/Ghee – 1 tbsp
Wash and clean the chicken and set aside. You can also
marinate it in some lemon juice, turmeric and ginger-garlic paste, but it’s not
really necessary.
In a small pan, dry roast the garlic cloves and poppy seeds.
Keep turning the cloves till they are evenly and lightly browned on all sides,
and the poppy seeds start to splutter. Now add the shredded coconut and toss
till the whole mixture is lightly toasted. Transfer into a mixer jar and add
the shallots. Blitz into a coarse paste.
In a non-stick pan or vessel, heat the oil/ghee. Add the
cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves and green chillies. When the spices start to pop,
add the curry leaves and stir. Now add the shallot-garlic-coconut-poppy seed
paste and cook for 5-10 minutes till the onions are cooked and stop smelling
raw. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of salt.
Add the chicken into the pan and mix well till its coated with
the entire masala. Now sprinkle the Goan masala or any garam masala of your
choice. You can also choose to skip this step, or just go with regular
cumin/coriander powder.
Cover the pan and let it cook for 15-20min on low heat or till
the chicken is cooked through. Add the vinegar and soy sauce, check seasoning
and mix well. Turn off heat and the throw-everything-in chicken curry is ready.
The way I like it:
If the masala is sticking to the vessel, then add a little
water, but don’t thin it out too much. It should have a robust, thick gravy –
like a cross between an traditional curry and a pan-roasted chicken fry. Tastes
great with both rotis and rice. This recipe is neither fully South-Indian nor
East Indian nor Goan. It’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Just
like all of us…
Now tell me, what would your Hiraeth-inspired dish be? What ingredients make you feel nostalgic?
