My special co-brother

My mother picked the required quantum of coriander leaves from the field in front of my ancestral house in Birthi village in Udupi district in Karnataka, washed it in water drawn fresh from the well and ground the same with appropriate quantities of tamarind, green chilies and a little grated coconut. The aroma of the chutney could be experienced from a distance of 100 meters or more. Even the water used in washing the grinding stone was not wasted. It was mixed with rice (boiled rice soaked in water overnight) and a little coconut oil. Viola! You have the tastiest item for your breakfast which no Kellogg or similar junk food routinely taken off the shelves of the supermarkets by the modern people can match. This was around fifty years ago.

Imagine my surprise when the coriander chutney and even the water used in washing the mixer was presented to me for my dinner in a flat in Ahmadabad in 2004. I had gone to Ahmadabad for inspecting my bank’s main branch in the city and paid a visit to my co-brother who was manager in a nationalised bank in the city. He was staying alone and prepared the item for eating the ‘ganji’ in the mornings. He also prepared the payasam of rice flakes (Paradi). After a month of tasting all kinds of Guajarati food from Rajkot to Surat this dinner was like elixir and the eating experience was unforgettable. He is known for his culinary expertise and hospitality. He entertained not only those staying alone like him but also families of colleagues. When he gave me a small box full of the said chutney at the airport for my young daughter who likes it very much I was really touched. Last week when he visited Bangalore for some health problem he did not forget to bring the chutney for my daughter.

His one more trait is to bring items liked by us whenever and for whatever reason he visits our place. Last week he also brought onions in bunches,(You may find this in Mangalore stores with an astronomical price tag) mangoes, brinjals and South Kanara style mango pickle. This he did  even when we were in Delhi. He packed some rice coconuts and other items in a big gunny bag and brought it for us all the way from Saligrama to Delhi despite harassment by coolies and even security personnel as those were the days when Delhi was reeling under Punjab militancy. Such is the nature of my very special co-brother.