Mumbai Food: Migrant women from 10 states share lesser known recipes

Last year when organisers of nonprofit Mumbai Mobile Creche MMC asked Seema Rajput from Chhattisgarh a cleaner on a constructions site in Juinagar to share her fondest food memory she picked the khurmiThe traditional sweet prepared with wheat flour and coconut was her link to Mungeli the village where she was born and raised before moving to Mumbai a few years ago The dish is made during Teej a festival celebrated in North India to welcome the monsoon During the festival women fast through the day and break it by biting into the snack We observe it so that our husbands may attain long and healthy livesEnjoying it with other women is one of my best memories she says Its lesserknown regional recipes such as this that have made it to Food Memories of Migrant Women an ebook released by the NGO to put the spotlight on the fascinating expanse of Indian culinary traditionsWhen they move to Mumbai they are often forced to work with their husbands either on construction sites or as domestic help Due to lack of space and access to ingredients they never end up making those dishes here says the NGOs health coordinater Shiny VargheseMamoni Gor who works as a domestic help and lives on a construction site in Wadala agrees A native of Nagoan district of Assam she has prepared the Patishapta a rice flour crepe stuffed with sweet coconut just twice in the last four years that she has been Mumbai The dish is prepared on the occasion of Bihu one of the biggest festivals in Assam The first time she prepared it was when she was 14 years oldMy mother taught me the recipe and I distinctly remember I had got it all wrong she laughs But now Gor is a pro and has even taught the recipe to her sisterinlaw and a few friends The dish reminds me of home because it signifies togetherness she saidMamoni Gaur chose the patishapti as itrsquos simple and tasty PicAshish RajeHow to make PatishaptiIngredients2 cups of Bora saul glutinous rice or 1 bowl rice flour1 bowl wheat flour only if youre using rice flour bull If using Bora saul omit the wheat flour1 cup coconut14 cup sugar45 pods cardamom1 cup of waterCooking oilMethodSoak the Bora Saul grains overnight dry it and ground into a flourDry roast the flour in a pan until it turns stickyPound the cardamomDry roast the coconut in the pan Once it turns a little brown add sugar and cardamom Roast the mixture until it turns a light brownOnce the Bora Saul flour cools down add water to the flour until it has a thick consistencyRub oil on a pan Spread batter in a circleWhen the pancake turns golden brown add the coconut mix in the centre of the pancake and roll up the pancakeRemove the pancake and serve hotUsing riceflourDont dry roast the rice flour Mix the rice flour and wheat flour in a bowl and add water until the batter obtains a thick pouring consistency like heavy cream Keep the mix aside and let it rest for 10 minutesPrepare the coconut mix as instructedProceed with the rest of the recipe as instructed in the column to your leftCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates