I grew up at IITD and and the campus Kendriya Vidyalaya (Central School) was my high school. KVIIT was also the campus-school for the two other neighbouring educational campuses – the NCERT and JNU. That was a time when the middle class still sent their children to public schools. My mother was a teacher in the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan but by the time she managed a transfer to KVIIT, I had already graduated. Mr Bhujangarao, from Andhra Pradesh, was our Principal in my last two years at school. He and his family lived on-campus, close to our house, and over the years our families became close friends. As with all good neighbours, there was much exchange of food and recipes. We would visit each other often for dinners; Mrs Bhujanga Rao feeding our need for dosai, idly, and upma, and my mom trying to satisfy her two boys with chhole and rajma. I still remember how I loved the spicy upma, with lots of tomatoes, that she brought for me when I was recovering from some minor illness. Nothing like Guntur chillies to awaken taste buds flatened by sickness.
Our visits continued even after Mr B was promoted and moved a little further in South Delhi, then to Chennai, and even after he retired and moved to Hyderabad. His older son, also a friend, moved to Delhi a few years ago and we call on him when his parents come visiting. Krishna auntie still insists we leave after a meal, lunch or dinner – as the case may be, and it is very hard for me to turn down her cooking. When she was getting ready to leave Delhi many decades back, I requested her mango pickle recipe. We knew we would miss her gentle ways and her cooking, but, at least, we didn’t have to live the rest of our lives without her mango pickle! Continue reading Green Mango Pickle, Andhra-style
A Mad Tea Party 