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Father's Day Special: 'My Dad Was A Complete Foodie'

June 16, 2023 12:54 IST

Chef Sara Jacob Nair shares food memories of her late father M J Jacob, who retired as Kochi's commissioner of police.

My dad was a complete foodie, but hardly dared to cook because my mother was a force in the kitchen and people all over just loved her food. He could never compete with her. But did he have an opinion on food and every dish that was cooked at home.

Unlike any other foodie that I know, he saw food as a medicine for the body as well and ate specific foods at specific times.

Fruit in the morning, curd in the afternoon and never for dinner, kanji for dinner, alcohol always post 8 pm and so on.

Soup was an integral part of his daily diet, which was mostly consumed by 6.30 pm or so. Soup in any form was so well loved by him and he always used it as an opportunity to nourish than to warm oneself up (Kerala was too hot anyways).

He hated anything bland with a vengeance and hence rasam was his favourite soup.

Much before moringa was fashionably healthy, dad drove my mother crazy by getting moringa leaves and drumsticks from our farm in quantities that would drive her up the wall. And his submission was -- make some soup.

So, I always fondly remember the Drumstick Rasam, though I hated the frequency with which it would appear in front of me while growing up.

But today, I just love it because I can drink it up or have it with hot rice and papad.

Drumstick Rasam

IMAGE: Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes Photograph: Kind courtesy: Billjones94/Wikimedia Commons

Drumstick Rasam

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

Method

Sara is the chef and founding partner of Nair On Fire, a chain of delivery kitchens in Mumbai.

 

Father's Day is just around the corner and we invite Get Ahead readers to share their dad's favourite recipes with us.

It could be a dish your father loves to eat or the special recipe you make that he enjoys most or even a dish he likes to cook.

Send your recipes to getahead@rediff.co.in along with your NAME and the place where you LIVE. We'll publish the most interesting ones right here on Rediff.com.

Remember to mention your father's name. And don't forget to send a photograph of yourself with your father. We'll publish it along with the recipe.

Chef SARA JACOB NAIR