“Wow, you made Indian popcorn for us!” that's what they’ve named it. After a long day at school and activity classes, when the heady aroma of ghee roasted makhana hit their nose, they tip-toed to inquire what’s going on in the kitchen. Out came a chorus of praise from my kids who were busy watching tv a second ago “We love you, Mumma, you’re amazing” followed by hugs and more praise, trying to bribe their mum who knows each and every bit of what’s on their mind. After all, moms are blessed with extraordinary powers to read her child’s mind. I passed them a plate of their favorite snack, the so-called ‘Indian popcorn’. But the final destination is something else, I tell them. “Okay, but what are you preparing,” curious Vedika asks. "I’m cooking makhana kheer for Devi Maa’s bhog prasad, (offering to a deity) and when I’m done with my puja and Aarti, you’ll get this." I’m back to my masterpiece, chopping the nuts, pounding the pods of green cardamom, crushing roasted makhana and stirring the pot of boiling milk in between. And the kheer is ready in 30 minutes.
Makhana and fasting are so interlinked that whenever I see any delicacy made with makhana, it reminds me of my grandma's Navratri fasting when she used to follow a falahaar (fruit based) diet for nine days. Makhana /Phool makhana being a dry fruit was her favorite and various preparations made with it like makhana aaloo fry with lots of green chilies, meetha makhana (which is basically caramelized makhana), makhane ki kheer or a special fasting namkeen made using makhana, peanuts, sago pearls, used to be her staple diet during that period. I tried the much-loved grandma's makhana kheer today. A recipe that had been etched down years ago in the canvas of my memory. Those slow, wrinkled hands constantly stirring the pot so as to not burn the kheer, gently crushing roasted makhana and nuts in her big iron mortar and pestle as she did not have the luxury of a mixer grinder. Her face glowing with that sublime pleasure after serving us.
Back to the present. It’s the first day of Navratri and I cook this kheer to begin the celebration. I am done with my Sandhya Vandan (evening prayer) and now it’s time to taste the kheer. “Mmm delicious, who taught you to cook this yummy kheer Mumma!” exclaims Vedika.
Festivals are meant to relive the cherished old memories from the past and create some new sugary memories for the future, isn’t it?
