Ma always had a foolproof way to make me smile when I was a kid. The moment she saw me low or feeling a little sickie, all she had to do was bake her special ultra-soft sponge cake and I’d be smiling again. Me and bro loved ma’s ultra-soft sponge cake. And unlike most other kids we knew, we didn’t want it with chocolate sauce on top or whipped cream or orange sauce or wafers or anything…
Ma would cut the cake into bite-sized bits and put it into two separate cake tins. One for brother and one for me. We could just open the fridge and pick up a piece whenever we wanted to without having to take it out, cut it, etc. Invariably brother would run through his own share and attack mine. And continues to do so.
If anyone asks me what’s my favourite (and respectable) comfort food, it has to be that sponge cake. Just the way ma makes it. Last year I was quite thrilled to see a similar version in Barista but of course it came nowhere near the original version. I even tried it at home recently but let’s just say it didn’t quite have the ‘mother’s touch.’
The other ‘comfort’ dish would be khichdi, made the Bong way, served with ‘aloo bhaja’ and eaten with a dollop of butter on top. This was my fave thing to eat when I was ill or home from hostel. Also something that I now try to recreate when it’s raining outside. Can get the khichdi almost right, though a bit watery but I shy off at making aloo bhaja.
It’s the thought of throwing anything in a kadhaiful of oil…I can hear all health and nutrition related things I’ve read over the years kickboxing inside my head. I’ve reached a compromise: I can eat deep-fried stuff but I won’t be the one making it. Strange right? Can’t help it.
When it comes to comfort foods there’s another, absolutely disgusting favourite. Even the brother who doesn’t know the meaning of the word disgusting (watch him attach a chicken leg and you’ll know) shudders at this. It’s my ultimate sit-with-book-n-laze-on-Sunday-morning food: Mashed potatoes plus boiled egg cut into bits plus mustard plus haldiram bhujia plus butter. Served in a big bowl. Garnished with chopped green chillies.
Revolting right? Luvvit!