‘Amma na Kai’ is ‘Mother’s hands’ in Tulu. In Mangalore, it is probably the highest praise for cooking, meant to compare someone’s food to your mom’s. In my family, everyone often says my mum has her ‘Amma na Kai,’ and I believe it completely. Her food carries a magic that is not just praised but is often compared to my grandma’s. The aroma, the flavours, the love. It’s Amma.
A special moment for me came on Krishna Janmashtami in 2015 when my mum’s brother, Kripal, whom we fondly call Toddauncle, casually said over a meal, ‘Pari, this is just like Amma.’ I had already felt humbled when people compared my cooking to my mum’s, but being compared to Amma was a first.
Around the same time, I was thinking about starting a recipe blog dedicated to Mangalorean home food. That moment felt like a sign, a blessing from both Amma and Mom to share this work, however small it may be. Like she spoke through him, saying, ‘You can do this because it has some of me.’