As I arrange, rearrange and try to furnish my kitchen in my new studio apartment, I find myself being very meticulous with this box of color and flavor.
The biryani from Hyderabad, chole from Punjab, goa’s fish curry or be it Bombay vadapav; it all comes from this tiny box. In the last three years of me residing in Los Angeles, I never had the need to rush to an Indian restaurant to compose my curry cravings; (I can live on salad for two days but day three, this Punjabi girl needs her butter chicken), but also because I always had this flavor box at home.
All the new Indian friends I made here, no matter which part of India they came from, I found this tiny box in their kitchen, doing it’s job. Turmeric for color and antiseptic values, cumin for metabolism, paprika for the lip smacking flavor and digestion.
I think to myself how proud I am today of my aalu gobi and round roti, all thanks to my strict Punjabi mom, who packed me this box; even before my clothes.
