Who am I talking about? No, no, it’s not a politician! I am talking about Mrs. Tarla Dalal the famous food writer, chef and best-selling cookbook author, whose creations and published recipes have turned many wives, daughters, daughters in law and well, the truth is, even sons, into Queens... and Kings of the kitchen!
She changed the scene of cooking and the kitchens of India, introducing
not just a huge variety or regional cuisine throughout the nation, but also
international cuisine, into an ordinary Indian kitchen and into everyday
eating. She was so successful because
she resonated with dozens and dozens of women all over the country and her
strong sense of flavor and knowledge of the Indian palate blew the minds of
everyone who ate creations made from her recipes.
In spite of having been cooking several different dishes from a variety
of cuisines (and cookbooks) for the past decade, I have to say that every time
I recreate a recipe from Dalal’s books, it feels like I am transported into my
mom’s kitchen where as young girls, my sister and I used to try and cook some
of her recipes on our own and with mom’s encouraging (but secretly scared for
her kitchen) eyes on us!
When you prepare food by following her recipes, you do not get scared,
overwhelmed or intimidated. Her recipes are easy to follow, well explained and
so close to the taste of your family, it almost always is a success. No matter
which one you pick, it is always delicious, winning you lots of praise from
your friends and family. Now, if she earned you the title of ‘Queen of the
Kitchen’, wouldn't you agree she is most definitely 'The Queen Maker’!!
Dalal has many feathers on her hat. She has written over 100 books that cover topics like baby food, regional
cuisines of India, healthy as well as low fat food, international cuisine, fun
and healthy food for children, desserts, drinks, snacks, and everything you can
think of! She has her website, has had her own shows like ‘Cook it up with
Tarla Dalal’ and ‘Tarla Dalal Show’, publishes a bimonthly magazine, ‘Cooking
& More’ and has even been awarded the Padma Shree in 2007.
A sweet Gujarati housewife who transformed into a business woman, a
celebrity and an inspiration to so many women and one of my personal heroes, I
think Dalal has a lot to teach us. I would love to know what was
her motivation, her struggle, her ambition, her life, while she was on her way to success….
