Fond food memories with our mums for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day has got us thinking… What is it about food cooked by your mum that tastes better than anything you make? Maybe it’s all the love that goes into each dish. We’re so lucky at Prashad to have had exactly that from day one, from my mum to Maitri’s. With Mother’s Day coming up, we wanted to share some special food moments that make us think of the wonderful mums in our lives. But if you haven’t booked your table yet, click here to do that first, then read on.
Love from Bobby
Growing up, way before the Prashad days, as a big treat, Mum would make Masala Dosas at home. Back then, we didn’t have a hot plate, so she’d cook the dosa in a frying pan. It wouldn’t be the perfectly crisp, golden dosa you know of Prashad. It’d be softer, a bit more like a pancake, but still filled with her classic potato and onion curry in the middle.
And because she’d have to cook them one at a time, we’d all gather around the table, and she would just keep serving them up until we were full. She’d never sit down to eat herself until we were all absolutely bursting! Fortunately, by then I was wearing elasticated waist trousers. I can remember the combination of having a filled dosa or two (or maybe even three), then having a plain dosa with loads of dhal, pouring sambar on top and finishing it off with heaps of Mum’s coconut chutney, which we still serve with the dosa to this day at the restaurant. That combo is absolute heaven.
But Kaushy isn’t Prashad’s only ‘mum’. Minal and I are blessed with our wonderful daughter Maitri, and Minal does an incredible job of balancing her roles of Head Chef and Mum. Back in the day, I’d work in the back kitchen covering staff holidays… I can already see Minal rolling her eyes at that. Maitri would be about four or five at the time. She’d come and sit on the back bench by me as I was making dosas on the hot plate, and Minal would be cooking up a storm as usual. Between Maitri and me, not all of those dosas made it out of the kitchen… She’s definitely her father’s daughter!
She loves dosas still to this day, and I’ve got so many special memories of the three of us together in that kitchen, with Minal or me feeding Maitri with our hands. As we know, eating or feeding someone with your hands feeds the soul. Fast forward to today, and we’ve got a bold and brilliant teenager who shares her mum and grandmother’s flair for food.
Love from Minal
When I get home from the restaurant after a particularly long day in the kitchen, I head straight to my special cabinet and pull out my favourite snack. It’s a special type of Bombay Mix called Bhusu, which is a Gujarati version that’s a bit spicier than the standard mix. My mum sends it over from India so I can enjoy a little taste of my childhood. I love finally sitting down to relax with a bowl of it and a cup of tea. It’s just a small moment of connection where I can feel close to mum, even when she’s all the way back in India.
Love from Toqeer
Sometimes the most special moments are the simple ones. I remember when I was a young boy back in Pakistan, my mum would make Peas and Potato Pilau rice every Friday evening, without fail. We would come home from school early, because Friday was such a special day for us. My siblings and I would all sit together and eat from one big tray. We’d pile heaps of homemade coriander raita onto each bite. I really miss those days. I’ll always treasure those Fridays spent together.
Mums deserve the world, and food brings us such special connections. We’d love to help you create a memorable moment with your mum this Mother’s Day. So don’t bother with yet another jumper or a set of smellies. Book your table at Prashad and show mum just how loved and appreciated she really is. And that way, there’s no fighting over who’s doing the washing up!
Wishing all the mums out there a happy Mother’s Day.
See you at the restaurant soon.
Love from Bobby, Minal and Toqeer