On the occasion of every holiday, particularly religious ones – Hindu, Muslim, Christian – I get homesick. Treasured memories offer company and comfort. And, in my own way, I engage in some of the rituals and traditions; chief among them is the food and treats I make. This year is no different.
On my plate this Diwali is a combo of vegetables and seafood.
Fried okra, fried callaloo (spinach), tomato choka and a fish-shrimp curry. Thick, rich pumpkin dhal cooked with fresh coconut milk rounds out the menu. It is not the usual but for me it is more about the act. To cook the seafood curry, I cut fish fillets into chunks so they could cook up quickly with the shrimp. To accompany the veggies and curry, I made potato (aloo) roti.
