Easter

Easter, after Christmas, easily qualifies as the most gluttonous day of the year. My Bombay khandaan are complete foodies. Sometimes I do feel even that is an understatement. I have been spoilt bad growing up in the Varghese family.

Easter especially holds special meaning, partly cos mamaji observes Lent every year and partly cos thats the second time in the year that the family re-unites. Mutton Biryani is one of the oldest and the most pristine traditions that has been handed over from generation to generation and each generation adds its own variance to the above mentioned constant. Beef cutlet is another. This combined with Chicken chilly, Kaala (Beef) Curry, Meen (Fish) Curry, Mor (Kadi), Meen Fry (2-3 varieties) and your talking just about the complete list. Everyone gathers after church in Bethel Villa, sarcasms fly all over the place, the womankind (bless you) do their culinary wizardy and the kids brace themselves for the fight that will ensue over the prized pieces. Lunch couldn't come sooner, the dining table is raided, every plate is literally licked clean (yeah we kids did it). This is quite fittingly drawn to a close with paysam. Sloth ensues and back then, this would be followed by a good old Mohanlal movie. I, for one, always ended up waking up at 5 PM only to find the movie all wrapped up and everyone dozing away to glory.

Flash forward, the same thing happened this year albeit most of the kids are now spread all across the world, the khaandan still maintained the tradition. This is just one of the things that I have continued to miss during my stay here in US. Well in the small way that I could, I commemorated the day with a juicy Lamb Shank at the Med. Not quite there I know but Mutton continues to be a part of our tradition.