As a kid, I vividly remember my grandmother making homemade empanadas every Saturday morning for the 8 or so people in the household at the time and visitors just stopping by. It was an unspoken tradition in the family. In “Rice” Jhumpa Lahiri’s father did the same for special occasions with a dish called Pulao. The impact of a simple dish from your childhood is incredible because it can make you feel nostalgic, bringing countless memories back while also changing your mood to think of the happy times with loved ones. A tradition in her family for many years, it’s easy to say her father’s dish means a lot to her.
Just like the empanadas to myself, Pulao had a very special place in her heart. She can even remember all the times she had it at different special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, or annaprasans. The dish was at them all, for multiple generations of children. Just the way she describes how to cook to exact measurements with proper technique, yet she still does not even attempt to recreate the dish shows respect and appreciation for her father’s special dish. A lot of families have this and it is very dear to our hearts and could get feelings of nostalgia just from a similar smell. There’s certain memories in our heads that truly stick out as especially joyous. Times with the ones we love are always the most memorable. Like empanadas and Saturday mornings for me, there was Pulao for Jhumpa Lahiri at all festivals. It was a staple of celebration for her and her family. Although no matter where in the world they were they had the Pulao with them to celebrate the good times. The father would even make it with substitute ingredients, which really shows how dedicated he was to this tradition. You could see that the dish not only meant a lot to her but her father too. It was his one-of-a-kind dish for his family. Essentially, this dish was a major part of her family and their celebrations. It represented more than just something to eat. It was a tradition that had to be done, no matter the circumstances. For example, the father once had to use microwaves even though there were about a hundred dishes to cook. He did so with not even a tinge of frustration. It was his unique creation which he took a lot of pride in. The most methodical man could still improvise when he had to but it is because it was his dish and part of tradition that was being passed on through generations.