Book Review: ‘Tradition To Table’ Is A Heartfelt Tribute To Mothers And Their Recipes

Inspired by an initiative of Ma Foundation – Ma ki Roti – the book, Tradition to Table, is a tribute to women at large; especially the mothers from the lower strata of the society. Ma Foundation has helped many women to stand on their feet by teaching them basic entrepreneurial skills to complement their cooking skills.

MD & CEO of IHCL, Taj Hotels, Puneet Chhatwal in his message says that the idea was to honour timeless traditions that the group is so proud of. ‘As we celebrate the chefs who have shared their mothers’ recipes with us in the book, we honour the timeless traditions and the meals and the art of professional cuisine.’ (sic).

The book has Vindhyas at the center, like they exist at the center of India. The sections of the book are called North of Vindhyas, West of Vindhyas, South of Vindhyas and East of Vindhyas. Total 14 states are represented and Mumbai, the sole city where you see Parsi dishes. While Punjab and Maharashtra have more than one chef sharing their recipes, other states are represented by one chef each.

Each chef tells his/her story and why s/he chose the recipes. Some have shared interesting anecdotes. For example, Chef Pankaj Sharma shares memories of childhood where his mother turned leftovers into delicious dishes and how he preferred chopping veggies with her to playing cricket with his brothers.

Chef Shrutika Koli remembers stepping into the kitchen at the age of 12 when her mother was injured and couldn’t cook. She admits that she infuses every dish she cooks today with her mother’s wisdom and the early lessons that shaped her. Chef Ahunvar Mehershahi believes that a mother’s wisdom beats any cookbook, and those lessons he learnt by the firewood stove fuel every dish he creates.

Chef R. Shankar reminisces about stealing bites of vadam (south Indian papad) while he watched them dry and shooed away the crows. He is emotional when he talks about his mother’s last days with him when he cooked for her with love and care the way she did when he was a kid.

These stories are preambles of the recipes. All recipes are traditional to the region and to the household. While some like Laung Latika, Lilva Kachori, Solkadhi, Sarso da Saag, Lagan nu Custard, Malai Chingri Curry, Neer Dosa are known and popular, there are quite a few dishes which will surprise the reader. Bajra Kichda, Dalimbache Pohe, Karebale Cutllet, Chatti Pathiri, Peppey Chutney, Chattambade are amongst them.

Recipes are explained in detail. Not just ingredients and method, but step by step. Just like a mother would teach you to cook.

As Amrita Raichand, who has written the foreword, says, ‘These are not recipes. They are responses – to geography, to tradition, to care. And in every one of them, you’ll taste a mother’s wisdom, quietly inventive, eternally nourishing, and full of heart.’ (sic)

All proceeds from the book will go to Ma Foundation’s Ma Ki Roti project.

Published on: Sunday, July 26, 2026, 07:45 AM IST