A book of Malayalee women's stories reveals more than family recipes
MALAYALEE heritage in Malaysia has, over generations, quietly folded itself into the larger Malaysian story. We’ve assimilated, adapted and, inevitably, changed. Yet some things stubbornly remain, and very often, they survive on the tongue.
A collection of 11 stories about Malayalee women living in Singapore has been published by Anitha Devi Pillai, titled "What the Tongue Remembers." These stories delve into the lives of these women, revealing secrets, choices, heartbreak, and the silences they endure within their families. Food plays a significant role in these stories, with recipes like pazham pori, unniappam, mambazha pulissery, and puttu with kadala curry serving as a means of remembrance.
The author highlights how food becomes a way of remembering, even if the mind has stopped thinking about it. In some tales, such as "The Blessing," the birth of a child takes an unexpected turn, while "An Unusual Arrangement" follows the life of a young girl married off at 12, eventually joining her husband in Singapore during World War 2.
Another story, "Paper Mountains," explores the mental illness of a daughter and its potential impact on her future. The plot twists and turns in these stories often make them dense, requiring readers to revisit certain sections for clarity. Despite the complexity, the evocative power of food in these narratives remains a strong anchor, connecting the readers to the characters and their experiences.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
