The summer has set in and I am gasping like a beached whale desperate for respite from the heat and sweat. Just finishing the daily cooking and getting out of the well ventilated kitchen (with fans and exhaust fans) seems to be a difficult job. I look back at all that my mother, mother-in-law and other women from their generation used to achieve--with minimum facilities-- and wonder how they did it.
In those days summer meant holidays and a house full of rowdy children, both indigenous and visiting characters, going crazy with lack of school routine and generally looking out for mischief. The gangs used to be busy playing gilli thandi, galli cricket, paandi, seven stones and hide and seek with at least one casualty everyday with cuts and bruisers. Carrom, snakes and ladders, ludo, draughts, chess and other board games would come out in the afternoon when we were supposed to be taking a nap to avoid the peak hours of the hot sun.
The morning began early for the women who had the previous day prepared the rice flour to make vadams. Before sunrise they would mix and cook the batter with chillies, lemon, salt and asafoetida added to give a distinctive taste to the crunchy munchies in huge vessels. These hot vessels were carried with the help of towels to the mottai maadi or roof tops of homes (that had been thoroughly swept and washed the previous day) and old veshtis were spread and anchored in the four corners with stones.
Then began the women’s laborious task of filling and squeezing out the batter through a wooden press. This was fitted with different nozzles to give interesting shapes to the vadams. Some were shaped like the murukku, some in ribbons, some made with sago in the shape of cups and some like thin noodles. The batter had to be made into vadams in fast time as it could become hard and lumpy if allowed to cool.
The sun would have risen and the crows would be circling around looking forward to a feast. One person was deputed to guard the day’s batch till they were semi-dry. A black socks or torn sari or petticoat was stuck on a stick to frighten away the birds. In later years my mother and aunt struck upon the idea of placing fish nets (pristine new that had never seen the sight of water, sea or fish) as a cover to prevent the birds from attacking the vadams. This activity of making vadams was spread over a couple or more days. The daily chores, cleaning, cooking and feeding hungry families was also on after the vadam session was done with.
The bounty for us kids was first the vadam dough which was just too tasty—lemony, gooey and spicy. The next stage was the half-dried pieces that became chewy and had a distinct flavour of the sun. Lastly it was the dried vadam that was deep fried and served with food—crunchy, delicious and adding texture and flavour to the mixed rice dishes or plain rasam and rice.
We kids took all the labour and effort of the women in the house for granted. We did not even know that preparing the rice itself was a tedious chore—on a huge mortar and pounded with a pestle as tall as the user. Rice powder was also ground fine in a chakki with repeated sieving. Later the maavu or flour mills helped to reduce the labour though it was dependant on the kind offices of the house maid who had to take the rice, see that it was not ground after a session of sambhar podi or seekai and then brought back and spread on paper to cool off. The mixy also entered households and made these chores easier.
However, with all modern gadgets there are very few women who still make the vadams. Even if they are doing it, in many cases it is meant for commercial purposes. Mamis in Medavakkam and Madipakkam supply to family and friends and even shops.
I have not eaten vadathu maavu in a long, long time. The flavour and taste of it still tingles my palate and memory.
Close
I remember going to the mottai madi and being a nuisance to our dear mother. Now that you mention the tedium involved, there is a twinge of shame now in being such an idiot!! You failed to describe the choices of whoich one any kid preferred to eat. In my case, it was deifinitely the thin noodly ones and to this day, when I return to Chennai, I look for those particuolar vadams for my palate. Thanks for rekindling wonderful memories.
Reply | | Report Abuse
Hmm,
I have tasted Ruchi. Have not seen the other two in local stores.
As for my next photo blog, I have to work on a camping trip we took a few years back. Photos take time to scan and provide captions. But tomorrow, if possible, I want to post a blog which has nothing to do with trips. You are invited
That reminds me. I will send you an invite since I see that we are NOT CONNECTED!
We should, isn't it?
Ranjini
Reply | | Report Abuse
Dont worry--it is only going to be made in the blog. We but Thangam and Priya and Ruchi. Bedekar is strictly No No...not authentic stuff. Look out for Tangam--real kadugu maangai from Kerala--rich, red gravy though the mango becomes vazhu (soft as opposed to crunchy vaDu) rapidly once the pouch is opened. Still great to eat with thayir saadam.
Thanks. Enjoy interacting with you. Where is your next trip planned? Looking forawrd to the scenic photos.
God bless you.
PN
Reply | | Report Abuse
Ha ha!
My aunts do not use computers. My mom at least checks emails and loves to read articles!
So you like to eat vadathu maavu, i.e, the dough? Hmmm, never tried that one
Yeah, yeah, I know you guys are enjoying avakkai season. We have vadumaangai and avakkai season all year round...............in a bottle...........called Bedekar!!!
Your next blog is basically going to rub it in!
Ranjini
Reply | | Report Abuse
Hi
Thanks. Please do forward it to all your aunts as well:)
Vadathu maavu is TamBram for the dough from which the vadam is made. Watch out for my next one on pickles. Remember it is the season for vadumaangai and avakkai...
PN
Reply | | Report Abuse
MMMMMMMMmmmmmm,
Your blog was absolutely yummy, earthy, homey and crunchy. Brought back nostalgic memories ofmy own mother making vadams by the truckloads. We have good hot sizzling summer in Oregon. I must make some for a change. Your description was interesting. My mom used veshtis too for many different purposes, vadam being one of them. The last few vadams would go on any piece of cloth available because she always made plenty.
What's vadathu maavu. I know maavu - flour. Vadathu is beaten?
Anyway, enjoyed reading this one. Mind if I forwarded this to my mom?
Ranjini
Reply | | Report Abuse