29/09/2026
Everyone craves comfort food when they’re feeling a little under the weather. And my daughter’s craving wasn’t what I expected!
Recently, my family and I came down with a case of the flu in quick succession.
I was craving my Ammi’s tomato and onion curry. I’m salivating just thinking about it! I called up my mum and, as you can imagine, her normal “just add a pinch of this” and “a handful of that” didn’t do justice to her version. Even so, it did hit the spot. And it was so easy to eat when my senses and appetite were dull.
Soon after, my daughter Samadhi was craving Sri Lankan fish cutlets made with fish, mashed potato and spices (she calls them “fish balls”!). I was surprised it wasn’t chicken noodle soup or mac&cheese that she wanted, but Sri Lankan food.
I mustered up my strength to make the fish cutlets. And when she took a bite, her face lit up.
“It tastes just like how Aththamma (grandma) makes it,” she said.
Come to think of it, it’s never really been about the food. It’s the person who made us feel safe and loved through what they cooked. It’s how that dish, that moment, made us feel.
Food can take you somewhere familiar, wrap around you like a cocoon and make an ordinary day feel a little softer.
And sometimes, when you’re not feeling your best, it’s exactly what you need.❤️🩹
