I have always believed in looking down and within rather than up and around.
For if our roots are strong nothing… absolutely nothing can faze us.
Be proud of who you are and where you come from. Have your feet firmly on the ground before you venture in the skies above.
And this feeling has only heightened when I became a mother to a third generation kid. As an expat mum there are many more challenges one faces both back in their home country and in the country they live in. It’s a tight rope walk and in all this you have the responsibility of raising an young individual who’s only initial source is “you” to find out more about the country you call your homeland. In my case, India.
Food and music are the easiest tools to use, to introduce your home country & culture to the young mind. It is a fool proof tried and tested method. My 6 year old’s favourite food is not a pizza but a slow cooked Dal Makhani. She may eat a pizza but desi food is where her heart lies.
Similarly she loves her ukulele as much as she loves her ghunghru. I don’t know how to raise a truly global individual. Tolerant yet sure of him/herself. I think I am on the right path though. Faith…
Kheer is one of the easiest desserts to make, it’s an Indian rice and milk based pudding. Laced with spices and nuts, this is a hearty, wholesome delicious dessert that naturally glutenfree. And ofcourse this version is vegan too.
Here’s a really easy recipe to follow-
Ingredients
½ cup cleaned and washed rice (basmati or any long white rice)
1 ltr Almond Milk
½ tsp cardamom
1 tsp rose water
1 cup Raw Sugar
Garnish
A handful of finely chopped Pistachios
1 thin sheet ‘pure silver’ foil
Cook the rice with the milk in a deep pan. Keep stirring it to avoid sticking to the pan. When the rice is almost done and the milk has reduced, add the cardamom and rose water. Now add the sugar (raw sugar gives the Kheer a lovely taste variation). Once it’s all well combined and the liquid is visibly thickened, turn off the flame. Let it cool. This dessert is best served chilled in individual bowls, garnished with pistachios and delicately torn bits of ‘pure silver’ foil.
Navita Hakim is a Banker by profession and a culinary enthusiast by passion, she’s privileged to be featured in the Middle East and International Gourmet magazines, Cook Offs on television shows, been on air on Radio, won several prestigious culinary competitions and judged a few too.
She was the only one to be selected from UAE for the Masterchef India 5 and made it to the Top 30.
She loves to eat and believes in “Eat Better Not Less.”
Having lived in the orient (Hong Kong and China) and the western world (USA), she is a global citizen currently residing in the Middle East. Her biggest realisation is that ‘Food transcends borders’ and connects hearts! She was recently on a solo Spanish sojourn and discovered more about food, people, human emotions and herself too! Her most recent ‘feather in the cap’ moment was her interview that was aired on B4U TV as one of the Omo Achiever Moms in UAE.
To follow her food journey head to the links below
