All she ever wanted was to give, and only give…

Opening her fridge is like walking into a goodie store—from alluring jasmine buds to irresistible tender jack (gujje) pickle! The freezer is stacked with one labeled dabba after another, where she has carefully stored the last raw jack and jackfruit harvest. She even labeled them tree by tree so I would know exactly which one is suited for kottige, which to just eat, and which to make palya with. It is so, so organized!

 

She had saved every sweet she received, and I honestly don't know how much effort and love she has invested into all of this. There is dried jackfruit packed so neatly, and that pepper-infused jackfruit syrup made without a single pinch of added sugar or jaggery is just pure magic. Fresh lime extract awaits us too, squeezed straight from her own lemon plants, alongside a whole lineup of pickles—tender jackfruit, garlic, appe midi, sliced raw mango, and lemon, each with its own unique flavor. And oh, that soft, tempting jackfruit and mango mamlas, all those varieties of raw jack sontes, and the crispiest chakkulis!

 

She even plans the banana harvest so that we get the absolute best ones. Knowing my endless craving for bale yele, bale dindu, and pathrode, she says, “I know you love them, so I’ve preserved this dindu and will harvest it right on the day you travel so you can carry it fresh!” And for Puttu, she made sheera with rich, aromatic ghee, adding sweet bananas into it so that it tasted almost like sapaada baksha, packing box after box for us.

 

Then there are the jasmine strings. All she wants is to give me the thickest, longest strand. I never understand how someone who loves jasmines just as much can part with them so easily—not just giving them, but gently adorning my hair with them. Days later, when I'm back home combing my hair, that lingering scent instantly takes me right back to her house.

 

Even the way she packs the banana leaves is an art. She ties them neatly with banana fiber thread and patiently shows me how to slit the leaf down the middle without tearing it. In my mind, I had always thought, No matter what you say, I’ll just use scissors because slitting a leaf takes serious knack. But when I finally tried it her way, it actually worked—all because she explained it so well! Tucked beside the fragrant rasam powder and a fresh thimare plant, everything looks so appealing.

 

Now, as I fold those banana leaves and place them into the steamer, it brings back every conversation me and Athe had while making pathrode and kottige together. We have our endless stories, recipes, sarees, ornaments, and what not to share—so much love, laughter, pain, and everyday life woven into every single bite......