Mandeep KaurBack

Mandeep Kaur

Mandeep is a homemaker who came from Punjab to Boavista dos Pinheiros. We met at the beginning of the creation of the first performance. During one of the many rides shared, Mandeep taught Matilde the Punjabi alphabet from inside the car. We soon realized that she was an experienced cook of traditional dishes from her region. Therefore, we proposed that she cook for the performance during Curry Kingdom. A table was set up with the spices and ingredients Mandeep had used, and while the audience was being served, she spoke the following words:

"When you live away from home, you are often looking for something familiar to eat. For me, and many other people here, that is curry. My name is Mandeep, I am from Punjab, in the North of India, and tonight I have cooked curry for you. It consists of gram flour and contains vegetables and pakoras to which you add yogurt, to give it a sour taste. You usually eat it with rice. Curry was created in a neighbor of Punjab: Rajasthan. Ingredients of curry are different in different regions of India. Each region uses their own spices, according to the climate. So what you see here is the landscape of my land, Punjab, and it is also what you are going to taste: Gram flour, onions, green chill, turmeric powder, garam masala, red chilli, ginger paste, garlic paste, dry methi leaves, curry leaves, tomatoes, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, cummin seeds. Curry had been cooked since ancient times, and everything used to be made by hand, including the butter. I was 15 years old when I learned how to make it. It was my aunt who said: today you will learn how to cook curry. It was fantastic. I always cook it according to her recipe. Even nowadays when I cook it for my family, I often remember my aunt and that first time. It is very clear in my mind. So tonight, when you taste, you will be tasting my landscape and my memories."

Photography by: João Mariano - 1000 Olhos