On Mother’s Day 2025, these influencers share the favourite dishes learnt from their mothers.
Folks of a certain vintage will remember the final airport scene of the hit film ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ in which Mrs. Bhamra is pleased not because her daughter Jess Bhambra is leaving for Santa Clara University on a soccer scholarship but because she has finally learnt to make a “full Punjabi meal”!
Two decades down, mothers are still teaching us how to make our own comfort food and signature dishes for the times when the world seems a harsher place and you want to feel her presence around you but she’s miles away. Call it an essential survival skill if you will.
No matter how many Ritas and Rubys share their cooking secrets with us online (not that we don’t love them really), mom’s food will always take the first place, and she will remain the queen of the kitchen (whether or not she cooks herself every day) ruling our hearts effortlessly.
For this Mother’s Day, here are four pretty young things (they’re all influencers with their loyal band of followers, by the way) sharing their mothers’ recipes with The Profile Pick. Read on.
- Riti Chowdhury – Gajar Ka Halwa easily wins as the favourite dish that I have learnt from my mom. It is not exactly beginner level but she’s trained me through the steps so well that I can cook it effortlessly whenever I wish to treat others to a special homemade dessert or binge myself! It may be laden with calories but don’t discount the fact that Gajar ka Halwa comes with a boatload of protein (milk or khoya), vitamins and minerals (carrot).
Riti’s Gajar Ka Halwa RecipeClean, peel, and grate whole carrots. Heat a deep kadhai or frying pan. Add ghee. Add the grated carrots to heated ghee. Keep stirring constantly to cook well till tender. It should be moist but not watery. Add sugar, raisins, finely sliced almonds and cashew nuts. Keep stirring till sugar is mixed well. Add condensed milk if you wish – totally optional. Sprinkle cardamom powder after turning off flame. Inhale the heavenly aroma of your homemade sweet dish.
- Joyeeta Banerjee – Without a doubt, it’s my mother’s special Chicken Soup. On any given day, her yummy, nutrilicious Chicken Soup works as an instant pick-me-up. I may have come back home tired and angsty but a bowl of her magic will clear away my blues and I shall start seeing the world in unicorn rainbow colours again. I know this feeling will stay with me all my life whenever I slurp my mother’s special Chicken Soup. Hope I can make it at least a wee bit like her whenever I need to!
Joyeeta’s Chicken Soup Recipe Take chicken cleaned and whole, large onion chopped, carrots diced, water to cover, salt and pepper, Chicken masala cubes available in the market (totally optional). Add all ingredients in a large soup pot. Cover with room-temperature water. Bring to a boil. Keep heat at medium. Reduce to low and let it simmer for a good while till all the meat falls off the bones. Keep skimming off the foam on the surface whenever it forms. Remove chicken from pot and wait until cool. Discard skin and bones and chop meat into small pieces. Strain out the vegetables, keeping the stock. Now, stir the clear stock and place back the meat and vegetable pieces gradually into the pot and reheat again but do not bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper seasoning and sprinkle chicken masala if you prefer. This wholesome soup will fill your tummy, comfort your heart, and make your soul happy.
- Adina Adhikari –Maa’r Chicken Chaapthat also call it my special Reward Dish because my mother presents this whenever I have achieved something. She makes it when I ace my exams, or every Sunday simply because we’re spending quality time with each other (that’s also an achievement, right?) or when I have recovered from a bout of fever – ’cause that too is a special moment, you know! Maa’r Chicken Chaap tastes like joy and I am so happy that I have picked it up from her even though she is the best obviously, and miles and miles ahead of everyone.
Adina’s Chicken Chaap Recipe Take 2 leg pieces, plain curds, ginger-garlic paste, onion, salt, sugar, garam masala, Kashmiri Mirch for a nice rich colour, and poppy seeds (posto) and cashew paste (she adds the last two if she is in the mood for a real fancy dish). Mustard Oil – always. Mix the ingredients together and marinate for a good 3 -4 hours. Heat the oil. Cook slow with lots of patience and love, keeping an eye and stirring it from time to time.Add just a wee bit water if you find it sticking in the frying pan/kadhai. Maa’s gravy always turns out thick and flavourful.
- Ayesha Bhattacharya – Super soft, fluffy, ‘gol’ rotis!My mother’s art has to be seen and I am super happy that she has been successful in passing it down to me. Because, hey, at the end of a tiring day who doesn’t want to come back home and gulp down perfectly-shaped home-style rotis?
Ayesha’s Indian Flatbread (Roti) Recipe–Mix atta (wholewheat flour) with water to make a soft dough that can be rolled out. If possible, leave aside for 15 minutes to rise. Take arolling board and rolling pin and take medium-sized pellets of dough. Roll out in even circular shapes. Heat tawa(skillet) and place the uncooked dough on it and cook it thoroughly before flipping it over and doing the other side. Some prefer using a wire mesh or putting it directly on the flame – it’s fine both ways. It should cook well without getting burnt. Enjoy hot with dal and/or veg and non-veg curries.
With inputs from Neha Karmakar
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