As a tamil guy from India, I am thankful that you’re sharing aspects of our culture. At times I feel like we’re too humble to put ourselves out there, causing most of the world to not understand the beauty of our culture. I am happy you’re changing that.
I'm a white American, married to a Hispanic guy, and we (whole family of 12) are crazy in love with Indian food, but have never tried Tamil specifically. We would jump at the opportunity to try it.
This was a beautiful letter to his auntie. I learned how to make the "perfect" sweet potato pie from my mom before dementia hit. She never measured anything. When I asked her to break it down for this "modern" woman. At 80+, she was able to give me measurements down to the smallest "dash and sprinkle". I made sure to write it down. Hers was the only pie I liked. She passed in 2016 at 92. I cherish and honor her so much.
I would LOVE to see how you would recommend making chai. There are so many recipes online and it’s hard to know what’s traditionally based. I drink chai with milk every morning but use the store-bought concentrates. I’d love to learn a homemade replacement from you! ☕️
I learned in India. Half milk (whole milk-dairy is big in India, so cow’s milk), half water. Bring to boil. Use tea like Red Label Lipton from an Indian store. Looks like little grains, not like leaves (Indians call it “dust tea” I think in English). I use 2 level teaspoons per cup. I only use either ginger-slice a few pieces from a fresh root, or just cardamom-take a few pods, pound up, add to milk/water mixture. Too many kinds of masala just muddy the taste, to me. Once it boils, turn off, and let steep a few minutes. Add sugar to taste. Strain into cups. Ginger chai is great for colds!
@@lehewitt that’s a good recipe . Here is some finer details that might help refine the taste : Ratios of milk to water is a personal preference . 1:1 is a good start . My personal favourite is 1 part water and 3 parts milk Half to 1 teaspoon per cup of tea leaves ( final result ) depending on the tea leaves Always add to only after water has boiled ( for more refined tea flavour instead of muddy excessively bitter tea ) . Let the tea boil with water for sometime ( too much boiling will make it off or butter tasting ) . Add ur choice of spices ( mine is more ginger + one pod of cardamom + half or less of a one clove) . Now add milk and let it boil for sometime i it’ll you see a layer of cream hardened on top . Add ur choice of sweetener in cup( I use jaggery but if you were to add white sugar you should add that right after spiced and let it cook for a minute before adding milk ) There you have it - one of the r best versions you would wait to have . Good luck
@lehewitt your way is perfect with a small difference. After boiling to make the concoction called chai or masala chai u get streetside in most North Indian cities after it comes to a boil u need to reduce the flame and let it simmer / half boil for at least 3-4 minutes. That way all the flavours come together...the tea dust (exactly right chai is NOT made from tea leaves), the ginger, the cardamom and sometimes ground whole black pepper. I boil until the tea and other stuff gets a nice colour like light caramel. Also we add sugar to the water and milk mixture right in the beginning.
@@rupalishankerarthub Agreed, though I sometimes let it just steep and not boil too much as I’ve boiled it over so many times! 😅 Black pepper I believe is common in Western India; not seen it used much in the Northeast where my husband’s family is from.
This man is true artist. The way he do thing just like a poet, the way he keep his traditions, the way he dress himself, decorate his house and even his cooking are amazing.. Every single video crafted beautifully. I can't get enough of all his life hacks, cooking, ironing etc. Love it all. You are so amazing.
Good god, I love Rajiv. His joy and appreciation of life is infectious. He is my reminder that there is always more to be curious about and grateful for. Thank you, Rajiv. ❤
My Ma was the best at making roti, but she used to always make roti to fundraise for my cousins soccer team- so she always made huge amounts, never using measurements and her favourite term was “just put, just put”! There was a lot of observation that had to go on to decipher what “just put” meant, so I can totally relate!! Thank you for your explanation of the process for smaller amounts Rajiv- dozens will always be eaten, but I’m more likely to make a smaller serving and feel better equipped to handle and perfect the recipe with this method🙏🏽
I call these folks the “old hands” experts. Be it surgery, carpentry, or cooking it’s absolutely true that an affinity for “technique” is either inborn or learned by osmosis from another “old hands” expert. That’s why the recipes we learn when we’re barely knee-high are so so classic. They taste of home, family, comfort, and belonging.
It’s so sweet and wonderful at the same time. The history of cooking and learning from our elder generations should never be lost. This young man will have his Auntie with him forever, and you too. So sweet and loving to me anyways….
My mum was the same when I tried to learn how to bake cakes. As a teen it was SO frustrating when she said "you just put it in!"🤦🏻♀️ She did however start telling people that I make the best Pavlovas 🥰
It is so important to get hand-me-down/traditional/family recipes from relatives and then to pass them on to others. Glad you were so observant of your auntie!
looking at all the videos of people in countryside cottages away from society made me feel like thats a level of peace and contentment that i could never achieve with the responsibilities of an urban life that i cant run from. BUT THIS. looking at rajiv's videos and his way of life make me believe in achievable standards of living a slow ,conscious,centered and intentional urban life ❤
My family is Ukrainian, and our recipes that were handed down are pierogi (which we call varenyky), cabbage rolls and borscht. It's really interesting to see how across very different cultures, there always seems to exist some very simple, very basic foods, but which take quite some time and practice to make perfectly. Such a gift to have these recipes from our loved ones. ❤️ Thanks for sharing Rajiv
@@Questinia1making good pierogi / it’s plural/ is not easy. The dough is essential. It must be thin , soft and elastic. After reheating must stay the same way. Making raviolis in Italy is an art. Same with pierogi. We have plenty of awful pierogi in stores.
Aunty Ranji, yours is ALSO on the same level!!! I just have never observed and studied yours like I did Aunty Sha's. I would love to share your tomato salad on this channel!
@@rajivsurendra oh please share your Aunts tomato salad. I reckon one day, you will publish a cook book with wonderful recipes from family and friends.💗 sending love from London
Hahahaha I had a feeling that Rajiv was going to hear something from some other aunties who also make perfect roti 😂 now he must invite each auntie to share a recipe so he doesn't leave anyone out! And we reap the benefits! Mwahahaha
I love how you aren’t giving any measurements. That’s how the women in my family (and now me) cook and it just makes sense once you get it. Frustrating to figure out but once you have that way of knowing, measuring stops making sense. I love that you honor that. Your videos give me life ❤
This brings back childhood memories of my mother’s roti. It wasn’t until I was an adult and eating at good Indian restaurants that I discovered mum can’t cook roti. 😂
Totally different than North Indian roti/chapati that my beloved mother-in-law taught me to make. But the same idea-no measurements, do it by feel. Also, fascinated you have the same mirror I inherited from my grandmother. 😊
The alchemical art of roti-making with Rajiv. Thank you for bringing joy and beauty into our lives. As a fellow Tamilian, I’m so appreciative of seeing aspects of my culture imbued into your video. I have to credit Nicolas Fairford as it was hearing him mention you that brought me to your glorious channel. Fare thee well in 2024, Rajiv. You are a gentle blessing indeed in this oft chaotic world.
Yes, I am familiar with this type of culinary school. Everything is measured in pinches, “kind of full” spoons, dashes, and my favorite… a spoonful of a very specific sized spoon that’s been in the kitchen since the beginning of time. It’s fun though! Thank you for passing this recipe from your aunty to us.
Rajiv I lovvveeeee your videos. It's the best free therapy. The passion and dedication you put into every little move just impeccable. Thank you for the best positive content on RU-vid.
My mother-in-law taught me how to make chapatis in India. They use a very wide shallow stainless steel dish and it took me many years to get it right I have been making chapati,paratha,Loli (they are Sindhi) Indian flatbread for 40 years. My son‘s name is also Rajiv and he has written a book called “Colorful Palate, which I hope someday you will read.. I like how you give the little subtle tips with no measurement and this is what makes all the difference is those little techniques
Curious to try this as my family background is Punjabi and our roti/chapathi is very different. My mum makes her dough in bulk using 10kg of flour at a time, she even uses her thermomix to help mix the dough and then portions off and places in to freezer bags. Defrosts it every day. Her tava is a Le Crueset cast iron griddle on the flat side and she will press down and rotate the roti as it cooks so it puffs up. Light and fluffy every time. There’s nothing better than fresh roti with a light coating of butter. Thanks for sharing your Aunty Shamini’s recipe.
It is not what we are doing that matters, but how we do it. I am truly inspired and refreshed when I watch your videos. I walk away learning something new. I am also relaxed by your presence and reminded to appreciate the sacredness of day-to-day tasks. "Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love" - Mother Teresa
as an asian person who also comes from a culture of winging it while cooking, i love this video so much! at the end of the day, it's about cooking for yourself and for the ones you love. you don't need precise measurements, you just need practice and knowing what you like in food. however this method is tough when you want to share recipes with others. i'm still an amateur cook but learning new recipes has always been an interesting time because i get to tweak it to my own tastes.
Rajiv, I was just trying to figure out how to do this the other day. I will try it. My grandmother was Greek. She was an amazing cook, but, only passed down around 15 written recipes. It’s so great your capturing your Aunt’s recipes and techniques! It takes someone like you to capture and internalize it so they are not lost. Thanks for the tutorial. Anne from Seattle
I have lived in TX for almost 40 years now. I CANNOT live without my South Indian curries, dals and rice. We have tons of North Indian cuisine in every city, but authentic South Indian restaurants are a rarity, because the South Indian cuisine, especially the vegetarian cuisine is not ‘internationalized’ like chicken, or lamb curries. The only way to get good South Indian food is to cook it myself - even now with tons of Indian restaurants all over the place So I cook at home most of the time. But I still say honestly that I would never have the PATIENCE that Rajiv’s videos exhibit. He takes me back in time to India when families cooked together, and each meal was a feast, however simple.
It's kind of funny, that today I was looking for the recipe handed down from my grandma to my aunts on making an Italian cookie made in great abundance at Christmas time (Yes, I know it's March). Remembering my Grandma, preparing and baking them in the basement kitchen, in the middle of the table, combining all the ingredients and never measuring them. When I asking she would say, "Oh just a little bit or a small amount of". WHAT! So I had to smile and laugh out loud as you related how your Aunty related how to do it properly to you. With that said , it took many a day to observe and take notes, and it was trial and error for me, and you know it's true we never make them to taste as good as theirs. Thanks again, love all that you expose to use, appreciating your time spent in teaching us something wonderful. Jersey Ann (my nickname) from NJ
I love your cooking series and love that I’m learning about your culture!Food is a window into someone’s culture and the stories that make them who they are. I’ve thought about filming my Lola’s lumpia recipe and her other Filipino recipes. I’ve tried making it and it’s just not the same. She is also just like your auntie with measurements, it’s all feel and timing. thank you for giving me the push to learn and spend time with my Lola and for uploading this video.
Love this video so much! 🙏 My swedish grandmother never measured anything either. She just knew and everything she baked or cooked came out delicious. You have to hang around the person and be really, really present to get the skill into your body. Just like you with your Aunty Sha.
This was baking and cooking years ago. Nobody measured, we copied the same recipes all the time. Since time to time we tried something new from magazines. Today with a very wide possibilities to cook different cuisines we measure not knowing how spicy, how sweet it can be.
It comforts me that all Indian aunties can and will teach you to cook curry or bake or make roti...as my bestie says, is desi people don't cook with a recipe..we cook with our souls( aka no recipe or clear instructions..at all)
The best way to make roti is this (from Punjab). For 2 cups of atta (whole wheat flour), add 1 cup of very hot water with just under half a teaspoon of salt in it. Mix with a spoon, form a rough dough and knead a little. Leave it to cool down and then knead it on the xounter top. Once it reats for half an hour, you're good to go, make rotis. It is not complicated at all. No baking powder either. Made properly, it doesn't need baking powder.
Roti is like my Proustian madeline - it elicits so many memories and just a feeling of warmth and wellbeing. Homemade is best, but it's a lot of work, so props to the aunties who are still doing it. I switched to frozen roti from the Indian grocery and I'll probably never go back, but this is still a great video.
I've never done roti before, but am at the stage where I don't want to buy most flatbreads, as they don't compare to home made and are pretty simple to make once you get the hang of it. I'm also in the mood to incorporate good home made curries into my rotation. So Rajiv, here you are to the rescue, just in time, again. I look forward to trying this soon. I'm probably Aunty Sha's age, and it pleases me to be invited into other kitchens from distant places with wonderful traditions such as yours.
Once again reminded of how good cooking is intuitive. Thank you Rajiv and Aunty Sha. I found watching this process so soothing including the beautiful plate/plating at the end.
I had to chuckle when you noted how your Auntie measures ingredients. My Grandmother , Mother and Auntie’s never seemed to measure anything (in the normal sense) either. I’m of Indonesian heritage. So, being taught how to cook traditional cuisine with numerous spices in measurements of something equal to “the tip of your little finger” or the “palm of your hand” could be quite daunting. Paying close attention in the kitchen was essential!
I grew up with a best friend from India! Her Mom would make us Roti all the time! I was blessed to be exposed to other cultures! Indian food is still my favorite!!❤️😊 Thank you for sharing your families recipe!! I can’t wait to try it!!
What a delight to wake up to this wonderful video. Thank you Rajiv. Where I am from measuring is “al ojo” or to the eye…. I remember seeing my grandmother throwing an undetermined amount of rock salt into a pot and wondering how she knew it was the perfect amount for the dish… such an immense wisdom… thank you Rajiv for underscoring the simple and simplest things in life done with care, reverence and love.
what a gift. just that thank you. I have quested after this exact flavor since a trip to Singapore, years ago. le sigh, the open markets, roti paratha breakfast, chicken rice and mangosteen. simple perfection better than any ⭐
The Art of making Roti.. By Rajiv. Have been doing it for more thaan 30 something years.. But from tommorow its going to make it Rajivs way.. Learning is a process.. Thanks Rajiv.. No words to describe how you change our lives.. Make it more beautiful evryday.
Smiling, chuckling, tearing up, salivating as I watch this. The range of emotions your videos evoke in your skill as an artist maker and storyteller are freeing 🤍 next step is for me to make with the same spirit 🙏🏽🤤 thank you Rajiv!
I'm from South America. A very large part of our population is of Indian descent , so Indian dishes like roti and curry and dhal are basically staples and regardless of your ethnicity, knowing how to make roti is like being on superhero level....After this video, i WILL have my cape !! We call the gridle a 'Tawa'...and yes, you ONLY make roti on it. NOTHING else, and every house has one !
I just sat down with a bowl of home made Polish kluski noodles a recipe I learned just by watching baba make it. Much like your Aunty, she never wrote anything down! So we savor together! Thank you!
It made me smile when you mentioned about eating in Michelin star restaurants, high-falutin eateries .. but you enjoy the roti and curry the most. I cook plain old homemade food, but everyone loves it! Soup, roasts, thrown together mix ups .. and the family loves it. Why? .. I think it's comfort, it reminds you that the cook loves you and reminds you of your younger, more simple times.
You are a beautiful human. I wish you were my nephew because I would spoil you rotten! My husband even subscribed after my watching in front of him. He was like, “ hey, pull up that guy you’ve been watching so I can subscribe myself”. Your videos are pleasant and informative without constantly trying to sell me something.
Rajiv shows us how to slow down. Sometimes I think his videos are all about the metaphor - the roti is just incidental. Except ofcourse it's not, because this roti (a poor version of it) is very likely going to be my dinner tonight.
I saw, made a sound and clicked so fast!!! I can’t wait to make this! Love your channel, your joy, passion, soothing voice and sharing it all with heart!!! ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨Also, I made eggs the other day and was SO excited to do the dishes!!! Rinsed in cold and the egg fell away and then as hot as my hands could handle!!! 🧼😊
You make it all look so easy. Truly inspiring. So much so reluctant cook SO decided to make your chicken curry yesterday! Became a family affair and I made the coconut milk. What to do with the coconut meat left over? When we ate the curry with rice, we all wanted roti to mop up the sauce. So happy you have posted this. Thank you 👏🏾
This reminds me of how my Nonna taught me to make pasta and gnocchi. No measurements, just by feel. I remember asking her how much salt and she told me god gave me fingers to measure it 😂 no measuring spoons in her house!
That's what I forgot to mention in the video - I'd like to show this process so that one learns by TEXTURE and FEEL...that's such a valuable way to learn how to cook.
Even now when someone is helping me and they ask is this ok, I have to touch and move the dough to tell. And the recipes change by the day-summer or winter, dry or humid.
You are so soothing to watch. US born, but cannot stand typical American food. I absolutely love to eat Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Sri Lankan food but I don't cook. Now I actually might. New subscriber :-)
This really takes me back to alot of good memories. If you don't have a friend who keeps oil in a soap bottle .. expand your horizons. Thanks for teach us. Praises to you aunt.
Oh my darling, Oh My Darlin’ 🎉 Thank you Rajiv! With a tear in my eyes…from my heart to yours! Isn’t it so wonderful to have these angels in our lives, who have touched us with their talents and/or words and life lessons? Thank you for sharing with sentiment and compassion for your dearest Auntie❤! Happy Valentines 💝 to you and her! The Roti & Chicken Curry looks divine! Simply Delish! Simply the Best…you are amazing! xoxo😘
😍🥰❤️ 🫓 Rotie is my favorite. There is several with fillings : plain, one with dal yellow split peas or one with potatoes. But I was born in Paramaribo, Suriname, South America from Chinese descendants. Have you ever heard of Suriname ?!? Famous actor Jimmy Smits is of Surinam descendants.
Rajiv, You are totally delightful. Sharing your Auntie’s roti recipe and that inner joy your Tamil much loved food gives you makes this Scottish woman very happy.
OMG! I just ran across your channel on 9/12/23 and I love it! I am Mexican and I do have my favorite Mexican dishes which I make them all, but my favorite cuisine are recipes from India, I could eat curry 3 times a week and then mole on the other days over white Mexican rice, teehee. Thank you for sharing.
Love your videos, Loved learning the Tamil way of making Roeti. We do Roeti here in South Africa too, the Cape Malays, Muslim Indians, Hindu Indians, I don't even know who else, we love it.... - Faati
I just watched you for the first time tonight… paper marbling for beginners. Then I started looking at other things. Is there nothing you don’t do? I’m totally amazed. I’m definitely going to be watching your channel (s).
I just saw you make tortillas the way my Mommy made them! Same instructions. The more we are different the more we are the same. My brother and I were discussing how our simple food prepared by our Mother was the best! There's another version of tortillas that do not have baking powder in them and they are rolled out quite large. They're also tasty. Love your videos.
My mom was from England. It took my sister years and years to perfect my mom's Yorkshire pudding. I love your honesty in saying that it took you almost 6 years. Practice makes perfect.
No one in my family could give you measurements for any Indian dish. They just eye ball it, and that’s why when someone is a great cook, they’re truly amazing because it hasn’t been taught to them. They’ve perfected it along the way!
We eat something similar, chile con carne y tortillas de Harina. Yes, all simple culture foods are comforting and delicious ❣️❣️❣️ Thank you. I have eaten Roti with my version of Curry chicken Delicious and Butter Chicken too.
