Preparing the food | Cooking in MamaJee's Kitchen #1

Lella Umedaly, Umeeda Switlo and Scott Paton

Nov 27 2010

Lella Umedaly nee keshavjee's family travelled from India to South Africa, then to Kenya. She married Shamas Umedaly and had 5 children Nzeera, Mossadiq, Muneera, Umeeda and Hamed. She has eight grandchildren who she dedicated this book to.

Today, my children and grandchildren often ask me how to cook various dishes, and they have been requesting a legacy of fast, tasty recipes that embody the meanderings of our diaspora. I have spent four years on this cookbook, working out the measurements and accurately noting the best cooking methods. It has been an enjoyable but frustrating experience because I had learned to cook by feel, smell, color, texture and the look of the dish. We used to pour the ingredients into the palms of our hands or the lid of the container, sensing the right amount while adjusting for the likes and dislikes of the guests. I must admit that the most difficult part about writing this book has been developing exact measurements.

http://mamajeeskitchen.com