“Distraction is what I need” I thought. The smell in the overcrowded bus made me nauseous, the smell of sweat, tobacco and junk food. I tried to look outside for something to engage my mind but there were just more people. And then I knew what to think about for the rest of my journey to Dida(grandma)’s home.

Whenever I enter Dida’s home during my monthly visits, the aroma in the house fills my heart with welcoming joy. Every month the first dinner at her house is an unusual combination of food. And she cooks them just before I arrive. The welcoming rich smell of onion, ginger and peppercorn paints a picture of the delicious dish coming up after I freshen up for dinner. As I sit at the table and she serves with a warm smile I take a moment to savour the scene in front of me. Succelent and soft mutton(goat meat) with vegtables in a stew - a simple dish but my Dida has some secret ingredient which makes it unique.  As the meat touches the mouth it melts bursting with the flavours of ginger and peppercorn and a subtle taste of goat fat.  And the unusual companion of the stew is soupy noodles. To complement the richness of the stew I slurp a forkful of noodles which again melts in my mouth, does not tease me with a gorgeous taste - but completes my palate with its simplicity. Even the beans and carrots taste heavenly as they have absorbed the slow cooked treasury of flavours from the stew. This hearty meal drains away any tiredness in my body and helps me relax.

My stop has arrived and I get down pushing the crowd aside, smiling and drooling a bit.