Oh, grandma’s recipes. Let’s get real: no matter what we do, we can never make food as yummy as grandma. But that doesn’t stop us from trying!
Thinking of grandmas, we lovingly remember dadi, nani, and Mastanamma, the 107-year-old grandma who won the internet with her crazy cooking videos. Born in a village in Andhra Pradesh, Kari Mastanamma was just 11 when she got married. At 22, she was widowed with five kids to care for, all the way back in 1933.
Mastanamma had lived through much more than most of us: personal difficulties, the freedom struggle, Independent India. And with the advent of the Internet, she became world-famous for her amazing cooking. At GODESi, we’ve picked out five of her YouTube recipes that are guaranteed to make you drool!
1. Grandma’s Recipe - Chulah-walla Banana Pancakes
You thought banana pancakes were a millennial thing? Well, this granny became a YouTube sensation at 105 - she’s way cooler than her time. In this Christmas Special video, watch Mastanamma cooking banana pancakes just like you do, except on a chulah. Salivate as you imagine the slightly smoky flavour on those pancakes. It’s a DESi twist on a modern classic.
2. Easy Jaggery and Peanut Laddoo
This video is especially adorbs. Granny eats peanuts, sips a tetra pack of apple juice, and teaches the world how to make peanut laddoos. It takes nothing but bricks of jaggery, roasted peanuts, and the secret ingredient of every grandma’s recipe - love!
3. Authentic Dal-Fry, World-Famous Chef Style
Anyone who’s ever tried knows that restaurant-style dal fry is too hard to make. But in this video, Mastanamma shows us that you don’t need a restaurant to make amazing dal, just an open fire is enough! Watch this grandma’s recipe closely, and you won’t need any cookbooks. It’s amazing what you can do with simple things.
4. Grandma’s Special Recipe: Gajar Ka Halwa
Gajar ka halwa is everyone’s childhood favourite. When winter comes, it’s the first thing we care about. Filled with the goodness of kaju, badam, and plenty of desi ghee, the Internet’s most famous granny throws together her version of the halwa that everyone loves. Watch jealously as a whole village enjoys this dish, and wish you could, too.
5. Mastanamma’s World Famous Watermelon Chicken
Who needs an oven when you have a...watermelon? Yup, you read that right. This crazy but wonderful grandma’s recipe gained over 14 million views. In this video, you can watch Mastanamma cooking chicken inside a watermelon on an open fire. Want to DIY? Cut the watermelon in half, scoop out the tender parts, stuff masala-marinated chicken inside, seal the watermelon back together with some atta, and cook till it’s kinda burnt. Open it and get ready for a tender chicken surprise.
Loved Grandma's recipe? We hope you did.
After all her finger-licking recipes have made the whole world look at the traditional value that we still hold.
Likewise at GO DESi, we too believe in our traditional value that has been passed over generations and all our range of forgotten regional foods, straight from the rural kitchen.
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