Bundle of flavours

KOCHI:  Ria Mary Mathew’s life is nothing short of a movie. It is almost parallel to the 2009 biographical film ‘Julie and Julia’, where a young chef Julie Powell replicates the herculean recipes of Julia Child and compiles them on a blog only to have fame knocking on her door. Ria’s latest culinary guide has readers calling her enumerating the same. In 2008, an impromptu suggestion by her 13-year-old brother led to ‘Tickled by Inspirations - Ria’s Collections’, a food blog comprising tried and tested, delectable recipes.

The author Ria Mary Mathew (@riascollection) was oblivious about the influential powers of a blog. It soon reached the size of an audience that Ria couldn’t comprehend. Instantly, her blog became the go-to for chefs, homemakers and food enthusiasts in Kerala. Fast forward to 2020, Ria’s first culinary guide ‘Five Ways - Baked, Fried, Steamed, Chilled, Stirred’ published by Locksley Hall and released on December 4, emerged as the numero uno bestseller in ‘Food, Drink and Entertaining’ on Amazon. 

Currently settled in Minnesota, USA, it was of no surprise when she chose the ladle as her tool. “My paternal grandparents were settled in Malaysia for years and my mother hails from Kuttanad. As a result, our dining tables were decked with an extraordinary blend of Malay cuisine and south Indian food, elevated by the Kannur(her dad’s native place) and Kuttanad palate.

I stepped into the kitchen at a young age and had no trouble navigating the meal course,” says Ria who would jot down recipes that were passed on whilst slyly experimenting by herself with tarts, pastries and cakes. Upon winning a prestigious cooking competition in the city, in which her mother featured as the runner-up, there was no looking back. After her marriage, she moved to the US and began dabbling in easy and simple recipes which required fewer dishes to wash, she laughs.

“While I joined a culinary school and wrote recipes and food guides for magazines, two years ago I decided to collate my experiences and write a cookbook. I wasn’t keen on laborious recipes which included a zillion ingredients and a thousand dishes to do. Instead, I focused on people who would love to experiment and try new dishes, all in a limited time frame. These edibles can be reheated and made ahead of time. Centred around different methods of cooking such as baking, steaming, stirring, chilling and frying, each chapter dedicated to these modus operandi includes appetisers, main courses and desserts - a total of 75 recipes,” she explains.

Once Ria found the appropriate publisher, she immediately got to work. “I’ve imbibed a lot of patience to write the book. I’ve had to streamline recipes and take well-lit pictures in time as the sun has a peek-a-boo relationship with Minnesota,” Ria quips.When recipes can easily be found galore with tutorials online, did she have any apprehension regarding her tangible book? “None at all. Post the release, I’ve had readers tell me that it was like having a part of me at home.

With online tutorials and recipes, you need to pause to write it down, you may have to rewind and they aren’t at an arm’s reach. A cookbook becomes more personal. As with all my recipes even on my blog, I include headnotes which revolve around my personal stories connected to the dish,” she says. 

The prompt success of ‘Five Ways’ encouraged Locksley Hall to advocate for Ria’s presence at the Pune Literature Festival. “I’m super excited. As always, I’ve loved to connect with people over food and otherwise. I couldn’t have asked for such a fantastic opportunity,” she adds.‘Five Ways - Baked, Fried, Steamed, Chilled, Stirred’ is available on Amazon for Rs 599.