The Sunday I Fell in Love With Bitter Gourd
There are some vegetables we grow up loving instantly. Potato? Easy. Brinjal fry? Absolutely. Raw banana fry on a Sunday afternoon? Heaven. And then… there was bitter gourd. Bitter gourd stuffed curry Or as I dramatically called it throughout my childhood — betrayal on a plate. I hated bitter gourd with complete dedication. Not dislike. Not “maybe if cooked differently.” No. I hated it with passion. After all, it literally has “bitter” in its personality. How much more warning did I need? But strangely, some of my warmest childhood memories begin with bitter gourd. Back then, life was slower and softer. There was no quick commerce, no instant deliveries, no apps magically dropping groceries at the doorstep within ten minutes. My parents would get ready and go together on our scooter to the vegetable market a few kilometers away. I still remember my amma draping one of her beautiful sarees, sitting sideways on the scooter, while my nana drove carefully through the roads. They woul...