My grandmother is a great chef. The years have been hard on her. Her time in the kitchen has drastically reduced but every year she pulls herself together to make bholi and gulub jamuns in memory of my grandfather.

The past few years, I have been her helper. I wish I was one of those creative food bloggers who note down recipes, ask intelligent questions and recreate recipes. I follow instructions, mess up and hog the creations without regret.

Wanna try some?

To be brutally honest, in all probability I will never make a puran bholi at home from scratch like my grandmother. But it will be one of those things that will stick with me forever. Warm bholi with ghee shimmering on it, stuffed with jaggery and coconut is a plate of perfection. A plate of bliss. A plate of memories served up.

Here are a few pictures from this year’s bholi making ritual.

Anything fried in ghee smells diving – coconut and cardamon getting ready for the stuffing

Coconut, dhal and jaggery fried in ghee and ground up – this is the stuffing

All purpose flour (maida) being kneaded

My grandmother patting out the bholis

The bholis getting cooked on the tawa

Fry them till they are golden

Testing the texture of the gulub jamuns

This is when I say – my lunch is better than yours