ICYMI: “Right Right Right”: Durban Ma’s cooking style has us in our feels!
After watching their videos, we had to find out more!
For those who might have missed it, Priyanka Govender, known for her culinary prowess and heartwarming videos, has been captivating audiences with her unique approach to cooking.
What sets Priyanka apart is not just her delicious recipes but also the special bond she shares with her grandmother, Mariamma Gounden, affectionately known as Bidda Ma.
We came across a few of Priyanka’s videos and saw just how much locals related to her bond with Bidda Ma.
Take a look at this wholesome video:
@inspiredbyprisfood GREEN BEANS CURRY I wasn’t really a fan of green beans curry. A friend in school once brought it for her lunch and exchanged a slice with me, and I absolutely loved it. My granny would be ever ready to make curry for my lunch. So I asked her to make me green beans, and that is how I took a liking to green beans curry. I eventually got tired of the curry as I had it quite often, and it’s only now in my adulthood that I crave green beans made by my granny. I can’t explain how magical this dish tastes, especially when she makes it. So this is my granny’s very simple take on green beans curry. INGREDIENTS: - 1/2 onion, sliced - 300g green beans, sliced - 2 tomatoes - 1 grated and 1 finely chopped - 1 sprig curry leaves - 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds - 2 tablespoons masala - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric - 1 teaspoon salt METHOD: 1. Heat a pan and add a generous amount of vegetable oil. Begin by sautéing onions with curry leaves and cumin seeds. 2. Once the onions turn translucent, add your choice of masala and turmeric. Let it cook for a few minutes. 3. Add in the tomatoes and mix well. Allow the tomatoes to cook until oil starts surfacing. 4. Next add the sliced green beans. Coat them with the spiced tomato mixture and cook for about 10 minutes over medium to high heat. 5. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of salt, mix, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. 6. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and let the green beans simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Check on them every 5 minutes to prevent sticking. 7. Once the color and texture changes to a pale green, your green beans curry is ready. 8. Enjoy it with fresh rice, bread, or even some roti. #greenbeans #greenbeanscurry #curry #longervideos ♬ original sound - Priyanka | Food & Lifestyle 📸
We spoke to Priyanka to find out more about her and Bidda Ma.
When asked about her decision to feature her grandmother in her videos, Priyanka shared that it was a heartfelt choice driven by multiple reasons.
At the start of the year, I shared with my husband my plan to showcase both of my grandmothers in my videos this year. Each of them brings a unique cooking style and art to their dishes. I wanted to improve my skills in the kitchen by observing, absorbing, and applying their wisdom. During the first 12 years of my life, I lived with Bidda Ma, my grandfather, my mother and my brother. The majority of the dishes I grew up enjoying were lovingly prepared by her hands. It's incredibly meaningful to me to learn and preserve her style of cooking.
Pumpkin curry anyone?
@inspiredbyprisfood Ma’s Pumpkin Curry I grew up eating my gran’s food for 12 years. We lived with her for the first twelve years of my life. She didn’t make fancy food, and when I was younger, I never really appreciated her simple cooking. Veggies weren’t my favourite, I loved her chicken, lamb, prawn, and crab curry. She always made things that she grew up eating and cooked ingredients that were familiar to her. As I have matured, I often think about all the amazing dishes she made for us. Her curries are simple and tasty, and I am ever so grateful she allows me to video her so I can share her style of cooking with all of you 🙏🏽🤍 This curry she made, along with the green beans, took me straight back to my childhood. As I had dinner with Ma, I felt so emotional 🥺, sitting in gratitude that I can still learn from her. INGREDIENTS - 1/2 onion, sliced - 500g pumpkin - 1 sprig curry leaves - 3-4 dried chillies - 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon sugar - 1/4 teaspoon salt METHOD 1. Heat a pot, add oil. Add the onions and curry leaves, and cook for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. 2. Add the dried red chillies and mustard seeds, and cook for a couple of minutes. 3. Add the pumpkin and mix well. Cover with a lid and allow the pumpkin to steam and cook. 4. Add a little water and check the pumpkin regularly. Cook on low to medium heat with the lid on. 5. Stir in a teaspoon of sugar into the curry. 6. Once the pumpkin has softened and oil starts to surface, it’s ready to be served. #homecooking #pumpkincurry #TikTokcookbook #curry #longervideos #TasteofAfrica ♬ Calm (Lofi) - Faneo sound
The response from Priyanka's audience and online community has been overwhelming, she said. What started as a simple desire to share recipes has turned into a heartfelt connection with viewers.
Many resonate deeply with Bidda Ma's cooking style, her way of speaking and her mannerisms, often comparing her to their own grandmothers. This connection is what makes Priyanka's videos so special, bridging generations and evoking nostalgia for simpler times.
Here are just a few of the comments we came across:
Kratos on TikTok said:
“This video makes me cry… My Telugu mother mother taught me how to cook and I remember how she used to explain things to me.”
Nico Govender wrote:
“Grannies are the best cooks. She reminds me so much of my grandma.”
Rajeshri commented:
“The "right right right" made me think of my late granny.”
Meisa noted:
“She's reminding me so much of my grandma who taught me to cook. Please cherish your ma, they're so precious”
Priyanka is grateful for the love and support she's received. She hopes that by posting these dishes online, Bidda Ma feels inspired to share more of her culinary delights with the world.
We asked Bidda Ma if she had anything to say about this journey and she let us know how happy she is that Priyanka is learning how she cooks.
Bidda Ma added that she is proud to have a granddaughter like Priyanka who listens and “does everything the right way”.
If you don’t listen, how are you going to know the right way?
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Image supplied by Priyanka Govender