Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Photographs: Ranji Thangiah
Blogger, food photographer, recipe developer and cooking class host, Ranji aka Tooting Mama on Instagram is passionate about food. She claims her “food jam” is Sri Lankan and South Indian food as it reflects her culture and heritage which she is keen to share with the rest of the world through the various mediums she hosts. Never formally taught to cook (like the majority of us), Ranji’s learning took place in the kitchen watching her Sri Lankan mother grind spices for her homemade curry powders. Perched on a stool in the corner of the kitchen, Ranji would marvel at the magic created in the kitchen by her mum. Inhaling the aroma of the spices as they were ground in the pestle and mortar, Ranji would quietly take mental notes on how the curries were made. As her mother grew older and frailer she stopped cooking and Ranji has assumed that mantle as she fears that if she does not cook the family recipes and the food culture will be lost. Using her parents’ cookbooks as references to recreate the joyous food memories of her childhood while working on her new recipes, Ranji shares four recipes which are easy to create. Ranji is a staunch believer that food unites people and connects people with a common love for food.
