Women’s Day: 67-yr-old Hyderabadi woman pens a ‘Cook Book’

Hyderabad: D. Vijaya Murthi, a resident of Hyderabad authors her first book “Authentic Godavari Non-Veg Recipes’ Published by Notion Press, the book is slated for online release for a worldwide audience on the International Women’s Day.

The food prepared by home homemaker  binds with her husband and children and inlaws says the 67 years old debutant author Smt. D. Vijaya Murthi

A homemaker, Vijaya Murthi learnt the authentic Godavari Non-Veg Recipes from her mother Y. Lakshmi and elder sister C. Lakshmikantha. My husband, who is no more, and my in-laws too were fond of cooking and good food. I grew up in that kind of a background, so cooking has come so naturally to me, she says. 

The 84 pager, English book comprises of 50 plus non-veg recipes which are her family and friends favourite ones. She was encouraged by her son D. Pavan Kumar, an Advocate, to be part of Wirally food, a facebook Channel, which has over 1 million followers where she frequently posts her cooking recipes  Swapna her daughter in law is instrumental making this book a reality, from ideation to execution.

Vijaya took one and a half month to write recipes in Telugu. Then her granddaughter Alekhya’s English teacher, translated them into English. The entire exercise took about three months. 

How does it feel to be an author at 67? Growing Old is Optional! Age is just a number. Many elders have accomplished at a much older age than mine. Somebody has become a fashion model at 80, somebody went to school at 90, climbed  Mount Everest at 80, won Nobel Prize at 90. If you compare me with them, it is nothing. But it is a great feeling because I am passing on these family recipes to future generations.  I don’t want them to be lost in oblivion, she says

It feels great, I am happy to have been able to capture my lifetimes learnings from the kitchen into a book and pass on these family recipes to future generations. A lot of the traditional recipes are being forgotten thanks to the fast food culture I didn’t want these family recipes to be lost in oblivion, she says.

Cooking as a family or with loved ones or friends brings us together because we can share our culture and heritage through food and give each other nourishment. Coming together and sharing a meal is the most communal and binding thing in almost every place in the world. In an era where food is ordered on food delivery apps because of various reasons, the real interesting aspect of cooking is missed. Home-cooked food is healthier than outside food. It builds bond among the family members. 

A book like mine must encourage the millennials to get interested in cooking. 

People are forgetting cooking. Cooking is a great skill. There is a cook in every one of us. I want to revive at least to some extent the good old cooking traditions, she says. Women excel both in kitchen and office.  

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well.”, the author reminds a saying of  Virginia Woolf

This quote pretty much sums up the relationship we have with food. People love to have good food and the tastier it is, the better the feeling. This book is for all the non-vegetarian lovers out there who would like to experiment and make their own dishes. Be it chicken or mutton, fish or prawns, spicy or not so spicy you have it all here! This book is a set of carefully curated recipes that have been tried and tested multiple times so that you can make and enjoy the yummiest of dishes you have ever had.

Nothing unites people the way food does. Check out this book and treat your loved ones to an amazing meal she says.

D.Vijaya Murthi , an informal internship as sous chef with her mother and elder sister became the base of a long and rewarding relationship with cooking. Her husband D.S Murthi (Advocate) encouraged her culinary skills and her home was soon the centre of the celebration of Andhra’s best non-vegetarian cooking traditions. 

Family and friends gather to savour the best Chintachiguru Mutton (Mutton with tamarind leaves), Bommidala Chapala Pulusu (Fish in a tangy savoury sauce), Kotimira Prawns (Prawns cooked in coriander) among other dishes. 

D Vijaya Murthi her cooking replicated in different geographies and through generations. She has other plans to pen more books such as on on “Andhra Chutney, Powders and Pickles” and other is on “Andhra Starters”.

She has other plans to pen more books such as ” Chutneys, Powders, Pickles, Starters and more”.

The “Authentic Godavari Non-Veg Recipes book is available online from 8th at Notion Press. It costs Rs 1250.

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