A pinch of this and a fistful of that

Cooking by eye is an age-old tradition in many cultures across the globe. In Indian cuisine, a fistful or ek mutthi (one fistful) is a common phrase in Gujarati when describing how to cook a recipe. It usually refers to dry but not floury ingredients like rice, lentils, nuts and beans. A pinch or ek chutki (one pinch) is used for ingredients you use less zealously, like strong spices or salt. I have aunties who share recipes measured in ‘cornflakes bowls’, ‘steel glasses’, ‘mugs’ and ‘eating spoons’, too, although none ever specify the proper size. Whose thumb do they mean when they say, ‘a thumb-sized piece of root ginger’? Exactly how big is a ‘lemon-sized ball’? Their recipes will state to add ‘enough water to make a dough’ or to cook ‘until done’. My Kishor kaka, a well-seasoned cook, is known for passing recipes on with the instruction, to add ‘all the usual masalas’. As much as I am in awe of their skills to adapt and flex based on years of cooking experience, I understand that for some this might be problematic, and in particular, for those who are less familiar with Indian cuisine. I believe that anyone can cook Indian food and I’m here to show you the way I do it.