Growing Up in Mum's Kitchen

Some of my earliest memories aren't of toys or games.

They're of the kitchen.

Mum would carry me while she cooked, stirring pots with one hand and somehow managing everything else at the same time. The kitchen was never just a place where food was made. It was where conversations happened, where stories were told and where our family naturally came together at the end of each day.

As I grew older, I realised those moments were shaping me in ways I didn't understand at the time.

Cooking wasn't something Mum scheduled.

It was simply part of everyday life.

If she was making chapatis, we'd be there.

If she was preparing dinner, we'd be there.

If there was a pot of dal simmering on the hob, someone was always nearby chatting while dinner slowly came together.

Dimple was always eager to help.

By the age of eight she was already making chapatis for the family. Looking back, it seems remarkable, but at the time it was just what we did. Everyone had a place in the kitchen.

Today she's a dietitian, helping people understand how food can nourish both body and mind, but it all began with those simple moments beside Mum.

As for me, I've always loved experimenting.

Mum taught us tradition.

Dimple brought nutrition.

I've always been the one asking, "What if we tried this?"

Sometimes it's adding something unexpected to a naan toastie.

Sometimes it's finding a new way to bring together flavours we've loved for years.

Those ideas always begin with the same foundation Mum gave us.

People often ask where our recipes come from.

The answer is simple.

They come from home.

Not from a cookbook.

Not from trends.

Not from social media.

From years of standing beside Mum, watching, tasting, asking questions and learning a little more every single day.

Those memories are the reason Mumbai Mix exists today.

This website isn't just somewhere to share recipes.

It's our way of making sure those moments continue, one kitchen at a time.