“#Tarla ke tadke se aata hai mann meinek hi sawaal, kab milega mauka to experience unke swaad ka kamaal. MiliyeTarla Dalal se aur jaaniye unki masaledaa rkahaani…” wrote Bollywood actor Huma Qureshi in her Instagram post to announce her upcoming project that is based on the life of acclaimed cookbook author, and TV personality Tarla Dalal. Along with this caption was the first look of Tarla featuring Huma as the author and entrepreneur and the resemblance is uncanny, to say the least. This is the first biopic that Huma will be headlining. Tarla is currently being filmed and we hope it releases soon.
The biopic is being produced by Ronnie Screwvala, AshwinyIyer Tiwari, and Nitesh Tiwari, and this epic food film project will be helmed by director Piyush Gupta, the eye behind Dangal and Chhichhore. An excited Huma told indianexpress.com that the iconic cookbook author reminds her of her childhood. She also added, “I clearly remember how my mom used to try her recipes when we were kids. Looking forward to this very special character.” The actor also called the character an ‘awe-inspiring’ one and that, “My mom had a copy of her book in the kitchen and would often try many of her recipes for my school tiffin. I also clearly remember the time when I helped mom make Tarla’s homemade mango ice cream.”
Check out the poster here:
Who was Tarla Dalal?
While the culinary world needs no introduction to the legendary cookbook author and TV personality, for those who are not in the know, Tarla Dalal was a celebrated Indian food writer, cookbook author, TV personality and entrepreneur, who was cherished worldwide for her cooking and recipe creating skills – showcasing to the world the sheer variety of vegetarian food. In 2007, she was awarded the Padma Shri award in the culinary skills category.
Born and raised in Pune, Tarla moved to Mumbai (then Bombay) post marriage. In 1966, she started her own cooking classes and soon became one of the most sought-after teachers in Mumbai. It became a go-to for brides-to-be and aspiring chefs at one point. In 1974, she published her first cookbook, The Pleasures of Vegetarian Cooking, which was later translated into many Indian and foreign languages including Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Dutch, and Russian. Later, she went on to author several other cookbooks – a total of 170 titles, over 17,000 recipes, all vegetarian – some specific to pregnant women, some to children, and the rest for cooking enthusiasts. Think fluffy bhaturas, melt-in-mouth khandvi, soft idlis, and so on.
What made her so popular was not only her easy-to-follow recipes for all categories from starters to drinks but also the creativity she puts into those using the simplest of ingredients to create a delicious traditional or innovative dish. Keeping up with the increasing interest in healthy eating she introduced a ‘Total Health Series’ in 2007, which was a collection of healthy recipes in the form of books. Diabetic-friendly jowar-pyaaz ki roti, calcium-rich moong dal and spinach soup, low-calorie nachni khichu, and a low cholesterol spinach juice – are to name a few of the recipes she introduced via her books.
Tarla became a TV celebrity with fans and followers worldwide when she debuted on TV with her show, Cook It Up WithTarla Dalal. This was long before Zee TV changed the face of cookery shows with chef Sanjeev Kapoor.
The legendary cookbook author and entrepreneur passed away in 2013, leaving behind an unmatchable culinary legacy, which her daughter Renu Dalal is currently trying to take ahead and add to.
3 quick and easy Tarla Dalal recipes to try this summer
Nachni Khichu
You may have tried the papad season-special sabudana and rice flour khichu, now it’s time for a healthier version of the Gujarati snack with ragi aka nachni flour. It’s easy to prepare, and nachni is rich in calcium – so it’ll be a win-win!
Watermelon and white jamun cooler
Want a boost of hydration amid the scorching summer heat? This watermelon and white jamun cooler with a splash of mint can do the job.
Cucumber soya pancakes
Fill a part of your daily protein quota with these sumptuous pancakes made using cucumber, soya flour, and semolina. It’s so simple to make, that you may want to add it to your breakfast repertoire.