No butterfly

Noted Pakistani writer Moni Mohsin speaks about her book, column and of course Indian food

December 24, 2014 05:30 pm | Updated 05:33 pm IST

Moni Mohsin at Spice Route, The Imperial, New Delhi. Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Moni Mohsin at Spice Route, The Imperial, New Delhi. Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

At times divine intervention ensures that everything falls into place. This feeling comes to mind when meeting noted Pakistani author Moni Mohsin at The Imperial’s Spice Route restaurant recently. Amiable guest, smiling host and pleasant weather to enjoy the sunshine in the courtyard, I can’t wish for more.

In a restaurant known for its soothing calm, one quietly settles down and asks Mohsin about what triggered the compilation of her regular column featuring the “Butterfly” which appears in “The Friday Times. “It was not my idea. Back in Jaipur Literature Festival 2007, an Indian publisher made this suggestion, though I was not receptive to the idea reasoning that who would be interested in something which has already appeared in print. It was in London I realised that a book has a different life. The individual pieces together will amount to more than the sum of the parts. So I decided to try it.Further, I realised that newspapers lose their value fast and nowadays readers are not keen to maintain clippings.”

She defines “Butterfly” crisply as one who “is frivolous, greedy, shallow and conventional but has redeeming qualities like loyalty, honesty about self. Though deeply flawed you feel protective towards her. She is endearing but not a bore and represents the wealthy, upper class who holiday abroad and their children study in foreign institutions.” Terming it “a universal character”, she emphasises that butterflies are found in all parts of the world.

Her earlier two collections have been described by critics and reviewers as chic-lit and non-serious reading. So where does her latest writing fit in? “It is a social satire as it is a result of the rage and anger caused by the events, attitudes and follies of the society, abuse of power and vanities of people. It is also a social commentary since it ridicules, particularly close held beliefs, power structure, and hypocrisy.” Pausing to sip her lemon mixed beverage she qualifies, “though it is witty and humorous, the purpose is serious.” She springs a surprise by stating that her book has more men readers in India and Pakistan –– who “do not seemed to be embarrassed by the high heels on the cover” –– than abroad.

Her present column came into being when she decided to discontinue her earlier one on professional working women and issues related to them. “My editor, reluctant to lose the readership of the feature asked me to pen on issues concerning women in particular but also relevant to all. It was to be serious but at the same time witty and light in tone with no hectoring or preaching.”

Describing how she got the idea for the plot, storyline and characters of the column she reveals: “Attending a high-society party I was privy to a conversation between an old and young lady, both elegantly dressed and bejewelled. One had a shatoosh shawl wrapped around and the other while feeling the texture remarked that she did not use them as it was fit for maids.” Apart from this, she witnessed several incidents wherein the rich who spent astronomical sums on jewellery and clothes would squirm while sanctioning a minor raise in the servant’s salary. They would haggle endlessly with the vendors at home but while shopping abroad would be a model customer. Though based on her observations and experiences of the high class society Mohsin peppers her narrative with loads of imagination and fiction.

Being prompt in service the staff enquires if they could lay the table. The affirmative from the guest sees them bringing in chemeen thoren (stir fried prawns, Kerala style), pla tom som (steamed fillet of sole with garlic and lemon sauce), phad phak (stir fried broccoli in Thai soya sauce) and phad phak ruam mitr (stir fried assorted vegetables in Thai stir fried sauce), all fresh and hot to be enjoyed with khao mali (Thai jasmine rice). Eating slowly, the writer seems to relish each bite. “I am fond of Japanese, Italian and Thai cuisine but only for a limited period. My favourite has always been desi food.” As she spends her time between Lahore and London one wonders what is desi food. “Dal, rice, shammi kabab and aam ka acchar ,” she discloses. “During my visits to India I enjoy the vegetables and vegetarian dishes –– as there is a wide variety to choose from. This apart there is a rich regional variation to taste like appams, vadas, idlis, dosas of South India.”

Sharing that she loved street food like bhelpuri , dahi bhale , pakoras , samosas and fruit chaat, Mohsin says she is forced to abstain considering the hygiene factor. “Life is poorer as I avoid these. I do enjoy them when prepared by my friends at home.” While on the topic, she says, “I am fond of kanji made of black carrots with rye in it.”

During her travels the columnist eats local dishes. “This exposes me to the culture of the land. Food is essential to understand the history and culture of a place.”

She loves cooking but “not for large numbers. My favourite is mean roast chicken with lemon and garlic and sea salt. Cooking and writing is not everybody’s cup of tea. I consider good cooks as artistes.”

All performers need appreciative audience and applause and Mohsin plays that role to the hilt as she compliments Veena Arora, Chef Spice Route for all the dishes, specially the fish and white asparagus. She is as frank in expressing her mind on the visa travails between the two countries. “I think the person-to-person contact through artistes, authors and ordinary people will help in rapprochement between the two.” Hoping that her wish comes true, we wind up our meeting.

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