Tamarind patties

As a teenager I used to be very fond of tamarind, with my grandmother (amma) finding it very difficult to save some for the kitchen, wherever she hid it, I used to find it and eat it. Well, one fine June day, amma, mummy and amma’s sister, kakka, decided to have some tamarind fun. I was told that it is no fun eating raw tamarind; it tastes the best when properly prepared! And so, the cook was summoned and instructed to prepare tamarind patties with lots of spices. So all the tamarind was taken away, mixed with sugar and salt and chilies and cooked and made into round patties. And finally, the wait was over and these three ladies enjoyed tamarind. What about me and my love for tamarind? Well I found the patties too spicy for my taste. I went back to stealing tamarind from the kitchen. But that day, I saw these three wonderful, talented ladies having fun with tamarind, reliving their youth. Time has separated me from all three of them, but on this fine June day, I hope that all of them must be enjoying tamarind patties in heaven.