A Suitable Boy

Synopsis: Mrs. Rupa Mehra intends to fulfill her parental duties by arranging a marriage for her 19 year old daughter Lata with “a suitable boy.” Set in a newly post-independence, post-partition India of 1951, we see the clash of customs as Lata most definitely does not want to be influenced by her domineering mother or opinionated brother Arun. The reader spends the next 18 months with the Mehra family, along with a cast of thousands as Lata considers potential suitors and India continues to define itself as a newly independent nation.

Review: Think War and Peace, but instead of Imperial Russia, it is 20th century India. It’s a beast at 1,488 pages, and simply holding the book for an extended period can become a workout. I was inspired to read it after reading The Reading List. If you missed that blog post, The Reading List involves a mysterious list of “must read” books, and of those books, the only one I had not yet read was A Suitable Boy. Challenge extended, challenge accepted! Friends, it was well worth it. India is so vast and multi-faceted. Ethnic conflicts, religious conflicts, castes, the partition of India and Pakistan, not to mention the obvious clash of traditional values with developing modernity. I will admit, some parts were a bit slower than others. I’m sure I would have benefitted from having more familiarity with Indian history, but in spite of my rudimentary understanding, it was still quite fascinating. The story begins with the wedding of Lata’s sister, and ends with Lata’s own marriage. Between these weddings came a thousand subplots and characters, weaving a detailed narrative tapestry. Was Lata’s husband a suitable boy? I will let you read it to find out! I would definitely like to make a suggestion that this monster be divided into several volumes just so its not so cumbersome to hold and read. Sadly, it was not available on Kindle, which would have been another attractive solution.

Rating: 5/5

Recipe: Indian food is just as complex as it’s history. There are so many regional variations, and I’m certainly no expert. I only know that I love Indian food, and there isn’t an Indian restaurant within an hour of my house, so it’s usually up to me to try and create it. I can enthusiastically recommend the Indian Instant Pot Cookbook by Urvashi Pitre. Her recipes are clear with simple instructions, a manageable number of ingredients, and most importantly, they are delicious. Jhinga Nariyal Wala, or shrimp coconut curry, comes together in no time.

1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined (26-30 count)

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne peppeer

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 cup unsweetened cocunt milk, or more to taste

2 cups water

1) Place the shrimp in a bowl that fits inside the inner cooking ot of the Instant Pot. Add the ginger, garlic, turmeric, salt, cayenne, garam masala, and coconut milk. Cover the bowl with foil.

2) Pour the water into the Instant Pot and place a trivet on top. Set the covered bowl on top of the trivet.

3) lock the lid in place, select Manual and adjust the pressure to low. Cook for 3 minutes.

4) When cooking is complete, use quick release method to release the pressure.

5) Unlock the lid. Add a little extra cocunut milk if you like, stir well and serve with rice or the side of your choice.