I cooked one of my favourite meals today. Bottle gourd (doodhi/lauki) and prawn curry, steamed rice, cluster beans (gavaar), and fried pomfret. Simple, wholesome, delicious and truly comforting!

The bottle gourd and prawn curry is a typical Goan recipe I learned from my grandmother. I remember grumbling each time she asked me to help her prepare the masala or spice paste. I would rather be out playing badminton or seven tiles (does anyone remember that game) with my friends instead of grating coconut and listening to her instructions, "Now grind the coconut to a smooth paste along with some coriander seeds, cumin, turmeric, ginger, garlic and green chillies."

"Damn! Why do I always have to do this?" I'd mutter under the drone of our sturdy Sumeet mixer grinder. "Wait!" Granny would suddenly yell out, "I forgot this!" And throw in a tablespoonful of raw rice. "To thicken the gravy, you see" Like I cared!

Then we would peel and chop the long bottle gourd into small pieces and steam for a few minutes. Heat up some oil in a curry dish, throw in mustard seeds and curry leaves, chopped onions and fry till they turned transparent. Stir in the coconut and spice paste (a beautiful yellow with a slightly green tinge) and fry well. Then pour in some water to form a thick but consistent gravy. Bring to boil and drop the prawns in (even small prawns or tiny shrimp, they do lend a lovely flavour to the curry). Finally, we would mix in the steamed bottle gourd and let the curry simmer for 7-8 minutes. Oh yes, salt to taste!

We made this curry so often and for a long time, I thought it was the only way to eat bottle gourd! I still think it's the best way. Without realising it, I guess I became an expert at making the curry and I remember how my little friend Vee slurped it up with bread. "Yellow curry! Yellow curry! I love your yellow curry G!!" she would squeal.

Years later, I continue to make the curry my grandmother taught me. In my version I grind the onion along with the other ingredients, so the curry is nice and smooth. You can leave out the prawns if you are vegetarian, it still tastes great. I'm so glad I learned how to make this simple dish of a delicately spiced and delicious curry, even if against my will! My husband, who is drooling all over me now, says he'd like to have it as his last meal, along with some steamed rice and my beef chilly fry.