Tags: Proverb, India, Cooking, Tulu Language
Text
“Uppoo, Pulley, Moonchi”
“Salt, Sour, Chili”
Informant Info
Race/Ethnicity: Indian
Age: 22
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Northwest Arkansas, USA
Date of Performance: February 2024
Primary Language: English
Other Language(s): N/A
Relationship: Friend
Context
AH, the informant, is of Indian descent. Her father practices Hinduism and speaks Tulu. He has been a very influential figure in her upbringing.
Analysis
This rule of thumb is used for cooking. To have a perfect dish, in the informants words, one must add a “little bit of salt, a little bit of sour, and a little bit of chili.” This is a proverb used in Indian cuisine, inspired by their history of being one of the top spice producers/traders in the world, helping them to inspire recipes that leave a wonderful taste of culture in our mouths.
A side note, as I was doing research on this proverb, I could not find anything. After consulting with the informant, she informed me that “Tulu is mostly spoken.” An interesting fact that I found out after this conversation was that the Tulu language (with speakers concentrated in the Indian state of Karnataka) is best known for its oral traditions.