Food, Glorious Food - Tija Mittal

“She said, 'Guria, you sound hungry. I think what you need to do is eat more on your fast.'”

Photo by Dave Burbank

Food, Glorious Food

--- This episode is available on your local radio station, on PRXPRX and below via The Moth Player. It will be published on iTunes | Spotify | RadioPublic | RSS --- on 8/23/23 ---

In this hour, fasting, feasting, and traveling salmon; stories about foods that nourish the body as well as the soul. Hosted by The Moth's Executive Producer Sarah Austin Jenness. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media. 

Ritija Gupta follows her grandmother's recommended all-yellow diet in the name of love.
Mercy Lung'aho leads an experiment with beans, designed to combat anemia.
Dihan Hossain dreams of tasting New York City pizza.
Joan Juliet Buck's uncle loses a suitcase of smoked salmon -- and a family member.

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Stories in this Episode

11:56
Like a Prayer

by Ritija Gupta

Ritija Gupta follows her grandmother's recommended all-yellow diet in the name of love.

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09:14
The Meaning of a Bean

by Mercy Lung'aho

Mercy Lung'aho leads an experiment with beans, designed to combat anemia.

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07:17
That Pizza

by Dihan Hossain

Dihan Hossain dreams of tasting New York City pizza.

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13:56
Ashes and Salmon

by Joan Juliet Buck

Joan Juliet Buck's uncle loses a suitcase of smoked salmon -- and a family member.

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Extras From This Episode

Food, Glorious Food Extras

Ritija Gupta

Mrh1918 Ritija Mittal Extra 2

​Tija and her husband, Andrew, who she met a week after telling her story on the Moth stage.

Mrh1918 Ritija Mittal Extra 1

A young Ritija and her grandmother Nani.

If you too are in need of some help from Shiva, here are some yellow recipes from the cookbooks of two mothers of Moth staff members:

Moth Mother Robin Sheppard's Pumpkin Pie Recipe:

For the crust:

  • 1 1/4 cups flour 
  • 1/2 tsp salt 
  • 1/2 cup sugar 
  • 1/2 cup butter (cold)
  • 2 - 4 tbsp ice water

Toss together the dry ingredients, then work in the cold butter by hand, a fork, or with a food processor until the largest chunks of butter are about the size of peas. Ensuring no ice makes it into the batter, add the water 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture holds together when pinched. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work into a ball. Flatten into a disk and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling with a floured rolling pin to fill a 9" pie tin. Do not bake until filled with the pumpkin mixture.

For the filling: 

  • 2 eggs slightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
  • 1 tsp cinnamon 
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg 
  • 1 tbsp flour 
  • 2 cups cooked pumpkin or 1 16 oz can pumpkin 
  • 1 tsp vanilla 
  • 1 cup rich cream

Combine eggs, sugars, spices ad flour. Blend in pumpkin. Gradually add cream, blending well. Turn into the unbaked 9" pastry shell. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Then bake at 350 for 40 or 50 minutes until a knife inserted halfway between center of pie and crust comes out clean. Cool and serve plain or with whipped cream. 

Mrh1918 Ritija Mittal Extra 3

Moth Mother Maureen Jenness's Corn Muffins Recipe

Mrh1918 Ritija Mittal Extra 4

Moth Mother Maureen Jenness's Pineapple Bake Recipe

More yellow foods you could eat, for love and inspiration:

Golden beets, lemons, bananas, pineapples, yellow peppers, corn, plantains, yellow rice, yellow potatoes, man n cheese (cheese in general!), yellow cakes, yellow lentils, curry, etc.

Happy Eating!

Learn more about Ritija's story in The MOTHerview with Storyteller Ritija Gupta.

Joan Juliet Buck

Mrh 1918 Joan Juliet Buck Extra 1

Joan's Mother, Captain Herb Riley, and Joan's Grandmother Esta in Cannes, France in 1953 - "Nana , Mom, and Captain Herb Riley in Cannes, the day he'd moved the aircraft carrier so Mom could see it from our terrace."