Map source: The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia
Columbia University Press, Copyright © 1995.
Amma was born in a small village (by Indian standards) located
about 30 kilometers outside of Vijayawada, in the South Indian State of Andhra Pradesh.
She comes from a long line of powerful women, known for their strength both in and outside the
kitchen. Her grandmother ("Ammamma") was a freedom fighter and revolutionary. After her
death, the villagers erected a statue of her in the village square. She is especially remembered for
her efforts to protect women's rights.
Amma's Amma was also a devout Gandhian who would sometimes
travel 300 kilometers by bullock cart to attend Gandhi-ji's political gatherings. She was
also well-known for her Kalagoora Pulusu (mixed vegetables in tamarind sauce) and dry fish or
mutton curries which she would prepare for the field hands during the rice-threshing season (known
as Kuppalu).
Today Amma lives in Hyderabad. She has two children, a son in New York
City and a daughter who is married and living in New Zealand (from where Amma's Web Site is
officially operated). Her daughter herself became an Amma -- and Amma became an
Ammamma -- in February of 1997.
Amma's Recipes Web Site began in October 1996. Amma started the site by offering three recipes
per week for free, but was soon overwhelmed with emails and recipe requests (sometimes
receiving as many as 100 per month). Today the site is expanding rapidly, and may soon become one of the largest cooking sites on the Internet.
"The key to good cooking," says Amma, "is the desire to see others enjoy your food." She
may not be able to cook for you over the Internet, but she certainly hopes you enjoy her
recipes.
--Amma's Recipes
December, 1999
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