What the Tongue Remembers

What the tongue remembers, the world would rather forget


What the tongue remembers, time cannot erase.

Jealousy, longing, betrayal, and faith simmer in a tantalizing collection of eleven short stories of Malayalee women in Singapore, each at crossroads in life, each stirring a pot of nostalgia and desire as they prepare comforting dishes for their loved ones.

In the kitchens of the meticulous Anusha Menon, the fearless Chellamma, and the gentle Aysha Rahman, the scent of Kerala's rich culinary heritage lingers through recipes passed down through generations, spices carrying whispers of home. And in another corner of the city, Lilykutty Verghese holds the last hours of her marriage tenderly, learning that endings have their own kind of hunger.

Yet, as their hands craft meals steeped in tradition, their hearts wrestle with unfulfilled cravings. No dish, no matter how lovingly prepared, can quell their deepest hunger-the hunger to love and to be loved.