Nallakaram was Obavva's speciality.

During one rather chilly winter night in the Kurnool district, Obavva made a good campfire beside our house. While kids were jumping around the fire, Obavva was telling me how food could be used to cool or heat up our bodies. She was telling me that some food items are winter specialists, some are summer specialists while there are others that could be had round the clock in any weather.

Obavva's father was a Siddha (a traditional system of healing) doctor. All her remedies revolve around food.

"Take, for example, this weather. It is very chilli and there is a possibility of people getting affected by cold and fever. So, in this weather, we need to have something like Nallakaram which generates some heat within to withstand the situation". she continued "If you add a bit of Garlic to it, then helps build immunity as well".

There is so much practical knowledge with everyone, we just need to have the intent to grasp it.