Mummy Ka Magic

Former model Amrita Raichand is best known as the happy-go-lucky mom who spun her magic on her kids’ clothes before asking them,“Mummy ka magic chalega kya?” in the famous Whirlpool commercial a couple of years ago. When I recently watched the promo of her new cookery show,coincidentally titled Mummy Ka Magic,on Food Food,I thought it was sponsored by Whirlpool,hence the name and Amrita as the host. But it was nothing of that sort.

Mummy Ka Magic is essentially a show that caters to parents who can rustle up tasty,delectable-looking yet nutritious cuisines for their children,especially since they are such fussy eaters. Raichand,a mother herself,is a perfect fit as the host since she has a pleasant disposition and shares her personal experiences while cooking on the show. All the recipes that are featured in the programme are Raichand’s creations,which she has earlier rustled up in her kitchen to appease her son.

Usually three recipes — a snack,a main course and a dessert— are featured on the show. So right from a vegetable casserole to hash browns,pancakes,burgers,sandwiches and a plethora of cakes and cookies,Raichand whips almost everything under the sun. The surprising fact is that though these are items that we have not only prepared but also savoured several times,the yummy mummy adds her own unique twist to it. So she prepares a delicious dip of white sauce with oodles of cheese and cilantro to complement the hash browns or makes monster cookies that are a bigger version of the good old homemade cookies. She uses nutritious veggies like broccoli,zucchini and mushrooms in vegetarian dishes and masks their not-so appetising taste with lots of cheese,black pepper,cilantro or tomato sauce.

Since the recipes are prepared for kids,Raichand also emphasises a lot on presentation,which is visually appealing. For instance: she dresses up a sandwich as a caterpillar or garnishes gooey chocolate balls as mice and rechristens them as Tom and Jerry balls.

However,there are some things that can be worked upon in the show. While rustling up a dish,Raichand can also show what ingredients can be replaced to suit the palates of adults as most of the recipes are quite bland (admittedly so,as they are for children). As far as her presentation is concerned,she is enthusiastic about pleasing the viewers and is fairly excited about making goodies for kids. But in her bid to be enthusiastic,Raichand,at times,does things in a hurry that gives an impression that she is flustered. She also has an uncanny habit of saying “Okay” after every step which starts grating on your nerves after a point. But overall,if you overlook these minor hitches,then Mummy Ka Magic is a nice way to win over the hearts and tummies of your tiny tots.

Verdict: ***

Watch it to rustle up nutritious yet tasty dishes for your children.