Throughout my entire life, I’ve felt disconnected from my Indian roots. Being born and raised in Sacramento has not given me a strong connection to my heritage. My parents and extended family often call me “Americanized” and it’s hard to not agree with them. I’ve felt lost and adrift in terms of my cultural identity for years now, and I decided it was finally time to reclaim my heritage.
That’s why I started buying garlic naan from Trader Joe’s.
The garlic naan from Trader Joe’s is not only actually pretty good, but it also helps me feel connected to my ancestors. This exact same naan is the naan my mother’s family eats in Punjab, where naan was created, being cooked on the sides of covered clay ovens. Well maybe not exactly, but still, it’s closeish. Same general concept.
When I want to partake in an Indian holiday, I sometimes buy frozen samosas and some chana masala to really feel like I’m home. I will heat up my meal in the little plastic containers, then sit on my sofa and relish in the exotic tastes of the frozen food, and imagine my dad as a child, celebrating Diwali on his little village farm. They must have had basically the exact same thing to eat for dinner. Isn’t that amazing?
Some people may object to my newfound connection with my Indian heritage, claiming, “Trader Joe’s is for white people,” or “Frozen food isn’t the same thing,” and “There’s better Indian food out there.” And that all may be true, but this is what is accessible to me, since the only Indian restaurant in my town is 25 minutes away. Plus, I’ve never been to India, but I’ve had Indian food in New Jersey and this is almost kind of like that.
I’m just glad that Trader Joe’s, or as I call it, Joe Uncle’s, gives me an option to feel so connected to my heritage, all for the reasonable price of $1.99! To that I say, jai ho!
