It will never be the end of the fresh chapatti thanks to the culture instilled into our Asian lives.  It is a staple skill, part of many generations and maybe one of the most measured attributes when finding a rishta or even accepting a family dawat.

Just like everything, culture is manipulated by newer shortcut methods whether it being buying rotees or naans or generally by being sold to the outside takeaway convenience regime. Convenience is compensated with health yet at some point in our working class lives we realise we lost the balance and favoured outside food to home food.

We sell the largest variety of tawas in Blackburn. Our customers for tawas are mainly women.  The millenial generation seem to have an issue with culture including making rotees yet we notice that they always bounce back into the culture once they get married. A man becomes a husband, whilst the woman becomes the wife. The husband expects the rotee. Pause. Oh bugger.

It is interesting that women blame their mothers and the husbands blame their wives.  The ironic part is that it is local food places which have got out of hand to change habits, allow to profit on convenience to ruin the family dinner traditions. It may well be that a chef outside is a male but he comes home to expect his wife to make the rotees but what is exactly wrong with that?

Come to us and enquire about a tawa and you will be presented with the options for different types or even all-in-ones which are suitable for Punjabi rotees, Gujarati rotis and even South Indian rotees. We engage both men and women alike to advise them on the best tawa with accessories for their needs.  

Men who visit us, come searching for the tawa which will improve their rot
ees at home.  Yes, it is a big thing as that is how British Asian generations have grown up. 

Most men seem to be tired and sick of the microwave being used for all food all the time. One male customer once even said to us, "that stomach ache I got from eating at takeaways I now get at home".

A tawa is our most importantly stocked item. Should we ever feel the need to stop it, our business would probably lose its credibility in our culture and change the mindset of our future. 

There is a large increase in demand for tawas in recent years presumingly due to public issues around outside food, plastics, disposables and processed food.  

Even manufacturers have paid attention and started making tawas for different hobs and different types of rotees. Large retail stores started selling tawas around 2016 recognising the existence of such an important cultural product.

We see the tawa as a foundation product for the typical cultured British Asian. This important item submissively powers many home dinners bringing culture, tradition in a cuisine that British Asians are born into. Despising such opportunities contributes towards the roadblocks once life changes after marriage.

Businesses also need to understand that what they sell influences habits and affects cultures.  We have spent decades trying to find the right balance between home food and outside food for us all to wake up a little older and realise that we need to reduce waste, plastic, processed food and so on.  

So why should a business who offered fresh rotees (originally for large gatherings) be used for the standard daily or every other day rotee in the house

It is only wrong until you eventually realise why and the side effects of such a culture habit change that comes with it to affect your own future lifestyle and that of your family.

Submitted by Penny Profits based on Victoria Street in Blackburn

ALSO SEE: The end of the fresh chapati