Happy Stories

Can someone feel satiated if they feed others? Akho- my mama did. She fed. She loved sharing her gift to ‘feed with flair’ with everyone. She shared it with the nation as the first live television chef of Pakistan. It was in the late 60s early 70s that Akho showed off her culinary skills to the Managing Director and said she wanted to do a cooking program for the nation. Later “Dalda” sponsored her series; Dalda ka Dastarkhwan. She started a food FAQ under the pseudonym ’Salma Apa” in the days long before the internet and the computers were invented.

In true innovator spirit she introduced Pakistanis to diverse local and international culinary styles of food. Because TV was live in early days sadly there are no recordings. Nothing to bring her memory to life and nothing to remind a fleet of the chefs today the female heroine who started it all- Akhtar Tariq Mustafa- known as Akho to her family.

The story does not end here. Her true calling, however, was the kitchen she started in a non profit called Mashal in Margalla Town Islamabad for poor women to build their skills for their livelihood and dignity. Akho’s kitchen still runs but my vivid memory is of her conducting a major operation of preparing her famous ‘Aloo Gosht’ that she often lovingly prepared in huge ‘Degs’ for the laborers and ‘mazdurs’.

Starting from carving the meat herself from scratch to peeling potatoes and laboriously manning the giant pot mama would do everything herself with care and love as if it was a VIP dinner. She served each ‘mazdur herself with naans and with her inimitable conversation that spiced the meal. The sharing of her love through food fed many a hardworking souls. It is this memory and many more that I wanted to honor in a world that no longer sees what is there in stark daylight. Our shortcomings have translated into massive injustices where many go hungry under our watch. “Har danay par kissi ka nam hai” all we want to do is help facilitate the meeting. Come join our group AKHO and feed dreams!