Homemade vermicelli becomes a rarity

Machines make process faster and easier, but it takes away sense of collaboration

BHAKKAR:

The tradition of making homemade vermicelli is slowly disappearing as modernity takes over. However, the art of making vermicelli by hand was once a meticulous and collaborative process, involving the whole family, including children and women.

The preparation of vermicelli involved special care, similar to the preparation of homemade food. The dough was kneaded by hand, shaped on clay pots and thinned into long strings before being fried in local ghee.

Sugar was added, and the vermicelli was served on a plate to the family and guests. The taste of this homemade vermicelli was exceptional and was an integral part of Eid celebrations.

With the introduction of machines, the art of making vermicelli has become rare. Although machines have made the process easier and faster, some people still believe that handmade vermicelli holds more value.

Among those who prefer handmade vermicelli are Mehr Usman Ali Sajid and Waqas Zia Khan Niazi who think that people will eventually understand the importance of traditional methods over modernity, and the art of making vermicelli by hand may make a comeback.

In the past, small machines started appearing in cities and villages, replacing the traditional method of kneading and shaping the dough by hand.

The machines made the process faster and easier, but it also took away the sense of collaboration and experience that came with making vermicelli by hand. Nowadays, people prefer buying vermicelli from the market, avoiding the hassle of making them at home.

Shopkeepers in Bhakkar say that there is a low demand for vermicelli-making machines.

They assert that people are more interested in convenience and are less willing to put in the effort to make vermicelli by hand. While modernity is winning over tradition, some people are optimistic that the art of making vermicelli by hand will eventually make a comeback. For now, the tradition of making homemade vermicelli remains a distant memory.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2023.