Before I may muster up the braveness to make use of the idli maker my mother gave me after I moved out, right here I used to be making idli in a story cooking online game. Though Venba’s idli maker differs from ours, the fluffy steamed rice desserts on the finish of the extent had been a well-known sight.

Venba facilities on the principle character of the identical title. The story begins along with her and her husband Paavalan as new Canadian immigrants within the Nineteen Eighties, elevating their first-generation son, Kavin. Venba is about adjusting to the brand new whereas making an attempt to not chip away at traditions and ties to a rustic that was as soon as residence. Venba and Paavalan work to make ends meet in a spot that devalues their historical past but dangles a shiny future forward of them, all whereas making an attempt to stability conventional and new values of their son.

As the sport’s narrative progresses, I reminisced about my life as an immigrant from India, whereas the intermittent cooking puzzles had me mirror on fond reminiscences from after I was youthful.

I used to be 5 years previous when my household hopped on a prepare to Chennai proper earlier than migrating to the United States. I faintly bear in mind the seaside overlooking the ocean and amusement park rides, however seeing the banana leaves embellished with tiny dishes—starting from dal to various kinds of rice—day by day was unforgettable. It’s one in all my final moments earlier than transferring throughout seas that I cling to, and seeing that Venba is from Chennai solely made me extra engrossed in her immigrant story.

Besides Venba’s love of gold bangles, Paavalan’s wrestle to write down whereas he searches for a well-paying job, their hesitancy with seeing issues by Kavin’s generational perspective, the cultural divide, their monetary points, and even their challenges in introducing Kavin to his personal tradition resonated with me. I may even sense my very own dad and mom within the solemn but zealous method Venba and Paavalan introduced regional meals to Kavin, giving their baby a style of his personal heritage. Kavin rejecting their makes an attempt, nevertheless, was not like my very own craving for connection by meals, however this distinction reveals that the chaotic lives of immigrant households can fluctuate as a lot as our dishes.

Venba skips throughout years, presenting new conflicts amongst Venba, Paavalan, and Kavin—and somewhat than disrupting the rising pressure round their household, it reveals the way it’s a unending wrestle to get completely different generations of an immigrant household on the identical web page about their tradition. The time skips additionally remind me how time is fleeting and the way far I’ve are available my life, a lot in order that my eyes teared up whereas enjoying.

In the sport, within the yr 2006, Venba prepares layered biryani, which the builders have mentioned is inspired by the style of biryani in Hyderabad, the south-central Indian metropolis the place I’m from. Despite the mutable nature of immigrant life, my mother’s biryani is a continuing, at all times incomes excessive reward that it tastes similar to residence. So, I believed it was solely proper to have her play this stage with me—which was entertaining by itself for the reason that in-game recipe varies from hers. Still, she rushed to inform me to fry the onions earlier than I may clarify the mechanics, and was impatiently wanting to know its style when Kavin, Venba, and Paavalan sat all the way down to eat. Here, I observed the refined generational distinction as Paavalan ate along with his fingers and Kavin ate with a spoon.