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What the Tongue Remembers

Anitha Devi Pillai
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Jealousy, longing, betrayal, and faith simmer in this tantalizing collection of eleven short stories about Malayalee women in Singapore. Each stands at a crossroads in life, stirring a pot of nostalgia and desire as they prepare comforting dishes for those they love.

In the kitchens of the meticulous Anusha Menon, the fearless Chellamma, and the gentle Aysha Rahman, the scent of Kerala’s rich culinary heritage lingers in recipes passed down through generations and in spices carrying whispers of home. In another corner of the city, Lilykutty Mathews holds the last hours of her marriage tenderly, learning that endings have their own kind of hunger.

Across these kitchens and lives, no dish, however lovingly prepared, can quiet their deepest hunger, the hunger to love and be loved.

Published: Aug/2026

ISBN: 9789815362442

Length: 324 Pages

What the Tongue Remembers

Anitha Devi Pillai

Jealousy, longing, betrayal, and faith simmer in this tantalizing collection of eleven short stories about Malayalee women in Singapore. Each stands at a crossroads in life, stirring a pot of nostalgia and desire as they prepare comforting dishes for those they love.

In the kitchens of the meticulous Anusha Menon, the fearless Chellamma, and the gentle Aysha Rahman, the scent of Kerala’s rich culinary heritage lingers in recipes passed down through generations and in spices carrying whispers of home. In another corner of the city, Lilykutty Mathews holds the last hours of her marriage tenderly, learning that endings have their own kind of hunger.

Across these kitchens and lives, no dish, however lovingly prepared, can quiet their deepest hunger, the hunger to love and be loved.

Buying Options
Paperback / Hardback

Anitha Devi Pillai

Anitha Devi Pillai is a Singapore-based writer, translator, and applied linguist. She is the author of eleven books spanning fiction, non-fiction, and translation. Her translation of the Tamil novel Sembawang (2020) was shortlisted for the Singapore History Prize (2021) and the Best Literary Work Prize (2021). Her short story 'Lost in Translation' was longlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize (2025). Anitha's writing explores memory, identity, and intimacy, often through food, language, and the lives of women in Singapore. She teaches writing and applied linguistics at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

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