It’s been a long hiatus from blogging & I realise I miss it. It’s kind of soothing to see your thoughts panned out in this green & red background. Strangely, that’s the feeling I also get when I get a recipe right. Yes, I do my own cooking & quite un-modestly, I’m proud of it. I could even gloat about it. Today was the mother of all cooking days. My first formal lunch spread at home & that too for the most celebrated cook from the hubby’s family. It was critic’s night or shall I say critic’s afternoon.
So you expect to be all ready with your cutlery & kitchen finery when your guests arrive. What do you do, if they arrive just half an hour after you’ve woken up? Run? Scram? Hide all the scandalous things lying around? Let’s mark a check against all of that! So am in my night suit, trying to cook up a storm when i know that my guests are standing in the parking, on their way up. After the initial shock, I surprised myself with my uncharacteristic calm with which I welcomed them.
The darling people had come to help me in case I died of stress with my first formal lunch.
The menu for the afternoon – Lady’s Finger Sambar, Pindi Chole, Surmai Fry, Pepper Chicken & Semia Payasam (Kheer).
When a Masterchef is standing next to you saying, “I want to see how you make Chole. I don’t know that authentic one”, you’re wrestling between the feeling of dread, suspicion & pride. When you start with the Pepper Chicken & she asks, “What all do you put in this?”, you just wish you don’t say anything stupid like maida or honey. You’re praying to the food gods, that whatever is boiling under those lids, please make up their minds to put their best foot forward notwithstanding if it’s chicken or chana.
Then came the burst of jubilation when these dishes started a marathon with all their best feet & I saw vessels getting wiped clean. It’s that same soothing feeling that I’m talking about. So now I stretch my right hand forward, bend it, take it backwards & pat a pat on my back.
Well done me!
Unravelingandsomebabbling 