Well, it will officially be 2 weeks of the lockdown in a few days and we are slowly but steadily running out of groceries and poultry. I have forgotten how it feels like to walk on the street because you guessed it right, Nachi is doing the grocery runs. I’m a little worried for my mother who is 1500 kms away right now. She has been largely okay so far, thanks to my amazing aunt and her family who have taken her in and keeping her safe. But you know, a daughter just worries…
Work from home was ugly at first, what with the thousand distractions of cleaning and cooking. But on the second week, it has somehow settled down nicely, like a well-oiled machine, right into our lives. Whoever said that humans are creatures of habit, was absolutely right. Be it order or chaos, give us enough time and we’ll settle like pros kicking ass. Amazing, right?
Just yesterday
While doing the dishes just yesterday, I heard Nachi mumble something to himself from the living room. He was mopping there and I didn’t want to be the lady who cruelly walks on the clean, wet floor. So, as usual, I screamed from the kitchen sink, “W-H-A-T???”
He came in. He looked annoyed. “I don’t know why people all over Facebook are cribbing about being bored so much! Have you seen the stupid memes that have come up about people counting sugar granules on Bourbon biscuits because there’s nothing better to do these days? Ugh!”
“Yes, I’ve seen them. They’re funny. Why are you so mad at them?” I asked still confused.
“I’m not mad at them”, he sighed, “It’s just that I feel this is so great! Working from home with you, sweating together and taking care of our apartment, side by side, me cooking as you hum while writing something, we crying on the sofa watching stupid Grace and Frankie, we, planning leftover food recipes meticulously and being excited for it… I mean this is EVERYTHING I have ever wanted! I don’t feel bored at all. If anything, I want this full time. And of course, the freedom to go to places with you.” He ended with a smile.
The boy I love
I don’t know what to tell you guys, the boy I love, is sorta broken. Good news is, I’m sorta broken too so we fit right in. And so just like that, while doing stupid chores, all sweaty and disgusting inside the kitchen of a top floor furnace like apartment, we had a moment. And mind you, it was nothing but a moment, but somehow it gave me a new hum to carry on doing the dishes and gave him a fresh tune to whistle while mopping our gigantic living room (you won’t realize how big the room is until you start to sweep/mop it).
Cooking at home
One of the greatest joys of being at home so far has been cooking together! We’ve been cooking like never before during this down time. I cannot believe that I actually found the energy to make this effort to chop, sauté and cook, every other day, but having Nachi by my side helps a LOT! No, not every day has been Instagram worthy, but every meal actually has been wonderful. Having lunch together while watching TV or just talking, on a working afternoon: Who would have thought! So, before we run out of the fancy groceries and resort to seddho bhat (boiled rice), let me list down some of the wonderful dishes we have cooked so far, not just to share them with you, but to remind ourselves later on, what it feels like to cook with people you love, for people you love, and then eat with people you love, even during the direst of times. We’ll upload the recipes soon as well and link them here.
Daab chicken
Shahi Pulao and Chicken Keema
Dhania chicken
French toast and fruits
Egg cheese fried Maggi
Image Courtesy: Confessions of a Weekend Cook
Luchi and niramish alur dum
Chicken Rezala
So, that’s how our lockdown has been going. We’ve been cooking a lot, swearing like a sailor over the incredible heat and giving each other stupid reasons to laugh every once in a while. I mean, isn’t that what life is all about?
How has your lockdown been going? Please share with us in the comments section and definitely tell us what you have been cooking all this while.
Your page is a ray of sunshine for me! Mine is a geriatric family (ages ranging from 96 to 64) plus one 48 year old “baby”…actually, not figuratively. So, my main concern is the emotional well-being of this motley group…we don’t go out that often but we surely mind that we are now forced to stay indoors. Do you know what our comfort food is? Muri… with different inputs to bring variety. One very successful variant of the usual jhaal muri was ‘green muri “…coriander chutney, finely chopped tomato, little flakes of tender coconut and a handful of raisins along with the muri. Mix lightly, drizzling a little lemon juice and adding chilli flakes according to your taste. Tell me whether you liked it!
Thank you so much for stopping by, aunty. You are one of the first ones to comment directly on our blog, we’re very grateful.
It’s amazing that despite having geriatrics in the family, you’re keeping the spirits high through something as simple as muri. Both Nachi and my mother love muri as well and so we often make jhalmuri in the house. But green muri? This is so novel and unique!! Loved the recipe. Please click a photo of it the next time you make it for your lovely family so that we can feature it on our social media page. We adore such little things that light up the corners of our minds even during darkest of times. And your story about green muri does just that!
Please take care of your health. My love to you and yours ♥️
Sanchari.
Sanchari.
I am loving this Lockdown partly because of my sister who is company. She is the leader in our team. And the director of movie. Every day every meal is directed by her and produced on the ground of khete ichcha korche. I stealthily watch and try to be attending to chores when she brooms the floor & mops it clean. I am working on alternate days & dealing with patients so every time I enter home she is the one to swipe me with sanitizer and drive me to wash room. When the things get normal, I guess I will be bored ?. Hope this is the new normal.
Haha, god bless your sister. Doing chores isn’t easy, especially since a lot of are used to helping hands. Please continue enjoying the lockdown with her, at least as long as this stays the new normal.
I’d also like to thank you for continuing to see patients every alternate day. It is much needed during these unsual times ?
[…] I promised in a previous post, here is the recipe for Chicken Keema Masala. The most exotic ingredient this baby needs is minced […]