Cooking Tales 2

I want a dishwasher now. I never wanted it earlier because I liked my vessels being washed by hand. My daily vessels gave employment to three ladies in the vicinity who came at different times during the day to do the dishes. We do not cook elaborate meals but we do make four fresh meals in a day. Breakfast is hardly ever toast and muesli at home. In fact, I had stopped buying artificial packaged salt n sugar overdosed Kellogs wheat flakes for a longest time ever. I found a friend who made fresh muesli at her home in Pune. She always manages to send me a packet whenever I want through a friend. It is for the times when the Man is done with Poha, Upma, Idli, Sabudaana Khichdi, Chilla, Thepla of 3 varieties, Dhokla, Dosa, Uthappam, Khari Puri and Parathas. The variety in Indian cuisine is mind boggling. We really need to thank our ancestors for being so creative with our food and to all our Grandmothers for keeping this tradition alive. Paneer recipe was mentioned in a 12th century text called Manasollasa, exactly as we make it now. it was known as Kshir-Prakaar.This was much before the foreign invasions from the North West.  I knew Indians made sweets with Paneer. I can only make Paneer Bhurji, Palak Paneer and Aloo Paneer. Paneer is the most precious vegetarian item. If you serve Paneer and dry fruits in your meals, then you are rich and generous. If someone wears diamonds, she is rich. If someone has an expensive bag, she is well travelled. If someone is fit, he definitely goes to to Gym. If the girl is fit, it is because she has all the time to go for Zumba, swimming and Gym because all her work is handled by support staff. If a young girl is fit, she doesn't eat well. If a young boy is thin, then the mother doesn't feed him enough. If the kid is fat, the Mother is obsessive about feeding him. If the child is fussy, the Grandparents have pampered him/her. If the mother-in-law is a fussy eater, it is because she is determined to trouble her Daughter-in-law.  Interpretations galore!

I was never a 'Foodie'. I liked visiting restaurants for the ambience and good food. But I never got excited about food as I see most of my non-vegetarian family and friends doing. They are a perpetually starved lot and are always raving about food. The vegetarians eat with a lot of 'saiyama and Samtaa.  May be it is the tams nature of the food which makes them behave this way. Am I fit? Am I eating well? Am I a fuss pot, where food is concerned? Is health more important or taste? What if I put on weight during the lockdown? I have been waiting for two months for Siddhi Vinayak Mandir to open, so I can resume my walks. I was so sure that three weeks and we will be all sorted. Now even the next three months, does not give me the feeling of 'sorted'. I better start doing some form of exercise at home. There is always work pending in the kitchen and I am not able to allot straight one hour for exercise. Kitchen is the only room which is vacant for me. When I go there then all I can see is stuff to be handled. Plus every time is preceding a meal time. More meals to be managed wisely as we do not want to waste food. There is no household help to give the food to. The leftovers if any are recycled only once as our temperatures are soaring. Lockdown 3 is exhausting because of the heat and no end in sight. The fear is so strong that I do not even know what kind of a person will I be after 17th May. Sri Sri said something very profound in today s meditation, that do not struggle with overcoming your fears. Just tell yourself, you have to die one day, then why fear death? It is the only sure thing that will come to all. 

Evening snack is sacrosanct at home. I have become a 'Kitchenie' now. Next meal has to be prepared is the only thought in my mind. I have finished cooking every meal that I know and a few that I learnt in this Lockdown. I am saturated and my capabilities have been stretched to the maximum when I have not even made Samosa and Gulab Jamun.  Kitchen is related to the Fire energy. When the Fire in our body goes away, our body becomes cold is when we are pronounced dead. For good health, we must potter around in the kitchen, cook a few meals . This is for all who run big households but never enter the kitchen. Do go to the kitchen to feed your soul, once in a while. 

Notes to myself :

Feed your soul, once in a while. Once in a while, feed your soul.