 |
| The chicken wings rendang curry |
Saturday, 18th April 2020, was when K took over the kitchen for a day. It turned out to be a never ending day of work for her in the kitchen and unending supply of deliciousness for me.
Baby Loaf decided to supervise things at the start as he was a bit puzzled about what was happening. He is used to seeing Dady Loaf cook and Mummy Loaf sweep and swop and hang the clothes from the washing machine and run the dish washer.
“Is all ok padrone,” he seemed to look at me and ask in a Narcos Mexico-like manner.
It was not! I was down with a terrible bad back pain that day and K had rushed in to take charge of things.
 |
| Mummy Loaf is cooking!!!!! |
He observed her for a bit and then decided that things were in good hands and went off to the sleep on the window AC unit in the box grill in study. What we call the Buddha lounge as we have kept the statue of the Buddha given to us by our friend Niloufer there.
The boy has a good eye as born out by the food that followed. I did a bit of the recipe dispensing but the execution was all K’s and that is what matters at the end.
Breakfast
 |
| Chicken sausage, pesto & parmesan leftover breakfasts |
For breakfast on Saturday it was toast butter. With a bit of the chicken sausage, that I had saved and kept from the fusilli Alfredo DIY kit sent by Smoke House Deli, Bandra, sandwiched in. Along with some of the parmesan and pesto from the kit. The kit per se was quite a good idea during these Covid times in my opinion, but more on that in a later post.
A refreshingly different start from our omelette, egg roll, boiled egg, fried egg, scrambled egg and French toass,t #finelychoppedbreakfasts morning regime.
Lunch
 |
| Microwave sheddo dal, shingdana chutney bhindi with K |
For lunch K made the microwave masoori dal that my mother had taught her just after our marriage and that she just loves. Yesterday it was pre-soaked orange masoor dal mixed with water, turmeric, salt, red chilli powder and Nigella seeds, microwaved for about 20 minutes. We often finely chopped onion, tomato and ginger to it too.
She made bhindi (okra) with the singdana chutney that I got from Chitale Bandhu in Pune. A recipe I have taught Banu earlier. As always, K took the recipe from me, then googled for recipes and then came and told me, “the recipe is the same as yours.”
As always, I replied in a very Obi Wan tone, “there are but a few basic techniques in a kitchen and these are used to make multiple dishes.”
The result was outstanding and this is the recipe that she followed: Heat oil, add a green chilli, add chopped ladies fingers, then salt and cumin powder, a bit of aamchur (dry mango powder) to prevent the bhindi from sticking and stir. The aamchur bit was based on something that she read in the internet about how introducing an acidic element helps prevent bhindi from sticking. It worked. When almost done, add the singdana chutney (dried crushed peanuts tossed in chilli powder ) and stir.
To complete the meal was the leftover red rice from what I had made a couple of days back. The last of the red rice at home. And some red mango pickle from Ram Bandhu, Nasik.
Dinner
 |
| Ajwain parathas as a star. With rendang curry and channa paneer. |
Kitchen Fauda (chaos)
There was a pack of kheema (minced meat) in the freezer and some boneless chicken thighs and few pieces of mutton and they would all go bad if we did not do something. I, unfortunately, was of no use as I was out of action. K swooped in like Doron in the serial.
She made a kheema fry with the green peas and kheema from the freezer. I had this for breakfast along with toast on Monday morning as you can see in the pictures above. ‘Better than Banu’s’ she said and I agree. It was miraculously juicy for minced chicken.
(In case you are wondering, the new season of Fauda has started on Netflix. We watch that, Atul Khatri’s ‘only positive news’ on Instagram and Pancahayat on Amazon Prime every night these days.
The morning after (Sunday)
 |
| Boiled chicken sandwich on Sunday |
 |
| Paratha with channa paneer |
I sat to write once I was through playing with my little stress ball of fur. I could hear the birds sing once again.
 |
| Kneading the dough |
What to make with the dough
PS 1: Inspector Gadget
PS 2: Lockdown leftover festival
PS3: Baby Loaf’s stories
He came in to our bedroom at 4 today. Snuggled between us. Then K dishes out a pre-breakfast for him at the hall.
