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Pindi chhole. Got it right after two rounds as I had to pressure cook it a bit more. Turned out perfect. |
The morning papers look rather bleak these days. The Covid numbers in Mumbai and in Maharashtra have been rising. Across India too. We have just gone into a night curfew here. There are talks on whether or not we will go into a lockdown again. Whether we can afford to do so from an economic stand point? Whether we can not afford to do so, given the way things are? One can only hope for the best and do ones best in terms of staying home to the extent one can, wear a mask when with people, practise physical social distancing and get vaccinated if eligible.
Staying home is no fun I agree, but it is the time to grit ones teeth for the larger good and for ones own safety. It is a privilege to be able to work from home. A privilege that most of India does not have. As comedian Atul Khatri says in his ‘Only Positive News’ series on Instagram: “Tum chinta mat karo. Bus ghar pe raho. Sab theek ho jayega.” Don’t worry. Stay home. Things will work out.
And, if you are craving for your favourite dishes, most restaurants are delivering food home as my young friend and fellow foodie, Vipul Yadav, pointed out through a tweet recently.
Folks from the world of food are working hard so that we can stay home and yet eat well. Here are five way thats there are doing so based just on experiences from the past few days. I am sure there are more!
1. Spice blends that take you on fresh journeys
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Abana Spices pindi chhole |
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Chhole paratha breakfast |
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A Parsi Affair dhansak mix |
2. DIY Kits that take you on a world tour
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Khow Suey with Kitchen Stories DIY Kits |
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Soul Co Taqueria Box tacos |
3. Home chefs march on undaunted
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Rhea Mitra Dalal’s aam luchi, alur dom, moshaladar mangsho |
No. The aam luchi was not too sweet. Nor overtly mango-like.
4. Champion chefs reinvent themselves
We loved the entire experience of our Sindhi meal, starting from the packaging, the taste of the food, quality of produce, etc.
5. Restaurants that travel across the city
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Gujarati aamras thali made with food from Soam |
Great read Kalyan. Working from home and cooking (doing it myself) has given me a whole new perspective of food. Especially home chefs and restaurant chefs ensuring good food creations reach home. Keep up the writing.