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| Cutles pav for breakfast |
Author’s note: I am not Parsi. My wife is.
I took out my late grandmother in law’s much treasured but never used tea cup and saucer set (they came from England to India as did her grandson in law), to have my espresso in this morning. For there was cutles pav for breakfast. Albeit chicken and not mutton.
Cutles pav is a very Parsi breakfast, Kainaz told me yesterday and today she added that Mamma (her gran) loved cutles. Cutlace. Cutlets. A rose by any name ….
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| The chicken cutlets from Hungry Cat Kitchen |
Today’s breakfast story started a couple of days back when K told me, “Hungry Cat Kitchen has chicken cutlets on offer again this weekend. They were very good last time and I am ordering them.”
“I will order them,” I replied and did so. It does not take much for me to shed my online shopping ennui when it comes to good food!
The cutlets came in last evening.
“Aren’t Parsi cutlets flatter,” I asked.
“These are very home like,” replied K. “Every home has a different shape and spice mix. The shape here is similar to those I used to have at Dadu’s house. Kevabs (sic) are different and rounder.”
Then she took a bite of the cutles, smiled, looked at me and said,”these are Parsi!”
I toasted a slice of bread to have with them for tea. Seeing this K squealed, “cutles pav is a very Parsi breakfast thing!”
Which explains why we kept 3 of the 6 cutlets for our breakfast today. My only regret is that I had ordered 1 and not 2 boxes. In my defence, I had asked K if I should do so when placing the order and she said no.
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| Cutles pav for tea |
Cutlets and bread bring back memories of the great Indian train journey breakfast for me.
Vegetarian cutlets served with two doughy slices of white bread in an aluminium container, wrapped in tissue pepper. A small tub of butter, one of red jam and a sachet of sugary red sauce on the side. With the countryside galloping by.
I poured out some ketchup in memory of that today. Any excuse will do when it comes to ketchup and me.
My day had started well before breakfast though.
I spent almost half an our hour sitting beside Baby Loaf first after I woke up. Patting him. Talking to him. He was waiting on the sofa in the hall for us. These are moments that I look forward to during the lockdown. What makes it bearable. Creating a fond memory in the process.
He then settled on the arm chair by our bed and I shaved, showered and sat for breakfast.
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| Mishti Debi and Little Nimki |
I later went down to feed Mishti Debi and little Nimki. Mishti Debi needed a lot of coaxing to come out of the building. She did not want to leave Nimki alone.
I went back in once Mishti began to eat outside our gate and picked Nimki with two fingers and got him (or her) to Mishti. He (or she) did not struggle.
Mishti had finished most of the food by then but Nimki hardly ate. His eyes opened in wonder when he saw the world outside and he was more interested in exploring it.
I can only wish him a happy life and hope he brings joy to someone’s life like Baby Loaf has to ours.
PS: The folks at Hungry Cat Kitchen sent one of their espresso chocolate mousse to taste and it was the bomb. K loved it. I was sceptical at first as I do not like coffee in desserts but was wowed by the intensity of the chocolate, the balance of flavours with the muted coffee notes and the richness of the texture when I tried it and took more than just one spoon much to K’s chagrin!
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| The Hungry Cat Kitchen espresso chocolate mousse was a stunner |
PPS: K made lunch today. A lovely Punjabi alu bhindi with a besan base. The recipe is from the blog or Instagram page of Vernika Awal, Delectable Reveries. K had been meaning to make it the moment we had besan (gram flour) at home. It was worth the wait!
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| The #SpaLifeKitchen takeover of the #FinelyChoppedKitchen |
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| Alu bhindi from the #spalifekitchen using a recipe from Delectable Reveries |
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| Loved it |
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