So yesterday was one of those days when I carried you in my thoughts all day, all the time, Mi. Although, that’s nothing new, right?
See, these days our routine is something like Vidur busy prepping for his exam while I, inspired by his focus, try to focus on my own work. However, yesterday was an exception. I was done being inspired to work and wanted to make something, anything.
So what better place to do this than in the kitchen, eh? I felt you smiling at me, and smiling right back–nay–grinning–I set to work. As it is, I had been planning to take stock of the fridge’s contents, especially with that flu week interrupting my schedule. I had bought a bunch of groceries with a meal plan in mind, but all went the best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-men way. Five days in limbo, practically, simply recovering.
And then I felt super-energetic as the fever started wearing off. The Surge. I remembered you so much–about how you’d work in a frenzy as soon as you woke up early, probably fueled by the coffee and then suddenly collapse, exhausted, around 11 after doing things in the kitchen. I may be more like you than you know, you know!
So–I decided to Take Stock. Veg in the fridge, stuff on the dining table-sangha palagai and the groceries in the puja-pantry. Plus the kitchen counter that magically fills up every day. I find it therapeutic to clean up, you know. You always laughed when I told you that, Mi!
I gathered the beginning-to-wither beetroot. Peeled it, and in the process, deep-nicked the base of the little finger on my left hand. How painful that is this morning! So anyway, I asked Vidur if he wanted halwa or salad with it and he opted for both. Because after all, when you have a choice, you pick everything, right? Sigh. Setting aside a portion for salad, I grated the rest of it and turned it into halwa. Much loved by all.
Then I realized there was some leftover syrup from the gulab jamun. In fact, two rounds of it. I had stored it in the fridge but it was occupying valuable real estate, so I decided to make burfi. Out came the coconut, which I cracked and grated, the syrup and a cup of besan. I whipped up a burfi. And just as I was looking for the point where it should be poured on to the greased plate, I found it was too loose. Dilemma. Some quick thinking led me to run some almonds in the mixie and add it to the sweet in the pan. And it turned a little thicker, gratifyingly. And now I was ready to pour it on the plate, only to find that it was a thinner layer than I anticipated. Still–it was delicious. Vidur opted to wait until daddy came home after which it rapidly disappeared, making it far easier for me to store it in a small container.
I couldn’t help recalling Vidur’s second birthday when we made several rounds of burfi to distribute to the neighborhood. Each time we got back home, Vidur would want to give sweets to someone and you’d quickly “kalarify” another round. He looked so cute carrying that big round steel dubba and going “paati paati paati”. Remember how we’d distributed to the Old age home, the construction workers and the building staff, besides the neighbors on all three floors? I wonder who else remembers. Pleasant memories!
Ah, the peace I felt! I also cleared out a couple of shelves. Wanted to do more but my bend was nimithified by then, so I just grabbed a glass of cold water against all good sense and settled down on the sofa to sip it slowly. Which reminds me, I must crush some elaichis and keep.
I am hoping this trend will continue – the super-energy in the morning. I love how waking up early adds several extra hours to the day. But you already knew and practiced that secret!
Coffee now, some work and something very important later. Keeping all my digits crossed for a good outcome.
