Certified

In the summer of 2013, I got married. We went to Italy for our honeymoon, and there was la felicità (happiness) everywhere. I was learning many things, adjusting to the new family and letting them adjust to me as well. I had met almost all the family members during the wedding and ceremonies, some were close to my husband and some were just acquittances to my husband. I decided to learn better about the closed ones to my husband first and then as time passes, I will know everyone. Many times, there are few relations that are closer than the blood ones. My husband’s family had one such family, who was not blood relative but were closer to heart. My father-in-law considered her as his big sister and hence, she was Aunt to my husband.

My husband always spoke about her with fondness. She was a MasterChef according to him, “Everything she cooks is marvellous and has a finesse to it” he used to say. “Well, she must be a diva in the kitchen then, I must feast at her place sometime” I laughed and told my husband.  

One evening, we just got down from our building to take a stroll around. Walking hands in hands and talking as we walked. Soon, we got a call from his mother, “Aunt & Uncle have come home to meet you & Archana, can you come home?” We started walking back home, my heart was pounding, I told my husband, “I can’t even make a tea, how am I supposed to impress her?” “There is no need, she will like you anyway”, he said. We reached home, I touched their feet and took the blessings. This was taught to me by my grandmother, always take the blessing of all the elder people by touching their feet. We talked for a few minutes, my mother-in-law told me to make something for them. I could cook a few things, so I thought of making pohe (a savoury dish made with flat rice). As I was cooking, my heart was pumping so hard, I could hear it. Pohe should be soft, with perfect heat. I had a secret recipe to make it work for me.

First I wash pohe and let the water soak in it. By the time pohe are puffed and moist, I deep fry few peanuts, remove it from the kadhai. Next step is shallow fry mustard, cumin, green chillies and curry leaves. Once all of this splutter in oil, I add finely chopped onions and let the onion get translucent, to this onion I add a little bit of salt for early cooking. I add turmeric powder to onion and then add the soaked pohe. Now I add salt, pinch full of sugar. My secret thing is to squeeze lemon juice to this and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let pohe sit in the kadhai. My pohe were ready and I served it freshly chopped coriander and grated coconut.

I brought out the plates and served everyone. My eyes were glued on Aunt. My heart was pounding so fast, everyone could hear it now. She smiled and said, “These are so good, Archana I did not know you cook delicious food.” My happiness had no limit, I could jump and dance for 5 minutes, but I was trying to be humble, “I manage Aunt.” That’s it, there it was, I know everything in the kitchen, no one dare to tell me my food is not tasty. I received a certificate from the MasterChef, I am a super cook. This continued for the whole day, till the next day when I burnt chapatis and completely forgot to add salt to the curry. Ooops..!!