I think the next time I make such a ambiguous attempt at something like this, I shall think again. I'll still do it... I'll just make sure I'm properly prepared next time and have plenty of time up my sleeve.
Thing is, I thought I WAS really well prepared - all the ingredients sorted, spices, vegetables, extra milk and paneer from the dudh-wallah. I'd made a list three days earlier of what exactly I was going to cook, and everything I needed to cook it all - except somewhere in the chaos that was Ishaan's birthday party and moving from one apartment to the other, I'd lost the list. And I started late as it was - had to wait for the maid to finish washing all the dishes and clean the kitchen before I could start.
I scribbled down a new list - everything off the top of my head that I knew I could make, and then began filling the gaps. By the time I started, there were still 4-5 numbers that hadn't been filled. Oh well, I could decide what to fill them with later. I began with simple preps first - cabbage subji, scrambled paneer, nimbu pani. Soon, I had 4 clay pots full and thought I was doing pretty well. Crossing the dishes off my list was satisfying. "This is easy" I thought " I might even be finished early!"
Then all of a sudden it was 1.45pm and not even half of the 21 pots had been filled. Where had all the time gone? I still had pakoras, two subjis, halavah and the 4-5 blanks in my list that needed filling! I started to panic. The kitchen got messier as I worked quickly, and the room seemed to get hotter by the second. I sent a quick text round to everyone who was coming to have prasad "Running late. Not ready till 2.30pm. Sorry." I kept working, head down and my hands going at double speed. Now I wasn't meditating on Radharani, I was meditating of being fast. Must. Get, This. Finished. NOW! Sadhana and Revati arrived and chatted in the lounge, oblivious to my panic in the kitchen.
Mandakini arrived with the chapatis (phew, number 12 crossed off my list!) but I still had two more offerings to make up the 21. A quick scan in the fridge and I decided to offer the orange juice that was in there, and some cookies. Cheating I know.
Finally at 3pm, 1 hour after the original agreed time, I put tulasi on all dishes and sat down with the bell to offer them all to Anapayini Radha. The kitchen looked like a tornado had hit it, I had run out of paneer, milk, vegetables and even some spices. I was 1 hour late. I was hot and sticky and had sweat all over my face. But nothing could beat the satisfying calmness that I felt right then.
Actually I lie... serving Sadhana, Mandakini, Revati and Ishaan everything, and watch their plates slowly empty... nothing could beat THAT feeling.
All glories to Srimati Radharani, the best cook!
Thing is, I thought I WAS really well prepared - all the ingredients sorted, spices, vegetables, extra milk and paneer from the dudh-wallah. I'd made a list three days earlier of what exactly I was going to cook, and everything I needed to cook it all - except somewhere in the chaos that was Ishaan's birthday party and moving from one apartment to the other, I'd lost the list. And I started late as it was - had to wait for the maid to finish washing all the dishes and clean the kitchen before I could start.
I scribbled down a new list - everything off the top of my head that I knew I could make, and then began filling the gaps. By the time I started, there were still 4-5 numbers that hadn't been filled. Oh well, I could decide what to fill them with later. I began with simple preps first - cabbage subji, scrambled paneer, nimbu pani. Soon, I had 4 clay pots full and thought I was doing pretty well. Crossing the dishes off my list was satisfying. "This is easy" I thought " I might even be finished early!"
Then all of a sudden it was 1.45pm and not even half of the 21 pots had been filled. Where had all the time gone? I still had pakoras, two subjis, halavah and the 4-5 blanks in my list that needed filling! I started to panic. The kitchen got messier as I worked quickly, and the room seemed to get hotter by the second. I sent a quick text round to everyone who was coming to have prasad "Running late. Not ready till 2.30pm. Sorry." I kept working, head down and my hands going at double speed. Now I wasn't meditating on Radharani, I was meditating of being fast. Must. Get, This. Finished. NOW! Sadhana and Revati arrived and chatted in the lounge, oblivious to my panic in the kitchen.
Mandakini arrived with the chapatis (phew, number 12 crossed off my list!) but I still had two more offerings to make up the 21. A quick scan in the fridge and I decided to offer the orange juice that was in there, and some cookies. Cheating I know.
Finally at 3pm, 1 hour after the original agreed time, I put tulasi on all dishes and sat down with the bell to offer them all to Anapayini Radha. The kitchen looked like a tornado had hit it, I had run out of paneer, milk, vegetables and even some spices. I was 1 hour late. I was hot and sticky and had sweat all over my face. But nothing could beat the satisfying calmness that I felt right then.
Actually I lie... serving Sadhana, Mandakini, Revati and Ishaan everything, and watch their plates slowly empty... nothing could beat THAT feeling.
All glories to Srimati Radharani, the best cook!
Full list of preparations
1. Basmati Rice
2. Yellow split mung dal
3. Cabbage subji
4. Scrambled Paneer
5. Baked Pumpkin
6. Paneer, tomato & capsicum subji with coconut milk
7. Fried eggplant with lemon and rosemary
8. Paneer "steaks" in tomato sauce
9. Fried tomatoes with basil
10. Gauranga Potatoes
11. Hot buttered chapatis (made by Mandakini)
12. Paneer pakoras
13. Spicy tomato chutney
14. Cucumber & carrot raita
15. Nimbu Pani
16. Orange juice
17. Cucumber, tomato & carrot salad with lemon juice dressing
18. Sweet Rice
19. Halava
20. Custard
21. Cookies
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