As someone who has lived abroad for years, most part of my
free time was taken up obsessing over spicy Indian & street food that I
missed eating…pav bhaji, bhel puri, dahi puri, sev puri, ganne ka ras, chole
puri!! And the list is endless..Not that there are no avenues for eating Indian
food abroad, but ghar ka ghar is ghar ka khana after all..
My cousins are my favourite people in the family, and each
time we meet we talk about all our adventures, movie marathons and family
events of the past. A few of my cousins have settled abroad too and over the
last few decades, it has been next to impossible for all of us to meet all
together.
Just like all the nine planets fell in a straight line in a
celestial event a few years ago, I too hope that there will be a day when all
six of us are in the same country at a time. And when this happens, I want to
be the one who plans the homecoming get-together
The venue of course will be my spacious home. For the
ambience, we will have those jute cots..(khatiya), and Bollywood music (1970’s0
80’s) being played
My guests will be welcomed with appetizers like chaas and
solkadi served in tall steel tumblers.
For Starters we will have- Veg Seekh kababs, Paneer toasties
served with Mango Jeera Chutney,
Tamarind & Date Chutney.
The main course will consist of various varieties of paranthas
and rotis served with spicy Hyderabadi and Paneer Malai, Mughlai Paneer, DalBukhara, Mirch ka Salan, Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani, Vegetable biryani, curd
rice, Dal Makhani, raitha, for pickles we will have avakaya a common favourite
of all my cousins.
Desserts- Jodhpuri Moong Dal Halwa, Hazoori Petha Halwa with a dash
of Mango Saffron Conserve
As take-away gifts I will give them assorted ready-to-dine
packets of curries and desserts from ITC, so that they enjoy home-cooked meals
if when they are away from home..
