"Every family has a crazy streak in it somewhere...." -William Saroyan
Our Koryo microwave has miraculously survived seven years without a scratch, considering the fact that it traveled 5000 kilometers owing to three time relocation. But that's not the only reason it's the most trustworthy domestic help my mom has got. It has tasted all the flavors of my mother's recipe book. From boiled rice to fish curry to all Indian vegetable dishes, the press of a button does it all. Oh,yes! Ever since my dad was diagnosed with diabetes, our Koryo has been the head chef of the house. And that's not just it ; the whole cuisine with just a teaspoonful or two of oil in each dish.
Now, who do you think fashioned the techniques? I know the answer is obvious. But how many mothers actually try this many new things in the kitchen every day? That is some food for thought.
My mother wasn't born with this attitude, I think. My hypothesis is that she grew into it. First she majored in chemistry and she loved the subject, then she did her PhD, next she spent almost twenty years of her life as a teacher, and of course, she had the little devil of a me to raise. I was a devil because I practically survived the first four years of my life on water and "boiled sago dana" , plus I am a most stubborn piece.
Anyway, the microwave thing has become usual by now. Daily consumption has caused it to loose its glamour. But, like I said, Mom's always upto something new. One fine day, last week, she went to the vegetable market. She returned with something that led to our bewitchment. I didn't need even 1gram of it to be floating amidst the clouds! I haven't touched it since that day. My mother was spared the sensation because she, having cut and pickled a whole 250gram, was fighting the urge to jump about as effect of the burning in her hands and face. You might want to take a guess at what thing I'm talking about that arrived from the market. It won the Guinness world record for being the best of its kind in the world. It was originally and still is most abundantly cultivated in northeast India. It is red and round and doesn't do much to your taste buds but gets your ghost out of you in a second. In fact, the DRDO had plans to use it in hand grenades! I, for one, am going to use it for my protection on the streets. A pinch of the powder in the enemy's eye and he's gonna think a trillion more times before he takes his second chance! I am talking about the "bhoot jolokia" or "ghost chilli pepper". It won the Guinness world record as hottest chilli pepper in the world in 2008.
I was dumbfounded when my mother said she had devised a procedure to make it edible with your ghost safely inside you. But that is a surprise. Nevertheless, when she said this, I was sure where my family crazy streak was. And yes, I am the last in line in the crazy streak till date.
Our Koryo microwave has miraculously survived seven years without a scratch, considering the fact that it traveled 5000 kilometers owing to three time relocation. But that's not the only reason it's the most trustworthy domestic help my mom has got. It has tasted all the flavors of my mother's recipe book. From boiled rice to fish curry to all Indian vegetable dishes, the press of a button does it all. Oh,yes! Ever since my dad was diagnosed with diabetes, our Koryo has been the head chef of the house. And that's not just it ; the whole cuisine with just a teaspoonful or two of oil in each dish.
Now, who do you think fashioned the techniques? I know the answer is obvious. But how many mothers actually try this many new things in the kitchen every day? That is some food for thought.
My mother wasn't born with this attitude, I think. My hypothesis is that she grew into it. First she majored in chemistry and she loved the subject, then she did her PhD, next she spent almost twenty years of her life as a teacher, and of course, she had the little devil of a me to raise. I was a devil because I practically survived the first four years of my life on water and "boiled sago dana" , plus I am a most stubborn piece.
Anyway, the microwave thing has become usual by now. Daily consumption has caused it to loose its glamour. But, like I said, Mom's always upto something new. One fine day, last week, she went to the vegetable market. She returned with something that led to our bewitchment. I didn't need even 1gram of it to be floating amidst the clouds! I haven't touched it since that day. My mother was spared the sensation because she, having cut and pickled a whole 250gram, was fighting the urge to jump about as effect of the burning in her hands and face. You might want to take a guess at what thing I'm talking about that arrived from the market. It won the Guinness world record for being the best of its kind in the world. It was originally and still is most abundantly cultivated in northeast India. It is red and round and doesn't do much to your taste buds but gets your ghost out of you in a second. In fact, the DRDO had plans to use it in hand grenades! I, for one, am going to use it for my protection on the streets. A pinch of the powder in the enemy's eye and he's gonna think a trillion more times before he takes his second chance! I am talking about the "bhoot jolokia" or "ghost chilli pepper". It won the Guinness world record as hottest chilli pepper in the world in 2008.
I was dumbfounded when my mother said she had devised a procedure to make it edible with your ghost safely inside you. But that is a surprise. Nevertheless, when she said this, I was sure where my family crazy streak was. And yes, I am the last in line in the crazy streak till date.
