A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose!

Things are as they are, not as they should be!

A Genuine Question…

There is a question that haunts me daily, plagues me daily and demands an answer daily. In fact, an answer is mandatory as leaving the question unanswered is not a choice. I spend a good time of the day on it, pondering over the various possibilities, the options, the pros and cons, the smiles and the frowns that would be generated because of my decision…

Well, the question, I ask myself daily (and sometimes my mom or sisters and even friends) is “What should I cook today??

While, I can eat whatever edible is available, the same cannot be said about the 2 men of our clan. The Senior is a Master Chef’ by passion and loves to cook and eat ‘good’ food ALL the time, the Junior is a bit fussy and is closely following his dad’s footsteps in this field.

So, the kitchen is out of bounds for me on the weekends. I am secretly very very happy about it. And the best thing is that I do not get worked up now-a-days, on seeing the hurricane-hit- kitchen after the Master Chef has created ‘magic with food’ in the kitchen. But the remainder of the week, it is my responsibility to create that ‘Magic’ which my family needs daily and in liberal doses.

Though, the standing rules on our dining table (formulated by the Senior for the Junior to instil good eating habits), are :

  1. Whatever is cooked has to be eaten.
  2. Whatever is there in the plate has to be finished!

However, these rules do not specify the range of emotions and reactions one can exhibit while following the above mentioned rules. So, one can demonstrate frowns, disgust, anger, hatred or a whoop of joy or smile or that happy satisfied look while eating food.

There are many vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, beans, cottage cheese, green leafy vegetables… gosh that covers all I guess!) which the kid abhors while there are many dishes which do not measure up to KG’s taste bud’s standards, presentation standards, cooking style… Also, there cannot be frequent repetitions too.

I hate TLC, NDTV Good Times, FOX Traveller and Star World for airing exotic cookery shows all the time thereby giving wings to their imagination and whetting their appetite.

I have seen a timetable of dishes to be cooked during the week for all the 3 meals at two of my friend’s homes. I discussed about having such a schedule for us, with KG and it was out rightly rejected for a schedule is monotonous and totally lacked creativity.

I have known some guys who eat anything that is served to them, without a word they’d even eat salt-less and bland food!  Alas, not my boys!

Since, dinner is one meal which we all have together, it’s my utmost and sincere desire to have smiles all around on the dining table. And, believe me managing smiles on the dinner tables while taking care of the likes and dislikes of these 2 men is one tricky task on my hands.

So, that brings me back to the question… What should I cook tonight??

22 Responses

  1. Usually if you have a fussy eater, and want to serve a vegetable they do not like, it is best to “hide” it, such as chopping broccoli into very small bits, Cauliflower and cheese instead of macaroni and cheese, etc.
    There are about 10 comfort style foods that i serve on a regular basis which would be enough for a two week rotation in your case.
    then there is the obvious what do you have in the cupboard questions, this usually leads me to something much more than i thought I had the imagination for. Yesterday I noticed one of my squashes I had pulled from the garden was starting to look a little old, within just a couple of hours I had a full blown 3 course meal made.

  2. Hilarious post. I am forwarding this to my mother right now. You penned down almost to the letter what she laments to me over the phone about the Senior and Junior(s) in our family!

  3. Sometimes this is the most challenging question, and finding an answer is one Hercules task! I often ask this question to S, and sometimes to myself! Bu t that is out of disgust or being mundane! Same rice, roti, sambar, curry!
    Well, if you ask me for an answer to your question, I would say “butternut squash and chilli soup along with Veggie pasta”

  4. Here is a simple trick.Right after dinner you ask them what they want to eat for breakfast.At breakfast time ask the same question for lunch and at lunch again the same question for dinner.Let them suggest .Tell them to be more specific ,like if they say Gobhi ,ask them fried/baked ya phir steamed .Once they answer ask them spicy/non spicy .Later ask dhania bhi dalun kya/ kali mirch ya phir garam masala ? Trust me in few days they will be more confused than you are .Works for me 🙂

  5. Hehe this question plagues us all, doesn’t it. I normally try to think of the menu for 2-3 days in advance. Accordingly, I shop for veggies and ingredients. The same fussiness about tasty food applies to my hubby and kids. My answer is don’t ask. Just keep varying the dishes.

  6. We have another standing rule for dinning table.
    One must clear ones own plate after the meal.
    Yes,as for menu is concerned..any combination of Chicken Aloo,Dal is the solution to all problems

  7. oh the typical question no? 🙂

    thankfully as of now my child is a non fussy eater cause there is hardly lot of choices she has for eating 😉

    other than that Husby is a no-fuss too..so that leaves me with lot of options to cook and since I’ve started loving this entire process of cooking I keep making different dishes out of same vegetables 🙂 especially taking ideas from Sanjeev Kapoor.com and Madhurasrecipes.com 🙂

    P.S. the two rules for the table were made for me too when I was a kid 😀

  8. Wonder if being man I can comment on this. Nevertheless, since the gentlemen coterie is usurping the kitchen on weekend, you can exercise your right to the choice of dishes on weekdays.

  9. I feel for you! Most mothers and wives have this question ringing in their brain the minute the alarm clock awakens them, but when you have finicky eaters…God give you strength and patience sister!! 😀

    Well, how about some paneer masala and chapati’s with some raita for dinner? Or Chicken saagwala and dal with some veggies? Or jhinga pulao…quick and easy?

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  11. On second thoughts… perhaps not. My Dad would just laugh it off… he has accepted the fact that I have no interest in cooking. And my sister, if she were home, would give me a list of such complicated dishes that I’d be left wondering why I ever asked!

  12. “However, these rules do not specify the range of emotions and reactions one can exhibit while following the above mentioned rules. “

    That brought a smile to my face. So true.

  13. That was a sweet post Shilpa! It is the same story in every home!No two people like their eggs the same way for breakfast:)Watch the TLC channel esp Nigella Lawson’s show! You will fall in love with cooking even though you may not eat same food!

  14. haha what an interest-arousing first para!the way you were leading us to your question – loved it

    and the question – damn it! so true! it haunts endlessly
    kabhi khatam hi na hone wali kahaani

  15. hahaha I feel so lazy sometimes that I just manage with maggi… but dnt knw what will happen after marriage 😛 the thought itself seems like an ordeal 😀

  16. I am still looking at your blog finding words to tell you how much I can relate these emotions of yours with those of my mom..! Advise : Make a game out of it. 🙂 As a kid , I used make those dirty faces looking at those green stuffs on my plate. Seeing this my parents used to make different games everyday which would make me eat my food even without realising what I am eating ! Some of then which I can remember is my dad saying,”Ohh this food is disgusting. I bet he can’t have even a single bite”. To which I would respond by actually having that one bite ! And then he would go on challenging me . Sometimes we would even pay each other for the number of bites we had..:)
    PS- Hope your junior fellow is junior enough for not understanding your tactics…:)

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