I Prefer Nuclear

Or let me put it this way: I cannot conceive of ever living in close quarters with a dozen close family members and preserving my sanity. And by close quarters, I mean, like, a radius of 100 km.
Three continuous days of serious overexposure to in-laws was enough to have me praying to be back [...]

Fish in Tamarind, Tomato, and Coconut Gravy

That’s what I’ve made for dinner - an attempt to redeem myself in the aunt’s eyes in terms of specifically my fishy culinary skills. I think there should be a Mallu name for this dish, cos it tastes like something I’ve eaten in a restaurant (and just as good, though I say so myself) - [...]

In Flying Colours

The weekend is almost over and the pending invitation to the distant rellies is conspicuous by its absence. What a relief! Meanwhile, I’ve been working hard to rectify extremely negative first impressions generated by the disastrous welcome meal. Since Friday evening, the kitchen has been my domain and I have churned out masterpieces one after the [...]

In-law Update

Despite what some of my friends may think, I do not fare well in a crowd, specially if it is a crowd of strangers, or not-very-well-known people. Throw in a communication barrier such as a heavy dose of Bengali, which, contrary to expectations is not my mother tongue (though it could possibly be considered my [...]