From being a regular tantrum-thrower at the dinner table, a fussy eater and the ‘I want only bhindi in my tiffin’ rule-maker to ‘lets experiment something with karela’, I’ve come a long way.
Much to my mother’s chagrin, this gradual change started showing in me only when I started living in a hostel and had to make do with whatever piece of half-cooked unnamed vegetable that made it to my plate. I was never easy on her.
Added to that, post-marriage, there was this honest desire to be polite to my mom-in-law’s culinary creations and gulp them down with a smile. Fortunately, she got the cue sometimes and only gently prodded me to taste something before rejecting it.
Call it bowing down to pressure or resigning myself to the situation, looking back, I don’t feel sorry for any of it. If anything, in a way I feel this food euphemism accentuates the fact that this change depicts something far deeper than a shift in my taste buds.
It is all about acceptance – acceptance of the fact that karela is bitter, but that is its characteristic. No matter how much we try to mask it with other flavours the bitterness will never go away completely. This isn’t reason enough to hate it. It is what it is.
It isn’t limited to this one thing anyway. With age and experience, we develop certain maturity and become slightly tolerant of other people. (Kind request: Please take the tolerant word only in this context). We tend to come to terms with the fact that they might be different from us and that doesn’t make them wrong.
Me, I guess I’m tolerant to the extent that I do not question people on personal matters like their choice of religion, their political views, their inclination towards any culture etc. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. If I don’t agree with them and them with me, we can still be respectful towards each other. That’s the least we can do.
What are your feelings about this? Are you tolerant?
Add little lemon juice to karela vegetable to reduce bitterness and make it tolerable ????????
Ha ha…you can do more. The one in this pic…I made it with fresh baked garam masala and used amchur for sourness. Tasted good. ????????
Now you are food expert…i only told what i remembered since childhood… ????????
Hmm. That’s sound advice. I’m no expert but I love to experiment. ????
cooking always gives satisfaction..when family was visiting in laws i used to cook sometimes on sundays; mostly rotis n subzee and it felt so nice and gave purpose to life !!????
Ah I wish someone did that for me. I’m fortunate if I get a cup of tea on Sundays without repeating at least twice about how much sugar and tea has to be put in it.
you are getting regular tea!! Go hug your Mr A immediately!!????????.Dont treat ghar ki murgi as daal barabar ????
Although i have asked mrs to let us (me n kids) prepare food on some sunday and she not to enter kitchen but till now she hasnt granted this wish ????
Regular…no way!! ????????
The fun part is that A Jr takes my side and asks him to make it. How much work will Mamma do…he tells him. ????
If he does enter the kitchen A knows he cannot leave it looking like a battleground, or he’s had it. ????????
The boys always favour mom no matter what and in a way it looks good to see this ????. Daughters are more partial towards papa i think…
And yes cleanliness after food work is as imp and cant be ignored ☺
Boys are almost always partial towards moms. Daughters belong to their dads…no doubt about it. I see that at my home everyday. It is a sweet thing really.
Its really difficult to discuss anything with wife with boys around…and god forbid if there are tears involved then the kids are like “what did you say to mummy ? ????????
???????????????? I had written a post about A Jr long back. Will have to find it. He used to say I will protect Mamma when I get big. It was very cute. ☺☺
yes i remember a post of urs where A jr was giving stares to someone you gave you stares !!????????
You read it? It was a very old post. But no, I didn’t mean that one. Let me find it and give you the link.
ok ☺
https://somemorebanter.wordpress.com/2012/05/26/when-our-legs-too-get-pulled-p/
In my case as i dont take tea i am never expected to make it…though i did make it for fathrr in law when we both got up early than others ????
I need my afternoon cup of tea. That’s one of my vices. If I take a rare nap, then it is all the more important to even wake up post that.
A couple of cups are good but i left it as it was getting more than necessary…not surprising as its extreme only in many other cases as well…either 1 or zero, which isnt good thing i know ☺
Ya I know. ????????
????????
I think I am tolerant enough (I eat anything that walks, flies or swims… Apart from the green stuff rich in Vitamin A ;-)). As a matter of fact we all are to a certain extent. Some choose to mask their tolerance based on situations they find themselves in. You are right, it’s a matter of personal choice and that ought to be respected.
So much tolerance for food is impressive. I’m vegetarian, so I’m possibly not as tolerant as you in this regard. ????
We don’t lead our lives to please others, do we? All of us have certain likes and dislikes. Its advisable to not let it become a weapon for personal attacks.
I completely agree with you…..everyone is entitled to their opinion, though I may not agree with them on certain issues. I never like to force my opinion on anyone, including my children. Guess, that qualifies me to be tolerant.
btw, I am tolerant to eating karela as well ! Sprinkle salt and keep it aside for half an hour. Then squeeze out the juice. The bitterness vanishes 🙂 😉
Exactly. We cannot try and find ways to be intolerant towards anyone qho doesn’t come from the same place we do.
Oh yes. My mother told me this soaking with salt thing when I was a kid. She loved karela. Recently, I had made a recipe for her that I learned from my neighbour and she loved it!
Glad to hear that. Karela actually tastes good when cooked the right way!!
Yes. Even using different oils for cooking..like mustard oil…changes the taste. I make it in many ways…with or without onions aand garlic…stuffed ones…boiled ones…with saunf…etc. You have any special recipe?
Yes that’s right. I don’t follow a strict recipe, just go with my mood and cook it. But, mom cooks it with coconut base and it tastes just yum!!
Never made it with coconut. Shall try it sometime. Most of my recipes are made that way. On a whim. Sometimes it is hard to remember what I had put in it. ????
Same here. At times it turns out finger licking good, while sometimes it is a flop show !!
It is allowed right? A little hazards down the line are alright for creating wonders. ????????
Yes , absolutely. Luckily in my house my family is game to trying out new dishes. So at times I really get adventurous without being worried about the outcome.????
Hmmm, same here. I guess it helps that I take inputs and suggestions from them and imply them too. They feel involved. ☺
????????
so interesting!
Thank you so much for commenting and stopping by Jennifer. ☺