Friday, May 6, 2011

Tales from the wedding – 3 | Post 3


Let’s talk about food, coz we love it, so much so that on most days we wake up to have breakfast. And while having breakfast we discuss the plans for Lunch and Dinner and the numerous in between eats. Are you all like this too? Or are we a mad household.

So for people who are obsessive about food on a regular basis, Punjab can be the most lethal place to be. That too in the hands of dotting parents and in-laws who always think that you have lost more weight from the last time they saw you. Parents come with special eyesight I guess, one which enables them to shed off the “oh-so-prominent” kilos from their children.

This last trip was no different. Add to it the magic of the wedding and you can guess what I am talking about. Each meal was an elaborate affair with starters and dessert thrown in. There is no doubt that Punjbi food is delicious and I think I have finally cracked the code as well. It’s that divine ingredient called BUTTER or its close cousin GHEE, which are added to each and every dish in no small quantity. The more liberal you are with the usage, the better the outcome will be. Sigh!!

Our family cook/halwai – Mr Desa, a tiny, thin man with a nerve of steel was commissioned with the job of preparing each and every meal mostly breakfast and lunches since dinners were at the venues where functions were happening. Me and MIL sat down and prepared this elaborate menu for each day of the festivity. This was duly passed on to Mr Desa so he could arrange for the ingredients.

I was fascinated, least to say, to see him at work. What multitasking, what organizing capabilities and what meticulous working manner. He could put any of those highly paid MBA’s to shame. With 2 helpers, he rocked the show and prepared food for anywhere between 50 to 100 people, meal after meal, bang on time, served with panache and tasting absolutely delightful.

Both Aman and I came back with additions of more than a few shameless kilos. Cruel cruel life this is, I tell you. So while I do realize the mounting weight and while I do procrastinate about  doing something about it, the food and my love for it grows and grows!

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hop on to my blog for one of the ways to shed those shameless kilos. (Shameless publicity :D)

I guess being married to a foodie has taught me the art too.. :) the interesting thing is when I gain less than him inspite of having almost equal portions..
I like how you say you wake up for breakfast and discuss lunch/dinner plans while having it :) and then i remember the junk cupboard Smitha was talking abt yday.. we avoid stocking it for the obvious reasons..

Life Begins said...

Punjabi food....Oh tell me about it. THough i do cook it all myself here all the time (holding my hand from adding that extra Butter)yet i go crazy when i go back to apna-desh.We call it family visit but what we do more is food visit. Eat like we have gone from some starving land. Eat like thats our last chance in life.

Your post brought back all memories...i want some now (wont mind that butter too)
koi gajar kal halwa khila do....full of khoya ..and garam gulab jamun. Ok keep pindi cholay and bhature ready too. SIGH!!

Smitha said...

Food! I can't help be amazed at how food gets managed so well in Indian weddings and functions! I mean, there is so much focus on it, and the cooks manage it so well! As for over-eating, I think none of us can resist food while at home :)

D said...

Well, what's an Indian wedding without some over-emphasis on food? ;) But then, that's just one of the many USPs of the great Indian wedding tamasha! :)

Mystic Margarita said...

Weddings are nothing without food! I lurve Punjabi food -- my mom always tells me that I should have been born in Punjab mainly because I don't like rice and don't eat fish! :) I'd do anything for aloo paratha and cholay bhature. *Sigh!*

Prathima said...

It happens only in India:( how I miss home cooked food! Here, cereals for breakfast,skip or have stupid cafeteria lunch and then plan to cook at night(else again skip;)

Mina Menon said...

:-/... My mom doesnt seem t be euippe dwith this sight to overlook the very very very prominent weight gains :(. Possibly cause they are just tooooo prominenet to be ignored :-D

Iya said...

@ Tara - Zumba you mean! yeah have heard some rather good reviews about it.
You know you are lucky, i gain weight even bu looking at food :)

Iya said...

@ Life Begins - i hear ya! our case is just so similar!
And you comment is now making my mouth water.. Pindi chole! i want :)

@ Smitha - true, its amazing and the focus on the same is also quite concentrated! it just adds to the wedding magic :)

Iya said...

@ D - absolutely, add jewelery, clothes and song and dance to it and the concoction is ready!

Iya said...

@ Mystic - you dont like fish?? *Faint*

@ Prathima - awww, but dont skip meals.. we dont get around doing too much cooking, but we eat out.. no skipping for us!

@ Meena - LOL, no no, i am sure deep down she thinks her daughter looks weak!!

Anonymous said...

i am exactly like that, I live to eat. I dream of food, I crave for diff food at diff times and i am always wondering how to make the next meal more interesting!

Iya said...

Chandu - i am glad i have some company in this food madness!

Anonymous said...

Oh thank God, there is somebody else, who like me is obsessed what she is eating next as soon as she strts with the first one of the day.
But I have realized one thing, this change came over after I hit 30. Before that it was only s*x and now its only food.:-)

Swaram said...

You made me hungry, after a pretty good dinner :P :P

Monika said...

sigh I want food NOW

dont remind me of that lovely punjabi food I WANT

Iya said...

@ Annie - LOL, absolutely obsessed! but i have been like this for ever now.. and thankfully both go hand in hand!!

@ Swaram - haha, sorry! and did u eat something?

@ Monika - u want and u can make it!! think of us??