Reel vs Real

10th June 2025

"... Now add 200 grams of crumbled Paneer and your Amritsari Paneer Bhurji is now ready to be served with hot parathas or jeera rice."

Played a YouTube video as Adarsh garnished the recipe he followed with finely chopped coriander. Adarsh proudly brings the serving bowl of his latest experiment "Amritsari Paneer Bhurji" to show it to Saroj who is watching TV and folding clothes simultaneously.

"See Mumma, it was so easy! I made Amritsari Paneer Bhurji today. And it is not like the dry bhurji you make every time. This has little gravy and can be eaten with rice too."

"Great. Let's eat then. Should I get the table ready?"

"But Mumma, I only made Bhurji. What do we eat it with?"

"I wish your "YouTube" had the facility to insert a hand and magically provide "HOT PARATHAS OR JEERA RICE" as well!"

Adarsh was embarrassed.

Saroj quietly removed kneaded dough from the fridge and started rolling out parathas.
"I knew your cooking fever would end after cooking the bhurji. I kneaded the dough earlier and kept it in the fridge. I am making the parathas now, but you have to clean all the mess. The kitchen looks like "Chappan bhog" was cooked here."



"Sorry na Mumma."

"It's okay", patting his shoulder she continued, "Wait, my forgiveness doesn't permit you to leave the kitchen messy anyway. Let's have lunch first. I also want to see how Amritsari Paneer Bhurji by Chef Adarsh tastes."

(At the table)

Adarsh, while having a bite of paratha and paneer bhurji, "Watching these videos always made me feel like cooking is so easy. Then why does Mumma not experiment and stick to Bhindi and Karela? Today, when I did it myself, I realized, in the videos, they do the chopping and other pre-preparations already. And they don't even show the "cleaning the mess" part. I now understand that watching videos is easier than actual cooking. I wish I had not said what I did the other day. Sorry Mumma. And, I am blessed to have you. You do so much, making it look effortless. I do not appreciate you enough, something that will not happen in the future. Thank you, and I mean it. Thank you for everything you do, not only for me but for everyone in the house."

This post is a part of #BlogchatterFoodfest