MANAGER - CONSUMABLES - 816

       ASSISTANT MANAGER CONSUMABLES 

            துணை   மேலாளர் - உணவு 

         '   उप  संचालन प्रबन्धक  , भोजन सामग्री  ' 

I hate saying this but my exploits in the kitchen have been restricted to the making of the EARLY MORNING COFFEE and on rare occasions to the cooking of Plain Rice . I have never dared to venture beyond this . The reason is obvious . 

There have however been invaluable contributions from me in the daily preparations of lunch and dinner by MY FAIR LADY of the house .

Cutting of the Vegetables , காய் கறி நறுக்கும் வேலை , सब्जियां काटने का काम , this job is  assigned to me by the lady of the house before she goes for her bath each morning .

Cutting of the Vegetables is not that easy a  job as one  would imagine . 

Kundru needs to be cut in thin round slices or in the lengthwise way depending on the mood of the Lady of the House .

Radish 🫜 , Carrots need to be cut in specific way for Sambar or Curry . Round and in circles for Sambar and square pieces for Curry .

Lady fingers need to be  in slices for Curry and wider ones  for Sambar.

Onions need to be cut in big Pieces for Sambar and very finely cut in small pieces for the Raitaa .

For POTATO PODIMAAS  , only the छिलका needs to be removed or peeled before boiling , and normally cut for curry 🍛 .

Finally for Avial , for some reason all the 5 ,7 or 9 Vegetables that the high Command Decides to make use of  for the Avial needs to be in very  large slices . I do not for the life of me get to know the reasons for the same except that they will look nice only that way . அப்ப தான் பார்க்க நன்றாக இருக்கும். तभी ही अच्छा दिखाई देगा ।

Spinach needs to be washed clean first before being chopped to very fine pieces.

Beans need to be finely chopped always except when it is an ingredient in the Avial .

After the bath , the oft repeated comment that the Vegetables have not been cut to her liking is sure to be passed .

நான் சொன்ன மாதிரி நீங்க நறுக்க மாட்டேன் என்று ஆடம் பிடிக்கறேள் .

मेरी बात ना सुनने कि तो आप ने कसम खा ली है 

Peace is arrived at and the next exercise begins .

A word needs to be mentioned about the topography of our House 🏠. The Drawing Room or the Hallway is in the front and the SWAMY ROOM and  Kitchen are located on flanks on either side of each other on the far side . 

The daily routine of Her Majesty is to clean the Pooja Room diligently of previous days remnants and get it ready for the days Pooja which would follow . This exercise would take nothing less than an hour.

She would have set the Pressure Cooker with the Vegetables for cooking 🍳 plus the lentils after leaving an instruction with me that I should switch off the Gas after SIX WHISTLES.

This is the difficult part . I am on the Sofa with the Mobile in Hand ✋ reading the online version of the Days  Newspaper 📰 while the TV is on with the India vs Australia 🦘 Cricket Match at Perth Delicately Poised where a result could go either way . Both the TV and the Newspaper alternate and keep your eyes occupied . Your ears keeping count of the number of whistles takes some doing as your hand , eyes and ears are all at work at the same time .

In the meantime , the very familiar voice which  enquires about the hissing sound of the Cooker or the number of whistles completed thus far which keep coming from the Swami Room need to be answered .

குக்கர் சரியா இருக்கா பாருங்கோ , பருப்பு சரியா வேக மாட்டேன் என்று ஒரு வாரமா கஷ்ட பட்டு இருக்கேன் . Gasket மாற்றும் நேரம் என்று நினைக்கிறேன் .

Thankfully the first part of the cooking process  is over and my part of the daily job after retirement has got over and the lady of the house takes over from here  . I guess I rightfully earn the title of 

' ASSISTANT MANAGER - CONSUMABLES '

           ' துணை மேலாளர் - உணவு, ' 

            ,' उप संचालन प्रबन्धक - भोजन सामग्री ' 

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