Of shapes and sizes in murukku and pakoda!

Come Deepavali and there we start expecting great, delicious snacks. We see YouTube videos and prepare the sweets and savories with utmost care. And this making of murukku, pakoda, 7-cup cake (which has recently caught the attention of several people known to me), etc. has not failed to get my fascination too.  And I will definitely expect a “war of words” between me and my mother; an argument of perfection from her side and my justification that you fail only when you give up.

I just used to wonder how my mother prepares the murukku and pakoda so effortlessly. Even though I am also interested in cooking, I just don’t get close to the excellence with which she prepares these items. And the critic in her will start explaining to me that this is not the time to experiment, we have to give the snacks to neighbors, it should be presentable, etc. But yes! Like a good fighter I am, I ask her,

Myself: What mummy!  The murukku should have good taste, that’s it. What’s all this lesson about shapes!

I am preparing with so much care and effort! You should understand that too mummy!

Mother (in a curt manner)! I don’t want you to experiment here. We are giving these to neighbors also and so do what I say. Otherwise, I will carry on with the work.

Myself: Then what should I do?

Mother: You just watch me doing or practice doing these items during other days.

And the fragile mess in me got upset with my mother’s remarks. But this disappointment made me to come back with the determination that I will prepare a much better murukku the last time. By “much better” I didn’t mean the taste, which I always get well, but in the shape which I don’t really get well. The squeezing of the murukku in the hot oil using a plate with round holes seemed to be a Herculean task to me. And there was my mother, who was at her calm best, watching me doing. I squeezed the murukku in the oil and as she told tried to bring it to a round from the end. This she asked me to do for several pieces.  And in my eagerness to do it well, I even got a burn in my hand: the typical sign of a person cooking with great interest. And with all her suggestions, finally, I managed to squeeze five pieces really well!

This making of murukku too gave me a light lesson in life. It just says that if there should be an edge over yourself (the one you were before), then we should try the difficult one. She could have been satisfied with me making simple strips but she didn’t stop with that. She made me realize that:

If you aim for the stars, you will reach the sky……

Wish you a safe Deepavali!

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