Being online is the in-thing. You may be busier than a bee yet you will take time off to surf the net. The Internet has opened up a world of opportunities. One can date online, shop online, study online and do any number of things.
Perhaps not many know that it can also be a wonderful means of sticking together no matter where you live. In these times when most of us have a busy to-do list, the Internet is the best bet to keep the flock together.
My nephew, Ilyas Parvez, has created a WhatsApp group with close family members and it has sort of breathed new life into an otherwise humdrum existence. Necessity is the mother of invention. Finding himself a ‘bachelor’ again when his wife went to her maika, he had a brainwave that led to the creation of ‘Mai kya khana pakaun aaj?’ (What should I cook today?) group. And it has been an instant hit, a runaway success in the family.
The million dollar question before everyone, rather every housewife, is what to cook for the day. This conundrum is solved as every group member is encouraged to post his/her idea the first thing in the morning. There is exchange of recipes, notes and the cooking craft. A surfeit of ideas crop up every day and one is spoilt for choice. It doesn’t stop here. The moment a dish is ready, the group members take pictures and post them online. What follows is a series of comments: “Looking yummy”, “Tooo delicious”, “Mouth-watering”. Appropriate smileys are also posted.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Whether it is dam-ki-biryani, aalu gobi, dosa-chutney or kofte the sight is enough to set the taste buds tingling. One can visualise the aroma in the air as a virtual dastarkhwan is spread across the cyberspace.
Mind you this culinary exercise spans the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and even faraway Detroit and Dubai where the family members have branched out. An idea born out of dire necessity has caught on. What’s more, it has turned out to be the best glue to hold the family together.
The other day the group CEO sent the adrenaline pumping by selecting the best dish of the last two weeks. A hype befitting the finals of a cricket match was created. This set the guessing game on. Who will walk away with the award?
With prayer on the lips, and eyes glued to the mobile devices everyone waited with bated breath for the deadline. Suddenly the mobile screens flashed with emojis of drums and violins. And the winner was … Sajida Parveen. Eating is a necessity. But cooking is an art.
J S Ifthekhar
Email: jsifthekhar@gmail.com