"Delicious Dinner"

I hope all my Steemian friends are well and healthy with God's blessings. I am also well. I am @green015 from India, so I am here with a new post for you. Anyway, and of course, it is about food.

Delicious Dinner:

"Grand" implies something truly special. And since I currently live in a hostel, for me—and for everyone else here—it signifies one thing: a magnificent feast. It represents the sheer joy of enjoying a delicious meal after a long hiatus—a uniquely gratifying sensation. Hostel life is, by nature, monotonous and bound by a rigid web of rules; moreover, there is the ever-present ache of being separated from one's loved ones. Amidst all this, whenever a "Grand" meal comes along, it brings happiness to everyone.

In practice, a new team takes charge of the cooking and dining responsibilities for a period of 15 days. Each team consists of four members who handle all the grocery shopping from the market. During this 15-day cycle, a meat-based meal is served once. However, this depends on the availability of surplus funds; when money is tight, this special meal is not provided. This is because the prices of staples—such as rice, lentils, or various vegetables—do not remain constant; they are subject to fluctuation. Nevertheless, a specific monetary amount is allocated for each of us, which we contribute at the beginning of the month.

The dining for every 'Grand' event takes place in the evening. So, just a few days ago, we had one such 'Grand' gathering.It was a grand occasion. However, a gas supply issue arose at that time. Consequently, the members of the mess committee were unable to organize the event exactly as they had originally planned. As a result, they arranged for plain rice. The menu for that day consisted of plain rice, mixed lentils, one beguni (battered eggplant fritter), tomato chutney, four bat papads, one Rosogolla, and a choice of either chicken curry or a cauliflower-and-paneer dish. Since I do not eat chicken, I opted for the cauliflower-and-paneer curry. Incidentally, I prepared the mashed potatoes myself that day.

Now, let me tell you about the taste—the mixed dal (lentils), served alongside plain white rice, was absolutely delightful. The mixed dal contained a variety of vegetables, such as carrots, yardlong beans, capsicum, and others. I enjoyed this mixed dal with the Alu Bharta (spiced mashed potatoes) that I had prepared myself. An amusing detail was the Beguni (battered eggplant fritter) I was served; it bore a striking resemblance to the shape of a baby bird. I found myself repeatedly wondering whether I should eat it or simply set it aside as a display piece! Furthermore, eating papad with chutney is always a pleasure; however, since this particular chutney was prepared with dates and raisins, its flavor was doubly enhanced. Additionally, the Rosogolla dessert was quite delicious.

Finally, I would like to comment on the Paneer dish. Typically, I enjoy Paneer when it is prepared as Chili Paneer or Paneer Kosha; however, on this occasion—as it was served to us as the vegetarian alternative to meat—I did not care for it at all, primarily because it was prepared with cauliflower and an excessive amount of gravy. Consequently, it lacked the distinct flavor and appeal usually associated with such dishes on "Grand Days." Nevertheless, all things considered, my overall dining experience was quite pleasant and enjoyable.

I hope you will like my foods very much. I will be back again with a new post later. Until then, everyone stay well. May God keep everyone healthy.

Best regards:

@green015