A promise - To Bring Back the Touch

" Oh God, getting late. P will you please make me some breakfast." I shouted as I finished ironing my dress and rushed to the bathroom. P folded the newspaper he was reading and went to the kitchen without a word. 15 minutes later when I was dressed and ready, I had 4 slices with an omelette and hot coffee in front of me. I hogged in a hurry again. The phone rang. Somebody was getting late for a flight and he requested to get his boarding pass ready. Come on; did not you know you were booked on this flight and keeping in mind the Mumbai rush hour traffic, you should have started accordingly..I muttered under my breath as I dialed the airport manager's number. I just hogged the omlette and 2 slices, took few sips of the coffee and rushed out. I barely uttered "Bye Love" and ran. By the time I was down the stairs my phone rang again. I was speaking on the phone when I hailed an auto and left to the station. It was only when I was about to reach the station I realized I didn't look up as we always do, towards our balcony. I mean, it was an unspoken understanding between us. Whenever either of us goes out he / I would look up to the balcony and wave. Shit..How did I forget that. I so wanted to return but my professional commitments did not allow me to.


That evening when I reached home, I saw P sitting and watching TV. Being a free lancer; P's work hours are not regular. Whole day I couldn't forget I what I didn't do that morning. I was determined to say sorry and make it up by cooking his favourite dish for dinner. When I went to the kitchen I could see the chicken marinated. P said that he would make my favourite chicken that night. Wasnot he upset..I asked. I felt all the more guilty. Why did he have to do that. I almost forgot that that's why I had fallen in love with him. For his patience, his big heart and his forgiving nature. The love of my life, my man. I hugged him tight and said sorry. He held me gently and make me sit at the sofa. We talked and that was after so long that we actually talked. We both realized we needed to slow down. We both needed to find the person in each other that we had fallen in love with. We needed to touch each other. We needed to bring back the warmth to our relationship And most important of all we both needed to support each other in this. We promised each other that we will and we must #BringBackTheTouch that seem to have lost somewhere along the way.




 

Amla / Amlokhi ( Indian Gooseberry ) Chutney

Since childhood I love Amla or Amlokhi as we call it in Assamese. In Dibrugarh in front of our home there were 2 Amlokhi trees and I, my sister and all our neighbourhood friends would relish those Amlokhis with a pinch of salt. The other fascination was to drink water after having one Amlokhi. The water would taste sweet!

Ma would make Amlokhi Achar / Amla Pickle both sweet and sour and the spicy tangy ones. She would also make dried Amlokhi by cutting them into pieces in order to store them longer and to use them as digestives.
I am not very good at pickles. I did try once to make pickles with Amlokhi. They turned out really well to my surprise. Few days back  I came upon this recipe of Amlokhi Chutney. It was simple, quick and easy. I had to try this out.


Ingredients:


3 Amlokhis or Amlas - Indian Goose berries
One handful Coriander leaves
2 green chillies ( I put 1 red and 1 green chilli)
Few Garlic cloves
A small piece of Ginger.
Salt to taste

The Chutney:

Boil the Amlokhis. Once they cool down, remove the seeds. Now put chopped coriander, Amla pieces, chillies, ganrlic cloves and the piece of ginger in the grinder and grind to a smooth chutney. Add salt as per your taste.

I am told, few use raw Amlokhis  too. But I preferred to boil. If used raw, the tanginess will be more.

This is one super easy and very healthy chutney. Since Amlokhis are boiled, can be stored in an airtight bowl like Tupperware for at least 3/4 days. I served that tonight with steamed rice and Assamese fish curry. P loved that. :)