Dinner Ready: Strawberry Souffle is for Dessert

I have to admit that I havent done in cooking in a long, long time. Not because I don't like to but because I usually have no time and I really need time to get into cooking mode.

So, today, I decided I wanted to cook. I knew that I wanted to do something special and fun. Yet I wanted to also keep it simple.

I made Vegetable Biriyani, Cashew Chicken curry (courtesy: Lathika George's amazing cookbook titled 'The Suriani Kitchen') and Strawberry Souffle. Except for the Biriyani, I was making the other two for the first time and I had serious fears that they would turn out less than palatable, because I have very little faith in my culinary skills these days.

Finally, everything was done and before I got an opportunity to taste it to check if everything is ok, Hubby rings the bell. Whoops! I was nervous. I rushed to open the door, and everything happened so fast coz Adi was screaming, somebodyelse was at the door, I got a call and what not. Hubby had dinner before I could say 'cheese'.

Guess what? Hubby loved it. He said, "You should do cooking more often. The chicken curry is amazing. I loved it." 

I didn't tell him how worried I was when I put the cashew paste and yoghurt into the pressure cooker and waited for it to cook and when it was cooked, it had no color - coz it was a totally white curry - as given in Latha George's naadan recipe - and it didn't reassure me because I am used to rich, deep red type of gravies that go so well when making chicken. I was feeling let down by the color though the expert author assures readers that it is the taste and the whiteness that gives this curry its awesome flavors, particularly if you have it with appams or puttu or just toasted bread.

I was over the moon coz I know that unless it was really good, I wouldn't be hearing this. So, I said, with sudden confidence, "Guess what is for dessert? Strawberry Souffle." 

Of course, he knew that I had never made a souffle in my whole life! When the strawberries were cooking in milk, I was having multiple heart attacks coz I feared something would go wrong. Then, when I folded in the cream, I deviated from the original recipe and added coffee powder and cornflakes that I beat smoothly into the cream and then folded it into the strawberry mixture. It was on the spur of the moment. I know that good cooks can take such risks but not amateurs. Still, I was lucky - it turned out very very well.

Hubby tasted the souffle and yes, he was delighted. I am glad I made what I did - though confidence is still in lower case:)

Well, it was a hard day's work for me - and I got a loving hug and a kiss - what more can I ask from life - this, my dear friends, is family bliss.

Touchwood.