𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒊𝒅𝒆

PART-23

Ira sat on a stool, leaning forward with her knees tucked into her chest. Her eyes focused intently on the shape of the wheat dough her hands were crafting on the circular wooden board. The cylinder roller pressed gently against her forefinger and thumb, guiding the dough into form.

She set the roller aside and carefully lifted the thin, round dough from the board. With a gentle motion, she slid it into the hot oil. Holding the skimmer with her right hand, she applied a light pressure, coaxing the puri into a perfect puff. A smile spread across her face as she admired the golden, puffed puri. After a few seconds, she lifted it out of the oil, letting excess droplets fall away, and placed it in the basket, which was already filled with an assortment of puris.

"Ira! Is the food ready?" Nakul called out loudly from the first floor, his voice echoing as he made his way down the stairs, followed closely by Raghav, Vaidehi, and Kunal.

Ira inhaled a deep breath, exhaling it a bit quickly, and then arched her back, stretching her arms, the roller still clutched around her fingers. Her mouth took the shape of a black hole as she let out a languid yawn. Tapping the back of her palm against her mouth in a lazy rhythm, she drawled, "Yeah, almost done."

Yawning again, she wiped away the unwanted tears that had welled up at the corners of her eyes. She stood up, ambled to the sink, and twisted the tap to the right. Her movements were sluggish, echoing those of a sloth, as she stretched out her hands in slow motion. But the moment the cold water made contact with her skin, her eyes bulged out, and she swiftly retracted her limbs.

"Mummy!" The word slipped out reflexively. "Chilling water without a refrigerator, wow," she commented sarcastically. Her eyebrows shot up, and her lips pressed into a thin line.

Vaidehi entered the kitchen, smiling, as the soft jingle of her bangles accompanied her examination of the food. "Everything is done," she announced, her eyes darting around the kitchen. "Beta, now assemble the platters and serve, okay," she instructed Ira.

Ira's face scrunched in annoyance, her eyes furrowing as she harshly dropped her hands by her sides. "Mummy... I'll assemble, but you will serve," she said firmly.

Vaidehi raised an eyebrow, and Ira's expression softened. She hastily tried to correct herself. "I mean... how much I worked today." She reached up to rub her head. "And my head is aching. My stomach is aching. And—"

Vaidehi cut her off with raised eyebrows. "Just in making puris?"

Ira flashed a sheepish grin making Vaidehi chuckle. "Okay, okay! Just arrange the plates. I will serve."

After arranging the plates for everyone, Ira retreated to her room with a platter laden with yummy foods: four fluffy golden puris, a steaming bowl of spicy aloo-gobi, and a hot, creamy bowl of colourful kheer garnished with chopped dry fruits.