Phulka

You all must be wondering why exactly on earth I'm putting up a picture of "Roti" ? As it is the famous line of a film - what do we need to survive ? "Roti, Kapda, aur Makan". So you can see "Roti" is the most vital thing. Actually, there is another reason why I've chosen this topic today. Well before marriage I never entered the kitchen. I never needed to and more so, though I enjoyed eating but had no inclination for cooking. During our courtship period, I realized that my boyfriend, now husband is a big foodie. He once went to someone's party and made it a point to ask the recepie of stuffed capsisum from the host's wife. He is just so passionate about cooking. So its a shame if I tell a person like him that I do not know how to cook. So as I loved him, I decided to prepare myself for the forthcoming big change in my life. I took more initiateves at home, offered help at the kitchen. Tried my hands with some basic things like dal, bhat, sabji. Unfortunately my preparations were good enough for me, my mother was also very happy but I realized only after my marriage that it was not the same for others. They are non bengalies thus roties or "Phulkas", as they commonly call these, are integral to their lives. And here I was standing, having never dirtied my hand with flour before, did not know how to knead, did not know how to make a roti. It took only a day for this interesting news to spread like fire. Relatives were talking. One fine day, one person was at our home, and I was sitting alone with her for a while, so  before my mother-in-law could repeat this whole thing in her own mother tounge, I told her myself. To my surprise, she did not raise her eyebrows, rather she said " Even if you don't know, don't go on talking about it. Take your time and learn. Its nothing difficult, it just needs practice that's all." I really wished that in-laws understood that. Anyway, at home in New Delhi, I was prepaering tiffin for my husband since day one. And whatever sabji I made (palak paneer, kofta, mix veg) one thing was common with all of them and that is - "Phulka". And I used Pillesbury chaki fresh atta, that gave me a little boost in getting things right. Though I did not knead the dough still, I made the rest. A complete circle roti is still to be perfected but "phulka phulta zaroor hain". And another thing I'll mention here that my husband never complained of what I made or how I made.