The Coconut Block
Arun walked into the kitchen, where his wife Sulochana was busy preparing North-Indian dishes to welcome their Punjabi Daughter-in-law, Shivani.
"I don't see any South Indian dishes on the menu," Arun began cautiously.
"Shivani does not like preparations made of coconut, and you know most of our dishes have coconut gratings." Sulochana explained.
"I thought she loved coconut chutney." Arun protested.
"She does relish coconut chutney. She loves coconut burfi too, but for some reason, she does not like sambhar or any other preparations made of coconut."
"I have a plan to remove this mental block." Arun explained his plan. His better half heard it out.
Sulochana swelled with pride as Deepak and Shivani praised her during lunchtime.
"I shall make South Indian meals tomorrow," Sulochana said in the evening, deciding to implement Arun's plan.
"Ma, you know Shivani does not eat preparations made with coconut, which I suppose is a quintessential part of all our dishes." Deepak sounded concerned even as Shivani gestured that she would manage.
"Long before, people had coconut trees in their houses. So, they added coconut gratings to almost all food items. With dwindling coconut trees, it became a commercial product. People started using coconut less frequently. We pay 30 rupees for one coconut. Isn't that expensive?" Arun's sincere expressions elicited a smirk on Sulochana's lips.
The following morning, Sulochana made a dish called 'Koyyakattai' (oval-shaped balls rolled out of cooked and vaporized rice powder with coconut gratings). People enjoyed this delicacy with coconut chutney, which Shivani liked.
Arun and Sulochana looked on as the girl relished the breakfast in its true sense.
Lunch with small onion sambhar and curry was once again a sumptuous affair.
Arun cleared his throat as they were finishing the food and asked Shivani, "Did you enjoy our South-Indian breakfast and lunch today?"
She nodded with full affirmation even as she was licking the last traces of sambhar from her fingers.
"The breakfast you ate this morning was made with rice ground with a decent amount of coconut gratings. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been soft. The sambhar for lunch could not have tasted this great without using coconut for grinding with other ingredients needed for flavor."
Sulochana could feel the heat of two pairs of eyes looking at her reproachfully.
"This is a mental block you carry about coconut, Shivani." Arun came to his wife’s rescue.
"If you can relish coconut chutney and coconut burfi, then why not preparations made of coconut? I told Mom to prepare these, though she vehemently denied playing treason. It was an act of goodwill. I am sure you realized what I wished to convey."
With eyes lowered, Shivani was making articulate designs on her plate with her pointer. She nodded lightly as she realized her mistake.
"Thanks, Mom and Dad, for lifting this coconut block from my mind. I will prepare all the coconut items when you stay with us next time."
The family of four laughed merrily. Sulochana hugged her daughter-in-law lovingly.
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