How being locked down is bringing out the inner Gordon Ramsay in us

Being confined to our homes for more than a month now, has had us all missing our favorite pastime - hogging outside food. Our social calendars were always planned meticulously around meeting up at that famous restaurant, checking out those new pubs or accosting our area waale pani puri bhaiyya. Now, this seemingly never ending virus has a put a stop to all that fun & frolic, but we humans are made up of an indomitable spirit that cannot be crushed even by the likes of a phantom virus, so we devised ways of enjoying that missing flavor of outside food by donning the chef hat ourselves and voila! The sheer enthusiasm with which previously non-bakers or non-cookers of any sort started baking and cooking fine delicacies was revelatory!

Here are 6 such deliciously mouth watering home made creations.

1. Apple Pie

Ever since I ate an apple pie 7 years ago at Britto's in Goa, the taste of it caught hold of me. I tried several apple pie's after that at several different places but the taste never lived up to the heavenly bliss of Britto's. When the lock-down began and people started posting an insane amount of pictures of succulent looking sweets and savories that they cooked, I started dreaming wistfully of my pet pie and wondering whether I would be able to recreate the magical flavor of the apple pie that I had once tasted at Britto's. The resulting pie which I baked, though not an exact replica of the original, was still a worthy homage to it. The testament to its taste was that it was finished in one single sitting, not too sugary not too dry, just perfect.

2. Bread!

Once you start eating home made bread you'll realize that all you ate before was one stale bread after the other. Whether you ate from your local grocery store or from a high end patisserie,it's naught compared to the freshness of a bread baked at home. The entire process from kneading to molding to baking culminates into a heavenly loaf of bread, rich with the aroma of all things baked, soft and fluffy as it melts into a divine goodness in your mouth. You can eat this bread as it is or bring out all the jam, butter, cheese and marmalade bottles in your house and have a party in your mouth!

3. Pani Puri, Sev Puri, Dahi Puri anyone?

I'm from Mumbai and as any true Mumbaikar my week is not complete if I haven't gorged on one plate of pani puri, sev puri or dahi puri, not to forget the complimentary sukha puri at the end of each plate. So, naturally this lock-down was doubly painful for us as we had to endure week after week of not eating our favorite street chaat. During this time, I guarantee every Mumbaikar has made chaat at their homes, and although the flavor that runs through the hands of our chaat bhaiyya was what made the street chaat so delectable, the ones we made at home were also equally tangy and appetizing. Here's to saucy sev puri, crunchy pani puri and drippy dahi puri Cheers!

4. Bread Caramel Pudding

Who's not a fan of caramel? It's downright one of the subtlest flavors, light and mellow. Caramel and bread is a favorite combination of lock-down times,with many of my friends executing this simple and foolproof recipe to yummy results. Imagine your favorite french toast with a copious topping of caramel it's like having a warm and comely dessert - smooth, luxurious and delicious. What's not to love and the easiness with which it is prepared makes it hands down a top favorite among all the sweet tooth's.

5. Paneer Lababdar and Garlic Naan

Indian restaurants are famous for the 101 versions of paneer (cottage cheese) offered on their menus, and we all have a personal favorite, be it the simple paneer butter masala or the smoky kadhai paneer. The best accompaniment to paneer is undoubtedly the 'naan' (Indian flat bread). Paneer is such that it urges a craving in everyone and is cooked frequently at homes, but as we have ample time on our hands now might as well cook a fancier version of it. Paneer Lababdar is a creamy combination of cottage cheese, rich with thick tomato gravy, infused with cashew nuts and spices. The tastiest way to eat this luscious gravy is to dunk a piece of garlic naan in it and revel in its buttery glory!

6. Lemon Sponge Cake

Cake's have been a favorite this lock-down season and while the majority were going the traditional chocolate route, I decided to experiment with lemons, because when life gives you lemons you bake a lemon cake! :D My real interest to bake a lemon cake stemmed from my favorite Game of Thrones character Sansa Stark and her obsession with lemon cakes. When I finally got to it, It turned out to be quite an easy bake. The cake was a delicate, spongy confection with hints of lemony flavor. It was one of the prettiest looking cakes I'd seen and tasted exactly like I had imagined - airy, fresh and fragrant. If anyone's in the mood for a sweet that is fine and subtle, lemon cake will find its way right into your heart.

Those were a few of the innumerable scrumptious and flavorful dishes concocted within households over the past few weeks. While I hope that this blog inspires many to take up cooking, it would also be fair to remember that while we are privileged enough to be ensconced within our homes experimenting and whipping up one dish after another, there are others who are struggling for basic meals while stuck amidst this pandemic. We can spread the joy of food to all by donating to the organizations that are contributing to that end.

Credits to my friends and family, it's their talent that lent itself to this blog. Happy reading and cooking!