Author’s Note: This post commemorates the launch of my YouTube channel – “Chitti Give Me The Recipe“. I look forward to your feedback and suggestions. Most importantly, I hope it helps everyone who finds themselves with a sick cook in need of care.

So there we were, on a Friday morning. Both of us off for a change. Since I work shifts, weekends are a hit and miss. The husband is back to work as well, so the weekend together was indeed something to look forward to.

We had such finished buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and alphonso mangoes on the side when my husband said he wanted to discuss something and plan for any eventuality. This is a morbid discussion that is probably taking place in every household, whether we like to talk about it or not.

Since he was now back to work on a 50% workforce in the office plan, he was worried that actually being out there made him more prone to catching the infection. Both of us were part of the teams in our respective organisations that came up with contingency plans a few months back to work through the lock down and figure out these things in a few short days.

He wondered loudly, why didn’t we think about planning for the house yet on the same lines?

He began laying down this thoughts very eloquently…

“So, let’s say I am tested positive. I’ll quarantine in the spare bedroom. You will leave my meals outside the room. I will remain isolated till its all clear.”

Sounded reasonable to me, but…

“So in case you fall sick, you will quarantine yourself in the spare bedroom, and I’ll drive down to your sister’s place so she can cook our meals!”

Now my husband is not entirely helpless in the kitchen. Married to someone working twelve hour shifts doesn’t leave you with much choice but to pick up a few basic skills for self-preservation and survival. So he can make tea, coffee, cheese toast, dosa, idli. He can even cook rice and several kinds of eggs like a simple omelette or boiled eggs.

I felt all that was missing from his repertoire for an emergency situation was a simple dal. I proposed he should take some basic training from me to keep a cooker, and make a basic dal.

One thing led to another, and my thoughts extended to men like my husband who will find it very challenging indeed if their wives are out of commission for a few weeks, battling the infection and focusing on their wellness.

We came up with a plan to launch a YouTube channel that will be no-fluff, and walk people through basic kitchen skills and simple recipes that will keep you afloat if your cook falls sick.

With that “Chitti Give Me The Recipe” was born. I invite all of you to visit my humble attempt at sharing some of my knowledge and hopefully making it a little easier on some of you who don’t know your way around a kitchen.

I look forward to your feedback. Happy Cooking!