Write about your most epic baking or cooking fail.

Today being Ganesh chaturthi when in all families, Bappa is lovingly welcomed and his favourite Modak is invariably made.

Flash back of my disaster when I made modak in my nascent stage of my newly wed life .

Modak are steamed dumplings with an outer rice flour dough and a coconut-jaggery stuffing. These sweet dumplings are also known as Ukadiche Modak in Marathi language.

Now modak is a delectable sweet which will melt in your mouth especially if it is eaten hot with dollops of ghee.

Entering the kitchen, I can feel a burden of expectations on my shoulder, my kid loves modak and is like , Aai when will they be ready , I want to eat it .

A kid of 4 can be very endearing but also unnerving. I smile bravely at him, suju , modak take some time , go watch television . Suju scampers.

My breath is shallow now. I start grating the coconut with a scrapper . After 3 minutes, suddenly the coconut colour turns red and I wonder why ?

Close examination makes me realise that along with the coconut, my fingers also are getting scrapped. I let out an anguished cry and hubby rushes in.

Seeing my fingers, he volunteers to finish the balance grating . I relieved.😁😁

Start the next task , preparation of the rice dough .

The rice floor and the water , I guess are at war, and refuse to accept a ceasefire.

The more I try to mix , the more they revolt and the low simmer of the gas ignites a fury in both of them and the end result is a lumpy thick mixture which has no binding nature.

Hubby preening through his specs and trying to keep a straight face as possible.

Finally can’t hold back and bursts out laughing.

I am half in mirth and misery.

Sujay cautiously treads in and seeing his mother’s state, very coyly says, Aai , it’s ok, I just had modak , aaji got ( My Aai my saviour has just entered) . She smiles and comforts me, it’s fine Surya , I have made modak and bought for you.

Come and have. I relieved 😅, but still in a sullen mood . My husband very soothing and smoothly says , the rice flour may be a little old and hence maybe, not your fault.

You are the best cook, I know it.

I touched and hastily put the balance rice flour back and the only thing visible is the date of manufacture which is only 2 days ago.