Locked down in London, I was lonely and underfed. I longed for the communal meals at my Mum and Dad’s home in Delhi, so I embarked on some disastrous and delicious dinners of my own
When the UK’s last lockdown lifted in 2021, and a return to normal life beckoned, I was distraught. For the past few years, I had at least been saved from the pressure of having plans and being with someone for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Even though I had moved to London two years ago, the pandemic hadn’t made it easy to find friends in a new city. To escape my loneliness over the holidays, I decided to fly back to see my parents in Delhi. Unlike me, they had plans to ring in the new year – they were hosting a little dinner party for their friends.
In the isolation of the pandemic, far away from my family, I had forgotten how warm and inviting my parents’ home was. The kitchen was the heart of our family – cups of chai constantly marched out alongside trays of biscuits and conversation, yet another samosa being offered even though our plates and stomachs were full, a fridge that always had something nice to eat and a table that had a place for everyone.
