𝖉𝖔𝖗𝖆 & 𝖒𝖆𝖍𝖆𝖑𝖎𝖆 > @ascreamingecho
the whole spices sizzled as they hit the pan, tempering in the ghee. the scent of star anise and cinnamon stick quickly filled dora's small kitchen. she tossed in the sliced red onion, waiting for them to turn a paler pink colour before adding some chopped tomatoes and spring onion along with different aromatics; mint and fenugreek leaves, ginger and garlic paste. once their raw smell had cooked off she added in a bunch of powdered spices she had premixed from the two steel masala dabba she kept in her one kitchen cupboard.
the dal had already been cooked in her pressure cooker and pureed in the food processor, the meat stewed too. now it was just a case of adding them to the cooked spices with some water and letting it come back to heat. she poured half a cup of hot water from the electric kettle and added jaggery, tamarind paste and lemon juice with a stir. five minutes before the cooking time was done, she'd add this to give the dhansak its distinctive sweet and sour flavour.
dora didn't like to show off the fact she could cook. she much preferred to have others cook for her: her love language was feed me. however, when mahalia had texted her about the awful day she'd had at work, dora wanted to cheer her up as best she could. what could she offer? a night in the treehouse with curry and cuddles. maybe she could pretend and say she ordered it in, if she could keep hal away from the kitchen space. just as she had the idea, the stupid doorbell she'd installed rang.
i'm thinkin' about my doorbell when ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it? yeah, I'm thinkin' about my doorbell when ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring it?
"cominggggg!"