Daily writing prompt

What’s your favorite recipe?

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Hello dear friends,

I hope this blog finds you in a cheerful mood, perhaps with the aroma of something delicious drifting through your home.

Today’s writing prompt made me smile instantly — “What’s your favorite recipe?”

At first, I thought of answering with a simple dish name. But then I realized, our favorite recipe is never just about food. It’s about the memories stirred into it, the people we’ve shared it with, and the stories it carries.

For me, my favorite recipe is Masoor Dal with Steamed Rice — humble, comforting, and steeped in nostalgia. To some, it’s an everyday meal, but for me, it’s a warm hug in a bowl, a dish that feels like home.

The Roots of My Recipe

When I was a child, my mother would make Masoor Dal on lazy Sunday afternoons. The kitchen would fill with the earthy fragrance of lentils simmering in turmeric water, mingling with the sweet smell of freshly steamed rice.

I would hover near the stove, impatiently waiting for her to temper the dal with ghee, cumin, garlic, and a hint of red chili. That sizzle — oh, that sizzle — was the music of my childhood.

The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity. You don’t need expensive ingredients or complicated steps. All you need is:

• A cup of masoor dal (red lentils)
• Two cups of water
• A pinch of turmeric
• Salt to taste
• For tempering: ghee, cumin seeds, crushed garlic, and red chili powder

Cook the dal until soft, then give it that glorious tempering just before serving. Pair it with fluffy steamed rice, maybe a side of mango pickle, and you have magic on your plate.

Why This Recipe Stands Out

You might be wondering — why choose something so basic as my favorite recipe? After all, there are fancier dishes I enjoy cooking: creamy pastas, layered biryanis, even decadent desserts. But this dal-rice combination is special because:

1. It’s Comfort in Chaos – Whenever life feels overwhelming, this dish grounds me. It’s not just food; it’s therapy.
   
2. It’s Universally Loved – Friends from different places have tried it in my kitchen, and without fail, they’ve asked for the recipe.
   
3. It’s Quick & Nourishing – Packed with protein, light on the stomach, and ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy days.
   
4. It’s Memory-Laden – Every bite takes me back to my mother’s kitchen, the laughter of my siblings, and the warmth of family meals.

Food as a Storyteller

I believe every favorite recipe has a story. It might remind you of a mother’s touch, a friend’s kindness, or a travel memory. Food connects us across time and place — a silent witness to birthdays, festivals, heartbreaks, and reunions.

Fortunately, I made this dal today, not just by using ingredients, but by bringing back memories and adding love to share with my family and friends.

Cooking: The Art of Love

One of my favorite quotes says, “Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”

My dal recipe, though modest, is prepared with the same intention as a chef plating a five-star meal.
I measure not in spoons but in emotions — a little extra ghee if someone’s had a bad day, a dash more chili if we need a spark, or a squeeze of lemon for brightness when the mood feels heavy.

This, I believe, is why recipes become “favorites” — they adapt to our moods, grow with us, and carry our personal signature.

Sharing the Recipe with the World

Over the years, I have shared this recipe countless times. I’ve emailed it to a friend staying abroad, jotted it on a napkin for a stranger I met at a train station, and even demonstrated it during a community cooking class.

The joy of passing it on feels like handing someone a small piece of my heart.

Interestingly, people who try it often tweak it — adding ginger, replacing ghee with olive oil, or tossing in spinach for extra greens. And I love that! Recipes, like stories, evolve when shared.

An Invitation to You

So, dear friends, what’s your favorite recipe? Not just the dish, but the memory it carries. The smell that tugs at your heart. The taste that transports you home.

I invite you to take a moment today to cook that dish — not for a special occasion, but simply to celebrate life. Call a loved one to share it with. Write down its recipe for future generations.

And when you do, notice how it’s never just about the ingredients; it’s about the love that binds them together.

In the end, my favorite recipe is more than dal and rice.
It’s my mother’s laughter, my childhood afternoons, the comfort of home, and the joy of sharing.

It’s a reminder that in this fast-moving world, some of life’s greatest treasures are found in the simplest bowls.

So next time someone asks, “What’s your favorite recipe?”, remember — your answer might just be the story of your life, served warm.

Categories: infotainment

Tags: cooking, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2040, featured, food, recipe, recipes, vegetarian