Food is a huge part of our lives. I think I can comfortably say the Corbetts generally live to eat. However, we are experiencing a whole new way of life, eating to live.
Bhakta does a fantastic job preparing meals for all the children including us. His specialty is dahl bhaht (white glutinous rice and yellow, spicy water. It's not my favourite, but clearly it is what his budget allows. We've had it for breakfast and dinner every day and lunch most days.
6am: Our day starts. The children brush their teeth, roll up their mattress and begin their studies. The Corbetts included.
8am: They all have a warm glass of buffalo milk, my kids included. It comes freshly delivered in a milk tin from the lady across the road each morning. I am given a sweet milky tea, also made from 'Buff' milk. I actually enjoyed it this morning.
8.30 Usually dahl bhaht for breakfast, however this morning was something different, it was a mix of dry puffed rice and some spices. It was very chewy and difficult to swallow. The boys did well, some accidentally spilled into my pocket, which was later emptied into the bushes down the road. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
10.30am: Lunch time, again dhal bhaht, however the children were at school yesterday so Bhakta showed me how to make Roti for lunch. The boys and I welcomed the change.
5pm: Afternoon tea is served, and it can be anything. Usually black tea with two plain dry slightly stale bread rolls, but we did have dry cookies the other day.
8pm: Dinner is served, again, dahl bhaht.
Whilst it is true the boys and I are finding the menu a little limited. We are remembering our place and always gratefully accept our meals. Yes, it is true that we may run screaming from dinner parties in years to come, should we be offered anything resembling dahl bhaht or rice for that matter, and the mere mention of 'buff' may in fact make us 'barf', there is an upside to the meals.
The meals run as follows, we all rinse our hands under a tap. We don't touch a thing and sit at the long wooden table and wait to be given our plates. We tuck our left hand away. Because we all know what that is used for! And it is. The right hand is our only utensil, no matter what the meal.
Once you are handed your plate, you don't wait! I can honestly tell you, you have never seen anything like it. Man these kids can eat!
They shovel, shove, slurp and burp their way through dinner. Not a drop is spilt! They literally lick the last morsels from the plate!
I am proud to say that both my kids at this stage accept their plates humbly and eat what they are given. Only three and a half weeks to go.
Admittedly the boys and I don't eat with quite the same gusto.
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