Wishing you all health, harmony, and happiness in 2025!
We had a whirlwind two weeks with so much food that I lost track of some of it 
The plan was helpful to make sure we covered most things that are different people’s favorites, even though we switched up the days based on what people were in the mood to eat.
The last few days are always a race to the finish, trying to squeeze in as much as possible as everyone gets sad that the next visit is probably a whole year away.
Some actuals:
– Last night, first night without visitors: Momos! It’s comfort food and we ate while watching a silly movie to distract us from the newly empty house.
– Assorted stuffed parathas / flatbreads at home – paneer, cauliflower, and my mom insisted on cheese for the kids, which they loved.
– Khichdi made by mom (by kid request / demand) + spicy fried prawns for some of us + papad for everyone
– Mac & cheese (twice, once with truffles) & cauliflower cheese for the vegetarians + ordered in fam fave kababs + naan for the rest once and mom made her pan-roasted chicken & potatoes the other
– Italian at home and Italian takeout: Cacio e pepe at home (semi-success, but I didn’t let the pasta cool enough have to try again) and more Cacio e pepe (with truffles) and Arrabiata ordered in from the fancy place my sis has been wanting to take the kids but we ran out of time.
– Normal home Indian food – dal, vegetables (green beans, paneer in gravy, cauliflower, etc), kheema aloo, mom’s mutton (goat) korma & another gravy mutton, fish fry, etc.
– New Year’s Eve lunch – Out at the fam fave Chinese spot, first time after my dad, and first time out to a restaurant for my mom in almost 2 years. Younger nephew was elated as it’s his favorite spot in town but he only wants to go with grandma, not without (which was last year’s visit).
– New Year’s Eve dinner – Pizzzzzaaaaaaa! Takeout, mix of a new place and an old reliable. Plus biryani because sib has been getting his biryani on any chance possible Champagne, coke, and an array of desserts.
– New Year’s Day – COLOSSAL prawns a la my dad (see here)
– Takeout from fam fave coastal seafood place that is the vegetarians’ favorite North Indian takeout as well
– Indian Chinese takeout – veg & chicken Manchurians, burnt garlic fried rice, egg fried rice, chicken lollipops, mixed greens, sweetcorn vegetable and chicken soups, hakka noodles
– South Indian out – onion chilli uttapam, ghee idlis, podi masala dosa, chhole bhatura
– Assorted departure meals: mom’s mutton curry and rice, my cheese toast, leftover North Indian takeout, and Indian chinese takeout
.
The plan for the next few days while we are alone, and before our next guest arrives (my college roommate, concluding her first trip to India with a stay with my family):
– Out with mom for a special dim sum lunch at our favorite place
– Winter specialty of Undhiyu (mixed winter vegetables cooked slowly in a green garlic and cilantro masala), with puris or chapatis and kadhi (yogurt / buttermilk gravy)
– Finish assorted leftovers of the past 3 weeks (of which there are A LOT)
– Scotch broth (barley soup) from one of my favorite places, with either toast or some leftovers
.
Hope everyone’s year has started well!
