Groaning in boredom, I slumped down in a chair next to Nana and absent-mindedly fidgeted with the lint on my T-shirt. She moved like a sloth across the kitchen as she gathered the ingredients for mint chutney - a recipe that had been passed down for generations. I watched her wrinkled and gnarled hands slowly place the ingredients into a blender, one mint leaf followed by another. Yawning exaggeratedly, I shifted around in my seat relentlessly as I wondered what I could do to entertain myself.
At that moment, my eyes widened as an idea hit me. “Let’s add some chocolate!” I exclaimed, excitement laced in every syllable. Nana froze in bewilderment and gaped at me. Not even bothering to wait for the green light, I leapt up and yanked open the refrigerator door, snatching up a chocolate bar. Ripping the wrapper open, I broke off a few pieces and tossed them into the blender.
Seeing my actions, Nana finally sighed in defeat and threw her arms up in despair. She clucked her tongue in annoyance as I secured the lid of the blender and jabbed the ‘Start’ button eagerly. Curiosity burned in me as I did not look away from the whizzing blur of green and brown. Would it taste good? Obviously! I just needed to prove it.
After an eternity, I poured out the thick syrup and fished out a spoon. Tentatively, I plunged the spoon in the bowl and licked it as if it were a lollipop. The result was the complete opposite of what I had expected.
“Yuck!” I cried, spitting out the revolting chutney. Wrinkling my nose, I cringed and bolted off to grab a glass of water. That was horrendous! My taste buds were overwhelmed by the bitter and sour concoction that assaulted them.
After a lot of rinsing, I mumbled an apology to Nana, but she simply chuckled and patted my head. It was entertaining for her, I guess, watching me overreact to my abominable creation. She began to gather ingredients again. This time, I did not slump in my chair and groan. Instead, I reflected on the lesson that I learnt. Not everything that is old is outdated, and I should have shown Nana more respect. After all, she goes through a lot of trouble always making mint chutney for us.
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