Saturday, 17 April 2021
‘So what are you cooking for us tonight, Ibby?’
‘I’m really not sure me cooking anything is a good idea.’
‘Nonsense, Ibby. You want to give a good impression, don’t you?’
‘That’s exactly what I mean. Can’t you cook something? I don’t want to scare her family away.’
‘I remember the first time I cooked for your dad. I decided on sushi. I don’t know why. I wanted to impress him, I suppose. So I went to all this trouble, shopping with my mum down at the oriental food centre, looking for sheets of seaweed and sticky rice. I’d never cooked it before and had no idea what I was doing. Suffice to say, it was pretty much a disaster, both inedible and a complete mess.’
‘And this meant to encourage me?’
‘But it was good. Your dad didn’t say anything bad about it. He said it was very nice. Said such sweet things to encourage me, because he knew I’d gone to so much trouble. You see, really he was the one who was being tested, not me. All I had to do was cook some rice and try to roll some seaweed around it. But your dad? Unbeknownst to him, me, my mum and dad all just wanted to know what kind of guy he was.’
‘What, you planned all that?’
‘Not really planned it. It’s just how I saw it afterwards. My efforts revealed him.’
‘Well maybe that worked for you, but I’d rather not find out what kind of person Ayşegül is by testing her reaction to a nasty bout of salmonella.’
‘I didn’t set out in the hope of disaster either,’ says mum. ‘I just wanted to impress your dad. You should do the same. Let’s see if she appreciates your efforts. Let’s see if she’s impressed. If she is, then she has my blessing. If not, well, maybe she’s not the one.’
‘The old princess and the pea test?’ I laugh.
‘That’s right, but let’s be more ambitious. What are you going to cook her?’
‘I don’t know. Carrot and coriander soup?’
‘Good one. You can manage that. And your main course?’
‘Don’t know. Pasta?’
‘Be more ambitious.’
‘I don’t know. Shepherd’s pie?’
‘She’s Turkish, right? So…’
‘Some kind of casserole?’
‘Why not? You always have güveç when we eat out. You can manage that, can’t you?’
‘Only with your help.’
‘I’ll run you down to the halal shop to buy some lamb. But that’s it, Ibby: you’re on your own. This one’s all yours.’
‘Well don’t blame me if it’s a disaster,’ I sigh.
‘It won’t be, Ibby. You’ve got this. I have total faith in you. Start with bismillah, make it with love and put your trust in God. If she’s the one you think she is, it’ll be a beautiful beginning.’
‘Inshallah,’ I say.
