Part 1-Round, round rotis

Zzzz zzzz zzzz...zzzz zzzz zzzz

The massage chair was vibrating luxuriously, I almost purred...

Zzzzz zzz zzzz...zzzz zzzz zzzz

My eyes flew open as my lovely dream fell to pieces, I reached under my pillow and pulled out my phone, the 3am alarm I set was going off. I hit cancel and yawned, I kept my alarm on vibrate only so it wouldn't disturb my husband.

Why is it so hard to wake up for sehri once you pass the 15th roza, you don't know what to make and eat anymore. Last year I didn't have to think, my mother thought for me, but now...leave thinking for me, I had to think for the rest of the house too.

I quietly drag myself to the bathroom to wash up, I then sleepily make my way to the kitchen. First things first, light switch then kettle...ain't no guji girl gona manage this early without a cup of tea, I think to myself.

I quickly pull out all the little Tupperware's I need from the fridge. I giggle to myself, if my mother knew I use my brand new Tupperware set to store raw chopped onions, she would flip. "Areh, Fatima!The smell will never come out!"

I have to keep everything ready , its insanity to be cooking at this time of the morning, leave alone chopping things.

I heat the oil and begin frying the onions to make the mince and aloo curry. While the curry braises I roll the rotis and toast them with ghee on the tahwaa, fresh fresh...just the way Mummy taught me.

I remember when I was little and learning to make roti, mummy use to shout me to make them round-round..."Fatima!someday you going to get married and what will your in-laws say when they see these Mickey Mouses you make!"..."Theri Ma nee hikoo" my Dadi would chirp in. (they will think you took me to Disney land, I use to say in my head)

I still remember the look on my mothers face when we came for supper shortly after my engagement and she saw the square rotis my soon to be mother-in-law served up. My Dadi and mother complained the whole way home..."kawe lagoo...kayni sarum chi? Mejwaan wasste ammtaa kiddoo, che che"
I just laughed, they where pissed they wasted time teaching me to roll round, and anyway at least it wasn't easy way out Midway rotis.

I sipped my tea while I laid out the cereals and warmed the leftover savories and milk. I love cereal with cold milk like a 'Gorie' but Surtis' just got to turn crunchy cereal into mushy porridge. What's with the fresh fresh curry too? As if cooking it the night before will make it stale...

I quickly finished off the prep and knocked on my MiLs door..."its sehri time mummy" I loudly whisper.
I go back to my room and turn on the lamp, I gently nudge my hubby...sehri time baby, he mumbles okay and I go to make wudu.

By the time I get back to the dinning room my MiL is already there, "Fatima you should have woke me up to help you bethi"
"It's no problem mummy, I hope everything is okay but"
"jee...jee"

(you mean to say she couldn't hear me in the kitchen right across her room? Tomorrow I'll be sure to bang pots and slam cabinet doors for her and my SiLs to hear)

My husband barely says a word at sehri, just quietly has his cereal and few savories. My FiL on the other hand gives bayaan after bayaan, punctuating each point with mince and roti koriyos...

I just feel so sleepy but I'm already thinking what to make for iftaar...