Chapter 2

Asha arrived at a diner at the corner of a busy street where small, close-packed office buildings were situated. She walked in a small kitchen and stepped sideways, passing her busy co-workers in their workstations.

"Asha, why are you late today? This is not you," Charbi, the head chef, said. He is a tall man of six feet in his thirties. He glanced at Asha while kneading the dough for Chapati.

"Sorry, boss, I looked for the last ingredient for the competition tomorrow." She took an apron and wrapped it around her small waist, then she covered her hair with a spare shawl.

"Hurry, cook your Chicken Torkari. A lot of customers have been asking for it,” he said as he slammed the five Kilos of dough on the steel countertop.

"It's easy to make. Let Bishal do it. He tried to copy it once." She took a covered plate with her pasted spices from the chiller.

Bishal, a pot-bellied guy with a bulging face, and covered with a dirty apron, went to her side. "Asha, that was just a fluke. I tried many times, but it still lacks something. I don't know what." He saw Asha tiptoed to get the powdered spices on a shelf above. Bishal took it for her.

"Thank you," Asha said.

Suddenly, Bishal knelt in front of her with a ring made of dough in his hand. "Asha, just marry me and cook only for me," then he winked at her. Everyone laughed looking at the silly proposal game. This had been a daily enjoyment in the kitchen. Either he'll bring out a noodle or any funny-looking object to imitate a ring.

"Go ahead, make her say yes this time, Bishal," the washer boy said.

"Stop this foolish joke, Bishal. I already told you, even if you ask me every day, my answer would still be no." Asha half-laughed as she replied, feeling silly herself.

"Bishal, cook the Biryani now or we’ll be late serving the office workers coming for lunch," Charbi said as he formed dough balls.

He glanced at the chef's direction with mirth in his eyes. "Boss, convince her to marry me."

"I prefer for her to marry a lawyer than you," Charbi replied nonchalantly. Everyone laughed at the head chef's remark.

"Be kind to me, boss. My Ma is now looking for a wife for me, but I would be happy if beautiful Asha is the one." Bishal stood up and stared silly at her while she sliced chunks of chicken meat.

"Bishal?" asked Charbi, with a heavier voice this time.

"Yeah, Boss Charbi. Biryani?" He strolled to his workplace whistling.

Asha started heating the twenty-four-inch wok while standing on a wooden box in front of the stove. She poured oil and spoonfuls of turmeric powder. She added the slices of onions and garlic, then followed the chicken marinated with her spicy pastes.

She continued to stir and poured a cup of water and covered it. She put some roasted peanuts in plastic and smashed it with a rolling pin, poured it on a grinder, and worked it into a paste. Last, she spooned it all into the simmering chicken curry.

She announced, "In ten minutes serve the Chicken Torkari." This dish of hers was an all-time favorite.

The first time she stepped into this kitchen, Charbi was reluctant to accept her, though the owner, her school friend, Mukti, recommended her.

"She could be a washer or anything else but not the cook," said Charbi without batting an eye. It was taught that men go to work while women stay at home to look after the household. Women working were still new in those days.

But he had another reason for rejecting her. She was the daughter of the Chef accused of food poisoning a magistrate leading to his death a year ago. She may be an orphan that needed help, but he wouldn't take the risk for the restaurant's sake and the safety of the owner and the workers. People might learn of her presence there, and they might lose their patrons because of her.

Asha drew her courage and told him, "Try eating my Baba's recipe of Chicken Torkari and judge it. If you still see that I'm not worthy, then I'll give up." He looked straight into Charbi’s eyes. "I know what you're thinking, my Baba poisoning the magistrate. I'll prove you wrong."

Seeing Asha's helplessness, Mukti pleaded to Charbi. After much coaxing and begging, he agreed with the condition that all cooks in that restaurant would taste it and be the jury. And that their decision would be final. Mukti and Asha agreed.

Asha plunged herself to the task. Charbi observed her every move, including the spices she picked. Thirty minutes later, she finished her dish in no time and served it with a smile. No one knew her palms were cold and sweating. She prayed nonstop that they would accept her.

The men gathered around the Chicken Torkari with a scrutinizing gaze. The restaurant workers peeked from the kitchen windows to see the result.

Using a spoon, Charbi moved the ingredients and picked the whole plate to smell it. This dish was common looking, but this one had some brown paste, with a sweet aroma filling his nostrils, making him gulp his saliva nonstop. As he was about to taste a spoonful, the impatient and salivating Mukti beat him and spooned a small chicken cut with some sauce to her opened mouth. They waited for her reaction.

With just one bit, her eyes opened wide, and elation suffused her being. She couldn't control herself but to get more. The rest saw her excitement and started digging. The other kitchen staff ran to taste even a little.

After tasting, each one showed a delightful face. Some laughed or smiled in satisfaction and approval. A lady even cried remembering her late mother's cooking. They wiped the plate clean in less than a minute, including the sauce.

The head chef licked his lips. "Delicious, so delicious. Different, but tasty. Perfect for a specialty the customers can choose." Charbi looked at Asha and said, "I'll be a fool to let you go. Sorry for my attitude earlier." He faced the owner. "Mukti, I want her as a cook in this kitchen." He looked around. "Anyone disagree?"

All of them went silent and their gaze went to the second chef, Shashantu. "I admit I can't cook like this though I'm good. I hope my sharing this kitchen with you will be rewarded with more great cooking of yours or I'll take back what I said," he said with an assuring and kind smile.

"Thank you for the offer. I really love to cook here with all of you," Asha politely said with a big smile. Deep inside, she felt like she was floating.

Mukti couldn't control her excitement and embraced Asha tight. It's her joy to help her friend in need. And if revenue increases, Mukti wouldn't hold back on paying her more. "Great! From now on, Asha will cook her specialty dishes here. That's all for now. Thank you." On that line, everyone dispersed to work.

As time went by, all the staff became Asha’s friends. Some even asked for her recipes. From then on she became an important and protected person of this kitchen.

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Chapati - a flat unleavened bread

Torkari - a dish or food with curry.

Biryani - a Bengali dish where chicken cuts are cooked with the rice.

Baba - father

Ma - mother