Originally posted by: minakrish


How was it, dear culinary mind-readers?
Did the past 48 hours have you squinting at your screens, second-guessing every word and thinking:
“Would she go with ‘Malai Kofta’ or ‘Mugh Korma’? Wait—was it Armaan or Arnav?”

You’ve sliced, sautéed, and sprinkled your guesses trying to figure out what I would’ve written... and now, it's time to lift the lid off the pot.
Let’s see how close your serving came to mine!

Presenting the original mad(food)lib straight from my word-kitchen:
🥘 Recipe for Romance 💕
Armaan was an Indian chef running a chic restaurant in London. His place, Zaika & Soul, was known for its modern twist on traditional Awadhi dishes.
Every evening, he would marinate with absolute focus, his hands dancing over ingredients like dhaniya powder and yogurt, the kitchen filled with the sound of sizzle.
But his life was all work—until she walked in.
Zoya, a sharp and witty food critic with a reputation for critiquing restaurants with just one review. Her column, Spice Chronicles, had both chefs and PR teams trembling.
She ordered the murgh korma and took one slow bite. Her eyebrows lifted ever so slightly.
"This is... intriguing," she murmured. “But it’s missing something.”
The chef came over, adjusting his apron, and asked, “What would you add?”
She looked at him—really looked—and replied with a smile, “A dash of kasuri methi.”
The restaurant seemed to pause as the aroma in the air shifted to something warmer. As they shared cardamom chai and laughter, something between them shifted.
Just before leaving, she turned back and said with a grin, "What a delightful experience.”
She paused at the door, then added, "Next time, I'll try the biryani."

✨ Note for #9: I accepted anything with the term "sizzle" or "sizzling". See? I'm not totally heartless. 😏
Hope you all had fun getting spicy with this first round! If not, well… there's always dessert.
And now, passing the ladle to Riya aka Lizzie for Round 2.
Brace yourselves—this next course might just be saucier than the last. 🍛🔥
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