“Hey, let’s go to the canteen?” Pradnya called out to her childhood buddy and now colleague, Hema, luring her with the promise of breakfast. These two had grown up together, quite literally, even pursued their engineering degree from the same college. But after Pradnya’s marriage, they hardly had any time to spend with each other.
She had moved to a place that felt miles away from Hema`s abode. But they managed to reserve breakfast as their sacred meet-and-greet time, and get some relief from clutches of work schedules and hectic life otherwise. Being in different teams meant they had separate schedules for the rest of the day.
Hema knew the drill for the day already. Pradnya was about to unleash her undying love for idli chutney upon the unsuspecting canteen staff.
“Pradnya, spill the beans, or should I order for you?” hema asked with a quirky smile.
“Tell me, why do you always order Idli and nothing else?” she continued further.
It was an obvious question considering the frequency with which Pradnya served herself this south indian delicacy, which was quite often. Pradnya responded to her with an awkward tone “Hema, you know how conscious I am about what I eat right? Didn’t you know that Idli has no added oil, or high protein content and keeps me full till a late lunch!”
Hema looked at her with an affiliative smile while she unpacked her own homemade tiffin. Both of them strived to maintain their wellness goals. She also knew that Pradnya would’ve preferred to whip up her favorite breakfast at home, but her newly acquired domestic responsibilities and the preparation process prevented her from doing so.
Hema’s smile faded into concern as she noticed the worry lines on her friend’s face. “Pradnya, is everything alright? You appear a little bothered.” Pradnya’s face broke into grin again, but she did not answer her question.
“Umm is it something to do with Yash?” Hema had missed the mark this time. Pradnya wasn’t fretting about her beloved Yash. She responded calmly, “Hema, no need to worry about Yash. Remember how you insisted that I see a doctor when my energy levels dropped? Well, I saw Dr. Sharma yesterday. You know him, right? He’s not a fan of prescribing medicines unless it’s absolutely necessary. To be sure, he ordered a blood test for me.”
Hema felt a bit of concern since she knows how fitness freak her friend is.
“And? What did he say?” she asked.
Pradnya’s eyes sparkled with a mix of relief and anticipation. “Well, nothing major, but it turns out my hemoglobin levels are running a bit low. That’s why I’ve been feeling weak and drained lately.”
Hema let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness! So, what’s got you so worked up? Apart from chomping on red fruits and veggies, I know of a grain which is a great source of iron, and is trending these days!”
Pradnya’s curiosity soared. “Really? What is this magical grain you speak of?”
Hema leaned in, whispering frantically “Ragi! Some call it Nachani!”
“Oh, right! I remember eating Nachni bhakri from my childhood. To be honest, I did not like its taste. And who brings bhakri in tiffin? Plus who has the time to cook it?”
” Hmm, True!”, Hema nodded in agreement, sensing the obviousness in her friend’s resistance. She herself had it easy because her mom liked to cook for her. As IT professionals, they were constantly busy attending meetings, making presentations and coding ofcourse.
She pondered upon a solution that would appease her dear friend’s taste buds and fit their busy lives as coding warriors. “There’s gotta be a way,” she whispered to herself, promising something to Pradnya some other day.
The next morning, the duo found themselves back at their usual canteen, engaged in their usual banter while devouring scrumptious treats. Hema had found the perfect remedy for her friend’s cravings. With a flourish, she unveiled her tiffin, revealing perfectly round, brown, and heavenly soft Ragi Idlis accompanied by a delectable chutney!
“Where did you get this from Hema?” Pradnya asked excitedly.
Hema basked in her friend’s delight. “Guess what? I made them myself. It is quite easy and quick. All thanks to Sonkan’s Instant Ragi Idli Mix that was super instantaneous. You should try it once too. I bet you would start loving Nachni taste like never before!”
Pradnya would never think of experimenting on something like this but she considered it only because it was Hema’s suggestion. She happily accepted her recommendation and assured to include Ragi Idli into her healthy regime. Her perception of Ragi is about to be changed for life!