Do not try this at home. Again!

Not Zen, but a simple stroll down your trusted neighborhood departmental store is all that takes to make one learn the fine balance between efficiency versus stupidity, hard work versus smart work, value of money versus careless splurging, respect for fellow human beings versus rolling your eyes at the aunty who wants to take her sweet time counting her Sodexho coupons at the cash counter.

On one side we have an array of peeled, shelled, cut, cleaned, cellophane wrapped, neatly labelled vegetables and meat..  processed, treated, attractively packaged frozen foods... ready-to-make mixes, powders, sauces.. what have you! ... And on the other is the old school way of doing things- washing, peeling, chopping, grinding... authentic, traditional and charming to taste buds and not to forget the purse strings!

Well, me and my husband decided to take Zen into our hands! We thought- Hmph- this commercialization is making us all lazy, and at that too at a cost (literally). Why buy Ginger- Garlic paste in a bottle, when you can make pure unadulterated GG paste by the peeling and grinding yourself- and save money as well?

So we go grocery shopping. We see a good ole- Smith and Jones and we say- prrff to you! We are going to make our own GG- paste- double the quantity and at half the price. B-)

We brought the loot home like excited kids on an exhilarating secret project.

And started peeling.. and peeling.. and peeling. Did I mention peeling? And oh ya- peeling!

It took our 4 hands, and 5 man (and woman!) hours each, good share of the weekend and LOTS OF patience to get this!

We were tired, we were frustrated and we were smelly .. BUT we were happy to have accomplished the task with team work (read not bringing up- who's idea was this?!), and more importantly- we were wiser! Not to try this at home. Again!

P.S:- My mom's smart Alec comment after I told her my gruelling experience- "LOL! It is not meant for people like you!!  Why don't you buy ready made paste? Smith and Jones perhaps..."