The Paneer Curry

Before going to sleep one night, Nihar said to his mother, Mummy, tomorrow, can you please make some paneer curry with parathas for my lunchbox? And please use home-made paneer and not the store-bought one."

- Alka Jain

His mother was very surprised to hear this.

She asked, "But you don't like paneer at all! Then...why?"

Nihar was silent. He did not respond.

His mother said, "Good! It seems your teacher has explained to you the importance of eating paneer."

Nihar did not reply again.

His mother thought that Nihar was not replying because he was sleepy.

The next day, she woke up early in the morning and made some paneer by adding lemon juice to the milk.

When Nihar got ready for school, his mother asked him to taste the paneer.

Nihar said, "No, Mummy...I've just drunk milk." He hurriedly kept the lunchbox in his bag.

At school, during lunchtime, his best friend Abhinav came and sat beside him. Nihar held out his lunchbox towards him, and he extended his box containing pickles toward Nihar.

Nihar relished the pickles brought by Abhinav, and Abhinav enjoyed the paneer curry.

Nihar licked his fingers and said, "Your grandmother makes wonderful pickles."