The winning blend

ON FRIDAY, it was hardly a Tu-Tu Main-Main kind of storyline. The mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law had joined hands in public, to dish out some mouth-watering recipes.

The occasion was an on-the-spot cookery contest for Saas Bahu (Mamiyar and Marumagal) teams organised by Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), marking International Women's Day for its customers. The recipes had to revolve round one thing: green peas. No wonder, given the eco-friendly quality of LPG.

In hindsight, many MIL and DILs might rue missing the contest, but Bharat Petroleum Corporation did not let go the opportunity - to spread the message on safe cooking practices using LPG. While the two judges were busy selecting the winners, the company organised a safety clinic, in which Bharat Gas officials also gave tips to conserve the precious domestic fuel.

Says Mr. N. Ramanathan, Territory Manager LPG of BPCL, ``As a company, our concentration is two-pronged - better customer service and safety.'' The company caters to nearly 3.65 lakh customers in Chennai and its neighbourhood through 24 distributors. The company maintains a helpline (6208682) for cooking-gas related emergencies, mainly for its customers.

For Ms. Jayalakshmi and Ms. Ragini, who won the contest for their Peas Burfi, it was a dream come true. `` We have participated in a few such contests before, but never won the first prize.'' In the end, all the participants were happy as everyone received prizes.

Besides taste, other parameters used to select the winners by the judges - Ms. Fifie Mendonca, columnist and Ms. Lalitha Lakshmi, a Bharat Gas distributor - included adherence to conservation tips and presentation of the dish. For those who still refuse to accept that all was well with the team mates, someone commented: `Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.'

By N. Ravi Kumar

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