"It looks like something Shrek would cook"

Not all of my culinary prowess is appreciated, not all of it has my co-diners standing up to pipe in the arrival of the dish amidst raucous applause.

But I am a little bit miffed about this one.

Having prepared a chicken saagwala and having had to substitute the fresh spinach with frozen spinach BECAUSE OF AN EGREGIOUS OVERSIGHT ON THE PART OF THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR FOOD ORDERS (not that I am bitter), I slaved away dicing onions and chopping garlic and ginger, before cooking and preparing the aforementioned meal.

“Look at this,” I said to Ottawacker Jr. as he walked through the kitchen on his way to the garden.
“What is it?” he said.
“Chicken saagwala,” I answered.
“Why is it so green?”
“It has loads of spinach in it. It’s good for you.”
“Hmmm,” he said.
“It’ll make your muscles grow,” I said, with no hope of his getting the reference.
“It looks terrible. Like something Shrek would cook. Or do in the swamp. I think I’ll have cereal.”

And like that, he was off. Off to dash someone else’s dreams to smithereens with a carelessly tossed off simile.

For the record, it tasted good – if a little bland (BECAUSE OF THE FROZEN SPINACH) – and he had seconds. He also renamed it Chicken Boogerwala, which is possibly a better name, and one I shall keep.