Q1.
Healthy and tasty food is liked by everyone. But have you cooked anything for anyone? Organise a “Preparing a Dish Without Fire” activity in your class. Your teacher may assist you in class.
Answer
This is a doing activity for the whole class. “Without fire” means you must not use a stove, a gas flame or a hot pan. You only cut, mix, pour and arrange.
How to organise it, step by step:
- Make groups. Four or five children in each group.
- Choose one dish per group. Tell your teacher what you have chosen.
- Bring the things from home. Write a list so that nobody forgets.
- Wash your hands with soap, and wash the fruits and vegetables too.
- Make the dish together. Each child does one job — one peels, one mixes, one arranges.
- Serve and share. Give a little to every group, and say the name of your dish aloud.
- Clean up. Put the peels in the dustbin and wipe the table.
Dishes you can make without fire:
| Dish | What you need | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit chaat | banana, apple, papaya, a little lemon, a pinch of salt | Cut small, mix, squeeze the lemon on top. |
| Sprouts salad | sprouted moong, tomato, onion, lemon, salt | Chop, mix everything in a bowl. |
| Bread sandwich | bread, butter, cucumber, tomato | Spread the butter, lay the slices, cover and cut. |
| Lassi | curd, water, sugar, a little cardamom | Whisk the curd, add water and sugar, stir well. |
| Lemon sharbat | lemon, water, sugar, salt | Squeeze the lemon, add water and sugar, stir. |
Sample answer — what to write in your notebook:
Our group made fruit chaat. We brought one banana, one apple and a piece of papaya. First we washed our hands and the fruits. Then Rani peeled the banana and I cut the apple into small pieces. Amit mixed everything in a bowl and squeezed half a lemon on top. We added a pinch of salt. Everyone in the class tasted it and said it was sweet and fresh.
Our group made fruit chaat. We brought one banana, one apple and a piece of papaya. First we washed our hands and the fruits. Then Rani peeled the banana and I cut the apple into small pieces. Amit mixed everything in a bowl and squeezed half a lemon on top. We added a pinch of salt. Everyone in the class tasted it and said it was sweet and fresh.
Why “without fire” is the rule: Fire is not safe for children to use alone. Without fire you can still make many healthy dishes — and raw fruits and vegetables keep more of their goodness, because nothing is cooked away.
Safety tips: Use a blunt knife or a peeler, and always cut on a board. Ask your teacher or an elder to cut anything hard. Never taste anything that smells bad.
Link to the chapter: A fit body needs two things — playing and healthy food. The poem gives you the first. This activity gives you the second.