What "Stars" Tastes Like

Arpana Gvalani
Dec 7, 2025
3 min read

Simply Red - Stars

Ptitim with Roast Chicken in Mushroom Sauce

(Track 7 of the “What A Song Tastes Like” series)

There are songs that lift you without noise.

Stars has always been that quiet miracle for me.

It’s warm, simple, and a little magical in the way good music often is -

the kind that shifts the room without trying.

The kind that makes you breathe differently,

even if the day has been long.

A friend recently gifted me tiny paper stars -

blue, red, yellow -

and they somehow matched the gentle wonder of the song.

Not symbolic, not heavy,

just small reminders of lightness.

That’s the tone Stars carries:

soft, steady, quietly hopeful.

Why this dish

Ptitim has always felt like comfort with a small twist -

familiar, but playful,

something you can dress up or keep humble.

It’s the kind of ingredient that makes a weekday evening

feel a little more like home.

And pairing it with roast chicken and mushrooms

creates a bowl that’s warm, grounded,

and exactly the sort of dinner you make for people you care about.

Even Zizou — my golden retriever

with permanent sunshine energy -

used to wander around the kitchen on nights like these,

as if supervising the whole thing.

He made every room feel lived-in.

That’s the feeling I wanted the dish to hold:

comfort without fuss,

warmth without drama,

a quiet bowl that glows.

A small harmony in the kitchen

The ptitim simmered steadily,

tiny orbits finding their place in the pot.

The chicken took its time in the oven -

a quiet verse soaking in before the heat

did the heavy lifting.

Garlic opened the pan like an opener to a track,

onions brought the warmth in,

mushrooms added depth without ever overwhelming the space.

The sliced roast chicken returned to the mix

like a familiar melody entering at just the right moment.

A little seasoning, a little steam,

and the whole dish blended gently under the lid -

a small harmony finding itself.

A final sprinkle of chilli crisps on top

felt like the right closing note -

a tiny constellation.

A dish meant to be shared

Some dinners taste better when there are two bowls on the table,

a quiet evening,

and enough space in the conversation for the day to settle down.

Stars has that same energy -

a song you don’t play to impress anyone.

Just something that fills the room

with a soft kind of peace.

THE RECIPE

Ptitim with Roast Chicken in Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup ptitim
1 chicken breast, flattened
Olive oil
Salt, pepper, herbs
Chilli crisps in oil (optional)
1 onion, sliced
1 packet mushrooms, sliced
2–3 cloves garlic, chopped
A splash of water
Mixed herbs or seasoning of choice
Chilli crisps for garnish

Method

Cook ptitim according to packet instructions.
Marinate the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs, and a little chilli crisp oil.
Roast until cooked through; slice and set aside.
In a pan, sauté garlic, then onions.
Add mushrooms and cook until soft.
Add the sliced roast chicken back in.
Season as preferred and add a splash of water to bring it together.
Let it simmer briefly until everything blends.
Serve ptitim in a bowl, ladle the chicken-mushroom mix over it,and finish with a sprinkle of chilli crisps.

**Some dishes fade out.
Some linger long after the song ends.Stars has always been that kind of song.**