Long before algorithm-generated recommendations on OTT streaming platforms sorted our watchlist out, most of us desi kids would rely on newspaper listings to chalk out our media diet. And of the myriad offerings of the TV era, one show that seemed to have touched the hearts of millions of viewers in India, is MasterChef Australia.

If you were one of those who planned their dinner around the show's telecast, there's a high chance you'd know what a mystery box challenge is. It was a segment of the show, typically in the last leg, where the contestants were given a box of surprise ingredients, which they would then have to use to create a dish that was good enough to impress the judges.