food paas-si-oon.

{Thank you "Apni boli wale".Glad to have a new follower.}

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WHen I got married,I couldnt cook anything.It was strange when i realised that over the years before tying the knot,my siblings and I had consumed raw meat in the midst of chopped and spattered onions and chillies.I didnt know when garlic and ginger were used during cooking and It came to me that the 3 of us had survived on instant maggi noodles,eggs beaten up in every possible way,bread,hotel food ,jalebis and pedas and fruit cake,for around 3 years.I pan fried potatoes in oil and we ate them either slightly burnt or under cooked.


I always thought cooking was very easy.All you do is cut,throw into oil and stir for a few minutes and vola ! The dish is done.I got married and on the 3rd day,i decided to make breakfast.There I was ready to dazzle him with my omelette,I started with chopping some onions.After 30 mins,my hubby walks in and goes like," Kya kar rahi ho Jaanu !" Im like ," ek minute ,jao jao...Kandha kat rahi hu." Judging the size of the chopped onion,he was like,"OMG! you have never cut onions before."Im like I have ,but it needs to be washed,then peeled,since I was tearing up at every slice,I stopped ,washed my eyes and balancing the knife,what if I cut my finger????

I realised I was no cook and this is going to be the most painful things to go through in my life.You knwo when your dad decides to teach you driving,tempers are flwoing around,bad words just leaking out through his mouth and Its like"BBBRRRAAKKKKKES "/"CLCutch" and what not,So was the learning how to cook part.Hold the onion like this,break the egg away from the pan,dont slice too thin,dont slice too thick,the onions are brown enough,the oil hasnt separated yet,the masala isnt done yet,its too much salt..its less salt...AAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhh!

Sometimes,I even thought it was better to part ways than listen to this crap from my hubby.My husband is an exceptional cook and to listen to him go on and on........

I started with eggs,then dal,potatoes,then veggies and finally after a year chicken.But to cook to perfection,it took me 3 years.Otherwise,it was just a dish and the only compliment I got was a delayed "OOOOOk".

I have always been a foodie but to have others love your food is actually difficult.

The thought of people coming over for lunch or dinner was so scary,I literally cried in the bathroom,fought with my hubby.Guests are very quick to judge and since I have outspoken friends,all they did was dig through and mention every unsavoury detail.Im not very competetive by nature but I love to be good at what I begin with.

Anyways,now Im very good at cooking and it takes a lot less time to whip up a dish at the spur of the moment.There are 2 things I dont want to ever learn though,that is - making rotis and preparing sweets.Rotis because first of all they are never a circular shape and it turns out to be a papad,very hard.And sweets because I have a sweet tooth,being diabetic and my present life style,its better to stay away from all this at this point than having to give it all up at once later on.

But to all those who are learning or hoping to learn how to cook,You should remember,good cooking comes out of passion.Cook something because you want to and not because you have to.Trust me, the taste varies with the attitude and effort you put into it.It actually is fun,all you need to do is donate a little of your mind and eyes into watching a dish cooked well.When it comes to cooking,I know I have done well with the aroma that fills all my 5 senses.I have never used measuring spoons so far in my 9 years of cooking and I know how much of what I have to add to make it perfect.

Sometimes you come across people ,who say that they dont enjoy what they cooked because they are bored after all that cooking and rather not eat it.I wonder how,I love what I cook,Im not fussy by nature and would give a try to new stuff anyday provided ,it has been cooked in a clean environment and with good quality stuff.

I know stuff cooked over coal and wood fire tastes absolutely different and delicious and no stove can beat it.I used to laugh at the way food was cooked in my granny's kitchen over wood and all,thinking this is as backward as one can get.But now you have to pay good money to eat food at top class restaurant where wood fire and coal is used.

Iam confident in my cooking even more now coz my husband makes his demands once we are up.Can you make this for me or that? He loves my cooking now and when he cleans up dishes with his fingers,I know Im there.