The Joys of Cooking

Cooking was something I never really did enjoy. Of course, as the good Indian girl I knew how to cook enough to sustain a family and the learning process was always there. But the time spent in the kitchen was never my idea of “my time” or of  ”relaxation”. Some people enjoy cooking, I was never one of them.

But lately, every trip I have taken to the supermarket has had me itching to try out new things to cook. I have also always been skeptical of my own cooking, but now even that has changed. I want to eat everything I try my hand at. In fact, it’s gone to the stage where someone else’s cooking, or even method of cooking, does not go down well with me. I’ve found that lately the time spent in the kitchen cooking for two other people gives me some peace of mind. I seem to put my heart and soul into the dish I’m making and I must confess I like the end result.

Living in Australia has given me a wider range of ingredients to play around with and the kitchens come with cooking ranges and working ovens. So to my joy I am now able to bake. For a long time now I made mac and cheese in the microwave, not the same as baking it. I finally made mac and cheese the way it is supposed to be made. Today it’s Shepherd’s Pie. Never made it before, but am enjoying the whole process, tiring as it may be. I have finally discovered the joys of cooking.

Of course, I must say that I am missing the “desi khaana”. I miss my mother’s home cooked meals and the Bengali dishes that I like so much. With the lack of ingredients for making Indian food, I’ve tried to stick to experimenting with western cuisine. After this, the experiments with Irish stew and other baked dishes begin. Starting from the shopping at the supermarket to the end result of a dish well made, I’m loving every bit of it!!!

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