A Tribute to Cooking

I’m infamous for having been an extremely fussy eater as a child and for steadfastly remaining anorexically thin for the most part of my life thus far (although that phase has ended quite dramatically now). So, no astrologer would have predicted this. I would take ages to complete a bland meal of curd, rice, and naarthangai (dried and salted pieces of a tart fruit that is supposed to be a good digestive aid). I was that kid who needed her class teacher to check her lunch box of its emptied content at the end of lunch break. I liked only two vegetables, and perhaps one fruit. I didn’t even care for chocolates, pastries, or ice creams. If you gave me a box of exotic chocolates, I would carefully place the box in the refrigerator and will forget about it till I am reminded of it. If you pleaded with me to try one, I'd graciously eat one, or perhaps two, if I’m in the mood to please you. But I did like something. What I did like (but in moderation) was the unholy, unhealthy, fried food varieties - crispy dosai, chips, vadams, om-pudi, murukku, etc. The only exception to this was idli with (and only with) tomato-onion chutney. In displaying at least this much enthusiasm for food, I was able to call myself reasonably normal.

In short, I can’t call myself a foodie. It took me a long time to realize what “food craving” or gluttony meant; or for that matter, even properly understand what pangs of hunger meant to the tummy. I was totally impervious to it. That shows how blessed and fortunate my life has been.

Not sure when I crossed over, but at some point, food started to interest me. This interest was not in eating, but in cooking. I started watching cooking shows with my mother, intently observing the various smart techniques that converted raw vegetables and grains into delectable dishes. I viewed, and still continue to view the kitchen as a mini-science lab. There is science and precision to everything, and it excites me to recreate a dish as if I am recreating a fun experiment in the lab. Add a dash of creativity, and the experience only gets better. I also love basking in the thrill and joy of creating something that my family would relish, appreciate, and enjoy. I realized this quintessential "Joy of Cooking" when I was left by myself (in the kitchen) to feed my father and myself for two short weeks.

Though some may not relate to this “joy” (which is obviously subjective), cooking is essentially a basic necessity that everybody needs to acknowledge and appreciate. As social animals, men came together over food (and hunting). Sharing food was a custom that the earliest cave men (and ape) societies practised. The generous gesture of sharing your source of sustenance brings together communities and societies, and fosters communal harmony. Food-sharing has always been the center of any celebration, for food is the most vital part of our survival. We express our happiness and sorrow in the kinds of food we eat and distribute. And cooking was almost a turning point in our evolutionary game. Cooking meant we could eat and digest more plants and animal parts to suit our body’s constitution. This enlarged the set of items we could subsist on. It meant we could live even on tough roots, grains, and tubers, and weather droughts. The more items we creatively cooked, the more protein and vitamin-enriched foods got into us, helping us evolve into a more healthier, smarter species. We were one of the fittest who could survive, thanks to our tools, our ability to make fire, and the ability to adapt and change what Nature offers us to something that suits us (of course, we are also paying the price for this arrogance, but that’s another issue). But cooking is one such highly useful skill we acquired, and cannot do without. It deserves its own tribute.

I believe cooking is one of the most enduring, significant gifts you can give to your family. A happy tummy is a precious state of contentment! I have heard poignant stories of my great grandmothers who toiled in their kitchens, working with flimsy wood burning stoves, rugged manual appliances, and a lean budget to unfailingly deliver sumptuous dishes. It’s inspiring and touching to think of these women who selflessly worked themselves to the bone to keep their family well-fed. Despite the bleak finances, their pitiable physical ailments, the number of mouths to feed, and the very limited groceries available, they were smart and resourceful enough to always find a way to whip up something efficient, tasty, and relatively healthy. It’s humbling to think of their times in contrast to mine. In this pampered age when I am blessed with a plethora of fancy and time-saving appliances to grind, puree, shred, chop, dice, slice, heat, freeze, whip, beat, bake, clean, and do everything else in between, when I mostly have only two tummies to feed, when I have the blissful option of freezing and reheating food, and when I am fortunate to receive the help of my spouse, I still get overwhelmed. Even two hours of cooking everyday sounds daunting. When it’s time to celebrate a festive occasion, as much as I am excited to try out the authentic sweets and savories, I also keenly dread the aftermath of cleaning, and well, sore legs. And at the end of such long days when I have the feeling of having spent my entire life in the kitchen, I reflect on my great-grandmothers, grandmothers, grandaunts, mother, and every other woman in my ancestry, and bow down to their dedication, applaud their mammoth efforts, while also resenting their stifling, confined life.

So, this blog is mainly a tribute to all the kind and wonderful women, and to their art of cooking that has passed down generations and stood the test of time and varied palates! There are so many awesome cooking blogs that have spread like wild mushrooms. This feeble effort of mine pales in comparison. But I wanted a space to record my experiences and lessons learned from my culinary adventures, so to say. Recreating all the ingenious recipes of my ancestors is my way of acknowledging their hard-work and ingenuity. In doing so, I pay homage to them in my little way. By ancestors, I don't mean just my South-Indian ancestors, but I mean in a larger sense - the whole world of human beings is one family.

This blog will likely not contain any fancy recipes, for I mostly follow tried and tested recipes, and haven’t gotten to the stage of innovation yet. I don’t promise on delighting your visual senses with lovely photos of tastefully (and artfully) presented appetizing dishes, for I neither have the skill, the time, nor the equipment required to do so (as evidenced by the header image). But I will try to present decent-looking dishes with stories, suggestions, lessons learned, and little bits of adaptions and techniques. Every dish has a story behind its creation and cooking. My aim is to relate and record the story.