The problem with much of the hype about cooking today is that the focus is often not on the simple, straightforward, good dishes that comprise the repertoire of most home cooks, but on the overly fancified recipes developed by chefs to impress us when we spend fifty dollars per person in their restaurants. Home cooking is a different story: Simple, basic, and easily accomplished using a variety of on-hand ingredients along with one or two things brought home from the market. With this kind of approach, anyone can cook almost anything -- and most people are usually surprised at how easy and rewarding real cooking is.
I consider myself propitious that I embarked on the never-ending process of discovering the art and science of cooking at the tender age of 13 yrs when I was in grade 8; those were the days of summer vacations, dad was on Navy deputation and my elder sister was busy studying her even engineering semesters while I was alone to brood over idling most of my time with my friends here and there besides watching movies in the afternoon and nights. I still remember that the ohh-so-boring cable TV was new in those days and my mom used to get confused after finding ways and means to keep my eyes and concentration away from this growing menace.
I also remember how my aunts and mom used to discuss at length what was very common for most of mommies at that time - they had actually heard that many vices of cable TV and how to ’save’ their kids from this magnetic evil. My mom was quick enough to react - she took me to cooking. The gullible in me wasn’t able to decide instantly whether I was in a trap or not but had to finally concede to what mom told and made my first tea. It was too sweet and my sister snobbishly glanced at me after throwing the tea contents.
The rest of tea was kept for the maid-servant coming in the evening who gave me obscene glances - I think she thought what a sorry young fellow I was. Over the years I received enough criticism from fellow friends and cousins (we used to stay pretty close by and often stayed with each other especially during the new cable TV well that?s another story and I am going off the track now)
Coming to cooking, I later realized that this skill can be used to my advantage and skillfully did it - I also won a second prize - cheap 3rd grade food processor that I guess worked only for 7-8 times before making its way to the hands of our maid-servant in one of my creative designs of veg. salads (actually inspired from a salad recipe ;) from a good cook show (don’t recollect the name, it used to come on ZEE TV with trailers of Namaste and Khushamdeed Zee flying here and there - Zee at that time also used to cater to UAE audiences). Unfortunately even though I manage to churn very good end-products (hey! Hey!! No straying in the direction of human by-products, this is with respect to food, so pay atmost respect - okay!) but the kitchen used end up bearing the brunt of it - I never had and still don’t have the knack to employ my otherwise good skills to clean the area where I cut stuff or wash the plates or dishes before cooking or even after eating!
Apart from this, I also need a maid-servant to help me cut onions, cabbage, thaw chicken and clean fish and prawns. The thumb of my right hand still bears silent testimony to all the cuts and nicks bore by me during the years.
Some of my specialities are: Malai kofta (I add whipped cream along with grated kaju and badam in the gravy to enrich it), Biryani (add lots of kashmiri red mirchi for colour not taste), Pav bhaji (unfortunately this does not turn out as we get at hotels but still is very good), Fish in palak (this is yummy) and any mixed sabzi.
I follow a routine common technique, which I am not going to divulge now (trade secret!!) for most of sabzi but always add my creativity in every dish I make. The dishes always tend to be thora hatke if you change the normal recipe and add some or remove some stuff here and there. But the most important lesson is: Never (I repeat never) add red mirchi or salt in excess - you can always add them later on if you’ve added more in the beginning itself, it becomes very difficult, if not impossible to reduce its intensity. One good method is to add more potatoes that suck in the impact of these spices but still not recommended.
I have never tried baking cookies, pies, biscuits, cakes, pastries or making chocolates as these are very tough - not to make but to achieve the right viscosity! If you are lucky to get all the ingredients mixed in appropriate quantities, then the stuff turns out to be a treat for everyone otherwise it will either burn or stick to the vessel of the microwave. Apart from that, a lot of smoke is produced if you don’t take care of microwave temperatures and this ofcourse can burn your food stuff too. So be careful.
The 2 most difficult delicacies I feel are actually the simplest: Gulab Jamun (sweet floor balls soaked in rose water) and Dahi wada (floor balls in sweet/salty curd) - the toughest part is achieving the correct viscosity in making the dough for the dahi wada or jamuns - if the right quantities are not used, the wadas/jamuns fry partly and burn partly and taste is awful. So atmost concentration is required during making these dishes.
As claimed in my profile, I have tried atleast 60 of 85 dishes and they have turned out to be pretty good and eatable with some-what gastronomic feast-fit qualities (but no guarantees haan!). Some of ingredients without which I feel crippled and they are a must in all my sabzi: Mix Veg masala (any brand), Chaat masala and sambhar masala besides cheddar cheese, lil’ of whipped cream or mashed paneer (cottage cheese), cauliflower, tomato gravy/puree and curd (yes! Curd is the most important ingredient in non-veg dishes while marinating chicken)
I enjoy something I learnt with not so effort and inclination but the end results seem to be marvellous; besides I manage myself very well now in Canada; the art of food-making is cheap to practise and I am able to save $$ just to invest in junk stuff like CDs and T-shirts. But I have been in good books of many of my friends who have gone beyond their reach to help me - after all mera namak khaya hai!