Self-quarantine began exactly a year ago, and I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that life has dramatically changed since. Classes are virtual, activities without a mask are unimaginable and many social gatherings have been restricted. In the midst of all this chaos, I decided to pick up a new hobby—cooking.
I was never an expert at cooking, but I had grown up seeing my grandma make Indian cuisine from scratch. Her cooking method was a work of art to me. The sauces were sauteed with a variety of spices, the poultry was marinated with fresh lemon and yogurt, and the aroma of it all was astonishing.
I took up cooking as a way to keep myself busy because of the extended spring break and transition to online learning. As you can guess, I started with Indian food, and my grandma was my mentor. She said that baking was the simplest form of cooking for her because it didn’t require much thought—just a great recipe and exact measurements.
We did some googling and found a recipe for a Gulab Jamun cake. Gulab Jamun is a popular dessert in India, and it can be described as a fried dough ball soaked in sweet rose syrup. Using this dessert as the basis for a cake was something I would’ve never thought of. It was exciting. It was new. It was unique.
My grandma and I spent an entire spring afternoon working on baking this sweet cake. It came out of the oven smelling like a burst of rosewater and cinnamon. As I poured the syrup over the fresh, warm cake, I felt a sense of achievement. I did this. I created something unique from scratch. So, the next week, I decided to bake again.
However, this time I wanted to combine the pistachio flavor from the toppings of the Gulab Jamun cake with the rosewater syrup, and so I came up with the idea of a pistachio cake with rosewater cream cheese frosting. To make it more flavorful, my grandma suggested I add lemon zest in the batter so it can be refreshing on a warm day.
After this experience, I started to feel more confident to begin combining recipes and flavors to create a unique dish. I made the transition to grilling, and I was able to marinate boneless chicken with lemon juice, yogurt, red chili powder, black pepper and a whole lot of other ingredients to create a spicy and tangy dish for my family. As I practiced my skills with my mentor, I got the feeling that I finally found my creative outlet.
I could express my ideas and my interests through cooking by adding a variety of ingredients and flavors to my dish. I also had a way to challenge myself by creating alternative gluten-free, dairy-free or low sugar recipes for my family members who could not eat a certain ingredient.
This activity allowed me to take a step back from my busy lifestyle so I can enjoy spending time with my loved ones and create delicious food at the same time. I am extremely thankful to my grandmother, who introduced me to cooking and included me in her passion.