Cooking is an art!

We were newly engaged and went out for lunch at “Dilli Haat” on an week end. We sat down under the shadow of a big eucalyptus tree on the concrete bench of “Bijoli Grill” and settled for some fish curry and rice. My love for fish is legendary and Suparno also got the hint in no time. While I was engrossed in enjoying the delicious fish curry, Suparno stated very passionately, “Cooking is an art, you know.”

I stared at him vacantly as I was yet to experience the feeling. Out of courtesy, I only could nod a little (in a manner which could mean ‘yes’ or ‘no’) as my mouth was full with fish and rice. He went on explaining in great detail how “mix & match” of simple spices could bring out an all new flavor to any dish. I was certainly impressed with his knowledge and passion but could not contribute to the deliberation as my experiment in kitchen was limited only to “egg curry, daal and alu bharta” and that too after I became an inmate in the working women hostel in Delhi. Nothing was artistic in the whole process of cooking as was my feeling.

I was privileged as a child in many ways so to say.  My grandma (who was fiercely protective about me) and my father made it very clear to everybody in the household that I should never be bothered to do any kind of household activities as he wanted me to excel academically which I did.

……… I never entered the kitchen before I came to Delhi.

As a new bride, the first dish that I was supposed to prepare was actually cooked by Suparno and I only held the ladle for few seconds as it was a ritual. (He was already aware of my cooking skill by then!). The first meal that I prepared independently for us was almost inedible and my “basic training” in cooking took off from the very next day under Suparno.

After I successfully passed that round, I was in for an “advanced training” and then there was a prolong “internship”. During my internship period I collected enviable number of cook books, consulted everyone in the neighborhood and relatives how to add “zing” to a dish and watched cooking show of Sanjeev Kapoor with so much of focus and attention! Finally, I was given permission to experiment and invent in the kitchen the day I cooked Mutton kebabs of decent taste and made my Guru proud!!  

Long years have passed since then and my love for cooking has only increased with time as Suparno practised “positive motivation” with perfection. The situation changed drastically when my little pumpkin started to express his opinion about everything that I cooked.

Someday I will take great pain in cooking something exotic hoping that he will love that. He will take the first morsel and say, “I can’t believe that you have cooked this”. My face will lit up with anticipation of few praises and I hear a bang on the dining table, “awful Mum, fry me some chicken nuggets”. I say to myself, “may be the mix and match went overboard” and I try to defend myself meekly, ‘but daddy said it was tasty, baby”.  

He becomes more frustrated, “did he? He must have gone mad”. I take out the packet of chicken nuggets from the fridge and I put a red cross on the recipe.

The next day, I use utmost caution while churning out something for him and wait nervously for his reaction. He starts with his deceptive one-liner again, “I don’t believe you have cooked this Mum.” I sense danger and take out the packet of chicken nuggets. Around this time, I hear a loud bang on the table again,” awesome man, can I get some more?” I happily turn the bowl over his plate and put a red tick on the recipe.

Then comes my princess who seems to be on diet ever since she was born. If she has ever mentioned something that I have cooked for her which she really liked, I stick the recipe on my fridge door!

My experience of being an auditor has come quite handy. I use cross and tick in different colors like an auditor in my recipe book which goes like this:

Red tick – for Chhutku. Follow the recipe to the tee. Tolerance level (+) or (–) 1%

Red Cross – never cook for Chhutku. Tolerance level 0%

Green tick – Chhutku’s favorite. Tolerance level (+) or (–) 25%. Quantity should be enough for

                        Lunch, dinner and next day b’fast.

Underline and in bold – For Misti. Maintain a gap of atleast two months before repeating 

 No tick – For Suparno; Scope of experimenting – unlimited. Tolerance level (+) or (–) 100%       

Even after all these drills, I run to the kitchen the moment they say, “Mum can you make some momos for us? We love it when u make these” or “Mum, can we bake a chocolate cake today? Last time you baked, it was delicious” or “Mem, those vegetable cutlets were awesome the other day” (Suparno fondly calls me Mem) and I forget completely that I applied “moov”      for backache few minutes ago. Can I afford to let go those hugs and kisses? I do not exist without those hugs and kisses!!

I will close this with this last anecdote. The other day, I cooked prawns. Suparno opened the door with a big hug when I came back from University, and said,” prawns were out of the world today. What all did you add?

I said matter-of-factly, “oh, nothing. Only little fish sauce and oyster sauce towards the end. Cooking is an art, you know. You only need to figure out how much and what to mix”.

He glanced at me smilingly as if to say, “So you agree”.

I do, my adorable Master Chef.