Teriyaki, in the centre!

Since my transportation to the US, I have been trying my luck at cooking. Tried various cuisines, a few to my liking but not too many. I have experimented these days so much so that my kitchen trips this year would outweigh all the trips taken during the rest of my life. I feel both lucky and proud. I know many of you might dismiss me because cooking is very common and someone who doesn't have that prowess, especially an Indian female is an embarrassment. That’s the kind of idea we vouch for or at least choose to display. Undoubtedly, reasons vary.

Well, I choose to differ from the traditional idea and I rightfully do so. Cooking is a very common art and is highly expected of an Indian woman. We have been doing our duties since time immemorial. We have come up with novel ideas; known the short-cuts, when in need, and have been wonderfully executing. However, many a time, I wonder how we did not have a female “rasoiya” or cook but a male counterpart in the good olden days. The trend seems to remain unchanged to date. I can contemplate and come up with something, substantial, I hesitate.

Women have always been so relevant but so marginalized. Anyway, like humanity has dismissed or trivialized their role so let me follow the suit. Would spare to question me?

So, when it comes to cooking, my hunch is that women are not so physically strong and cooking not only takes a lot of your mind but also your body (stamina and sweat) which has predominantly been a man’s thing. Alternatively, women might be expected to do the cooking but might not be believed to be competent enough or good enough. I disagree here but I am just a woman, irrelevant.

We would have to dive deep into the history and understand this better but now is not the time.

Well, at the start, I mentioned my transportation. You might have differing views about it. Well, I was not forcibly or half willingly sent here. I gave my full consent but I indeed felt like being transported to a new place. I had been living in a different country, with a different culture. So it was quite an adjustment but the process didn’t hurt me much. I have lived in varying environments since my college days; have moved cities and acclimated to situations which is why it didn’t hurt me much, you see.

Now, let’s talk about why I chose to differ on the idea that women, in general, should know cooking, love cooking, and practice cooking incessantly. The reason might look familiar to you. I will give you an example of my family. My mother is a great cook not just because she is my mother and my love is speaking for hers but she has this talent, supposedly God gifted, that can be felt through gourmet meals. haha. But I should tell you that she has never enjoyed cooking. All she wants is to feed her family and that she does very well. This is exactly what my mother would echo if you ever happen to ask.

Now I ask you a question. Do you think she loves to cook and desires to bring on wonderful dishes to the table but does not admit it? Or she is someone who has been lucky so far? Or she is doing something willfully although cooking is not to her liking? What I mean to convey or construct is that every person has the choice to do what he or she does. It is up to you whether or not you practice. The fact of the matter is you never feel sick about decisions taken by you no matter how ill-conceived they are but get miserable on a minor stumble if those decisions aren’t yours, on the contrary.

Small update: I have been trying my hands on different kinds of cuisines and chanced upon this new dish (for me at least) - Chicken Teriyaki. It tasted divine. Why don’t you all try?

 Recipe? Google it :P

Thank you :)