Cooking for all Moods (Atomic Essay Day 21)
Cooking has been a fairly central part of my life in more ways than one. I realised it is something that remains more or less consistent across different moods and emotions. Here are a few:
Survival Cooking
This is purely functional. Its the “I have 15 mins to cook and eat” type of cooking. The busier the week the more I see of this. Probably my least favourite one on the list.
Stress or Anger Cooking
On bad days, I find myself finding comfort in the kitchen. Over the years I’ve realised what kind of food I prefer when I’m in this headspace - Indian home-style or Asian flavourful. The best part about this? After I’m done I’m full AND I feel so much better than I did at the beginning.
Nostalgic Cooking
I moved out of home when I was 17 years old - so I’ve had a lot of this. This typically starts with a phone call to a family member to ask for the recipe. Noting down the recipe (which mostly has no proportions for anything) and then relying on nostalgia to fill in the gaps. Its chaotic and I love it!
Cooking for Celebration
In my family, food not only is an integral part of every celebration but cooking is also a way of expressing love. One of the biggest reasons I love cooking is because I get to share it with people.
Experimental Cooking
The kitchen is my playground. I love experimenting with different cuisines, flavours and ingredients. Cooking is also where I’m okay without a plan - some of my favourite dishes have been discovered quite serendipitously.
Conversational Cooking
My partner and I have spent many dates just cooking together. And over the last couple of years - I’ve done a lot of that with friends as well. Conversations while cooking are some of the most vulnerable moments. And honestly, there is no other way I’d rather spend my Sunday lunch.