Like many other girls even I hated cooking. I grown up by watching my grandmother and some other house wives who use get up early in the morning just to cook. So I always thought Cooking is not my cup of tea :) Forget cooking I never showed interest in eating also, because of this main reason I never enjoyed food, never observed any taste, never thought to learn any basic things until my masters.
May be god decided to send me foodie husband so nature started me to train me step by step.
First Step - my friend Vidya helped to activate my taste buds ,
Second Step - in Art of Living Happiness course learnt to respect and to enjoy food
Third Step - My sister is a doctor, so she doesn't have time to do cooking which takes lot of time. With that she understood my mentality and helped me to get soft corner about cooking.
Fourth Step - Got Married, Still I was in learning mode, I use to take lot of time to cook in initial stage so it made me frustrated and instead of loving it made me to hate cooking more and more.
But Luckily, My husband is foodie and loved cooking and my in laws were very helping and taught me few simple cooking recipes and encouraged me. Some time He use to get frustrated but some how he managed to bring interest in cooking. Which made me to fall in love with Cooking and Food and of course to put on :( :D
I am not an expert to give tips to those who are good in cooking, This blog is for - newly bride who don't know cooking, who hate cooking and need to learn cooking, who are lazy to cook but no option :P Because, after my experience I thought I will help people like me ...
1. Shopping Time
Just after wedding elders started to ask what and all you want tell, It made me real nervous. Then my sister came like an angel and advised me what to buy in initial stage. Just have these essential things :
Vessels :
- Kadhai
- Frying Pan
- Turner ( If you have non stick then wood/nylon must)
- Milk boiler
- Vegetable cutting board
- Knife
- Mortar and Pestle set
- Tadka pan( not necessary)
Groceries:
- Salt
- Oil
- Turmeric
- Chilli powder
- Ginger Garlic paste
- Mustard seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Tamarind
- Garam masala
- Rice
- Toor dal
- Split Urad dal
- Green gram
Vegetables:- Salt
- Oil
- Turmeric
- Chilli powder
- Ginger Garlic paste
- Mustard seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Tamarind
- Garam masala
- Rice
- Toor dal
- Split Urad dal
- Green gram
- Onion
- Tomato
- Potato
- Green peas
- Palak
Extra you can add ...
2.Basic knowledge
Before cooking its better to know few basic things.
- Most of us are frightened about giving tadka. No worry. To avoid spilling just make sure keep your vessel dry, it should not be wet while pouring oil for tadka.
- First put onion then ginger garlic paste to avoid spilling, after paste put tomato
- Less Watery things should be added first
- Should fry onion properly, for that put little bit of salt and fry in high flame. It should get transparent
- Should fry ginger garlic paste until that raw smell goes off
- Put little water while frying tomato, easily it will become mushy. Wait until it become soft, stir occasionally.
- Add garam masala at the end while boiling to get essence
- If you forgot to soak over night then soak in hot water for half an hour and bring two more whistles than usual
- Better to soak toor dal for some time before putting
3. Planning
Even if you don't have time, sit for some time and think what you want to prepare. Once you decide make a list of things which are needed for recipe.
4. Execution
- Just check which takes less or more time
- Keep everything ready on table
- Marination/ soaking all these things needs to be done first
- See what are the common ingredients. for ex: If you need onion in more than one dish at a time you can cut and make portions for each dish.
- First cut all vegetables which are needed then start cooking
- KISS - Keep It Short and Simple. Even with very less ingredients you can make awesome dish. So NO NEED TO MAKE COMPLICATED :)
- Do it with 100% of attention, so that nothing goes wrong
- Do it with LOVE, SMILE and ENJOY while cooking/serving :)
I hope my post may have helped you :) Very soon will come up with very simple recipe.
Till then Happy Cooking :)