Trust and believe in yourself
Do you ever get that rush of inspiration to cook something you know you can pull off? Your eyes start to see the grocery store as a farmers market. Hell, you might even dedicate time going to the farmers market. You step into your kitchen with a fresh perspective. You arrive at the cutting board like a virgin doe awoken from a nap in meadow grasses. The knife glides through the raw bounty and you let out a light whimsical sigh. The warmth from cooking feels cozy evoking danish hygge. You grab a ceramic piece gifted to you by a friend that makes your efforts all worth it. It feels natural to grab a linen napkin and your silverware with patina and sit the hell down for a minute. The meal is done, you’re cleaning up and taking it all in. Baby girl, you did that. You did the damn thing. Why not have that feeling for yourself often? How do we consistently derive pleasure from cooking? I have some insight.
Read cookbooks.
Cookbooks offer a point of view with cooking. The author typically has a style that landed them the book in the first place. Read a cookbook like a book. Start with those earlier pages about equipment, measuring, etc. You will grasp quickly whether or not that authors style is right for you. If you’re wondering, I typically gravitate towards books with minimal equipment needs and straightforward recipes with efficient steps.
For a moment, you can seep yourself into another world of eating and cooking. You imagine how the recipes would play out in your kitchen. Evaluate what is achievable and what can be put to rest. To love what you’re cooking, you have to relinquish some control. When sourcing inspiration, remain curious. Your curiosity is almost always rewarded because your focus is in the right place. I know for myself when I’m learning, I don’t see the mistakes with a judgmental point-of-view. Curiosity keeps you in a judgement-free mentality which is clutch for growth in cooking.
Set the stage.
Cooking is an immersive sensory experience. Allow yourself to fully enjoy the entire process. Play some music that only you like. If you have candles, light them. Clean your kitchen as you cook, don’t waste your time squandering it on social media or with other distractions. The most satisfying thing you can do is have a clean kitchen when you’re done cooking. Plate your food as if you were to photograph it. In fact, do just that, take photos of what you made and share them with those who respect the brilliance of a well-made meal. Reward yourself for the accomplishments and relax your inner critic. If you do this enough, you can look back and see progress you’ve made in your own cooking.
Develop your own style.
Why do people love
or ? They have developed their opinions and fully believe in their point-of-view. The world they inhabit is supported by their own justifications. To fall in love with cooking it’s essential you prioritize a way in which you like to work. I believe at some point we have all been the victim of rules and strict methods. I’m here to tell you it’s all superfluous. With patience, you will begin to notice that your cooking will have limits. I would encourage you find someone who you genuinely admire and adopt some of their ideology. I am a product of multiple cooking personalities and in that process have tailored my signature style. You will find what resonates with you and play within that medium. Take risks, evaluate the rewards and learning moments. I can assure you the road to divine cooking is paved with failure and calibration. Falling in love requires vulnerability. To truly be vulnerable you have to let go.Adorn (dal & corn) Curry
Split lentils lend body to this curry. The color palate is giving Coldplay, “Yellow.” A dollop of yogurt and a light scattering of herbs is all this curry requires. I would dare say it’s delicious all on its own without any garnishes. I’ve always wanted to have curries that don’t require rice. This is my answer to that. I would encourage you to share this recipe with a vegan you love in your life but if you’re into gatekeeping, I understand.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
120ml extra virgin olive oil
1 branch of fresh curry leaves (6-8 grams)
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
100g ginger, minced
2 Thai bird chilis, thinly sliced
1 tsp fenugreek, whole
1 tsp fennel seed, whole
1 tsp cumin, whole
1 tsp coriander, whole
1 tsp black peppercorns, whole
1 T turmeric, ground
120g split red dal (lentils)
800ml coconut milk, full fat (2-13.5oz cans)
3 ears of corn, sliced off the cob
kosher salt, to taste
*garnish with yogurt, herbs (thai basil, mint, cilantro)
Method:
Preheat a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and curry leaves. They will snap and crackle in the pot, remove when the oil becomes fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Add to the pot onion, carrot, garlic, ginger and thai bird chilis. To help cook down and sweat your base, add a generous pinch of kosher salt (about 1T). Cook the mixture on medium heat for 15-25 minutes stirring often until it has reduced in size by half or more. You do not want to caramelize so stir often to prevent sticking.
In mortar and pestle, grind you spices, excluding turmeric. Grind them fresh before adding to the pot. Once the spices are added, lightly toast with your base for 3-5 minutes. When the mixture smells nutty and warming, add dal with 475ml water. Bring the whole mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer (5-8 minutes). Add coconut milk and keep mixture at a simmer and allow cook for 15-20 minutes.
The curry at this point should have noticeable viscosity. At this stage, season with kosher salt and add your corn. The curry should taste slightly sweet, nutty, warming from the spices and chili, distinctly savory and rich. Cook the corn for 5-10 minutes and check for seasoning.
Serve this curry with herbs like Thai basil, mint and cilantro scattered across the surface. A generous dollop of yogurt would do here. A conscious drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some fresh black pepper would be welcomed too. I think you could even put an egg with this, or some rice. It’s rather remarkable all by itself.