Connecting with cooking

Focusing on all the small details of cooking helps me enjoy cooking even more, along with giving me a chance to slow down amidst the noise of everyday life. 

The first thing I like to do while I cook is smelling the ingredients. Whether inhaling the zesty smell of a lemon after I juice it or sniffing remaining threads of ginger on my fingers after grating it, smelling the fresh ingredients I use helps me better appreciate and connect with my cooking.

I have also found cooking to become meditative when I cook in a quieter environment with some light music or just pure silence. It allows me a time to just reflect on the day and unravel the bustling thoughts in my head, allowing me to take a step back from everything happening around me.

When I have more time to cook, I like to focus on each aspect of cooking, from precisely chopping and mincing vegetables to ensuring the oil is hot enough before I add my aromatics. For example, if I am slicing an onion, I try to cut it as thin as possible for the perfect saute, and I try to add each vegetable to the pot carefully so no piece falls out of the pot. If I am washing millet or lentils, I make sure to rub at each handful so they are washed well. When I plate the dish, I try to arrange it in an aesthetically pleasing way with garnishes and toppings.

Finally, the last thing I focus on with my cooking is incorporating different colors, textures, taste qualities, and flavors. For example, in a salad, I might use light green lettuce, deep red tomatoes, and bright orange carrots. When making a lentil and rice/millet based dish called khichadi, I like to add a creamy pickle called aachar and crispy potatoes or papad to add a crunchy element. To diversify the taste qualities and flavors of a dish, I like to add sweet and spicy components to a dish. In pasta, I like to add a pinch of coconut sugar to the tomato sauce to neutralize the acidity. In cashew cheese, I blend in a roasted serrano pepper to add spiciness to the dish.