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Anyone Can Cook!

Easy cooking for busy people 

   The last post on my blog was all about cooking hacks and shortcuts in the kitchen. And I received some great feedback on it. That got me thinking. Why not post some recipes? After all there have to be more amateur, lazy... erm... busy cooks like myself. These recipes are tried and tested in my kitchen, and may be healthier than the elaborate ones. I am not in the race to earn Michelin stars, so these aren't restaurant style. But they are definitely flavourful and uplifting. Welcome to my kitchen, and remember Chef Gusteau's motto from Ratatouille - Anyone Can Cook!

          Photo frame by: Adobe Stock Photos

      My food journey


I've always loved to eat. I have an insatiable sweet tooth, and I naturally gravitate towards mild, flavourful dishes. I generally can't handle hot, spicy food, unless it's golgappe and chat-papdi. I grew up in a family where both my parents were working, and fortunately, we could always afford domestic help. It wasn't my mom's prime job to cook, and I conveniently assumed that it wouldn't be mine either. So it wasn't until I was living alone that I actually started cooking. And even then, cooking wasn't a very motivating task, especially since academics took precedence. 


The real test came when I moved to South India after marriage. I was a new mum, didn't speak the local language, and couldn't find a decent cook. Add to it the fact that my husband is a pure non-vegetarian. And, at that time, I couldn't even handle the sight of uncooked meat. Cooking was absolute nightmare. I realized that I was failing at it momentously. At least in Delhi, you had decent options to order Punjabi food. Not so much here.


So, I did what I should probably have done when I was younger. I observed tenured cooks. I went through blogs, and devoured videos. Tried following recipes to the T. Then modified them to fit in my schedule, and adapted them to my family's tastes. Wherever I could, I swapped processed ingredients with unrefined ones. Loaded on the veggies. So that if need be, I could cook palatable, healthy meals for my family.


Five years have gone by - from having crying spells in the kitchen to being teased to open a food business. It's been a long, fulfilling journey.


Why am I telling you this? To let you know that I've been there. Novice, devastated, damsel in distress in the kitchen.


And if I can cook, anyone can!


What to expect?


In the coming few weeks, you can expect to see easy, versatile recipes like the gravy base for Mughlai dishes, whole grain idli/dosa batter, dal paste for chilla/bhalla/vada, homemade kulchas, cookies, killer pizzas, heavenly garlic bread, cakes to impress, and many more... I will also post some hacks for quick breakfast and using leftovers...

Stay tuned to Anyone Can Cook!



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