WHAT’S COOKING?
C ooking,
for me, is a form of
meditation, right from sourcing the
ingredients and arranging
them,
chopping vegetables, tending to a
stir
fry- all of
these require
mindfulness;
completely
focusing
your attention on what is right before
you, and that, is the essence of
reflection.
I first experienced the potential of
cooking to center my mind and
improve my mood when I was in 8th
grade. Unlike most other parents, mine
really encouraged me to learn and do
things on my own in the kitchen. From
dealing with sharp objects to operating
the stove, I grew manifolds under their
supervision and words of support. I
slowly realized that by preparing a
simple and hearty meal for my family, I
was able to neutralize all the negative
emotions
and
create
something
wholesome, for, at the end of it all, was
a great dish to relish. Cooking, in my
perspective, gives me a chance to
practice the esoteric art of manifestation
of something from imagination to
physical reality. The cooking of a
“perfect dish” in my head,
to, it actually cooking right before my
eyes is a wonderful experience. But, to
recreate something from imagination
with the limited resources, in the
confines of my kitchen, is my challenge.
For, I can never buy or order food if I
am given the means to make the same
from scratch.
We all know that the holistic
experience that comes with the
“homemade-food” vs. the “fill-your-
tummy-with-additives-and-unhealthy-
junk” outside food. I shifted my focus
on maintaining a nutritive balance in
every dish I prepare and voila, the
process became tasty as well as healthy.
To me, each smile and the happiness
that radiates from people who eat
something that I prepare, equates to
happiness that I will never be able to
measure. For, food can be quantized,
but the contentment can’t be measured.
RESHMA BHANUKUMAR
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