Monday, October 21, 2019

Cooking ,Kitchen And Me



Hey  Precious  Friends!


Hope   and  pray   that    enjoying    the  glory    of  life  and  weather   with  deep  gratitude   and  tons  of  positive  
energy :) 

When   I  was   young   girl   i  never  liked  to   join mom  in  kitchen  instead  i  would  like  to  run  around  like  boys  and  do  some  exercise .

I   still  regret   that   i  could not  make  my  mom  happy   by  being  girl  who  loves   to  do  girlish  stuff :(

My  mom   was   one  of  the  finest  cook  i   had  ever  seen. Meals   she  cooked   were  loved  by  everyone  who  tasted  or   ate  it .And  praised   for  long  specially  when  she  cooked  for  family  gatherings.

She   would   also   spend  time   in  kitchen   while  making   her  personal    recipes   that  she  adopted   from  her   mom  and  moms  of  her  friends .

I   could  see  how  anxious   and  cautious  was  about  her  health  in   last  decade  of  her life .She  would   gather   different  herbs  and   ingredients   to  make   food   that  she   said  was  must  to  have  in  that  certain  part  of  age.

One  particular   name  of  the one  of  such  food  was  "Panjeeri" (local name)

She  would  make  her  yeast  from  wheat  grain  at  home   and  it  was  long  process .
She   would  share  her    special  health  foods  with  father  when  they  were  not angry   with  each  other .

My  younger  sister  would   also  take   portions  as  she  was  so  smart   to  understand  that  it  was  good  and  necessary   for  health.

I  was  the  only  one  who  never  had  single  bite   of  it.  Once  mom   put  in  my  mouth  forcefully  and  i  swallow   it  obediently  but   it  came  back  by  vomiting  after  few  minutes . Can't  tell  how  disappointingly  she  looked  at  me that  time .

When  i  would  ask   mom  how  she  cooked  such  delicious  meal   she  would smile  and  say  " i  knew  nothing  about  cooking  when  i  got  married"  she  told  many  times  that  she  learnt  cooking  gradually.
And  in  beginning  she  would  make  lots  of  mistakes. 

When   i  think  about  why  everybody  says   that  "her or  his  mom  is  best  cook in  the  world"

i  (now) can  understand  that  until  we  get  old  enough  to  judge   the  food  ,our  moms  are  already   learnt  how  to  cook .
Or  we   just  get  used  to  it  and  find  it  best .

I  too  didn't  learn  how  to  cook  from  my  mom . When  i  was  at  home  after  my  10th  grade  i  was  trying  to  cook  randomly  and  learn  gradually .But  my  interest  was  completely  out  of it and this  is  why  when  i  got  married  i  could  hardly  cook.

Specially  the  traditional   wheat  bread  tortilla  was  quite  a  task   to  make  for  me . Tortilla   must   look  so  "round" and flawless  but  mine  was  often   fragment   from  world  map .

I  still   wonder   how  my  inlaws  or  hubby  would  find  my  dishes   good .And  more  wonder   that  how  they   would find  my  tortilla  fine .
Once  hubby   invited  some  friends  at  home   and   i  cooked  the  salan (traditional name of chicken curry or  veggie curry) .

I  had  to  make  tortilla  too  and  many  because  friends  were  five or  more . I  tried  hard  to  keep  my   tortilla   "round  and  slim"  but  it  was   mission  impossible :(

When  hubby  came to  collect  the  food  and  saw  the  tortillas  i  still  remember  his  expressions  that  he  could  not  hide  inspite  of  trying.

He    said  he will  take  the  food  after   while  and  went  to  his  sister  in  law . She   made   tortillas  for  him  and  he  finally  served  the  meal  to  his friends .

This  made  me  angry  because  i  thought   he   belittled   my  hard  work  as  chief . It  took  him  time  to  convince  me  that  it  was  necessary    because  here   people   think   the   woman  who  cannot   make  round  tortilla  dowdy .

This  happened  during  very  first   year   of  our  marriage. That  incident   shake  my  womanhood  and  i  started  to  pay  attention   towards  my  cooking   specially  the  tortilla .

This  is   grace  of  Lord  that   my   cooking  was  already  appreciated   and  approved  by  all  but   tortillas   took  time  to  be  round .

Later   mission  "round tortilla   was  accomplished .But  still   cooking   was   just    part   of  duty  to  me.

My  husband  is  just  like  me ,he  likes  simple  easy  to  cook  food. Though  my  eldest  son  often   said  that  "mom  why  don't   you  be  bit  experimental  in  your  cooking.

May  be  one  reason  for  this  was  my  laziness  towards  cooking   but  other  was  that i  found  it   tough  and  time  consuming   job  for  me , who  had  all  kind  of  responsibilities  upon   my  shoulders .

This   is  sad  that  when  my  eldest  son  lived  with  us  i  could  not  provide  him  with  variety  of  dishes  that  i  try  to  make  today    for  my  younger  and youngest  sons.

But   good  thing   is  that   i  find  cooking   more  than  just   a  duty   now :)

Kitchen   is  special  place   for  ladies . Some   use  this   space  as  way   to   escape  .Some   use  it  to  play  with  their  creative  ideas.  And  for  some  it is  place  where  they  join their  moms  and  past   freely  and  quietly  through   window  of  memories  :)

For  me  it  is  all  at  same  time :)I  think  kitchen  is  place  where  a  lady  shows  to  her  family  HOW  MUCH  SHE  LOVES   THEM!
      

Sharing   few  images    of  my  recent   cooking and  backing .Hope  you  will  find  them  interesting  :)not  the best  but  trying  to  cheer up  the  kids . 




                           Pizza  i  made  this  almost  week  back  ,kids   liked  it  thankfully


     chicken   rolls on  wish  of  my  younger  son who  wants  everyday  different and  spicy  dish

                                 cookies    ,okay  i made  them  for  my own  request  lol

                              not  so  good  looking  cake  this  time :( but tasted  great

   if  it  is  only  up  to  me  i  would  love to  depend  only  seasonal   fruits   and  little  bit  cereals along  with  cup  of  milk  and  tiny  portion  of  nuts  though 

I   think  that  is  it  for  today . See  you  guys  soon  hopefully with  next  random  spontaneous  sharing !

Please  take  great  care  and stay  blessed with  faith  that  gives  you  wings  of  hope  to fly  on  sky of  peace and  happiness :)

God  Bless You  All!!!


54 comments:

  1. Cooking is indeed an expression of love.
    And an art I am still learning.

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  2. I am glad my husband likes to cook. I'm better at washing and cleaning up. We do a lot of soup and sandwich meals. I eat my soup at the table and bring my sandwich to eat at the computer. lol

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    1. How exciting that your hubby likes to cook for you dear friend :)

      I miss my husband 's tasty food

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  3. A great story of you, Baili. Finally, you are a good chef! All of foods look so yummy. Thank you for sharing delicious food :)

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    1. I am still just a beginner in cooking classes dear Evi :)

      Trying to learn

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  4. Your meals look so good, for me it seems you are a great cook! And I always say that it doesn't have to look perfect, the taste and effort and love are the most important things in cooking☺ My husband is open to a lot of nontraditional foods, so I can experiment a lot and as you can see on my blog, I do that often ☺ I would love to try some of traditional food from your part of the world. Have a lovely day ☺☺

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    1. Oh this is great to have taste for variety of food dear Natalie:)

      You are great cook and I am so happy to find you my friend!

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  5. The food looks good! I love to cook. My parents were also good cooks. I also did not appreciate everything that they made when I was young. Some of these dishes I do appreciate now.

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    1. Having both parents who are great cook can help lot children to learn not just cooking but also the collaboration and understanding of relationship I believe dear Brain
      I bet your wife is proud of your cooking ;)

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  6. I didn't learn how to cook from my mother either. I refused to learn how to do anything that I feared would trap me into marriage and family. I wanted a career instead. I learned to cook later, on my own.

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    1. It is May was not big deal for you dear Debra but in small village like mine when a teenage girl refuse to walk on decided path is so annoying but thanks to mom who knew me better ;)

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  7. My husband is a great cook and prepares many meals. He could maintain a home on his own easily and cook all the meals. Many young men today are doing the same.

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    1. This sounds great dear Marie :)

      My husband used to cook lot for me for many years but he had to stop it when he got hepatitis
      Doctor asked him to stay away from heat so I never let him do cooking but tea sometimes only in winters
      We miss his delicious foods

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  8. Thank you for sharing your story. It's interesting that food nourishes us both physically and emotionally: that it is what's affordable & available OR that it can be a portal into culture. Still, I am with you - to prepare food for your family is a labor of love:) Great post!

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    1. Here is a famous saying dear Chris WAY TO MAN' HEART PASS THROUGH HIS STOMACH

      So emotional fulfilment is there for sure
      I think this is one of the most loved Labour for a woman :)

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  9. I enjoy cooking, meat and potatoes kind of stuff, but just for myself and Mrs. C and an occasional guest. Not great, but what I do, I do well. The internet is great for tips and learning. I used to think my mom was a great cook, my first two wives were not great relationships, but I did learn that in fact my mom was not very good in the kitchen. Mrs. C is half Italian, Italians are known for their wonderful dishes, alas she did not spend much time in the kitchen with her Italian mother. She did learn a few dishes that I love, but she does not love making them, maybe twice a year I get treat and at least these dishes are as good three days later as they are on the first day so I get extra days of fine eating.

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    1. Oh this is how sweet of you to acknowledge and appropriate the cooking of your ex wives dear Joe :)

      I am glad that you get your favourite food some part of the year at least

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  10. Delicious looking food. Today, we find more men in the kitchen. I like cooking and unfortunately I learned very little from my Mom. Nowadays you go to the internet for recipes.

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    1. So true dear Red

      Internet is huge help for people like me :)

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  11. Oooh Baili that pizza looks deeeee-lish!!! :) Nice chicken rolls, and I have to say there is never a bad reason to make cookies lol! :) What kind of cake did you make?

    I totally agree, being in the kitchen and creating food and meals is a show of LOVE. I can't be in the kitchen if I'm not feeling well or if I'm sad, nothing works. But when I'm happy and feeling good, my energy soars and the dishes I make are really good! I loved this post!

    And by the way, I CANNOT make a round tortilla. I have just recently mastered the round pizza crust! I learned everything I know on my own too. I used to watch a lot of cooking shows and I read a lot of books on cooking and baking. Now I watch You Tube channels to learn new things!

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    1. this is embarrassing to hear from you words of appreciation for my so simple and not so perfectly made food dear Rain
      you are such an inspiration and ALL ROUNDER ,each work you do is nicely and incredibly done always :)
      lol tortilla seems to be big problem for ladies ,i bet after doing impressive home work you make tortilla round as ball lol

      youtube is such encouraging and helpful for learning all one need surly

      i made plain cake with refined wheat flour which we call "all purpose flour here with addition of butter ,sugar and baking powder
      it went under high flame accidentally so bit over cooked :( but taste was fine eventually

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  12. I used to cook a lot. I had a family to take care of. Now it is just as easy to grab something quick. It is not worth the time or energy to cook for only one.

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    1. how so true dear Emma that there is no fun to cook for one only
      if i was alone i would have hardly cooked for myself because i noticed i skip meals when i have no one around to cook for

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  13. I learned to cook on my own. My mother was a good cook but I wasn't interested in her teaching me when I was younger. But that was okay because I developed my own style and made dishes that she never did. Now there's the internet where you can find so many wonderful recipes!

    And all the food here looks so delicious! I am now hungry :)

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    1. this amazing dear Martha that you became more creative in your cooking than your mom which is a big deal for me who is far behind from her mom's skills :)

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  14. Everything looks delicious.
    Dou you send to Macau?? :)))

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    1. oh thanks dear Pedro
      i will for sure
      let me know the address and way to do do :)

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  15. How interesting to read of your path of learning to cook, baili. When I was growing up we ate quite plainly - meat and potatoes and a vegetable for our main meal, sandwiches for lunch as both parents worked and we went to school, and a quick breakfast of toasted bread or cereal. I learned to cook after I started living on my own. I remember the first few times I cooked meat I found it so gross to handle raw meat that after it was cooked I had no appetite to eat it. That changed though, and I have always been the main cook for my husband and children. I'm happy to hear that you enjoy cooking now, and I so agree that it can be a labour of love to prepare dishes for those close to you :)

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    1. thank you for kind sharing dear Jenny

      back in my parents home we too ate simple dishes just like you mentioned in your comment
      mom would cook bit special food occasionally such as on festivals or family gatherings

      this is so true that working families cannot invest much time to cooking i know this because when i worked in pharmaceutical in islamabad i had to leave home early morning and there was no time to cook so me and my son ate slice of bread with fried eggs for ling though cooking traditional breakfast for mom was important
      i think i feel good that the hesitation and laziness about being bit experimental in cooking is leaving :)

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  16. I am also a bit lazy to be engaged in cooking. Since it is a must, I perform the art with sincerity. You have elaborated it inerestingly.

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    1. well said dear Pray when it is must :)

      i used to stick with same formula until my kids shaken my conscience lol

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  17. Hello dear Baili, and thank you for the very interesting post!
    My mother (like yours) is an excellent cook. I never became especially good, even though I understand that good food is a great way to spread happiness to the family and friends. :) I am very fortunate though: When the family is together, not only my mother, but also my brother, husband, son and even my father may prepare something tasty, everyone their own speciality. :)
    I'm sure your cooking and baking make your family very happy... and you bring happiness to their lives also with your other loving deeds, understanding, kindness and wise words. <3
    Big hugs!

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    1. this is such a blessing to have all family together dear Sarah:)
      i can only imagine the peace and happiness when you live together with own family and in laws at same time and both families became one how joyous is that :)))

      i am huge fan of your CAPTURES my friend and i am so sure that your cooking is as sublime as your magical images :)


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  18. My mother was a good cook, but growing up our meals were basic what some might term "peasant meals." My parents had a garden so we had tomatoes and greens and she also made pasta. We hardly ever ate at a restaurant. My cooking is a bit more adventurous than hers as I am willing to try new recipes, but i tend to like basic ingredients that are readily available in local stores. Thanks for sharing the photos of your recent cooking, all looked wonderful.

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    1. being experimental once in while is not bad for me either but i too love basic simple food and glad to have life partner who has also same likening :)

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  19. Hello Baili, it is nice to catch up with you once more.
    I can really sympathise with you in your first year of marriage to have such a setback as that. Yes, it must have certainly undermined your confidence.
    I relied on packet foods and tins mostly in our first year!
    It all takes time, as you say, and the meals in your photos certainly look delicious. The need for measuring etc goes over the years doesn't it and in the end we cook by instinct.
    A lovely, thoughtful post. All the best to you :D) xx

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    1. you are always so wellcome to place dear Sue :)

      i feel so blessed and honored when my friend keep me in their memories little bit (teary eyes) :)

      you were lucky to have choice for using prepared food but here girls are taught strictly and properly before marriage because it is matter of honor for her parents to send their daughter to her in laws with all basic skills that a lady needs to run household appropriately
      yes that incident shaked my confidence for while until i took it as challenge and learnt more as house wife

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  20. Growing up I can remember seeing both my dear mum and my Gran doing lots of cooking and lots of baking.
    My Mum was also wonderful at sewing and knitting.

    Now as the years have passed I still love cooking but have never enjoyed sewing or knitting, which is perhaps a shame. I guess we all have our strengths and weaknesses!

    I enjoyed seeing your dishes.

    All the best Jan

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    1. i think this is lucky us that we could see our moms and grans cooking and doing all others chores and skills which were essential for that time of women

      either i feel shame for not adopting skills from my mom such as knitting and embroidery (i can do but not with variety actually)

      i often think about doing this just to please my mom's soul :) may be in future when i am not busy with much necessary work

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  21. I do admire you Baili for your dedication to creating such a loving and nurturing home. I am not a good cook, the only success are my curries. I have taught my sons to cook though so they don't have to rely on my poor efforts!

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    1. this is blessing to have more than one cook in a family dear Betty :)

      how nice that your sons cook for themselves and for you either
      i bet their wives will be proud of them
      my eldest son lives abroad and learnt to cook for himself which we really admire because i think it is so must for men and women to learn cooking as it is basic skill for living and cherishing way to bring family happiness :)

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  22. "It took him time to convince me that it was necessary because here people think the woman who cannot make round tortilla dowdy .

    This happened during very first year of our marriage. That incident shake my womanhood and i started to pay attention towards my cooking specially the tortilla ."


    This made me very sad!


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    1. Me too but how great is my Lord who don't let the sadness last long and I find new way out for solution :)

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  23. How I enjoyed this post, Baili! Cooking is an act of love. I'm sure that your oldest son is sampling all the dishes that Germany and Europe have to offer, but he will remember your dishes fondly because you are his mother. I started cooking at four one morning when my mother was too sick to cook ~ She was actually delirious. My brother and I were hungry, so I made us hot porridge on the stove since I had seen my mother make it many times. I took some up for my mother to eat, and she was so distressed over my using the stove, that she roused herself enough from her illness to get help. I was making pies at eight and bread at ten, and I've never stopped. It's really difficult for curious and intelligent women like you and I to have to fit designated roles. My heart went out to you when I heard the tortilla story. I have the feeling that your husband was trying to protect you regarding the tortillas, at least I hope that he was. My husband isn't interested in cooking one bit. He'll stir a pot for me, but that's about it. When I had my cataract surgery on Monday, he took great care of me and served me a frozen pizza he had cooked for my dinner. It tasted great, because it was heated up in the oven with love! Take care, my friend!

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    1. Oh four is too young to use stove dear Louise !

      it happened long ago and yet made me worried about you believe me ,this was grace of Lord that you were so attentive and wise to use stove at so little age really !
      i can share the fear of your mom because i could not let my boys do it until they were in collage
      back in village we used kerosene stove for some years and mom was afraid to attend it alone when i was ten though i used it to boil milk or tea or rice until i was fifteen
      i started cooking after i was 18 and got married when i was twenty .

      hubby was quite protective about me because he knew that his family and friends can make issue about tortillas dear Louise so he did not present mine before them
      i understood it later though i really felt bad

      How surprising to know that Terry have no fondness for cooking ,i had conception that all men in west cook well lol
      still he made Pizza for you and i hope it was so good :)))

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  24. I think the foods you prepared in your photos all look good. Some people have a talent for cooking while others have talent for other things. I like to cook some things and enjoy it, but other foods feel like a chore to prepare.

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  25. I can especially relate to your post, Baili, because while my sister spent time in the kitchen with my mom, I was outside running around in the fields making dirt forts with friends and helping my dad in the garden. Look at all these wonderful dishes you made - they look so delicious! Your mother sounds so special preparing homemade meals for her family. My mom cooked every day as well, but I don't remember her baking that often, so that's why I like to make all those Yummy goodies haha. That's nice that you enjoy cooking more now. Sometimes the kitchen can be a comfort, making creative and delicious things for the ones we love. And it looks like you know how to cook well now. : )

    Have a very nice weekend, Baili.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Baili, I wanted to answer your question.....the little one is Francesca on my post. But her and Mia look alike sometimes, so I can see where you thought it was Mia. : ) Have a wonderful week ahead, Baili.

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  26. My mom is an amazing cook too! I like to cook my way and my mom doesn't like that! LOL! When I'm on my own, I will be able to do that. But, I do appreciate everything she has show me! Big Hugs!

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