I hate cooking. Each day when I wake up and look at my kitchen, the first thought that I get is to run away as far as my legs take me. Honestly speaking I am not a ‘bad’ cook but a ‘reluctant’ cook. Whenever I cook the food is not tasteless, yucky, burnt or salty and they usually taste good and that makes things difficult because tasty food always comes with repeat requests. Therefore, one day before leaving the office the man would request “Your prawn malaikari was extremely tasty that day, make it today, again”. This is usually on a day when my initial plan was to survive on a peanut butter sandwich. Similarly, on a day when I plan to sit with a new book and spend the day eating nothing more than dal chawal, the son would come back from school and hug my waist and look innocently in my eyes and request “Mamma, please make biryani for dinner today”. Kaboom!!! goes my plan to sit and read and I find myself slogging in the kitchen browning onions and mincing mint.
I know of numerous people who enjoy cooking. My mother and grandmother both loved cooking. My mother loved spending the entire day in the kitchen cooking and experimenting with food. She loved to invite guests for lunch and dinner only so that she could get an opportunity to cook an elaborate meal. Looking at her love for cooking and my apathy for the same, I often wonder that perhaps I was adopted. It is genetically impossible to be connected to her. She loved spending time in her kitchen, it was her holy place and for me, the kitchen is the place where I feel claustrophobic if I spend more than one hour. If I get my way, I would never prepare anything more than black tea in my kitchen.
I know of people who say that they find cooking relaxing, therapeutic and de-stressing. I am in awe of those people. I feel they are superhumans, aliens, angels. How can one find peeling, chopping, grinding, stirring therapeutic? For me just planning the day’s menu is enough to induce a panic attack. I genuinely admire my friends who post beautiful photos of food cooked and served by them. I suffer from an inferiority complex in front of these friends. I feel they are the epitome of patience and perseverance because I find cooking an extremely boring chore. I remember once I had read a post where it was written: “One of the most meditative times of my day is when I’m cooking.” I feel just the opposite. It is not a meditative time but a time when I genuinely need a ventilator. Jokes apart, there are days when I do cook a lot of things and they taste amazing but then I even hated maths yet managed to score 90% in my boards.
You read how I hate to cook, are you in my team? or are you the one who finds cooking therapeutic and meditative? I admire those who love to cook but unfortunately, I am not part of that team. Do let me know your opinion.
To me, daily cooking is a chore I absolutely dislike. However, when I do it occasionally or cook up a single dish or two, it can be quite enjoyable. I’m not a great cook however when things turn out right (often on a fluke) it’s a great feeling to see people enjoy my food. I do understand how it can be therapeutic. After all it is a creative activity. Also sometimes there’s a kind of comfort in doing mundane chores.
That said, if I plan to read a book, dal-chawal it has to be no matter how many puppy eyes people make at me :-).
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Good to have you in my team.. occasionally cooking something special is good..but everyday three meals and two snacks is too much for me yaar..
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Well, i started cooking after marraige experimenting on my husband.. neither I love nor hate cooking.. its a comfort feeling to eat at home as per my taste as I am very choosy about food😊
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My tragedy is that husband is a better cook and he judges my food like a MasterChef judge..he loves to cook but leaves all the chore to me like cutting chopping etc. It make me more irritated. We don’t prefer eating out..so cooking 3 meals a day every day becomes too much for me at times.
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Ditto, Balaka! I hate cooking unless it’s something simple like making dal chawal! 😛
And, you know, since the past week now, whatever I cook, turns out disastrous! So, now I am scared to even utter the ‘C’ word.
Each day, just thinking about dinner makes me feel–” why the hell do we need to eat dinner at all! Didn’t I cook lunch and breakfast? And, now its time for dinner already! ”
I am so glad to see I have such good company. 🙂
I too am envious of those who are awesome cooks. My hubby, for e.g. and my SIL and my mom and my cousins….uff, the entire family seems to be full of gifted chefs, except me!
Let’s run away to a place where cooking is not even needed, shall we?
❤
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My also entire khandaan is obsessed with cooking and I am the only black sheep. I would love to run away with you to a place where no cooking is needed. A place where we can read and write all day without have to worry about cooking. Chal chal
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Ah! How I wish such a place existed on this planet! 🤔😊💟💟
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Hey dear. It’s been a while since I dropped by your blog. Is this a new one, btw? Have you shifted domains? I only ask because today I came to know that I wasn’t following this blog. And I swear I’d never unfollowed you in the first place! Anyhow, I’m on your team. It’s not that I’m a bad cook. I just hate cooking. Okay, maybe, hate is a strong word. But cooking doesn’t give me the same joy reading or writing new blog posts does! If it were up to me (right now it is!) I’d be far too lazy to cook a lavish meal everyday. The very thought of inviting family or friends over and cooking them food is enough to give me a panic attack! 😂 Glad to know I’m not the only human being who feels this way.
Love,
Shweta
P.S: hope you haven’t forgotten me!
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Ofcourse I remember you and also miss your comments. Where have you been? I did not change domain.. God knows why you had to follow again. Cooking for parties at home gives me chill down the spine.. I would love to have a ladle and wok free life.
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It’s an issue with WordPress, I think! The same thing happened with some other blogs too. Anyway, I’m back as you follower. ❤️ As for me, my work’s hectic and somehow I forgot the joy of blogging. The writer’s block didn’t make things any easier. But I’m back again. 😃 You won’t have to miss my comments any more.
As for cooking, me too, dear. Here’s to a ladle and wok free life (though it sounds more like a dream than anything!) 😉😂
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I guess all of us are different. While you can’t escape from all situations,…do your own thing!
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I try to do my own thing but then something comes up. Thanks for dropping by.
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I like cooking, but I hate cleaning up!! Thankfully, I have a spouse who doesn’t mind helping with cleanups.
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I am just the opposite… I love the cleaning up part but not cooking😔
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Aah! I can relate to each and every word of this post. Like you, I am a reluctant cook even though I cook well. If given a choice, I would cook one day and eat and serve it for the whole week. But the husband is a passionate cook, I mean chef and the son is aspiring to be a chef, so I have to cook three meals and that too variety of dishes. SIGH! I am happiest when they take over the kitchen on weekends!
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I do not like cooking too. That is why one of the criteria I always wanted to look for in my partner is that he loves to cook. Makes things a lot easier. :p It is so time consuming isn’t it? I wouldn’t mind spending so much time in the kitchen on a holiday but on a daily basis? No thanks.
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Exactly, cooking is extremely time consuming and I hate wasting my time on doing something that I don’t even like.
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Ha ha ha ha – I hear you girl. This is one chore even I would like to outsource if possible. I just hate the cooking of a maid as they put too much oil, are liberal with the masalas and cook everything on high flame – making all that food tasteless. So I have hired one to just chop, put atta and stuff like that. Rest I do and am happier that ways.
I enjoy baking over cooking and cook to fend for myself. Its worse when its just you for then the motivation is very dim.
I really enjoyed reading this post Balaka – need a ventilator was the best 😉
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I’m a moody cook and not a bad one! I would love to cook when I want to and not when I ‘have’ to! ;)Thankfully, my husband pitches in.
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I feel you, Balaka! Every morning the thought of having to cook makes me want to dive back under the covers and hope some magic genie will take over the kitchen. Unfortunately when I finally pull myself out of bed, the kitchen still awaits!
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Ha ha ha… I know how you feel..
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I’m baffled to think that people get stressed out by cooking! it’s literally, and I mean literally, the only thing that can relax me and my never-ending knot of nerves in my stomach. knowing that I have complete control of how the meal is going to come out, the tastes and textures, is absolutely calming in my world. yikes, typing that out sounds like a control problem! lol. I just really enjoy the certainty. plus, I can cook in pj’s in my own kitchen, who doesn’t love that? 😉 all in all, definitely team lets-gets-cookin’
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I totally agree. I don’t like cooking either, but I’m trying to learn and get better anyway. I just tried one of those meal subscription services and made my first box this weekend. My most recent blog post is about how it went. Check it out!
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