When I think of my childhood, then school/college days and later the days when I was working, it gives me a relaxing feeling. For all of us, those were the most beautiful days. Obviously, that time we never realized it..:) One of the biggest reasons for that care-free attitude was our parents as they were there to take all the worries and tensions. We never had to think what can I cook after going home because we knew warm food will be waiting for us. I came to the USA in 2006. That’s when my actual journey started. It wasn’t that I never entered into the kitchen before marriage but it used to be occasionally when my parents would travel and I used to be with my grandpa. I knew basic cooking. In short, I would not let anyone starve. But cooking was never my area of interest so I never bothered to learn any new dishes. Well, I used to enjoy watching cooking shows but giving it a try later..nahh.. Not my cup of tea. Through this post of #BharatKaZaika, let me take you to my kitchen journey and a few goof-ups too.

Experiencing Bharat Ka Zaika – Indian Kitchen in the USA- Cooking Trials and Goof ups

When I came to the USA after marriage, I started to explore cooking. I wanted to bring Bharat Ka Zaika into my kitchen. I used to call my mom and sister almost every other day to guide me. I still remember, once we had two families over and I decided to challenge myself and decided to make South Indian. I am a big Idli fan. I can have Idli at any time of the day and for the whole week. So, I called my mom how many potatoes to boil for sabji. Now, potatoes we get here are much bigger than what we get in India. My mom gave me a rough idea. I prepared everything. Sabji came out perfect (taste and quantity wise both)  but the quantity of sambhar I prepared was good not just for 2-3 families but for our entire building. I was making Dosa with full concentration and luckily, I didn’t mess up. That was my first big gathering. And first cooking lesson – Always have a side dish when making Dosa and calling more than 2 families.

 

Later when I took up mommy role, it was a new dimension that was added to my existing culinary skills. Now I had to think from my little one’s point of view. I wanted her to know about Indian dishes and authentic Maharashtrian dishes. So, at festivals, I started to make the traditional dishes. Puran Poli was the first one. Among festivals, Diwali is my most favorite. Thinking about Diwali puts me in a different mood. Besan Ladoos are everybody’s favorite. My daughter tried besan ladoo during her first India trip. She instantly fell in love with the aromatic besan mixed with homemade ghee and sugar. Luckily, I found a shortcut to cut down the roasting time on the stove top. Since then, I make Besan Ladoo in no time. As I said, festivals give me many reasons to make Traditional Indian dishes, I try to do as much as I can. I have seen many kids here who are not introduced to state-specific food. My cooking may not be up to the mark or like my mom but I can proudly say that my kids know Maharashtrian food and its variety.

 

When living in the USA has given me the opportunity to live Indian culture through festivals and food, it has also given me a chance to learn International cuisine as well. I have tried Italian, Mexican, Thai, Mediterranian cuisine at home. Mostly, on Friday, I cook something other than Indian. This gives all of us a change. The first International dish that I made was Lasagna. Before making it, I had never tasted Lasagna in my life. I just followed a recipe and made it. Luckily, it came out good. But it was slightly high on Garlic side. All the later preparations were successful.

 

When it comes to cooking, I always look for a way which allows me to spend less time in the kitchen but do not compromise on the taste and quality. But I totally understand that a few dishes need that extra time. According to my husband, my culinary skills don’t show that I don’t like cooking. My answer to this is it’s because I put my heart and soul in whatever I do. :). On a serious note, he has always been very supportive in all my trials, goof-ups, learning stage. So, if you are like me who feel that cooking is not your area of interest then chill. We all make mistakes, we learn from them. Sometimes, goof-ups leave us with an interesting story. What is your Kitchen Saga?

Don’t forget to check out the other interesting recipes in the MothersRasoi section.

 

“#BharatKaZaika is a blogging event conducted by #BlogBoosterIndia. Hosted by Aditi, Mahesh, Pragun, Preeti, Saba, Sanjota, Sudip, Suhasini, Supriya and sponsored by Habhit Wellness Private Ltd.