How Cooking is helping us Cope with the Lockdown

I have perennially hated cooking. Those who are my regular readers know that once I also wrote a post titled I hate cooking. However, in this lockdown period the only thing that is keeping me sane is cooking. And, if I go by my social media timeline then many more people have found solace in the kitchen.

In the initial days of the lockdown, I had to take up cooking involuntarily as my cook stopped coming. Initial few days, I managed with basic food. Then one day my son, who always had a penchant for cooking since childhood said he would help me in the kitchen.

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I saw a strange satisfaction on his face when he came to help me in the kitchen. He was doing everything so happily that it made me wonder why he was so happy in the kitchen while I was not. He was happy because for him it was a hobby while for me it was a chore. I decided to teach him cooking and a new journey of mother and son began.

One day, I was pleasantly surprised when he said ‘Ma don’t you find the sound of spluttering of the whole spices on hot oil soothing?‘ Honestly, I have always been terrified of that sound, but after he said this, I paused and reconsidered and then the sound had a whole different connotation.

[image error]Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán on Pexels.com

I have now found an amazing mate in the kitchen who encourages me to experiment and do better. Honestly, he has the same traits as his Dad when it comes to cooking but the difference is that his father was too critical and dismissive of my culinary skills. More than encouragement it always felt patronizing. But the beta is different. He is learning but in return teaching me so much.

[image error]Photo by Rania alhamed on Pexels.com

In last couple of months, I have cooked dishes that I could never imagined of cooking in my humble kitchen. I enjoy how my child jumps with excitement whenever a dish turns out perfect. He will suddenly tell me in the middle of the night “Ma do you think we can add mayonnaise to mushrooms? Can we put chocolate on a roti and turn it into a choco-roti?” His enthusiasm is contagious and I have now started playing along. We are experimenting and keeping lockdown blues away by cooking.

I would like to conclude by saying that parenthood is a learning journey, where a time comes when you become the student and your child becomes your teacher.

Tell me how are you keeping the lockdown blues away?