A Personal Journey from Disliking Food Prep to Embracing It
Since childhood, I not only hated cooking, but I also disliked the chores in the kitchen, hence I actively avoided them. The idea of chopping, stirring, and timing meals felt like punishment. Growing up, my kitchen was a place for my mother to work magic while I watched from the sidelines. After all, from my observations, cooking for just adding ingredients from all the containers one by one, in the right order & quantity! “Cooking is not rocket science” was the verse I read somewhere & underestimated it. I thought I’d survive adulthood by eating takeout or Udupi Park or any Sagar restaurants or instant noodles forever.
Then I moved out.
Suddenly, the “someone else” was me. My fridge was empty. My cupboards were sad, lonely jars staring back at me. The habit of relying on outside food made my stomach upset, so I craved for simple home-made rasam & curd rice pickle rather than any fancy restaurant meals. And for the first time, I had no choice but to cook.
🔪 The Awkward Beginnings
The first day was a disaster. Over-salted veggies. Burnt toast tadka. Soup that tasted like sadness. I cried over scrambled eggs once— literal tears. But slowly, a strange thing happened: mistakes became experiments. Every overcooked vegetable was a lesson. Every too-spicy curry taught me a nuance of flavour. Also, tried hacks to fix the taste with the right proportions. Measuring spoons helped a lot, thus avoiding wastage or stale food.
🌶️ Playing Around With Spices
One day, I decided to throw caution to the wind. Mashed beets & chia seeds in my raita? Why not. Ground-roasted seeds powdered in my roasted veggies? Sure. Ground-roasted Flax seeds in buttermilk, sure. Cinnamon in soup? Let’s see.
I started noticing flavours — the way garlic and chilli balance each other, how a pinch of salt can transform bland tomatoes, how fresh herbs make a dish smell like home. Cooking became a playground, and I was finally having fun. I dreamt of hosting a cosy lunch & game nights one fine day when I’m super confident. When things are presented in a nice way, I find people smile and they feel happy. It’s not that deep, but it is thoughtful. Surprisingly, it takes hours of effort for meal prep & cooking, yet eating just barely takes a few minutes! The effort of labour is only rewarded in smiles, happiness, content & satisfaction of a dish well appreciated 🙂
🍲 The Kitchen as a Comfort Zone
Cooking slowly, experimenting, and tasting became my therapy. After a long day, chopping, stirring, and smelling food sizzle in the pan was meditative. The kitchen became my happy place — a place where mistakes were forgiven and creativity was rewarded immediately.
Even when a dish didn’t turn out right, the process itself became comforting. It was a reminder that happiness sometimes isn’t about perfection — it’s about being present, trying, and playing around with possibilities. Cooking regularly becomes muscle memory.
💡 Lessons I Learned
- Start small – One simple dish a week is enough to build confidence.
- Experiment – Don’t follow recipes like a robot. Taste, tweak, play.
- Be patient – Spices, timing, and heat levels take practice.
- Enjoy the process – It’s okay if it doesn’t taste perfect.
The joy is in creating.
🌸 From Chores to Joy
Cooking went from a dreaded chore to an act of self-care. It’s now where I recharge, experiment, and sometimes even meditate. And the more I cooked, the more I realised: happiness can come from the smallest acts, even something as simple as roasting peppers, stirring lentils, or sprinkling cinnamon on dessert.
The kitchen isn’t just about food — it’s about patience, play, and joy in creating something with your own hands. Cooking doesn’t need fancy gadgets. If you buy good things, they last for a long time. Sometimes, even passed on by generations. I’m sure we all have at least one such utensil, furniture, or piece of art which are dearest to us. After a long day at work, sometimes even kneading the dough gets my frustration away. So it’s all a win-win situation at the end.
🥣 If this story warmed your heart, clap generously and follow for more reflections on cooking with love, feeding with joy, and savouring the delicious moments of everyday life.
Feel free to leave a comment if you have similar experiences to share.
Hi, I’m Prathima 😊. I write about mindful living, running 🏃♀️, cooking 🍳, and turning everyday routines into moments of happiness ✨.
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