My Journey to the Kitchen: From My First Meal to Bachelor Survival Cooking

Every culinary journey begins with the first steps in the kitchen, and for me, that moment was when I started cooking for my family at the age of 7 or 8 with Arhar kee Dal and bhaat, or lentil curry and boiled rice. Looking back, it was a simple but pivotal moment that ignited my passion for cooking.

The First Sambar

As I grew up, I learned to make a variety of dishes, but my first attempt at Sambar, a traditional Tamil Nadu dish with lots of vegetables cooked with yellow lentils, tomatoes, sambar powder, and tamarind pulp, was a bit of a mishap. My mother-in-law, who preferred to call it ”paruppu kuzhambu”, asked me to make it when I was newly married just a few days old. Confused by the term, I made a simple dhal kuzhambu with no tamarind pulp but added chopped tomatoes and mashed garlic for flavor. To balance the spice, I made a kara kuzhambu with brinjal and drumstick, seasoned with sambar powder, salt, and tamarind pulp.

The Reluctant Cook

My journey to the kitchen didn't start until my 12th standard when I began developing an interest in cooking. One of my first meals I made was a fried potato gravy with chapati. However, it was a catastrophic failure. Now, I often joke that it's become a signature dish for me – not a hearty meal, but a reminder of my early culinary misadventures.

A Family Responsibility

When I was just about to enter college, I had been working at a chain hamburger stand over the summer. It was during these days that my mother, tired from a long day's work, gave my sisters "the night off" and asked my brothers and me to cook for our family of 11. We managed to broil the beef for burgers and prepare frozen French fries, and when plates were cleaned and seconds requested, it was evident that we'd succeeded!

Advice and Skill Development

When I need cooking advice, I still turn to one of my sisters. Being the cooks' assistants at the convent, they had a lot to teach. Whenever we needed extra help, one of us would handle the stove while the rest took on scullery duty. With nine kids, we washed the dishes, pots, and pans on a rotating schedule. Everyone, including me, learned to cook a bit of something, even if it was just eggs for breakfast or a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. My dad was a valuable source of culinary knowledge as well, and my brothers and I started calling these skills bachelor survival cooking. As a young adult, I could make dinner for a date.

A Final Note

While my cooking journey has been filled with both triumphs and failures, it has been a rewarding and enriching experience. From my first meal at 7 or 8 to the occasional nostalgic reminder of my early culinary experiments, each step has brought me closer to mastering the art of cooking. If you're looking to start your own culinary journey, dip your toes in with the time-honored wisdom and traditions that have guided me throughout the years.