Not many people appreciate cooking for the art that it is. Many just do it as a means to satisfy a need; that is the need of hunger. However, there is more to cooking than just being a medium through which your hunger can be satisfied.
When done properly, cooking can be an expression of your creativity and skill. It is true that when you have a lot of money, the variety in your cooking increases but I’ve come to realise that you can cook an amazing meal for less than N500. In fact, the die hard Indomie lovers out there can make you a mouth-watering dish with just N200. I’ve found that for most people, the less money they have, the more creative they become in their culinary skills. Did I hear somebody say ‘concussion’? I don’t even know how to define concussion for those who don’t know what it is. Just take it as a meal you prepare on a budget which still tastes just as good.
Aside from the influence of money on cooking, I love the fact that there are so many ways to make a particular dish. Take fried rice for example. I think I’ve learnt over 10 different methods of making it. One is not more superior to the other and the outcome of each method depends on the skill of the cook. Why do I know how to make fried rice in 10 different ways you may wonder? Well, I love trying new things with my cooking. I love experimenting with spices and new ingredients. When it comes to cooking, I’m a number one rule breaker. My various cooking experiments have made me become the good cook that I am today (yes, for all the doubters, I do know how to cook).
I believe we should all approach life the same way. Look for variety. If you have been stuck in the same routine for the last year, I think you need to switch things up a bit. Try something different. Go somewhere new. Make new friends. Are you doing something that is not working? Try a new method. Expand your scope of thinking. That’s how you stretch yourself and your ability. You should not be content doing things the same way; not when it comes to cooking and definitely not when it comes to your life.
Is money proving to be a challenge, then get creative. I remember when I was first exposed to the bend-down select market concept. I had this colleague that always wore beautiful clothes everyday. I used to wonder how she was able to keep changing her wardrobe constantly on the salary we were earning until she told me her secret; the night time clothes market at Yaba. I was amazed when she told me how much she purchased some of her clothes. If she doesn’t tell you, you won’t be able to guess. The thing is, there is always a way out even when you are running low on money. Sometimes I think being broke can be a good thing. It forces you to think outside the box. It propels you to re-evaluate your priorities. When you look at it from a positive angle, you become a better person when money eventually does come. And can I tell you something? Money actually comes eventually. Somehow God meets that need that has been making you have sleepless nights.
Life is very much like cooking. What you get out of it depends on what you put in it. Put in bitterness and pity and you will get a miserable life. On the other hand, if you put in determination and faith and sprinkle a little bit of hard work then you will get a rewarding life. It’s really that simple. Sometimes the heat may be intense, other times it may be warm but at the end of the day, you come out with an end product that is worth emulating.
So let’s get cooking!
Photo Credit – Prevention.com
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