Tuesday 14 September 2010
Cooking
I can't cook! Why why why why! I'm so bad at cooking! I tried making cream of broccoli soup just now. It really tasted nothing like the broccoli soup I had in some restaurant sometime ago. That was just heavenly. I can't even have the ready made Maggie Broccoli soup because they have "traces of egg". I've tried making Alfredo pasta. It's not THAT tasty, but it's fine. Rather plain. I need to take some cooking lessons. Soon. Before I end up killing people with my food.
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LOL! :) :) :)
ReplyDeleteDnt worry, my own experiences r worse! :D
i guess everyone gets it wrong in the beginning.
(and i haven't ventured past "the beginning")
YAY! I'm not alone!!! :D Lol!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a little difficult in the beginning. Its all trial and error. A good basics cookbook helps - and there are hundreds of fantastic cookery websites and blogs around. Do experiment a lot. You'll definitely get there.
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago, I didnt know how to peel and chop an onion. I was terrible but today I can cook a decent curry dinner and have friends over!
That's awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice and encouragement. I definitely need to experiment some more!
Speak about chopping an onion, the actual Vaishnava diet bans onions and garlic...have u ever tried to do that?
ReplyDeleteAt home, we fast on Fridays and Saturdays, so onion and garlic is a strict no-no on those days. Ofcourse, it's upto each one in the family how steadfast we are, but we try to do that, mostly.
My mom used to be a part of ISKCON (am not, though i admire it). Around that time, she said she gave up everything-even tea and coffee.
Unfortunaely, she faced problems with her in-laws after marriage, so she slacked on it, but it was amazing.
i wanna be able to do that, and hope i can do so in the near future, ofcourse with the grace of Krishna
Something unusual happened with me, with regards to coffee, tea, garlic and onions. I naturally started losing the taste for these items. Somehow, I just wouldn't like the way it tasted anymore, or it wouldn't suit my stomach as well as it used to. Maybe Krishna is responsible for that... Hmm, something to think about!
ReplyDeleteI have completely cut out coffee and tea from my diet. I avoid garlic and onions as much as I can but when I'm not given a choice, I'm not too hard on myself. Here, it's really hard to find vegetarian food, let alone food without garlic and onions! Most times, I don't have another option. I also try to avoid all caffeine-based soft drinks. During some research, I found that caffeine isn't good for people with a low iron count. So that gives me a good reason to stay away from caffeine.
Everyone knows how addictive coffee and tea can be! It's useless addiction. Let's get addicted to the Holy Name instead! OH YEAH!
Hmmm...it happened to me too, well, something of that sort.
ReplyDeletei started running away, you know, whenever my mom gave me coffee.
Ofcourse, i do love coffee, but i was running away.
You see, i can't tell my mom coz she'll harp (she did, actually) on about how important it is as am so used to coffee, and must not change my routine, given my board exams (freakingly close!!) and all.
And, we were sitting in this restaurant (in Dubai, and i know what you mean by lack of veg food), and having a really good meal, and i was crying coz somewhere down there, i was feeling guilty. It's become kinda routine to think of Him, in a guilty fashion, everytime am eating that food.
So, i gave up trying to take it upon myself, atleast for the time-being.
The way i reasoned it out, i'll have all the chances to be steadfast from next year, if only i'll take them.
But at the end of the day, am but a mere puppet, at His discretion.
So, if He will support my desire to be one with Him, be it the choice of food, or whatsoever, i hope He will show me the way.
And, your account was very inspiring, atleast an example i hope to emulate soon enough, by His grace.
//Let’s get addicted to the Holy Name instead! OH YEAH!//
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing!
Hi-five!!
:D
HI5!
ReplyDeleteHariiiiiibollllll ! :D
Ah yes. What's important is the desire! Srila Prabhupada always said that all we need to do is simply desire. That's all it takes! So if you're really desiring this, really truly from your heart, it will definitely happen! I personally believe that devotional desires get fulfilled superfast. When I was trying to cultivate my desire to be Krishna Conscious, I made sure I wasn't being hard on myself for not being "Vaishnavi enough". I constantly read and heard about how this is a gradual process so I must take it easy and go at my own pace, rather than try to change overnight. Rome wasn't built in a day. So of course, if will definitely take time to let go of useless habits and cultivate Krishna Conscious ones!
ReplyDeleteIt’s become kinda routine to think of Him, in a guilty fashion, everytime am eating that food.
It's nice that you're always thinking of Him. I think that's really important. The fact that you are thinking of Him shows that you give Him a lot of importance and you care about how He feels. Ultimately, that's what's REALLY going to save us. With thoughts come action. So when we think of Krishna, soon we will start acting for Krishna. We will behave in ways that pleases Krishna. And that's all our souls truly truly want :)
I completely agree with both of you - lets get addicted to the Holy name. Hi-five!!!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard about onions banned from the Vaisnava diet. I used to think that Jains didnt eat onions or garlic. I'm a very fussy eater and have had weight problems - so this sort of food restrictions would be hard on me. I avoid coffee - My body doesnt react well to it. I have about two cups of tea everyday though!
Hi5 Ash!!
ReplyDeleteLots of people have differing opinions about these food restrictions. Some Vaishnavas are not okay with consuming chocolate and soy whereas others are. I personally still eat garlic and onions, but not when I have the option not to. We are advised to not eat it because these foods are high in tamasic properties, according to ayurvedic principles, in case you were wondering why we don't eat them :) Just for information's sake, tea and caffeine are not allowed because they have addictive properties and have the tendency to alter perception. It is a slight effect, but there are some people who are so addicted to tea and coffee that they cannot go an hour or so without it. Like they cannot function without it at all. So they are sort of categorized as intoxicants.
If you ask me, I wouldn't really tell you that you need to stop consuming all this right now. It's entirely up to you, of course. But if you find that you would like to stop consuming these items, I would say don't worry too much about doing it immediately... take your time and go at your own pace. Srila Prabhupada and other Vaishnava teachers have instructed that we avoid these items, though. I personally believe that my devotion to Krishna matters a lot more than the items that I offer, but I have come to realize that if I offer the items that He likes, it will show Him that we are making an effort to give Him the things He likes :) That's what helps me to avoid consuming the items we are instructed to not eat. I have heard lots of things from garlic and onion lovers. One person said that she tried out Hare Krishna recipes and she absolutely loved them. She had not even noticed that there was no garlic and onion until someone pointed it out to her! So just keep your faith firm. That's the first step. Everything else will follow. If you find that you would like to stop consuming these items, then believe me, your devotion and desire will make it very very easy for you to do so. Slow and steady wins the race!
Hare Krishna :)
Ash, hi5!! Hare Krishna!
ReplyDeletei am a Sri Vaishnava, Sri Ramanuja is our spiritual guru, and it is banned for us also.
Ofcourse, it's each person's discretion, but yeah, it's forbidden.
i read somewhere that as onion and garlic are not just high in tamasic properties, but also resembling the 'sudarshan chakra' of Krishna, in symmetry,they must not be consumed.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. Completely agree with you!
ReplyDeleteKeep experimenting, and watch as many cooking shows as you can! That's how I learned (for the most part). Sometimes kitchen stores like William Sonoma have cooking classes, or you can take some through a civic center nearby. Definitely keep trying though!!
ReplyDeleteI'll keep that in mind! Thanks :) I really should experiment some more!
ReplyDelete