Being The Reluctant Cook

Some find the experience of cooking "therapeutic." I guess they find getting bitten by a dog "therapeutic" as well. How unfortunate is a life that finds cooking and taking bath in a hot water spring or a cool mountain lake the same. It is only with sorrow and misery that one catches oneself cooking. The stress is unbearable -- watch the stove, don't forget the spices, time the preparation! Sadly eating outside everyday is unhealthy and expensive otherwise cooking would be for restaurants the same way repairing cars is for workshops.

It takes some skill to cook your own food and not fall ill every other week. But don't worry my fellow traveller in the journey of life... this "reluctant" cook has you covered with just a simple mantra:

Wash. Measure. Check. Cook.

Wash: wash your hands and utensils thoroughly before you begin cooking. Don't use that pan with "just a bit" of yesterday's food sticking to it. I know, you came home after a long day, you're tired... but did you begin cooking with the very hands that just touched your shoes? Rabies. You're getting Rabies my friend. Good luck with that!

Measure: measure each ingredient -- wheat flour, rice, whatever. Designate one of the cups lying around as the "measurement cup" and use it everyday. It not only helps control your portions but also helps you get those ratios right -- 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice and 20 mins of Microwave at 600W. "Nah, my 'eye measure' is good enough" you say? Might as well drink sea-water instead of tasting that soup of yours. Bye.

Check: check every ingredient for spoilage, fungus, dirt. If you find them, clean or discard the ingredient, depending on the case. I'm not a fan of fungus at all -- fungal food poisoning causes unbearable head- and stomach aches. It's not enough to check them just visually, you'll also have to smell them a bit. Not classy, you say? OK. Good luck with that food poisoning.

Cook: cook the food so that EVERY part of it reaches 75C. Only then is the food safe. If it's too hot to eat after 75C (it usually is), let the food cool down before you cram it into your mouth. Heating and a bit of waiting is better than salmonella poisoning or burning the roof of your mouth.

That's it! 4 simple parts -- of 1 simple mantra! Good luck with your cooking -- from one reluctant cook to another. Peace.