February 12, 2024

Home Cooking

Now, halfway through the program, I find myself missing my kitchen. Not friends or family, not my bed or even bathroom (though the idea of unlimited toilet paper tempts me sometimes), but the few square feet of space in which I am able to take the time to cook a meal in peace and quiet. To me, cooking is cathartic. Taking a few moments (or hours if you’re procrastinating homework) to plan out a meal from ingredients in the fridge and cabinet and transforming it into a dish is one of the most satisfying processes.

After we came back from Hampi and sickness had once again struck, I leapt to offer to cook a meal for my less than well classmates. I had so much fun planning out a meal and going grocery shopping. Being able to wander down any street and find vendors selling fresh, cheap, local fruits and vegetables is one of the things I wish we had back home. A heaping pile of tomatoes, onions, and garlic cost only a few dollars and already I had the base for a hearty soup. One last stop at a market to buy some seasonings and noodles, and we were on the way back home.

Prepping for the meal was an interesting series of improvisations and adjustments. The gracious kitchen staff lent me a knife (really just a long thin piece of metal with a handle), and I struggled to have the same grace as their experienced hands in cutting my onions and tomatoes. My sous-chef, Nantahala, engineered a garlic press by using the back of a strainer to smash the cloves on a plate. As we were preparing, some of the UTC who were still in the cafeteria kept giggling and sharing private jokes in Kannada about what I’m sure looked like clumsy and absurd ways to cook a meal.

Once in the kitchen, the staff kept popping in to see what I was doing and to ask questions. It was funny to see how interested they were in what I was cooking (a Chinese-inspired tomato, egg, and noodle soup) and my cooking abilities. I was even told that I wasn’t going to be able to go home anymore and that I would have to permanently join the UTC kitchen staff. Finally, the meal was finished and served up to whoever was actually able to make it down the two to three treacherous flights of stairs. It brought me immense satisfaction to see people enjoying the food and for just a moment feeling slightly better about their sickness. Food has always been a way for me to express my feelings and celebrate my community, and this GCIL supper was no different.

By Audrey