by Ramya Shankar
[box] What began as an effort to divert the mind that was tired of routine cooking is now Ramya Shankar’s favourite hobby. In a piece that conveys the essence of the April 2010 issue, ‘Food and Travel’, Ramya shares the joys of baking and the many incidents that have marked her baking journey.[/box] [box type=”info”]MONTH: April 2010
THEME: FOOD AND TRAVEL
CONCEPT: Perfect for the vacation season, we chose to explore Travel—a theme that covers geographies while also discussing another aspect that overcomes boundaries in its truest sense—the love for Food.
FEATURED PERSONALITIES OF APRIL 2010:
Anil Purohit
Anu Karthik
Lakshmi Sharath
Vanga Srikar Reddy
This was one issue for which people came back to us saying—’this is not fair!’ Why not, when it made them long for lovely food and got their feet itching for a trip! The April 2010 edition was one of the most popular issues of that year and is close to our hearts too, for many reasons—including two lovely write-ups by two extremely talented travel bloggers—Lakshmi Sharath and Anil Purohit.[/box]
The lack of an interest to investigate the complexities involved in the making of a meal combined with being blessed with a mother who enjoys cooking was my culinary nemesis. So, leaving the warm nest to make a life for myself meant that I would either be required to put down the money for food or attempt to cook for myself every day. My thrifty student budget did not provide the luxury to eat outside every day. The choice was obvious and the need immediate.
I had to learn to make a few basic things that would get me going quickly. And of course there would be several days of peanut butter sandwiches when nothing worked. With that thought calming my mind, I managed to survive off dal, rice, frozen rotis and a standard vegetable curry recipe that involved adding the same masalas to a different set of vegetables each time. If you’d asked me then, I’d have called cooking a chore and mumbled my way through my barely palatable dinner. Clocking a year in the US of A, the sweet cravings that were satisfied without fail back home, returned, and the canned Gulab Jamun from the sketchy Indian store no longer pleased me. I’m not really an impatient person by nature, but the idea of stirring a halwa for hours together wasn’t really up my alley, even if the only good that would come out of it might have been more toned triceps. One thing led to another and I realised that I’d reached my breaking point with cooking. I was making the same kind of food and despite Mallika Badrinath’s estimation of a recipe taking only 20 minutes, I managed to camp out in the kitchen for over an hour to cook up a curry and a rasam. And let’s not even get started about how long it takes to scrub out a burnt pressure cooker. It was time to switch things around. I really needed to vent my culinary frustration, but in a constructive way. It was time to learn something new. The answer came in the form of a baking lesson.
Just like any other person who grew up in India, I always associated cakes with birthday and perhaps pastries and brownies as the one-off delicacies when out with friends. We’d always taken biscuits (or cookies as the Americans call it) for granted for they were always around in the house, be it cream biscuits, salted crackers, the good old Marie or the more posh chocolate chip one that was considered a special treat. So, I wasn’t particularly too excited when I learned that it was a cookie that would mark the start to my first ever baking lesson. But as the wise tell you, there is always more to it than what you can see or imagine.
Of course, baking and cooking are two different institutions, each with their different complexities and scientific techniques. But as I fussed over measuring cups and spoons, I could not help but wonder how effortlessly my mom would eyeball the ingredients and make the end product taste perfect. No wonder time and experience are such important teachers. And there I was in a sunny kitchen rattling bowls, rolling dough, whipping eggs and butter, learning to make things I’d only read about in books: nutty biscotti, delicate scones, fluffy meringue, and the oh-so-buttery shortbread – the possibilities seemed endless.
Initially I was intimidated by how much of a difference a leavening agent or even an egg makes to a recipe. Precision was the key and this idea was easy to follow but difficult to master. On the brighter side, there have been several times during the freezing winters when I would just turn on my oven, put in some gingerbread cookie dough and a few minutes later the house would not only be warm and inviting, but would smell absolutely divine.
What began as enthusiasm to learn a new skill soon changed to something I enjoyed doing. If you ask me now, I would definitely say that I’m still not your average person who spends a lot of time in the kitchen for the joy of cooking. I spend my Sunday afternoon preparing my entire week’s meals and freezing them. This way I can reheat my food on demand and not worry about cooking or cleaning during the week. It is ironical because I still don’t have the motivation to cook up an elaborate meal for myself, but I thoroughly enjoy baking a hundred cookies for the entire Computer Science department at the university.
I am still an amateur baker, but I do not miss out on a chance where I can get creative. In fact, one of my recent experimentations had been my version of a savory cookie involving garam masala and chopped jalapenos. However, the reactions were clear enough for me to not go that route ever again. Though these chances to do some large-scale baking may not come as frequently as I’d like them to, I have been lucky enough to always have people around who are eager and willing to try my experiments with butter, flour and sugar. Blowing my own trumpet might not be a good thing, but you have to taste my oatmeal peppermint chocolate chip cookie to vouch for its melt-in-the-mouth texture. It took five batches of cookies and severely saturated roommates’ tasting abilities to achieve the right proportion of ingredients. We were girls on a mission to perfect the oatmeal cookie recipe and according to us, the recipe is definitely patent worthy. If you think your recipe is better, we are up for a challenge.
Given that experiments continue to be a part of my baking endeavours, I sometimes wonder whether I should perhaps take this experimenting to the next level, particularly during those times when I am reminded of how my mom would efficiently make a payasam, burfi or a halwa during festivals or auspicious days – something that I still feel I will struggle to achieve, given my inclination to cook.
The last time I made a trip to India, I baked a large batch of cookies and it was such an instant hit with the family that my mother asked me to teach her how to bake. But I’m saving my baking lesson for when she decides to make a trip to this side of the world. Some things need to begin in the right place and I don’t feel comfortable with baking in a kitchen where she’s the boss. But as we brainstormed, we chanced upon the idea of including baked goods as return gifts during Navaratri. Although, the idea initially seemed sacrilegious, it kind of grew on me. The times are surely changing, especially in the U.S. I’ve seen some of the temples here give pasta and pizza for prasadam, so I wonder – why not make brownies for Diwali and cupcakes for Krishna Jayanthi? Now that baking has indeed captured my fancy, I am sure I’ll give that a shot soon. Until then and later too, I would say, rejoice the cookie!
Ramya Shankar has completed her Masters in Computer & Information Sciences. She has undergone training in classical music & dance in her earlier years. An adventurous person by nature, she loves to try new food, work-out, bake and express her thoughts through her honest words. Always effervescent, she is sure to light up a room with her big smile.
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