Let's write about cooking without a recipe

From the benefits of cooking with a dash of this and a splash of that!

Echo essay by Sudha Balagopal published in Hannaford "Fresh" magazine.

Butter chicken:  https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/butter-chicken/

Sudha Balagopal is the author of the novel "A New Dawn", two short story collections and the novella "Things I can't tell Amma".

Sudha Balagopal: Author

When someone asks me for a recipe, I'm likely to use language like, "a touch of salt" or "a splash of oil".  You won't find measuring tools in my kitchen.  I prefer to cook in dashes, pinches, and sprinkles- creating deliciousness through the inexact.  Sure, there are benefits to cooking with precision, knowing exactly how much to shop for, having a set of clear guidelines to follow. But,growing up in India, I watched my grandmother and mother cook thin, crispy dosas, rich smabar and spicy coconut chutney, all without a recipe in sight.  And beyond this approach being in my blood, it's also a terrific way to make my cooking more flexible, engaging and creative. 

Approximation allows for flexibility, especially when it comes to making the South Asian meals I grew up eating.  When I immigrated to the U.S., in teh 1980s, I couldn't find the ingredients I used to easily pick up back home like lentils for dal, basmati rice for the fried rice dish pulao, or Indian semolina for upma, a thick spiced porridge.  So, I turned to approximation, substituting yellow split peas for lentils, American long-grain rice for basmati, and cream of wheat for semolina.  Even with the substitutions, the warmth of home enveloped me whenever I sat down to eat. 

Cooking this way also engages my five senses and keeps me present. When making chole, chickpeas in an onion tomato gravy, the rich color tells me I have added just the right amount of spices.  When cooking the broth rasam, I'm tasting for that certain tomato-y-tang.  When warming cumin or mustard seeds in hot oil, I listen for the sizzle.  I rely on my senses to tell me when the dish is right or when it may need just a hint more of something else.

By using those senses and that flexibility, a dish is born!  Moreover, it is stamped with my own personal take.  Even something as simple as rice can be personalized by adding extra water for softer rice or a bit less for firmer grains, tossing in a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, seasoning it with a dollop of ghee or a drizzle of vegetable oil, or garnishing the finished dish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Finding the preference point might mean making adjustments until I arrive at my "yum" moment.  But, it's that "yum" moment for which I substitute, trust my senses and stamp what I create with my personal tastes. Indeed, it's that "yum", for which I've given myself the license to be inexact.