Besides Chai, my other favorite Indian staple is naan, a
grilled flatbread similar to a pita or tortilla. Naan is an excellent accompaniment to Spicy
Chicken in Peanut Sauce, curry, or anything else that tastes better with white,
unhealthy carbohydrates wrapped around it.
I even considered resurrecting my hummus recipe that I so miserably
failed at making earlier this semester. However,
Hannah has wanted to make curry for a while, so we are going to make that
instead of reliving my painful hummus experience (the curry recipe will be
posted on Friday).
My dough stared back at me with a definite look as it
relentlessly flaked and fell apart despite my kneading, as if to remind me of
my own incompetence to perform a simple task.
As I slowly kneaded the defiance out, the simple, redundant processes of
pushing, turning, pushing, turning, make me thinking reminded me of how far removed
I am from the rest of the world.
Possessing the ability to cook is unnecessary for me. I could easily eat out every night or put the
food industrial’s latest frozen concoction in my microwave. However, for many women, cooking represents
much more than a hobby they can dabble in.
For many, cooking equates to a survival skill, both for physical and
social survival. For centuries, it has
been expected that women cook, and these social expectations cannot be thrown
without repercussions.
Looking at my
crumbling dough, I wonder if I could ever survive in that culture where cooking
is necessary, even if I was raised learning the intricacies of cooking. Although some people will argue that I live a
better life because I am separated from the entrapment of domesticity, while I
do not necessarily disagree with them, I also feel that cooking is still often
negatively equated with patriarchal control.
Cooking is a survival skill, and if people only know how to order at
Applebee’s or put Marie Calendar in the microwave, haven’t they lost
something? Isn’t it a bit strange that
as American’s, we no longer have to possess a skill that, on a fundamental
level, is necessary for us to remain alive?
If we lose touch with our basic needs and skills, does that mean we are
losing touch with our humanity?
Sound like the dough might have been too dry. Just to let you know flour can have varying moisture contents so it may need more or less water depending upon climate. Best to not add all the flour right away - saving a 1/2 cup or so in case you need it.
ReplyDeleteAlso wrapping the dough ball up and letting it sit for at least 5-10 mins will give it some time to absorb all the water and make it easier to tell if more needs to be added.
As for losing touch - I think everybody should try acquiring food from the source at least a meals worth of either growing something or hunting/gathering it from the wild. It puts a lot in perspective.
I definitely agree. I've gained a lot of basic knowledge from learning how to cook, and I think knowing a fundamental skill such as cooking is not not only important, but also satisfying. Even on a physical level, I feel much better when I've had a real meal, rather than just bean tacos or PB & J.
ReplyDeleteAs for the flour, I actually did know not to add all the flour. I only had added about 4 cups, and that was still too much. However, I didn't know about the water content of the flour, and considering Laramie's dry environment, I am not surprised I didn't use any where near the required amount of flour.