Bring Joy to Cooking (with a playlist!)
By Sidonie Maroon, abluedotkitchen
Joy is an art, and kitchens are the perfect place to practice adding contentment and pleasure to our lives.
The truth is: cooking isn’t always fun! Often it’s boring and exhausting, with resentment mixed in. Who wants to cook another meal, wash more dishes, shop, plan and then do it over again? Yet, the fertile ground for renewal is where there’s resistance. It will make a difference, understanding what gives grief, and then making simple changes in our actions and attitudes. It is the slight changes, the little things that end up making the most impact.
A friend shared that making hummus changed her lie. She’d always bought it pre-made, but wanted to stretch herself. She’d never cooked chickpeas and learned they’re easy with an Instant Pot. After the beans were cooked, she blended them with lemon, garlic, salt and tahini in a food processor. She gained an enormous boost in self confidence from a minor investment.
Four Practices to Ignite or Reignite Kitchen Joy
#1 Notice
Noticing is about expanding your senses and slowing down. Take in the ingredients, colors, fire, water, smells...all of this enlivens the experience of cooking.
Practice:
While chopping a carrot, peeling an orange or putting away dishes — stretch your attention, and notice the ordinary miracles:
The movements your hand makes using a knife.
The sound of running water.
Afternoon light on your drying dishes.
Notice for as long as you’re able and, over time, build the practice. The goal when your cooking is to be awake.
#2 Savor
Savoring is active participation in gratitude. It’s never taking the details for granted. Awaken your capacity to enjoy, right here and now.
Practice: the taste of sharp cheddar, a first strawberry, the smells of roasting vegetables, aromatic spices wafting from a pot of soup. Savor quiet moments breathing into your life.
(Once a yoga teacher told me that every time she opens the fridge, she takes a little breathing vacation. I love this, and now I fill that moment of opening the fridge with a long deep breath, my little vacation.)
#3 Practice Knife Skills
Practice the details of your cooking craft. I practice my scales whenever I pick up a knife. It will make you accomplished. Don’t miss an opportunity to expand and get better at what you have to do anyway. Everything is more enjoyable when you learn to do it well.
I’m including two YouTube knife skills videos to get you started. Proper technique will keep your hands healthy. As a side note, keep your knives sharp and invest in excellent ones. An excellent knife doesn’t have to be expensive. I use a J. A. Henckels International Classic 8-inch Chef’s Knife for everything.
How To Cut An Onion Line A Pro
#4 Learn New Cooking Techniques
The more kitchen skills you have, the easier and more enjoyable cooking will be. When you confront a bag of lentils, you want half a dozen recipe ideas to spring to mind. Cultivate kitchen confidence.
I offer cooking classes through the Coop, which will be back up and running when we return to normal, and the Coop now has a free to members online cooking school.
I think YouTube is a fun way to spice up your skills. Here’s a few of my favorite shows:
Soothing Jacques Pepin
Classic Julia Child
Indian Food With Chetna Family oriented
Indonesian Food With Pisang Susu lots of plant-based meals
Always excellent My Greek Table with Diane Kochilas
Maangchi an exciting Korean Cooking Show
Here’s a playlist from a past Coop cooking class where we featured Maangchi — She’s always sure to make you smile. Substitute ingredients!
Sweet, Sour, Spicy Korean Fried Chicken - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/yangnyeom-tongdak
Korean Style Sweet Potato Fries - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/ppottetto
Spicy Braised Tofu - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dubu-jorim
Braised Bok Choy -https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/bok-choy-muchim
Young Summer Radish Water Kimchi - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/yeolmu-mulkimchi
Kale Pancake - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kale-jangtteok
Seaweed Salad - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/miyeok-muchim
Korean Lettuce Salad - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/sangchu-geotjeori
Rice - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/multigrain-rice
Toasted Sesame Seeds - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/bokkeun-kkae
Tofu pickles - https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dubu-jangajji
Sidonie’s Keep Around Garlic Ginger Sauce
Makes 2 ½ cups
40 minutes
Try this easy sauce for stir-fried dishes, meats, or wherever you want lots of flavor in a hurry. It’s a fabulous way to use up odds and ends of ginger and garlic heads, and it’ll keep for a long time refrigerated.
INGREDIENTS
⅓ cup ginger, chopped
2 cups garlic blanched for 3 minutes
⅓ cup tamari
⅓ cup rice vinegar
⅓ cup coconut sugar
⅓ cup rice wine, or sherry
⅓ cup water
1/2 teaspoon Korean red pepper flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
Blanch 2 cups of garlic for 3 minutes and drain. Add the ginger and garlic to a food processor and pulse several times to a relish consistency. Add the other ingredients and pulse several times until combined. In a saucepan, cook the sauce on a medium heat, stirring, until the flavors have mellowed, and it’s thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let it cool and refrigerate.