An Empty Stomach Makes the Best Cook
By Izriena Idris
It feels like waking up to a new beginning of my life with a new job, a new home and a new, independent lifestyle. Being married to my heartthrob of eight years was the biggest decision I’ve ever made in my life, and never did I expect a simple 8-letter word – marriage – to cause a drastic change in my life story.
Adaptation was tough in the beginning but after what felt like a long six months, I gradually grew into a new self, who was never me, but a “better” me.
I’ve always despised getting my kitchen oily and getting myself all messed up like what I see in my mum whenever she does the cooking. But now that I’m living on my own with a food-lover spouse and being so used to home-cooked food, cooking is a must-have skill for me. Over time, it’s no longer a skill that I must have but a growing hobby in me.
It took me about three weeks after shifting in to my new place, without a mum under the same roof, to finally get my hands into cooking and eventually, my love for it grew. Expectedly, there were many failed attempts, with one unforgettable experience.
My hubby suddenly yearned for his all-time favourite dish, Ikan Bakar or Stingray. Oh no, I thought, this is a toughie! One reason why it is tough is that my hubby is very particular of any fishy smell when eating a fish. The challenge is: How do I get the fishy smell off the fish? Lemon juice, I thought! I soaked the stingray with a whole bottle of lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt for half an hour. The fishy smell should be warded off, for sure.
I proudly laid my cooked Ikan Bakar on a fresh banana leaf. It did look yummy, I must say. My hubby was so impressed that he hastily took a “humongous” bite. Within seconds, he ended up vomiting and even had a fever till the next day. Oh my, was it that bad?
Honestly, after that incident, it left me in fear to do anymore cooking. But after being sick of eating packed food for more than a week, I finally got back to cooking.
My recent success story – I whipped up three delicious Indian dishes – Rasam, dry chicken curry and Indian mixed vegetables – with my hubby eating two rounds of them. What an achievement I thought!
It also helps that an empty stomach makes one a good cook.