A few days ago I had a wonderful lunch meeting with an editor of a local magazine. Over a slew of emails deciding on what time and day would best suit the both of us, she suggested we meet for Thai food. That’s when I knew I was going to really like her. And the moment she asked for her Tom Yum soup to be extra-spicy, I knew we were going to be best friends! Lunch was delightful, and the conversation we shared over fresh salad rolls, Pad Thai and Fried Bananas with ice cream was simply exceptional. Being the food editor of the magazine, she undoubtedly shared my obsession with all things culinary. We bonded over our favourite childhood snacks (who knew that ketchup on toast with a dash of pepper was not something that only weird ‘ol me enjoyed! I know, I know, it sounds like a hideous combination; but in my defence, I was 14, breaking out in pimples and was going through a phase where anything out of the ordinary was thought to be “in”…), how we usually plan our vacations based on places that are mostly know for their food more than anything else, and our dislike for broccoli! It was going great until she asked me the dreaded question - when and how did I learn to cook?
I can’t even begin to count the amount of times I’ve been faced with that very question. If only I had a penny for each time I was asked, well, I guess I’d have a lot of pennies by now! As far as I can remember, I actually started cooking when I moved out of home for college; the food there sucked, and since I had an inbuilt kitchen in my room, I figured I could at least try and salvage my hunger and save some money in the process. But I wouldn’t be lying if I said that wasn’t really when I learned to cook. My mom didn’t think much of having me and sister learn to cook the real way. Sure, she’d often have us help her at dinner time by setting the table, making the salad, frying puris while she rolled them out splendidly, and of course, doing the dreaded dishes once everyone was fed. There were days during holidays and weekends, when I would spend time talking to her in the kitchen while she prepped meals. In the process I often took note of how she added one ingredient after the other, roasted spices in dry heat to bring out their aroma, and took special care to avoid any extra gravy while layering Biryani. Little did I know that these special sessions we shared would one day be the basis of my career.
Truth be told, I can’t really point an exact time frame in my life when I actually learned to cook. It kind of just happened, maybe it was always there somewhere. In fact, I’m on a constant learning curve. Each day I educate myself with something new - be it how to make the perfect hard-boiled egg without having the shells stick to it, or that soft, delicious naans could actually be made at home in a flash. Without a tandoor. Who knew! What I can tell you honestly though is that the one thing I actually learned to cook was fried egg. My mom decided to teach me so that I could make my own breakfast without her having to leave the laundry halfway to feed me. It wasn’t a fun experience at all. I must’ve had thrown away a couple dozen before I could manage to crack them just right without thrusting my thumb in and breaking the yolk. But it was all for a good cause. How else could I have made myself this delicious Egg Sambal had it not been for that fateful day.
So, now I ask you - when did you learn to cook?
FRIED EGG SAMBAL
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 4Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1 medium onion, finely sliced
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
2-3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp light cooking oil
salt & pepper, to tasteDirections:
Heat about 1 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan (Use one large enough to cook the entire dish, since it makes it much easier to clean up. Personally I prefer using a wok to get perfectly round fried eggs.), and fry the eggs one after the other seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, adding in more oil if needed. Set aside.
Add in remaining oil in the pan and saute garlic and onions till soft and lightly browned. Add in spices and fry for a few seconds.
Throw in chopped tomatoes, season with salt and fry for a few minutes. Add in tomato paste and continue to fry, breaking up tomatoes till it starts to dry out and give out oil from the sides.
Slowly slide in the fried eggs, and carefully mix them with the tomato mixture to coat, without breaking the egg. Allow to heat through for a few minutes and serve warm.
April 25th, 2012
I’ve never seen eggs cooked this way…looks great!
April 26th, 2012
Toast with tomato sauce and pepper?!? ewww! hahaha, i could almost judge you for thatbut ok, i wont. considering i used to have Marie biscuits topped with custard, and raw tamarind smeared with salt
Love the fried egg sambal… it looks filling, spicy and totally yummy.
Oh, and i learnt to cook only when I was 20! my mom still cant believe I have a food blog considering i didnt know how to make even tea or coffee till i was 25!
April 26th, 2012
Looks delicious!
April 28th, 2012
I love spicy toppings on fluffy scrambled eggs. My latest was some leftover very spicy, very saucy curried cauliflower and chick peas with some excellent nan from the Indian market. Spicy pico de gallo over scrambled eggs, all on top of a tostado, avocade on the side, is another favorite.
When I learned to cook was over a spring break in high school, when instead of a traditional grounding, I was not allowed to make or receive phone calls. A very effective punishment, by the way. By the time school was back in session, I had mastered homemade bread, cake, soups, stews, casseroles and souffle. My at-the-time horrible punishment has turned out over the years to be a priceless gift. Thanks Daddy.
April 30th, 2012
Egg sambal looks so good!
I should try this recipe, substituting eggs for tofu…
May 1st, 2012
You have no idea how excited I am that I found this blog. I was raised with these flavours, and spice & heat have been an addiction of mine since I’ve grown old enough to cook for myself. You can be sure I’ll be back!
-h
May 12th, 2012
Wow - this must be hot, right? That’s a nice combination though! Loved reading this, particularly “ketchup on toast with a dash of pepper ”
May 14th, 2012
Hi Meena,
and i cant wait to buy your new book!
Ive just started cooking and i LOVE the recipes here, used quite a few, dahiwala chicken and paneer taka tak were a huge hit. so thanks
I had a quick question, every time I use a recipe i see “tomato Puree” and “Tomato paste” as ingredients. The last recipe i used required 250 ml of puree for 400 gms of paneer … i used store bought puree and what was to be spicy paneer was unbearably sweet!! awful , how do i avoid such situations? Whats the difference between the two?
May 14th, 2012
I do think this is delicious. I love fried eggs, omelet or sunny-side up is already perfect. But I think I’ve gotta try this recipe here for a whole new fried egg recipe. Hhhmm, I’m also a fan of spicy food and ketchup so, this would really be good for me. Gotta try this recipe.
May 14th, 2012
looks very yummy and delicious.. will try it at home
keep bloggin:)
May 17th, 2012
This seems a new dish..I have never seen it before ..but looks yummy..Will try it…But is it spicy or not??
June 10th, 2012
Wow, this looks awesome. will try. and your food pix are beautiful How do you do them?
June 21st, 2012
Hi Meena, Awesome dish ! Very tempting..I love to browse through food blogs everyday for different recipes and I cannot thank bloggers enough for helping me everydayto comeup with fabulous food, everytime I try something new from a blog. I have a small problem though. I had kidney stones and so advised of avoiding tomatoes all together. Its really really hard to find recipes which are equally delicious without tomatoes. I wonder when this vegetable got in to serious cooking and when did people start incorporating tomatoes in their everyday cooking.. pls point out some recipes which would be helpful for people like me? thanks much.
Hi Anitha, you can find many recipes on my list that do not use tomatoes - most of them being vegetarian. Have alook at the recipe list for some new ideas. Thanks for stopping by!
July 31st, 2012
wow!amazing recipe and nice twist on egg! I am definitely going to try this one..This is my first comment on your blog and I love it..I am going to dig the archives now
August 17th, 2012
I learned to cook FROZEN food by the age of…10? Actually cooking eggs, I learned when I was 11. And guess what? I’m still 11! xD I’m taking a cooking course right now, and love food, yet am so skinny! I guess food loving came to me in the womb, while my mother watched the food network
After the story of my life, I want to thank you for all the amazing recipes you’ve posted. Now if I can only get my mom to let me cook them….xDDD
August 22nd, 2012
Yum!
September 1st, 2012
I learnt cooking only after my marriage. I was never really interested in kitchen/cooking or even purchasing vegetables. But now I am improving.
The picture of the dish itself is very very mouth watering. Nice pick of words to describe recipes as well as very cooked dishes captured in a beautiful manner.
October 16th, 2012
Hey Meena….loved the pic…will try the recipe soon….I remember learning basic recipes such as tea, omlette and plain toor dal from my mom before marriage…but a propah (lol) cook , only after marriage. Btw, I am Meena as well.
November 2nd, 2012
Your sambal looks fabulous, great colour too. I love spice too - extra hot for me too please! I first started to cook at university but back then I really wasn’t up to much. my speciality was a risotto and anything else that basically involved one pot. I also had a bad case of ‘adding a bit of this and that’ which often led to terrible results - at least I learnt what didn’t work! I think I really started cooking about 8 years ago now, while living in Oxford, it just snowballed from there and there was no stopping me!
January 7th, 2013
When I moved in with my boyfriend, now husband, during my masters. It was a nightmare with both of being rubbish in the kitchen and I missed ghar ka khana sooooo much. Similar to yours I guess, but my mother then wasn’t a big fan of the kitchen. She seems to have taken an interest only in the last few years!!
January 29th, 2013
The recipe doesn’t say where the eggs need to be boiled before starting or not. If not, are you saying that we make sunny side up first and then mix it later with onions and tomato?
Hi Amit, the recipe does say to fry the eggs one at a time and set them aside before starting with the gravy. Thanks!
February 11th, 2013
Hi, Really lovely colour.. I have to try this.. such a simple and nice recipe too.. I learnt to cook quite early, during school days when I was 13 or something.. nothing great..first dish was cabbage fry. Turned out well.. after that small things, but my mother is an excellent cook and I was inspired…:-) I thank her for that! Like this post..
March 4th, 2013
I’m more. macaron person lol. Pretty cute fried egg sambhal though, and you’re using more up to date equipment, I’m still using cooking tools from the 80s haha
March 5th, 2013
I first learned to cook in my 20s, although I think I used to be a better cook than I am now. I first became a foodie when I got a book “Great Restaurants of the World” as a child. I don’t know why I never thought to go to culinary school. Oh well, the hours would suck anyway.
March 9th, 2013
I learnt it after marriage. Was never a kitchen gal, before. Always been book worm and a picky eater.
After I started experimenting and learnt cooking, I am now a foodie. My daughter was a picky eater too, when she was very young. Then doc suggested I show her and talk to her while cooking and (pretend)take her help. I did that and we also loved to watch food TV together. Our favourite time together is watching food tv together. She is now 6 yrs old, but has improved a lot in trying new foods and in enjoying food.
March 23rd, 2013
Meena, amazing pic of the egg sambal and the other recipes. Real delighful reading. I am so glad I found you.
As far as cooking is concerned, I learnt in a situation similar to yours. I lived with two other girls during my under-grad, one who almost burned the apt once and the other who didn’t know how to hold a knife straight. I had to take control and dominate the kitchen to salvage my clothes and books.
Later I moved in with my boyfriend, now husband, who’s a hard core foodie. I love cooking and it helps me destress.
April 5th, 2013
My experience has been similar to yours. I think I imbibed a lot watching my mother cook but I didn’t know it at that time. My mom didn’t want me to be stuck in the kitchen, so she never encouraged me to learn cooking. She would always say “it will come to you later.” Which is exactly what happened. I got married, moved to the U.S. and got really tired of eating the same daal and mixed veg subzi hubby used to make all the time. So, started experimenting and realized that cooking came naturally to me. Without learning ‘officially’, I could remember in detail how my mom made her sambaar or rasam, her specific mannerisms in the kitchen, her way of cutting veggies etc. And wonder of wonders, I realized I actually enjoyed cooking. Having looked back since.
April 16th, 2013
I learned to cook from a young age as my parents are both culinary lovers as well. When I was in Indonesia I went to a restaurant specializing in various sambal chili sauces to be eaten with eggs. The garlic chili sauce I orders was spectacular eaten with the egg and looked similar to this recipe. Looks delicious!