Learn To Cook

The first time Riya stepped into the kitchen alone, she felt like an imposter. Pots clanged, the pressure cooker hissed, and she stood there staring at a pile of onions as if they were a complicated exam she hadn’t studied for. Her mother made cooking look effortless—chopping vegetables while talking on the phone, balancing spices by instinct, and serving meals that tasted like home.

But Riya’s first attempt was… smoky. Too much oil, too little patience. She coughed, opened all the windows, and promised herself she’d never touch the stove again.

Except, the next day, she found herself back in front of the chopping board. This time, she tried to remember the little things her mother always said: “Heat the pan first, let the onions turn golden, taste as you go.” Slowly, the kitchen stopped being a battlefield and became a place of discovery.

Her first edible dish—a simple dal—wasn’t perfect. It was slightly salty, the lentils softer than they should’ve been. But when she sat at the table and took a spoonful, she smiled. It tasted like progress.

Weeks later, Riya invited her parents for dinner. As she placed the food on the table, her hands trembled. Her father tasted the curry, then grinned. “You’ve done it,” he said.

In that moment, Riya realized cooking wasn’t about perfection. It was about patience, love, and the courage to try again after burning the onions.

And just like that, she wasn’t an imposter anymore. She was a cook in the making.

---