Inspired by this.

Coming to UK from a country where cost of living is exponentially lower, where food is cheap and versatile, it is certainly a necessity to cook for oneself. A decent meal here costs at least £6 = RM31.40. A decent meal at home would costs RM6.

I am already hearing voices of people around me saying that we should not measure the costs with this method. In economics, it would be measured dollar to dollar (in this case, pound to ringgit). But how am I to measure it in such a way when the money I am using was earned back in Malaysia, where it is suppose to get a bowl of noodle for RM5, not RM30. So, I cook out of necessity.

It is not the only reason (far from the main reason, in fact). I could easily survive on just a few types of dishes, just seven or less dishes, rotated on a weekly basis. For people who know me well enough (or anyone who have eaten together with me) would know that I am not a picky eater. I easily find food delicious, even more so since coming here. The number of food that I take here that I would never have touched back home is enormous (to name a few: carrots, aubergines, lady fingers, peas..etc...).

I love food. Although I would be satisfied with a fixed diet, why just be satisfied when I can be ecstatic? I love love love love everything about food. Food makes me happy, every aspect of it.

The purchase of ingredients, I can easily spend hours in the aisles of Tesco's (which I do at least once every week, always making a round, sometimes more, at the baking aisle). I get agitated when I do not find the things I need and am willing to go through considerable hassle to get it (including a trip to Coventry just for it, as in the case of pork bones for lotus root soup).

Preparation, usually a detestable chore for some, but not for me. I can stay in the kitchen (unless it is unkept, like how my kitchen usually is) and prepare all the ingredients. I am sure I have spent more than two hours in the kitchen here preparing the ingredients, chopping, washing, blanching, peeling..etc... When there is no time constraint, I do find it therapeutic getting my hands down and dirty with chicken meat, deboning it then marinating it. It is so satisfying when the marination works wonderfully!

Then comes the cooking, which honestly, I find it particularly stressful, because there is many things that could go so wrong. Resulting in a burnt, overcooked dish and a waste of ALL my effort from step one. I also like to multi-task while I cook (usually cooking and cleaning up at the same time), to save time and also use up the energy while it is still there. It is very boring just standing there just staring at the food, although many cooks would espouse it as a critical thing to do.

And of course, the final (and possibly most satisfying) factor would be to enjoy the food! I always find myself gorging on the food I cook (in fact, any food that anyone cooked). I love the flavour in my mouth and the trail it leaves behind. I like it "fresh" too, which means I eat fast so the flavour is constantly full until the very last mouthful. Although some would we appreciate food better when taken slowly, but not for me. I try so very hard to take it slow, but it ALWAYS slip my mind, it takes tremendous conscious effort.

The other reason (which is also equally important) is that I love to cook (and do things, in general) for friends. As cheesy as it sounds, I love cooking for friends. If it were not for my friends (especially the ones here) who are glad (I hope) to eat the food I prepare (and subject themselves as my guinea pigs), I do not think I would have cooked half the things I did. That is why even though I cook for my friends, I do feel like I should be the one saying, "Thank you", because they trust their dinners to me. Silly, but none the less, that is how I feel. Thank you to all those who I have cooked for, really. Hopefully you have not forced down anything disgusting because of my cooking and never will XD

I am going to say one last thing, which may sound ludicrous but to me, it holds true. The most important ingredient to any dish is company. Do you find that food usually taste much better when there is someone else enjoying food together with you? How often would you go all the way alone just for a good meal? Usually, we would be content with something that fills our stomach. I am so thankful, extremely extremely extremely, amazingly thankful that I have Yu Min in the same floor to have dinner with. Dinners (and university) would be so different without her (I shall not blabber about her here, it is saved for a post on its own). I am glad I do not have to eat dinner alone.

OK, one very very very last thing. I noticed something amazingly interesting about myself in regards... to what else? FOOD. I find that I crave for food less when I am cooking or brain-storming on dishes to cook. Ooooh. Should it not be the opposite?

Tomorrow is my free day, so I am preparing some (hopefully) yummy food for some of us dancers to bring to practice so we can eat during intervals, as practice starts really early at 4pm. Malaysian Night is drawing really near. It is going to be good, I am very sure.