We live in a free country and every year on August 15th, we look back to the past, then to the present, and maybe a little to the future, reflecting on how far we have come as a nation, and where we are headed. While this idea and vision is very important, the idea of ​​freedom for Tom, Dick and Harry (or maybe Tanmay, Deepak and Harshit), really comes to the perspective of the life they lead. Say, what is ‘freedom’ to you? Where do you find yourself everyday? And why would you even want, or rather, need?
Amazingly, freedom can be found in our relationships, in the places we live, in our work, and maybe other small things in life that seem ordinary from a distance, but expand our minds and hearts, and we will find them. it’s these little things that really give us freedom in our lives.
This Independence Day 2024NDTV Food decided to tap the kitchen space as a place of freedom and independence. The kitchen is much more than a small room in the house that is prepared every day. If you think about it, the kitchen can be quite a special place that actually adds meaning to many people’s lives, empowering them with a sense of freedom and personal space for self-expression and creation. We spoke to a number of cooking enthusiasts about what ‘freedom in the kitchen’ means to them, and how cooking your own food is, in this day and age, so important to calling yourself independent.
Also Read: Why Eating With Your Hands Is More Than Just A Tradition
Freedom from the chaos of the world
Freedom in the kitchen can be different for different people. For Mayank, 28, the kitchen is a place of control and free flow. Studying in Delhi, away from his parents in Lucknow, Mayank finds the power of cooking to help him escape the noise and chaos of the outside world. Living alone, he often seeks help from others to find out. But if there is one thing that is confident in taking care of yourself, it is being able to cook for yourself whatever you want, whenever you want and actually find the process comforting. A long and tiring day melts under a cup of chai in the evening, which with just the right amount of ginger and cardamom, is just the way you like it. The kitchen is a zen place – where no one judges her, where her creative energy takes the front seat, and where she always leaves with a sense of satisfaction and a plate full of aromatics and delicious food.
Carving Some Freedom For My Mom
Sheelu, 62, has been cooking for the past 49 years. She was 13 years old when she realized that her mother was overwhelmed, taking care of many household chores and raising five children. As the eldest daughter, she felt the least she could do was take responsibility for dinner. Her cooking journey began with making dinner every day and giving her hard working mother a break from at least one daily chore. Fast forward to today, Sheelu has found a new freedom in cooking. While he had the resources to hire a cook and no longer needed to ‘work’ in the kitchen, he found this attitude somewhat limiting. However, cooking food the way you want it using nutritious ingredients and love for your family is what you really find. Sheelu believes that balance is essential to achieving any kind of freedom, including your relationship with the kitchen. While she loves to cook and experiment with recipes, on days when she wants a break from the kitchen, she doesn’t hesitate to do so.
The freedom to cook in peace in a clean and positive space
Aakanksha, 31, is an architect and interior designer, who knows how to build functional and aesthetically pleasing kitchens for her clients, even if her house is not big enough for a large kitchen. Apart from her work, Aakanksha also likes to cook, but after a while she decided not to cook. Why? The house he used to live in had the cleanest kitchen – with ancient walls, a sink that was always full of dirty dishes and a lack of hygienic cooking practices. Although she loves to cook and has many ideas and inspirations, she wants a kitchen that she can call her own, designed the way she wants and most importantly, clean all the time. Now that she recently moved to a new house, she is really celebrating her freedom in her new kitchen, the only smell is delicious food and everything is organized, well stocked and she can cook whatever she wants in her own kitchen. .
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Freedom From Unhealthy, Junk Food Sold Outside
Vijay, 64, opened a clothing store in Delhi and started his culinary journey just a few years ago. He was a bit bored of eating the same dal, roti and sabzi every day for years. He never likes to order food from outside, so most of the food is limited to his wife’s cooking. One day, he finally decided to go to the kitchen and cook something different from the food he prepared at home. Although he struggled at first, he soon learned the basics of cooking and began to enjoy the process. From desserts to mocktails to sandwiches, he started experimenting with food beyond dal and sabzis, and the tasty snacks will also attract other family members. By learning to cook in his 60s, Vijay finally unleashed the power to cook what he wanted and experiment like his family had never done before. They make sure that the food they cook is fresh, nutritious and delicious so that their families are always independent from the growing culture of ordering junk food at the push of a button.
Freedom To Experiment And Unleash My Creativity
Mayanka, 25, is an English Professor living in Ujjain for work, away from family and home. Creativity is Mayanka’s middle name – you’ll find paper crafts hanging on the walls, paintings on any blank paper you can find, and lots of whimsical doodles next to her notes. When he recently left home to work and started cooking for himself, he channeled all his creativity into cooking. Although he was always fed by his mother at home, cooking alone did not seem lonely or difficult. Her small but efficient kitchen is like an art gallery, the food she cooks is not just a work of art and she becomes an artist as soon as she enters the kitchen. While he likes to feed his friends who often come over for dinner, his priority is to cook so that no one impresses but his own taste buds. The freedom to experiment, eat breakfast for dinner and prepare a 5-star style meal at 2 in the morning gives you an incredible sense of happiness and freedom.
See also: Why You Should Preserve and Recreate Family Recipes
If you haven’t tried cooking or think there’s nothing exciting about the kitchen, this Independence Day 2024, we invite you to try it and your new cooking skills can unlock a new freedom you’ve never felt before. Happy cooking and Happy Independence Day 2024!