I was going to write the title of this piece, my food resolutions, but going by history, I hardly follow what I resolve to do every New Year; so here are my food wishes that are close to my heart. I have been thinking about them a lot, of late. Hope I continue to follow my gut in the kitchen and don’t get bogged down by situations that seem daunting no matter what. For me, cooking is a healing therapy. It might sound cheesy or even a joke; but, believe me, right now, I have nothing to hope for. It’s just me, my kitchen stove, my kneading bowl and a few equipment that I use three times a day, just to see some optimism throughout the day. When you live in a city that hardly inspires you, have no job in hand, and feel unaccomplished, let your kitchen be your companion in thick and thin.

1. Swearing by my granny’s kitchen rules

She will clean her kitchen and keep it spotless, especially before going to sleep in the night. Her kitchen is locked when not in use, and the stove top shines. She doesn’t even waste food; but for her, respecting food doesn’t mean eating a dish that was cooked two days back. You see, some people keep refrigerating food thinking it will be the same forever. Not this lady. She doesn’t even use the fridge. My Nani ma (mother’s mum), was a revelation when I got to spend some time with her a few days back. As a grown up, it was a different experience; I kept watching her in the kitchen. For example, she never leaves her dough for next day; there will be stale rotis in the box. Stale rotis, according to her, are way more nutritious than stale dough. So, basically, I don’t need to look at any international chef or a celebrated author to tell me what to do in the kitchen. Nani Ma is enough.

2. Bring in the pulses

All right, so up until now, I thought cooking is all about veggies. If there are no vegetables in the kitchen, I can’t cook anything. Well, I did a bit of research (just looked at my pantry, to be precise), and found that I absolutely forget most of the pulses. Only three to four of them go in use. So, here’s a food wish I truly want to work on. Why leave the pulses behind?

3. Use less oil

Whether it is cold pressed oil or unrefined oil, the truth (according to my recent readings) is that too much oil is anyway not good for you. So, I want to make sure I keep changing my oil every day; and that, I use less oil. If the vegetable is sticking on the pan, I should add water; but I anyhow should avoid using spoonfuls of oil just to make the dish look rich in flavour/colour or texture.

4. Try skipping wheat, once in a while

Nani swears by Bajra; and hence, I have realised that it’s high time I give wheat a break, at least a few times a week. Up until now, I only cared for rice, but now, I want to explore more. Jowar, Ragi, and other ancient grains, bring it on!

5. Make your own goodies

All right, so if possible, try making your own sauces, butters and jams. That’s something I have been telling myself a lot, lately. From pizza sauce to peanut butter, there’s a little improvement that I have made towards this. But, there’s still a long way ahead. Also, if one makes something at home, he or she will make sure it’s finished. Your store-bought bottles will never achieve the same stature. No? Also, I have learnt how to bake bread. So, if I keep my lazy self alert, I can actually bake bread and cookies, instead of avoiding the ready-to-eat ones altogether.

6. Record more recipes

It takes determination to ask rigid family ladies their food recipes; yes, I experience it all the time. Either they think that their recipes are worthless or they are too busy to share the actual recipe with you. But, if you actually crack the task, you can get a hell lot of unique and great recipes that will be otherwise forgotten. So, whenever I taste something flavoursome, something that’s extra ordinary–be it a basic chutney or pickle–I make sure I ask that person how to make it, without letting shame or impatience come my way.

7. Seek authentic world recipes

Let’s accept it, cooking wasn’t easy as it is now. We have a huge database of recipes before our screens all the time. Each day, colourful photos hit our social media feeds. All you need to do is cook the recipe. But, I need to draw a line here. Instead of knowing the trendy dishes like mug cake or kale smoothie, I need to try authentic recipes from various cuisines and enjoy cooking a few of them. This gives me a boost, as I get to cook something that’s a part of an other land. Second, it forces me to be creative. And third, I believe that it is a way of respect, which only the original recipe that is years old, deserves.

What are food wishes for the year 2018?