I remember in my school days, I wouldn’t go out much in holidays. We lived in a building where 24 odd families lived in various flats. So close were the flats that my mom would ask me to close the stove hearing the whistle of the pressure cooker, although it was of neighbor’s. Most of the ladies of the building were the homemaker. Some of them were working ladies and busy as office hours were prolonged for Allahabad too. Occasional greeting never got me to understand what all hidden talents women had. One of these holidays I happen to talk to one of my aunties that I don’t know how to cook the cake. Least interested in everyday cooking I was blessed with a mom who never liked whenever I was in Kitchen. Occasional pakoda, sandwich , rolls and constant tea making were all my memories of my paternal kitchen. Aunty invited me to learn baking cake in cooker. I was surprised as she didn’t “look” like a woman who could bake cakes and all. Yes in “small town” looks decided your mental, cooking, dancing etc skills. Such biasness!
I remember the first cooking in her kitchen. With no paper and pencil, I enjoyed my Aunty’s Bihari accent and followed her recipe. With minutest details, she told me about the procedure which nowadays “Youtubers” happily skip. Like a true “homemaker” she knew what all can go wrong while cooking and all those insights were given to me. When I came back with the cake which “we “made” everyone in my family enjoyed it to the fullest. In the next few days, I made the cake all by myself in the cooker and took it to my teacher (with a gem as a topping!).
She could easily run a cooking class, a skill which many ladies are using to earn a living. Yet what prevents such talented ladies with the skill of dancing, painting, crafts, cooking etc? Is it the ladies around play a role too? Sending to a “class” but not promoting women to invest time in expending those skills to people around. Think about it, its small example. Cooking? ahh everyone knows and learn, what’s the big deal. But for me who was into studies, the baking of cake in pressure cooker made me knowledgeable in a quite different field and any knowledge empowers you.
I will always remember my “pressure cooker waala cake”waali aunty. I just wish that ladies promote women to bring out their skills, no matter how small it is. As charity begins at home at least we can start from neighbors!
BTW that aunty taught me egg cake while she herself wouldn’t eat egg (the ones who consider egg also as non-veg)!
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