Cooking For Joy
The Satisfaction of Using What You Must
Be proud of looking at what you have and making something delicious
Editor’s Note: Heated has asked contributors to write about a dish they’re cooking that cuts through bleak headlines, forced isolation, and limited ingredients to bring them joy; we’ll be running at least one contribution a day through this stay-at-home stretch.
Like most people, my favorite thing to cook and eat is noodles. Doesn’t matter if it’s getting orecchiette so ideally al dente that my wife asks, “How did you make it so chewy?” or my home version of Pok Pok’s Ba Mii Tom Yam Muu Haeng, which has a zillion garnishes but is essentially noodles with chile and vinegar. This is what I crave.
What brings me joy, however, is cooking a meal based on what we need to use up in the fridge, freezer, or pantry. I know that’s not what people want to hear. But there is great pride in looking at what we have and figuring out how to make something delicious. Under normal circumstances, this is a good way to avoid our cultural compulsion for over-purchasing. Under current circumstances, it’s a necessity.
My daughter, who is 5 months old, joins me in the kitchen during dinner prep. If I talk her through each step of the cooking process, she is happy…
