Cooking is a therapeutic experience. For me who loves the process of creating something new, cooking is yet another medium to make something wonderful.

One important thing that I’ve realised is that apart from the recipe and the ingredients, time is such an important part of the entire process. When you cook without any hurry, give the recipe its time, the results are magical.

This was particularly true when I cooked chicken curry. The first time I cooked it, it was a weekday afternoon, and I was busy in work and the cooking was packed into my lunch break. Later, I cooked the recipe again on a relaxed evening, with music on. The onions were cooked until brown, the spices added without hesitation, and the chicken cooked slowly.

As any other creative process, cooking can be experimental. You can try switching and adding ingredients as per your choice and if you get the pairing well, your dishes come out to be amazing.

# Experiments

I recently tried cooking with alcohol - wine and beer to be specific. I love masala chicken roast, a pan recipe that tastes delicious and is fulfilling. The second time I cooked this, I added radler (a drink containing beer and lemonade) instead of water for the chicken to cook. The experiment was successful! Radler added a slight tang to the chicken and the sweetness balanced the taste overall.

Then I tried cooking dal with red wine. I had wine from Christmas and was sipping some while cooking. Out of curiosity I added it to the dal I was cooking. It turned out to be pretty good! The wine gave a dark color to the dish and also added an earthy, heavy taste. Overall, I loved it.

I cook when I get time, and also try to ensure that I eat cooked food. But I do slip past this resolution and order food. Cooking is fun, and I am enjoying it so far, I'll keep noting my experiences in future pieces.