Before I got married, I lived alone in my own apartment for 9 years and yes, I did not cook a thing. Well, I did. Things like scrambled eggs, noodles and efo riro because those are the things I enjoy eating. Now, If you haven’t cooked since you were 21 and you went to a private university (for 4 years) that bans you from cooking on campus, I believe it’s safe to say you will have doubts when you actually have to cook a proper meal.
I married a chef so you can imagine how my relationship has been with the kitchen. As a new bride, I was enjoying the best of my chef-husband privileges. Fast forward to the week my Mother-in-law came by to visit! For context, the earlier times she came by to visit, my husband did the cooking- steak and baked potatoes, fancy pastas, oxtail soups. I have never had to make those. I’m sure I won’t die if I’m asked to make them but yeah!
So this day came and my husband had gone out to work. It was just me and my MIL at home and I know something had to be cooked. Like I couldn’t possibly make noodles now can I? Lol!
So, I went on to ask what she’d like to eat and I eventually came face to face with my fears. She wanted amala and egusi, a Yoruba delicacy! She told me she prefers her amala as light as possible- “ko fele”. Lool.
Fam! I was in the kitchen with drops of sweat forming around my upper lips and I hadn’t even started cooking yet. I can’t say I don’t know how to make amala. It used to be my favourite meal at some point. So, I went all in, rolled up my sleeves and stirred away.
After an hour in the kitchen, the meal was ready and I served her. You know the panic I had to cover with a straight face on. I acted as though making amala and egusi was my superpower. But I low key kept looking at her with my side-eye until she said, “oh this is very good. Just how I like it!”
Woooowww! Sigh of relief! I still got game! Lool.
There’s actually no moral of my story, except one you know it, you know it. And if you never knew how to, then you are on your own o.