Cooking Black Chickpeas…
Cooking Black Chickpeas and Building Independence
By Aayushi Roy
Independence—a word, an entity, an asset. Oxford defines independence as “the freedom to organize your own life and make your own decisions without needing help from other people.” Despite what many seem to think, independence is a virtue we all must cultivate because it’s not just about the freedom to make our own decisions. It is also about our self-esteem, how we see ourselves, and how we put ourselves out in the world.
I recently moved into my first apartment. Although it’s rented, it’s not shared so there’s some room for growth. Just the other day, I wanted to eat something warm and homey. I had the financial freedom to order takeout or go eat out somewhere nice, but what I wanted most was to eat homemade food in my most comfortable pajamas and enjoy my night.
I’ll let you in on a secret: the most extravagant dish I can cook is white sauce pasta with a sprinkle of Italian herbs and sheets of Amul cheese. That is my maximum. But that night, I knew I had to start building my independence in cooking too. Thus, along came the magic of Indian cooking and black chickpeas; I have always loved them. They are warm, spicy, tangy, savory, and everything to make me feel right at home.
So, I cut the onions, the tomatoes, the garlic, and ginger, and most importantly the chilies. I already had some soaked black chickpeas, since I have them daily for protein. I put everything in the pressure cooker and started the heat. Then, it was a game of me patiently waiting and trying to choose a movie from my watchlist.
That day, I learned two things which I’ll share with you here:
The meal you make yourself, no matter how bad, is always going to be worth it. Here, you are not just trying to fill your stomach but also you’re learning an important life skill. You are learning to not depend on anyone in matters of your food and hunger. And one day, this skill will translate into your hosting the best parties with the most creative meals. Or who knows, maybe you’ll turn it into a career or side business. Or maybe, it will be a private thing that you enjoy in your own time. Whatever shape it might take, you are cultivating something good here.
Independence makes you stronger. When we are capable of standing on our own two feet without support from anyone, it boosts our confidence and tends to make us feel more secure. I’m not saying that getting support from others or asking for help is a bad thing. I’m just making it known that self-reliance is a virtue we must all carry. We must all be our best selves.
I’ll let you in on another secret: It isn’t easy, being independent. Sometimes it’s a lonely feeling, sometimes it feels like you’re isolating yourself from the rest of the world, but it’s a necessity. That homemade meal, the black chickpeas, filled my heart with contentment and happiness. Maybe I was alone at home, eating a meal I made, but man, I was alone at My Home eating a meal I Made. It was the craziest feeling, like suddenly I had all the power in the world in my hands. Just one bowl of black chickpeas made me feel like I was the queen of my world.
Independence makes you feel like you can take charge; it empowers you in the silliest of ways. It makes you believe in yourself. So what if it’s difficult, so what if you feel alone in this? So what if everyone seems against it? As long as you have yourself, it is enough.
Be financially independent; be independent with your meals, your clothes, your books, and your career. In short, you have yourself and you can do anything you put your mind to. You are untouchable because you believe in yourself. A hundred losses will take you to the height of success because everything you do will amount to something. There will come a time when everything will make sense, everything will come together, and everything you’ve fought for will be yours.
This will be the last secret I’ll share with you guys: You don’t have to be brave to be independent. Be afraid and still do it. Try it. You might fail, but you have to give it a go. It took me three to four tries to get the right water-to-rice ratio while pressure-cooking my rice. Four tries! But I felt fulfilled once I got it right. I can confidently say I am farther up in my independence goal than I was a month ago, and that’s all that matters.
Let’s set a goal and mark up the tasks. We are the independent generation.
