When I was a child I hated cooking and any activities that were remotely domesticated.
If you were a girl, in my family by the time you were nine years old, you were pulled into the kitchen. No buts, or maybes. If you were a boy you were never asked. I wanted instead to go on the exciting trips to my Grampie’s farm, to go hunting or river soirees with the boys.Anyway, it would seem, that there was some unacknowledged agreement to let me off the hook – I suppose because I always seemed unhappy or was always unwell, and my parents weren’t around then.
I was never keen on cooking but years later, while studying at university abroad, I was disturbed that I couldn’t have all my favourite meals, with my Grandma and aunties back in Trinidad. So I started cooking and didn’t enjoy it at all. I’d often get my meals wrong, burn things…and I realised the few skills I’d learnt in the kitchen helping my Ma needed honing. I kept at it and now, years later, I’ve found quite surprisingly, that cooking isn’t just a joy, but a skill that helps me to be mindful particularly when I’m experiencing bad anxiety and spikes in depression.
My mood is often unstable but cooking often brings me back to a calm place. It’s also been quite important in me creating a turning point with my fibromyalgia diagnosis. I went from needing a walking stick, being unable to walk freely to being so much better by returning to a healthy, fresh diet.
This is the first of what I hope will more of my recipes shared with you. Many of them will be my Trinidadian favourites – and you’ll see plenty curry too, because I grew up with my Indian Ma and curry is just the best thing ever. (Hopefully I’ll get better at telling you measurements, as I don’t measure, just guestimates.) All my recipes will appear under the Meds & remedies section because as I’ve found, food isn’t just good for the soul. Here’s tagliatelle with sun-dried tomatoes & mushrooms.
Ingredients
8 small rolls of tagliatelle (bought from Tesco)
4 large mushrooms (chopped in big strips)
4 large tomatoes (chopped) or alternatively can of chopped tomatoes
A handful of sun dried tomatoes – chopped if big pieces(bought from Tesco)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 peg garlic (chopped)
A few sprigs of coriander & parsley (chopped)
Salt to taste
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese as desired
Homemade Hot sauce (to taste – I put so many spices in this it adds incredible flavour. Recipe another day)
Method 1. Boil tagliatelle for 7 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
Step 2. Vegetables on low heat until the juices coming out
2.In a wide pan, heat olive oil (I think about 4 tablespoons). Throw in garlic, onions, fresh tomatoes and mushrooms and stir, then cover pan and let it saute on a medium heat until the juices come out.
3. Add sun-dried tomatoes and coriander.
4. Add tagliatelle and mix altogether. Add salt, home-made hot sauce if desire and parsley (I used dried as I ran out of fresh). I added a splash of olive oil. Add parmesan as you like. Leave for a minute on low heat.
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