New Year always gets me thinking of what I have done
throughout the year, and what I would like to achieve in the coming year. It’s
been almost 4 years since I left my country, Indonesia to live in a faraway, cold
yet beautiful country called Canada.
The first thing I realized about living abroad is how easy
life was back home in Indonesia. I have heard stories from friends who live
abroad; but of course until I experienced it, the stories didn’t really sink
in. Life back home in Indonesia is easy. By easy I mean, accessible, affordable
and available. Even in a big city like Jakarta, you don’t need to earn a lot of
money to live comfortably. You only need to earn enough and life is good.
I am talking about all the warungs (small and modest
restaurant or café) and food stands that are scattered everywhere, at every
corner of every street. They are delicious, fast and cheap! Why bother cooking
if you can get a meal for less than $2? And it can be delivered to your
doorstep too if you don’t feel like going out. Most of the times without a delivery
fee.
I have never bothered to cook before. Growing up, my family
was not rich, but we had a helper or two who lived with us to cook and clean
the house. And when I started to live on my own, I just never bothered cooking
and bought my food all the time. Don’t get me wrong here, eating out in
Indonesia doesn’t mean it’s unhealthy. Of course there is some street food that
is not healthy, but if you know where to go, you can get cheap, tasty and
healthy food, everywhere!
The saying that says you don’t know what you have until it’s
gone? It’s so right!
I never really appreciated the accessibility, affordability
and availability of those things back home. And when I moved to Canada, it hit
me. I knew nothing on how to prepare the food that I like. Nothing!
I miss my Indonesian food so much and no one here in Canada
can do it for me. Well, there are some Indonesian restaurants of course but I
can’t afford eating out every day like when I was back home. And that was the
moment of truth. I realized that I need to take charge of my life. I realized
that I need to learn a lot of things on my own, because here in Canada I don’t
have tukang (handyman) that I can call whenever I need some fixing; I don’t
have pembantu (maid/helper) to cook and clean for me; and there is no laundry
kiloan (laundry by kilo) that I can just send off my dirty clothes to. Here in
Canada, I have to learn to do things by myself.
And that’s when I got into cooking. I have always loved food;
to me eating is something really religious. Other people meditate to find
peace, or go to church and pray to find salvation; I eat! I eat not because I
have to eat, I eat because I love experiencing food; and this is not an
exaggeration. Eating has been something that’s very beautiful to me, and now
that I cook it becomes more like a ritual. It is so beautiful to know what’s in
your food and to take time to prepare it and then eat it with your loved ones.
In the past years, I have been posting my cooking and baking
on Facebook; and of course in the beginning my friends back home could not
believe that I can cook that dish and this dish. Several of my friends have
been begging me to write a blog about it and I had been ignoring them with
classic reasons. Life is busy. Work, family, could not find the time. However,
this New Year the feeling is getting stronger and stronger: I should do
something about my passion of food. Even the smallest step can lead to big
things, right? So here I am now. Writing
and soon will be posting Indonesian recipes for all the hungry Indonesians
abroad and for those who want to start their journey with me in exploring
Indonesian cuisine.
I am humbled by any of you who are reading my blog;
flattered if any of you decide to try one of my recipes in your kitchen; and
grateful if somehow what I do brings you happiness.
Happy New Year and let’s start cooking!
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