When I first started cooking, it was really by trial and error. I was joyous when something I made turned out well and down in the dumps when it was a flop. But I did not give up. I did it again, tried different recipes and bothered other good cooks as to what I was doing wrong. In the end, I learned to fine tune my cooking skills and discovered the delicate chemistry so necessary in getting a good dish.

I was not a good cook when I got married. The first cake I made had to be thrown away. My first curry had too much curry powder and tasted awful. I decided to ask my mother and try Eurasian cooking first before attempting other dishes. So for a long time, I was cooking stews and soups. My poor husband who grew up on good Indian food must have suffered through it all but he never said a bad thing about my attempts at cooking and just ate whatever I put on the table. It was after my mother in law visited my house and saw what I was feeding her son that she very often sent food to my house. I did not mind that because she was a good cook but it did say volumes about what she thought of my cooking skills.

Many a time I would park myself in the kitchen of my friends and relatives and watch other good cooks work their magic in preparing really good food. I discovered how important it was to not overdo a dish and blend the sweet, sour and saltish into certain dishes according to their quantities. As I continued learning and cooking, I managed to turn out good food that made people rave and come back for more. However I stuck to what I was passionate about and have signature dishes of my own. I would never be able to cook mutton curry exactly like some good Indian cooks but I can make a curry dish that is delicious and totally edible.

It is good to experiment with different recipes and keep the ones that you and your family enjoy most. Always use the right measures and weights to get the desired cake or food. However you might think of changing certain parts of the recipe like if you think the cake is too sweet, use less sugar. But make sure you used the right measures to make the cake. After that, you may want to start your own recipe book and keep the recipes exactly how you like them.