Woks cooking, Carpy ?

Isn't it funny how you learn really obvious things at the most unexpected moments.

For a change, partly because I know that I've been becoming lazy in this respect recently, I decided to buy some ingredients and try my hand at cooking a rough approximation of a nice Rogan Josh curry.

I used to cook a lot for myself though it's very easy to get out of the habit. Much against the type I find myself cast, I really enjoy standing over a wok and watching colours change and flavours mix. Look, I realise that you can't see them mix - it's a phrase, ok ?

It's actually very theraputic after a day at work to simply be concentrating on that one thing. Not to be dragged away by a phone or a fax but to be able to just let the heat melt away the remnants of the hours before. I'll be honest, even the chopping of things like peppers, onions or the like can be quite enjoyed for that zen like concentration on a single simple act.

Now, in order to preserve my modesty in these matters, I have to admit that I'm not a great cook. I'm ok, don't get me wrong, but I'm no chef. My moments of culinary invention do come round from time to time, including my current favourite Salt & Pepper Chilli Crayfish Tails. See how foodie I can be - I even gave them capital letters. ;o)

So, anyway, I digress a little.

Stood there tonight, ushering in the four day Easter break from work, just in the mood for making something. Out of the fridge came some small cubes of steak, some spring onions, yellow peppers, some base curry sauce and some extra Indian spices, fresh black pepper and even some sea salt.

Things got chopped, fried, softened, infused and otherwise altered around in a reasonably controlled manner, sauce added and the lid put on. Some 25mins later, in a sweltering kitchen, I'm there.

"Ok, Carpy", I hear you plead, "enough of the Delia Smith nonsense - what's the lesson ?"

Ah, I was coming to that.

The sauce was a little hotter than expected, the steak (as it turns out) was about as good as I paid for (a little tough) but otherwise it was ok for a first go. Realistically though it was dearer than buying a takeaway and nowhere near as good BUT this is where the lesson comes in.

Even having said that, I actually enjoyed it more - for all the faults with it on this first go it was the faults I'd put into it.

So next time you try something - writing, painting, cooking or whatever - and it turns out not quite how you hoped, just remember that this is at least something you've done and, as such, has something distinctly you about it.

Whilst I'm being all mystical and hippie-like there is one other thing - what's the "yang" for this "ying", for there must of course be one.

Well, that's sitting waiting to be washed up - you don't have that hassle with a takeaway.