The reasons are not hard to decipher.
The jostling on who is a superior gender continued for some time before reaching an amicable settlement – both are equal generally in all spheres of life.
However, one domain, especially in the context of Indian society where women can claim superiority, is in the field of cooking.
All through their lives, most men have mothers, sisters and wives cook for them. Apprehension and friendly banter accompany the forays of men in the kitchen.
Migration to other countries with all its accompanying changes is prompting changes in the Indian community.
Necessity, time and travel constraints and the need for both spouses to work are factors that have encouraged Indian men to traverse the trails of the previously unchartered territories of the kitchen.
Indian men in New Zealand are cooking, and how!
Many Indians initially come here as students.
The biggest concern of parents in sending their sons overseas is how they would be able to cater to their palate. Soon after settling down and being increasingly fed up of consuming canned foods, they make their debut in the kitchen. Among their aids are cookery books, telephone conversation with their mothers and sisters, web chats with friends and of course experimentation.
Men migrating with families also are a part of this change. They cannot shy away from their responsibilities, whether it is conjuring up a quick breakfast or ensuring dinner on the table for the wife as she returns from a late shift at work.
Men are also realising that these gestures are a reassuring factor for their wives at work; as they realise no one will go hungry if they return from work late.
This has added to the strengthening of the bonds between couples.
As an Indian who has transformed from an ‘ugly duckling to a swan’ as far as his exploits in the kitchen go, I can vouch that this article is based on first-hand situations I have faced since I came to New Zealand many moons ago.
I have no hesitation in accepting that in spite of all efforts exercised to turning us men into better cooks, our performance is still not a patch compared to women.
About ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus’
This is a book written by American author, and relationship counselor, John Gray. The book has sold more than 7 million copies and according to CNN, it was the “highest ranked work of nonfiction” of the 1990s and spent 121 weeks on the bestseller list. The book and its central metaphor have become a part of popular culture and the foundation for the author’s subsequent books, recordings, seminars, theme vacations, one-man Broadway show and TV sitcom.
Most of common relationship problems between men and women are a result of fundamental differences between the genders, which the author exemplifies by means of the book’s eponymous metaphor: that men and women are from distinct planets, respectively from Mars and Venus and that each gender is acclimated to its own planet’s society and customs.
One example from this paradigm is the book’s assertion that men complain because they are asking for solutions while women complain because they want to be acknowledged. The book asserts that each gender can be understood in terms of distinct ways they respond to stress and stressful situations (Wickipedia).
Editor’s Note: Our Contributor Apurv Shukla may have raised your eyebrows with his article. There are many famous women chefs such as Madhur Jaffrey (pictured) but there are also likes of Gordon Ramsay and Sanjeev Kapoor. But he obviously meant people at home! If you have strong views on this topic, write to
editor@indiannewslink.co.nz
