Curry Chicken for Beginners
I have always viewed my parents as equal partners in their marriage. My understanding of gender roles didn’t come from within my home, but from observing how other couples moved in their relationships, flipping through the pages of books, and watching television on the weekends when it was allowed. My dad was just as likely to braid my hair in the morning as my mom, and sometimes that was preferred because he would pull back my curls and plait them tight enough to last throughout the entire day. I took pride in the fact that they both had a place in every facet of my life, in every part of our home, including the kitchen.
While my mom was definitely the head chef of our home, my dad was right beside her as her sous-chef. They would take turns cooking dinner each night, with mom spearheading Tuesday and Thursday’s menu, while dad worked the kitchen on Mondays and Wednesdays. There was always an element of surprise when my mom cooked because her repertoire was more expansive. It usually took a couple of weeks before she repeated menu items — except for Thursdays, those were generally dedicated to fish sticks and french fries. My dad on the other hand had about six solid recipes he liked to rotate through: tuna and rice, bully beef and rice, spaghetti, tacos, shepherd's pie, and curry chicken.