Cooking by intuition

Do you still get the nonplussed query — how do you cook? How does that reaction leave you every time someone asks you that?
Yes, surprisingly, I still get this question quite often. I think people are still shocked or amazed. I tell them blind people can do just about everything a sighted person can do, only differently. Then I tell them to go watch MasterChef US Season 3.

To be ready to face tough judges such as Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, Graham Elliot, one needs a better reason than just a desire to get famous, to take part in the show. What really spurred you to give it a shot?
I really do love to cook. And I always like to challenge myself to see what new things I can learn or accomplish. I think both the desire and the drive made me a fierce competitor.

How was Gordon Ramsay? Is he as hotheaded as he comes across in the show?
He is exactly how he is on camera when he’s off camera. I think, though, that because MasterChef is a competition for amateur home cooks, he realises that we don’t have any formal culinary training and thus judges us differently than how he would, say, judge the contestants on Hell’s Kitchen. With us, he played much more of a mentoring role.

You managed to impress the judges quite a few times during the show. Is there any criticism or feedback you received from them that you still follow?
Overall, I will always remember that I did the worst when I didn’t listen to my gut instincts and served them something I wouldn’t want to eat myself. And, just the opposite, I shined when I made a dish that meant something to me, that I thought was delicious, that I’d want to eat myself. So I have taken to heart their advice to trust my intuition. This is advice for all things in life, not just cooking.

Which challenge did you most enjoy? And which one had you thinking ‘this might be my last time on the show’?
I enjoyed the food truck challenge even though I normally hate field challenges — field challenges pose a huge obstacle for me because I’m thrown into a new environment that I can’t see, and we often don’t have enough time to get accustomed to the new surroundings. But in the food truck challenge, when I found out we’d be cooking Indian food, I knew I’d be able to contribute because I love Indian food and cook it at home. It was the first field challenge that I felt like I was a core part of the team. On the flip side, I really thought I’d be going home both during the fish challenge when Felix gave me the salmon, and I ruined it by overcooking it. And the worst of all was the sushi tag team challenge where I was partnered with Stacey, and we were in the bottom two. I have not cried that much in a long, long time.

For a show that challenges you in so many ways, what did you learn about yourself through this experience?
That I don’t give myself enough credit. That I can do much more than I thought I could so long as I put 100% effort into it. That I’m much more capable than I allow myself to appear. Being on the show really boosted my confidence in not only cooking but life. It’s taught me one can do anything with passion and drive.

What were your first thoughts after you were declared the winner?
I was in utter shock. It was a dream. I have no idea what thoughts were running through my mind.  Probably nothing and everything. I was extremely proud that I not only survived but made it to the top.

People are always going to remember you as a winner of MasterChef. It’s going to be an achievement that will be bandied around for ever. Personally, what does winning the title mean to you?
Winning the title has been one of the top achievements of my life. It is a testament that I really do know what I’m doing in the kitchen, that I do have the ability to create extraordinary food. Of course, that is also a lot of pressure to live up to.

You’ve shown people that nothing is impossible. Do you have people coming up to you telling you how you’ve inspired them? Do you remember any particular instance/ or even fan mail that made you go wow!
Yes, I hear it all the time from people either in person or online or in the form of fan mail. There are messages from people who have become hopeless after they were diagnosed with cancer, or those who have lost a spouse in the past year, or children who are blind or disadvantaged in some other way who found my story inspiring. I think I’ve helped many people find the courage within themselves to get up and move forward and try things they never thought they’d have the guts to try. All of that, in turn, has been even more inspiring to me.

You’ve just released your cookbook — Recipes From My Home Kitchen. What do you hope people take away from it?
My recipes are accessible in that the ingredients are not too fancy, and the techniques are not too difficult. It makes cooking accessible to everyone. I understand the need for simple meals on weeknights after a busy day at work or with the children, so I didn’t want to have recipes that required 40 ingredients or equipment that many cooks don’t possess in their own home kitchens. And because I tell a story with every recipe, I hope my readers will learn about me and my food even a little bit more.

Quick ones
Cooking tips that you always swear by: Always use a sharp knife. A dull knife requires more pressure on the food which means a higher chance of cutting oneself. Also, taste everything from start to finish, and adjust accordingly.

Your favourite ingredients are: Garlic, fish sauce, and cilantro.

Your favourite comfort food: It’s hard to pick just one, so I’d have to say fries, pizza, fried chicken, and noodle soup.

Your favourite food memory of all time: The day after Thanksgiving, my husband and I invite everyone we know to our day-after-Thanksgiving-leftovers potluck — everyone brings a dish left over from the day before, and we fry up three new turkeys, and everyone gets together to share in great food, great drink, and great company. We’ve held it for three years now, and all our friends look forward to it every year.

Your advice to people who are scared or too lazy to cook: Cooking may not be for everyone, but you should try something at least twice before you really give up on it.  I never thought I’d love to cook until I did. And fear is not a good excuse not to cook.  The only way to overcome fear is to face it: get in that kitchen and cook. It will not be easy at first, but as with all things in life, you just have to keep at it and learn from your mistakes.