Afghan Women's Writing Project

Mom says she is not a good cook and I know she is honest!

Because she was always in her office and spent most of her life working, working, working, I didn’t learn anything from her cooking. So I grew myself in cooking.

Once when she was at the office as usual and I was at home alone at lunchtime, suddenly some guests came to our house. I was lazy when I was alone at home and I used to eat easy things. I loved to eat ice cream even though I was an adult. I loved to eat ice cream even for breakfast in the cold and frozen winter!

That Sunday I didn’t cook. I made some salad for my self and ate it under the apple tree in the yard. When the guest came, I was embarrassed. What to do with these guests? Why did they come? Why didn’t they come after lunch?

I went to the kitchen, looking if there is something ready from last night, but there was nothing.
We had some rice and beans, in a box, and some tomatoes and three eggs. But the gusts were four and with me, we were five. I was worried about what to do. Finally I told myself: “Roya! Be brave.” I decided to cook the easiest thing I could make for them. So first I put some water on the cooker and then I waited a few minutes until the water was boiling and then I put the eggs in it.

After about ten minutes, it was ready. I went to the kitchen. I had two bowls and one plate. “Yes,” I told the guests, “I cooked very special soup for you, egg soup.” In the bowls, I put the only boiling water from the eggs. It looked like water from the river that ducks swam in. I ate all the eggs myself while, poor guests, they ate the soup. But you know what? They were never back to our house again!

By Roya