One memory that every time I remember it I still laugh about it, although it was painful at the time, I ruined a pot of bitter leaf soup because in a hurry. It's not as if it was my first time cooking bitter leaf soup but I bought fresh bitter leaves and felt overly confident. I was like I have cooked it before, it is not a big deal, instead of me washing it properly, squeezing and rinsing it again like before, I choose to believe the woman that sells the leaf for me.
Likewise, I only just put it inside a bowl of water, there is an important step that I forgot that my friend taught me, in a situation where I am in a hurry, I shouldn't stir the soup when the leaf hasn't boiled and sinks inside. Furthermore, I just wanted to get it over and done with so I can go watch a t.v program
At first everything seemed fine. The proteins were rich, my palm oil blended well, and the soup smelled amazing. I was just smiling like someone who has won a lottery ticket as I stirred the pot, imagining how tasty it would be. In my small mind, I have done amazingly well.
Then I tasted it.
The bitterness was out of this world, it came with a shock, not the normal, pleasant bitter leaf taste. This one was raw, harsh and aggressive. It felt like I had cooked a weapon fashioned against me. I became confused, should I add yam inside or what can I do. I did add yam, but it didn't get better.
When my siblings and parents ate it, at first nobody said anything but their reactions on their faces said it all, squeezed faces, forced smiles, some people started chewing their garri (cassava flakes). I was feeling very embarrassed, but there was absolutely nothing I could do at that point.
After the meal my mom said, you really reduced our sugar level today. Everybody laughed about it, but the lesson stuck with me. Bitter leaf soup doesn't forgive shortcuts. You have to be patient, wash the leaves well, and let them boil and enter inside before stirring.
Images is mine.
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