The Paralysis of Choice

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A desk overflowing with choices — the perfect metaphor for a modern mind. I’ve always wondered why stepping outside my comfort zone feels harder than it should. With so many ways to spend time, I keep circling the same question: am I choosing what matters, or am I just numbing myself with options? Choice overload might be the defining anxiety of our era. One moment I’m browsing an AI course on Coursera, convincing myself I’ll finally finish it. The next, I’m tempted to restart my Sanskrit lessons. And somewhere in that mental whirlpool, a random LLM video on YouTube quietly steals an hour I never intended to give away. It isn’t learning — it’s drifting. I think back to my first iPhone 4. One model. One color. No storage decisions. Apple had already stripped away the noise. Life felt simpler when constraints were built in. Today everything comes in infinite flavors — phones, courses, ideas, careers, spiritual paths, entertainment platforms. Abundance looks empowering,...
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Poruchcha Kuzhambu

It does get frustrating to cook the same things and have it time and again. So, that's when I decided that for a change, I will look into something different. I got the recipe for Poruchcha Kuzhambu from India and decided to experiment with it. It is always a 90-10 ratio of getting a dish right. Come on! We are staying in the United States for ten months now and that's already a good learning experience as far as cooking is concerned. Even if it goes the other way (I am referring to the ten per cent chance), we have no other choice than to eat it up. To be honest, it is not a bad proposition to eat it even if it is not as good as the way it comes at home. On a lighter vein, I tell my friends Nowadays, I can mix up rice even with sauce and eat it! I know that's a lot of exaggeration and we are not bad cooks either.

Luckily, the dish turned out pretty well and the two vessels of kuzhambu that I made got over in no time. Don't hesitate to ask me for the recipe. It is not everyday that I get to teach somebody how to cook!

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 31, 2006 at 2:24 AM

    true.. it's hard to make something uneatable... unless you dump a jarful of salt or chilly powder into the dish and even then you can use buttermilk / potatoes and even it out.

    I mean, the other day to test the theory I sauteed onions, added chopped beef patties and some black eyed peas and what have you, a dish that got finished in 2 hours flat.

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  2. UnknownJune 8, 2008 at 4:25 AM

    dear praveen, you have not mentioned the name of the person who gave you the recipe for poruchcha kuzhambu and when. i feel proud that you are able to prepare the food as instructed by a person from india. it is more than sending a rocket.

    n.kalyanasundaram.

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