Dont be fooled by

Dear Aditya,

I read something the other day that stopped me mid-sip of my coffee. A new study suggests that humans don't understand dogs as well as they think they do. We assume we can read their emotions, but in reality, we're just projecting our own feelings onto them. The way a dog looks at us? We call it love. But maybe it's just hunger. Or expectation. Or boredom.

And that got me thinking, this doesn't just apply to dogs. It applies to almost everything. People, situations, relationships, even ourselves. We go through life believing we have a deep understanding of things, when in reality, we're just telling ourselves stories that make sense to us.

Take The Great Gatsby. Gatsby spends his whole life chasing Daisy, convinced that she's the embodiment of his dreams. But is she really? Or is he just in love with an idea, a carefully curated fantasy that exists only in his mind?

Or think about Rashomon, a gripping Japanese film where multiple people witness the same event, yet each remembers it differently. Who's lying? Maybe no one. Maybe everyone. Maybe we're all unreliable narrators of our own lives.

So here's a question for you: What's one assumption you've been holding onto that might not be real? It could be about a person, a situation, or even yourself. What happens if you let go of that story and look at things as they really are?

And because no letter is complete without a good meal to ponder over, here's one of my favourite recipes that challenges assumptions:

Pulled Jackfruit Burger , The Illusion of Meat. Jackfruit looks one way but tastes entirely different when cooked right. It mimics pulled pork so well that you might just question your reality.

Ingredients:
2 cups raw jackfruit (canned in brine or fresh, shredded)
1 tbsp oil, 1 small onion finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup BBQ sauce, 1/2 cup vegetable broth
Salt and pepper, burger buns, slaw, pickles

Instructions:
Drain, rinse, and shred the jackfruit.
Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and garlic, cook until soft.
Add paprika, cumin, and chili powder. Stir until fragrant.
Toss in shredded jackfruit, mix well with the spices.
Pour in BBQ sauce and vegetable broth. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
For extra texture, bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes.
Toast the buns, pile on the pulled jackfruit, add slaw and pickles, and enjoy.

Next time your dog looks up at you with those big, soulful eyes, just remember: they might just want your sandwich.

In fratitude,
adi