Learning to Cook a Dish from Home

qù去wàidì外地gōngzuò工作yǐhòu以后，wǒ我chángcháng常常xiǎngniàn想念bàba爸爸zuò做de的tǔdòu土豆。

After moving away for work, I often missed the potatoes Dad used to cook.

yǒu有yī一cì次，wǒ我mǎi买hǎo好cáiliào材料，gěi给tā他dǎ打le了shìpín视频diànhuà电话。

One day, I bought the ingredients and called him on video.

bàba爸爸ràng让wǒ我xiān先bǎ把tǔdòu土豆qiè切chéng成xì细sī丝。

Dad asked me to cut the potatoes into thin strips first.

wǒ我qiè切de得hěn很màn慢，cū粗xì细yě也bù不yīyàng一样。

I cut slowly, and the strips were not all the same thickness.

tā他méiyou没有xiào笑wǒ我，zhǐ只ràng让wǒ我zhùyì注意shǒuzhǐ手指。

He did not laugh at me; he simply reminded me to watch my fingers.

tǔdòu土豆xià下guō锅hòu后，wǒ我pà怕chǎo炒bù不shú熟，jiù就yīzhí一直méiyou没有guān关huǒ火。

After putting the potatoes in the pan, I kept the heat on because I was afraid they were not cooked.

jiēguǒ结果，tǔdòu土豆yǒudiǎnr有点儿ruǎn软，hé和jiālǐ家里de的wèidao味道bù不yīyàng一样。

They ended up a little soft and did not taste quite like the ones at home.

bàba爸爸shuō说xiàcì下次kěyǐ可以chǎo炒duǎn短yīdiǎnr一点儿shíjiān时间。

Dad said I could cook them for a shorter time next time.

dì第èr二gè个zhōumò周末，wǒ我yòu又zuò做le了yī一cì次。

The following weekend, I made the dish again.

zhè这cì次wǒ我tíqián提前zhǔnbèi准备hǎo好cáiliào材料，yě也jìzhu记住le了guān关huǒ火de的shíjiān时间。

This time, I prepared the ingredients in advance and remembered when to turn off the heat.

chī吃dào到dì第yī一kǒu口de的shíhou时候，wǒ我juéde觉得zìjǐ自己lí离jiā家méiyou没有nàme那么yuǎn远le了。

When I took the first bite, I felt a little closer to home.

xuéhuì学会zhè这dào道cài菜，yě也ràng让wǒ我duō多le了yī一gè个hé和bàba爸爸liáo聊tiān天de的lǐyóu理由。

Learning this dish also gave me another reason to talk to Dad.