hi bufferfly,
agree with powder, cooking is simply patience.
Here are some useful tricks from my experimenting and helping up in the kitchen.
to cook porridge, u simply need to watch the fire and stir. The shortcut is to get a good pressure cooker.
Steps to cook cantonese style porridge.
1) Cook rice. (One cup is more than enough for 2 persons).
2) Boil enough water / soup. This way, nothing to burn. No chao ta.
3) Throw in rice into pressure cooker and close cover. Make sure enough water. If not sure, add more, its okie. At most, boil longer later to dry it.
4) Put to high heat and continue to heat for 5-10 mins with the at full pressure.
5) Off fire and start preparing your other ingredients. E.g. scrimps or chicken.
6) when pressure is completely clear, open lid and throw in the ingredients + salt or soya sauce.
7) Put to slow boil. Remember to stir it as the porridge will stick to the bottom pretty easily at this stage.
8) remove from heat once it boils and ingredients are cooked.
If you intend to cook with chicken soup or something. Do the same process but preboil the soup and use it instead of water that's all.
About washing chao ta pots, the secret is, don't wait for them to be cold to wash. Clear pot and Pour away excess materials from it, add water and heat to a boil. Then, use a wood lader to slowly scrub the chao ta away while keeping it on slow fire. You will get it cleaned up with min scratches.
Same with your stove, clean them when its still hot. If its oliy & messy, add some detergent and clean off with wet cloth.
Anyway, u should really try to cook only if it interest u lah. Don't force yourself to do things. Do it for your own interest and not to please him.