My Own Recipe Deal Breaker
This link from a friend got me thinking about my own recipe deal breakers. As I reflect upon that point, I realize that as a home cook, I’ve changed a lot. In my cramped studio in Jakarta, the rule was clear: no deep frying, no pungent sauteing, no multiple use of pots on the stove at any given time. I also told myself that there would be no baking-related activities because I was so traumatized by the hassle my mother got herself into to produce her famous Lapis Legit for Chinese New Year. She would have tons of flours and crates of eggs, run her numerous mixers, hand-held or otherwise, the whole day to produce bucketful of fluffy batters. Then she would crank her ovens (yes, plural) the next day to produce the cake. No. I’d rather let her do it and collect my share after.
In this slightly more spacious but still limited kitchen, the list has evolved along with my desire to experiment and my craving for certain dishes. Here they are.
continue…Special Topics in Calamity Physics (2/5)
by Marisha Pessl
I was first interested in this book when I read about how the writer, a young, financial consultant Marisha Pessl managed to get her book published. She went through the list of literary agents until she found one (or more) who was willing to publish her work. In subsequent articles, I was very curious on how a finance geek like myself (only to find out later that she’s always been an English grad so I don’t know how she ended up at PWC) could compile 600 plus pages of novel in an Excel spreadsheet.
I was bombarded by good reviews of this book from the Washington Post to the New York times, calling her the literary genius, comparing her novel to Lolita, etc. I, too, fell for the pink and green, embossed cover despite my profound lack of understanding on the meaning of the title.
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History in A Glass: Sixty Years of WIne Writing from Gourmet(3/5)
Edited by Ruth Reichl
I find out that the past is not always rosy. The stories are from American writers with, obviously, American point of view and consumption habit. The earlier writings are particularly painful as the wines discussed are outdated, the language style too old, the situation irrelevant. I find reading Frank Schoonmaker’s articles, great as he is, extremely boring. Hugh Johnson has always been a favourite with his eloquence and knowledge so his are probably the few articles I do enjoy.
Geographically, the book covers the typical Europe, with emphasize on France and respectable mention of Germany, Austria, Spain, and Italy. It also focuses on the history and rise of American wine. The book closes with a more recent development of the new wold, discussing Australia, Washington State and Oregon.
This book is not to be consumed all at once in one sitting. It’s heavy in knowledge and history. It’s best kept on a side for slow savour. With a glass of wine in hand, of course.
Chicken Congee
I dislike porridge because I associate it with illnesses. My mother always made us eat plain porridge with a douse of soy-sauce to cleanse the body. The tongue, which was already numb from whatever ailment we had, had to suffer though the thick gruel spiked with sharp flavour of soy-sauce. Horrible.
Until one day. We were in KL and had dimsum at Mandarin Oriental and ordered their congee. I was surprised at the texture: it was silky and thin and delicately flavoured. I vowed to discover more congee like that back home as, at that time in Jakarta, a lot of congee still display the original grains of rice albeit swollen beyond recognition.
Of course now, they are everywhere. My favourite so far is from Congee Queen (or King or its other subsidiaries) in Toronto. When I left, there was not many of such places in Jakarta.
The good thing is, this type of congee is not at all hard to make at home as long as you own a slow cooker. The only problem is, I can’t find decent century eggs here. Otherwise, life would be perfect. Here it is.
Disclaimer: I can’t vouch for the quality of the said restaurant in KL’s Mandarin Oriental anymore because that was close to 7 years ago!
Ingredients:
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For the carnivore in you (Hash)
When I was in University, I tore this recipe from Cosmopolitan magazine (circa late 1990). It was filed, by the magazine, under man-pleasing brunch. With no man to please and no knowledge of what roast beef was, my trials had always been rather disappointing.
Until this Sunday. We had a chunk of beef left over from our barbecue and I thought with a few potatoes, the meat would be great served as hash for a terribly unhealthy, morning-after brunch.
Hash can be made from a can of corned beef or left over roast beef. It’s normally grounded together with potatoes and carrot into a paste. The recipe I found uses cubes of potatoes and beef which, I agree, provide a better texture and bites. It’s also easier to make.
If you have a good chunk of meat, there is no need for further seasoning but salt and pepper. I omitted the suggested Worcestershire sauce and the dish became one of those great but simple and rustic dishes.
Please note that this is a calorie-laden, artery-clogging dish and therefore, not for everyone. The great flavours come from the fat and fried onion. So do yourself a favour and don’t use oil-spray or lean beef. Your tongue (and man) will thank you.
Ingredients:
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