I cook - Spicy prawns with garlicky bread crumbs

I first tried this dish at Yauatcha, spicy soft shell crab (避風塘軟殼蟹). It was delicious, very moreish. For such a visually complex dish, it must be quite complex to make, I thought. Until one of my favorite bloggers showed that it is possible to make it at home, without sweating your rear end off. I've bookmarked her recipe since.

This is my first practice, adapting her recipe to what I have in the pantry. I left out one key ingredient she used, fermented black beans. I also added bread crumb and almond flakes because that's what they did in Yauatcha (and I like it very much). I like my adaptation, but I think I will try the black bean version next time, to see which one I prefer.

Spicy prawns with garlicky breadcrumbs

- 3 tbsps vegetable oil (I fried the prawn heads in the oil and used that for cooking)
- 1lb of prawns, shelled and deveined (a mixture of cod and prawns are nice too)
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 3 green onions, white parts minced and green parts chopped
- 2 slices of ginger, in the size of matchsticks
- 1 red chilli, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsps bread crumbs
- 2 tbsps almond flakes
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/2 salt
- ground black pepper

Dry the prawns with paper towels. Coat the prawns in corn starch. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the prawns until they are 80-90% done. Remove the prawns from the pan and keep them warm.

In the same pan, add in the garlic, white parts of the green onions, ginger and red chilli. Fry for 5 minutes on medium heat. You don't want to burn the garlic so keep stirring at a low-medium flame. After that, add in bread crumbs and almond flakes. Season the crumb mixture with black/white pepper, salt and sugar. Keep stirring when all oil is absorbed by the bread crumbs and almond flakes seem toasted/crunchy.

Put the prawns back to the pan. Be careful not to include any liquid coming out from the prawns. This dish should be quite dry, not soggy. Stir the prawns until each one of them is coated with the golden crispy bread crumbs. Taste and season to your liking. Serve in a big plate and dot it with the green parts of the green onions.

To be enjoyed with a plate of steamed rice.

I cook - Day-After Soup

You know how it is. Every time after a dinner party is over, invariably there are always awkward number of morsels left, like one and half boiled potatoes, five carrot coins, three half moon roasted onions, you get the idea. I sometimes pack them in my lunch box but I just discovered a much better way to use it. Oh my, I think I have stumbled over something wonderful here. I don't know whether it's the Harissa (different from the original recipe) or the roasted ingredients I used which makes this brown looking soup taste so divine. It makes me want to make roast more often, just for the day-after soup.

Very Tasty Day-After Soup

- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 cups vegetable/chicken stock
- 2 tbsps Harissa paste
- salt and pepper to taste
--the ingredients below vary depend on what you have left from the roast--
- 6 mushrooms, halved
- 2 cooked potatoes
- 6 brussels sprouts
- 2 roasted shallots
- 1/2 cup roasted pork, shredded

In a soup pot, fry the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir in Harissa paste and mushroom. Keep stirring until the fragrance of Harissa comes out. Add in the rest of the ingredients, including the stock. Although the ingredients will vary depending on the occasions, I would say that the only essential ingredient is potato to thicken the soup.

Bring the pot to boil and turn the heat to low. Simmer the soup for at least 30 minutes, up to 1 hour. Before serving, use a stick blender to purée the soup. Remove the meat chunks out first, if using, before blitzing. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper.

Serve plain or with lemon juice or yogurt.

2011 Boxing day for two

Brunch

(Humble) Toast with butter and jam

Suffolk black ham

Madeleines

Coffee in copious quantity

Afternoon digestive activities

Walking and sales (just checking)

Dinner

Confit de canard with flageolet beans

Potatoes roasted in duck fat

Blanched broccoli florets

Yogurt

2011 Christmas day for two

Brunch

Smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and mashed potato pancakes

Madeleines

Coffee, lots of !

A Long Afternoon Walk

Tea, rest and write (a little)

Dinner

Charcuterie with Pheasant pâté with foie gras, 

Italian black truffle ham, Lyonnaise ham slices and gerkins

Christmas leftover soup

Brie and Stilton

Bûche de Noël 

(of course!)

2011 Christmas eve for two

Apple, beetroot and grapefruit salad with honey mustard balsamic dressing 

Cuban Roast Pork

Sautéed potatoes with lemon and rosemary

Roasted chestnuts, Brussels sprouts and chorizo

Bûche de Noël

Merry Christmas, everyone.

How to make your salad appeal to a carnivore

Thanks to Lorraine Pascale, this is one of the easiest, tastiest and visually stunning salads I have ever made. Balsamic and honey glazed pear slices, gorgonzola cubes, Serrano ham sitting pretty on top of mixed leaves. Both me and the carnivore loved it. Be sure to have loads of crusty baguette on the side!

ps. I used Serrano ham and grainy mustard instead of the pancetta and Dijon mustard called for in the recipe. I also omitted (and forgot about) the pine nuts. Delicious nonetheless.

I cook - Saag paneer

Saag (or palak) paneer is my favorite Indian dish. I order it in every Indian restaurant or takeaway I go. Saag means spinach or any dark leafy greens. Paneer is the fresh white cheese from India, made in a similar way as cottage cheese. It's a brilliant combo with soft earthy dark green leaves and a tad chewy paneer, all wrapped up by lightly spiced cream. I can eat this with basmati as a meal, any time.

Of course, being culinarily curious as I am, I have tried to make it at home. In my previous unsatisfactory attempts, I could never get the taste close to what I order from my favorite takeaway place. It's not that the recipes are not authentic but India is a big and diverse country and saag paneer can be made in many different ways. But this week, I think I am close (or closer). I finally found a recipe and tweaked it to give me saag paneer which I enjoy. The secret is to go very light handed in spices and, a ha, be quite generous with the cream. I hope you like it too.

Saag paneer

- 225g paneer (a typical pack size from UK, more or less won't hurt)
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
- 500-750g spinach (or mixture of spinach and collard greens or kale), blanched, water squeezed dry and roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsps minced onion (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 whole green chili, pierced a few times with a pointed knife
- 1 tomato, roughly chopped
- 1/2 to 1 cup of cream-milk (with a ratio adjusted to your liking but I like to start with 2/3 cream and 1/3 milk)

Cut the paneer block into roughly half-inch cubes. In a plate or a wide-bottom bowl, combine the cumin and turmeric powder. Coat the paneer cubes with the mixed powder.

In a non-stick pan, heat the oil. Sear all sides of the paneer cubes lightly. Remove paneer from the pan.

In the same pan, sauté the garlic, onion for a few minutes. Add in the fenugreek seeds and green chili. Stir to mix with the onion mixture. If the mixture seems dry, add a little bit more oil. When the aroma from the fenugreek seeds comes through, add in chopped tomato.

When the liquid in the pan seems all gone, add in the chopped spinach. Stir thoroughly the spiced mixture into the spinach. Add in the cream-milk mixture. Stir the cream in and allow the pan to come to a slight boil. Once small bubbles start to rise from the edge of the pan, turn the heat to low and let it cook for 10 minutes. If your saag paneer looks still quite liquidy after 10 minutes, you could thicken it with some cornstarch (or let it cook longer).

Enjoy it with plenty of basmati rice.

Three important things: 2011 reflections

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. 

Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. 

Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, 
but with what it is still possible for you to do.

Pope John XXIII

How should I describe my 2011 and where should I begin? I think I can sum my 2011 as a very slow first half followed by a very hectic second half. Starting from June, I have had a few months high on hopes and euphoria but alas my wish did not come through. It did not materialise in the end because something under neither of our control took over, loudly and harshly. And that sealed my fate. If that's not called a bad timing (or bad luck?!), then I don't know what it is. I know that we both felt like a perfect match for each other. Calling it a kindred spirit would not be an over statement. Yes, that's how close fit we feel about both parties. Of course I was apologised over profusely, several times, over an extended period, open and in private. I am not angry about this, nor disappointed. Of course I allow myself to vent the emotions, but once it's gone, I pack up and move on. Anger is a waste of energy and time. We all have our lives to get on. I am sure that they have tried their best.

Time to move on.

Just when this event drew to an end, good news kept flowing from other directions. Having my work being praised and confirmed, and seeing my contributions being relied upon and my opinions being sought, this reassured me professionally and mentally. Although it is not the first time to witness this, it's the frequency during the last two months of 2011 that surprised me just a bit. Nevertheless, this small achievement of mine did leave a bitter-sweet after-taste in my mouth.

Overall, I have felt that I have gained much more than I set out at the beginning of this year. Particularly on the personal growth front, I am glad that I made the decision to walk through some thorny patches of life. This made me think hard about myself and realize what I am capable of. I am also very fortunate to experience human kindness from the known and the unfamiliar, directly administered on me. This has greatly motivated and prepared me for the onward journey. This post is dedicated to you, who happened or chose to accompany me at times when seemed unsurmountable. I don't know how I could continue without all of your support.

I don't know what may come in 2012. I am not worried. I know I am now mentally stronger than ever before and I can handle surprises, good or bad, in a constructive way. Life is a journey which we all have to make on our own. I am just pleased to find interesting travellers along the way. Thank you for coming along.

I wish you a warm, contented and serene December. If you don't come back before the Big Ben bang, a productive 2012 too.

Dîner chez moi - 17-23 December

How should one eat before the official holiday feast begins in a week's time? Hard one, I don't want to be de-sensitised for the ultimate treat week but at the same time I would feel deprived if I just eat like a rabbit. Here is what I come up and I hope that would please everyone.

Saturday: Vodka tomato cream tagliatelle, baked lemon sole and blanched green beans (sautéed in browned butter).

Sunday: Spanish chicken with chorizo and potatoes. I really enjoy cooking from this book by Nigella Lawson. The recipes are very practical, sufficiently easy and always turn out delicious for me. This is one of the few books where I have tried almost 10 dishes (I've had it for a year) and keeps me coming back for more ideas every time.

Monday: Prawn curry, steamed rice and spiced spinach.

Tuesday: Quesadilla with Spanish chicken with chorizo (as suggested by Nigella to finish up the Sunday dish). No leftover from Sunday. The dish did not disappoint me. Pasta tonight!

Wednesday: Prawn curry and rice.

Thursday: Lemon sole with crushed potatoes. Steamed vegetables.

Friday: Pan-fried balsamic pear salad with Serrano ham with crusty bread. Can I pull it off for the carnivore in the house? Watch this space!

Your Song

"My gift is my song and this one's for you"

Me time of the year started today

Started at 0430 yesterday and finished at midnight last night. That was my last day of work for 2011. The meeting finished nicely and everyone was in a good mood the whole time.

Can't think of a better way of winding down. Brilliant.

Just ordered a Bûche de Noël for next week. Looking forward to tomorrow's exhibit in London.

Happy, happy, happy

Three pretty good things: December 12

1. Catch-up with a long-lost friend. 

In fact, it's me who got "caught" up with him. Funny, once we started to talk, it's as if we've been in contact all these years. The familiarity, the openness and the depth of the conversation, and the humour are just like in the old days.

Thank you, R, for catching up with me. I will not let this friendship slip again.

2. People sharing pretty things.

by Werner Getzmann

3. David Attenborough and BBC. 

Two of my favorite things. Simply wonderful.

Three pretty good things: December 5

1. Friends visiting from far away. 

I feel blessed this year that two of my college friends visited me on separate occasions. They are the few connections I have with my birth country. Without them, I am not sure where I belong.

2. A small cheque from Her Majesty. 

Apparently I overpaid my taxes Six years ago. Well, it's better late than never. Thank you, Elizabeth.

3. TGID. 

D is for December. Two more weeks and I am free...

I cook - Gammon Stew

Gammon refers to the cured hind legs of a pig. It is raw meat. Once it is cooked, it becomes ham. It is a very common ingredient found in every pub or restaurant which serves traditional British meals. One way I like to cook it is to boil it with lots of vegetables. This is a great one-pot dish and winter-day warmer.

This is the recipe which I use for Gammon stew. The ingredients going into the pot are really flexible. As I always prefer shallots over yellow onions, I prepare the stew with shallots. A couple of ribs of celery are nice too to flavor the broth. Since pork and apple are a natural match, I use apple juice in place of the called for vegetable/chicken stock (I just realized, while typing this, that by using apple juice, it's become the Nigel Slater's way).

And the mustard sauce is a must. Creamy with a little pungency is all you need to lift the flavor to another dimension. I used grainy mustard in the picture but any form of mustard will do. We mostly have the dish with steamed rice. Of course, boiled potatoes would be great too.

For any leftover, lift the cooked gammon out of the broth, unsliced and covered with cling film. I find the flavor of gammon slices going away very quickly if sitting in the broth for more than 30 minutes.

2011 Fitness Achievement

Together with hubby, we joined the gym in April 2010. Since we both need some exercise to maintain the weight, we may as well as exercise buddies to each other. I have to say that having a gym buddy is a great way to push yourself (of course, it also makes the occasional escape-together quite guiltless). I know I can't and don't want to exercise to lose weight. As long as I maintain my weight and still can enjoy what I like to eat, I am happy.

Here is what I did on the last day of the gym for 2011.

Treadmill - 2.85 miles @ 40 minutes

Sit-ups - 3 x 20

Upper back - 4 x 10 @ 10kg

Chest press - 4 x 10 @ 10 kg

Vertical traction -  2 x 10 @ 17.5kg + 2 x 10 @ 20 kg

Leg curl - 4 x 5 @ 10 kg

Leg extension - 4 x 5 @ 10 kg

I actually feel quite proud of myself that I am able to keep it going for so long. For a person who avoids exercise like plague, it's rather remarkable. I like to see this as a small achievement of mine, something I stick to and improves (albeit slowly). I look forward to 2012, to pick up my routine and to extend further.

You did good, Calla.

Three pretty good things: November 28

1. J. and A. 

Kindness from no-longer strangers. Your words mean a world to me. Thank you.

2. Home, after away from home.

 Reminding me how fortunate I am to be able to come back to a place of unceasing caring and love. Thank you, N.

3. Breakfast in pyjamas.

A recent invention from hubby. I have to admit that it's quite good on a lazy Saturday.

I make - Cardamom rice pudding with spiced plums

This version is evolved from these three recipes I came across, with a cooking method most similar to Nigel Slater's. Perfectly warm or cold, depending on the weather and your mood.

Cardamom rice pudding with spiced plums

For rice pudding:
- 1/4 cup long-grain rice
- 500 cc water
- 500 cc milk
- 4-6 green cardamom pods, slightly crushed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsps sugar (or to taste)
- pinch of salt (no more than 1/8 tsp)

For spiced plums, Anna Del Conte way:
- 1kg plums (roughly 12-16 medium or small sized ones), washed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 rind strip from a lemon
- 4 crushed black pepper corns
- one spring of rosemary
- 2 cloves
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup water


To make the rice pudding, put a pot (preferably non-stick) on the stove and put in the rice, milk, water, crushed cardamom pods and vanilla extract. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it starts to boil, turn the heat to the lowest setting. Stir occasionally and simmer for 45 minutes with a lid partially open.

After 45 minutes, stir in the sugar and the salt. Taste to adjust the sweetness to your liking. Bring the rice pudding to bubble vigorously again. Once rice pudding looks like molten larva, turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let it rest. The rice pudding will continue to thicken while resting.

To make the spiced plums, put all ingredients snugly in a pot. Adjust the liquid (wine or water, your choice) so that most plums are underneath the liquid. Cover the pot and bring it to a complete boil. Then reduce the heat and cook the plums until they are soft but still retain their shape. Turn off the heat and let the plums sit in the aromatic liquor before serving.

To serve, scoop the rice pudding into dessert bowls and top with the spiced plums.

ps. The stewed plums are good on its own as a light dessert and also excellent with plain yogurt (or vanilla ice cream).

Dîner chez moi - 26 November to 2 December

I notice that I cook more often during colder days. A form of self warming (or healing) process, perhaps? Anyhow, I want to share with you what I plan for tonight and the next few days.

Saturday: Chorizo and cream pasta, sauteed mixed veggies, cardamom rice pudding with spiced plums

Sunday: Corn chowder and grilled cheese/ham sandwich

Monday: Pork and chicken satay, coconut rice and beans

Tuesday: Smoked salmon, buttered baguette slices, chopped salad

Wednesday: Paella

Thursday: Corn chowder and grilled cheese/ham sandwich

Friday: wild card

In Paris, with love

I just came back from a rather enjoyable dinner in Paris. Nope, not for pleasure but for work.

And today I had short but rather morale boosting email exchanges with someone I admire professionally (yes, idolisation is not exclusive for pop stars, you know). Can you imagine how nice and humble it must feel when someone you (secretly) admire for all these years say nice things about you and your work? Have been working on a favorite subject of mine for many years and wondering all along how this person thinks of it, I feel reassured and moved to hear a confirmation from my fellow scientist. It is nearly the end of the year and I cannot possibly ask for a better winter warmer than this.

Thank you, J and A. You are just as wonderful as I had imagined it. I hope our paths would cross again.

Three pretty good things: November 21

1. Masala tea. 

Such an aromatic infusion warming not only the body but the senses. I am still working on my favorite spice combination but at the moment it has fennel seeds, cinnamon barks, green cardamom pods, cloves, black peppercorn and fresh ginger slices. I prefer making my masala tea the whole spice way, meaning no blending all spices into powder. I make my aromatic elixir first by boiling together the whole spices and water, and then steep my tea in this wonderfully warming liquid. Perfect for a cold Sunday afternoon.

2. Porridge. 

It's been a long time favorite breakfast of mine. I particularly like the British way of preparing and eating porridge. Cook the oatmeal in plain water and top it up with brown sugar when eating. How simple is that! And it tastes just wonderful. A nice variation as recently shown by Nigel Slater is to sprinkle some cinnamon powder and drizzle a little bit cold milk on top of the steaming hot porridge. I have to admit that I have been addicted to this way of eating porridge ever since.

3. Barbara. 

Probably my most admired person in the blogsphere. Such an inspiration. 

Welcome back, again.

Three beautiful things

1. Who can put more elegantly than this:

  from here via C&Z and Modern Hepburn

Life is frighteningly short, terribly unpredictable, but still a very good thing. Make it count.

2. Late nights with crime or detective drama.
Listening to hubby changing his prediction of the prime suspect as a story unfolds, minute by minute.
Priceless. :-)

3. Salmon and green onion quiche.
I know that salmon and leeks are, regarded by many, a marriage made in heaven. It's a pretty good combo, I admit, but I much prefer the salmon and green onion (scallions) combination. For me, the pungency of green onions balances out much better the richness of the fish and the cheese. And there is no pre-cooking required. Just snip up the green onions and scatter them around the fish. Pour in the egg and cheese custard. Bake and be hungry.

A meal shared with strangers

"Some people write stories, others tell jokes, I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. A meal shared with strangers. And I can't think of anything I want to do more."- Nigel Slater

I just have to share with you my favorite food writer, Nigel Slater, who makes cooking simple, fun, experimental, thought provoking, deliciously comforting, fitting to the mood and agreeable to the season. His writing and his presentation style are like his cooking, not intimidating and clear without being bogged down by details. I guess that with something that good, the only you need may just be plain white plate.

I just finished his recent TV series, Nigel Slater's Simple Cooking. He demonstrates how we can approach cooking by thinking about flavor or tasting sensation combination. Some combinations are well known, some giving me this "Eureka" moment and some are more adventurous. I just like every minute of it. It feels like someone has taken me to the cooking wonder land and showed me around. Below are the eight flavor combinations he illustrated, each with 5 or 6 recipes.

1. Sweet and Sour 

2. Surf and Turf 

3. Spicy and Cool

4. Soft and Crisp

5. Sugar and Spice 

6. Born and Bred 

7. Hot and Cold 

8. Weird and Wonderful 

I hope you enjoy it too.

On the roll

In two consecutive days, two of my predictions were confirmed experimentally.

Someone just told me I am on the roll here.

Hello November 2011, I shall remember you with a fond heart.

I bake - My favorite apple cake

How do you celebrate Autumn? For me, I slow roast my meat and stew my fruit on stove. If you visit me during October or November time, most likely I would serve you with hearty tender roast and/or with warm stew fruit generously lathering on top of Greek yoghurt or Mascarpone cheese.

And what could be a better signature fruit than apple when it comes to Autumn? As I mentioned before how much I love apples in general, I certainly like them in my cakes too. I have tried a range of apple cake recipes. They mostly come in two types, one with half-moon shape apple slices and the other with shredded apples. I prefer the shredded version. I like the fact that the shredded apples completely disappear from the cake after baking. When I bite into my cake, I taste its tender crumb and not the two contrasting soft and crunchy texture.  It's a personal thing. But then again, isn't that what life is about, finding things which please you?

My favorite apple cake

- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup of caster sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil (or melted butter)
- 2/3 cups of ground almond
- 2 cups of flour
- 1 tbsp of baking powder
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice (or just ground cinnamon)
- 2 apples, peeled and grated (roughly 1 1/2 loosely packed cup), mixed with some lemon juice

Beat the eggs with caster sugar, salt and vanilla until the mixture becomes like thick ribbons. Slowly add in oil in a single stream with the mixer running. Beat in ground almond and mix until no lump visible. Mix in the grated apples.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and mixed spice. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Fold the mixture gently until no more white flour pockets visible. Pour into a paper-lined cake tin.

Bake the mixture at 200C oven for 50 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.

October's bits and pieces

Whitechapel Gallery

London is so full of little treasures dotted here and there. It never fails to surprise me. I visited Whitechapel Gallery recently for its Wilhelm Sasnal exhibition. After I went through all of their special exhibits, it turned out that it's their Government Art Collection (GAC) which I like the most. In GAC, you can see 70 selected paintings covering from ceiling to floor displaying colors of rainbows. They were once hung in British governmental offices, here or oversea to promote British art, hence the title. You can find a portrait of Queen Elisabeth II by Andy Warhol from the British council residence in New York, a bright yellow Poor Thing by Gary Hume humorously from HM Treasury, a Monet-like Venice at midnight by Robert Buhler from British Embassy at Buchares and Print for a Politician by Grayson Perry. Here are just a few of my favorites and I can go on and on. It's a wonderful collection which captures the humour and thinking behind why those art work were chosen in the first place. I absolutely love it.

By the way, do you know that they have a Rothko too?

London buses

Tubes tend to be better known and used by non-Londoners but recently I have become to like the extensive London Bus network. It does some preparation, like printing out the route maps centered on intended stops, if you are not familiar with the system. Once you have the route map at hand, just sit back and relax. Let the double decker take you around the Metropolitan.

Fab.

Beigel Bake

I first tasted them many years ago and I tried them again this year. Nothing has changed. It continues to be one of the best bagel shops I know on this side of the Atlantic. Simple, chewy and flavorful. Their Salt Beef Beigel sandwich is divine.

Chilli Cool

I have recently become besotted with Szechuan cuisine. It all started when my friend Stephanie took me to one of her favorite Szechuan restaurants in New York city. I was hooked from the beginning. Chilli Cool is one of the places in London which get rave reviews. I've got to try!

Cooking discoveries

• Lorraine Pascale's Lamb Shanks in Rioja and Balsamic vinegar. Fantastic.
• My very first Salmon en croute. Apart from that the whole salmon parcel was too big to fit into my small oven initially, the taste was nice. I will work on it for a few more times before I share the result.
• My favorite apple cake. Recipe to come.
• Red wine poached pear and plums. Delicious on its own or with yoghurt.

Looks like my cooking bug has come back. Welcome.

See you all in November.

End of October

Here are a few snaps from my little oasis

Begonia close-up

Other types of begonia

Hot chillies at the end of August

Hot chillies at the end of October

Still sunny, still full of life.

KISS principle

It has been non-stop at work since the start of October. I keep a mental list of things which need to be completed and once I finish one, I move on to another. Like a well oiled machine, I know exactly what comes next and how I should do it.

Despite my rather gloomy astrology forecast for this month, this is also the month which I got the most (verbal) recognitions from my colleagues. I have been told by five different people, including whom we try to avoid one other during daily coffee time, that I am doing a really good work and they all said "thank you very much" to me.

Am I pleased?

In a way, yes. I am pleased to know that I can be efficient and productive. And I really know a thing or two about what I am doing and what I do have real impacts on the projects.

However, my views about my current work place and about certain people have not changed. I am not ungrateful. It's not that everyone gets praised whenever s/he does good work. Yes, I am fortunate to be in a place that some people make the effort to let me know that I am doing a good job. Maybe I have become cynical when it comes to this place. Perhaps my little ego hidden in the darkest corner still comes out to whisper discontent out of illusion into my ears. Everyone told me that I am lucky to have so much in my life and that I should be content.

Maybe life is only as complicated as you make it.

Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Hello October

Today, Saturday, 1st of October, 30 centigrade, glorious sunshine, gentle breeze, strolling around town with mom, sharing two creamy ice coffee latte, laughing.

Happy.

Indian summer

We are having an Indian Summer here. Unusually warm and sunny at this time of the year, not that I am complaining.

Now September is almost at the end and my conferences are behind me. I continue to be busy this year, with a money paying job and my pet project which has kept me sane and going so far. Life is so full of intricate and delicate balance. Don't you think?

My first half of 2011 has been fairly occupied and dotted with some twists and turns. I have been so engrossed in my own search of a better life that I forgot and failed to appreciate forces outside the equation (Is it so hard to play along the classical mechanics trajectory where everything is predictable given a starting position?). Well, it's a lesson from life, not satisfactory but memorable.

With cloudless skies and uninterrupted sunshine, it's hard to get melancholy. And why should I? Grass always looks greener on the other side and it's always good to be reminded of a small and precious oasis I have next to me. Small, precious indeed, and the one that belongs to me and only me.

I think I am now prepared to take on what's coming, whatever it may be.

Bring. It. On.

Skillet-roasted corn in lime chili butter

Fresh corn in their husks do not appear in my area easily. Yesterday with a nice surprise I spotted a full crate of them in my local supermarket and bought three ears instantly.

I have heard about lime chili butter for a long time. What an intriguing combination, I thought, a recipe that calls for both sharp acidity and rich grease at the same time. On top of that, it has added heat from the chili powder. You know me, I have to try it!

The way I prepared my corn was inspired by two recipes, Tyler Florence's roasted corn and Molly Wizenberg of Orangette's brown butter corn. May I say that lime chili butter is such a heavenly combination!! In my mouth, the smoothness first comes with the mellow butter, then with a gentle kick from the chili powder (like the faint firework in the distant night sky) and refreshes up with a sharp lime tangy taste. It's a great compliment for the skillet roasted corn which not only has its sweetness enhanced but also enriched with the delicious brown bits by preparing corn this way. Try it. You won't regret it.

Skillet roasted corn kernels in lime chili butter

- 3 ears of fresh corn, husked
- 4 tbsp of butter (salted is fine)
- 1 tsp of chili powder (or to taste)
- zest from one lime and juice from half of the zested lime
- salt to taste

Remove the corn kernels with a sharp knife. Hold the corn cob vertically to the surface and cut away the kernels from top to bottom.

In a skillet melt the butter and cook it with medium heat until it turns lightly brown. You have to watch the pan very closely because it can be a second or two between caramel brown and tarmac black. Once the butter turns brown, tip in the corn kernels. Coat each kernel with the delicious brown butter and let them roast in the pan. Turn them over occasionally to make sure that they don't stick (too much) on the base of the pan. You do want the tasty brown bits to develop.

After 5 minutes, put in the chili powder and the lime zest. Continue to roast the corn kernels in the skillet. You can use a lid to steam the kernels through but I don't find it necessary. I prefer my kernels slightly on the dry side.

When the kernels reach to the desirable level of doneness, squirt in the lime juice, stir the corn a few times. Turn off the heat and plate up. I hope it puts a smile to your face as much as it did to me.

Away again

This summer, my work has taken quite some time and attention. My parents are here with me too which means when I am not busy with my work, I spend time with them.

In a week's time, I will be away again for a scientific conference. And the dear brother is coming for a 2-week visit after that. This means I will again disappear from this site for a while until mid-September.

I hope you all have had a great summer, doing things that make you happy.

See you all in Autumn.

Hiatus

Hello people,

I hope you are enjoying the summer, wherever you are. Go out, bask in the sun and think nothing but how to make your life more pleasurable and worth living.

A number of things are happening right now for me. All are looking encouraging and comforting. They also demand lots of my attention. This means I need to take a break from here for a short while. I hope to come back as soon as I have updates to share.

Before then, have a good summer.

Hugs

Dîner chez moi - 25 June -01 July

I am in the salad mode recently. Perhaps because the weather is getting warmer or because all veggies look just so lusciously tempting begging to be eaten. Or I just am addicted to blue cheese dressing. Who knows?! Last week we had carrot salad twice and crudités for one night, instead of my usually blanched veggies dressed in garlic and olive oil. All were happily accepted by the carnivore hubby which is my measure of veggie success.

With 20+ centigrade forecasted for the next few days, looks like we get to enjoy our salad for a few more days. Here is what I have planned for next week:

Saturday: Roasted Chicken and chorizo, Tabbouleh (couscous salad)

Sunday: Jerked pork, Zucchini salad with harissa, olives and feta

Monday: Grilled sole, couscous, ginger pickled radishes and chopped tomato/cucumber salad

Tuesday: Tagliatelle with bacon and mushroom sauce, blanched green beans

Wendesday: same as Saturday

Thursday: same as Sunday

Friday: wild card day

My Mafalda moment

I 20 years ago would have laughed out loud at myself now.

I got annoyed with three half eaten baguettes a few days ago. Gosh, there must be a zillion of things in this world which are more worth of my attention and energy. I can't believe that I get frustrated with day-old bread.

I don't like to waste food. Oddly enough, I can toss away clothes or shoes without any guilt but it kills me to see food being wasted. Since there is usually just one person in the house who eats bread regularly, I appreciate the fact that it can be hard to finish a whole baguette at its peak. Thanks to all these frugal people out there (and the internet), I have learned ways to use up down-the-hill bread.

Here are a few ways to feel virtuous about old bread:

- Thickening agent in stew or soup. Just cook the soup/stew with some leftover bread. The bread becomes totally disintegrated and invisible in the pot after 1 hour. This is my favorite way to use up extra burger buns.

- Panzanella (Italian bread salad). If I am fortunate enough to have a sweltering day or two, this is what I go for. Locatelli's version is pretty good.

- Sweet bread pudding. I am very fond of Delia Smith's version with Marmalade. I usually make it with milk only. It still tastes divine.

- Savoury bread pudding. Why not? Ham and cheese are always friends. And guess what? They go well with leftover bread too!

Happy recycling.

ps. The title of this post came from a comic strip I once read as a little girl, Mafalda. This little girl who always has quirky thoughts said to her mother one day: You must have better things to worry about in this world, when she saw her mom tearing over chopped onion.

First BBQ of 2011

If I could ever figure out how British summer is.

Last Sunday we had rain, from morning till late night. Non-stop. I had to wear my fleece indoor to keep myself warm. Then Monday came, bamn, loads of sunshine. Today is even better. Warm and sunny all day long. It's so pleasant that we decided to get a disposable BBQ grill from our local supermarket and have dinner in the garden.

We've also got four Welsh lamb cutlets and one beef sirloin steak to keep the carnivore happy. Bell pepper and cherry tomatoes to make the meal look balanced. I also picked up a pot of whipping cream on the way to have Eton Mess to finish. Simple, straightforward, nothing fancy. Most ingredients went onto the grill without any work. We just sat by the table helping ourselves with some crisps and sour cream dip while waiting for the food to cook by itself.

We finished every grilled item. Our fingers smelled slightly smoky and our minds were thoroughly relaxed and immensely contented. That's how summer should be.

Neither here nor there

"Because of that chance decision, I have become a hybrid, fitting properly neither here nor there, being neither English nor any longer Italian, always missing something when I am here or something else when I am there" - Anna Del Conte.

Who can speak better of an immigrant's mind than Dame Del Conte?

Michael Smith You Rock!

I have followed some of the Great British Menu this year. One chef who caught my eyes (and not just with his food) is Michael Smith, the finalist for Scotland. His cooking style is uncomplicated and elegant. He is the only chef who managed to put three courses into the top 3 of each category (there are four courses/categories in total). As fate would have it, when the judges came to assemble different top 3 dishes for a coherent menu. None of his was picked. Sigh...

Well, that does not dampen my enthusiasm for trying his dishes. I was determined to try his dry rub designed for his very convivial looking and surely mouth watering Barbecued Lamb main course. Rosemary and lamb is a common combination but he added crushed fennel seeds to the lamb. When I was preparing the dry rub, I can only think of one word, elegant. It's as if the fennel seeds broadens the dimension of rosemary, away from the greenness and more on the woodiness and sweetness, perfect with lamb. The taste is earthly elegant, understated fineness, and undeniably scrumptious. Oh I adore it.

Needless to say, this dry rub has a permanent stay in my recipe box! Thank you Chef Michael!

Fennel and rosemary dry rub for lamb

- 400 g lamb rump
- 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 1/2 tbsp rosemary, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes

Mix all ingredients in a container. Let it sit in the fridge for at least one hour (overnight is fine). Grill lamb until the centre is pink.

Enjoy.

End of 2011 First Half, Almost

Can you imagine that? Five months have gone, puff, in a smoke.

What have I achieved in the first half? Not much really. I have felt that my 2011 has been aimless so far. I don't like the feeling of hanging around without any real purpose but I did it anyway as if it was my silent protest. Protest to what, you may ask. I am not sure. Protest against office politics, against my inability or perhaps unwillingness to change myself. Of course, I realize that this kind of "silent" protest is useless and meaningless because I am the only one who really suffer and situations are not really improving.

Well, well, well. Let's look at the bright side, shall we?

Workwise, I still enjoy doing science. Working with the new collaboration partner is fun. We are still at the honeymoon period where there is a lot of enthusiasm and energy. So that's good.

Also, I am still working on my pet project. Still highly motivated, even after 3 years. This line of research has generated several good publications and presentations. I am happy.

Homewise, I have spent more time (and ££) this year in the little garden of mine. I cannot tell you how gratifying it is to see a plant growing from the tiny seeds you sow not knowing whether it will come out or not to the point when it stands tall greeting the sun every morning and you can touch every leaf and stalk it has.

Lovely.

I also find it fascinating reading the book by Harold McGee. It's a big book but it's just wonderful. Finding out why we do (or do not) certain things in the kitchen is just so awesome. The first chapter on Dairy Products took me roughly a month to go through. Every time I have to stop, I can't wait to pick it up again next time. Brill.

The short but marvellous British summer is just around the corner. The temperature reached 20C today, gentle sunlight slowly and quietly splashing down from clear sky all day long. And the streets smelled of BBQ wherever I went. That put a smile on my face.

Andrea Bocelli - A Volte Il Cuore (Sometimes the heart)

And my darling is coming back this Friday.

What a lovely way to end a week and to start the second half of the year.

Mad Men

It's hard to see life crumble in front of your eyes, piece by piece, minute by minute, even if it's just TV series and not to mention a recent event. Yes, there is no excuse for his womanizing. Yes, she should have made her voice heard long time ago. Yes, they both need to talk to each other more. Love and trust drip away like a sand castle, with every blow of the wave, when two hearts are no longer one. We feel profoundly sad, even as bystanders. Not because we human beings like happy endings, but because we know someone is lying and one or more lives will be destroyed. Why do we do the things we do even though we know the right things to do? Maybe we will never know.

Cheers.

Don: It'll be okay. Betty: Really? How can you be so sure?

Hello

I am still here, working, cooking, gardening and all. The baby flowers I planted back in March all died except one. Seeds sown and bulbs planted in April have started to come out which cheer me a lot. Looks like March is still too cold for gardening. Buying baby plants from the garden centre in March is just a waste of money. Well, lessons learned.

Seeing and feeling the resilience and the tenacity of what's going on in my small garden is just amazing. Life, is the most extraordinary thing in this world. The wonderfully complex machinery working like a clock and the sum always comes out to be greater than the individual parts. The scent and the vivid color from my garden not only display a wonderful collaboration of the sun, the earth and the plant, but also they in turn relax me and form nice memories in my head. When I feel low, I think of my plants striving for light by pushing out of the soil, rocks and weeds. I feel that I should at least try more to deserve their hard work for me.

Life is such an extraordinary thing.

I make - Pasta and beans

Anna Del Conte is not only one of my favorite food writers but also the authority when it comes to Italian cooking for me. She is often credited for introducing Italian food into England and is revered by others. I came to know her after I arrived in UK 10 years ago. Her detailed explanation of basic skills in Italian cooking and knowledge about different regional Italian cooking styles have impressed me so much when I first started reading (and cooked through) her book, Amaretto, Apple Cake and Artichokes. She is so far the only author with whom I will buy cookbooks without pictures. Her clear instructions and reliable recipes just make me come back again and again.

I learned about Pasta and beans (or pasta e fagioli) from Anna. I like pasta and I like beans. Just never occurred to me that you could combine them in a dish. And what a wonderful dish it is. The homeliness and comfort it brings when you send a spoonful of pasta and beans down your mouth. I like to serve it with toasted garlic bread to complete its down-to-earth appeal. Belissimo.

Pasta and beans (adapted from Classic Italian Recipes by Anna Del Conte)

- 350 g (or 6 links) beef sausages (optional)
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tin of chopped tomato
- 1 fresh/dried chilli, chopped
- 1/4 cup of red lentil (optional)
- 1 cup of boiling water/stock (double or triple the amount if more soupy texture is desired)
- 1 tin of cooked haricot beans (or any type of white beans available)
- 1 tsp of dried basil
- up to 1 cup of small pasta, uncooked
- 1 cup of mixed vegetables, blanched (optional but some chopped cabbage or green beans are nice)
- salt and pepper to season

Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Squeeze the sausage meat out of its casing. Brown the sausage meat chunks all over. Scoop them out in a plate. Drain the oil in the pan so that only a tablespoon is left. Fry the onion, garlic and chilli in the same pan for a few minutes. Add in tomato, water and red lentils. Bring the pot to boil and turn the heat low. Cover and cook the red lentils through. It will take about 20 minutes.

While the red lentils are cooking, bring another pot of water to boil. Cook the small pasta and blanch vegetables if using. When the red lentils are ready, add in dried basil, haricot beans, cooked pasta and additional vegetables. Season with black pepper and salt. Stir in browned sausage chunks and cook the mixture for 5 minutes.

Serve with garlic bread.

I like - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Possibly one of most favored composers by the movie industry. I am not surprised. Every time I listen to his work, a set of images quietly surface up in my head without a fail. His music is always full of emotions, complex, layered, direct and unforgettably beautiful.

Here is his Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19: Andante (3. movement).

I bake - Quiche Lorraine

I have made four quiches in the space of two weeks, all because I wanted to try a few pie crust recipes. I have been looking for pie crust recipes without butter. I admit that all-butter pie crust is hard to beat and I still make some as occasional treats. However, I have been looking for "healthier" alternatives, namely vegetable oil based pie crust. My friend has shared her favorite pie crust recipe with me which involves egg, yogurt, oil and flour. Pretty simple, but I was wondering whether there is an even simpler version.

That's how I have ended up with this recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini. No egg, just water, oil and flour. And must I say, the final baked crust is tasty and perfectly crispy on the ridges. I like it enough to incorporate this recipe as one of my regulars. One thing I may try next time is to blind baking my crust longer to crisp up the bottom crust better. Other than that, I am quite happy with this Oil based crust.

Quiche Lorraine is one of the classics (according to Hubby, it's THE quiche). This is my version which we both enjoy.

Quiche Lorraine

Quiche crust (adapted from this recipe)
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1 cup of plain yogurt

Quiche filling
- 200 g of lardon/bacon, roughly chopped
- 3-4 medium-sized onions, skinned and sliced
- 2 tbsps of olive oil
- pinch of salt
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup of single cream
- 1/2 cup of grated cheese (Gruyère, Cheddar or Emmental)

Lightly oil the inside of a 25-cm round pie dish (mine is 5-cm deep).

First, make the quiche crust. Mix all crust ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to mix and knead a few times to form a ball. Wrap the dough in a cling form and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. After resting, take it out of the fridge and roll it out in a circle large enough to cover your pie dish. Prick holes with a fork at the flat surface of the covered pie dish. Blind bake the crust for 30 minutes at 200C. Let the crust cool completely before pouring the filling.

Heat a frying pan on the stove and fry the bacon/lardon bits. There is no need to put any oil at this stage as some fat will come out from the bacon bits. Fry the bacon bits until their outer edges become lightly golden brown. Drain the excess oil if needed. Scoop the bacon bits out of the pan.

In the same pan, put in onion slices and olive oil. On the medium heat, fry the onions until their volume has reduced by half. You don't want dark caramelised onions but fully cooked through, just lightly brown in the end. It will take roughly 30 minutes. Be patient. When the onions are cooked, cool them completely before adding to the crust.

In another bowl, mix eggs and cream. Add in 1/4 cup of the required cheese. This is your quiche binding agent.

When everything has cooled to room temperature, fill the quiche crust with all cooked onions and bacon bits. I like to decorate my final quiche with a few bacon bits on top so I don't use all bacon at this stage. It's your choice. Pour in the egg and cream mixture. Finally, scatter the remaining cheese (and bacon bits) on top of the quiche. Bake the quiche at 200C for 40 minutes.

Like stews, quiches taste better the next day, if you have the will power to wait.

Enjoy.

I cook - grilled prawns with curry leek sauce and pilau sultana rice

I love curry, Indian curry in particular. I am very impressed by the diversity of spices and the art of combining them each time I go to a curry restaurant here. I often thought that the gustiness of Indian curry spice suits meat much better than with seafood. However, there is one particular prawn curry dish I like and make often. I guess it's a westernised curry dish but I like the simplicity and the flavor of it. It has just three components in the curry sauce, leeks, coconut cream and curry powder. The smoothness of the cream provides a very interesting contrast to the spiciness of the curry powder which is in turn complemented by the sweetness of the softened leeks. The whole dish is full of contrast and yet everything exists in a curious harmony. The trick is not to add too much curry powder so as to maintain the intricate balance between the cream and the curry.

If I were to serve it in a dinner party, I would probably use very large prawns or queen scallops to have the wow factor. I am quite happy with (mini) tiger prawns or white fish fillets for a Saturday night homely meal.  I hope you like it as much as we do.

Grilled Prawns with Curry Leek Sauce and Pilau Sultana Rice
Serves 2

- 250 g raw prawns
- cajun spice (or curry powder)
- 3 leeks, sliced
- 2 tbsps Olive oil
- 1 cup coconut milk/cream (or fresh cream)
- 1-2 tsp Indian curry powder
- salt

Pilau Sultana Rice
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leave
- 6 green cardamom pods
- 2 cups of basmati rice
- 2 1/4 cups of water
- 1/2 cup of sultana
- 1/2 cup of garden peas (optional)

Clean and de-vein the prawns. Dry the prawns thoroughly with paper towels. Dust over prawns the Cajun spice (or curry powder) and rest them in the fridge.

To make the curry sauce, soften the leeks in a pan of olive oil. You don't want to brown them but to soften them on medium heat. Stir them occasionally and cover the lid to steam them through. The leeks are ready when they look transparent and their volume has reduced by at least a third. It will take 15-20 minutes.

When the leeks are softened, put in curry powder. Stir for a few seconds and then add in coconut or fresh cream. Bring to boil and lower the heat to occasional bubbles coming from the side of the pot. Cook the sauce for 5 minutes or until it thickens a bit. When the sauce has reached it consistency you like, taste it and season with salt. The sauce is ready.

To prepare the pilau rice, heat another pan with 1 tbsp of oil. Put in all spices at once and heat the spices until you hear seeds pop (or smell the aroma). At this stage, stir in the Basmati rice and coat each grain with the flavored oil. Scatter the sultana on top of the rice and pour in water (enjoy the sizzling sound and the steam). Put the lid on and bring the pot to active boiling on high heat. Once the rice pot starts to boil, bring the heat down to the lowest setting, keeping the lid on for 12-15 minutes (first stage of cooking). After the first stage of cooking is completed, scatter over the cooked rice with garden peas (you could stir through the rice mixture at this stage if you wish). Put the lid back on, keep it on low heat for another 2 minutes and turn off the heat. Keep the lid on and let the rice steamed for at least 15 minutes (second stage of cooking).  Now your rice is ready after fluffing it through with your spatula.

Right before everybody is ready to eat, heat a pan with oil for 2 minutes to grill the prawns. You can use oven for this purpose. Don't over cook the prawns. Get them out of the pan when they turn pink.

To serve, put the pilau rice on one side of the plate. Scoop the curry sauce next to the rice and arrange grilled prawns on top of the sauce.

I make - Eton Mess

Eton Mess, tasted far better than the sound of its name, is a traditional English dessert made of strawberries, softly whipped cream and crushed meringue. Simple, straightforward and satisfyingly delicious. The key is to only whip the cream softly so that it still flows slowly when tilted. Strawberries are traditionally used but raspberries or other summer berries should work equally well. I use Nigella's recipe as a basis and adapt each time depending on the mood and available fruit.

Eton Mess (adapted from this recipe)

- Strawberries, washed, hulled and cut-up
- Crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)
- Caster sugar (optional)
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla pod (optional)
- Meringue pieces

No specific amount given here because it's such a versatile and adaptable dessert. The general procedure is to first macerate strawberry chunks with Crème de cassis and sugar (if desired). In the mean time, softly whip the cream until it's aerated but not stiff. Add the vanilla to the cream before whipping if used.

Right before serving, crush up the meringue pieces into the whipped cream. Don't over crush the meringue. You want to have a mixture of medium and small chunks in the whipped cream. Scoop in the macerated strawberries. Be careful not to mix too much juice in. Fold the mixture gently with a rubber spatula. Serve in your prettiest dessert glasses.

Alimentum, Cambridge

This is the second new restaurant we tried this month. Alimentum has caused quite a stir since it entered the Cambridge restaurant scene in 2007. It is not short of praising reviews but also pulls in some opposite opinions. This has been on our list to try and we did last Saturday.

Here is what we tasted:

Amuse-bouche:

Mushroom and porcini veloute

House bread with butter

Starters:

Mackerel encrusted with thin bread, horseradish and mooli

48hr lamb with anchovies, olives and broad beans

Main:

Sirloin beef, corn, warm lettuce salad with ranch dressing and potato mash

To finish:

Passion fruit tart with coffee ice cream and meringue

Assortment of British and French cheese from a cheese cart

The first thing that caught our attention is their nice décor, modern and elegant. We were seated comfortably with a table of plenty space. Live music was on all night during our visit. Lovely.

Shortly after we ordered, we were treated with porcini veloute and house bread. I have never tasted veloute before. The version from Alimentum consists of tiny fine bubbles, i.e. foamy. Sorry to say that this is not my cup of tea. The flavor was nice, with a deep earthy porcini taste. I would love it better if its texture were silky and creamy. The butter which came with the bread was very good. It has a hint of caramel when you eat it. The house bread was well made. Good start.

The Mackerel starter was very popular as it kept coming out from the kitchen. Hubby ordered one and he loved it. The combination was full of contrast and complement. Like crispy bread skin of mackerel contrasting with softly poached horseradish, or the rich taste of mackerel with the freshness of mooli. The whole dish is a brilliant design. My 48-hr lamb was less spectacular. It was tender all right but not stunning.

As for the main course, we both ordered sirloin beef, cooked to rare. I had great expectation before it's served but my heart sunk half way when I saw it. First, the presentation needs to be re-thought. The green skid mark in the middle of the plate was not very appetising for me. Secondly, our beef was presented in cubes of 2-cm, i.e. pre-cut. The carnivore inside me was howling already. Why on earth would you pre-cut my steak?!?! As a steak lover, I take pleasure in every second I spend with my steak. It starts from smelling its aroma with my nose, examining my whole steak from all angles with my eyes, cutting it with my knife to my desired size and savoring it in my mouth with all my senses united. That's the full process for me to enjoy my steak and now the process is broken. S.C.R.E.A.M.

Ok, let's try to stay positive.

The beef was tender. The warm salad with ranch dressing was delicious. The sweet note from the corn kernels was a nice complement to the whole savory dish. The concept was good but we probably won't order it again if the beef remains pre-diced before serving.

The highlight of our dinner was the cheese plate from their nicely presented cheese cart. The person who served us the cheese is knowledgeable and friendly. And their cheese selection is fabulous, with good representations from British and Continental providers. My passion fruit tart did cheer me up after seeing my beef diced without my consent.

Food aside, the service staff from Alimentum were a bit let-down. They are individually courteous (if feeling a bit pretentious) and that's the problem. The whole service staff should work as a team, not as singletons. And that's exactly how we felt during our visit. Getting someone's attention was not easy (the restaurant was not full during the 3-hr we were there). It took us a long time to complete the bill paying process. However, the menu is unique and creative. We like the food enough to come back again to see how the restaurant matures. Probably not with friends though.

food: 8/10
service: 6.5/10

Alimentum
152-154 Hills Road

Cambridge CB2 8PB

May the wind be gentle

Soave sia il vento from Così fan tutte composed by Wolfgan Amadeus Mozart



Soave sia il vento,
Tranquilla sia l’onda,
Ed ogni elemento
Benigno risponda
Ai nostri desir

This is for people who are rebuilding homes in Australia, bravely face the natural disaster in New Zealand, Japan and Burma, or fighting for a better life in Libya. Also for you, who is going through a dark moment in life and thought that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. 

Yes, there is. Hope is born when you stare at the hardship in its eyes. Keep going for that's the only way out.

Keep on trying

"If you didn't get an offer for a new position or client in February, then keep talking, presenting, and interviewing - it's coming"

Thank you, Ms Miller, for the kind words. I will keep on trying.

On your side

When I saw the disappointment in your eyes, it felt like a knife wound on me. When I hear you start doubting yourself, my heart aches.

Never ever doubt yourself's ability just because you choose not to get dirty with the rest. You know you are better than that. I know you are.

In sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you, to support you, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you, to get crazy and blue with you. Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down.

It is still vivid in my heart, darling. Don't you forget that.

I bake - Banana bread with walnuts and chocolate ginger pieces

For unknown reasons, I can't associate banana with fruit. Fruit, for me, has to come with juice that flows freely when you bite into. Preconceived ideas, I know. Perhaps that's why I prefer banana's creamy fragrance to its texture. I rarely pick up a banana and eat but love everything made with it, in any form of dessert. Pudding, cream pie, banoffee pie, ice cream, milk shake, smoothie or any bakery item, you name it and I love it all. On the contrary, Hubby looks in horror when I make anything with banana. For him, banana has to be eaten plainly and straightly. Alas, I guess that's why they say Opposites Attract.

Here is one of my favorite banana bread recipes, adapted from this recipe.

Banana bread with walnuts and chocolate ginger pieces

- 500 g banana puree (roughly from 5 medium-sized bananas)
- 100 g butter, softened
- 100 g brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 250 g flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp mixed spice (e.g. cinnamon, nutmeg).
- walnut pieces
- chocolate ginger pieces, roughly chopped

Make banana puree from very ripe bananas. I prefer using a hand-held stick blender to create a very smooth texture. It is also possible to squash banana in a flat bowl with a fork to make a rather chunky puree. It's up to you.

In another bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until the butter is aerated and sugar is fully incorporated. Add in eggs. Start with one, mix well and add another.

Sift the flour and baking powder and add into the butter mixture. Pour in the banana puree. Mix everything with a rubber spatula. Fold the batter gently but thoroughly. Mix in the chocolate ginger pieces (if using). Pour into a cake tin. Smooth the top of the batter and decorate with walnut pieces.

Bake it in the oven of 200C for 60-65 minutes.

The simplicity of it

It all started from last Saturday when I was preparing ingredients for Hachis Parmentier. One key ingredient is cooked/boiled beef. I followed the instructions (almost) to the t. Into a pot of water, I put shin of beef, onion, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns, carrot sticks and celery slices. I brought the pot to boil, put the lid on and then turned the heat to low so that only occasional bubbles came to the surface of the pot. I waited patiently for at least one hour before opening the lid.

I could not believe how fragrant the bouillon was.

I kid you not. It's not like I have not made stew or soup before but I was truly blown away by the aroma of this bouillon. Because it was cooked mostly on low heat, the bouillon remained light colored and not cloudy. The smell is savory, soothing, curiously complexed. That's why it got me surprised because the number/type of flavoring ingredients are really kitchen standard and in fact less than I am used to. It made me wonder whether I have unwittingly obscured the true flavor of each dish by my over enthusiasm for herbs and spices.

That's when the thought of pot-au-feu came to my mind.

Pot-au-feu is French's version of boiled dinner. The English also has one called Gammon Stew. The Italian has Bollito Misto. I am pretty sure every country has its own version and the cooking philosophy is easy. It requires three sets of ingredients, meat, vegetables and spice/herb. Cooked simply in a pot of water and it is usually serves with salt, pepper and/or mustard. No complication needed.

The simplicity of pot-au-feu lends itself to a great basis for adaptation, such as Hachis Parmentier. I thought I was en route to Hachis Parmentier but I inadvertently ended up with two wonderful dishes, Pot-au-feu as a nice surprise side product. The beauty of trying new things. 

The only embarrassing thing was, Pot-au-feu ought to happen before Hachis Parmentier, well, at least the logical way. I did/ate it the other way around. It was still great.