We bought ourselves a small bag of 'Sri Lankan Spices' as a souvenir from our trip. I don't know what it consists of but by the look and smell of it, turmeric powder and umm... maybe grounded cumin?? (A little bit of turmeric every day keeps arthritis away! From bae!)
N-E way, we made Empire Chicken a couple of weeks after our trip. So yummy! And simple.
Scott worked in a kitchen when he was a teenager. I forget, did I tell you that already? He works very quickly and efficiently, chops stuff at lightning speed like they do in the cooking shows on TV, doesn't hesitate when handling raw meat, can crack an egg in one hand with ease, can juggle potatoes in the oven and vegetables on the stove and have pastry rolled out on the counter for dessert and make lemonade at the same time.
I am the complete opposite. My cooking style is more 'admire the veins on the vegetables for 10 minutes/try not to let the chicken thigh slip out of my hands/try not to cut my finger off.' I found cooking with him very stressful in the beginning because I couldn't keep up. It made me feel embarrassed and inadequate, particularly because I come from a long line of kitchen goddesses. #PeranakanPride. But it is what it is, so I take charge of washing up after dinner to make up for it.
Ok, Empire Chicken: I think we mixed some of the powdered spice with yogurt and tomato paste and then rubbed it all over the chicken. And then put it in the oven for three quarters of an hour on a grill over some potatoes. Then blanched some long beans and carrots to go alongside.
I'm not trying to be an asshat by giving vague instructions. We don't really pay attention to measurements and we make a lot of it up along the way, which I think is what makes it fun.
And then we ate the leftovers the next morning with some egg and avocado.
And then later that month, we had chicken and potatoes again. With a bitter gourd omelette. We used the small variety, which is a bit more bitter than the bigger ones. Scott let me prepare the bitter gourd and was expecting me to soak it in salt water to reduce its bitterness. But I did not because my mother does not, her reason being that it is important to eat all the 6 tastes - sour, salty, astringent, pungent, bitter, sweet - regularly, according to Ayurveda.
Scott was a bit like, 'ehhhh?? Errrrr....' at first but then ate it with a smile anyway. I used to roll my eyes whenever my mum would tell me that we need to experience bitterness to appreciate the sweetness. But it's the truth! Blah blah blah aside, bitter gourds have properties that remove toxin from the blood and help cleanse the liver. (If you have a hangover or gout, drink bitter gourd juice!)
N-E way, we made Empire Chicken a couple of weeks after our trip. So yummy! And simple.
I am the complete opposite. My cooking style is more 'admire the veins on the vegetables for 10 minutes/try not to let the chicken thigh slip out of my hands/try not to cut my finger off.' I found cooking with him very stressful in the beginning because I couldn't keep up. It made me feel embarrassed and inadequate, particularly because I come from a long line of kitchen goddesses. #PeranakanPride. But it is what it is, so I take charge of washing up after dinner to make up for it.
And then we ate the leftovers the next morning with some egg and avocado.
Scott was a bit like, 'ehhhh?? Errrrr....' at first but then ate it with a smile anyway. I used to roll my eyes whenever my mum would tell me that we need to experience bitterness to appreciate the sweetness. But it's the truth! Blah blah blah aside, bitter gourds have properties that remove toxin from the blood and help cleanse the liver. (If you have a hangover or gout, drink bitter gourd juice!)
No comments:
Post a Comment