A Lazy Dinner (Simple Pleasures in Life)

I didn't plan to cook dinner tonight, I wanted the easy way out: packing in. Unfortunately, I only felt like eating the meehoon kuei at the coffee shop below my flat, but the stall was closed, so I glumly made my way home and decided that I will have to whip up something instead.

I'm in trouble, I thought. I don't feel like anything too rich and creamy, I want something light and somewhat healthy, I don't want to shop for groceries, and I am feeling lazy yet fussy. How to have dinner??

Rummaging through my pantry and fridge, I found some odds and ends of vegetables that I used or that my mum bought: some celery sticks, half an onion, tomatoes. There were several cans of tuna soaked in brine, olive oil or teriyaki. I don't know who bought that teriyaki tuna, it sounds vile and there's no way I'll touch that, so I settled on the tuna in olive oil. (It also said "Lite!" on the can cover, so it's considered low-fat. Healthy!)

So it will have to be tuna-something. I could do a tuna-mayo sandwich, but I'm really not excited about tuna-mayo sandwiches. Tuna cream pasta? Ugh, too creamy and fishy. Not good. The only way I like tuna is when it's paired with tomatoes and vegetables in a tuna-salad, but I don't have the vegetables! Hmmm, let's just go by "feel".

Feeling really lazy, I decided that I'll just soak the spaghetti in hot water in a beer mug rather than go through the hassle of boiling them in salt water and straining them then washing another pot + strainer. I chopped up a bit of celery and a bit of onions and fried them with a bit of oil, followed by half a can of tuna and four tablespoons of cream pasta sauce for just a teeny bit of cream sauce. I threw in the undercooked spaghetti into the tuna-veg mush and let the heat cook the noodles for a bit. Taking the tomato out of the fridge, I sliced it into slim pieces for easy chewing and threw in a quarter of them into the tuna-veg-noodle mess in the pot while keeping the others aside.

When the noodles were cooked (they were al dente! a first!), I dumped the pasta into a bowl and arranged the tomatoes around it. And I dug in.

Tuna is usually tasty for the first few bites but it can get quite sickening after a while, so the celery and onions helped neutralize the fishy taste. The cooked tomatoes added some moisture and tang to the dish while the cold, fresh tomatoes really complemented the tuna pasta in a refreshing way. Mmmm. In that meal, there wasn't a lot of oil or salt; there was a good balance of vegetables, protien and carbs--fairly healthy, wouldn't you say? And it was actually pretty delicious!

The best part was that all I had to wash up after that was one pot and one bowl--perfect for lazy fussy me. Another simple yummy meal, another simple pleasure in life =)

Eating Mush

Ever since my extraction on Monday, I've had mushy lukewarm porridge for my meals. I try to break the monotony during breakfasts where I have something tastier, even if it's still soft, such as half-boiled eggs. Still, lunch and dinner consists of chicken porridge (which my mum cooked by the cauldron. For just me.) By the third day, I've had enough of chicken porridge / pork porridge and the like. The thought of any such porridge causes my stomach to shrivel up and whimper, so I decided to have something mushy and yummy for a change (not that my mum's porridge is not yummy :P it's just... you know, too repeated).

So for last night's dinner, I chopped up some potatoes, celery, half an onion and 3/4 of a carrot, boiled it all til it's soft and threw in a can of Campbell's mushroom soup. I added the remains of the shredded chicken from my mum's chicken porridge, fried some bacon and threw that into the soup as well. I bought some local baguettes to dip into the soup. The result? A savoury, rich mish-mash of flavours that is still gentle on the gums and a cinch to put together.
Gara came over to my place to 1. laugh at my uncanny resemblence to Popeye and 2. to have dinner with me. We gossiped, laughed, indulged in girl-talk bordering on neurosis and laughed some more at each other. It was refreshing to have some connection with the outside world besides my internet connection; my life-saver while I hole up at home.

It's now day 4. The swelling has gone down *very slightly*. My brother took a look at me this morning and laughed out loud, "You look like a tomboy who got beaten up!" Ah well, it won't be long before I face the world again. If you see a girl whose jawline resembles Popeye and has a short crop of faded red hair wincing as she eats in some cafe over the weekend, be kind to her. It's probably me.

The Painful Tooth Part Deux

Sigh, the dentist wasn't kidding when he said that the swelling will be bigger on the 3rd day after the extraction =( Good news is that the bleeding has mostly stopped and I didn't have vampire breath when I woke up this morning!

My face still looks somewhat deformed.. the left side is normal, but the right side looks like I'm hiding a big bun at my jaw bone. Physically impossible, but that's exactly what it looks like. My mum laughed at me yesterday when we went out for a short shopping trip. She's a mean mum *sulk*

Oh, and remember my brave words about going out for a nice meal? Well maybe I shan't. I still take eons to finish a small meal, plus it's not very appetising for my meal companions if they have to look at someone wince and cringe each time her mouth opens by more than 1cm. At least I had a nice breakfast in the comfort of my own home! It's what gets me out of bed in the mornings. Scrambled eggs, bacon and half a slice of cake ^_^ I took about 30min to finish everything. Making good progress on the timing here!

But I do have to pop by the office for a while later. I hope my colleagues won't laugh too much =( And may all cameras be out of battery.

The Painful Tooth.

Yesterday, I was a brave little girl and I had my wisdom tooth forcibly yanked out extracted. The dentist was really professional and friendly throughout the whole torture mutilation surgery and had it out within 15minutes. I am so thankful that my visit to the clinic lasted less than 1hour, including X-ray and waiting time. (Thanks, God! ^_^)

So here I am, at home on a lovely Tuesday morning, blogging =)

I can't bend down too much as there would be this rush of blood towards the tooth cavity and it's quite a gross thought thinking of the gush of blood spurting out of where the tooth used to be. This morning as I lazed around in bed, luxuriating in my right to stay at home, I realised that my whole mouth tastes / smells of stale blood that had collected over the night. UGH. A quick visit to the washroom and a spit proves my suspicions right--it IS (stale) blood. I have vampire breath. Yuck yuck yuck.

I can deal with the fact that the right side of my face looks like a chipmunk DNA experiment gone wrong; even the throbbing ache from my jaw-bone to my throat whenever I swallow anything (even saliva) is not that bad; it's the constant tinny taste of blood in my mouth that irks me. But I'm not supposed to rinse my mouth too often as it hinders the blood clotting process, and we wouldn't want the blood to not clot, do we?

Another thing I have to come to terms with is that my diet for the next few days will revolve around mushy luke-warm food with zero texture (read: baby food). Too hot and it will scald the sensitive mush of blood and flesh where my wisdom tooth used to reside. Too cold and the exposed nerves will pick it up and amplify it. Too hard and it will jab into it (OUCH!).

Intuition was really kind to take 1/2 day's leave to meet me before the operation for a last supper of sorts, and to accompany me for the rest of the day. It's a good meal to help me tide through the season of bad meals that is to come for the next few days (although I am secretly planning a revolt tomorrow, that come tomorrow, I shall disobey all orders and eat something tasty instead! Damned if it be hot and spicy, I want to eat and eat well, I shall!)

Yesterday, the Best Grandma In The World was informed that her spoilt little bratty princess will be coming down to her place in the evening after the wisdom tooth extraction ("there's no one at home to take care of meeeee... can I go down pleeaaasee??? and can you cook porridge for me pleeeeaaaaseee??"). And so she did, she cooked a nice pot of pork porridge for me. Except that when dinner time came, I had zero appetite and the thought of putting food into my bloodied and mangled mouth was such a turn off for my appetite. Finally, I worked up enough will power to sip some soup bit by bit (it was VERY HARD WORK) and even managed to eat half a small bowl of porridge. I took all of 1hour to finish that small meal.

This morning, I had a mug of luke-warm milo and 2 small paos for breakfast. I did slightly better this time round--45min. The taste of milo and paos is a very welcome change from the taste of blood, plus I have all the time in the world for the next few days. I will survive.

Simple Pleasures in Life: Serendipity

Serendipity: (noun) good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries.

Blessing #1:
Walking around in City Hall last Saturday evening, Intuition and I stumbled across an international food fair right outside Raffles City, selling delectable international cuisine at bargain prices. There were Russian Desserts, Turkish Wraps and other types of foodie-goodies; )

We bought a chicken wrap and it was the best wrap we have tasted--a chewy exterior lightly dusted with flour, filled with fresh vegetables and mouthfuls upon mouthfuls of savoury chicken. The chicken was very tender and well seasoned; a welcome change from the usual dry and measly chicken pieces we get in the wraps around town. At $5, it's a steal :D

Blessing #2:
As a part of the fair, there were 2 very good acoustic guitarists performing near the temporary al fresco dining area. Guitarist A was doing the rythm and most of the singing while Guitarist B does the fancy riffs. A had a husky and masculine voice, so A could imitate songs by U2, Creed and Oasis to great effect. B's voice was tenor-ish and he sounds more like the lead in Cold Play (I swooned when he sang Yellow). Together, they made such beautiful music. Seriously, before I caught sight of them, I thought someone was playing an acoustic CD. *love-struck sigh*

Did I ever mention my soft spot for guys who can play the guitar? ^_^

Intuition and I were so absorbed by their performance that we hung around for the rest of the evening listening to them work their magic on their guitars and bought more food :P We shared the aforementioned kebab, a steak sandwich and a Heneiken. And this was after our dinner (subway + waffles), mind you!

I really regretted not bringing my camera out that evening =) I would have loved to take photos with them ^_^ Intuition and I went up to them after the performance to gush about how good they were (well I gushed anyways :P) and we had to wait our turn to pay them our compliments for by the time they ended, they had a fan-base.

Serendipity, Blessing is thy name ^_^

Fashion for Guys

Today, we shall do something a little different for my mainly food-based blog =) My brother showed me an email he sent to his friends. This email was written out of the best intentions in a bid to get them to pull up their socks regarding their dressing style (or lack of). Since I'm so proud of his literary effort (and he is, too), I shall shamelessly post his email here with his full permission. If you have any compliments for the writer, please let me know and I will pass the message to him. He will lap it all up, believe you me :P

Men, Gentlemen,

In my past week, I consistently see guys with almost correct style, therefore I am writing this letter to address the issue once and for all. I come in peace, love and kindness to share with you guys on "The 10 commandments of style". You see, I have this burning vision seared deep within my heart: that is, men with real dress taste
will rise into their proper place in society. We don't need gays (forgive me french) to preach the gospel of taste, nor shall we tolerate tight pants rock star wannabe young punks to dominate Orchard Road.. It is time that Gentlemen stand up and tell Singapore what real true style is.

I have a dream, a dream that decent men will walk in town with style, simple style, that is tasteful, simple and practical. A dream that when such men walk down Orchard, boy lovers will let go of boy's hands, stop being a sissy and follow thy manly ways; young punks will ditch their tight pants and don comfortable G2000 for starters.

That dream can only start with a few good men dedicated to upholding the truth of good taste. Gentlemen: I have deep faith in you. Though at times I may be harsh, I rebuke in love. Remember the words of thy leaders, we have to check ourselves first, then mentor those around us. Through trials and tribulations, we shall overcome!

And good socks are a way to start! Brothers, it is time thou rise up to the occasion.
Pull up thy socks and set the standard right, and as what my apprentice F said: " Rabbi, I finally see thy light. It is only after we know what the
rules are for, then we break them."

Attached are the visual description of when to wear socks and not. Visit the website for more details..http://men.style.com/gq/fashion/.

B: I hope you are convicted that army green socks are no nos. Camo green doesn't blend in the civilian world. (I spot them a mile away, let alone CG sessions.)

Z: Remember, we are responsible for our actions and in-actions. (Ankle socks may be hidden away from your nice khakis, but not away from your young aspiring CG members modelling after you. Believe me, the day you wear the right socks, they
will be so clueless on why you look so good. And Gina will... fall head over heels for you over again. There is a subtle but sure difference.)

F: Maybe one day you should share your testimonial on how you are lost but now am found.

As for folks like E, God bless him.

In good humour,
Cheers! =)

Aye, my brother is a vainpot. He is quite well build and has better dress sense than I and often critiques my outfits ("that blouse makes you look aunty. Can you wear something more glam?"). I am a sad, sad girl, for when I walk down the streets with him, guys are checking him out rather than me. It's a good thing that he's my brother or I'd have a good time hating his guts! :P

PS: ladies, now's your chance! Drop me a message if you'd like to get to know this highly eligible bachelor with a fantastic sister ; ) Will accept bribes.

Horror Story

I didn't come up with this story, but it sure scares the heck outta me...

Source

BEIJING — Chopped cardboard, softened with an industrial chemical and flavored with fatty pork and powdered seasoning, is a main ingredient in batches of steamed buns sold in one Beijing neighborhood, state television said.

The report, aired late Wednesday on China Central Television, highlights the country's problems with food safety despite government efforts to improve the situation.

Countless small, often illegally run operations exist across China and make money cutting corners by using inexpensive ingredients or unsavory substitutes. They are almost impossible to regulate.

State TV's undercover investigation features the shirtless, shorts-clad maker of the buns, called baozi, explaining the contents of the product sold in Beijing's sprawling Chaoyang district.

Baozi are a common snack in China, with an outer skin made from wheat or rice flour and a filling of sliced pork. Cooked by steaming in immense bamboo baskets, they are similar to but usually much bigger than the dumplings found on dim sum menus familiar to many Americans.

The hidden camera follows the man, whose face is not shown, into a ramshackle building where steamers are filled with the fluffy white buns, traditionally stuffed with minced pork.

The surroundings are filthy, with water puddles and piles of old furniture and cardboard on the ground.

"What's in the recipe?" the reporter asks. "Six to four," the man says.

"You mean 60 percent cardboard? What is the other 40 percent?" asks the reporter. "Fatty meat," the man replies.

The bun maker and his assistants then give a demonstration on how the product is made.

Squares of cardboard picked from the ground are first soaked to a pulp in a plastic basin of caustic soda — a chemical base commonly used in manufacturing paper and soap — then chopped into tiny morsels with a cleaver. Fatty pork and powdered seasoning are stirred in.

Soon, steaming servings of the buns appear on the screen. The reporter takes a bite.

"This baozi filling is kind of tough. Not much taste," he says. "Can other people taste the difference?"

"Most people can't. It fools the average person," the maker says. "I don't eat them myself."

The police eventually showed up and shut down the operation.

Heart-Stopper

Drizzling the pao generously with gravy, I salivated as I held back my primal urge to just shove the whole thing into my face. I gave up scraping out the lard off the succulent and fork-tender braised pork belly. When the stars are aligned and the pao threatening to break, I succumbed to the incredible temptation of taking a big bite off the kong-bak-pao with the soft, fragrant lard running down its sides. The slightly chewy skin added just the right amount of gumminess to the whole equation and fireworks burst in the horizon as I took a second bite.

Truly, my grandmother's kong-bak-paos are worth getting fat for.

The Comfort

that solitude brings.

Weddings & more weddings...

Sorry I've been a little missing in action. I've got a good friend's wedding tomorrow and the week and last weekend was just filled with wedding preparation stuff... getting the powerpoint right, doing more slideshows, getting the programme sheet ready, preparing the sabo stuff for the brothers etc... weddings are a lot of work :P

Tomorrow is 7 July 2007: 07/07/07, which is a really hot day for weddings. I have 3 wedding invitations for that day alone, but unfortunately I can only attend one, as I'll be helping out for that one, and it's pretty much a whole day's event : ( In any case, my heartiest congrats to The Octopus & The Sotong; as well as ChristoPam & Amy. I'm really sorry that I can't go for ChristoPam's wedding though! Would be fun to attend a wedding with Ms Krong & Ms Chiu as well as the rest of the gang =) Bummer that!

This Sunday will be spent recuperating from Saturday's full day event, followed by another meeting for another wedding in the evening:P It's a marathon, I tell ya...

Here's a little youtube wedding video fun: Getting married ; D I LUURVE the Thai's sense of humour!