Us lazy bums.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Teriyaki Hamburgers
AK loves burgers, and I've been making my own for some time now. I've learnt a couple of neat tricks by now, e.g. some freshly ground coriander can surprisingly uplift a couple of ounces of ground beef, that bacon fat can make it practically orgasmic - I kid you not, try it yourself. That all that machine ground meat can never beat lovingly hand-minced (unfortunately, sigh).
I discovered a Japanese version of the burger when I purchased Harumi Kurihara's Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking at one of Amazon's online sales months ago, but never got round trying it until last weekend. You basically use a mixture of beef and pork, raw onions (I normally soften mine first, preferably in the aforementioned bacon fat), and - the Japanese touch here - homemade teriyaki sauce. It just so happenned that I have a bottle of mirin I bought from yonks back that I intended to use to make katsudon. However the recipe intimated me so much (read it here) - all that deep frying and timing etc etc that I never got around to trying it out.
Making my own teriyaki sauce, on the other hand, was super easy and dare I say, much cheaper than buying my own chemical-laded version - although having said that, the soy sauce I used probably contained a preservative or two. Two-thirds soy and one-third mirin. Add a bit of sugar and rice wine vinegar to taste (I used about a teaspoon to make one cup of teriyaki). I also threw in a clove of garlic (slightly crushed) and grated in some ginger. This sauce, as Harumi says, can be used to marinate meats and seafood, stir fry veggies, basically your all-round hero. I modified her recipe slightly, incorporating a little of the teriyaki into the burgers instead of just salt - just to echo the sauce and amplify the Japanese tinge.
I discovered a Japanese version of the burger when I purchased Harumi Kurihara's Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking at one of Amazon's online sales months ago, but never got round trying it until last weekend. You basically use a mixture of beef and pork, raw onions (I normally soften mine first, preferably in the aforementioned bacon fat), and - the Japanese touch here - homemade teriyaki sauce. It just so happenned that I have a bottle of mirin I bought from yonks back that I intended to use to make katsudon. However the recipe intimated me so much (read it here) - all that deep frying and timing etc etc that I never got around to trying it out.
Making my own teriyaki sauce, on the other hand, was super easy and dare I say, much cheaper than buying my own chemical-laded version - although having said that, the soy sauce I used probably contained a preservative or two. Two-thirds soy and one-third mirin. Add a bit of sugar and rice wine vinegar to taste (I used about a teaspoon to make one cup of teriyaki). I also threw in a clove of garlic (slightly crushed) and grated in some ginger. This sauce, as Harumi says, can be used to marinate meats and seafood, stir fry veggies, basically your all-round hero. I modified her recipe slightly, incorporating a little of the teriyaki into the burgers instead of just salt - just to echo the sauce and amplify the Japanese tinge.
The burgers were accompanied by (as Harumi recommended) plain boiled potatoes and carrots microwaved in butter and salt. Everything is topped with spoonfuls of the delicous teriyaki sauce. We did find the potatoes slightly too bland for our liking though. So for our dinner (i.e. burger round #2 - I made enough for 2 meals) I roasted them a la Nigella, parboiled and tossed around in flour then roasted in preheated oil over high heat for the ultimate potato experience (golden and crunchy on the outside, creamy within).
Friday, November 11, 2011
Milestone - not
Sigh, how time flies. I can’t believe I am turning the big 3-0 soon *cringe*. There is still so much I want to do, and to be absolutely truthful, I kinda expected more from myself coming into this age.
Nevertheless there is still so much to be thankful for, and so much to look forward to. So it is to the future I look to (where else?) and to a life more whole in my thirties. But that is a story for another day.
So I shall treat the looming date less like a milestone where I have to have something to show for, and more like an excuse for another round of self indulgence and frivolity. So, without much ado, here is my requisite birthday wish list:
1) One of Michael Kors black or silver oversized watches for ladies. I have lusted over Cartier and Tag Hauer in the past, and almost pulled out my trusty credit card when we walked into a TH store and I discovered that the prices are much lower than I expected. But after much contemplation I realize that a) I need to conserve the cash for our plans next year, and 2) even if I didn’t, I’d much rather spend the money on another set of plane tickets. My wanderlust knows no bounds, and surpasses even my shopaholism. Besides, I kinda have a thing for big mens’ watches (I like to juxtapose against with my perceivably small wrist), better still if they look like my grandfather owned them.
2) Ferragamo Varina ballerina flats. So stylish and versatile, and comfy too. I tried on a pair in Venice and fell in love (they felt surprisingly more comfortable than the Tods loafers I also tried). But again, can’t bring myself to splash out on them.
3) An iPhone 4s. I still do not own a smartphone, and am tired of waiting for the iPhone 5 that just refuses to show itself.
4) A large order with Amazon.com. it has been somewhat of a yearly tradition for me to either place a yearly magazine subscription and/or an extra large order with Amazon.com for my birthday. Here’s on my list this year:
- Holly Becker’s Decorate. So many good reviews on Amazon.com, including a video one! I admit I was a little put off by some reviews stating that her style is more shabby chic/ cottage, but seeing the video review made my mind up for me – I want!
- India Contemporary. I have mentioned before that I love the Indian aesthetic - in small, modernized doses. This book looks just like something I am looking for.
- Jamie Oliver’s Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook. I’ve been wanting a culinary encyclopedia for ages. One with great writing, of course. And while I usually prefer Nigella Lawson or Nigel Slater’s writing, the reviews of this book, and the fact this one is rather more technical – diagrams of cuts of meat, the fine details of pasta making , etc. are calling out to me
- Any of Donna Hay’s books. I also want Nigella Christmas.
*I’ve already placed my order (I threw in Martha Stewart's Cookies too) Nigella Christmas, orgininally on sale at only USD14, is sold out!! Now I want it even more damnit!
Nevertheless there is still so much to be thankful for, and so much to look forward to. So it is to the future I look to (where else?) and to a life more whole in my thirties. But that is a story for another day.
So I shall treat the looming date less like a milestone where I have to have something to show for, and more like an excuse for another round of self indulgence and frivolity. So, without much ado, here is my requisite birthday wish list:
1) One of Michael Kors black or silver oversized watches for ladies. I have lusted over Cartier and Tag Hauer in the past, and almost pulled out my trusty credit card when we walked into a TH store and I discovered that the prices are much lower than I expected. But after much contemplation I realize that a) I need to conserve the cash for our plans next year, and 2) even if I didn’t, I’d much rather spend the money on another set of plane tickets. My wanderlust knows no bounds, and surpasses even my shopaholism. Besides, I kinda have a thing for big mens’ watches (I like to juxtapose against with my perceivably small wrist), better still if they look like my grandfather owned them.
2) Ferragamo Varina ballerina flats. So stylish and versatile, and comfy too. I tried on a pair in Venice and fell in love (they felt surprisingly more comfortable than the Tods loafers I also tried). But again, can’t bring myself to splash out on them.
3) An iPhone 4s. I still do not own a smartphone, and am tired of waiting for the iPhone 5 that just refuses to show itself.
4) A large order with Amazon.com. it has been somewhat of a yearly tradition for me to either place a yearly magazine subscription and/or an extra large order with Amazon.com for my birthday. Here’s on my list this year:
- Holly Becker’s Decorate. So many good reviews on Amazon.com, including a video one! I admit I was a little put off by some reviews stating that her style is more shabby chic/ cottage, but seeing the video review made my mind up for me – I want!
- India Contemporary. I have mentioned before that I love the Indian aesthetic - in small, modernized doses. This book looks just like something I am looking for.
- Jamie Oliver’s Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook. I’ve been wanting a culinary encyclopedia for ages. One with great writing, of course. And while I usually prefer Nigella Lawson or Nigel Slater’s writing, the reviews of this book, and the fact this one is rather more technical – diagrams of cuts of meat, the fine details of pasta making , etc. are calling out to me
- Any of Donna Hay’s books. I also want Nigella Christmas.
*I’ve already placed my order (I threw in Martha Stewart's Cookies too) Nigella Christmas, orgininally on sale at only USD14, is sold out!! Now I want it even more damnit!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Stretching spaces
Well, I guess it doesn't take a genius to figure out that the kitchen is my favourite part of the house.
My obsession with all things food means that is is also the room that I will (and have done so) spend most of my money on.
Back when we stayed in the run down old bungalow, the only thing I loved about the house was the big, airy, light-filled kitchen. It straddled the east side of the house and one wall was completely lined with windows that looked onto the small garden outside. This meant that a) It was cool almost all day b) It was flooded with natural light and c) being part of a bungalow, it was HUGE. Lots and lots of counter space (I have made pizzas, homemade dumplings, Penang Hokkien Prawn noodles - stuff that require a ton of mise en place - with little issue), a big double sink, cabinets that the owner put in that I totally under-utilized.
Well, that's that. We've moved, at my behest, to a smaller, more maintainable home, though (dare I say) - almost as run down as the first. I have come to love this little space that I have made my own - the manageable size meant that I did not collapse thereafter cleaning it, , the living room in which I have proudly put out all my stuff collected from our travels and bedrooms. The only downside was the bare, rather under-lit kitchen.
So this is what we added to the bare space:
1) A simple industrial rack that houses a myriad of most often-used items – the kettle, mini blender for quick drinks/smoothies, and my acrylic glasses and water jug. I love acrylic kitchenware – as pretty/classy-looking as glass, but safe enough for clumsy people like me or even for kids.
I bought the glass jars on the second from top shelf to store coffee, Milo, sugar, oats, pasta...and reused glass containers that I collected for storing spices and condiments. So much easier than fiddling with opening tins and Tupperware covers. And prettier too.
The rack also houses some of the stuff I have amassed on our travels and - chai tea and coffee grounds from India, orange oil and honey from Phuket and Bangkok gourmet food stores, cinnamon cloves and more coffee from Bali. Organic pasta, soba noodles and couscous from the health stores all around Miri, KL and Penang. Protein powder my mum insisted on giving me, more spices and flavorings – Indian spice rubs, herbs for a Chinese herbal chicken stew. Oh, and the grey oven mitt was a most thoughtful gift from AK, who, knowing how I admire Jamie Oliver, splurged a good 12 pounds on it when he dined at Jamie's Italian in Liverpool recently.
2) I bought this cabinet from my old housemate - a total lifesaver. One side holds my small (but carefully selected) collection of serve ware that I am rather fond of – I have sourced them from flea markets (Amcorp Mall, Penang), Japanese specialty shops, simple grocery stores in Brunei and Miri, handed down from my Grandfather to my mum and of course, more ubiquitous ones from Parkson and the like. It also houses my ever growing collection of bakeware (all manner of baking tins, cupcakes, loaf, springform, tart, silicone and aluminium, my hand held mixer, as well as dry pantry items (flour, instant noodles, canned goods). Its tiled top serves as a workspace too.
My obsession with all things food means that is is also the room that I will (and have done so) spend most of my money on.
Back when we stayed in the run down old bungalow, the only thing I loved about the house was the big, airy, light-filled kitchen. It straddled the east side of the house and one wall was completely lined with windows that looked onto the small garden outside. This meant that a) It was cool almost all day b) It was flooded with natural light and c) being part of a bungalow, it was HUGE. Lots and lots of counter space (I have made pizzas, homemade dumplings, Penang Hokkien Prawn noodles - stuff that require a ton of mise en place - with little issue), a big double sink, cabinets that the owner put in that I totally under-utilized.
Well, that's that. We've moved, at my behest, to a smaller, more maintainable home, though (dare I say) - almost as run down as the first. I have come to love this little space that I have made my own - the manageable size meant that I did not collapse thereafter cleaning it, , the living room in which I have proudly put out all my stuff collected from our travels and bedrooms. The only downside was the bare, rather under-lit kitchen.
So this is what we added to the bare space:
1) A simple industrial rack that houses a myriad of most often-used items – the kettle, mini blender for quick drinks/smoothies, and my acrylic glasses and water jug. I love acrylic kitchenware – as pretty/classy-looking as glass, but safe enough for clumsy people like me or even for kids.
I bought the glass jars on the second from top shelf to store coffee, Milo, sugar, oats, pasta...and reused glass containers that I collected for storing spices and condiments. So much easier than fiddling with opening tins and Tupperware covers. And prettier too.
The rack also houses some of the stuff I have amassed on our travels and - chai tea and coffee grounds from India, orange oil and honey from Phuket and Bangkok gourmet food stores, cinnamon cloves and more coffee from Bali. Organic pasta, soba noodles and couscous from the health stores all around Miri, KL and Penang. Protein powder my mum insisted on giving me, more spices and flavorings – Indian spice rubs, herbs for a Chinese herbal chicken stew. Oh, and the grey oven mitt was a most thoughtful gift from AK, who, knowing how I admire Jamie Oliver, splurged a good 12 pounds on it when he dined at Jamie's Italian in Liverpool recently.
2) I bought this cabinet from my old housemate - a total lifesaver. One side holds my small (but carefully selected) collection of serve ware that I am rather fond of – I have sourced them from flea markets (Amcorp Mall, Penang), Japanese specialty shops, simple grocery stores in Brunei and Miri, handed down from my Grandfather to my mum and of course, more ubiquitous ones from Parkson and the like. It also houses my ever growing collection of bakeware (all manner of baking tins, cupcakes, loaf, springform, tart, silicone and aluminium, my hand held mixer, as well as dry pantry items (flour, instant noodles, canned goods). Its tiled top serves as a workspace too.
It wasn’t enough though. As soon as we moved I knew we had to something about the kitchen to make it usable. At the first sight of the next trip back to KL I coerced AK to drive me to Ikea, armed with a shopping list I created on the Ikea website. My mission could not be clearer.
These rails I got there now hang above this cabinet and hold my oft-used single-serving cookware and my ladles, spatulas – anything I need within easy reach.
3) We also got this bigger metal wall rack, which hovers over the sink. Another piece that is absolutely essential in this space-starved place. Perfect for air-drying dishes and - when I added the hooks - hanging my peelers, scissors, sieves, hand held colander, silicone tongs, etc. off it. Silicone spatula, grater (this one is also from Ikea, I wanna upgrade to a Microplane one)
4) Another space saver - racks that elevate the gas stove off the only (very low) built in countertop. I use the space underneath it for my microwavaeble bowls and pot lids. The rack that holds my tray of condiments has a basket of garlic and onions, and my pestle and mortar underneath it.
5) And because I am helpless at the sight of pretty packaging that I can reuse, and the only place I could fit a part of my collection – tins from cookies, mooncakes, tea, my teeny liquor collection – was on top of the fridge.
6) Another very useful space I improvised – I originally bought this rice-husk cutting board from The Penang street market for, well, cutting. Turns out it fits nicely above the sink, so now I place my other cutting boards on it and use this space for cleaning meat and fish, and basically cutting everything. When I’m done I just wash the boards. No need to hunch over the other worktops. I use the yellow plastic one for meats and fish, the wooden one for stuff like vegetables, fruit and hacking up chocolate bars. Oh, and these two boards serve as splashbacks as well when they’re not in use.
It took me some time to grow into it and make it as friendly and functional as possible – and I would still love to have more work surfaces (I now make my dumplings in the dining room), but as with everything you build, bit my little bit, with things you use and grow to love, you learn to cherish.
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