Atonement, Fall of Giants and other bits of the weekend

Lots of italics coming up, it's one of those posts.

~ Oh my, Atonement is positively gut-wrenching. My heart is broken, I tell you. And taken. By James McAvoy, who has swept me off my feet as "the young man who crossed the surrey in his best suit, swaggering with the promise of life" and lost it all - his bright bright future and his one true love at the throw of the dice, or rather the lying words of a naive young girl. Those electric blue eyes. That preppy short hair. The very upright-ness of Bobby Turner, his character - in his determination, as he wrote in his letter, to "live without shame", his lilting French, the way he walks with his back so straight, so upright. Swoon.


~ I seem to be drawing multiple parallelisms between the movie and Ken Follet's Fall of Giants, which I am currently chest-deep into. They make me reflect on the same things. How war changes everything. The fruitlessness of it all and the despairs - families and lovers torn apart, heartbreaking letters to and from the front lines, and of course, the terrible death of innocents. And the how their characters conduct themselves - on the surface, quintessentially British eloquence and conservatism, almost bordering on shyness. But you have to take a second look - into their (often blue and piercing) eyes, read into the bow of the head, the hand placed on another's. All contradictory to the searing passion behind closed doors (or in Atonement's case, it was cracked open). In my head, one of the book's protagonists (ahh a German, ironically) is Mr. McAvoy, tortured good looks and all.

~ Listening to Matchbox 20, especially this song on the iPhone. I think of my two brothers. Despite me being five and eight years older than them, we somehow have to come the same conclusions on a few very important things in life. For example, that Matchbox 20 is THE best band ever. That mankind has yet to produce a movie as awesome as The Lord of The Rings. All three of us have read the book, more than once. Oh, and the music. Sure, my brothers shake their heads at my fondness for haunting, wintry, almost new-ageish music with lyrics that don't make much sense (Cases in point: these numbers) and they're almost embarassed about my fondness for Taylor Swift. Dom's taste also runs questionable at times (erm, "Barbra Streisand" by DuckSauce, anyone?). But one day we just broke out Bright Lights together, trying our very best to twang the lines "Baby, Baby, Baby..........Maybe, maybe, maybe..." the way Rob Thomas does (and, I suspect, not being very successful) so you can understand why listening to this makes me all smiley inside.

~ My adorable tea sub that I ordered when in London. Works like a charm, looks like it belongs in a cartoon. Yesterday was a particularly stressful day at work. Couple that with the insomnia I had been experiencing the past two nights, and by yesterday evening my head felt like it was about to explode, among other symptoms. Before I went to bed I filled my submarine with green tea leaves (from Thailand) and brewed the tea using my new super cute glass. I breathed in the grassy scent and let the hot steam rise to my face. I took deep breaths. I sipped my brew, lightly sweetened with honey. I smiled at the sight of the fat yellow sub, and of course as the sight of my fat yellow (orange) cat bounding around the bed. And I really could feel myself feeling better.

I know, I seem to be living and dreaming anywhere else but here or in the moment. These are all I have now.

White bean and spinach soup

My dears, I guess you could say that I have been settling into a routine. At least, food-wise.This weekend was spent in very similar fashion to last week's. Cleaning, laundry and cooking what will be my meals over the next few days.This week it's a super-healthy soup. Super-easy it was too - brown a few cubes of ham in a few glugs of olive oil, after which soften some onions over low heat. Make sure the onions cooks down and turn slightly golden, for maximum flavour. Grate a clove of garlic in, and a few shakes of dried oregano and pepper. Hold the salt for now. Add a can of beans, drained. Cover with water. Add a few tablespoons of shaved parmesan and a few drops of chicken stock concentrate. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Bring to a boil, the turn down the heat and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.

Oh, and it's better to do all of the above the day or the night before you want to eat. This tasted so much better after spending the night in the fridge. Stir in as much spinach as you want in the last minute of reheating the soup. I like lots.

The picture above. I don't know what set him off - the smell of garlic, the additional strips of chicken I pan-fried (because I gotta have my meat), but Boo Boo was super curious about the soup. He usually doesn't bother about my food, or turns away after the first sniff of instant noodles/pasta/apples. But with the stew he kept hovering around and sniffing at the plate while I tried to get a photo. I finally had no choice but to shove him off the table. I guess he knows a good thing when he sees it.

Gingery Watermelon Slushie

There are times that call for hot chocolate, there are times that call for watermelon slushies. Sometimes both on the same day, what with the scorching afternoons followed by heavy midnight downpours that feel as if the heavens themselves are heaving on us we've been seeing. That, and a bit air-conditioned induced cosiness of course.

Today was watermelon day.

This came about originally from my overwhelming urge to eat healthier last week. I rose early on Saturday morning, grim and determined to avoid the weekend crowds at the local super. After coffee and pepper biscuits (vowing that tomorrow's breakfast would be different), I set off. From the super I lugged back bagfuls of lurid purple dragon fruit (antioxidants!!) and half a watermelon, arms burning all the way.

Of course when I got home I realised that I would never be able to finish everything before they started deteriorating. Now who else would I turn to in times like these other than the Domestic Goddess herself? Inspired by how she concocted watermelon dacquiris on her "trashy"episode of Nigella Bites, I followed suit and cubed, bagged and froze my watermelon. Genius.

Today was the day I decided to use them. So simple its embarassing really - I just whizzed the frozen pink chunks with a bit of water to loosen it all up, voila. To counter any acidity or "wind" that such a beverage might induce, I wisely added a spoonful of instant ginger tea I brought back from my last trip to BKK, which also served as a sweetener and added a real nice kick to a supercool drink.

Bits of today

Besides breakfast, a few other things I enjoyed:-

Taylor Swift's wholly enthusiastic, super fun and totally awesome farmhouse ragamuffin-style tongue in cheek (in her own sweet style of course) Grammy performance. Also, a nod to REAL music this year I feel - wins by Adele for Record of the Year and Bon Iver (whose Holocene I was, and still am, enamoured with) for Best New Artist as opposed to Rihanna and Lady Gaga. Bravo. I did feel that Nicki Minaj's performance really spoilt this year's show. Crass, extremely disrespectful and just a very very transparent cry for attention. Shame on the producers for allowing this. I mean, I'm all for a little controversy and shock factors here and there and I seldom get offended by Hollywood's religious references but I was by this one, deeply offended. Had to say it.

I re-watched this three times though. To all the so-called critics who say that Taylor can't sing, OUCH! Love love love.

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My new foldable Joseph Joseph chopping board. No more spilling of diced onions when transferring from board to pan.

Re-reading of one of my favourite books of all time. Anyone who has even the most fleeting desire for volunteerism or the slightest interest in world issues should read this.

The sight of this baby of mine enjoying home after a few nights of boarding at the vet's. Curves are beautiful!

Weekend Brekkie - Detox Edition

This morning, the remnants of the night's heavy downpour remain. The sun is shining, but there is no heat. The birds are at their usual noisy best, and so is Boo Boo (traipsing after me as I make my coffee, do a little tidy-up here and there, sneaking a head rub or two).

Breakfast is altogether warming, hearty and I must say, so very healthy. A nice departure from chowing down pepper biscuits/digestives, my work desk regular.

No - this morning I have oatmeal, made by microwaving instant oats (yes I prefer instant to steel cut, I love all that mushy baby-food porridge-y texture) and oat bran (for extra fibre, absolutely optional) with skim milk and water. Topped with slices of pisang emas (local bananas, small and so very sweet), a sprinkling of muscovado sugar and chopped roasted peanuts, remnants from making peanut butter and the subsequent project.

A promising start to the weekend indeed.

Homemade Black Pepper Sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce
Dash of Maggie Seasoning
2 tsps dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 Oxo beef stock cube
1/2 cup milk
Pinch of sea salt

2 Spanish onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 inch knob of ginger, grated

Heat up a little olive oil and sweat the onions with the salt sprinkled in over low heat, about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. You want them translucent and soft, not caramelised. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for a minute.

While the onions are cooking, grind your peppercorns with the beef stock cube in either a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.

Add the rest of the seasonings to the onion-garlic-ginger mixture, then add a little water to get everything going. Add the milk last, taste for seasoning.

I simmered strips of chicken breast in this, then stirred in some (pre-cooked) whole wheat penne and spinach leaves.

This makes enough to sauce about 300 grams of pasta and 3 boneless chicken beasts - as in my meals for the next few days.

Peanut butter-Chocolate chip blondies

I'll admit, since I am in Miri alone now, it's been pretty difficult to feel inspired enough to pull out the mixing bowl and bake.

Even the inspiration to bake has come out of a trip to KL. You see, Candylicous, the awesome candy store that I first fell in love with during a trip to Universal Studios Singapore, has set up shop(s) in KL. I am not alone in my love for this cheery happy place - my brother actually texted me excitedly when he stumbled upon a branch in 1 Utama. I visited the KLCC outlet, and came out a bit disappointed - the selection available paled in comparison to the Singapore one, I think mainly because once you take out the liquor-based ones the remaining chocolates just look really plain and common. Yet another Malaysian disappointment and yet another loss to our southron neighbour. And yes, I take my candy and chocolate very seriously.

I did, however rekindle my love for the salty-sweet Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, my ultimate treat that I once made AK lug back by the kilo from duty-free Labuan. I was about to take my one-pound bag to the cashier's when I realised that for the same price, I could make more than ten batches of homemade peanut butter and five batches of Peanut Butter Cups. Plus there was the risk of everything melting on me on the way back. Plus I had been wanting to make my own PB anyway as part of the list of things to do in Miri while I still have the time. So I wisely put down the bag and opted for a small pack of Junior Mints instead.

When I got back I did make the peanut butter. And it was every bit as delicious as I expected it to be. But instead of proceeding with Peanut Butter Cups, in usual fashion I start surfing the web and poring through my books and getting plenty distracted. I chose instead to make these awesome Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Blondies instead. So easy, so rich and gooey and stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth good, they turned out to be just what I was craving for. Inspired by this recipe I found online, I halved it, lessened the butter and upped the PB.

Homemade Peanut Butter

1 cup roasted peanuts in their skins. I get them raw and roast them myself, in a 160 deg C oven for about 15 - 20 minutes or until their skins are a nice dark brown. Pop one in your mouth to check for crunchiness and that nice, toasty flavour.

- Whiz the peanuts in the processor until the mixture turns into a paste. I added 1 tbsp of store bought PB just to help everything along. And to really bring out the flavours, I also added about 1.5 tsps of honey and a pinch of sea salt. Of course, use sugar if you want. Taste. Adjust.

For the blondies:

4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup natural cane sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter, from above
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder.
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used semisweet as that was what I had, I suspect milk would be better).

Melt the butter and sugar over a low fire, stir until incorporated. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in peanut butter. Then incorporate the egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Stir this slowly into the wet mixture. Stir in the chips.

Bake at 160 deg C for about 40 minutes (I used a 5 x 8" pan), or until a tested inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean.

This is not something you want around you when you're detoxing, or trying to eat lighter or it goes without saying, attempting a diet. This is for lonely hearts, for stomachs craving comfort and warmth. After a week of beehoon soup, fresh fruit and mostly eggs for protein, man was I ready for this. Oh, and those Junior Mints didn't stand a chance.

Of Now and After

My dears, AK has finally moved back to the West. Me, I am still here. Still waiting for my turn.

Which means, on the food front, many weeks - no, days (I have to stay hopeful) of instant noodles, peanut butter sandwiches, takeaway roast chicken and the like. Man I hope that metallic taste on my tongue (from too much MSG) ain't permanent.

I have said this before, I lose the mood to cook and the appetite to eat when AK is not around - why bother when it's only me, you know?

The good news is that we're househunting and I am already dreaming of all the things I want for our new place. And househunting, be it tiring (driving around, walking up and down checking out streets and every single room of every house we see), frustrating (irresponsible/unethical real estate agents) and terrifying (oh crap should we what if the economy tanks just after we buy it what if we can't take the traffic what if the other residents don't pay maintenance what if we can't sell it or rent it out later). But it is fun and I love driving around imagining what life could would be like if we, say, bought a place in Bangsar vs. Mont Kiara vs. Subang Jaya.

But now I just got back to Miri and expect to while away the days reading other people's blogs until my next trip back. I have started to imagine all the things I intend to do here on my own, and better still, when I finally get to settle down in KL. Some are less ambitious than others, some are necessary for sustenance, some downright frivolous. Sources of inspiration included.

Here in Miri:-

1) Make my own peanut butter.
2) Make granola
3) Roast my own chicken (albeit on a smaller scale, probably a breast or two)

And in the very near future, I promise to:

1) Date my fiance, the way she does
2) Have people over for big meals like Nigella Lawson does, roast something all-a-gleaming on the table. Something like Martha Stewart Living's creation here.
3) Attempt a bake sale.