I normally do the tofu version
first for the vegetarians in the household and then follow with the chicken
stir fry. When I say tofu, many people say oh tofu, it’s so tasteless. Yes
agreed it is bland and does not have a taste as such but that is the point, as
it takes on the umami flavours of the other ingredients so well. I have learnt
to incorporate tofu into several vegetarian versions of dishes I cook on an
everyday basis, you can say I like it.
400 grams firm tofu, drained
2 medium sized carrots cut into
batons
400 grams mushrooms (prepared)
and quartered
1 large red pepper cut into 4-5
centimetre strips
1 bunch Shanghai green bok choy,
washed well, stalks and leaves separated
Founded nearly 1200 years ago, this ancient city in the
north of Laos is a delightful mix of Buddhist temples and French colonial buildings.
Since 1995 Luang Prabang has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage city for
its unique blend of architecture and religious culture. Our guide explained
that the city has been called such because of the gold image of Buddha, Phra
Bang that was gifted to the people of Laos by Cambodia in 11th
century. This is on display at the Royal Palace Museum.
There is an often overlooked rule in history; far more is lost and forgotten than is preserved and remembered. The rule relates to progress. As a species we are on the information highway and know more, but are we wiser?
When I think of wisdom, I am always reminded of this quote from Brian O Driscoll “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.”
Our attitude, spirit and tenacity can affect the outcome of any challenge that comes our way. To be proactive, you must also be self-aware to understand who you are and your purpose. Long term thinking and planning allows us to reap the rewards in the future.
We’ve all heard it over and over again about the
irreversible damage caused to the planet because of our habits of over
consumption. Social media or plain “green” activism is great to create a sense
of awareness. It is a nice feeling to like or share a post on planet friendly
causes. But this will not change anything. Our daily habits affect every part
of our life. Taking time to practise habits that care for the planet, remind me
of self-care too.
My son and I don’t know what to
have for breakfast as we are not part of the Kelloggs club! I am often looking
for interesting ways to have something to eat or drink about 9 or 9.30 after my
yoga or walk. This is a very filling choice and can be had anytime of the day!
Traditionally the term rendang
does not refer to a type of dish. It actually refers to a method of slow
cooking; stir-frying or mixing the ingredients continuously on a very slow fire
for number of hours until they are devoid of any liquid. It was the judicious
use of spices plus the cooking method that made the dish popular during
celebrations and festivities. While rendang originated in West Sumatra, Indonesia
it has spread throughout South East Asia. You can use meat, duck, chicken and
even jackfruit to cook this way. This recipe is for chicken and thankfully my
recipe does not cook for hours on end!!
5-6 shallots peeled and chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic chopped
5 centimetre piece of fresh
ginger
5 centimetre piece of galangal
7-8 dried red chillies cut into
3-4 centimetre piece, seeds partially removed and soaked in hot water for half
an hour
2 stalks of lemon grass (better
to get fresh, if frozen thawed) outer sheaths peeled off and just the white
inner core
100 grams grated coconut (fresh
or thawed if frozen)
165 ml coconut milk
100 ml water
3 Kaffir lime leaves – remove the
rib for one of the leaves and finely chop. Set aside for garnish
1 spoon of jaggery or brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
500 grams skinless, boneless
chicken thighs cut into about 4 centimetre pieces
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Salt to taste
METHOD
Using a food processor, grind
together to a fine paste the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, red chillies
and the lemon grass. Add a couple of tablespoons of water as needed.
In a large wok, roast the grated
coconut until golden brown and set aside. This will take ten minutes. If you do
it on high, you will burn the coconut so best over moderate heat frying
regularly.
Heat the oil in wok and brown the
chicken lightly in batches. You only need to oil the first batch as the fat
from this is sufficient for the remaining pieces. Set aside.
Put the spice paste in a wok along with coconut milk, turmeric, the two Keffir lime leaves, jaggery or brown sugar and the water. Bring it to a boil and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring intermittently until the liquids have reduced to half the original amount. Now add the chicken and continue cooking uncovered for a further 10 minutes. Add the toasted coconut, stir and allow to cook for a further 3 minutes. Sprinkle the finely chopped Keffir lime leaf and serve with rice or Malaysian roti. Serves 4.
Cooking tips: The flavours
develop the next day, so may pay to have it the next day. You can also double
the spice paste and freeze one lot to make a different type of rendang later
on.
