YK's good friend Andrew came for dinner last night. I happened to cook Gobi Aloo (Indian Style Cauliflower with Potatoes) which YK devoured with gusto. When he asked Andrew if it tasted like an authentic Indian dish, his friend said the Gobi Aloo he eats at home tastes rather different. You see, Andrew is an Indian and he eats real Indian curry everyday.
I couldn't help but grinned at him because it is like bringing fake snow to the eskimos. While assembling the ingredients for the dish, all I had was a head of cauliflower, some potatoes and a packaged masala spice mix. I was out of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, coriander and ghee, all very essential ingredients used in Indian cooking. So I improvised and added in tumeric and paprika powder instead.
The thing is, Andrew loves the Chinese food that I cook for him. When he comes over during the weekends, I could see how he enjoys the shrimp dumplings or the mee suah (noodles) soup presented before him. He once told YK, "You're so lucky, you get to eat char siew (barbequed pork), dumplings and sliced fish everyday."
YK was quick to reply, "Noooo! We only eat stir fried vegetables and steamed fish."
Somehow, many people have the misconception that Chinese food is all about char siew and dumplings. I have not eaten char siew in years and it's not something you can easily make at home. While we often eat different kinds of dumplings, they are mostly not the home-made variety. They are time consuming to prepare, so I often stock up on frozen ones.
To whip up a quick dinner, stir frying is still the best way to go. It takes minutes to cook a dish and washing up is easy too.
I must admit that I've been experimenting with Indian cuisine the last few days. I made dhal curry and masala chicken that day. As the boys aren't too keen on the dishes, I gave some to CH. Rusty ended up eating most of the chicken which you can imagine tasted nothing like the ones sold in Indian restaurants.
Nobody touched the dahl curry but me. There's still one pot in the fridge. Luckily I didn't serve any to Andrew last night. I bet it tastes nothing like dhal!
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4 comments:
Hi Blur!
1) Rusty n chicken: I'm told that furry animals mustn't be given meat/fish that's already been marinaded for fear they may lose their fur. true?
2)I think steaming food is easier than stir frying etc. Alternative is to have a pot of porridge with eight "treasures" ie stuff that's excess for previous dishes.
3) Inventions: in a previous post u wish u cld think of simple ideas with big markets. How abt this: I've always thought it such a waste for tooth paste to be in tubes becos so much gets left behind when we can't squeeze any more. Why not see if someone would package toothpaste in wide mouth jars for easy access and use till the last smidgeon? Or at least pack it in transparent tubes so that consumers can see if it's worthwhile to split the tube and scrape out the last bits? Such an innovation would have at least one ardent customer. Moi!
Auntie Lucia - Rusty usually eats plain, unseasoned chicken but in this case, I washed the masala chicken in hot water to remove the spices and salt (not alot to begin with).He seemed to enjoy it.
Yes, I do a fair bit of steaming (for myself mostly) but kids like variety, so I have to be creative. They do like porridge, so I make that ocassionally.
You have a great idea there. Transparent tube is a good idea. Having them in a jar - problem is contamination when the toothbrush touches the jar of toothpaste or when water gets in.
Oh I admire you, for I certainly don't have the courage to make Indian curry for an authentic Indian. Just like over here I don't cook Chinese food for a Chinese Chinese. I go to eat their food instead ;)
I love the Indian food at the Al-Ameen chain. Cheap and good tandoori,naan etc... Yum!!
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