Ni-hao Taiwan!

And we’re off. Finally, danbing and warm doujiang for breakfast again tomorrow morning. I can almost taste it.

Till then, zai-jian.

 

Going Home

I think I’m fortunate to be able to call 4 places home so far in my life. Three of them becoming home in the last 9 years. So whenever I say, “I am going home” I have to kind of wonder about how ‘home’ is this ‘home’ I am returning too.

There is my ancestral home, South Africa, where I was born and spent pretty much the first 23 years of my life. It’s a country that will always be close to my heart and I love the fact that I can call it home. Despite a lot of past and present negativity that a lot of people associate with the country (South Africans and non-South Africans) I believe that it can and hopefully will all be resolved in time and we (Alexander and I) hope to return there in the future. But since my high school days I knew that I was going to be out of the country for long periods of time and that it would not be my only home.

When the chance came for me to go and work in Taiwan in 1999 I did not hesitate about taking it for a second. This was just for the summer, but I returned early in 2000 and stayed until the end of 2005. Taiwan became my home for the largest part of my adult life.

I returned to South Africa in 2006, only to leave it again at the beginning of last year. First to return to Taiwan for a 6 week visit after which I joined Alexander in LA for a couple of months. My time in LA was fantastic. I did not know what to expect and most people painted a rather unpleasant picture. But from the moment I stepped out of the airport I was in love with the place and if there is any way for me to make a decent living there I will head back there tomorrow (any suggestions?).

And then came Bangkok. Home since August last year and in all likelihood home for a while to come still. I adore this city that so many people dislike for being to overcrowded and too hot. Besides the smog I certainly cannot complain.

Now I was getting somewhere with all of this and that is that we are going to Taiwan this summer. I am returning home. It will be Alexander’s first time and I am looking forward to the experience of showing him my ’second home’, meeting some old friends and trying out authentic Chinese food again.

Taiwan is the country where I went from reckless adolescent to a more mature person who kind-of knew what he wanted out of life (still working on that one). I went through phases of totally despising it, to feeling nothing, to being completely crazy about it. Through all of this I also think I kind of got to take it for granted.

When I went back last year I appreciated it much more, on an internal level. Mostly because I spent a large amount of time alone during the town where I lived, Hsinchu’s, bleak winter.

This time I am returning with a fellow explorer and anticipating growing much fonder of the country during our time.

So there you have it. The next big move. I’ll try to capture some images and moments and have them here on a regular basis and maybe even trying some new recipes while there. I cannot wait.

 

To the Jungle

We spent a couple of days this finally visiting Kao Sok National Park in southern Thailand. Alexander has been dreaming about going there for a really long time, so it was with great excitement that we left our apartment about a week ago and headed for the airport. We were flying to Surat Thani where we would meet up with his parents and drive ourselves over to the park.

Early afternoon we arrived at Art’s Riverview Guesthouse, our accommodation for the next two nights. We stayed in simple, yet attractive bungalows, set on the banks of a meandering pale turquoise stream, surrounded by jungle growth and the constant humming and twittering of insects, birds and frogs.

We decided to do an elephant trek on our first afternoon. I usually shy away from any form of rides on the backs of animals, so this was a first for me. All in all it was kind of fun, although I was really nervous at first. The ride was scenic and pleasant, swaying from side to side on the back of a giant cow through rubber plantations, cool streams and towering jungle palms and tree. We stopped for a few minutes at a small waterfall before returning back to there camp.

After dinner we went on a jungle night-hike in the park. Trudging through the mud and darkness we did manage to see some mouse deer grazing in the undergrowth and two freaked-out bushy-tailed porcupines running ahead of us on the path.

We spent our second day at Kao Sok mostly relaxing around the quiet town on the park’s edge. The stream proved the perfect spot to cool off and unwind. We discovered a small restaurant serving sweet mocha espressos and tiramisu. Late in the afternoon we went for a short stroll in the park where we spotted a variety of strange frogs and lizards, and a snake.

Wednesday morning we left for Chiao Lan Reservoir. It’s a spectacular man-made body of water shaped by massive karst cliffs and hills. The lake has no distinct shape and the moment the main pier was out of sight we felt completely lost amongst the jungle clad cliffs and islands.

We came for the experience of sleeping in raft housing on the lake and some peace and quiet, not expecting to really see anything, considering the dense foliage and shyness of jungle animals. So we were pleasantly surprised to spot our first langurs jumping between trees on the way to our camp.

Our accommodations were very basic, but the surroundings- the cliffs, the refreshing water, gibbons calling in the distance, otters splashing some distance from us in the water- made up for lack of anything else. I could easily have stayed longer.

We spent our time kayaking around the lake and taking more safaris on our long-tail boat. Our early morning safari on Thursday yielded fantastic otter, eagle, langur and gibbon sightings. I felt overwhelmed by happiness when we saw the gibbons tumbling through the trees and dangling upside down from a branch by one leg.

After breakfast, Alexander and I took a last kayak trip on the lake and had even better sightings. Three troops of langurs very close to the water’s edge, a female gibbons and her young munching on bamboo leaves and 10 hornbills flying between the tallest trees.

After lunch and another hike through the jungle we took our long-tail back to the pier. I was kind of sad too leave, our time in Khao Sok has come to an end, and it did not disappoint. In fact, I would say it was one of the highlights of our time in Thailand and my life. We’re of course hoping to return soon.

 

Highlights of Kep

Although this was my third trip to Cambodia, I have never been to the coast before. So when we started planning our trip we were very certain that we wanted to see some of the country’s coast this time round. We were researching Sihanoukville, when we discovered that somewhat to the east of this famous beach city lies Kep.

Kep, allegedly, used to be the place to be from the thirties to the late sixties. The glamorous and wealthy of yesteryear all owned attractive modernist villas and enjoyed weekends of luxury in this see-and-be-seen coastal town. But then came the Khmer Rouge with their penchant for destruction and years of civil war and Kep was abandoned. It’s inhabitants fled or were killed and their villas used as target practice by distruction-crazed soldiers.

Recently, however, Kep has been having some sort of a revival. Its close proximity to Phnom Penh, loads of giant crab found in the bay and a need for less crowded coastal property seems to have caused a teeny tourism boom. A couple of very attractive guest houses have sprung up in the hills behind the town. Some new and some in renovated former villas.

We decided to stay spend our two nights on the coast at Veranda Natural Resort, a beautiful sprawling resort set in the hills behind the town’s crab market with views of the ocean and some Vietnamese islands in the distance. Our bungalow had two ‘rooms’. One was in the bungalow and the other was part of our veranda. There was also a hammock and we enjoyed lovely ocean views and were visited by a giant gecko on our second night.

The grounds at Veranda was something amazing. The province of Kampot where Kep is, is known for its rich soil and fresh produce and it was very obvious from all the fruits growing in abundance in our garden.

Bananas, mangoes, papayas, pineapples, chillies and guavas seemed to be growing wild.

There were numerous coconut trees as well as loads of jackfruit trees. Their enormous fruits dangling precariously from the branches.

And of course Kampot’s most famed export was also to be found in our garden.

Kampot pepper. Most definitely the best fresh pepper I have ever tasted. Spicy, but not overwhelming, and a floral hint that leaves you wanting more. We made sure that we ordered at least one dish with fresh Kampot pepper whenever we dined.

Whereas Kampot province is famous for pepper, Kep is nowadays famous for crab. Hence the statue in the first image. The crab is caught pretty much right in front of your eyes at the crab market. From the side the market looks like homes dropping into the deep ocean, but the water is actually quite shallow. While sitting inside any of the numerous restaurants in the market you can watch the ladies of the markets wading out into the ocean and dragging back the crab cages.

On weekends, day trippers from the capital flock to the market to dine on mountains of crab and buy some fresh crab to take with back to the city.

We came for lunch both days we were in Kep. The food was incredible. Both times we ordered the crab curry with fresh pepper. It was a divine dish. I literally sat with one crab leg for about 10 minutes, savoring the sauce, the meat and the pepper. I think I could happily eat this everyday. It was incredible. We also enjoyed some fresh squid and fish but nothing came close to the crab.

Sadly we had to leave for Phnom Penh again after only two nights for visa business. But I know that I will have to go back to Kep to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, the abundance of fruit, and of course, the crab and the pepper again.

 

Frittatas Before I Go

Yes, these are frittatas. Muffin frittatas if you want. I made some a while ago and thought of throwing the egg mixture into my muffin pans and see what the end result is and loved it. Actually, I loved it better when they were still in the oven because they become very puffy and fun, but they loose a bit of that when they are released from the heat. But I still like them, little individual muffin-shaped frittatas.

They’re super easy to make. What you need is:

5 eggs

1/3 cup pouring cream

1 spring onion- white part minced

8 cherry tomatoes, quartered

salt and pepper

some grilled and sliced pepper for the topping

To make:

Preheat the oven to 200C. Have muffin pans handy, I used silicone ones, if you don’t I suggest greasing your pans a little first.

Mix the eggs, cream and spring onions together in a bowl and add slat and pepper to taste. Put the tomatoes into the pans and pour the egg over. This should be enough for 4 pans. Cook in the oven for about 30 minutes or until set. Remove and let it cool slightly before serving with the sliced pepper on top. Easy, tasty and fun to look at!

And now we are almost on our way to Cambodia! My sister is visiting and we decided to spend some time there.

We’ll be re-visiting Siem Reap and the temple complexes at Angkor. Alexander and I were there last year and I went with another friend almost 7 years ago. Even so I am still looking forward to wandering around between these awesome structures. And kicking back with a cocktail at the FCC afterwards!

From Siem Reap we’ll be going back to Phnom Penh and then onto Kep and Sihanoukville along the coast. Hopefully I will have some stories and good pictures of our trip upon our return next week.

 

I Miss Hanoi

I know, I suck. I have not written anything in weeks. I think I have valid excuses, but maybe I don’t. And now that I am finally beginning to feel ready to write again and update and so forth, I discover that WordPress has a new layout and now I am all confused again. But I’ll try.

Last time I was here was before we left for a trip to the Andaman and I promised that I will post some more about that awesome capital of Vietnam, Hanoi. So here are some highlights and reasons why I get all misty eyed when I think off Hanoi.

We stayed in the Old Quarter for our first two nights, and even though we opted to stay around the Cathedral area near Hoan Kiem Lake after our return from Halong Bay, I found myself drawn back here a couple of times again. Walking through the old merchant’s neighborhood is kind of like walking through a really big, crazy market with people, bikes and merchandise everywhere you look. It is a frenetic and antique-feeling part of town and although I can never see myself living in such a mad quarter I can see myself wandering around the area for hours on end and just taking in the lively atmosphere.

We spent a lot of time around Hoan Kiem Lake, it’s centrally located and surrounded by a park, cafes and some lovely architecture. In the middle of the lake is Turtle Island (pictured above) with it’s lone pagoda. In the mornings and evenings the residents of Hanoi can be seen exercising and relaxing around the lake and at night the surrounding lights are beautifully reflected on the water. On our last night in the city we even saw a little owl flying around the lake.

I loved this image of Ho Chi Min holding a little girl and the dove in the background.

And speaking of HCM, on a very drizzly Sunday morning we set out to his mausoleum and museum. I was not too keen on going into the mausoleum and a few minutes standing in a terribly long line convinced Alexander too that maybe we should put it on hold for another time. Entry into the lotus-shaped museum next door was much easier and I bet the display was a lot more fascinating than an embalmed body. Intriguing and rather bizarre, I’d visit it again any time.

As can be seen from almost all the pictures, the weather was mostly overcast and gray. Which is exactly what I was hoping for when we planned our trip. I was craving a couple of days of little sun and gloomy skies. The balloon sellers that we often saw around the city made for a fun burst of color in our gray dome.

Cafes. Plentiful and all serving excellent drip coffee, Vietnamese style as well as other varieties. From top left- drip coffee on the street, Alexander enjoying an iced-Vietnamese coffee at Highlands next to the Opera House, Alexander working at a street-side coffee shop, patrons enjoying coffee and board games at Cafe Lam. This time in Vietnam we were smart and stocked up on Vietnamese drips and some excellent coffee for the house.

On our travels through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam last year we decided to do a cooking course in each country we visited. We got to do this in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and Luang Phabang in Laos, but unfortunately not in the other two countries. This time Alexander did some research before we left for Hanoi and booked a course for us at Hidden Hanoi. We picked to make the street food menu, the delicious and new firm-favorite of mine, bun cha. There were three students and our very informative and fascinating teacher, An.

Rather than start the course with a market visit she gave us an introduction to and discussion about the food culture of Vietnam. Afterwards we got to prepare a splendid bun cha lunch with rice noodles, barbecued pork patties, spring rolls, dipping sauce and greens.

Possibly my favorite aspect of Hanoi is the street food. Mouth-watering dishes can be enjoyed at tiny tables and plastic stools just about anywhere you turn all over the city. From left-to-right are bun cha, breakfast banh cuon and a different kind of binh my pate. Of course there was much more, for more detailed descriptions and pictures of the street food delights of Hanoi, go check out Alexander’s entry on Hanoi Street Food.

I miss Hanoi, I really do, and I hope we can return there soon for more sights, food, and atmosphere.

 

Off to the Andaman

Scarcely back in Bangkok and we are jetting off again. This time to the Andaman Coast of Thailand with Alexander’s sister. We’ll be spending the next couple of days kayaking amongst karst islands, taking boat trips through mangrove forests and spending time catching up on some much needed sun-time.

So expect some more posts about lovely northern Vietnam soon and about our trip to sunny Krabi and Koh Phi-phi!

 

Train to Cold Sapa

At around nine Sunday evening we board the overnight train heading for Lao Cai. We were to spend the night in a six-berth ‘hard’ sleeper. I was concerned for my comfort at first, but it turned out the cramped berth was not all that bad and after Alexander got one of our fellow travelers to turn of the music he was playing for all on his phone we had a fairly comfortable rest.

We arrived at Lao Cai just after five the next morning, a pleasant chill in the air. After some initial waiting for our minibus to fill up we finally started the slow drive up the mountain pass to Sapa, a scenic ninety minute journey, passing terraced rice paddies and local villages on the way.

Sapa was a bit of an old hill station back in the day, where homesick colonialists came to soak up the cool mountain air. Today it draws throngs of tourists curious to see the ethnic minorities from the surrounds come and peddle their wares in town, or adventurous hikers. Or, in our case, people who miss icy cold weather.

And that is exactly what we got as we stepped of the minibus. I was instantly deeply satisfied with the idea of spending a whole day and night here and often saying “I’m freezing!”

Sapa is spectacular. It is surrounded by high mountains and deep valleys, covered in villages, terraced farmlands and rice fields. Mist and clouds hung over much of the valley and area, which made seeing Vietnam’s highest mountain, Fan Xi Pan, impossible. But the views from town were still mighty impressive.

After checking into a hotel and a very hot shower we bundled up and strolled around town. Everywhere we went we were hassled by good-humored Hmong and Red Dzau ladies to buy hand stitched blankets or bags and silver. They are very persistent and would follow us around for long distances, tugging at our arms and saying “Looky-looky. You buy something for me?” I’m usually easily bothered by touts and people bothering me with their goods, but these ladies never failed to make me giggle with their persistence and simple and confusing English questions.

We went for lunch at Baguettes et Chocolate, a restaurant training less-fortunate youths for the hospitality industry. For dessert we enjoyed little chocolate and wine tarts; which reminded us both of the recent HHDD challenge I hosted. Afterwards we went back to the hotel for an afternoon nap.

I awoke much later to find that thick blankets of fog were rolling into town. Within minutes the whole town was covered and it became almost impossible to see to the other side of the street! I made my way to a bakery across the street and picked up some hot chocolate and a chocolate roll to enjoy in bed.

Much later we again ventured out into the foggy streets to a restaurant where a warm fireplace invited us in for dinner.

After a breakfast of warm beef pho we enjoyed coffee at a very informal little shop in an overgrown orchid garden. The menu consisted of pretty much only coffee, ranging from numbers one to nine. I asked the proprietress what nine was and she answered that it was very good Vietnam coffee. We ordered. We were not disappointed.

The coffee was thick and rich with a cocoa aftertaste, which was slightly enhanced by adding a little bit of fresh milk. We slowly sipped, while enjoying the garden.

Later we wandered through the local fresh produce market, admiring all the wonderful things on sale an trying some local snacks.

Upstairs from the wet market is a dry market where some Hmong and Dzau ladies sell blankets, bags, skirts and silver. I bought some fabric and Alexander a Hmong blanket.

Much later, after perusing through his shopping bag, a Red Dzau lady insists that he buys from her as well. “You buy Hmong, now you buy for Red Dzau. Looky, Red Dzau all hand make, I make, by hand. Hmong, looky, machine!” Even though I can see almost equal parts hand and machine work in both I decide to make her happy and a buy an embroidered bag.

At six in the afternoon, the whole town again disappearing behind drapes of fog, we get back on a minibus, heading for Lao Cai this time. This time we got berths in a four-sleeper, with a much more comfortable mattress and it is not long after the train pulled away that the steady rocking and comfortable bed make me drift off.

It’s just after five the next morning when we arrive back in dark and atmospheric Hanoi. This time the city is just waking up, and from the station we head straight to a pho corner for steamy bowls of chicken pho for breakfast.

 

Hanoi Moments

After some initial delays at Suvanabhumi Airport we finally arrive at the friendly and quiet Noi Bai airport. We clear customs within minutes, pick up our luggage and meet the amiable driver who is taking us into town. Driving into the city he points out some hard-to-see landmarks in the dark while managing two cell phones, driving with his forearms and honking all the time.

The honking, we very soon realize, is omnipresent in Hanoi. Everybody does it and it comes across as very friendly, even polite.

After we check into the CityGate Hotel, which is literally right next to one of the impressive ancient remains of the old city gate we head out into the darkened streets searching for something to eat and our first taste of some local bear. And of course to enjoy the crisp night air, something I have been craving for weeks now.

I have a hard time forming an idea of where we are and what the city looks like. We are staying in the Old Quarter. The streets are narrow and sidewalks are covered with parked motorbikes, street eats and beer sellers. Though there is not much in the way of streetlights we can make out that we are surrounded by really old architecture. In the dim light we make out some of the old architecture and Alexander points out how the area has an almost medieval feel to it.

We make it into the busier night market area and find an informal street eatery where the owner serves us a hearty duck noodle soup. We sit down at the foot high stools and dig in. I notice that no-one finishes their meals, Alexander says he read that no one ever does, it is too much. I smile at the idea, I’m sure I will finish my bowl, but I get proven very wrong.

On the way back to the hotel we stop at a beer corner. Again we sit down on tiny stools and get served two bottles of Ha Noi beer. It’s not cold, but it tastes okay. We are entertained by the  cheerful chatter of other patrons and the interactions of the youthful wait staff, sitting on parked motorbikes and smoking cigarettes when not hauling around heavy crates full of beer or serving snacks to the other guests.

We make our way back to the hotel where the jovial manager is still awake, ensuring us that the big sign outside our room will be switched off in minutes. We should not worry about the light bothering us; it cost too much to keep it burning through the night. He repeats this to use numerous times and even demonstrates, laughing heartily all the time.

I wake up from a mad cacophony out on the alley. Scooter horns are blaring and loud music emanates from somewhere, followed by announcements by a man and woman. Someone is chopping repeatedly at something and the voices of people doing deals can be heard. I walk over to the little balcony and peer onto the street. Apparently we live on an alley of butchers. Carcasses line the street and the honking drivers are loading drums with pieces of meat to be taken to all kinds of kitchens all over the city.

No use trying to sleep anymore. We decide to go see the city in the daylight and find some breakfast.

Something we enjoyed regularly throughout Laos, Cambodia and southern Vietnam on our travels last year were the baguettes sold everywhere. You buy them fresh, filled with paté, cold cuts, cilantro and a variety of other things. We pick some up at the first stand we see serving them and enjoy it on a bench overlooking Hoa Kiem Lake in the centre of town. A much missed and very satisfying breakfast.

At a coffee shop with a third floor view over the lake and surrounding area I try an egg milk coffee. Never heard of it before and had to try it. It is exactly what the name says, as far as I could tell. Egg gets whipped up into a furious foam with either some sugar or condensed milk to create a rich and decadent foam over which coffee is poured. The coffee floats down to the bottom of the cup. To enjoy it, you stir the coffee through the egg milk and drink. It’s rich, weird, delicious and something I might try again.

We visit the Temple of the Jade Mount on an island on the lake where the taxidermied remains of a 2.1 meter long turtle, found in the lake, is housed. It is a strange sight. The island attracts quit a crowd of curious day trippers and tourists, devout worshippers, and young lovers.

We wander the streets, looking for a spot where we can sit down and have some tea. An old man motions us over to his stools and I notice a tuoc lao. It is a water pipe, usually made from bamboo, in which people smoke regular tobacco. You put some tobacco into a hole down at the bottom and light it with dry sliver of wood, sucking in deeply as you do so. I’ve read about this custom and was curious to try. It’s been more than a year since I’ve even taken a drag from a cigarette, so I felt I could give this a go.

We sat down and I motioned to the old man that I wanted to try, he prepared some tobacco for me and hit me a piece of wood. I put the pipe to my mouth, inhaled, and filled my lungs with a bitter and strong cloud of smoke, exhaling in thick billowing puffs.

The head rush was instant and for almost I could not speak or think. The man poured me some super strong tea from an antiquated teapot and we sat with him and his two friends, slowly sipping the tea while enjoying the quiet kind of conversations people sometimes have by just nodding.

(Thanks to Alexander for the pictures of the City Gate, sandwich and coffee- for his account and more images go read Through the city gate)

 

Nic’s Visit and the Stormy Dinner

My friend Nicole’s visit was sadly cut short by one day when she realized yesterday afternoon that she was off to Greece a whole 24 hours earlier than she originally thought. It was a pleasure entertaining her at our new home and exploring a new island while she was here.

We visited tiny Koh Si Chang last weekend. It was the ideal weekend getaway, only 3-4 hours travel by boat and bus, not at all frequented by loads of tourists, fresh seafood and and a perfectly relaxed island atmosphere. My highlight food wise was the fried squid and cashew nut. A satisfying mixture of sweet and salty flavors and chewy and crunchy textures!

Monday night we finally got around to Suan Lum night bazaar near Lumphini Park. After finding out how to dodge the tacky tourist stalls we all left with new wardrobe items- a new T and funky work shirt for Alexander, a fall jacket for Nic and a T-shirt for myself.

We traveled by public boats on the klong (Bangkok’s canals) to Banglamphu on Tuesday, where we had yet another pleasing and inexpensive meal at Roti Mataba and browsed around the stores and shops on Phra Athit.

For great pictures and some more about the past week, Alexander photographed and documented our trip to Koh Si Chang and Roti Mataba.

On to cooking. We planned to go out hunting for a mythical Ethiopian restaurant last night and then I would have cooked for Nic tonight, but we had to change our plans a bit and so I decided to cook last night before she left. I had been planning a bit of a menu throughout the day, so i just had to pick up a couple of items from the store and I was ready to start dinner.

Unfortunately for me we got hit by an enormous storm last night and preparing dinner did not go as smoothly as I had hoped. Having the kitchen on the open balcony meant that the wind kept on dumping buckets of rain over everything and I had to wait until it was less windy before I could do anything. But finally I did manage to get the cooking done, even though I still got a bit wet.

Our dinner consisted of a grilled tofu salad with cashew and cilantro pesto (my own creations!) and chicken kebabs on lemon grass skewers with a satay sauce. For dessert we had ice cream with crushed sesame and peanut brittle.

It all came out lovely, even if I have to say so myself.

Grilled Marinated Tofu Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Cilantro and Cashew Nut Pesto

There are kind of two recipes falling under the heading of this salad, first the tofu then pesto. In the end they all contribute to one salad. I’ll try not to make it too confusing.

Gather around:

a block of firm tofu

6 red cherry tomatoes

For the marinade:

juice of one lime

fish sauce

soft brown sugar

green lettuce leaves for garnish

For the pesto:

a handful of cashewnuts

3 small garlic cloves, minced

a bunch of fresh cilantro

olive oil

Make:

Slice the tofu into about .1 inch thick slices.

For the marinade- mix the lime juice, a teaspoon of sugar and a splash of fish sauce in a bowl or container (I believe it should be non-metallic) put the slices of tofu and toss to coat. Cover and refrigarate for about an hour.

While you are marinating the tofu, start on the pesto.

Put the cashew nuts, garlic and cilantro into a blender or food processor and chop lightly. Add a tablespoonful or so of olive oil and blend just a little more so you have a chunky pesto. Note that I made this on a whim and therefore did not take correct measurements into calculation. I just went with what I hoped would work and it came out pretty good.

Line a platter (or in our case a plate) with the lettuce leaves and slice the cherry tomatoes into rounds and set aside.

Remove the tofu from the fridge after an hour and grill quickly over low heat in a griddle pan, a couple of seconds on each side. Place the grilled tofu on a bed of lettuce, put one or two slices of the tomato on the tofu and top it off with a little pesto on each slice.

Not only did it look pretty, it was also very tasty and light.

Chicken Kebabs on Lemon Grass Skewers

This turned out to be a very easy dish, much easier than my first attempt using minced pork.

Collect:

500g chicken mince

1 long red chili

3 stalks lemon grass, trimmed to fit into a pan and halved lenghtwise

sesame oil

Make:

Seed the chili and thoroughly mince it. Mix the chili in with the chicken mince until it is well combined. Shape the chicken into 6 balls and place it on a cutting board, flatten the balls slightly and place the lemon grass stalks onto the balls, the chicken should be about at the middle of the stalks. Fold the chicken over the stalks and flatten the top slightly. Brush the chicken with some sesame oil.

Heat some sesame oil in a pan over a moderately high heat.

Put the kebabs into the pan and cook until ready to be eaten and serve on the lemon grass skewers.

What I love about this dish is that it is super simple and tasty, the meat really gets infused with the fragrant lemon grass.

Ice Cream with Chopped Peanut and Sesame Brittle

This dessert is really easy to make but tasted quite yummy. Sadly the ice cream was very soft, I tried to find a ‘harder’ ice cream at the grocer, but for some reason they were all really soft and not even my freezer helped.

You’ll need:

vanilla ice cream

peanut and sesame brittle

Make:

Break bits of the brittle off and throw it into a food processor or blender. Chop until fine but still a little chunky. Mix about 3/4 this with the ice cream and serve, sprinkled with the rest of the chopped brittle.

Yum.

Suggestions:

- adjust to your liking, add or subtract a bit here and there, have fun.