Pork Chops & Roasted Winter Veg

Simple pleasures start from simple things. Sounds so much like one of my high school values and no matter the no. of times we rebelled against the motto and the way the school was ran, simplicity and prudence was indeed the way forward in my opinion. Pork chops always remind me of the early days when Dad used to take us out to this little family-run restaurant called Baystreet 21 (wasn’t the best places to eat but it was alright and close enough for an easy drive) most Sundays. It was always a toss up between Pork Chop or Fish&Chips for me. I was such a greedy lil chump. On days when I was willing to give up my best-loved chips for more meat and less floury carbs, my pork chop was always served generously drowned under a blanket of thick black pepper gravy with a side pot of applesauce. Mmmm. What a treat that was!

2008 should begin with us looking back on the things that pleasured us most; to look towards our roots. Like a popular Chinese idiom: look upon the direction of the river that flows, and think back to its beginnings to remember your roots and what got you to where you are today. Pork chops will always remind me of Daddy’s hard work and his determination to put not just any food, but good food on the table for us.
I am thankful that I never go hungry.

These chops above were soaked in papaya juice for tenderising. One good way to tenderise your meat is to marinade it; or use bi-carb with some form of acid. However, I was working with the simplicity idea and was going to pan-fry them with only salt, pepper and chopped chilli padi. The papaya juice doesn’t leave any strong taste in the meat; you’ve got all the good porky taste no worries! What it does though apart from tenderising is it caramalises on the meat and leaves a glossy golden brown glaze that looks so good.
The roasted vegetables was very easy to do. This one was inspired by a Potato Salad recipe from Nigella Express. Pumpkin, sweet potatoes and carrots in good-sized chunks. A smashed clove (get a suitably large one) of garlic left in some olive oil for a while to flavour the oil. This oil will be used to marinade the vegetables for a quick second before it goes into the oven. Then mix in some honey mustard or whole grain mustard (whichever suits your tastebuds best) and then coat the vegetables with this oil mixture, pepper, chopped parsley and some italian herbs. Remember to have the roasting pan in the preheating oven with oil in it so you’ve got a hot pan and hot oil ready. Once you’re ready, carefully place all the veg on the roasting pan, you’ll hear an impressive sizzling if the oil in the pan is hot enough and then roast for bout 40min give or take. If you’re serving quite a lot of people, it’s a good idea to do a pan of roast potatoes too, which I did as I can never have roasted veg without a small serving of roast potatoes too!

That’s done; Happy New Year guys, pray this will be the start of an even more exciting year filled with endless possibilities and promising events. Hope the new year resolutions are all set as well. Mine is to stick to keeping fit and getting a Kylie Kwong cookbook to get in touch with my Chinese side. Definitely something very essential if I intend to stick around the kitchen. 🙂 Cheers folks.

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Pub+ Bloodtype

After din din, I sit about for a bit feeling slightly loss. I’m missing the ‘shall we head to the pub for a coupla drinks?’ option which I do not have right now being in my tropical experiencing-rain country situated in the heart of my little TaiKeng village with no ability to drive myself out of the winding out-roads to civilisation. Too used to having The Country Girl, Gunnies, Bristol Pear, The Soak and T.C.’s all in walking distance, I find not having a pub within easy distance quite a tough one to chew. It’s great to be at home whipping up homecooked food or having mum’s yummy chinese cuisine when I’m too lazy to offer to do din; but I find pub food very different and the whole atmosphere of being in a pub so utterly relaxing. I even think being in one nursing a cider or lager helps me to unwind and think. It just sorts you out to the bone.

Pub grub reminds me of home-cooking when mum does something very nice for a special occasion and gets all excited about cooking and yet it’s nearly stress-free because it’s done for family. No one needs to be overly critical and can enjoy the food for what it is just as it is. Humble food without needing to be pretentious. And I really like it that way. Plus, how can I deny myself of good ol’ English dishes?? Bring on the Toad in a Hole (seriously, it’s my favourite…i could just live on it for the rest of my life), Mitchells & Butlers scream pub’s The Scream Burger, The Soak’s Sunday Roast, or a well-seasoned lamb shank with the smoothest and creamiest mash. MMMMM.
Now you wonder why I don’t ever not look pregnant to you. 😦

Of the pubs mentioned above, (you must note i haven’t travelled all over the country like Gary Rhodes looking for local food heroes or pubs for that matter so my version here will be a very humble one within limits of my own knowledge) the Scream pubs are good for alright fare and serve up hot food for days when you’re slightly skint and just really need a good sorting out for a hangover. For worse hangovers, stick to lying in bed for a bit, water, cup of hot black tea and an aspirin. Then when you’re actually more able to walk, attempt to make yourself a good greasy fry-up.
The Gun Barrels, aka Gunnies, on Bristol Road, Birmingham provides university students with value for money meals that are tasty, well-cooked and soooo yummy! Try the falafel burger, the Scream burger and the halloumi and mushroom baguette. Be indulgent and go for curly fries rather than regular chips and you’ll be rubbing your belly in satisfaction when you’re done.

**The Falkland Arms, (ref post picture above) known for referring to itself as a ‘real pub’ with real food is in Great Tew, Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire and is one of the best pubs in that area. Beautifully and quaintly decorated, it is the only pub with a thatched roof. It’s also always pimped out for Christmas which is great fun. Service may be on the slow side but the waitresses are always very friendly and attentive. Toad in the Hole is amazing but also try the stuffed peppers. They’re heavenly – sweet, juicy but yet has the best roasted taste on its outer skins. If you’re a real woman, I mean man, 😉 definitely go for the lamb shank or the chicken breast with bacon,mushroom and blue cheese then finish off with a good dessert like sticky toffee pudding or the rare Eton Mess. You may not be a public school kid but that doesn’t deny you the rewards of a good Eton Mess!

I can feel somewhere in the gastronomical arenas of my body calling out to me. Suppose I’ll be heading to my local pub very soon! and my self-opened The Squirrel (this is part of a future plan so do not try looking for this pub just yet; give me say bout 10 years maybe?) in my dreams.

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Latenight cravings of the banana sort

Mum was craving banana nut muffins last night. So! today, we have Banana Walnut Loaf. Highly recommend this recipe which has been inspired by one taken off http://www.allrecipes.com. It is amazingly moist and left wrapped in clingfilm overnight it gets so much better and tasty. Perfect for a little snack after lunch or on a day when you’re just peckish (like me). I’ll definitely use this recipe again, but I might try adding cream/sour cream just to see what happens as Martha Stewart has a very similar banana bread recipe which incorporates sour cream and uses more flour!

1 cup plain flour
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
nearly 1 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, chopped
2 eggs, beaten

Cream the butter and sugar well. Add the mashed bananas and give it a quick mix. You should refrain from mashing the bananas too well as leaving little unmashed tiny chunks is always a good surprise when you’re eating it!
Add the eggs and mix well.
Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Add the cinnamon and fold in the walnuts last.
Bake in a loaf tin at 175dCelsius for 60min.

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