Bitter or sweet, it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it? It was an accident. The gourds (aka bitter melons) were lying on the counter for longer than intended. Blame it on inertia or lack of inspiration, the lush green beauties sat there placidly peering back at me every morning as I poured my morning […]
vegetables
Includes roots and tubers
Easy Bruschetta
Begin what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake. – Sir Francis Bacon With sheltering-at-home and circuit breaker measures in place these past weeks, we got creative with using up every last bit of […]
- Appetizers
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Crispy Okra
It is our hope that this crisis that the whole world is facing together will unite us – that we forget our differences and stand together; that we be grateful for what we have and lend a hand to those who are wanting; that we never forget that we are one people, one world, one […]
Colorful Pea Shoot Stir-Fry
Spring: a lovely reminder of how beautiful change can truly be ~ unknown Change. A single syllable that has catalysed so much in ways big and small, globally and personally. With everything that is published on popular media these days, it is easy to forget how beautiful change can be. As we are now midway […]
Char’s Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Soups are a great way to introduce a lot of vegetables to kids. Stir-fries, too, because they contain so many different shapes and colors. ~ Emeril Lagasse A couple of days ago, we had a lovely Thai Chicken Curry at a teensy weensy cafe that’s been around for at least 25 years, served by the same […]
Bakwan Kepiting – Pork and Crab Meatball Soup
Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential. ~Winston Churchill I confess mine is not the modern family which has the luxury of planning meals in advance? Let’s just say ‘it’s an ongoing endeavor’. However, Bakwan Kepiting will taste oh-so-much-better with some preparation ahead of time, I promise you. It will also save you a bunch of time. […]
Eggplant with Dried Shrimp
Is the eggplant a fruit or a vegetable? The Oscars were being awarded. I never had the patience to sit through the red carpet event, knowing there would be no shortage of lists and articles in the mornings summarizing all I want to know and more. I was definitely out of the movie loop – I did not […]
Ethiopian Cabbage
Good music goes with good food. ~African Proverb Ever since stumbling on an Ethiopian restaurant, we have been going back there and persuading friends to go with us. Eating is very communal in the culture and we unabashedly and awkwardly tucked in using our right hands, as Ethiopians do. Ethiopian food incorporates lots of earthy and aromatic spices, […]
Braised Pork Ribs with Black Beans and Bitter Melon
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. ~ Jean-Jacques Rousseau Bitter melon, also called bitter gourd, is a green-colored, tropical fruit with a waxy skin. Its slightly bitter taste can be discouraging to some but recipes usually include ingredients and sauces to offset the sharpness, resulting in a rather unique taste. Recently an old friend, J, mentioned […]
Tomato Pie
A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins. ~ Laurie Colwin, ‘Home Cooking’ Today I attended my first trunk show. I had never been to one before, so when a friend asked whether I was interested and assured me there would be no pressure to buy anything, I agreed. Fast forward a couple of […]