Wednesday, September 17, 2008

.: Food connoisseur :.


What's really good?

Yesterday was pasta night. As I'm not the kind to slog endless hours in the kitchen *it's not like I have a kitchen to begin with* pasta was the easiest and fastest thing I could come up with. That and because I didn't have anything else. I had oodles and oodles of it to the point that I made a personal note to myself never to have it for the next one month or so.

Somehow, this question randomly came up ...
"Is there a difference on how people cut their veggies?"


Few years ago, I helped my cousin cut some veggies for dinner. At that juncture, it never occurred to me that she'll be a talented culinary extraordinaire. Can't remember which vegetable it was but her comment stuck on to me.
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Cousin: "You're cutting it like a Chinese."

Me: "I'm what?"

Cousin: "You're cutting it like a Chinese."
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Thinking that I'll end up getting the exact response, I
didn't probe more into it and chose to shut my mouth. Now honestly, is there really a difference? I understand that there might be if you are referring to different styles of cooking. E.g. the way you cut veggies for stir frying varies from veggies for soups or stews.

There had been several occasions thereby I'll come up with something and unknowingly, it is something that people are quite familiar with or that I'll follow a recipe only to end up
with something else. My mum never really emphasize on the names of food or its origins therefore more than half of the stuff I conjure are nameless and I don't know whether it's Malay, Chinese, Indian, Western, Arab or Fusion fare unless I identify the ingredients. *my mum likes to quiz me on this ... trust me, it's stressful trying to guess what goes in, the amount and when."

For instance, my sister made 'Aglio Olio' and being gullible on food terminologies I didn't know what it was until I ate it. I was telling myself "Gosh, and I made this weeks ago and simply called it fried spaghetti!" Then there's the time when my friend made some sweet soup for me and I doubted knowing anything about it only to realize later that my mum makes it all the time. *I ought to be ashamed of myself* I suppose that will change in due time.

By far, I am no culinary expert. Cooking has never been my forte. *I have no kitchen!* Oddly enough, I always mess
things up when I cook in one. Perhaps I'm intimidated by the surroundings.Yet as a child, I have always believed Martin Yan when he said "If Yan can cook, so can you." Because of him, I am exceptionally good with the chopper. :)

How I recall back the times when I used to play house with my cousin and we'll pick leaves, berries, fruits and grubs from the garden, pound it and mix it with water into a paste like substance, straining the residue and try to feed it to my other cousins.


Those were the good times.

10.23pm Malaysian Time

2 comments:

Ms.Unique said...

Assalamualikum Hajar,

Nice article this one ..... well though I was away from my cousins ..... my mum keeps telling me what she and her sister used to do when they were kids .......

Hajar Alwi said...

Once in a while, it's great to kickback and reminiscent the kiddy days. Did some pretty stupid stuff then. Haha~