A Fresh Start

Watched Alfie on New Year’s eve. A movie can’t be bad with Jude Law in it. And he was basically the whole movie. The movie is nothing new but I like it.

When midnight stroke, I heard fireworks and I looked out of my window. There it was. Fireworks right above my roof. It was amazing feeling to watch the fireworks as I finished off my last glass of red wine for 2006 or the first of 2007. Cheers to a fresh new start.

Crap pic of the fireworks that I took. I can never capture the moment of fireworks. I gave up trying and took a picture of the amazing colours in my tiny brain. I can still see the fireworks now when I close my eyes.

It was nice to have a warm plate of paella for a cold winter’s night. I reckon it would have been better with pumpkins. I made the mistake of not uncovering it when I added the mushroom which resulted in the rice being a wee bit wet. But I actually like it that it is kinda saucy and not too dry.

Golden Vegetable Paella (modified recipe from a vegetarian cookbook from Miss Stella.)

1tsp of tumeric
1.5 pints of vegetable stock
6 tbsp of olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves chopped
2 cups rice
6oz carrots cut in matchsticks
1 yellow pepper seeded and diced.
4 tomatoes peeled and chopped
4oz oyster mushroom
Salt and black pepper

Heat oil in frying pan and fry onions and garlic gently until softening.
Add the rice and toss for 2-3 mins until coated in oil.
Add stock and stir till it boils and reduce heat.
Cover pan with lid for 15 mins.
Add vegetables and seasoning.
Leave anc cover for another 5 mins or until rice almost tender.
Add mushrooms. Check seasoning and cook uncovered for just enough time to soften the mushrooms without letting the paella stick. Serve immediately.

Parsnip Crisps. This is absolutely yummy cause it is so bloody unhealthy. Deep fried parsnips with red wine. Absolutely delish. Looks a bit like bacon in the picture.

‘Kaya’ with toast to start the new year. Hopefully I will be ‘kaya’ (rich in Malay) one day! Dream PJ dream..
I have been craving for ‘kaya’ for ages. They don’t sell it at the Chinese shops in Birmingham. So I had no choice but to make my own. It is hard work stirring it for almost an hour but it was worth it. Have a go at making ‘kaya’ if you have lots of time and patience.

Have a little patience…(for those of you who have not heard Take That’s new song, you guys have to give it a chance. It is pretty good. )

‘Kaya’ (Traditional Coconut Custard/Jam)

1 can coconut milk
400 g sugar
10 eggs

(Of course I didn’t make it with 1 can of coconut milk. I used 1 egg and approximately 1/10 can of coconut milk. I was really worried that it might not work but hey it did work.)

Beat eggs at medium speed.
Add sugar and beat at high speed.
Mix thoroughly.
Add coconut milk and mix at high speed.
Once sugar has dissolved pour mixture into pot and cook over low heat.
Constant stirring until mixture thickens and looks like jam.
Take off stove and cool and store in sterilized jar (use hot water to sterilize the jar.).

Vegetarian Chilli Con Carne (VCCC)…

Saw this on Anthony Walsall’s Christmas Cook. It wasn’t vegetarian but I thought I will try it out with mince soya to replace the bacon and mince beef that he used. Apparently this dish used to be quite a savage dish that the Mexicans cooked with lots of meat. The thing that surprised me most is the secret ingredient - Cocoa or chocolate. Shocking! I told myself I had to try this out.

The recipe didn’t seem too hard except that I had to put celery which I didn’t like. But then I thought of Stella’s constant reminder that celery is good for health. Want to start the New Year with good health! So I bought a packet of celery. I hope I can finish them off. It feels too healthy for me.

VCCC is a simple dish that you can cook loads and store them in the fridge. Eat it with rice, pita, potatoes, nachos, spaghetti or even parsnips crisps. Top it with cheese and melt it in the grill if you like cheese. This dish is so versatile and flavourful.

VCCC (PJ’s modified recipe)

1 tbsp of oil (the recipe used much more oil than this.)
1 carrot cut in cubes
1 tsp of cumin
2 tbsp of chilli powder ( can add more if you want it to be spicy)
1 tbsp of cocoa powder
2 stalks of celery cut in cubes
8 oz of kidney beans
4 oz of mince soya (dehydrate in hot water. Cool and lightly fry in 1 tsp of butter.)
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
½ cup vegetable stock
½ can of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp of tomato puree

Heat oil in pan/casserole dish. Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 mins until onions are soft.
Stir in cumin, chilli powder, cocoa powder, tomatoes, stock, and a dash of mixed herbs. Cook for 15 mins uncovered (slightly increase the heat.)
Add in kidney beans and mince soya and cook for 10 mins uncovered. Check seasoning. Add pepper and salt to taste. And it is ready to be served. Only 3 steps! It is so easy to make.

So what’s everyone’s resolution for the year? Just wondering if people still make New Year’s resolutions. I am not gonna make any this year cause I never keep any of my New Year’s resolution. Just hope 2007 will be a fresh start for me. Good or bad that 2007 has in stored for me just bring it on. I am ready.