Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tomato Juice Beef Stew and More
So the time in the jailhouse has finally ended. I have been spending the last few days at home, simply rotting away and dabbling in bits of this and that which I had not had the chance to do since working. While I didn't have much to do in the jail, time to do what you want was significantly cut short if you have to spend time in the office all the same. So I have been up to:
1) Buying 4 books from the National Library Board sale at Expo. 2 are the books I read as a student during my bachelor's and masters respectively: Figures of Criminality in Indonesia, the Philippines and Colonial Vietnam (ed. Vincente Rafael) and Secret Traders, Porous Border (Eric Tagliacozzo). The 3rd was a surprisingly good book about Indonesia till the Abdurrahman Wahid era published by the jailhouse. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the introductory piece and a bit of the middle part written by the editor of Tempo, Goenawan Mohammad. I think it was that little part about Pramoedya Ananta Toer which convinced me to buy the book. As some people know very well, I am a huge fan of the late Pram, as he was known, whatever implication that may be. I am looking forward to re-reading Tim Lindsey's updated piece on premanisme after the Suharto era. I know this is a bit late for Indonesianists out there, but this is coming from someone who is super lazy about keeping up to date with academic readings. The last book is Entre Nous, a thoroughly frivolous book about being French, which I bought just because it was $2 and I'm interested in extending the self-confident and luxurious style to my personal style.
2) My first ever dermatologist visit. My skin has been experiencing dry spells ever since moving here. It was manageable previously, but ever since switching to the normal to oily version of Shiseido's Elixir range and using a new cleanser at the same time, it has been worse this last 2-3 months. It was actually hurting when I sat down at the derm's yesterday. Was told to stop my normal "commercial" regime and use the clinic's ones for 2 weeks. And to come back for another visit after that. My skin looked instantly better after I used them last night. I hope to change some of my existing products, but I'm not sure what to use. The Elixir range is not available in Singapore and I'm still looking for a reputable (and hopefully cheap....sorry, I'm a cheapskate hence the Internet is my best shopping medium) online store to bring it in.
3) Adding more recipes to my limited cooking knowledge. I really ought to post some recipes to this blog, just to keep count of what I have been experimenting with thus far and as future reference. But again, I am simply too lazy hehe. Speaking of which, I just made beef stew using Jolynn's recipe, with some modification. Think will start with this.
Tomato Juice Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients:
Tomato Juice (1 lt. or so)
Beef cubes or shank
1 large onion (slice into rings)
Half clove garlic (sliced)
1 carrot (sliced)
1 potato (cut into big chunks)
Button mushrooms/ broccoli or anything else you like)
Marinate:
Worchestershire sauce (can substitute with dark soy sauce)
3 tablespoon Sesame oil
Black pepper
Mix herbs
Steps:
1) Marinate beef cubes with the marinate ingredients. You may like to be liberal with the Worchestershire sauce, black pepper and mix herbs to give it that strong flavour. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
2) The next day, heat up some oil (I use olive oil, but vegetable oil is good as well) in a pan and fry the garlic for about 3 seconds. Add the marinated beef cubes and onions and fry till all sides of the beef is cooked.
3) Add the carrot, potato and other ingredients and fry till cooked.
4) Place them all into a slow cooker and add the tomato juice till the ingredients are covered. You may use the "Auto" function if you need to leave the house. If not, use "High" and then switch to "Auto" or "Low" when the stew is boiled. Cook for about 3 hours or more.
Phew. It is not easy to pen down the recipes indeed. I'm sure everyone has heard of so and so who is a superb cook but grumble whenever he/she is asked to write down the recipe. Cooking is really all about rough estimation and that cook's instinct, I think.
Hope you enjoy it. Will post more if there is chance! Time for lunch.
1) Buying 4 books from the National Library Board sale at Expo. 2 are the books I read as a student during my bachelor's and masters respectively: Figures of Criminality in Indonesia, the Philippines and Colonial Vietnam (ed. Vincente Rafael) and Secret Traders, Porous Border (Eric Tagliacozzo). The 3rd was a surprisingly good book about Indonesia till the Abdurrahman Wahid era published by the jailhouse. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the introductory piece and a bit of the middle part written by the editor of Tempo, Goenawan Mohammad. I think it was that little part about Pramoedya Ananta Toer which convinced me to buy the book. As some people know very well, I am a huge fan of the late Pram, as he was known, whatever implication that may be. I am looking forward to re-reading Tim Lindsey's updated piece on premanisme after the Suharto era. I know this is a bit late for Indonesianists out there, but this is coming from someone who is super lazy about keeping up to date with academic readings. The last book is Entre Nous, a thoroughly frivolous book about being French, which I bought just because it was $2 and I'm interested in extending the self-confident and luxurious style to my personal style.
2) My first ever dermatologist visit. My skin has been experiencing dry spells ever since moving here. It was manageable previously, but ever since switching to the normal to oily version of Shiseido's Elixir range and using a new cleanser at the same time, it has been worse this last 2-3 months. It was actually hurting when I sat down at the derm's yesterday. Was told to stop my normal "commercial" regime and use the clinic's ones for 2 weeks. And to come back for another visit after that. My skin looked instantly better after I used them last night. I hope to change some of my existing products, but I'm not sure what to use. The Elixir range is not available in Singapore and I'm still looking for a reputable (and hopefully cheap....sorry, I'm a cheapskate hence the Internet is my best shopping medium) online store to bring it in.
3) Adding more recipes to my limited cooking knowledge. I really ought to post some recipes to this blog, just to keep count of what I have been experimenting with thus far and as future reference. But again, I am simply too lazy hehe. Speaking of which, I just made beef stew using Jolynn's recipe, with some modification. Think will start with this.
Tomato Juice Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients:
Tomato Juice (1 lt. or so)
Beef cubes or shank
1 large onion (slice into rings)
Half clove garlic (sliced)
1 carrot (sliced)
1 potato (cut into big chunks)
Button mushrooms/ broccoli or anything else you like)
Marinate:
Worchestershire sauce (can substitute with dark soy sauce)
3 tablespoon Sesame oil
Black pepper
Mix herbs
Steps:
1) Marinate beef cubes with the marinate ingredients. You may like to be liberal with the Worchestershire sauce, black pepper and mix herbs to give it that strong flavour. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
2) The next day, heat up some oil (I use olive oil, but vegetable oil is good as well) in a pan and fry the garlic for about 3 seconds. Add the marinated beef cubes and onions and fry till all sides of the beef is cooked.
3) Add the carrot, potato and other ingredients and fry till cooked.
4) Place them all into a slow cooker and add the tomato juice till the ingredients are covered. You may use the "Auto" function if you need to leave the house. If not, use "High" and then switch to "Auto" or "Low" when the stew is boiled. Cook for about 3 hours or more.
Phew. It is not easy to pen down the recipes indeed. I'm sure everyone has heard of so and so who is a superb cook but grumble whenever he/she is asked to write down the recipe. Cooking is really all about rough estimation and that cook's instinct, I think.
Hope you enjoy it. Will post more if there is chance! Time for lunch.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Lost
I know most of my friends no longer blog. Indeed, in the era of Twitter, Facebook and what-have-you, personal blogs especially, are outdated. I have been following some fashion blogs and found them very inspiring for my consumerist habits. It also acts as some kind of a vent for this painful period of my life, which I hope is ending soon.
Sent in my notification letter 2 weeks ago. Instead of relief, however, I felt more lost than before. I was recommended for a job and went for the meet-up session (it felt more like that than an interview as I know it). I don't believe I ever screwed up more than that...it kinda reinforced the fact that my jobs thus far has not provided me with the necessary skills and knowledge for being successful in this world. The guy still wants me for ad-hoc projects and initiation into his company, though. Now that creates bigger dilemma for me. But, at this point, I think beggars can't be choosers. It may provide opportunity for me to learn something new, which the current jobs can't teach me. But it will be tough...gosh.
I do wonder, however, if the "iron rice bowl" still exists in this era. At times I do think I need that.
Anyhow, this was not the first time it happened, but I was pretty annoyed yesterday at the manner in which I was treated by some elders here. We all arrived at the same time for work and I smiled and said hi, but the personnel did not appear as if he has seen me. A few months ago, he offered a ride to my colleague and I and we accepted. I noticed that he had a phone attached to his car and commented on it. No response. I felt like a fool. Then it happened again yesterday. Well, lets just say that I'm not about to let it happen a 3rd time. He is not the only person who does that. This place makes me wonder, what is the use of being up there if you have your nose in the clouds as well?? Don't you remember that perchance you might have been like me in the past? Why do you extend so-called kindness and courtesy only to the rich and famous? Do you still live in the illusion of past glories? I'm fed up. Period.
Sent in my notification letter 2 weeks ago. Instead of relief, however, I felt more lost than before. I was recommended for a job and went for the meet-up session (it felt more like that than an interview as I know it). I don't believe I ever screwed up more than that...it kinda reinforced the fact that my jobs thus far has not provided me with the necessary skills and knowledge for being successful in this world. The guy still wants me for ad-hoc projects and initiation into his company, though. Now that creates bigger dilemma for me. But, at this point, I think beggars can't be choosers. It may provide opportunity for me to learn something new, which the current jobs can't teach me. But it will be tough...gosh.
I do wonder, however, if the "iron rice bowl" still exists in this era. At times I do think I need that.
Anyhow, this was not the first time it happened, but I was pretty annoyed yesterday at the manner in which I was treated by some elders here. We all arrived at the same time for work and I smiled and said hi, but the personnel did not appear as if he has seen me. A few months ago, he offered a ride to my colleague and I and we accepted. I noticed that he had a phone attached to his car and commented on it. No response. I felt like a fool. Then it happened again yesterday. Well, lets just say that I'm not about to let it happen a 3rd time. He is not the only person who does that. This place makes me wonder, what is the use of being up there if you have your nose in the clouds as well?? Don't you remember that perchance you might have been like me in the past? Why do you extend so-called kindness and courtesy only to the rich and famous? Do you still live in the illusion of past glories? I'm fed up. Period.
Labels: Rambles, Saya Affairs
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