This is one week when a little thing will change the whole direction of my life. It's a little thing when seen very far and out of my body and mind. Living in a revolving bridge of uncertainty, I learnt to feel alive with embracing the direction of my emotions to uncertainty. Yet I don't take the disappointments personally because... well I had too much of them.
I am talking about when you are on the tip of your toe, when you are just restlessly roaming around the house, when your teeth grinds away each curve of your nails, when you are so tired but you can't sleep, when you feel so useless and tiny in the whole gigantic world, when you're just... unsure.
This time around I am waiting for the job offer. Will I get one? Where will I be? What if I don't want to be there? What does that mean?
Yesterday, I was uncertain whether I can pull off a good potluck dinner without a menu in plan.
Last week, whether I should call her and let her know the bursting beats of my heart.
Last month, whether I would need to redo obstetrics exam.
Last year, whether I'd pass 5th year medicine.
Last decade, whether I ever be able to make a good dim sum meal.
Was that worth the sweat?
Did I do enough?
What if...?
serves 4-6
350g daikon radish, finely grated
1 Tbs small dried prawns, soaked in salted hot water for 30 minutes
2 Tbs pork lard, melted
1 Chinese sausage, diced to 1/2 cm
1 Tbs garlic chives, chopped to 1 cm
1 spring onion (white and pale green part), finely sliced
2 cups rice flour
1 ts salt
1/2 ts sugar
1 Tbs light soy sauce
1/2 ts chicken stock powder/bullion/MSG
pinch of white pepper
extra canola oil
1. In a saucepan, boil radish with 2 cups water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
2. In a frying pan, fry lard with sausage and dried prawn until golden (about 2 minutes). Turn off heat, stir in spring onion and chives.
3. Measure radish and its boiling liquid to 3 cups worth (add more water if needed) to a bowl. Stir in everything. Pour mixture to a 15x25cm casserole dish. Steam for 30 minutes or microwave on high for 8-12 minutes (covered with plastic cling wrap).
4. Uncovered and cool to room temperature. Cut to desired portion and shape. Heat non-stick frying pan with 1 Tbs oil. Brown each side of turnip cake. Serve!
If we control them, we are not us anymore.
That's what makes us special!
"Heaven can wait, and hell's too far to go. Somewhere between what you need and what you know."-Charlotte Gainsbourg
What if?....Turnip Cake. You are so amusing that way. Hope you get the job offer you want. Pray hard and make the best of whatever comes your way. That's how life is, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, the waiting is HELL.
all the best piere, i believe u'll get what u want.
ReplyDeletemau nyontek resepnya ya :)
Patience, my friend. Patience.
ReplyDeletePretty turnip cakes! If you give it your best you'll always be a winner. :)
ReplyDelete@Germaine,
ReplyDeleteSometimes I like a book/lecture/teaching/whatever that leaves me with more questions than answers, cos I would probly interested to find one.
I am praying, studying, working, waiting ;) Thank you!
@Ira,
Take it anytime you like Ira. Nothing here is a secret. Thanks!
@Michelle,
It's my middle name. Still not feeling comfortable with it sometimes ;)
@Leaf,
In retrospect, there's always ways I could do better but I gave it my best to balance myself to where and what I am now. And it's good enough, I hope it is...
Hmm... this is life, and maybe fate(?) if you do believe in that... Just do your best and go with your heart... ;)
ReplyDeleteHey! Another great dim sum recipe waiting for me again! With your recipes of char siew meat & bao, har gow and now this Turnip Cake (named as carrot cake here in SG) plus a "steamed spare ribs W/black beans" (here's the link if you're interested too : http://www.mybloglicious.com/2011/07/steamed-spare-ribs-with-black-beans.html) I can whip up a feast of dim sums at home soon! hahaha
ps. cute heart-shaped turnip cakes! ^.^
I have my fingers tightly crossed for you. I absolutely hate waiting too. Hope you'll find out soon. The turnip cake looks delish.
ReplyDeleteI love turnip cake! Glad to have a recipe I can try at home. Thinking of you in your job search...
ReplyDeleteLove-shaped turnip cakes... lovely :)
ReplyDeleteHey hope you get what you wish for.
@Lyn,
ReplyDeleteI believe in what ever will be will be, but try to make it the way I want it to be.
Sounds like you would have a great dim sum feast. I think I "may" post a few more dim sum recipe ;)
I was a little sentimental (as always) when making the cake, so yeah...
@Michael,
Keep it crossed tight, won't you? It's getting closer and closer. Cheers bro!
@Sarah,
Thank you for such kind thoughts of you. You can definitely try this at home anytime.
@Amy,
I hope so too. I have carefully consider my wishes everyday. I think I really need this one. :)
Just like The Secret tells you all about the power of attraction, you have to will it into becoming true. In fact, you already have the job, Pierre! Now stop worrying and go and do your other stuff. Your heart-shaped turnip cakes are precious, I must make some soon, if only to remind me how good these tasted. Btw, the details in the video are ah-mazing, and totally cracks me up! Halloween, Cosplay and foodie themes all rolled into one ;-).
ReplyDeleteHi Pierre: Wow.. went through your itinerary. Not to worry, you wouldn't lose a foodie friend like me.. hahaha...I'll be following you where ever you are o_0..hehe.. Not to mention your recipes..yummm. Your turnip cake reminds me of my mom's. Come to think of it she hasn't make it in a long while. Perhaps I should go bug her. Go have some fun and enjoy your trip! Cheers~
ReplyDeleteI believed everyone would also loves to make it the way they want including me of coz. hehe ;P
ReplyDeleteYup and yes but in continuous days of one dim sum per day! Hah! We'll have steamed spare ribs 2day and I'll be making my 2nd batch of char siew(2KGs! :O) too! Yay!! :D
Hope to see more of your dim sum recipes soon! (if possible) Enjoy ya! ^.^
haha guess uncertainty's what makes life interesting and helps us not to be too sure of/rely on ourselves and abilities too!
ReplyDeleteive got a list of melb restaurants (didnt know you're there already!) email me your email and ill pass it over :)
@Maya,
ReplyDeleteI was laughing all along wathing the Secrets. I guess it is a little bit true but it's more true if you don't work for it, it won't be as tasty in the end.
I love the song, sublime...!
I will have a job, just don't know where, and that's a hassle for the rest of my life.
@Jo,
That's what's mum for! Hahaha. Thank you!
I'm sure your mum make better one that mine. ;)
@Lyn,
Wow! More Char siu! It's so great to know that you will be sharing the love with the rest of your family. I will definitely have one more recipe. Thank You!
@Viv,
It's like training for a fight. The actual fight is drawn by chance and experiences. ;)
Thanks for the list, I'm looking forward to reading them!
YES and so much more! hahaha
ReplyDeleteI'm making it later and my girls will have char siew rice bento for tmr! *Trinke keep bugging me for that! lol
Yippie! One more dim sum recipe to my collections! Tks so much Pierre! :D
Enjoy!!! Plus take more beautiful/funny pics ya! ^.^
Have my fingers, toes and eyes crossed for ya!!!! Turnip cakes look sooo good - so professional looking too! Uncertainty and waiting is so horrible. Hope you get to find out soon and you get all the ones you were hoping for :)
ReplyDeleteThere are somethings in life not always instant like a good soup need to simmer for a while to get very good soup!
ReplyDeleteI love you made heart shape on turnip cake, something different from regular boring square shape in Dim Sum restaurants.
@Lyn,
ReplyDeleteSaw the bento picts! Oh you are an awesome mum! So glad that they like the char siu, kids are the hardest critic to please!
@Nessie,
It worked! THANK YOU!
You must have magic powers Nessie! Can I ask for 2 more wishes please? ;D
@Katherine,
True, slow and steady it's the way to be. Yeah my newbie attempts at dim sum brings me to a heart shape cake at its amateur-best.
Nice. I think I can manage this. Must try sometime...
ReplyDeleteCool! Let me know if that time comes ;)
ReplyDeleteTks so much for your sweet words! Both my gals finished everything in their bento boxes except Trinke, who ate ALL the char siew, bringing the rice home untouched! LOL
ReplyDelete