I have been so lazy with cooking lately. I seem to rotate between brown rice and sauteed veggies with lime pickle, veggie pasta and moong dhal. My son puts me to shame - yesterday they made bao, and the other day this extraordinary garlic naan. And so I decided to make rendang style tofu, fancying a dish redolent with fresh spices.
Rendang is traditionally a dry curry (not alot of sauce) made with coconut, spices and beef. Tofu rendang will never be the same - it won't have that delicious brown colour or take as long to cook. However, I wanted to use the same spices - star anise, cardomon and cinnamon is what sets rendang apart from other SE Asian curries, and it has fresh lemongrass, galangal and chilli - my perfect dinner!
To get the ingredients, I had to make a trip to the local wholefoods, as I'd run out of tamarind and star anise. I grabbed my mask, just in case (remember it's mandatory in Victoria) I felt uncomfortable enough to wear one, but these days I'm trying hard to not wear my mask. Legally, I don't have to - it's not required if you have a medical reason not too, which I do (asthma and anxiety, although it's the bloody mask that sets the anxiety off). I don't wear it between the car and the supermarket, on the beach or out walking, or if people drop over. But it's still a bit nerve wracking going into shops without a mask.
Wholefoods is okay though - the woman there doesn't wear one, and wears a tag on her apron that says why - that she has an exemption for medical reasons. We talk for ages about it, and her reasons not to, and how she spends time trawling forums on Facebook to correct people on why we don't all have to wear a mask! We joined by another woman who also wasn't wearing a mask. She doesn't believe they are necessary, and, as she puts it, she doesn't want to be 'muzzled'. We talk about the thermometers they used to measure temperature, like a gun to the forehead. The thing is, they can just as easily take the temperature at the wrist, which they do, but only if you ask. It works just as well. We talk about how confronting it is, and how cut off we are becoming from each other, and how precious it was to stand in a shop and really see each other, three woman, in solidarity with one another, sharing each other's anxieties. One was talking about her one year old with an ear infection not being able to be treated unless she had the COVID test. She was so upset and furious, but what could she do?
I measured out spices into paper bags, topping up my peppercorns and smoked paprika, and a few cinnamon sticks. Sadly, they didn't have kaffir lime leaves, which rendang traditionally has (I can't imagine a south east asian curry without them!) and we talked about needing a tree to share leaves from. We walked out, smiling at each other, reassured that we were not alone.
And so, as I blended the wet herbs and sprayed onion juice in my eye, I thought of woman, and how strong and powerful they are, and how some refuse to be muzzled, though popular view would have them wearing masks that activate our sympathetic nervous systems and have us anxious messes.
Tofu Rendang
Prepare
3 tbsps coconut, toasted (simply dry fry in pan)
1 block of tofu, marinated in tamari, fried
Blend or crush together:
3 small shallots or 2 spring onions
1 mild chilli
1 stick of lemongrass
1 chunk of galangal or a small knob of ginger
Fry the paste in oil and add tofu and a can of coconut milk.. Add 1 tbsp tamarind paste, 3 star anise, and a stick of cinnamon, and another stalk of lemongrass if you have it. Add the toasted coconut. You might like to add a splash of vegan fish sauce for a little saltiness - I added a tsp of stock. Add the kaffir lime leaves if you have them.
Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the flavours start to deepen.
Lay some pakchoy or other green veggies over the top of the sauce to wilt.
Add to rice (I used brown, cooked in a rice cooker with lemongrass and star anise) and sprinkle with coriander, more chopped chilli, a squeeze of lime juice to bring out the flavour, and some extra toasted coconut.
Enjoy!
With Love,
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Oh wow would I love to inhale that delicious dish. I will have to try to make it. I have never done Rendang before. I love all of those ingredients.
We have to wear masks indoors at public places. I don't like confrontation so I just do it even though I used to have asthma but it went away with a change of diet and avoiding certain chemicals.
I am sickened by the people that are in a car alone or on the street wearing it. They don't have to but are afraid of this cold. The masks have been said to cause lung problems and brain damage. We are being manipulated and now with the new lockdown and restaurant closings, people are more scared believing in the ridiculous numbers.
We can't leave the city or visit people. I am saddened about the way life is and worried about the next plan.
They are my favourite ingredients too, especially fresh!!!
It's hard not to give attention to the mask thing, especially when it paralyses you. I have certainly tried not to do it as I hate confrontation too! But my body just wouldn't let me, no matter what I tried. Legally, no one is allowed to confront me - only the police can do that. So far I've been perfectly find -no one has challenged me.
Thanks for stopping by! I am sure life will get better - it has to.
!ENGAGE 25
ENGAGEtokens.I do miss me a good rendang - my father born and raised in Indonesia has given me a serious appreciation for it. I NEVER eat tofu (prefer to not support nasty GMMO industries and soy also blocks the uptake of zinc & disturbs thyroid function) but luckily its easy to get tempeh here, which is also very much more Indo style and something I grew up eating.
Hmmm.... feeling teh urge now for Tempeh Rendang and maybe some yummy Gado Gado. 😋
The mask thing? meh. It serves a practical purpose as all of Asia understands - no one would consider going out with a sniffle or a cold without one (and that was well before Covid). I don't like them but we do't go out much and it's too exhausting to always be in opposition to little things like that. It disempowers and exhausts us, which in turn makes us complacent and weary to oppose the REAL evils like mindless consumption, censorshp, greed, environmental destruction, racism, sexism and the desruction of a creative way of life.
Cook, garden, stay home and let the irritation about that shit go. You will feel better and be empowered to be creative and more effective.
Tempeh is also made out of soy. Am I missing something...?
Nice to see you out commenting @alchemage - welcome back. 😍
Tempeh isn't necessarily made from soy at all - it's just a type of fermenting. We use tempeh here in Thailand made from black beans or from chick peas. I grew up in Australia on home fermented indo style tempeh which was also usually made from the little black beans. My dad grew the beans in the garden and they're cheap and common in most south east asian countries.
Hope you're well.... 😊
!ENGAGE 10
ENGAGEtokens.I love tempeh. Funnily enough though, I first had tofu rendang in Indo. I don't think anything in moderation is going to be an issue tbh.
Not sure you really get the whole mandatory mask thing here. It's a bit of a different situation than Asia. Mandatory mask wearing on a beach even if you are socially distant is ridiculous. And me being HSP, and suffering anxiety, wearing a mask is not a trivial or 'little' thing at all for me but something that paralysed my nervous system despite what techniques I've used to counter it. Good to see lots of people starting to understand not all people can comfortably wear one, even though they might try for fear of being misunderstood or wrongly judged by others.
We can oppose masks on a personal level and still not be complacent about other things that matter 😂😂😂
I "get" the mask thing far more than you can imagine, and we have had it here far more rigidly than Australia, and for much, much longer. I just choose not to give energy to it, or talk about it. And I focus on the world I want and am creating and let the rest of them do whatever without me. What we resist, persists.
There are so many tools for dealing with anxiety and stress and whatever else we choose to claim as 'ours" - the biggest one is the DESIRE to release them and not need to be defined by them.
In the great scheme of things I think wearing masks IS rather minor. I do it when it's absolutely required, and that's all. It makes sense on subways etc when people are sick, and in hospitals etc.
Staying home is the best plan if you're anxious and unable to cope, and simply avoid the types of places where they are required. You're lucky you have Jamie to shop etc for you.
I understand that masks have been worn in Asia countries for many years, I have witnessed it myself when in Malaysia and Thailand. But my understanding is that it is always wore by choice. Right now in Spain and in Australia people are getting fined and beaten up when they do not wear them, having people living in fear. I am not aware of that ever happening in Asia, not to my knowledge anyhow, please correct me if I am wrong!
I am all for people having the freedom, to choose what they wish to do and being respected for doing so. But now people have no choice and that is not right. The mask to me is symbolic and for that I do not wear one. I can not imagine what it must be like for some one with anxiety, having to wear one and I would never presume to do so. I have worked in mental health in the past and I can tell you that it is not something to take lightly.
Telling them to stay at home, is some what insensitive in my eyes,
when what we need to be doing is, embracing everyone for who they are and not telling them to hide away. This is mental heath awareness month after all. No one should feel excluded or alienated because they suffer with their mental health, that only adds to their anxiety.
Instead we should be spreading more awareness and
understanding,supporting one another, that is the best way in which we can move forward right now.
I do believe that we are going through a huge transition, so lets focus on becoming better people in the process, lets build one another up!
!ENGAGE 50
ENGAGEtokens.Thanks for showing empathy - not everyone does. They think they know, but until you actually have been in that person's shoes, how can you REALLY know? It's not as if I haven't tried, even though I disagreed with teh use of the mask in ALL situations - ie. walking on the beach with hardly anyone around?? Are you kidding me? Sure, in a doctors surgery or busy supermarket. But it's kinda hypocritical - you dont need them on when you are eating, so you dont need them on at a cafe. And that's a busy place. What the???
My amygdala totally hijacks my rational mind when I wear one - I literally go into fight or flight. There's no amount of 'ignoring it' or 'not giving it attention' or 'sucking it up' that can change that, and no amount of meditation, contemplation, change of diet, counselling or anything else to deal with this anxiety can do about it. It's not as if I haven't tried - and I find people who condescend to say I'm being self indulgent or giving focus to something I 'shouldn't' quite unempathetic and lack understanding of what happens to my body when I put one on. There's a reason WHY our government allows exemptions for people like me, and the only people who can question me are the police, and that's fine.
And it's not as if the mask is the only thing I focus on - for the most part, it's not a distraction for my life, only something I won't participate in. There's also tons of other things wrong with it, as you know, including making connections to people. There's a time and a place for them, but blanket rules for man, woman, child across every situation and entire state is ludicrous. And I certainly won't stay home just because of it - that also means the bastards have won!
Excellent cooking and anyone pointing things at me has the potential to end very badly due to my martial arts training and PTSD.
Someone stabbing me in the chest with their finger could end extremely badly.
recently I had to slap a family member that was drunken out of control and knocked him out pretty much just with my index finger.
Although that index finger was placed absolutely correctly.
Anyway I hope you follow what is best for you and don't worry about people trying to force you into believing what they believe.
We all have our path and our ideas of what is going on.
But others should never push their view and opinion on you.
You have a powerful index finger!!!!! Yeah, it's so RUDE and stupid of them not to realise how much it would affect people!!!
Thanks for your well wishes. It's not that I dont believe coronavirus exists at all, it's just I have weighed up the risks and the whole mask thing and I dont believe it's necessary and in fact can, and does, harm me far more!
xx
Yes I definitely have a thing when I get angry to hand me the baby powder.
It comes from Michael Epps character on the movie How High!
Well one day everybody will stop encouraging their fears and start living life again. and the biggest way for us to do that is to put down the division and go back to being a community again
that looks delicious! I've always loved curry and your use of my favourite spice (smoked paprika) is something I can definitely vibe with. The mask thing is no doubt an annoyance. When I worked with the general public the main benefit of eating curry the night before was I could let my breath be antisocial for me so I didn't have to be. Now with the mask it backfires every time, and I realise.. Bloody hell! My breath could sheer sheep! lol. I've worked in roles in my life where wearing PPE or NBC equipment made sense due to the environment, but it still feels so deeply deeply odd to have to wear one in public places like a bloody grocery store. There is certainly a deep strangeness to where we are at in our current cycle... well if one were to view things on a cycle model which I do. Vast swaths of the world being placed on house arrest, controls on human interactions, a loss of interconnection enforced by the mechanisms of the state... If one subscribed to a Gnostic world view then this would be what an Archon looks like when it stamps it foot and tantrums at the immovable light present in all human beings. I don't fully subscribe to that world view btw, but like with all world views I see it's value when observing things around me. I'm not someone who denies there's something to covid. I know to many clinical professionals that I deeply respect who are dealing with it day to day and describe it as a deeply unusual disease. But it does seem to be being used to hit a dimmer switch down to low on the world.. So yeah you're spot on at feeling anxiety. We all should. If that anxiety leads to despair then we take stock and accept despair as part of the problem solving process we must endure which tends to defang it. It strips its harmful potency down and forces it to become part of what we need to form solves for the dilemma we may be facing in the first place.But having said all that.. I have a sneaky suspicion that there's a continuity to all of us that is far older than the containers we inhabit. I have a further suspicion that the worse that could happen if all of us died tomorrow is that the tunnel may be a little crowded. Again it's an odd suspicion doing what suspicions normally don't do when I have it which is it provides a little comfort as the world descends into ubiquitous schizophrenia. It's also a suspicion that makes simple things like standing and having a conversation with friends feel so much more special. The special aspect was always present.. but the current situation highlights it even more. There's value and gems in these hard times me thinks. Thanks for your post from the delicious looking food to the conveyance of life down your way. It's lovely rewarding content as always @riverflows. :)
Thanks for the amazing comment. Yeah I dont believe COVID doesn't exist, but given I live in a regional area with NO cases, it's daft to be so scared, and it's the risk I'm willing to take. I wouldn't put others at risk either, so I'm careful with what I do and where I go, but I think for many of us the response is going to fuck us up far more than the virus will. And you're right about the silver linings - we aren't as separated as we fear, as situations like this have the potential to bring us closer together.
Of course!!!! And maybe this is just something all us souls have to go through to progress a little, maybe we're forced to learn something FAST!
Looks very good ... I must try this one day :)
It's very easy!!!!
YEs .. I was look this . :)
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Thanks!
Interesting. Tell me, are you out of your country, Or is this a standard fare? I'd like to try this dish... just as soon as I can get the ingredients!
No, I live in Australia, which has a huge Asian influence of course. And many of us travel a LOT to Asia too, picking up flavours on the way!
Onion juice in the eye! Oh, fun! NOT!
Bet that supper was wonderful!
Masks aren't mandatory here unless you can't stay 6' away. But many places won't let you in or serve you if you don't wear one...
Next to no one wears them out here on the farm. Sometimes egg customers wear them, but I've noticed fewer put them on as we never do.
that's brilliant. I know America has a lot of cases, but it also has a lot of people - and I think we need to be trusted to not where them if there is hardly anyone around. Today I saw a guy cross the road as I was driivng - he was headed for a swim at the beach - could not see another person ANYWHERE - YET HE WORE A MASK - becaues we are all shit scared of being fined!
We really do need to come together right now, to support one another and build one another up. There are3 shops where I live that I can go to without a mask. I just won't wear one, we have to wear them everywhere here. I really like to smile at everyone as I walk down the street, it's so important. I can only imagine how hard it is for you to wear one, I really do admire you a lot my friend, you are a warrior. Much love and one day I hope to share some delicious food with you xxxx
Thanks for showing empathy - not everyone does. They think they know, but until you actually have been in that person's shoes, how can you REALLY know? It's not as if I haven't tried, even though I disagreed with teh use of the mask in ALL situations - ie. walking on the beach with hardly anyone around?? Are you kidding me? Sure, in a doctors surgery or busy supermarket. But it's kinda hypocritical - you dont need them on when you are eating, so you dont need them on at a cafe. And that's a busy place. What the???
My amygdala totally hijacks my rational mind when I wear one - I literally go into fight or flight. There's no amount of 'ignoring it' or 'not giving it attention' or 'sucking it up' that can change that, and no amount of meditation, contemplation, change of diet, counselling or anything else to deal with this anxiety can do about it. It's not as if I haven't tried - and I find people who condescend to say I'm being self indulgent or giving focus to something I 'shouldn't' quite unempathetic and lack understanding of what happens to my body when I put one on. There's a reason WHY our government allows exemptions for people like me, and the only people who can question me are the police, and that's fine.
And it's not as if the mask is the only thing I focus on - for the most part, it's not a distraction for my life, only something I won't participate in. There's also tons of other things wrong with it, as you know, including making connections to people. There's a time and a place for them, but blanket rules for man, woman, child across every situation and entire state is ludicrous. And I certainly won't stay home just because of it - that also means the bastards have won!