turning japanese

For lunch today, I had the Pinoy version of sukiyaki. That is, sukiyaki minus the sake (Japanese Rice Wine).

And I dare say it didn't taste as good. I was expecting that sweet tang with a kick and was disappointed when all I got was the oh so familiar taste of soy sauce. It was like eating a soupier version of our sotanghon. *sigh*

This got me into thinking. Andre's birthday is coming up soon and I was planning on treating him to a day of pigging out at DAD's. Now, I'm toying with the idea of cooking him tempura (shrimp coated in batter) and sukiyaki instead (para mas tipid, LOL).

In case I do, this will be the first time I'll be preparing these dishes. I'm still not sure if I will though 'cause my confidence in my cooking prowess is still shot. That's because I made a boo-boo the last time I cooked for somebody else.

It was last December 30, when my friend Emma asked me to cook Carbonara for our get together... a total disaster! Although my friends were kind enough to say it wasn't so, I knew otherwise. My carbonara sauce was too thick.

Anyways, I've googled the recipes and here's what I got:

Sukiyaki:

INGREDIENTS (4 servings):
1 pound of thinly sliced beef ** It tastes better if the beef is cut very thin.
A handful of shirataki noodles (made from yam cakes) or cellophane noodles
7-8 shiitake mushrooms
1 enoki mushrooms
1 medium size leek
1 Chinese cabbage
1 block of yaki-dofu (grilled tofu)

For sukiyaki sauce: (** You can also buy sukiyaki sauce in a bottle).
3 tbsps soy sauce
3 tbsps sake (Japanese rice wine)
3 tbsps sugar
1 cup soup stock for dipping
4 eggs

How to Cook and Eat Sukiyaki:

1. Cut all ingredients into bite-sized pieces.
2. Arrange all ingredients on a large plate and place the plate at the table.
3. Mix soy sauce, sake, sugar, and soup stock to make sukiyaki sauce.
4. Set a hot plate or gas grill at the table. ** After this point, everything is done at the table as you eat.
5. Heat a little oil in a shallow skillet (can be a fry pan or a hot plate) at the
   table.
6. Fry meat, then add sukiyaki sauce.
7. Add other ingredients when the sauce starts to boil.
8. Simmer until all ingredients are softened.
9. Dip the cooked sukiyaki into the raw, beaten eggs and begin to eat!
10. As the liquid boils away, add more sukiyaki sauce. If you are not able to obtain the above ingredients, you can use any meat and vegetables. It's ok to create you own sukiyaki.

Tempura:

INGREDIENTS:

12 large shrimps
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cold water
Vegetable oil for frying

PREPARATION:

1. Peel shrimps.
2. Make a couple incisions on the stomach side of each shrimp so that it stays straight.
3. Put flour in a bowl Pour cold water over the flour and add an egg.
4. Mix the batter lightly.
5. Heat the oil to 350 degree.
6. Then, pick the shrimp up by the tail and dip the body part in the batter.
7. Fry the shrimps for a few minutes

* Recipes courtesy of about.com which incidentally has a couple or so articles from my batch mate, Shai.

for what its worth

I feel bad for all those who have suffered and are still suffering because of the tsunami tragedy. In my own small way I want to help and I'm using this blog as a platform. I urge you, please share even just a fraction of your blessings to our brothers and sister in need.

In this relation, I am currently in the process of rounding up a list of local institutions where you could send your donations.

Philippine National Red Cross
Bonifacio Drive
Port Area
PO Box 280
2803 Manila

Contact Information Tel: (63) (2) 5278386 (main line) 5270866 /
Fax:
(63) (2) 5270857
Telex: 27846 PNRC PH
Telegram: PHILCROSS MANILA
E-Mail: pnrcnhq@redcross.org.ph

UNICEF
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND
31st Floor, Yuchengco Tower,
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) Plaza,
Ayala Avenue corner Gil Puyat Avenue,
Makati City,Philippines

Telephone numbers: (0632)
901-0154 Fund Raising
901-0161 Greeting Cards
901-0149 Health & Nutrition
901-0167 Education
901-0130 Child Protection
901-0170 Communication
901-0142 Local Policy & Institutional Development
E-mail: manila@unicef.org

argh!

because all i'm using is a dial up connection, it took ages for my .mp3 file to upload. when finally i did manage to do the seemingly impossible task, i found out that my server doesn't allow remote linking!!!

geez!

hey, know any free server that does?

si scott at si andy

Kagabi, habang nagtsa-channel surf ay nasumpungan ko ang isang palabas sa Star Movies na kinabibidahan ni Scott Baio. Noong una hindi ko siya talaga nakilala. Hindi naman nagbago ang mukha niya mula noong Charles in Charge days niya. Nag-mature lang siya ng kaunti. Siguro, sadyang sakit ko lang talaga ang matagal maka-recognize ng mukha.

The Bread, My Sweet ang title ng pelikulang napanood ko. Ang corny noh? Pero maganda naman yung kuwento. Makaka-relate tayong mga Pilipino kasi umiikot ang istorya sa pamilya. Medyo surreal nga lang. Bakit ko nasabi? Well, sino ba naman ang matinong lalaki na magpo-propose sa isang babae kakikilala lamang niya?

Isa pang napanood ko ay ang The Man from Elysian Fields starring Andy Garcia. Bale ang siste, I slept with thinking of Scott and woke up to Andy.

Sweet.

drama queen

still another TRW post...

Aah, a subject that's (un)near and (un)dear to my heart...writer's anxiety. I believe it is an affliction inevitable to those who have written or have thought of writing with the intent to be published. In this respect, we authors are all equals. It is only in the manner with which we deal with our anxieties that we differ.

Those who have had the misfortune of suffering from writer's block understand that often it is anxiety or fear that causes it; an unshakeable, implacable, monster of a fear that renders our ability to create paralyzed.

The best way to address this problem is to ignore the fear altogether, or so says the numerous articles I've read on the topic. Hah! Easier said than done, I say. "Roll up your sleeves, dig in your heels, and write. Just write." That's it in a nutshell. That's what they recommend. This advice is a tad condescending if you ask me. Fear, I believe, is something that should not be taken lightly more so ignored.

I was a psych major in college and although my knowledge on the subject is somewhat rusty, there is one precept that is very much clear to me still. Before we can begin to eradicate or even manage our fears, it is vital that we first understand where they stem from.

The roots of our fears are as varied as we are individuals and there is no one else who can make sense of it better than we can.

Based on my experience, starting out I feared rejection. I feared scrutiny. I feared being thought of as mediocre.

Now that I have had some work published, my fears remain the same. I am still afraid of being rejected. I am still afraid of being scrutinized. I am still afraid of being thought of as mediocre. Plus, now, I am afraid of not being able to live up to what others expect from me.

Pardon me for seeming to gloat but I feel I have to mention this for you to understand where I'm coming from. You see, the very first book I wrote was hailed "Novel of the Month" by my publication, an achievement that by far only I have managed to accomplish. An achievement that has been like a millstone around my neck for it prevented me from writing just for the fun of writing.

It seemed as though every book I wrote afterward was competing with the first. I
was beating myself black and blue and there was only so much of it I could take. Six months later, I stopped writing altogether. Not because I wanted to stop but because I just couldn't write any more.

Then I attributed everything to writer's block. However, little by little, with the help of the articles I've read and the posts we've exchanged here on the subject, I began to understand that my problem isn't the blockage per se nor the fears behind it. It dawned on me that it was the root of all my fears that was the real enemy. You guessed it, my insecurity.

Just recently, I began writing again though I have to admit I'm still getting accustomed to it.

If you ask me how I managed shake off my fears, I can't give you a defining moment. I can't say that it just happened for I know I went through a very long process to get here. A big part came from introspection, some from talking about it with people who understood--people like you. What is most important, I think, is my will and determination. I did not just up and left my dream of becoming a writer just because I encountered bumps in the road.

Now, I'm okay again. For how long, I don't know. Only time and circumstance will tell. What I know is this: I want to be a writer. I want to continue becoming a writer. This is my dream. Whatever obstacle I meet next, this dream will give me the courage to face and defeat it, every time.

no more hiccups

No more hiccups. That's what I wish most for this twenty-o-five. Although 2004 was a fairly good year, writing wise it sucked for me. I spent the greater part of it fending off the dreaded WB!

Boo-freakin-hoo. Whining about it didn't help me much. One thing I figured, there's not much else I can do but grab the darn thing by the horns and face it head on.

And so this year, I swear I won't let no hiccup hurt my writing. "No more distractions. It's time to get serious." This is now my new mantra.

To start things rolling, I've begun drafting the next story for my www.lovebug.com series. Below's the teaser. I'm still in the "day in the life" stage so I can't tell you much about it yet.

Dear Lovebug,

Sa maigsing panahon ay naging maligaya kami ni Vincent sa piling ng isa't isa subalit may mga pangyayaring nagbunsod para maputol ang kaligayahan naming iyon.

Years later, muling nag-krus ang aming mga landas. Nabalitaan kong malapit na pala siyang ikasal sa bagong nobya niya. And you know what? Nasaktan ako ng husto sa natuklasan ko. I realized then na hindi pa pala naglalaho ang damdamin ko sa kanya bagkus ay lalo pa iyong naging marubdob.

Ngayon, ako ay nalilito. Mahal ko si Vincent at handa akong magparaya ngunit sa kabilang banda, dahil nga mahal ko siya, hindi ko yata maatim na mapunta siya sa piling ng iba.

Lovebug, I need your advice. Ano ba ang mas tama, ang ipaglaban ang damdaming di ko tiyak kung may katugon o ang hayaan na lamang humimlay ang nakaraan para sa ikaliligaya ng taong mahal ko?

Hopelessly Longing,
Tessa