Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Spicy Turmeric Eggplant - Dinner with A View


How do you eat your dinner every day?

I tried my very best to produce delicious looking food pictures in beautiful settings (tried my very best =/= successful), but do I really eat my dinners on a beautifully set table, with forks, knives, fine china, vintage napkins and crystal wine glasses? When I said "Dinner with A View" did I mean something like this?

Nononononono....it's more like:
- eating off the floor
- in front of TV/laptop
- dishes on a tiny side table
- rice bowls on hand
- eating with my bare hands
- feet on sofa/chair

In events where:
- the dining table that I ordered has not arrived
- the side table in front of the TV is occupied
- the other rooms are all cleared and prepared, awaiting electrician to install lighting
...just eat in the kitchen, straight outta wok on the stove.

But whew! What a view! I am so loving this sparkly Hong Kong lights by the sea. Being able to cook overlooking such gorgeousness, I feel so inspired, so in awe,....ehm! Watch that butter! It's starting to burn!

The dish in the wok was...
Spicy Turmeric Eggplant - Terong Bumbu Kunyit

Another easy one -pot-wonder. It has the meat, the fibre, the heat, the spices and the combination of textures...creamy eggplant, crunchy chunky green chilli, and springy mushrooms.

Recipe

- 1 long eggplant, halved and sliced in an angle, about 5 mm thick
- 3 large green chilli (not too spicy, replace with the small ones if you want more heat)
- 1 lb minced meat
- 1 cup oyster mushrooms (or button or straw mushrooms)
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bulbs or shallot, thinly sliced
- 5 mm ginger, crushed
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground corriander seeds
- olive oil, white pepper, fish sauce (or salt), sugar

Soften your eggplants. I did this by tossing them in a bit of olive oil and salt, and dump them in the oven (200C) for about 10 minutes, until softened and a bit browned, set aside. Saute garlic, shallot and ginger in olive oil, add minced meat, cook until almost done (note the color change), add mushrooms, add eggplant, season, cover until thoroughly cooked. Tastes absolutely fantastical with steamed rice, but I bet it also tastes great stuffed into pita bread.

Now excuse me while I lick my kitchen clean (ha ha ha not funny)

18 comments:

  1. That is so funny! The view, I will agree, is simply stunning and I think standing (or squatting) at the stove, eating directly from the wok and staring at that view is just perfect!

    The recipe looks so divine. I love this kind of cooking!

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  2. (But what's with those hangers?) LOL

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  3. LOL the hangers = it's a multitasking kitchen cum laundry space (hongkong hongkong lalalala), so i hang dry my laundry over there. yes, right by the stove, just make sure i remove em before i cook or they'll be on fire or i'll show up in a party smelling like indonesian beef rendang....hmmmm delicious

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  4. OOHHH spectacular viieeww! I would eat dinner in the kitchen everynight if I lived there :P

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  5. What a fantastic night sky view you have from your kitchen window. I'm sure it gives you inspiration to create those wonderful dishes.

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  6. I would agreed, what a view! And I love the way your soften your eggplant, less oily then deep-frying them. I guess it's time for me to buy some eggplant now. Thanks!

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  7. Nice view! The eggplant is yummy :)

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  8. I love spicy eggplant!! I like your cut chili added!! I miss HK neon lights view!! what a view ...eh?

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  9. you always make me laugh through your blog..
    love it!
    and i love that view...something that i don't have in my kitchen..so luxe!

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  10. I enjoy reading your blog and also to say hello!

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  11. LOL - I usually eat in front of the telly, with the curtains shut and no view at all. This dish looks devine, and I think that your dining arrangements were perfect.

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  12. Love reading your posts. Reminds me of the joy I had when I lived there for two years. Can't wait to try this one wok wonder!

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  13. Whoa! Now that's a view! I wouldn't mind eating at the counter to look over that.

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  14. Ditto on view envy!! & glad you explained the hangers - makes sense!! Who doesn't eat the ways you described - lol - sometimes it's in a rocking chair in the LR, sometimes here by the screen, . . . just had my granddaughters help me paint an old table that I've decided to put back in my 'dining area' after a sojourn on the porch, . . .

    Delightful recipe

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  15. You are really a funny gal! :D

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  16. I love terong and love your HK view too....

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  17. I am a big fan of eggplant and this sounds tasty! Nice view!

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  18. Wanted a different way to make eggplant (I'm of Italian heritage) and searched turmeric and eggplant and your site popped up.

    I don't eat meat, but had all the ingredients already prepped...left out the coriander since I didn't have any...and it turned out GREAT!

    Hope you apartment is finished and you are having fun cooking....with that fabulous view!!

    Las Cruces, New Mexico USA

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