Wednesday 28 October 2009

Avocado, wasabi and lime dip

'What's that?' is an often heard question when an unsuspecting guest comes across avocado in a salad. Strange then, to have come across this recipe in a land where unpeeled avocados can sometimes be mistaken for papayas or even mangoes.I tried this after watching a reality TV cooking show where the contestant paired it with sashimi style salmon. I just eat mine with corn chips or crackers or in a sandwich. So simple but still so full of flavour. I can't give you a recipe with exact quantities, I really think this has to be made to taste. I use one avocado and then add a little squeeze of wasabi (I use the one that comes in the tube), say about half a teaspoon, and then a squeeze or two of fresh lime juice, say about 1 tablespoon. I then mush it all up together until you have mixed the ingredients through and then have a quick taste. At this point you should perfect it according to your taste buds. More wasabi and lime until it really hits the spot, but a little at a time as wasabi can quickly become the enemy. Although, some do enjoy that nose hair burning sensation. You should consider your guests though, if you are not the only one eating. You could also add salt if you think it needs it, I usually don't. I will add a picture the next time I make this. There seems to be none left by the time I remember to take a photo.

Tuesday 6 October 2009

Lime or lemon filling for lime or lemon tart

This is a short recipe for lime or lemon tart filling. It is from the Marie Claire 'Flavours' book. I find this one easy and suitably citrusy, the way I like it. I have tried other recipes, one that used condensed milk and found it way too sweet. I guess I'll have to do some experimentin' and come up with my own version, but till then...

Lime tart filling

1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 cup cream
1 cup lime juice

Place the sugar, eggs, cream and lime juice in a bowl and mix to combine. Skim the top of the mixture to remove any bubbles or foam. Pour into the tart shell, place in a 160C oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is just set. Refrigerate the tart until firm.

They also include a note that says you can replace the lime juice with lemon or blood orange juice if you so fancy. To make the tart shell, I use the sweet shortcrust pastry recipe from Nigella's 'How to be a Domestic Goddess'. Also really easy to follow and it hasn't failed me yet.

Friday 2 October 2009

Plenty of personal growth ahead

Wow. No entries at all for the month of September. Which really has been worse for me than it has been for you. Believe me. It isn't like I haven't had anything to write about, I find sometimes strange being that I am, that I avoid Chilli Walter precisely at these times. So after a one month hiatus, I am back with some new realisations. One of them being, it doesn't matter how many times I check my own page. It is NOT going to magically update itself. So what's been going down? Well, the biggest news is that we are moving, leaving Ulm that is and going somewhere other. Not Sydney because that would be going home. Not Paris because that would just be way too perfect and of course, how can a person grow when life is just so all round perfect? One can't is the answer and obviously, I have lots of growing to do. And how does one accomplish all this growing? So that one day, when one is older, one can also guarantee (because we all know these two things don't go hand in hand) that one is wiser? Challenges, of course! Now, seriously speaking, I thought I had met and conquered challenges enough by moving to Ulm. By even entertaining the possibility that I could spend the rest of my life here. When I had accepted that, I thought I had achieved some pretty major personal growth. Clearly not. Clearly, the powers that be feel that I need to be cultivated even more. Perhaps and yes, I see things much more clearly now, I have been an ungrateful twat, living here, complaining about the fog and the lack of good Asian food. So much so that life thought, hmmm... why don't we send her to the desert? See how she finds that. And so, yes people, we are moving to Saudi Arabia, to Riyadh. Right in the middle of the desert. Yay! I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to doing it all again. Meeting new people, learning a new culture and a new language and trying to feel at home enough at least for the next two years. Husband has a new job and he is pretty excited about the whole thing and of course being the good woman that I am my first priority is to support him. Goodness knows he has always supported me in my ventures. But it is still difficult not to feel sometimes, just some occasional times, like throwing a shoe at him just because he is so chirpy about it all. I know it is important and that Husband's half full and my half empty make a very good balance but nevertheless there are times when my hands are just itching, my brain using all its powers of self-control to control that urge to throw. What am I worried about you may ask? Why not just lighten up and see what Riyadh holds for me? Yes, quite right this is the attitude I am working toward and I am sure I will get there. I am after all a highly adaptable person, I say Grüss Gott now for Pete's sake! It's just the things I have been reading I guess, and I have been doing quite a bit of reading to prepare myself for my time over there. Alcohol is banned in Saudi Arabia, and I do think this is terribly unfair as I can't imagine a quick shot of something would make the new surroundings just that teensy weensy bit more bearable. No pork either which doesn't bother me all that much really. One of the things I am obviously looking forward to is all the new food I will get to try. Foreign women must also cover up when out in public, which I have to say, strangely enough, is also on the list of things that don't bother me all that much. I mean, don't you have those days when you wish you didn't have to think of what to wear? Now, I'll be able to throw anything on and have bad hair days galore and no one will be able to tell because I will be all cloaked and veiled. Among the things that bother me is that society is totally gender segregated. I have read a bit about this but I think I won't really get the full idea of what this means till I am there and that is a wee bit scary for me. I am moving to a country that I have never visited, do normal people do stuff like this? There was an option for a weekend trip where Husband and I would get to look around and get an impression of Riyadh, but there were some issues with me obtaining a visa and we don't know if this can happen now. I think I would feel much better if I had some sort of first hand impression of where I am going to be living rather than going only with information that I have gathered from the internet. I am doing a German course at the moment though, and really enjoying all the contact I have with other foreigners trying to learn the language. There are quite a few Muslim guys in my course and it has been great talking to them about my move. When you tell a German person or any westerner that you are moving to Saudi Arabia it is almost like someone died. There is the downward glance that suggests they are very sorry to hear this most alarming news and then the quick cover up and a positive smile, 'think of all the things you will learn. How interesting!' One of my students, when I told her that I was moving to Saudi Arabia because of my husband's job, busted out with 'now that is love!' She could never do it. The guys in my class on the other hand are really excited for me. I have been able to tell them that I am pretty scared about the culture shock and they totally get it. But most of them are totally jealous of me. I am after all going to be living in the land of Mecca, where they dream of visiting at least once in their life. They keep telling me what a wonderful culture it is and how warm the people are and have already offered to help with my first Arabic words. I guess if these guys are anything to go by, I haven't got all that much to worry about.