S S M T And Wednesday.

Slack much? In all fairness though I have been wildly productive. I've eaten real food, baked lots, travelled many a kilometer, packed multiple bags, wrapped birthday presents, made a birthday card and still managed to make sure I had all of my knickers washed.

 

Last weekend I flew to chch (surprise surprise), made some delicious curry, ate some terrible Chinese food (so so so bad), had beyond delicious brunch, visited memory lane with a Sally Lunn and went for a micro tramp and made some tea in the great outdoors.

 

image.jpg
Potato hash and pulled corn beef at Supreme Supreme ❤️ 

Potato hash and pulled corn beef at Supreme Supreme ❤️ 

image.jpg
image.jpg
I threw a roast joint in a slow cooker with all the ingredients required for a massaman curry. Served with delicious flaky paratha it was a dream. Oh and the samosas we got from the Indian store... Sweet baby Jesus they were good. 

I threw a roast joint in a slow cooker with all the ingredients required for a massaman curry. Served with delicious flaky paratha it was a dream. Oh and the samosas we got from the Indian store... Sweet baby Jesus they were good. 

After stealing Mum's excellent butter chicken on Monday I set out to make myself a big steaming pot of laksa for the next few days. Boy was it delicious. Although briskly walking to the supermarket this evening when I burped and some spicy laksa and mushy brocolli came back up and I had no choice but to swallow it again because I was in public. Bleughh. I pretty much made up the recipe as I went (not wanting to brag or anything). I added brocolli and frozen spinach in at the end for some green in my diet. Also I was cutting up my wedge of pumpkin when I realized I had too much so I continued to cube it all up then put half in a freezer bag and froze it. I can use it for the next time I need a few cubes of pumpkin but can't be arsed negotiating one and risking appendages in the name of laksa.

 

The brown bits on top are fried delicious.. Not very attractive but so so delicious. 

The brown bits on top are fried delicious.. Not very attractive but so so delicious. 

image.jpg

And well tonight consisted of me making a caramel slice, coconut shortbread and two layers of a ginger and date cake. All to take with me this weekend :/ flip. Because guess who I am going to go visit.. Haha. Much excite.

 

Thursday. I was in a food coma that I didn't wake up from until Friday.

The food highlight of Thursday was definitely a food coma date with my brother. Even though it wasn't hard to out rank the porridge or the defrosted, soggy Japanese curry, Malaysian with Jack was excellent. We used to always go out for food together then I guess we got out of the swing of things when he went on an exchange and we just never got back into the habit of it. Until now. 

 

image.jpg

 

We went to Selera in Newmarket and gorged ourselves in chicken curry, noodles and roti. Sah good.  

 

Anyway I guess the moral of this story is to hang out with your siblings more because they are secretly great. Although share plates get wolfed down rather quickly if you're in the least bit competitive.. 

 

Thats really all I have to say about Thursday. Oh I made some coconut shortbread so if the reviews come back good (aka if Dad, the shortbread connoisseur, gives it the thumbs up) I'll give it a blog. 

 

 

image.jpg
Sah much food

Sah much food

Thursday. I was in a food coma that I didn't wake up from until Friday.

The food highlight of Thursday was definitely a food coma date with my brother. Even though it wasn't hard to out rank the porridge or the defrosted, soggy Japanese curry, Malaysian with Jack was excellent. We used to always go out for food together then I guess we got out of the swing of things when he went on an exchange and we just never got back into the habit of it. Until now. 

 

image.jpg

 

We went to Selera in Newmarket and gorged ourselves in chicken curry, noodles and roti. Sah good.  

 

Anyway I guess the moral of this story is to hang out with your siblings more because they are secretly great. Although share plates get wolfed down rather quickly if you're in the least bit competitive.. 

 

Thats really all I have to say about Thursday. Oh I made some coconut shortbread so if the reviews come back good (aka if Dad, the shortbread connoisseur, gives it the thumbs up) I'll give it a blog. 

 

 

image.jpg
Sah much food

Sah much food

Monday. So much soup.

It has come to my attention that in my eagerness to do all the food prep for the week yesterday that I have made about twenty servings of soup. It would appear mastication will not be a thing I engage in this week.

Our flat finally took the plunge and purchased a stick blender from Kmart for a whole $39 dollars. My justification for the purchase was that the money save whilst consuming pureed 99 cent pumpkins will pay off the outlaid capital in no time.

 

So on the menu this week:

Caramelised leek and pumpkin soup (thanks Nadia Lim)

Red lentil and pumpkin soup (thanks Nadia Lim)

Chicken pho (thanks Jess Daniell)

My freezer has 10 snap lock sandwich bags full of the frozen pumpkins all stacked up in a tower ready to be deployed. I actually don't even like pumpkin soup very much. Pumpkins were so cheap though...

The pho I shall concoct tonight – I have to say I am rather excited for pho. While Jess’ recipe uses premade stock it still tastes pretty legit. I once made stock from a whole table hen overnight in my slow cooker and to be honest it didn’t taste that much different. A Continental stock melt will do roughly the same thing.

Flip. It has just occurred to me that I also have all the ingredients required for a pad Thai and now I am suffering a great internal conflict. Crikey. A delicious carby pad Thai would go down a treat…AAAAH I CAN’T DECIDE (*texts Dylan for moral guidance* – he is pretty much the Atticus Finch of both life and food).

*waits for response*

Ok come on Dylan. Reply already. I’m getting hangry.

Spoiler alert: he doesn't reply. 

It was up to me.. 

Pho: healthy, warming, vegetable rich, soup

vs. 

Pad Thai: warming, carby AF, not soup, contains delicious fried egg.

 

I was not feeling agile enough to make pad Thai. Knowing me it would turn into a stodgy lump. Pho in the end was delicious. I made enough for tomorrow as well. We don't have a dining table in our flat (nor do we have insulation or a central heating device) so I was restricted to awkwardly eating my pho at knee height at our coffee table. As much as I love my flatmates (like I seriously love them) I kind of can't wait until I live in a proper house that is warm, insulated and has a dining room table. 

Anyway, make pho. It is good. And mega filling.  

 

The dining situation is not ideal.. 

The dining situation is not ideal.. 

I had to battle two pumpkins. One tried to escape. I managed to catch it with my legs. I thought this was clever so I held it there a little longer while I took a photo..

I had to battle two pumpkins. One tried to escape. I managed to catch it with my legs. I thought this was clever so I held it there a little longer while I took a photo..

Also buy these for your pho.. They are the tits. Slash just eat them by themselves. 

Also buy these for your pho.. They are the tits. Slash just eat them by themselves. 

Saturday. Champagne and cake for lunch.

The day started off well; a 7.30am spin class to get things moving followed by a few hours of flat cleaning. So much adult productivity!! I even washed my sheets and this time didn't burn them in my drier! Whoop!! Never have I felt so in control and on top of my life.

Unfortunately you could say things went a little downhill as soon as I started icing my  little ginger loaves with cream cheese icing and candied walnuts. While I hate to boast I have to say these were delicious. So moist and rich. I shall blog about them in the morning. My flatmates were very excited as can be seen by Andy's face below..

I delivered a few to my good friend Victoria for her birthday. After only two minutes after walking in the door at 1pm did she ask if I wanted a glass of bubbles. She then proceeded to put a full cheese platter and a gazzillion cupcakes in front of me. Apparently this had been her since 10am so I thought I better play catch up. So double parked with cake and champagne whilst watching Pretty Woman was a pretty excellent way to spend a Saturday arvo if you ask me. Wine = fruit, cake contains eggs = solid source of protein. A balanced diet I do believe.  

 

Breakfast: oats

Lunch: champagne and cake and cheese. Aka fruit, protein and calcium.

Dinner: all the dumplings! My parents took my cousins to my favourite dumpling house and I may or may not have joined in for the ride..  

This is Andy. Andy is my flatmate. Andy was excited about date loaves. 

This is Andy. Andy is my flatmate. Andy was excited about date loaves. 

Friday. I'm not too sure what I ate.

I had an interview for a new role today so the mix of nerves and not wanting to be in a curry coma by 2pm meant that lunch consisted of a 3pm apple and superwine biscuit. Come 4pm I had a killer headache. Not sure if this was brought on by hunger, dehydration, lack of caffeine or a wine craving..

I was trying to get all my pals at work to go to social clubs drinks with me as I would have killed for a wine. Alas Original Sophie was going to be working late and Kelly wanted to go home and do laundry. Sigh. Of the available flatmates one is at a radio show awards, one is working and one is on a strict bootcamp diet – no winesies for her. Sigh. I would be tempted to go open a bottle for myself but A) a bottle of wine costs the same as Wok n Noodle and Wok n Noodle > wine. B) I can’t leave a bottle unfinished – it’ll go off and spoil – what a waste of what could have been Wok n Noodle. C) Calories – I’d rather eat Wok n Noodle. D) Drinking alone sounds like it could be the beginnings of alcohol dependence.

You know what? I am going to try and make my favourite Wok n Noodle noodles this weekend. Pad see yu here I come! This could mean I could have my Wok n Noodle AND wine.

Good news though, my cake order went down a treat. The birthday girl was super stoked and excited. It’s this kind of excitement that makes me love making cakes so much for people. I have to say it was quite pretty considering I had to rummage and be a little creative with the decorating.

 

Breakfast: oats

Lunch: non existent 

Dinner: ugh more curry. Oh shit! I forgot the cabbage. Dammit. Now I have to eat cabbage by itself or else it'll go off and I'll waste it. 

Ok time to go to the supo and buy some golden syrup for the ginger loaves I plan on baking. This is the first Friday in yonks that I haven't been to the airport to pick Dylan up or fly to visit him. While I'm stoked I get to bake for the sake of baking I miss him :( I wish he was here, he'd drink wine with me. Oh and he's alright company too.. 

 

Cake!!! 

Cake!!! 

Auckland Eats: Onehunga Night Markets

"Its like Disney Land . . but for your stomach!"

I have been venturing off on weeknight food excursions quite a bit recently. 

Not having to study or do assignments in the evenings now that I am no longer a student has left me free to explore on school nights. 

No matter the culture, humans have a tendency to base social interactions around food and eating patterns. In the last week I have caught up with a couple of friends and at each time food was involved whether it be dessert, going to the markets or having them round for dinner. 

Alix, who I flatted with in third year is living up in Auckland as well (!!!) and who is also the best person in the world was keen to come and hit up the Onehunga night markets this Thursday for dinner with me. Having both not eaten on purpose since lunch time and with purses full of cash we threw ourselves into the market. 

I love the bustle, the smoke and the smell of hot sizzling meat wafting through the air. I am writing this with my eyes still bloodshot from the glaring lights and my face greasy from all the oil and heat. Not to mention sitting in super baggy clothing as I have a food baby like no other. 

Going with a friend is the best. I love trying new things and quite often you get too full after just a few things by yourself to do the rounds properly. But when with a friend (who can also eat you under the table - I take my hat off to you Alix) you can try everything the stalls have to offer. 

IMG_2112.jpg

I have to say the fried pork buns at Onehunga were some of the best I have ever had. I managed to get as many vermicelli noodles on my front and the ground as I did my mouth. We said YOLO to the extra spicy beef bulgogi and an honourable mention of course goes to the chocolate dipped churros which is where we finished up.

For details about all the Auckland night markets click here and get amongst!