Text 21338, 61 rader
Skriven 2012-02-16 20:29:00 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Michael Loo
Ärende: FOOD MEMORIES 230 20216
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 -=> Quoting Michael Loo to Glen Jamieson <=-

 GJ> My favourite chicken meat was prepared by the cook at the plantation
 GJ> canteen in Sumatra where I was working.
 ML> How was it made? Moist heat I presume.
 GJ> Long simmering in a sauce heavy with spices and coconut cream gave
 GJ> tender drumsticks, deeply infused with complex flavours.
 ML> Sounds good. I presume lemongrass, galanga, a couple kinds
 ML> of chiles, coriander leaves and root, turmeric, maybe anise
 ML> of some sort.

I don't think anise.  Lemongrass certainly, galangal, garlic, chiles,
coriander, turmeric of course, and I think cummin.

 ML> I have been looking back over my diary notes
 GJ> from that period.  The food served in that canteen at lunch for the
 GJ> more senior plantation workers included

 ML> The junior workers received lesser provisions, allowing them
 ML> to be kept scrawny, underfed, and industrious?

The junior workers were mostly local villagers who fed themselves.
They were provided with gum boots, however, which protected them from
the cobras which lived in the undergrowth around the oil palms.  I was
told that at one time an attempt was made to get rid of the cobras,
but then the rats increased and ate the young oil palms, so it was
decided that it was cheaper to give the labourers boots.  Before I
heard that, I had wandered through the palms just wearing sandals...

 GJ> many kinds of tempeh, from dry-fried loose beans mixed with dried ikan
 GJ> bilis (sort of very small anchovies), a dark, dangerous-looking
 GJ> version with dried prawns (udang) and small dried chilies, to paler,
 GJ> rectangular cakes with egg.
 ML> Taste memory is a wonderful thing. Taste imagination is as well.

One reason for keeping a record of such foods, to revive the memory.
 
 GJ> In retrospect I now realise I have been very fortunate to
 GJ> have those rich experiences before getting too old to qualify for that
 GJ> volunteer service.

 ML> Indeed lucky. Now, you have to pay to go anyplace, though
 ML> I suppose your pensioner status is of use.

In Australia pensioners get dicounts for just about everything, and in
some Asian and European countries where the elderly are given due
respect, I have received benefits, such as long distance bus tickets
given at the EU seniors' half price rates in Madrid and Naples.  Of
course I always ask if I can get seniors' rates.

I noticed in another msg you made a comment about chili and coconut.
last week I made a goat curry with coconut cream, and when freshly
made, the 4 chilies in it gave quite a strong effect - nose running,
etc - but several hours later that had deteriorated to quite a mild
flavour, and by next day the chili had vanished, leaving only the
coconut as the dominant flavour.

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 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)