Yesterday, I attempted to cook a real meal after about a year and a half – quite the daunting prospect! Since the husband and I have been staying in a hotel for a long time now, we’ve had to live with room service. (While this was AWESOMELY convenient at one level, I did miss the freedom of having my own kitchen and cooking anything I felt like.)
The ingredients were a mish-mash from all over.
I had brought back a pack of Pakistani jasmine rice and chicken stock cubes from our recent Sri Lanka trip. The supermarket down the road from our new place stocks great frozen chicken breast. And the local market on the island had lovely, locally-grown kang-kung – an Asian variety of greens, halfway between spinach and lettuce.
So I decided to make stir-fried chicken and kang-kung greens, with fragrant jasmine rice. Nothing too fancy, but it turned out to be pretty tasty!
I did a regular chicken stir-fry, adding some gravy towards the end (chicken stock and cornflour) – this softened the chicken pieces and the gravy was nicely infused with all the stir-fry flavours. Then I separated the sauce and added in the kang-kung stalks along with the chicken and stir fried for another minute or two.
Finally, I added in the kang-kung leaves. As soon as they wilted, I threw in the sauce, stirred everything for a minute and served on steamed jasmine rice! The rice was cooked on the stove (2 parts water to 1 part rice) in a covered pot, with a dash of olive oil and salt.
Close on the heels of yesterday's blender-related bewilderment, I am now facing yet another kitchen dilemma! Should I buy one of these nifty looking Philips airfryers or not?
The revolutionary concept is that the gadget uses hot air to fry foods, using minimal oil - so cooking in the airfryer is healthier than deep frying.
If I were setting up my kitchen once and for all, I'd get one without a second thought - although it is substantially more expensive this side of the world than in the U.K. or the U.S. (No discounted prices yet - it's too new!) But given that I may have to sell it/give it away in two years, I'm wondering if it's worth the price?
I like the idea of being able to make healthy chips once in a while, but I'm not a big fan of eating potatoes too frequently. I'm more excited about using it to airfry other things we traditionally deep fry: okra (ladies' fingers), cauliflower, spinach, bitter gourd... Otherwise, in our attempts to eat healthy, we rarely consume these vegetables in fried form - even though they're super-tasty!
I heart the white model and it would fit in perfectly with my planned kitchen colours, but I suspect it's an older model because I can't seem to locate it on the Philips website. The black is super-sleek but would look terribly out of place.
Plus, people who've used it have mixed feelings about it. (I've been reading the reviews online, especially on Amazon.) Some say it's the best kitchen investment they've ever made, while others say it's an expensive mistake!
Unfortunately, I don't know a single person who owns one. I'd love to get more user info about the kinds of food you can cook in the airfryer and whether it turns out well. Most of the U.K./U.S. reviews are focused on chips and chicken nuggets.
At its high price point, I think I'll give this item a skip until I hear some feedback from people I know or Philips offers a discount in my area. (The husband is also going to check out the pricing in the Dubai Duty Free Store on his way back from a business trip. Perhaps we'll get lucky!)
PS - Whether or not my husband and I buy the airfryer, both sets of parents are definitely getting one each as a present from us! My mom and my mom-in-law have elevated cholesterol levels, and both find it hard to steer clear of yummy fried foods. So this will be a PERFECT addition to their kitchens.
Picture source: Philips
WHY?
After 27 years of living in assorted places (my parents' home, college accommodation, hotels, transient flats), I finally have a home to call my own for the next two years in a brand new city. I'm inspired to make it bright and beautiful, warm and efficient -- a space for my husband and me to live a joyous life.
WHAT?
The plan is to learn and become really good at running a home: from cooking and doing laundry, to organizing and fixing things, to decorating and managing finances.
WHERE?
A compact, semi-furnished second-floor apartment in a small South Asian city on the coast.
WHEN?
December 2012 to December 2014
WHO?
I work (luckily, mostly from home). I love spending time with my husband. I read all kinds of books and enjoy intelligent television shows. Greenery makes my soul happy and high-heels make my soles happy. I occasionally come up with forced puns. (Consider yourself warned.)
HOW?
The idea is to explore all kinds of resources, and see what works. Websites, blogs, DIY guides, craft books, cookbooks, advice from my mother and mother-in-law, common sense, and whatever else is available.
SO?
This blog is meant to track this daunting journey and collect the best domestic tips and tricks I discover -- a collage of interesting things, a space for ideas and inspiration to flourish.
