Today is New year's day. This is the first day off work for a couple of weeks. We worked in the restaurant doing take out. It was not fun. We are not sure if we will return to work with the rumored restrictions about to happen here.
The day before New year's eve, they announced that dining will not be permitted starting that day. Along with a curfew, we were told not to gather in numbers more than 2 from two households and not in a home where none lived. Hearts were broken, as plans fell through for other people. Not us.
We almost always work on New year's eve and spend it alone together after, just the two of us. After work we came home exhausted even though we did the unthinkable and closed half an hour earlier. I instigated this crime. My manager is away and the owner is busy with his other restaurant.
The girl taking the manager's place in the front was struck with a major disappointment that day. She had plans to spend New year's weekend with her boyfriend. He is afraid to tell his mother he has a girlfriend, even though he's twenty five. He lied to his mother, saying he was going to a cabin with his friends. On the 23rd she came to work excited saying they were counting down the minutes to the weekend together. Later that day they announced that we would no longer have dining, and we would have a curfew. No more than two people from two households could gather. His mother wouldn't except that he would go to a cabin. It was out of the question. I felt the heartache that she felt. Her head hung low on new year's eve, and she was unable to focus.
Meanwhile other people had plans to dine out with friends and family. They had plans to get together in other townships with their relatives. It was suddenly cancelled with one day's notice.
This was the saddest end of a year ever.
Today I wanted to take a bit of time to make something that I've been craving. Thai curry. I needed some cheerful spice in my mouth. Plus it's comforting to have this when it's so blasted miserable outside. There are so many different kinds but I will just call it Thai. I do things the way I do which may not be authentic to some.
One thing that I like to put in a curry of any kind is squash. Butternut is one of my favorites.
Thai Curry
1 butternut squash
3 or 4 potatoes
1 chopped carrot
1 chopped onion
1 brick of tofu
3 or 4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon ground shitake mushroom powder
1/4 cup vegetable broth
3 or 4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon miso paste
3 tablespoons agave nectar or other sweetener
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 can coconut milk
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 or 4 tablespoons curry paste (depending on how spicy you want it)
I had leftover curry paste in the freezer from another time so I will give you the approximate amount of items in the paste that I had made before. You could use a store bought one which are good. I just prefer to make my own.
Curry paste
4 or 5 kaffir lime leaves
1 inch of galangal root
1 stock of lemon grass with the top cut off
6 or 7 thai chilies (I used red)
Cilantro roots
Lime juice
Blend in a processor or do it the old fashion way pounding it in a mortar and pestle. I used the mortar and pestle that time. It has to be chopped as fine as possible before hand.
I start with browning the onion, garlic and ginger then adding the spices in oil. I add the tofu and the rest of the ingredients.
I let it cook on low for almost forty minutes to get the flavors together. I added this and that as it went along to get what I wanted. Everyone has their preference and mine is hot and spicy.
When I left work we had items that had to be thrown out like the orchids we put on some of our plates. I didn't have the heart to dump them so I took them home.
Orchids to me are some of the most majestic flowers in the world. These were not in top shape but I still think they're beautiful. I wanted to let them grace a plate once more before they were disposed of. It feels like a crime.
This was the first food of the day.
Now I will have to look in the fridge to make our late night dinner. Bad habit I supposed but that's the life of a restaurant grunt.
When I was a kid I could have never imagined being almost sixty and running for my life in a hot kitchen with a broken fan on new year's eve before 2022 in an apocalypse.
At least I am still blessed with good food and shelter for now.
Thanks for dropping by and may your coming year be bright.
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