A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Friday, September 10, 2010

A Day With My Son




Yesterday I took my son John to his therapy after leg surgery. He's coming along really well, but can't drive for a few more weeks. We saw a movie and had lunch before his therapy session. I had something new for me.. for lunch...Pad Thai. It was served in a bowl with flat bread and a drink. I loved it...and thought that I might make it at home. Here is a recipe for this dish..

Pad Thai
Ingredients
1-ounce tamarind paste
3/4 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
4 ounces rice stick noodles
6 ounces Marinated Tofu
1 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup chopped scallions, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 whole eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salted cabbage
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
3 ounces bean sprouts, divided
Freshly ground dried red chile peppers, to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges
Directions
Place the tamarind paste in the boiling water and set aside while preparing the other ingredients. Combine the fish sauce, palm sugar, and rice wine vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
Place the rice stick noodles in a mixing bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Once the other ingredients are measured out into separate bowls, drain the water from the noodles and set them aside. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch wide strips, similar to French fries.
Press the tamarind paste through a fine mesh strainer and add to the sauce. Stir to combine.
Place a wok over high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil. Heat until it shimmers, then add the tofu. Cook the tofu until golden brown, moving constantly, for no longer than 1 minute. Remove the tofu from the pan to a small bowl and set aside.
If necessary, add some more peanut oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Add 2/3 of the scallions and then the garlic, cook for 10 to 15 seconds. Add the eggs to the pan; once the eggs begin to set up, about 15 to 20 seconds, stir to scramble. Add the remaining ingredients in the following order and toss after each addition: noodles, sauce, cabbage, and 2/3 of the bean sprouts . Toss everything until heated through, but no longer than 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the remaining scallions, bean sprouts. Serve immediately with the ground chile peppers and lime wedges.

My goodness, this is more complicated than I thought...and so many ingredients. Maybe I'll just eat it at the restaurant after all.

The movie we went to was The Switch with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman. A really cute movie...one that I would recommend. It's a comedy about an unmarried 40-year-old woman who turns to a turkey baster (well, we didn't know how they did it...but they joked about the turkey baster ) in order to become pregnant. Seven years later, she reunites with her best friend, who has been living with a secret: he replaced her preferred sperm sample with his own. The little boy in this movie was so cute...he kind of stole the show with his talking and mannerisms that mirrored his real dad...Jason.
It was a nice day. I got to visit with my son and enjoy the day with him. His leg is healing and he is doing just what the doctors are telling him to do. It's really hard for him, I feel, to put his busy life on hold while he recuperates. He is a father of four, so you know how busy his life must be. Now, he is having to slow down and let others do for him. It's not always easy to sit back and watch people helping. He's a kind and generous person and I'm so proud of the man he's become.
Balisha

1 comment:

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Balisha, healing wishes sent to your son - I understand all your feelings. The food prepared I think I would really like - but a number of those ingredients do not have on hand and wonder about making it for one :) It is raining here in the woods.