July 12th (2020)

 

12th July

Day 120

I lay here naked in my leafy painted cell, letting the air conditioning stroke my hirsute body. Ah….if only….

Okay enough fantasizing. I did, at one point today, have a young Khmer woman in my bedroom, but she was accompanied by two young Khmer men, and they were all watching me cook.

I was awake at 7am this morning and got up around 8am.

I didn't breakfast until later today as I had to get over to Psar Cha (Old Market) to get the chicken in time to marinade it for today's lunch for the Colors of Cambodia teachers.

So, off I jolly well went, trudging through those by now well trodden alleyways, round the back of the pagoda and emerging opposite the infamous Pub Street. Then it was down Pub Street until near the end when I turned left into another small alley which eventuated in me being faced by all the glory,and the gloom, of Psar Cha.

Psar Cha is a slightly dim indoor market mostly devoted to various forms of Khmer produce - vegetable stalls too numerous to count, meat, poultry and fish stalls. In a second section there is all the tourist crap. But I rarely go there. Since I've been cooking for myself, and on Sunday's for the teachers, I've learned the value (literally) of going to that fresh produce market.

Food is much cheaper at that market, so off I went and bought ten chicken legs, which I had cut into halves. Then some veggies. As Sita my usual rider wasn't around I took a different tuk tuk to Angkor Market (supermarket) and bought the things I cannot get at Psar Cha, then back to Colors of Cambodia to marinade the chicken for a type of tandoori chicken without a tandoor.

So chop chop chop ginger and garlic, add with spices to plain yogurt onto washed chicken to let it marinade for two hours before cooking. Then I used the remaining yogurt with strawberry jam as breakfast, along with two cappuccino from Ellen Cafe next door. The cappuccino nicely filled my mug, giving me a mug of coffee.

Then the chicken and I rested.

Next was to caramelise onions, take out of the pan and fry sultanas in butter, take them out to keep for later, then fry tomatoes with spices and add washed rice, add the fried ingredients, stir, add water and cook 1kg of rice bought in Psar Char. 

When cooked, I fried the yogurt chicken and spices trying to give it a tandoori look. Not too bad actually.

I was pleased, and the teachers ate it, so it was a success. Next week I might try Chili Con Carne.

To celebrate nothing at all, and with no one else, I bought a bottle of Pear Cider at Angkor Market to drink this evening. How decadent! It reminds me of those Frozen Margarita night's of yore. Buckets of Frozen Margarita at Viva the Mexican restaurant with partner and friends. All, sadly in the past.