May 31st (2020)

 

May 31st
77 days here

I was awake at 2.45am, but decided that I really didn't want to be. I slept again.

7.45am
I am awake.
Breakfast is the remaining 3 small bananas as a sandwich, with butter.

I shower, do some interneting, then launch myself at Thai Huot Market for ingredients for today's lunch. The aforementioned, 'Penne Arrabiatta'.

Back at Colors of Cambodia, I begin my preparation, cutting garlic, red onions, chicken, dried chillies and dried red pepper. I fry the onions, black and white pepper powder, chopped garlic, chillies and dried pepper then strips of chicken and put them aside for later.

I add anchovies to the garlic, onions etc. instead of salt, and add two good sized tins of plum tomatoes to the wok, re-add the dried chilies and dried red pepper, and water then begin the reduction, stirring and tasting frequently.

It is only when the sauce is ready that I take the wok off the single burner, and boil water, olive oil and salt ready for the Penne pasta. When the pasta is al dente I drain and add it to the sauce and generously sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

During most of the process I am answering questions from my 10 year old Khmer interviewer, who seems to be at a loose end and therefore has attached himself to this curious white foreigner who, for reasons known only to himself,  hasn’t had extremely expensive steaks. Still it is nice to have a bit of company during the lulls in cooking. Stir, sit for ten minutes, stir, sit for ten minutes etc.

I am really not much of a communal living sort of person.  One ‘flat’ that I had (a million years ago) was curiously public, and I hated it. It was an arrangement of four rooms alongside a public corridor. Only the shower room and kitchen were conjoined, the lounge and bedroom were quite separate and had doors which lead onto that public corridor. I would have to come out of the lounge, lock the door, walk along the corridor, unlock the bedroom door, enter the bedroom, come out of the bedroom, lock the door, walk along the corridor and unlock the lounge door etc etc etc. The kitchen (which also led to the shower room) was permanently open, as it had no door. This was a cause of problems aplenty. But that is for later.

I am grateful that I can be housed during this pandemic, but wish that some sort of normality might be resumed as quickly as possible.

A few moments ago I received some nice feedback to my last published short story - 'Paṟavai kūṇṭu'. It is so heartening when readers go to the trouble of contacting an author. I am glad to know that there is at least one person who has bothered to read it.

5.42pm
It must now be the rainy season, as it seems to rain most days. It has just started raining and, believe it or not, the internet has packed up.

In Malaysia, my poor partner is coping with a car that will not start, and all the problems that brings with it. I am frustrated that I am not able to be there to assist in some small way.

Today's spend
Thai Huot Market...Dasani Water x2; Bruntt's Cider Pear; Peeled Shallots; Peeled Garlic; S&W Whole Peeled Tomatoes; D'Aycy Tomatoes Pelees au jus; Coca Cola x2; Parmesan Cheese powder; Pelazza Anchovy fillets in Sunflower oil; Dutchie Mixed Fruit Yogurt; Dried Sweet Peppers; St Dry Red Chillies; Canpagna Penne Rigate #27 x2 and Chicken breast x2.
Total $27.90