ERST WORLD PROBLEMS

For some reason I have a yen for dried oysters (蠔豉 'ho si'). Which should be plentifully available in Chinatown right around now, as pork belly cooked with dried oysters and hair moss is a traditonial new year's dish. New year is coming up in another two weeks on Friday February 12.

[A dish for good luck: Dried Oysters and hair moss (好事發財 'ho si fat choi'). Recipe in this post.]


Dried oysters are also very good in congee (粥 'juk'). Especially with slivers of lean pork (蠔豉瘦肉粥 'ho si sau yiuk juk').


It's been ages since I've had congee. Sure, it's easy enough to make at home, but it takes time, and I'm lazy. Just rice in stock, cooked till the grains are falling apart and the resulting porridge is the right consistency, then dolled up with some thing like meats and salty things for fun. Scallions and shredded ginger added on top. And peanuts, optionally.

Problem is, I don't take much time to cook. It doesn't really seem worth it, as I am the only one who will eat it. My apartment mate has different tastes and eats at different times, I'm not social enough to invite other people over, and I'm not in a relationship with anyone anyhow.


Even if I cooked, as a hypothetical example, lobster thermidor aux crevettes with a Mornay sauce, garnished with truffle pâté, brandy and a fried egg on top, and Spam, it would be a waste of time and effort. Festive, a feast, but pointless by oneself.

Yesterday's lunch was vegetable curry omelette over rice with sambal.
That's about as festive as a meal gets nowadays.
Followed by tea and cookies.


I'll probably get some dried oysters next week.
Dried ersters keep for a while.
A useful item.



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