SAUCE FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY

Probably the only worthwhile culinary use for pineapple, other than upside-down cake, is as an ingredient in a tangy meat and vegetable soup, or incorporated into a tangy sweet-sour sauce for fried seafood (especially large salt and pepper prawns) and (coated) deep-fried tofu on a bed of blanched mustard cabbage.


THE SAUCE FOR DEEP FRIED SOYBEAN CAKE

Four cups tomato juice.
One cup water.
One cup chopped pineapple (canned is okay).
Four TBS sambal oelek or chili-garlic sauce.
One or two shallots, chopped.
Two or three cloves garlic.
Two TBS tomato paste.
A hefty dash fish sauce.

Simmer for an hour on low heat. Strain, pushing some of the solids through the sieve.
If necessary further simmer till gravy-like but still pourable. Use warm for a dip or dressing with a plate of fried seafood, large fried tofu chunks (tau kwe), and blanched vegetables.

The refined hostess will also serve buttered toast points alongside.
And have serviettes and finger bowls at the ready.

Being rather the opposite of the refined hostess, I'm perfectly happy with sambal mixed with a little ketchup for a fried seafood dip. As you can probably imagine, pineapple seldom appears at my table. Except sometimes on pizza.

Sambal with a little oyster sauce and a squeeze of lemon is also good.

In fact, if a can of pineapple chunks were to find its way to my larder, my apartment mate might suspect that I've taken leave of my senses. She already thinks I'm dangerously close to the edge, and there is no reason to convince her that I've finally plunged into the pit.





By the way: no one in their right mind, unless they're planning an upside down cake, should buy a pineapple. Even if it's canned and fits in so well with their nuclear fall-out shelter life-style and décor. It would be taking their dysfunction to an extreme if they did.
The Bloody Mary was invented with children in mind.
Children just purely love pineapple.
We do not follow their lead.
Or lousy taste.



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