It Just Takes a Little Seoul: Spicy Shrimp Salad Sammy with Kimchi Mayo, Avocado, and Radish Sprouts

Hello, everyone! Yes, I'm back in the Toy Kitchen. And no, I didn't get eaten by a lion in Africa but thanks so much for asking, especially those of you who e-mailed me to make sure. It has just been such a crazy busy couple of months what with launching the RGTK product line, making the RGTK product line, selling the RGTK product line, delivering the RGTK product line...well, you get the picture.

Me, shilling RGTK on ANC Shop Talk (my segment starts at 30:15)

My former life in the corporate world feels like two centuries instead of just two months ago. Now, instead of business casual and heels (no sleeveless tops or open-toed sandals, please) my new dress code consists mostly of yoga pants, colorful jammies and flip-flops. So, no, I don't actually get this dressed up to cook when I'm alone. 

My actual work duds. And it's not even Casual Friday.

I'm cooking nearly every day, and my place is packed with boxes, bottles and sacks of onions and garlic. Not only does this make entertaining a near impossibility, but these days, I jump at any chance to put on shoes, go to a restaurant and taste food that I haven't had to cook, bottle and slap an RGTK label on. I'm also desperately eager for any kind of conversation that doesn't include bottles, ingredients, delivery details and meowing.

Despite all the adjustments, though (Dear steady paycheck, I miss you most of all. xoxo J), I am having the time of my life. Yes, I've been known to occasionally succumb to moments of panic, maybe grab a cat or two, and tearfully tell them not to get eaten by squirrels when I have to throw them out on the streets (They're sissies). But when I'm not obsessing too much about the future, when I remember to live in the moment, then the moments are actually pretty damned awesome.

Salad Days: Ginger-Miso Dressing

Roasted red pepper and yoghurt dip, hummus and toasted whole-wheat pitas brushed with olive oil and za'atar.

Saturday was nuts. A gazillion errands to run, and then an emergency trip to the supermarket when my organic poultry delivery unexpectedly took a detour (ETA, next Wednesday). I was having friends over for dinner that night and had an ambitious menu planned, so I'll cop to a moment (or two hundred) of panic. Tight schedule notwithstanding, however, it was gratifying to realize how much easier it was getting to execute my usual overly ambitious dinner party menus. 

Cut to 7:30 p.m. A gaggle of middle-aged women in their prime knock on my door, looking and sounding more like a bunch of schoolgirls at a One Direction concert than the cool and composed wives, mothers, entrepreneurs and career women that we claimed to be actually were. 

Thai Spring Rolls or How I Got Over my Fear of Frying

Just so we're clear, I'm not afraid of fried food, although I probably should be, even just a little. Except for sautéing, however, I've always been afraid to try frying in my toy kitchen.  It just seemed so involved.  Get the oil to just the right temperature. Keep it there.  Too hot, and ouch! Painful, potentially scarring spatters. Too cold, and your food is greasy and gross. Too hot for too long, and forget it.  Throw out that smoking oil and order a pizza.

And speaking of throwing out, even that can be a real pain.  You can't pour your oil down the drain, or you'll clog it. You also don't want to pour the oil straight into your garbage bag, lest it tear and you (or your condo's hapless maintenance guy) end up looking like a sea gull who decided to take a swim in the Gulf of Mexico post-BP.

Roast Sambal-Chili Chicken

Several years ago, when I roasted a chicken for a dinner party, organic poultry was nowhere near as available in Manila as it was today. I had developed a taste for organic, free-range or kosher chickens when I lived in New York, which, in addition to being better for you, also tasted way better than the supermarket kind.

So, after poking every single chicken in the supermarket's poultry aisle, I finally found a local free-range clucker in the freezer and decided to go with that. After close to three hours of cooking, my chicken was  golden brown but still rock-hard, leading me to doubt my oven, my cooking skills and my sanity.

Curry Comfort

Crappy weather and a toxic workweek had raised stress levels to new heights, so I decided it was time for some curry comfort. First, Forbidden Rice. I'm not really sure why they call it that, although the carb police would probably argue that all rice should be forbidden. As far as rice goes, though--black, fragrant and slightly nutty Forbidden Rice would probably be the best kind, being relatively high in fiber and antioxidants compared to the rest of its peers. As the grains and water do their thing in the rice cooker, it's time to move on to the Thai-Curry Seafood Stew. Totally Unrelated Thought #1: Funny how no Filipino kitchen, however minimalist, is complete without a rice cooker.

First, plop some red curry paste in a pot with some coconut cream. The recipe I used calls for a tablespoon but different pastes have different heat levels so tailor accordingly. Mine, bought in a street market in Bangkok, is not for spice wimps.  Whisk to dissolve the mixture (and any lingering aggression) and bring to a boil before adding the rest of your coconut cream.  Those of you with more space and talent can opt for fresh coconut cream.  I go with canned, given my space and ability constraints as well as my affection for all 10 fingers.