FALLING SHORT ON HAPPINESS

Here's my photo of a much-too-sweet banana bread that I won't be making again.

Today as I was making this banana bread, I suddenly recalled something that happened years ago.  It was a Saturday and I had just removed a tray of freshly baked mini banana muffins from the oven.  When I offered them to my dad, he smiled coldly and pushed them away without uttering a word.  “But why?” I remember asking but he refused to speak.  He never touched that tray of muffins.  A cold shoulder was his way of telling me, “I’m mad about something you said/did.  Now go reflect.”

I get that a lot from my dad.  I’m expected to figure out what his problem with me was without him actually telling me what it was.  

He is in a nursing home now but some days my mind involuntarily plays back all the heartache, emotional blackmail, and endless mental abuse that he inflicted upon me for over 30 years.  On such days, I fall short on happiness.

Today is such a day.

APPRECIATION

I've always told friends that flowers are wasted on me.  I don't even own a vase.  Give me good food anytime, I'd say.  But who can say "No" to such a gorgeous bouquet?  It is so massive, it won't fit into a single frame!

Thanks, Annette Male!  I'll miss you.

TEBA SHIO AND BAKED CHICKEN KATSU

Tried a hand at making Japanese Salted Chicken Wings.

Teba Shio calls for only three ingredients - chicken wings, sake and LOTS of salt.  Very easy to cook under a broiler.  They are crispy, juicy, salty - perfect finger food for parties, and to accompany beer.

***

I love deep-fried chicken cutlets but have never tried making them myself.  Some weeks ago, I chanced upon this baked tonkatsu video by MASA and decided to give it a try using chicken instead of pork.  MASA's recipes are all very easy to follow and my Baked Chicken Katsu turned out perfect!

FRESHLY BAKED

Nothing beats the smell of fresh bread in the morning.  

Last night, I made the dough and left it the fridge for the final proof.  

Up at 7:30 this morning to bake bread but Mum sent me on an errand.  Before I headed out, I removed the dough from the fridge and set it on the dining table to thaw.

Shoved the pan inside a pre-heated 200 degrees C oven at around 8:30AM.  

Got to eat hot, buttery homemade tear-apart butter buns before 9.  How cool is that?

Mum says the bread has "good flavour".  Thanks to the overnight fermentation of the dough.

Bread dough: 250 grams Casarine flour, 1 packet (5 grams) Shirakami Kodama Koubo, 25 grams caster sugar, 2.5 grams salt, 110 grams milk, 70 grams water, 25 grams butter

Filling: 45 grams butter (5 grams x 9)

Chilli Crab Kitchen is on IG.

SEEING CLEARLY

Things that I've discovered after my cataract surgeries are:

1. All colours are richer and more vivid.

2. The pigmentation on my skin is worse than I thought!

3. My black backpack is actually quite dusty!