How to Cook Steak

When I was growing up in Malaysia, a steak dinner was a proper treat for my sisters and I. We ate Asian food at home, mainly Indian cuisine (rice, dhal, chicken curry, and so on). At times mum would cook spaghetti bolognaise or chicken nuggets- but steak was not something on the menu.

My dad loved a good steak, so we would go to Castell (I wonder if it's still there- it used to be very near my house in Section 16, near the round-a-bout!), or to The Eagle's Nest at Subang Golf Club for dinner. If anyone in my family ordered a T-Bone steak, the leftovers would always be packed up for my Dachshund, Dickie, who would devour it the second we got home.

Dad would always order it "Medium-rare". These days I eat it medium, and I cook it at home quite a lot. I love to cook, and cooking a proper steak was something I wanted to learn and do well. It is really not difficult at all, you just need to follow a few basic steps:

1. Oil the steak, not the pan. Rub each cut with olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. No salt, as this will draw the juices out of the meat.

2. The pan needs to be HOT before you put the steak in. Make sure it sizzles when it goes down.

3. Three to three and a half minutes per side (depending on the thickness) will usually do for a medium steak. I use a stop watch for precision.

4. When you put the steak down, do not move it around. Leave it alone for 3.5 minutes. Then turn and leave for a further 3.5 minutes. Do not stab/ move/ disturb it. You may press it down a bit but that's it!

5. REST the steak after cooking. It is very important to include this step so that the juices flow back into the meat. It will make the steak so much more succulent and juicy. Cover with foil if you like, to keep it warm.

That's it! It's ready to eat. Really not that difficult at all. I made steak tonight- so here are some pictures. C got some Sainsbury's Taste The Difference, the cut was a rump steak. Very tasty. I sauteed some organic vegetables (onions, garlic, chilli, courgettes, tomatoes, sugarsnap peas) bought at the weekend from The Creaky Shed grocers to go with it. Normally we would have it with chips, (you can't beat steak frites), but we went carb free as both of us are hitting the beach soon!

*My non-beef eating Hindu relatives, please look away now!*

Oiled, peppered steaks go on the pan.

Turned over. Cooking the second side.

Resting the steaks for 5-10 minutes.

.

Goes nicely with a glass of Argentinian Malbec. And some ketchup. Why not. I also sprinkled some sea salt on the steaks before serving.

Nice and pink inside.

I would love to hear how you cook steak or any tips you may have- please comment below!

"If we were not meant to eat animals, why are they made out of meat?"



Desiderata

I recall reading this when I was about 12 years old. A colleague at work e-mailed it to me the other day, and it brought back memories. Enjoy.


Desiderata (“Desired things”)

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labours and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

- Max Ehrmann (1872-1945)

London Eats

Hi there! C and I tried out several new restaurants in London over the last few weeks, and I thought I'd share the experience:

1. Breakfast at The Wolesley

I'd been wanting to have breakfast at the Wolesley for the longest time. I finally booked us in on a Monday morning, as we were both on holiday that week and weren't going away till the Tuesday. The vibe wasn't what I expected: I thought it would be quite "proper"- but it was actually really nice and relaxed, and the food was absolutely delicious. I had the fish cakes with poached eggs on top, and C had the full English. Good quality, well cooked food, and we were full for ages after that, and didn't eat anything till dinner that night! I would definitely recommend the Wolesley to London visitors, as it's in a really nice location as well, near Green Park tube station. After breakfast we walked across Green Park to Buckingham palace to watch the Changing of The Guards (I've lived here 11 years and had not seen it!).

2. Le Gia

Le Gia is a Vietnamese restaurant that I'd been wanting to try out as the reviews were pretty good. The food was authentic (I've been to Vietnam so I can make a fairly decent assessment). I really like Vietnamese food because it is very light and healthy, and generally doesn't contain wheat or dairy. However the restaurant itself was slightly strange I felt: It seemed like a former pub or hotel, with very high ceilings and an enormous bar on one side. It wasn't very cozy, and there were karaoke rooms at the far corner which I thought was a bit odd. Service was incredibly good, and food was fresh, so I will most likely give it another go. I still probably would prefer "Cafe East" in Canada Water, but that doesn't have the best atmosphere either.

3. Cinnamon Club, Old Westminster Library

I found a 2-for-1 deal for the Cinnamon Club on Top Table and thought we'd give it a try. I'd never been to an upmarket Indian restaurant before, so was keen to try it out. The decor was quite colonial: the restaurant is at the Old Westminster Library, so it had a very Anglo-Indian feel to it. I had the tandoori chicken (above) and C had a pork dish. Overall, it was very "chefy" and elements of the food had amazing flavour (in particular the tandoori. C's pork was a little tough though). However, I don't think Indian food is meant to be poncy or upmarket. Which brings me to..

4. Tayyab's

We went to this Pakistani restaurant on Friday night for dinner. I'd been before about a year ago, and really wanted to go again. It did not let us down: the food was excellent, which explains the constant queues and slightly chaotic vibe. It's worth it though. I had made a reservation, and we didn't have to wait more than 5 minutes to be seated. I've heard of people having to wait an hour to be seated despite making a reservation though! I think the key is to go in a small group and try to get there early (we got there for 6.30pm).

I've blogged about Tayyab's sister restaurant Needo's last year here. I would say Tayyab's wins.The best dish was the Mixed Grill (pictured), which consisted of lamb chops, chicken tikka and lamb kebabs on a bed of sizzling caramelised onions. All were marinated with lots of delicious spices and cooked to perfection. We also ordered the Chicken Karahi (C's choice) and the Bhindi masala (my choice). It's BYOB, so we had some red wine as well, which C got beforehand from Sainsbury's. Although chaotic, I couldn't fault the service. Our waiter was incredibly helpful and polite. It's not a place to linger, but go there if you want delicious food at amazing value. (Oh, and expect your hair and clothing to smell of sizzling meats long after!).

5. Brunch!

Brunch at.. err.. "Chez Moi". One of my friends came over for a lazy Sunday brunch. I should really do this more- it's so relaxed and really is stress-free entertaining. I did the chipolatas in the oven, and we had eggs "sunny-side up", mushrooms fried in garlic and parsley, fried cherry tomatoes and bacon. Our friend brought yummy pastries from "PAUL" bakery. They were divine. Next time I'll have to organise a pitcher of Bloody Mary as well!

Black and Gold

Autumn is here! Everything is gold and red and orange. I love black and gold, (I wear a lot of black clothing with gold accessories), so the gold leaves against the black branches is in my humble opinion, nature at its best!

Guy Fawkes night is this weekend ("Remember, remember, the fifth of November"), with fireworks displays all over London, so there will be even more black and gold to be seen.

Comfort Food

I've been house-bound for the last couple of weeks with the measles- a long story which I will not go into. Fifteen long days later, I am FINALLY feeling normal again. You know when you've been ill for so long, that you can't remember what it's like to NOT be ill? That's how I felt!

My normal appetite is back (woo!), and this weekend I was craving home-cooked Indian food. We get really authentic Indian food in London, but it's never the same as home recipes. I was ambitious: decided to do three dishes; a Chicken Curry (mum/ grandma's style), a tarka dhal, and an okra (also known as "ladies fingers" in Asia) side dish. All served with rice and chapatti, and mango pickle (mum replenished our stock when she came to Switzerland last month). I also love Geeta's sweet mango chutney from Waitrose. Very different to the sour mango pickle, it is a good contrast. All in all, I was satisfied: It was worth the effort!

Tarka dhal- from Sunil Vijayakar's "30 minute Indian" book.
The ultimate comfort food. Made with red lentils.

Mum's chicken curry (My twist: With sweet potatoes!).

Fried okra cooked with mustard seeds and tamarind paste

 Chorizo and Chickpea dish

Recipe from "Easy Living" magazine, October 2011

I made this for dinner on Friday night. I came across the recipe in a magazine, and decided to give it a try (ANYTHING with chorizo is delicious so couldn't go wrong!). It turned out really nice, and it is SO easy to make- takes no more than 10 minutes! All you do is saute onions, garlic and sliced chorizo (it's worth getting good quality chorizo). Then add a can of tomatoes and a can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained) and heat through. Stir in lots of fresh parsley. I added mushrooms as well (not in the recipe). We ate it with special bread I got from the Paul Rhodes bakery in Greenwich- Sour dough rye with sunflower seeds. I'm in love with this bakery. Their brownies are delicious too.

I love lazy Sundays.

To The Present

First I was dying to finish high school and start college and then
I was dying to finish college and start working and then
I was dying to marry and have children and then
I was dying for my children to grow old enough for school so I could return to work and then
I was dying to retire
And now
I am dying and suddenly I realise that I forgot to live.

- by Dr. Wayne Dyer

Speech to the Young : Speech to the Progress-Toward

Say to them,
say to the down-keepers,
the sun-slappers,
the self-soilers,
the harmony-hushers,
"even if you are not ready for day
it cannot always be night."
You will be right.
For that is the hard home-run.

Live not for battles won.
Live not for the-end-of-the-song.
Live in the along.

- By Gwendolyn Brooks