Anyway, had a pretty productive day yesterday, including writing a few scenes, and am hoping for the same today, punctuated by a brunch with an old writer friend visiting town (his first book came out last year and I haven't read it yet, bad friend, sigh) and a meeting with a student who's making up an incomplete. Hope to write a scene or two, but also have a bunch of e-mail to churn through, two important checks to write, and really need to respond to Lisa re: the academic book project. Ugh -- have been SO behind on that...it's once again at the point where I'm embarrassed to write to her, because I have to start every e-mail with a profuse apology. Which makes me not want to even open her last gently chiding e-mail, which of course does not help. Sigh.
This evening, start cooking and cleaning for dinner party on Saturday. 12 adults, 9 children. (If you're a local friend of mine and sad you weren't invited -- sorry! This new rental is tiny, and I'm not sure we can even squeeze that many people in. We're going to have to have people over in shifts.) We're almost completely unpacked, except for our bedroom, which is a disaster you can't even walk through, but we can just close the door on that. I figure I'll be less likely to stress if I get a bunch of cooking done in advance. And curries get better after a day or two of sitting in the fridge; the flavors blend more. Vaguely pan-Asian menu -- not positive it all goes together, but what the heck. Tentative plan (things may get chopped):
- little Armenian pizzas (by Daniel and Anne)
- fried potstickers (from Trader Joe's, for ease)
- Vietnamese summer rolls with chili-honey sauce
- Gado-gado: Indonesian steamed veggies with peanut sauce
- Green curry chicken (spicy)
- Salmon with tamarind and coconut milk (mild)
- Ginger-garlic sauteed lamb
- Cauliflower curry
- Mushroom curry
- Pad siew (noodles with broccoli and beef)
- Rice
- dessert (by dinner guest)
- wine, juice, beer (ditto)
Where can I get Thai green chilies around here? I've got some serranos, but that's really not ideal. Is there an Asian grocery store anywhere in Chicago's western suburbs? Need to remember to stop by Priya's and see if they have fresh curry leaves for the salmon.
Will children eat this food? The gado-gado is pretty kid-friendly, I think, and I know Catherine and Kavi both like my mushroom curry. Maybe I'll make a quick butter chicken too.
I'll probably make the veggie dishes tomorrow, and start the meat/fish curries on Thursday. The gado-gado can be prepped Friday evening, I think. The summer rolls and potsticks need to be done at the last minute, yes?
Good thing Kevin just roasted a chicken; that'll take care of tonight's dinner, and maybe tomorrow's. I love sandwiches. Last night's sandwich was roast chicken, hummus, very thinly-sliced lemon. Would have been best on flatbread / pita, but we had none. It was still good on multigrain. Would have added some red bell pepper (fresh or roasted) if I'd had any on hand.
Mary Anne,
Ah, cauliflower curry… Back in 1970 I traveled India for several weeks and experienced the cuisine.
A friend and I decided to take a bus out to one of the great stone forts (can’t remember the name), a day trip. After touring the fort we decided to have lunch at the small cafe nearby. They were embarassed to inform us that the only thing they had that day were eggs and cauliflower curry, and of course chai (tea). We were hungry and agreed to that. We enjoyed the meal while sopping up the curry juice with a chipatti (sp?).
It was an interesting ride back on the bus. It stopped in a village and two armed guards with a money chest got on and chained it to a seat. It was quite a trip under the suspicious scowls of the guards. :^)
I think it’s generally written as chapati, but I wouldn’t swear to that. 🙂
Wacky about the money chest!