the dinner that made itself

There were times when I am dreading dinner. Like these past few days when half of my face is swollen from the root canal I had on Friday. T has been a true champion - making dinners since Wednesday for everyone and congee for me, cleaning up, doing laundry and taking care of the children.

I do wish dinner can just magically appear on the table - something soft that I don't really have to chew but still a little spicy and aromatic. Dessert that is not so sweet but soft, homey and mushy with a little texture so I don't really feel like a patient.
I was feeling useless and I got a little tired of lying around and popping painkillers - you would too, if you've done it since Wednesday! So I did the next best thing, I decided to cook something that I can just throw in a pot and let it magically take care of itself, like Ayam Masak Lemak. It's just a few pieces of chicken thighs - chopped and added into a pot with some coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, tomatoes, red chili, kaffir lime leaves, garlic and ginger. If you so feel like it some coriander. The chicken was allowed to boil once then simmer gently, cooked till the flesh fell off the bones. By then the white coconut broth would turn orangy pink from the colour of the chili and tomatoes. Just before dinner is served, I stir fried some kangkung (water spinach or Ipomoea aquatica) with garlic, chili and belacan.

  Dessert comes in the form of some homemade vla (dutch custard), raspberries picked by the little ones from the garden and chopped pistachio.

Dinner did appear magically on the table... and I spent less than 15 minutes prepping and stirring everything.