Guess who's back
#Eat Plentiful 61
I won’t dwell on the reasons I abandoned you… other than life got busy and I didn’t make it a priority. To those of you who’ve stuck around, thank you. It’s good to be back.
Lately, I’ve had the itch to start writing and get back on the Substack horse. So here I am. During one of my Sunday cooking sessions recently, I had a Tony Robbins podcast playing in the background, and a line stuck with me: “If you’re not creating, you’re deteriorating.” It made me realise how much I’ve missed the feeling of making something, words, meals, putting ideas and thoughts onto paper.
Why this newsletter? Does it need to be more complicated than: it does me good. Cooking has always come naturally to me, it’s my go-to when I’m stressed or tired. And if I can help, inspire, or make someone a little more curious about food while doing something I love, then it’s a win-win for everyone.
A few things have changed since my last post.
I’ve got a new job as a food and beverage operations manager. It eats up most of my time, but I love it. I’m learning every day; most recently through a series of unfortunate events, and occasionally, the good way.
My love for hospitality is still very much alive and kicking. Although food is what first drew me to it, I’ve come to understand that the real glue is service. It’s the welcome, the rhythm of service, the attention and most importantly the way people make you feel that makes you go back to a place.
I also started therapy and made it a weekly habit. Among other things, it’s helped me accept that we contain multitudes. It doesn’t make me crazy to go out one weekend and drink an irresponsible number of dirty martinis… then run 15km, surf, and be in bed with tea by 9pm the next. Both can be true and apparently, they’re both me.
I didn’t wake up on Jan 1st basking in sunlight, full of resolutions and ready to take on the world. Instead, I woke up with the flu. A proper one. It lasted a week and made me feel so old I struggled to walk up our stairs. Not quite the start to the year I imagined but, it turns out the one I needed.
It forced me to rethink January. Maybe it doesn’t need to be the launchpad for everything that year, instead it can be the month to lay foundations for the year ahead. December is never slow, January should be.
So here I am, January over, still no booze, neither cigarettes. I’ve been sticking to a strong morning routine, and most importantly, I’ve been cooking the way I want to feel: restored, fresh, and alive. Think plenty of herbs, garlic and ginger, and almost always a bit of heat. I know that if I get the sleep right and the food right, the rest will fall into place.
Which brings me to a dish I ate on repeat when we had the flu. Woody, Ash, and me: chicken broth with rice, chicken, and chilli oil. Simple, soothing, and just right.
Chicken broth, rice, steamed chicken and chili oil
A flu-season favourite, medicine you and your kids will actually want to eat.
Serves 2–3
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 small onion, halved
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced
A good handful of coriander
1 chicken cube
¾ cup jasmine or basmati rice, rinsed
1 fresh green/ red chili
100ml vegetable oil
1 lime
Splash of soya sauce
Method:
Make the broth:
In a medium pot, combine the chicken, onion, half the ginger, 2 garlic gloves (roughly chopped), coriander stalks, a pinch of salt, the stock cube and about 1.2 litres of water. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
Remove the chicken and set it aside to cool slightly, either chop or shred. Strain the broth and return it to the pot. Taste and season with a splash of soya.
Cook the rice:
Cook the rice as per packet instructions and replace half the water with some chicken stock. Cooking the rice in broth gives it so much more flavour.
Make the chili oil.
Finely chop the garlic, ginger, fresh chili and coriander and place in a bowl. Heat oil until boiling and pour on the herb mix.
Assemble the bowl:
Scoop rice into bowls, top with the chicken, hot broth, and a good drizzle of chilli oil. Finish with fresh coriander leaves. Add a splash of soy or lime if that’s your thing.
What’s inspired me these past few weeks
Anna Jones. If you don’t follow her newsletter yet, you should. Her veggie-based recipes are actually the kind you can eat on repeat. She’s big on seasonality and shines the light on individual ingredients in a way that makes you want to get in the kitchen.
Butter by Asako Yuzuki. Inspired by a real-life serial killer, this novel shows food as power, comfort, and obsession all at once. I doubt you will be able to resist cooking yourself a warm bowl of steamed rice with a slab of butter after reading it. Let me know when you do.
This quote:
“The amount of good things in your life depends on your ability to notice them.”
I saw this on one of the many inspirational Instagram pages I follow. It’s been playing on repeat in my head…and made me smile ever since.
Until next time.
Aimee x