Shaletown


On the blue-green rising, falling tide,
Breathing in the pebbles,
Sighing out the salt breeze.
Chaff is blowing from the stubble fields,
Leaving the dried earth land it threads the gate...
Tunnel hedges...
Old mans beard,
Sticking to the wild plums...
Old mans beard.
And follows the pot-holed tracks
That lead to Shaletown.

The ox-mans soul forever turns around
And ploughs the stubble field,
Caught in the lonely mile
Between the roads to Shaletown.
He watches the chaff leave his dry brown eye
And swing over rose-hip stile
To Shaletown.

Under bronze-red sunset, cobweb clouds,
Dipping to the shadows
Dancing through the dead trees,
Over carts that struggle up the hills
Sticking into the sweat and blistered hands...
Nailed sacks flap...
From blackened walls,
Flailing arms to welcome...
From blackened walls
Into the groaning heart of Shaletown.

The ox-man turns and walks into the wind,
Towards the ceaseless sea,
Ploughing the lonely mile
As chaff settles in Shaletown.
The machines they groan and the hammers they pound
As night falls on Shaletown
The chaff settles in Shaletown.

Words: Simon Huw Jones
Music: And Also The Trees

滿 城 盡 帶 黃 金 蝦
Curse of the Golden Shrimps



較早時候, 看過"滿城盡帶黃金甲"這齣戲. 一齣以皇朝宮廷作背景嘅電影, 當然有基本的權力、慾念和貪婪嘅元素.

整齣戲是這些東西穿穿插插, 在糾纏不清, 覺得有点悶納的時間, 那一刻, 在我腦裡, 竟想起這碟餸.

金黃香滑豐郁的外衣, 裡面卻是幼嫩甜美的蝦肉, 蝦頭裡也有金黃香濃的蝦羔. 咬它一口, 是慾望的投射, 是詛咒的伸延.

弄這口黃金蝦, 只用上三數样材料, 簡單不過. 也不消十數分鐘.

好, 先睇睇材料...

1. 適量海中蝦, 一定要海蝦, 養殖蝦不該出現;
2. 咸蛋黃兩個, 黃金的精髓就是從咸蛋黃而來;
3. 適量葱、紅辣椒(去核)、少許蒜, 全部砌碎備用.

先剪去蝦頭刺手的部份, 備用.

將咸蛋煮熟, 取黃, 再碎成粉狀. 將蝦混在蛋黃之中, 加少許鹽和胡椒粉.

強火起鑊, 將蒜爆一爆. 隨即放蝦, 將火弄低, 輕煎蝦的兩面, 大概每面兩分鐘. 最後放葱及辣椒, 輕炒多一分鐘, 即成!

吃蝦慣常會喝白酒, 但吃黃金蝦, 紅酒更為適合, Pinot Noir甚至是大紅Shiraz都可以.

在糾纏不清的時間, 總會把鑊鏟拿來. 黃金蝦的詛咒, 我心甘, 也情願噢!

The Minimalist Cooking Celebrates Its First Anniversary

It’s been a year since. This blog was created on 14 March 2006.

It was meant to be a food blog. I have however abused this authority by stretching it a little far and beyond - music, lyrics, photos and plain nonsenses. This mix somehow seems to produce some flavours. I’m glad it has come this far here. Surviving, alive and kicking still. For this day there is every reason to celebrate.

The foods at this blog - the crabs, the basil, the okras, the shimeji, the melons, the tagliatelle and the like – all have a story of their own. Most of the recipes here were invented or improvised literally. There was someone who shared with me every bite of these foods. She was my reason to cook. She was my inspiration for new ingredients. Three weeks after this blog was created, she disappeared, vanished, in a puff of smoke.

For the following months, the blog and the blogger took a hiatus, not up and running until July. Arguably, its birthday should be another date in July.

I have found new inspirations to cook. I have found fresh flavours in my recipes. I have lived each season as it passed. I have learnt to resign myself to the influences of each.

And I’m so glad to have made a few friends along the way. This blog is a living blog. It wouldn't make much sense without you around. For this I thank you.

The Minimalist Cooking will continue to cook, to live, to learn and to love.

The Threesome

My three other nephews. Taken during a school summer holiday in 1992. My hometown in China. The heat was intense, the glare was burning, as you can see from their faces. They were playing at the same spot I was playing when I was their age. They were catching the same summer beetles I was catching. The one on the right is the closest nephew. We look more alike, don't we? These kids of course are all grown-ups now.

This picture was shot on film with a Nikon F801s. The original print and negative have been kept surprisingly well, making this old picture look very young still.

Picture upload has been made easier and better with the new Blogger and the link functions of Flickr. More to come. Stay tuned!