Flower In The Ash
A lovely flower grows from the ashes of the fire
Blooming splendidly all alone
No trace of char or remnants of the flame
Still the smell of the smoke isn't gone
There is no telling residue on the petals
One would never know the flower's closeness to the flame
Stop and smell the rose so lovely in the ash
Then see if you still feel the same
The flower is a heart that has continued to exist
The only way it knows how to survive
Still blooming in the ash but untouched by the fire
But alone will the flower continue to thrive
There will come a day when the flower of the heart
Can move away from the ashes of the fire
Learn to live again in a garden full of flowers
And the smell of the smoke will expire
Copyright *Neva Flores @2010
May 25, 2010
Jan 12, 2010
Sep 12, 2009
Jun 7, 2009
Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
No Words Wednesday: Mango Chicken
Category: Asian-inspired, poultry | Difficulty: easy to medium
Does this dish need any words? I don't think so...
Ingredients:
1 pkg. boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins or cutlets (chopped)
1 red bell pepper, or 1 sweet red pepper
2-3 tbsp. oil for frying
1/2 c. (or more) of water
1 c. white flour
handful of cashews, left whole or lightly chopped (optional)
handful of fresh coriander (for garnish)
To make the mango sauce:
2 fresh ripe mangoes (soft = ripe), fruit scooped out, or substitute with 2 cups frozen or canned mango
1 red chili, de-seeded and diced (or seeds left in if you like it extra spicy), or 1 tsp. red chili sauce
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. fish sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 thumb-size piece ginger, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
1/2 cup fresh coriander, including stems, chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves, snipped into small pieces with scissors (throw away the stem and central "vein" of the leaf)
Preparation:
To make the mango sauce, simply place all sauce ingredients in a food processor or chopper. Process well. Taste for salt, spice, and sweetness. Add more sugar if you find the sauce too sour (the sourness/sweetness will depend on the sweetness of your mangoes). If it's too sweet, add a little more vinegar, but if it's not spicy enough, add more fresh chili or chili sauce. If it's not salty enough, add more fish sauce. And, if it's too salty, add more lime juice (what you want is a balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty). Once that's achieved, set the sauce aside.
Place flour on a plate or clean working surface and turn chicken slices over in it until they are well coated. Place oil in a wok or frying pan over medium to high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken slices. Fry for 5 to 10 minutes or more on each side (depending on thickness), until chicken is cooked through.
Frying Tip: When wok/pan becomes too dry, instead of adding more oil, add a little water (1 tbsp. at a time). This will keep the chicken frying without adding extra fat/calories. If you're interested in purchasing a wok, there's a few in the gourmet shop.
Place mango sauce in another (clean) frying pan/wok over medium heat. Add cooked chicken slices. Also add the red bell pepper or sweet pepper, stirring occasionally. Bring the mango chicken to a boil, then reduce to a simmer medium to low heat for 10 minutes, or until peppers have softened.
Serve in a serving bowls and top with coriander. Sprinkle with cashews (optional). Serve over Thai jasmine-scented rice and few cucumbers on the side! YUMMO!
Apr 19, 2009
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