Long shopping trip...

Normally I try to get my grocery shopping done quickly, and two hours is very long, but such is life when one goes to several stores and has to depend on public transportation. It does mean, however, that I get to eat a good dinner. I got lots of veggies - corn, eggplant, zucchini - and even some treats from childhood. Since that was in Taiwan, this made an emotionally satisfying dinner. I am reminded of Proust's memories of madeleines, actually.


Couple of my favourite desserts growing up...

The top one is translated as sun biscuit, and the bottom one is probably similar in concept to a newton. This one has pineapple filling inside. Now that I don't eat them often anymore, I don't take them for granted.

Since I talked about eating more vegetables, I started thinking more about what I hadn't had for a long time, and Chinese eggplants was one of those. It's much skinnier and lighter in colour than we're used to. The skin is also much thinner. I finally located them in the last store I went to -Uwajimaya. Happily for me, they were even on sale. This is a very easy dish to make - eggplant, hot sauce (sriracha was what I used tonight), soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, white pepper, cilantro is the ingredient list. Eggplant is cut into sticks, either boiled or steamed, and then marinated in the other ingredients. Completely vegetarian and pretty quick to make. Cheap too, as about $1.20 worth of eggplant is enough for 3 servings. As it can be served either hot or cold, it's great for summer. Not to mention that because the spices make you sweat, it helps you to cool down. I have one more left with which to do a well known Szechuan dish.



Chinese eggplant, and tonight's dinner.

I have to say though, it was exhausting to be on public transportation in the heat today, which is why I don't do this very often. Normally I stop by the store on my way home from tutoring gigs. (I'm a math tutor.) I was slightly dehydrated by the time I got home, so I shall definitely have to remember to carry water with me next time I'm expecting to be out for any length of time.

All in all, I guess it was a productive trip, and I even got to stop in the store for a few minutes to chat with another shopper who was also buying eggplants. Also scored some Thai eggplants and lychees. I sense Thai curry coming up in the week, and it's just such a treat to have fresh lychee.

Oh, and it was egg, cheese and bagel for breakfast, and a chicken sandwich for lunch. So I guess that's 2 meatless meals for the day.