Breakfast for the Chopper Flyer

A few nights ago I had a dream of going to a remote provincial district in a Southeast Asian country… I’m not sure if it’s because I fell asleep reading “The Food of Thailand” or had been listening to Miss Saigon, or it’s rather usual for me to dream of food – like blue cabbages and golden apples. In that most recent dream, there were these gardens tended by child refugees – and I was there to cook – and there were beds of spring onions and ginger that sprout every five seconds! Then from the sky was a chopper and it dropped a square package that landed snugly in my arms. I looked up and it was- the Flygirl! In that package was a small toy and some food. It was quite coincidental- because I heard that the Flygirl has gone to a medical mission recently.

I don’t know if this is my conscience’s way of reminding me that Flygirl has done a lot for me- including fixing my blog page or teaching me how to drive the car or reserving me seats at the MTR in Hong Kong or shipping kilos of tuna and prawns and exotic crabs from the South - and many others – and that I forgot to cook for her birthday last February 10. But she wasn’t here! Somewhere scraping the skies, I guess. And I did nothing to return those favors but – what else – cook her breakfasts whenever we’re together. It has never been a burden, though in chilly mornings in my pajamas with my hair hastily bunned on top of my head, I am already at the kitchen rummaging through the purple fridge while my beloved chopper flyer is still sleeping and she’d wake up to the smell of coffee and butter.

Anyway, since she has the tendency to look for diversity in food as in her life, this is only what I was able to whip for her in 20 minutes- using whatever was offered by the cupboard and the fridge the day it was created. So here it is, a quick, fancy, girly breakfast dish for that adventurous soul.

Teriyaki Tofu and Red Cabbage Omelet

50 grams tofu, cut into small pieces then sprinkled with 1 tsp thin teriyaki sauce
3 pcs. Large eggs, beaten
2 T coarsely chopped roasted cashew nuts (which she brought from Palawan )
¼ tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/3 C shredded red cabbage
1 pc small tomato, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic
1 T chopped scallions
Salt and pepper
Oil for sautéing and egg frying

1.Heat oil. Sautee/ stir- fry garlic, scallions, tomato, tofu very quickly. Add cashews, then toss in quickly red cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2.On a clean pan, heat oil for omelet. Put in the beaten eggs and fry until done. (Flygirl wants her eggs well- done. She hates those oozing yolks- which I truly love- but rather have them... well- done)
3. On a plate. Place the sautéed tofu and cabbage mixture in the middle of the fried beaten eggs and roll. Slice. Serves 4. (Or, depends on the appetite)
4.Serve with rice or garlic rice.

Spiced coffee

1 C Brewed coffee or instant coffee
1 T Sugar
½ C Fresh milk
½ C Foamed milk
Nutmeg and cinnamon

In a large mug (we don’t use dainty coffee cups- we use mugs as large as our face), pour hot coffee, dissolve in sugar and spice powders, add fresh milk, top with foam, then a dash of the spice powders.

Freakin’ fake foamed milk. Since we don’t really have an Egro coffee machine at home and therefore no steam jet, I foam by whisking fresh milk as we do to foam egg whites. The milk proteins will split and incorporate air, thus the fake foam.


Pass the ketchup, please Luis! :)