I first celebrated my National Day by making this dish for my Dad. These days been so hectic with internship during daytime and study in the evening. Not much time left for cooking, but, still a couple of hours in the early morning to make him brunch. Of course, i'll never stop cooking for my Dad.
So, he had to change his daily lunch hour to brunch hour instead. Hope he won't find it hard to get used to this new inconvenience cos that's all i can do now. The thought of finding a job or two, earning money by my own, urge me so hard that i have to rush in, with everything i have in hands and shoes on my feet.
But then, holiday comes, saves me and my little family for a while. Three days.
Back to the sudden change of schedule thing, i have to note down some good places to shop for fresh food in such early time. Not another market, of course. A grocery store ,and... another grocery store, hah! :D which i found by... chance! I must say i'm picky when it comes to food and friends, not to mention i stopped consuming food from the market since news about rotten pork have been splashed everywhere.
A nice place with a nice AC plus cozy, full of veggies grown from seeds and fresh made tofu everyday, would be my very first choice, my favorite grocery in town. Even tho i'll have to wake up earlier and travel farther. It's worth it! VG Food, find it on Hai Ba Trung St, next to Tous Les Jour and thank me for telling you they have fresh tofu everyday, still warm in hand.
The second store is An Nam gourmet supermarket, where i just stopped by and grabbed some button mushrooms and beefs this evening. What to say about the place? Do you love Western food? Yeah?
Well, then you should've known this place before i did!
No?
Try and see if you'll fall hard for it!
This place offers fresh baked breads, sandwiches (oat, rye, wholegrain...) another choice if you are to reduce your waist measurement and care more about your health. Check out the place for more veggies and stuffs from other countries. I like it how they display all their Evian bottles just in front my eyes when i walk on the second floor.
Back to today's dish, spaghetti alongside some salads. Simple to go.
I came across some button mushrooms today and the idea came along with half of
the baguette left from yesterday.
Break the spaghetti into shorter pieces, boiled with butter or olive oil and salt. I prefer putting more salt to boost up the taste a little bit. Drain them after... 7 minutes.
Heat the pan, add some olive oil and garlic. Don't wait for too long because garlic could get brown so fast before you can do anything about it. And we just want to flavor it, not to destroy the whole flavor with distasteful bitterness, just when they start to smell. Then, add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, lower the heat and leave for 3 mins, then add your beef and quickly turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for another minute. Add spaghetti, a few spoons of tomato purée. If you have more time, make the fresh one (here i used canned tomato). Hold the heat for other 2 mins then you've passed half way!
Salad can be topped with whatever dressing you prefer. It can be a mixture of mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, cream cheese or simply vinegar and spices, or more...
Mine today was mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, little bit of apple vinegar, olive oil, garlic. Mixed well and refrigerate. It tastes a bit like Caesar. Agree?
I have a small tip that I mixed the veggies with lemon juice and spices, drained them before topping them with this mayonnaise dressing.
That's my way and my dish today.
Did you notice i run out of mustard?
