Taste of Asia...gotta represent!

So ages and ages ago, right at the beginning of semester I promised everyone an Asian dinner by the end of the year. It was the least I could offer in return for the delicious Italian meals I was constantly presented with and also I felt a great need to represent! The only challenge was that I would have to learn how to cook first. But secretly I knew that I couldn't go wrong with Sarah on my side =). Everyone knows that I barely cook for one, let alone for 16! But..since being on exchange I am a changed woman. This has grown firstly, out of sheer necessity (I grew sick of McDonalds quite quickly and Denmark just doesn't do frozen dinners) and secondly, having the privilege to be under the inspiration and tutelage of Miss Sarah I have improved my culinary skills. If nothing else, I can at least now cook rice on a stove. It only took me 5 times to get it right without burning it. (Hey, don't laugh I have a rice cooker at home ok!).

With our powers combined (i.e. I bring the Asian-ness and Sarah bring the cooking skills), I knew we could put on an Asian feast that could compete with the likes of Kylie Kwong.

Thursday afternoon started off with a trip down to Peter Bangs Vej to check out an Asian grocery we had recently spotted during our trips to the local doctor (me) and Blockbuster (Sare). A first glance into the fridge and "OMG, They have bok choy! bok choy!" *dances around excitedly in the tiny shop* Yes, the first bok choy or Asian greens I've seen in a shop in Denmark. Never mind the price, give me all of the 3 small bundles you've got! Having grown accustomed to living and shopping here now, I think I've lost all perspective on whether something is pricey or not, so someone please tell me how 40kk (about $9aud) for a kilo of bok choy fares by Australian standards? This store was a real score: we threw in some rice paper for Vietnamese rolls, rice vinegar, fish sauce, green curry paste, fresh chillies and noodles and left extremely excited.

And thus we produced the following menu:

• Singapore Chicken Curry
• Thai Green Pork Curry
• Tandoori Chicken Legs with Cucumber Yoghurt Dip
• Stir fried Chicken with leek, baby corn, bean sprouts and cabbage
• Eggplant and Mince
• Special Fried Rice
• Vegetarian Stir Noodles

Oh my mother would be so proud!

I'm officially not completely unmarriageable material anymore.

Welcome to our extravangantly, lavishly furnished common room at our kollegiet. Its evident why we pay more than any other exchange student to live in this beautiful place.

Look Mum..I'm cooking! For real! Ok..everyone just avert your eyes from the boxes and sachets in the background. ..

Robert and Philipp, selected to come early and chop vegies, based on their extensive skills and experience in this highly specialised area. Thanks boys!

Thai green curry with pork and eggplant, vegetarian stir noodles with cabbage and carrot, chicken stir fry with leek, baby corn, bean sprouts and chilli

The moment of truth...

Very special "flied lice"; Julien likes them chicken drumsticks..next time we're expanding into chickens feet and tripe..yum yum

Sorry luvvie, no pasta tonight. Sorry, no cheese tonight =P

The black hair is back. Authentically Asian alrite..

No prizes for guessing who got the most drunkard on the night..

Philipp falls prey to my current obsession with the colour accent function on my camera. On the other hand, he did eat 2.5 chillies for 40 kroners so the photo is rather appropriate. Anyone who readily does so has obviously never experienced the pain of eating chilli seeds before. I once stupidly ate the head of a chilli without seeing the millions of seeds hidden inside. My throat/voice was paralyzed for at least 10 minutes and I swear I nearly died..no really! Good on ya Philipp! Its good training when we eventually do our laksa night..yes we promise it will happen...

Sarah then started up a few good rounds of Asian/Australian trivia and of course they were tricky questions. The stumpers included, "Is Cynthia A) Australian B) Malaysian C) Malaysian-Chinese D) All of the above or E) She doesn't know ?" and "Finish the title of this movie..Crouching Tiger, ______". Seems like an easy question for the native English speakers but apparently the title is different in other languages! It truly was a night jam-packed with Australian/Asian-ness, however we did stop short of breaking out the jars of vegemite for everyone to try (been there, done that actually) and playing Jay Chou songs. Yes, I hear all you Europeans say "Who???" but never mind, for everyone's sake its better we don't venture into Asian Pop music altogether.

I must say that I'm now inspired to try new recipes and with only a few weeks left, I do need to use up the random ingredients lying on my shelf. If anyone wants more Asian food, I'll be more than welcome to make more dishes up as I go and feed you if you're game enough. Plus, theres also laksa we've been promising to to make since forever..we'll get around to it before we leave.

Well its back to the books and cramming for "Introduction to Danish Law". Then another 2 exams after that ><. Wish me luck! One more week and then its over. As in uni is really over. =)