When Taps Run Dry, A Simple Breakfast

It's now coming into the 3rd week that i have not had continuous water supply at home.   This is the worst ever water woes that i have experienced in my entire life.  It is hard to even imagine what more face this kind of problem in this day and age living in an urban area!  At least if one lives in a village or jungle there are wells and rivers to draw from!  The first week was just hell, we were not warned at all causing us to frantically find ways to resolve water needs.  A lot of time was spent running around to relatives and friends' places for our basic needs like showering and filling up some water to bring home.   And there's the running around to laundromats and having meals too.  We went further off to ensure these eateries were not facing the same water disruption lest we get sick due to unhygienic reasons.    Then they started sending water tankers that came at the oddest hour, imagine staying on alert just to catch them.   Fortunately, the barking of my neighbour's 3 dogs is loud enough to wake everyone on the street up when they arrive.   Love you doggies!  But jumping out of bed at 3.30am, queuing up in pjs and sarongs with eyes half opened and stinky mouths may sound funny but it is definitely no fun at all at that point of time!  

It a crisis out there, people are affected both directly and indirectly and it could lead to more serious complications.  I am so sadden to read in the papers that a mum to be suffered a miscarriage and lost her pair of twins while carrying water back to her flat :((  I am fortunate that it's a little better now that we are getting water on alternate days for a period of around 6 hours.  For now it's rush hour when water flows! 

Initially we ate out when this whole water disruption thing started but have gone back to making our own meals since the problem is wide spread and we can't be certain if a place actually gets clean water besides it's a hassle to go way out for meals.  At least i am in control when i make my own food.  For now it's keeping it simple all the way, store bought bread for breakfast, one pot meals, steamed dishes or anything that needs minimum washing for main meals.  

After getting tired of just bread, i bought this pack of tortilla wrap one day.  Made this simple breakfast quesadilla, something that i could afford to make since there are only 2 dishes to be washed, the pan and the bowl for the egg :)  

A nice change that added some cheer to this subdued mood that we are in. Healthy, tasty and simple, done up within 10 minutes.

Fellow Malaysians, you might want to think of this as a healthier version of Roti Telur, much healthier without any oil used in the preparation, whole grain and tastier too with the addition of ham and cheese ;-)

Recipe

Inspiration: Sea Salt with Food

Ingredients

• 1 piece tortilla wrap
• 1 medium size egg, lightly beaten
• 1 slice of ham
• 1 stalk scallion
• 3 tbsp grated mozarella cheese

Method

1. Heat up frying pan with just enough oil to coat the pan and fry the ham. Cut into smaller pieces then set aside.
2. Place wrap in the pan and pour beaten egg on top of wrap. When egg starts to set, place ham (on one half of wrap since it's going to be folded) on top of egg followed by cheese.
3. When cheese starts to melt sprinkle on chopped scallion.
4. Fold wrap into half with spatula and gently pressed it down.
5. Flip wrap over to get both sides slightly brown and crisp.

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Simply Eggs

I made this dish with a funny/cute/naughty name with the egg theme on Little Thumbs Up Event in mind.  I posted another one with funny name here quite recently if you are interested to read about it. A coincidence that it was chicken in the last one and egg in this one :)

Apparently this is a popular dish from Thailand.  There are many versions of the story behind the name.  Some say a son-in-law made them for his mum-in-law while the naughtier version goes the other way round where the mum-in-law will make them for her son-in-law when she suspects that he's misbehaving and this serves as a warning to to be good or ...

Whichever the truth maybe, this simple dish of lightly fried eggs drizzled in a sweet tangy sauce is quite appetizing and delicious.

This recipe comes in handy when there are some hardboiled eggs lying around, like during Easter or after attending celebrations like a baby's full moon or weddings.  An alternative to Sambal Telur, especially when something not too spicy is the choice of the day.

Recipe
Source: Thai Table 

Ingredients

• 2 sprigs cilantro
• 2 - 3 Dried whole chilis
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons Palm Sugar
• 2 - 3 shallots
• 1/3 cup cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp mix with 3 tbsp water (remove pulp to get tamarind paste

Steps

1. Boil eggs by adding cold water to cover the eggs in a small saucepan. Once the water starts to boil turn down the heat.  For eggs with runny yolks, let the water boil for 3 minutes and 5 minutes for hard boiled ones.  Pour out the hot water  and run the eggs under cold water for a few seconds then let them sit in a pot of cold water.  When the eggs are cooled, peel them.
2. Peel and slice shallots thinly.
3. Heat up oil in a wok.  Add eggs and fry until they are slightly browned.
4. Remove eggs and drain out the oil.
5. Fry dried chilli in the remaining oil.  Remove and drain out the oil.
6. Fry shallot slices until golden brown.  Remove and drain out the oil.
7. Remove any remaining oil from wok.  Over low heat, add palm sugar, fish sauce, water and tamarind paste.  Add extra water if necessary to get enough sauce. 
8. Adjust taste to preference.  It should be a combination of 3 flavors, sweet, salty and sour in balance.
9. Cut eggs into halves.  Pour over sauce. Add on fried chilli.   Sprinkle on shallots and cilantro before serving.

I am submitting this post to Little Thumbs Up "Egg" event organized by Bake for Happy Kids, my little favourite DIY and hosted by Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out.

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