Thursday before last I spent the day with a Japanese sister, Chiaki (whom I adore, though per Rakhi she can be quite the task master preaching door to door! She's very serious about helping others improve their Thai.) Last call of the day was a quick visit with a woman she studies with.
Soo Lin is very sweet and sat us down and gave us the last of her milk to drink, and as we discussed the Can the dead live again? tract she became teary eyed - she'd lost her father within the past year and still very much missed him.
She speaks some English and invited Chiaki and me to dinner on Tuesday, along with some others who have joined Chiaki on the study previously. She had a thing of Spaghetti she was talking about making, but then Dtom Yum (a spicy, delightful soup) was also mentioned, so I wasn't sure exactly what the menu was going to be - spaghetti, or dtom yum, possibly both - maybe eaten together. It is Thailand.
So Tuesday came along and Chiaki, Ashley (sister from Canada via service in Dominican Rep.) Candy (Indian Thai sister who speaks Hindi, Thai and English), Sister Udom (Candy's Mom) and I headed for the study's house, which is just a few houses down from a local market.
We arrive and the study is cooking, but hands Chiaki a list of things we still need from the market. OK. Then, she has us taste the green curry she's making, worried it may be too spicy; it's not by me :) Then she excitedly shows me the spaghetti, asking if I know how to make spaghetti. Of course. She then shows me the bottle of Heinz ketchup - Thai's often use ketchup on their spaghetti and pizza as sauce.
As I head to the market with Chiaki and Candy, I come to realize this was no mere show and tell, nor her question of can I make spaghetti simple curiosity. I'm making the spaghetti.
Oh Dear. So I go to the market, buy some moo sup (ground pork), mushrooms, basil, onions and tomatoes then return to the study's house to prepare the spaghetti while the study and her sister in law video tape me periodically and snap pictures so they'll be able to do it themselves.
Thank heavens Ashley was also there to help a giggle at the situation with. It was interesting - when I put the water on to boil for the noodles I, of course, added salt. They thought it was for flavoring only - I don't think they'd ever heard that salt made the water boil faster.
Otherwise I stir fried the meat, onions and garlic, then added in the tomatoes and mushrooms - but had to balk a bit at adding the ketchup. I know it's very Thai, but I just couldn't do it. Instead I tossed in the noodles, and said we could each add the ketchup ourselves...or not.
All in all, despite the initial shock, it was a good night, the spaghetti turned out okay - and half the people topped it with green curry anyhow. Ah Thailand :)
Sorry, no pics this time - my phone was dead.
Still, I am becoming better at cooking in the Thai kitchen (or lack thereof in the case of my apartment which is now equipped with an electric skillet, electric kettle and rice cooker). With so many Witnesses in the same building as me Rakhi has compared it to a miniature Bethel. Ashley is the Kitchen (thankfully), I've been dubiously dubbed IT (believe it or not), Rakhi (who is a nurse) is the infirmary and Terry and Alanna are HQ.
Not sure what titles Luke and Brian received - though since Luke is an Elder I think the comment was made that's where you go if you get in trouble...Eep. Thankfully that hasn't happened as of yet to anyone. :)
So anywho, with so many people (and a couple fridges) cooking at home often makes sense, since for about the same price as eating out you can feed the building too, or save the leftovers and eat for the week. I had mexican(ish) night in my room a couple weeks ago and tomorrow Ashley is making pizza.
Went to the grocery today and got a packet of Mussaman curry flavoring (a spicy peanut curry that they usually add to chicken and potatos and possibly eggplant) may try it out come Wednesday, see how that goes.
Also couldn't resist the markets across the street from the mall (malls have grocery stores here), and splurged a little on a new top - but it's so cute!!! (and only about $4) Plan on wearing it tomorrow to immigration - guessing the asymetry is going to drive Ashley nuts (ba dump bump - get it because it's a squirrel).
So yeah it's 11;28 pm here, and clearly I'm getting a little punchy.
I'll have to go back in time soon and post pics of the Thai district convention - wait until you get a load of the baptism pool!
Such an adventure!! I'm so sad we weren't there to also have a giggle but we have been in plenty of unusual Thai happenings!
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