As The Jester-in-Exile, I Have Many Hats... (or, Are Ya Impressed Yet? )

The Schola Juris Vespertina, the organization of the students of the evening classes of the University of the Philippines College of Law, has this really cool shirt, which describes fairly accurately the life of the work by day/ law student by night UP denizen.

This is what the shirt says:

Civil Code Article 13

"When the law speaks of days... it shall be understood that a day is 24 HOURS..."

Work................... 8 hours
Meals.................. 2 hours
Daily commute.......... 3 hours
Classes in UP Law...... 3 hours
Studying............... 6 hours
Grooming and hygiene... 2 hours
Sleep (crossed out!)

Total................. 24 hours

Yup, this is how we live. Actually, we do get some sleep sometimes, like on the daily commute.)

So, what happens when one gets hungry at three in the morning, in the middle of slogging through readings, research, schoolwork, or take-aways from the office? Quite obviously, the jester-in-exile will have to fend for himself.

Which is not too much of a challenge, actually. Having lived alone for the longest time, the jester-in-exile wouldn't exactly be lost in the kitchen.

***
And so it was like that, in the witching hour of this morning, when the jester-in-exile felt a bit peckish. Old Mother Hubbard had more in the cupboard than the jester-in-exile had at those darkest hours before dawn, and there wasn't a 24-hour convenience store anywhere nearby to get food and other sundries.

(Wow, the drama. Haha.)

All the jester-in-exile had was stuck two ripe tomatoes, half a clove of garlic, a large red onion, a single red bell pepper, a can of sliced champignon mushrooms, five eggs, some ground chili powder, some cayenne pepper, some salt, two cups of jasmine rice, and a packet of furikake.

(Actually, I had more than that, but pay attention -- I'm actually laying out the ingredients of the meal.)

Surveying what he had, the jester-in-exile decided to whip up a classic staple: Vegetarian Omelet Rice Meal ala The Jester-in-Exile.

This is how he did it.

Vegetarian Omelet Rice Meal ala The Jester-in-Exile

Ingredients (for omelet)

1 tomatoes, slightly green; julienned
1 large red onion; minced
1 medium red bell pepper; julienned
1/2 clove of garlic; minced
1 50g can of sliced champignon mushrooms; drained

1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp iodized salt
3 eggs; beaten until fluffy

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Ingredients (for rice)

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1/2 tsp iodized salt

1/2 tsp fine black pepper
20 g packet Japanese furikake

Getting it all ready.


Soundtrack at the time: Control, Puddle of Mudd. Playlist was fairly extensive; while cooking, there was U2's Where the Streets Have No Name, Barbie Almalbis' Torpe, Sting's When We Dance, Kinosis' Maghihintay, Nickleback's Far Away, Crossfade's Cold, Muddy Waters' You Can't Lose What You Never Had, et cetera, et cetera...


Note to self: ask Doc Tess or Doc Jan for scalpels. My knife doesn't do julienne too well anymore.


No, my kitchen is not equipped with a That's Entertainment former non-star gas range.

Instructions (for omelet):

1. Saute the garlic until the garlic starts to brown. Add red onions.


Ahhhh.... the lovely smell of frying garlic.


Now with the onions

2. When garlic finally browns, add the tomatoes.


Now the tomatoes


Ordinarily, I love my tomatoes ripe and ready, but in this case, I'd be happier with those a little bit green.

3. When the onions begin to brown, add the mushrooms. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Stir fry.


The jester-in-exile does not recommend the use of magic mushrooms in this recipe.

4. When the tomatoes begin to cook, add the bell peppers.


At this point, the omelet stuffing is quite close to done

5. Let stand for two minutes, then set aside.


You're not supposed to burn this, you know.


Made for each other. Heh heh.

6. Sprinkle salt and chili powder on the eggs. Whip firmly until the chili powder is mixed well.


Would you like my eggs hot and a bit salty?


Pagkatapos ng batibot...

7. On a hot pan, pour out the egg into a flat omelet.


Is my skillet hot, or is it just me?


Normally, I wouldn't toss my eggs into the fire, but in this case...

8. When the egg is half done, lay out the stuffing evenly on one side of the omelet.


All together now!

10. Fold the empty side of the omelet to cover the stuffing. Leave on low heat until the edges brown.

11. Serve on a plate.

Instructions (for rice):

1. Cook rice. If you still don't know how to do this, ask your mother.


Susme, taga-ayanmo aya, a saanmo nga ammo ti agluto ti innapoy?

2. When cooked, serve as sidings for omelet.

Instructions (for meal):

1. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on the omelet, to taste.
2. Sprinkle some furikake on the rice.
3. Sprinkle some fine black pepper on the rice.

Sprig of parsley optional.

This dish may not be fit for a king, but it sure is just right for a jester


A good meal, a bottle of San Miguel Pale Pilsen, and a good movie... ahhh the life


Meet Michiko, my date


To Michiko's dismay, the inflight movie is Korean, not Japanese. Guess which one it was?
***
Shall we critique the meal?

- The omelet could have used some baby asparagus, some spinach, and some dill sauce. (Unfortunately, the nearest place to get the fresh stuff is six hours away by Victory, so fagedaboutit.)

- In case the taste veers to a bit of meat, bacon bits would be perfect. (Unfortunately, that wouldn't make this little meal halal, so in place of bacon bits maybe shredded beef jerky.)

- Fairly blah presentation. Sprig of parsley, next time?

Well, I tried. Heh heh.

***
I'll do better next time, I promise.

Later, all.