Beef Satay, Hokkien Style Noodles and a Mango for Dessert!

Sometimes I procrastinate and wait for the very last moment to do something I should have done days, weeks before. And so it was the case for this month's meal. Despite my best intentions, things just kept popping up along the way. I kept thinking, "I'll tackle that meal tomorrow night, next week, whenever." Before long, I noticed on the calendar that we only had a day or two left of this entire Malaysian month!

So, what does one make when they are in a crunch for time?! Noodles! Hokkien Style noodles, at that! Kind of like fried rice with noodles in place of the rice, it was quick, simple and easy to make. Perfect for a weeknight! And, best of all, you can really use just about anything that is on hand, supplementing this for that, replacing what you don't like with the things that you do.

In addition to the given recipe, I also eyeballed some additional white pepper, crushed red pepper and ginger powder...since we live in a spice-savvy household.

(The recipe came from Asia": The Beautiful Cookbook by Jackie Passmore, p. 168)

As for the appetizer, we made a beef satay. That, however, was not quite as easy as the noodles...but, in the end, it was SO worth it! Everyone - even my toddler - wanted seconds! And, despite not having a few of the ingredients (like tamarind paste!) on hand to make the marinade, I improvised and the taste was not sacrificed.

(The recipe came from Global Kitchen by David Joachim, pg. 74)

Finally, for dessert, we wrapped up the meal with a simple but lovely mango. Sometimes I forget that fruit can be dessert...but, really, isn't that the best kind?!

Every once in a while, waiting until the last minute pays off. This was one such night. Of course, I hope to be better prepared next month!

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