Let me preface this by saying that I do like the UK.  English people are very polite, and they can be funny when they’re drunk.  And I love that when I go to the dentist, I get treated like I’m Cameron Diaz.  There is a darker side though.  They are sooo bad at customer service.  I could bore you with many tales where I received less than optimal customer care, but that is its own spectacular brand of douche.  Just take my word for it.

What I’m dealing with at the moment is the reaclimating process.  In Australia, the teenage boy bagging my groceries asked, “how are you today, miss?”  Baristas calmly accepted my decaf coffee orders without scoffing.  A sales person told me I was making the correct choice when I bought a kangaroo scrotum bottle opener.  There was eye contact.  Smiles.  I almost mounted a hotel concierge when he upgraded my room.  All around me light.  Things done properly.  Condiments on the side.  Gluten free menus.  Men successfully pulling off ponytails and seven inch beards whilst selling boomerangs.  I felt a part of it all.  I longed to be a part of it all.

Now, I’m back.  I won’t be going out for dinner very much, or leaving the house.  So, here’s a very nice Laksa recipe.

Chicken and Prawn Laksa

*I’ve made it before and I’ll make it again.  I just don’t have the picture ready.

• 2 shallots thinly sliced
• 1 red chilli finely sliced
• 5 cm piece of ginger finely sliced
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 2 lemongrass stalks finely chopped
• 2 chicken breasts finely sliced
• 400 g raw prawns, chopped
• 600 ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 TBS fish sauce
• 1 TBS brown sugar
• a few handfuls washed spinach
• 250 ml coconut milk
• 2 limes, squeezed
• bean sprouts, butternut squash noodles, zucchini noodles, cooked rice noodles, or cooked rice

1. Gently fry the shallots, ginger, and red chilli in the coconut oil.
2. Add the lemongrass, chicken, and stock.  Simmer and stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar.  Cook for 6 or 7 minutes.
3. Add coconut milk, spinach, lime juice, prawns, and whatever noodle you choose to use and cook for 3 minutes.