steamy

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It's getting hot again.

I've been taking for granted the cold season's respite from the heat. And now I begin to remember what it's like to be drenched in sweat from morning to night. Despite the way it makes running difficult, requires me to wash my sweaty shirts more often and leaves my face glistening with a sweaty sheen, I usually enjoy the heat just fine. That is, of course, when I have a functioning shower at home. Something's wrong with the plumbing at the house so we've been without water for two long sweaty, hot days. As one might imagine I smell (and look) awesome.

On Sunday morning - back when I could still bathe myself - I went to the home of the family I tutor for. I was greeted at the gate by their new puppy, a poofy ball of pomeranian fluff, about 6 inches in diameter, named Poo. We spent most of the two hours rolling around with the unfortunately named pup and talking about pets and home and food and why Americans say "piece of cake" when the conversation has nothing to do with cake. (in thai they have a similar expression: "like eating a banana") As I left they presented me with a leaf-wrapped parcel and told me to eat it for lunch..

mystery leaf package

So I refrained from buying the sticks of chicken satay with peanut sauce, or the somtam with stickyrice, or the noodle soup, or the coconut smoothies, or the steamed pork buns that I pass on my 20-block walk home and saved my appetite. At home I opened up my package to find...

Joong!
aka Zhongzi aka Jongzi aka probably many other things

Joong are steamed Chinese sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves - kind of like a Chinese tamale. kind of. This one was a delicious mash of long grain sticky rice, peanuts, mushrooms, salt egg yolks, chestnuts, sweet pork chunks and fresh lotus seeds, all seasoned with 5spice powder and a generous amount of black pepper.

Joong deconstructed

Savory and meaty and salty and sweet and nutty and chewy... I demolished my joong in about 5 delicious minutes.
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