“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” - Albert Einstein
One of the important things that I learnt from my parents was the art of reciprocity. Human relationships, when broken down and analysed at the basic level, are built on reciprocity. We aren't always as complicated as we make ourselves out to be. At the most fundamental level, we all yearn to feel appreciated and loved. My parents have always set an example for us in terms of reciprocating acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. I remember every Chinese New Year where my mother would pack individual packages of treats, including "lucky" ingredients such as mushrooms, oranges, nuts and cookies, for each of our relatives based on their preferences. Or my father, who has always been pro-active in hosting dinners to show his appreciation to colleagues.
I have tried to make this a principle in my own relationships with friends and loved ones, and I've discovered that it isn't as easy as it seems on the surface. It requires consistency of purpose and conscious effort. But I'm always grateful by the unsolicited and surprising reciprocal gestures that I receive in return. I say it is an art rather than a science because there is no one way to do this right - sure, it can take the form of gifts, but equally, it could be in the form of a well-crafted note, a hug, or quality time. Take my friend, G, who always brings her copy of Hot! Magazine when she visits because she knows that I don't support celebrity culture but am nonetheless a sucker for couture gowns, or who, despite being tired, will slap on an apron with me and help me with the dishes when I am hosting a dinner party. Or my ex-colleague and good pal, Johnny No Stars, with whom I shared breaking news stories every morning, lame jokes about Malaysian politicians, and piping hot vadais when we were working late. Or JT, who ironically is sometimes nicknamed Inconsistent, who has been an unfailing source of support for me and has always cleared his schedule to meet me for lunch when I'm back in KL, despite all that is going on in his life. And there's B, who during his recent trip to Italy, and knowing what I would value, brought me a bottle of fantastic olive oil and spice blends, rather than the latest fashion item from Milan. I am a lucky gal. Charm and personality may attract friends, but it's the art of reciprocity that will ensure that these bonds endure over time.
When thinking about the dishes that I've come to regard as favourites, I often think about the quote above by one of the greatest thinkers of our time, about finding the right balance between plainness and complexity. The Italian Pasta Aglio Olio e Peperoncino, which I tasted for the first time in Rome, is one of those dishes that manages to bring out the natural flavours of its base ingredients - pungent garlic, fruity olive oil, chilly and al dente pasta - in a wonderful way. Key to this dish is the quality of the ingredients. Use the best extra virgin olive oil that you can afford, be sure to use fresh garlic and invest in quality pasta and the rest is relatively straightforward. I decided to mix things up a little using vegetables I had on hand - mushrooms and asparagus - and although I was unsure about the results, I was pleasantly surprised. The mushroom liquid, described below, adds depth to this meatless dish. A generous pinch of B's magic spice blend was all that was needed to complete the dish.
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
250 g linguine
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
100 g slender asparagus, tough stems snapped off and stems peeled, sliced into 2 inch pieces
100 g button mushrooms, quartered
80 g buna shimeji mushrooms, roots removed and separated
1 fresh red chilly, minced (substitute 1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes)
Large pinch of dried black trumpet mushrooms (optional)
1 dried shitake mushroom (optional)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Chopped basil and Italian parsley to garnish
In a small bowl, reconstitute black trumpet and shitake mushrooms in hot water. Leave aside to soak for about 1 hour. Drain, squeezing excess liquid out of the mushrooms and reserve soaking liquid. Chop mushrooms roughly.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and a lug of olive oil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
In the meantime, heat extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick skillet over low heat. Add garlic, and sauté gently until lightly fragrant, about a minute or so. Add chilly and reconstituted mushrooms and fry for another minute or so. Add button mushrooms and buna shimeji mushrooms and season with sea salt and black pepper. The mushrooms should be just about ready by the time the pasta is done (Otherwise, keep warm on the stove on very low heat).
A few minutes or so before pasta is ready, tip asparagus into the pot with the pasta. When cooked al dente, drain pasta and add to the skillet.* Toss well. Add about 1/4 cup of the mushroom liquid and mix well. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with basil and parsley and serve immediately.
*Tip: If you can work quickly, take the skillet off the heat. Otherwise, maintain a very, very low flame while you are mixing your pasta to help the ingredients blend.
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