Inauguration

I'll try to avoid politics - but today it is unavoidable.

After 8 years of Bush league policies, we're getting someone who would rather debate Constitutional Law than mow their lawn.

Obama, the hopes we have in you, and your vowel laden name, are great.

Can you extract us with dignity from Guantanamo and Baghdad? Can you create those millions of lost jobs? Will Global Warming be curbed under your watch?

I think I'll fast tomorrow, January 20th. I haven't fasted since I was a child, but something about fasting tomorrow seems apropos. And apropos that's another vowel laden word that I'm a big fan of.

Tonight I decided to cook one of my favorite Thai dishes - fried ginger chicken.

A fairly easy dish, start with heating oil, sauteing onions and garlic. Through in your chicken. Cook fully. Then through in straw (shitake) mushrooms, ginger, and a bit of water. Cook for 2 more minutes. Then through 1 part soy sauce, 1 part fish sauce, for 2 parts oyster sauce - and plenty of spring onions and at least 2 of the hottest peppers you can find.

Now, I know how imprecise that may seem, but it is all flavored to taste, and what make sense for you.

My recommendations for this dish include : cut your ginger into thin strips. Between 1-2 centimeters (1/3 inch) and thin. Also, cut up your hot pepper very finely. Lastly, do the whole thing in a wok if possible!

Also, you can eat this extra healthy with brown rice. If you want to go extra healthy, steam up some peas and throw that in with your rice before you pour your fried ginger chicken on your rice - that adds some nice greens to this dish.

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