I had a particularly eventful week for me, so I figured I would like to document some of that for posterity. I feel like I often struggle to remember the good things about life (don’t we all?) if I don’t document them. So here are some highlights from this week that I hope you enjoy!
Media I consumed (and loved!)
This week I finally went to watch Project Hail Mary with my friend. I read (well, listened to), the book last month and absolutely loved it. I think I needed the book and the movie at this point in life. I often consume a lot of media that is quite cynical and dark: crimes, thrillers, investigative documentaries etc. It is nice to be reminded of the good things about humans sometimes.
I think the book was perfect and the movie was quite nice. I am a snarky movie goer when it comes to book adaptations so I was trying to be calm while watching the movie, and not get too annoyed at the understandable changes they had made to the script (sorely missed watching all the nifty little science experiments Grace was doing trying to figure out the g).
The only real criticism I have of the movie is that I think they made Grace too much of a bumbling idiot. I mean it is funny to watch him rip apart the wires from the Hail Mary and stand there covered in wires and electronics, ready to face the alien space ship, but my question is, did we need that at the cost of character assassination? Grace is just naturally funny and goofy. But he is also very very smart and resourceful. One thing I loved about the book was that Grace felt like a real scientist, someone I would actually know amongst my peers in academia, someone who is funny and goofy and silly but is also incredibly smart. I definitely missed the lack of that character in the movie.
Also, and this is a VERY small complaint, but I missed Rocky adding “question” at the end of every question. He sometimes does it in the movie but listening to his particular sentence formation in the audiobook is so much fun!
Other than these minor nitpicks, I think the movie was perfect!
Little moments from the week:
It was lovely and sunny one day here in Manchester. So caught these little patch of flowers in their full glory.
Summer sunsets in Manchester bring these beautiful contrasts of the overcast sky in the background and the bright sunshine on everything. I love it!
Went to Tatton Park this Sunday and saw some deer!
I have started a new thing every week where I cook food from the same cuisine for all my meals each week. This week was inspired by Asian dishes (other than Indian food). I made some Thai food, some Sri Lankan food, and some Malaysian food. I was genuinely impressed by all the recipes and will definitely revisit each of these cuisines again!
10/10. This was such a new but deliciously satisfying flavour combination for me! It was also ridiculously easy to whip up. Will definitely make again!
Sri Lankan Deviled chicken
8/10. The only reason this gets a couple fewer points is because it involves pre-frying the chicken which felt a little bit fussy for me. It was absolutely delicious with Jasmine rice though. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture!
Malaysian Coconut Curry with prawns and vegetables
8/10 on a cold day. I think this curry will go beautifully on a cold day! It is mild, hearty, and lets all the ingredients shine on their own. My only problem was with the recipe (or my execution?). The recipe I followed called for a lemongrass paste but that turned the whole thing a bit fibrous, which I did not enjoy. Next time, I think I will just smash some lemongrass in my mortar and pestle but keep them whole.
Sri Lankan Coconut-pepper goat curry (replaced beef with goat)
My favourite has to be the goat curry. This was a new combination of flavours for me but I think the combination of the coconut milk and pepper went together beautifully. I also discovered the wonders of Jasmine rice this week. Will definitely be buying more Jasmine Rice for my everyday consumption! And will definitely be making this goat curry again!
I bought myself a little “Mini-Store” model kit last month as a treat after I submitted my paper. This week I finally got around to finishing it and here is the result! Isn’t it delightful?! It is a magic astronomy shop sat on my desk right now and I love it!
This week, I was grateful for my wonderful friends here. I was also grateful for my past self. I have been batch-cooking on Sundays which takes a humongous effort but towards the end of the week when I started losing energy, I was insanely grateful to come home to delicious pre-cooked food perfectly portioned out. I am grateful that i had the good sense to eliminate the mental and physical effort of deciding what to eat everyday.
What’s coming up next week?
It is going to be a busy week at work. I am not planning on consuming much media because…work! Food wise, I have planned on Mughlai meals for the week. I grew up in Delhi but never truly delved into unique Mughal recipes. So this should be interesting (and tasty!).
Question for you: What were the highlights of your week?
