As much as I hate to admit it, cooking these days almost feels like a chore. I wrote about feeling burnt out in last week’s newsletter, and this week feels more or less the same. As a result, most of what I’ve been cooking recently are my trusty 25 to 30-minute meals. This recipe is one that I turn to on days when I just can’t be bothered putting in any more effort than boiling some noodles and frying some tofu. It’s simple but nevertheless satisfying.
Ingredients
175g (half a block) extra-firm tofu
200g (half a packet) rice noodles
5 tablespoons chilli oil (use more or less as desired)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 scallions, chopped
Kosher salt to taste
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, press and dry the tofu, then crumble it into pea-sized pieces.
Heat the sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high. Once it’s hot (you’ll know once the oil is shimmering), add the crumbled tofu and spread it out evenly. Once the tofu is on, leave it untouched for 5 to 7 minutes to let the bottom crisp up, then add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and stir everything together. Let it cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then lower the heat.
Cook the rice noodles in boiling water for 12 minutes or until al dente. Transfer the cooked noodles to the skillet, then add chilli oil, a tablespoon of soy sauce, and scallions (make sure to save some for garnish). Stir everything together until well combined. The noodles should be evenly coated at this point. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, then remove from heat and serve with sesame seeds and chopped scallions on top.
If you’re an avid TikTok scroller, you may have seen videos of people using the aged filter, which essentially shows how you’d look like if you were older. Plastic surgeons and beauty experts were quick to jump into the trend, making videos about how accurate this filter is, which, to no one’s surprise, only led to their recommendations on how to get rid of wrinkles and everything else that comes with aging. Whether they had good intentions by sharing “life hacks” and their go-to anti-aging products, I always find it amusing when a filter becomes so viral that it ends up being an opportunity for brands and entrepreneurs to push new products for us to buy.
I tried the filter on myself and saw what I could look like in the next 30 to 40 years. My initial reaction was that I looked a lot like my mom and grandma combined, and then came the doom of, “Oh shit, I’m not gonna look young forever,” — a confrontation I was not expecting to have at 10 PM on a Sunday night. The beauty and fashion industry has historically told us that we’re only relevant when we’re young, leading most people to fear aging and buying into trends in hopes of clinging onto youth. I don’t blame humans for feeling this way, but it is depressing the more you think about it.
Aging should be a badge of honour, showing a life well-lived. I want to look at my face in the future and think about how far I’ve come. I don’t want to obsess about my fear of being saggy and having smile lines, refusing to accept the very nature of my existence. I want to look at myself and be happy with how much I’ve been able to accomplish in this lifetime. I want to age gracefully. It’s chic (hot, even!) to get older and have my style evolve with me, developing my taste and figuring out what works and what doesn’t instead of just buying what’s trendy.
Coffee
I haven’t been drinking much coffee recently, which may come as a surprise to people who know me. I love coffee. I love its smell, the act of making it, going to coffee shops and buying coffee beans from places I’ve travelled to. But a part of me also feels like it’s become an addiction, with me relying on it to get through the morning instead of just getting enough sleep. I want to control my consumption of it rather than feel like it’s necessary for survival. Having said that, I don’t want to deprive myself of drinking coffee as a treat or a pick-me-up on days when I know a cup can help me perk up. It’s really more of an optional thing than a strict rule.