Rialoves2cook: Today, I've blended my culture with Thai flavours to offer you 'Kare-Kareng Hito in Peanut Sauce'. I tried a few different spices and sauces before finding the right combination and captured the magic from my first catfish meal in this beautiful country. Fittingly, the person who introduced me to the dish, helped me with today's post, though be warned, he is a cornball in the video.

#catfish #ThaiPinoyfusion #lovethisplace #whenfriendsinvadeyourkitchen

Posted: November 14, 8:50 PM

Sameeraskitchen: Girl! That boy is way more than corny, he's smoking. I hope he's introduced you to more than food.

***

Before the recipe was ready to post, Maria savoured the spicy, peanut, ginger, and shrimp paste tastes, assessing for potential modifications. The original dish had a rich peanut taste, but the red curry paste and chilli peppers added a Thai zest. The tamarind was out of place in the flavour palette, judging by the residual sourness. She'd hesitated to add coconut milk; however, it might make a better substitute.

When a loud knock echoed in her room, Maria plodded to her door with a furrowed brow. Mitch stood outside in a pair of baggy, elephant-print 'Thai' pants she'd only seen tourists wear.

"I'm out of fish sauce. Could I borrow some?" he asked.

"Yeah!" She held the door open for him, then headed to her cooking corner near the window. "Sorry, it's a mess. I'm still in creation mode."

"No need to apologize." Mitch strode to her hotplate and lifted the wooden spoon. "May I?"

"Sure, pour the rest on a few pieces of catfish. I'm making a new version with coconut milk."

He sorted through her box of dishes like he spent every other day in her apartment, even though he'd never stopped by before, and made himself a small plate. After offering Mitch her chair, she settled onto her disaster of a bed, strewn with far too many dresses, shorts and tops for the upcoming weekend vacation.

He took a spoonful of her dish and sighed. "This is great. Why are you redoing it?"

"I want amazing, like the catfish salad at the market."

After another serving, Mitch tapped his fingers on the bowl. "It's a little sour, not extremely, but it lingers."

"Imagine it creamy, with more heat and sweetness."

"You've got my attention. Are we making this tonight?"

"Didn't you come here for fish sauce?"

Mitch laughed and rested his elbow on his leg. "I did, but I'll stay for the food if you want the help."

Adding better footage to her post not shot from books she leaned into a tripod would help her odds of winning. "You'll have to shoot the video."

"If you're looking to reach a new audience, nude cooking—"

She crossed her arms. "Don't push your luck."

After setting down his bowl, Mitch grinned. "There's the Maria spirit."

She tidied up a few unneeded ingredients and washed dishes in her bathroom sink as he finished his snack. Then she set out her red curry paste, fish sauce, Thai chilli peppers, peanut butter, coconut milk, butter, and flour. By the time the oil was heating in her wok, Mitch had started recording.

"Now we turn to the Maria. In her natural habitat, the back corner of a Thai apartment turned kitchen, she contemplates her next meal. She's abandoned the tamarind and has welcomed a new player, coconut milk," Mitch spoke in a faux British documentary narrator voice.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. An audio track could cover Mitch's goofy narration.

"As the common frown emerges, the Maria distracts herself by creating an amazing catfish dish. First, onion and garlic. Can you hear that sizzle? Let's get closer, slowly, so we don't spook the Maria. She's not fond of sudden movements or change, although she's adapting to her new surroundings abroad well. Look at the finesse as she sprinkles in the red curry powder, butter, and flour. What skill!"

Spoon in hand, she turned to him. "Are you going to do this the whole video?"

"Fascinating, the Maria has picked up on our language with minimal exposure."

"You're way more of a dork than I pegged you for."

"Assumptions are dangerous. What's next, Chef Maria?"

"Peanut butter, a bit of stock and salt and pepper, truer to the Filipino recipe." She poured in each ingredient as she named them. "Coconut milk and Thai chillies to give it the satay sauce goodness and some sweet heat."

"That's what they call me on the basketball court," his cocky mid-Western drawl returned.

Shaking her head, Maria stirred the curry-like soup base. "Because you're too soft on defence?"

"Because I bring the fire and make those losses sting."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"You heard it, ladies and gentlemen, we have a challenge. Part two of Chef Maria's video, how to lose gracefully on the courts."

As she mixed the sauce, she tempered her smile. Last week, Mitch's presence would have made her anxious and irritated as her mind cycled through her ex's potential reactions. Today, she welcomed Mitch's goofiness and his opinion on her final dish for the contest. After tasting the creamy sauce and adding more salt, she poured it on the catfish. When she handed him a spoon and placed the bowl on the table, he smiled behind the camera. She took the device so he could sample it for her audience.

"That's amazing. You guys watching at home have to try making this. It's so damn good!" After a few more rushed bites, he offered the dish to Maria, and after turning off her phone, she tasted it. She'd blended her family's comforting flavours with the richness of Thai sauces.

"Are you not having a bowl?" Mitch asked.

"I ate the earlier batch and was going to bring the rest for supper tomorrow."

"Afraid there won't be any food on the island?" he teased with a cheeky grin.

"The way you guys compare it to a resort, I wasn't sure of the price tag."

"It's not too expensive by regular standards, like eating downtown."

Maria expected as much, so she'd planned to make the most of the money she invested in her contest dishes. Her excursions and the fresh ingredients added up. She had Sunshine's loan, but the less she spent, the sooner she'd have it repaid.

"So you'll eat lukewarm leftovers alone instead of dining with us?"

"Not for all the meals." She smiled.

"But more than one?" Mitch met her gaze with wide eyes.

Avoiding his stare, Maria played with the oily label on the fish sauce. He'd worried enough about her.

When she looked up, his playful expression had faded. "Shit, I thought the money was an excuse. I didn't realize—"

"I'm doing okay." She relaxed her shoulders. "It's best to prepare for anything. A storm or break down could strand us on the island or the road. It never hurts to have food, especially when it's tasty." She set down the sauce, washed her hands, and found her wallet. "I have the van and boat money for you."

Perhaps it would ease his concern as she didn't wish to be a walking charity case. It was bad enough Tom had sensed it. On the table, she counted out the cash she owed, which left her wallet light.

Digging his hands in his pockets, Mitch said, "I don't feel right taking that. I pushed this trip on you without—"

She smiled. "I want to go."

He scratched his chin. "What if I take half now and the rest after payday? You haven't even earned a full month's wage yet, right?"

"Not yet."

"What good is a beach holiday if it causes stress? I've been here long enough that lending you twenty dollars won't break me."

His grin was likely meant to reassure her, but it did the opposite. With a wall of hair to hide behind, she nodded, cheeks burning. Panicking over twenty dollars was ridiculous, and sadly, she dragged Mitch into it.

"If you're interested in extra work, some of my students' parents want private tutors for their kids."

Maria's head perked up, and she pushed her hair out of her eyes.

As she paid him more attention, Mitch's face held its soft glow. "I can recommend you. It would be easy for us to exchange notes on expectations and progress."

Maria straightened her spine. More teaching wasn't appealing, but it would get her back on financial track sooner.

"How often?"

"Once or twice a week. Sometimes the parents want them to have an hour-long conversation with a native speaker, or the kid needs help with grammar. I'd recommend starting with one student. Juggling that and classes can overwhelm you."

She stood up straighter. This wasn't a pity speech. It was a legitimate offer. "I'll do it."

"To give you an idea, you'd be able to pay off this." He showed the 600 baht. "In just over an hour."

Her jaw dropped. "You're joking!" In Canada, it wouldn't be too surprising to earn twenty dollars for an evening of tutoring, but here she earned close to 50 dollars a day.

Mitch shook his head with a grin.

"Thank you, Mitch." She wrapped her arms around him. "That's the best news."

He rubbed his hands over her upper arms and returned the hug. "You've got this. You're never alone out here."

His touch sent tingles through her body. While Mitch acted abrasive, many of his actions seemed motivated by wanting the best for others, and sometimes himself. However, she wasn't certain of his tricks when he wanted a physical relationship. To her knowledge, Becca was coming on the trip, but it hadn't discouraged him on the night Maria had broken up with Adrian.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Maria asked in a soft tone. She stepped away from the embrace.

He matched her tone. "You deserve it after dealing with a bad break up, money troubles, and classroom issues all at once."

"You pick up on a lot for someone so easygoing."

Mitch laughed and leaned closer. "And Emma said you're one hell of a dancer."

Her stomach fluttered. "Is that all you're after?"

He grinned like he did at Becca. "Well, it depends what you're offering."

Maria bit her lip. No wonder he seduced plenty of women. He sensed what a person needed and adopted the persona. But she'd seen how he treated Becca. Could she handle being in that situation?

She stepped away. "Nothing you'd be interested in."

Mitch glanced at the orange bikini top Sunshine had insisted Maria bring to Thailand. She'd strung it over her metal headboard rail with the more comfortable tankini she planned on wearing.

His voice dipped lower. "Don't be so sure."

She narrowed her eyes despite heat growing across her face. "That wasn't what I meant."

"You can have plenty of fun between now and happily ever after." He took half of the transportation payment and the bottle of fish sauce.

She hadn't met a lot of Caucasian North Americans who enjoyed the taste. "What are you cooking with fish sauce?"

"I'll think of something."

"Then why ask for it?"

Mitch shrugged and smiled. "It smelled good when I passed your apartment. I hoped you were cooking something tasty."

Maria failed to hold in her laugh. "Troll for food much?"

"Can't argue with the amazing meal. Speaking of which, I better settle up." He pulled three-hundred-baht notes out of his wallet and left them on her mini-fridge.

Maria tried to return the money. "I can't take this. The whole batch hardly cost that, and you helped me film."

"Just invite me over next time you make catfish, and we're even."

As he left with that crooked smile, Maria sat on her bed with a huff. She wanted to shove him out the door one minute and pull him back in the next. She'd have to figure this out before Samet because if she wasn't careful, her body would act on the urges her mind suppressed to protect her heart.