Khoi huu jao!

rice cracker
Originally uploaded by -The Kids

" Khoi huu jao" ( I know you) That's what I said to this little batch of rice crackers when I saw them at the market last night. If they could speak they would have said ..."you may know us but we don't know you")

It was a rainy rainy monsoon type of day yesterday so we finished around 4:30. I love the rain personally. And I'll take it over a day out in February ANY day. But, for a rainy day it was actually better than expected. For fear of hydroplaning we decided to not head north but stay in our local city and catch up on some folks and new ones there. (Some it had been almost a year! Yikes! just too little time..) But actually one woman won the long-time-no-call prize. My friend had a slip of paper her husband had given her with an address and contact info. Last dated: June 2001.

Oddly enough we visit and the woman is still there! Outside cooking... the smell of mak phet (peppers) could make your eyes water from the street. Honestly. She had *quite* the outside kitchen set up. I tried to say " I like your outdoor kitchen" as I was walking up but of course got it bungled in my head so it just came out "khoi mak" ( i like ) and then I pointed.

She pointed to the house then whisked my friend and I inside and sat us down. Thankfully there are always kids around to speak with. I learned a little Lao "patty cake " ( is it "patty" or paddy"?) song recently I'm going to try out next time. Anyway, she went back outside and yelled to her friend thru the window something about us speaking Lao and for her to talk to us and she'd be in a moment. She had to close up the kitchen area first I guess. (amazing, really, how many people do that?) Now, I'll more than humbly admit of the 3 of our little fledgling group I am the weakest link speaking wise. Understanding, no problem, getting words out of my mouth properly...forget it. Not much different than English I suppose! LOL. So weekly I get one muu kang khoi (friend of mine) correcting my reading and other correcting me on my pronunciation. (.. I live with the one who corrects my reading, so it's helpful actaully) I'm fine with that.. pasa Lao nyak lai. (difficult) So we are there for about a 1/2 hour talking and reading (yeah, no I wasn't the one reading : P.. T was trying) ..with both of them and we're promising to return in two weeks. Not seven years. Note to T, if your reading, remember to enlarge that paper. : ) I think we even got invited to a festival like event in a week. Wouldn't that be interesting. (Can't tho..too many strings...literally. )

So, as I'm sitting in this house there I'm wondering about the three clear trash bags full of these rice cake looking things. I have a recipe for Lao rice cakes you make from leftover sticky rice but I don't get much into deep-frying around home. As we are finishing up, I ask "mein nyang?" (what's that) and of course the woman wanders into the kitchen to retrieve a generous bowlful of these rice crackers. (My friend leans to me and says. "you HAD to ask didn't you?") hehehe. Of course!! (Too much Curious George in me..) So we are sampling the homemade rice crackers and get talking about food. I guess that's my newly discovered gift. I can speak Kitchen Lao! I'm quite certain the woman didn't believe me at first when I started talking about cooking. But then her and her friend broke into big smiles when I was talking about making Khao Nio and Laap Gai. And I had just had Khao Phiak Gai (Lao Chicken Noodle Soup) for lunch. We start going on in Lao about food.. Jaew (hot pepper dipping sauce, Ping Muu (BBQ Pork) ...So..... the way I look at it is it's a small beginning... opening a door. Use what you know. At least I got a real smile.

So, How does this relate to my little "Khoi huu jao" I spoke to the rice crackers?

Well, after dropping off T, J and I decide to do some food shopping.. stopping by the market I'm looking at Mak Len (tomato) and Long Bean flowers when J pulls me over and says hey "isn't this...." Yep. 3 rice cakes. $1.50. Now I understand the purpose of the outdoor kitchen I was starting to covet. I gotta say that's *allot* of work for $1.50 So, sentimental / emo me had to buy some. (Along with the Dok Bua flower cakes....mmmmm.....)

Point being, don't have one other than it's the small things that keep me inspired.


PS. The couch is on hold for pick-up in August (?) Thanks!

Other side note:
J received the privilege of a new assignment Wed. PM. : ) I wouldn't mention here it but I've been verbally flogged already from a few of our friends for not saying anything. Guess we're not really dek noi kids anymore. ; )