Chapter 56 - Homemade

Minjae had been to my apartment a few times this week already so he was quite familiar with the environment.

He too the baby bag and as  from the backseat then the grocery from the trunk then finally  came to open my door.

"Thanks you good sir" I said as outstretched my head like a dead fish waiting for him to take it but he just looked at it and rolled his eyes.

"Girl please who do I look like? The butler?"

He walked away towards the underground parking lot elevator leaving me behind in the car jutting my lips out throwing a tantrum.

"Are you coming child?" he asked as he made it to the elevator the same time that I got out of the car closing the door.

I folded my arm and held my head high as I slowly made my way towards the elevator, "hmm!"

He chuckled at me as I stayed in character of rich brat the whole elevator ride only braking the doors dinged opened for my neck was starting to hurt from stretching it too much.

We made the journey down the corridor and he stepped out of my, giving me access to the door to open it with my key.

"Come in come come." I said gesturing for him to enter my humble abode.

"I have been here before Atalia. No need to be all modest each time I'm here."

"Modest?" I asked chuckling, "oh dear don't worry about that because I wasn't thinking of playing a good host tonight. You're doing the dishes." 

He chuckled shaking his head and went to place the groceries on the counter.

I took the baby bag from him and went to placed it in my room in the closet so that no one could easily find it.

I returned to the kitchen and washed my hands before unpacking the grocery and placing the meat in the sink in a pot of water to thaw.

Minjae had made himself comfortable around the kitchen island playing on his phone while I did all the work.

I was not complaining though, I worked best when I work alone.

I decided on making him a Jamaican dish since we had been eating Korean food for a while and decided on making it the Sunday dinner edition.

I started off my washing and cooking the red peas (kidney bean), in the pressure cooker that my mom gifted me with while I thaw the chicken, fried the plantains, made the potato salad, raw vegetables and pasta.

It might have seemed like a lot of work to some other people but this was a regular Sunday affair for me and my people.

I liked cooking.

It brought me a sense of of peace and comfort as I easily maneuvered my way in the kitchen.

The potato and elbow macaroni were cooking in separate pots when I got to cutting the chicken in half taking only four joints before putting the rest into the fridge.

I preferred the leg and thigh combo on a chicken and Minjae preferred the breast and wing so that was good for I wasn't going to cook all my thigs and legs now and would have to settle for the breast later, my least favorite part.

I checked the peas in the pressure cooker after 30 minutes to see if they were soft enough and indeed they were.

I threw the peas into another pot and threw some water inside along with some scallion and thyme, garlic, pimento seeds and coconut powder for taste.

I allowed that to come to a boil as I repeatedly washed the rice before adding it to the pot hence why, 'Rice and Pease.'

"Wait. Don't Jamaicans use a rice cooker?' asked Minjae shocked.

"No Minjae, we used pots. Not all of us can afford or even know what a rice cooker is. Pts work just fine for us."

I had laid a cultural shock on him and he seemed to have tapped out of reality for a while.

"Wow" was all he could say when it had finally dawned on him.

I got back to work by testing the potatoes to see if they were cooked and drained the hot water when they were.

I let them cool down a bit as I texted the macaroni and they too were cooked so I drained the water from them and set them aside as I went to find the onion, cheese and more scallion.

I used a fork instead of a potato masher because I like it more that way, and that is how I was taught. 

I added some cheese and some more salt to taste in the potato salad as well as mayo then placed it in the fridge until I was ready for it.

I did the same thing for the macaroni, except with out the cheese but just salt, mayo and some finely diced up onion.

Everything looked good and the rice was on its way to being done.

I stuck a fork in the rice twirling it around a little and took a forkful to taste before putting a bag over it and reducing it to let it steam.

"Why do you put a bag over it?" asked curious Minjae.

"Well to leave it steam and sweat water so that it can be evenly cooked." I answered as if I was on a cooking show.

I had got done with making the raw vegetable salad with cabbage and carrots and few raisins when I finally had time for the chicken.

I would fry the plantain last since it was so despicable and would burn in one second if you take your eyes off it.

I sprinkled some seasoning both powder and raw seasoning over the kitchen before letting it sit for a while before adding it to the deep fryer. 

I fried the chicken on high heat for a few minutes then low for a longer time the second time around before getting to the plantain. 

I had had fun doing this and I seemed to have taught Minjae as well.

I was starving by the end of it all and couldn't wait to dig in.