Disingenuous naïveté

Before Sunset throwback, Amaya, fondant potatoes!

Food news of the week:

Embarrassed to say that I’ve only just tried Laksamania, and it was good enough (vetted by me and another Singaporean) to visit again– their soft shell crab laksa invigorates the soul. Finally, the fermented pumpkin hummus and roast meat platter I had at Acme Fire Cult with my dearest friends on Sunday must be celebrated, alongside the crispy claypot rice bits underneath buttery and tender chicken at the relatively new Pot and Rice, which had the approval of my claypot-loving friend from Hong Kong.

Science of the week:

Are overly perky people annoying, or is it disingenuous naivete?

"Disingenuous naivete" or "pretend innocence" describes someone who appears innocent but comes across as insincere. Studies in psychology suggest that people who exhibit constant cheerfulness may be perceived as lacking awareness or understanding of current affairs / everyday responsibilities. People who seem constantly happy all the time tend to be perceived as ignorant and this is at total odds with critical thinking, something you’d expect a grown-up to have. Research indicates that this perception stems from our brain's tendency to assess social cues and detect inauthentic behaviour. On the other hand, when someone is excessively happy, it triggers suspicion about their sincerity and conflicts with our own experiences of life's complexities, making it seem unrealistic and irritating!

Insight of the week:

There’s a line in Before Sunset (which I adore and watched recently), where she says social media is a form of fascism, which feels so in contrast to an article on robotised love and sex that I read in the New Yorker recently, which touches on how technology is reshaping our intimate relationships by providing new forms of companionship. This juxtaposition highlights the dual-edged nature of the techno-optimist movement: on one hand, it has the potential to oppress and control through pervasive surveillance and manipulation, while on the other, it offers novel possibilities for personal fulfilment and human connection.

Recipe of the week:

unpictured: pale and fluffy on the inside!

A savoury one today, since I know people enjoy the savoury ones as much as the sweet, or so it seems! All you do is: fry thick slices of potatoes, add butter, garlic and herbs to the pan, then spoon the juices onto the taters, before letting them cook for a few more minutes. I can make these again and again. This recipe is a mashup of two– one I found on Instagram and bbcgoodfood.

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes

100g butter

5 cloves garlic

200-250ml beef stock

1 sprig thyme + a tablespoon of mixed herbs (optional but adds depth)

pinch each of salt and pepper

Directions:

Peel your potatoes and slice them along their lengths into thick slices– at least 2 inches thick. It’s important for the pieces to be thick enough because otherwise you’ll have a hard time flipping them with your tongs. Heat some oil in a pan on medium-high and wait for it to get hot– splashing a little water into the pan should cause a sizzle. Add your potato slices into the hot pan and let them shallow fry on the first side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, and you can check by gently flipping them to check if they are golden-brown. Flip the slices to cook them on the other side.

Next, turn the heat a little lower so it is just on medium, then add the butter, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Let the flavours infuse and butter melt. Then add the beef stock, let that simmer for a minute, and then tilt the pan towards you and use a large spoon to spoon the juices repeatedly onto the potatoes for another couple of minutes. This will give the fondant potatoes that nice glossy, almost caramelised outer layer. Flip the potatoes again (they should look well browned) and do the same. Then let the potatoes cook for another 10-15 minutes. At the 15-minute mark, use a fork to cut through one of the potato slices to see if they’re done– they should look light, pale and fluffy on the inside, and would be easy to cut through, Once done, use a pair of tongs to place them on a serving plate, and spoon on the juice, cooked garlic and herbs. This goes so well with kale and caramelised onions!

Restaurant of the week:

Alongside Chutney Mary and Veeraswamy, Amaya forms part of The Indian Collection, or London’s most acclaimed group of Indian restaurants, and I finally had the chance to try the missing piece! And yes, I’ll get to Gymkhana one day…

In the realm of London’s Indian, right now I’d rank Chutney Mary the highest, followed by Jamavar, and then Amaya, but you do get some serious value here. You simply don’t get a luxurious, full tasting menu at the price of £80 pp in most places in London, let alone Mayfair.