Melaka: Welcome Lunch Ratatouille

As I had not been in my house for almost one month, I felt an overwhelming urge to go back to have a look. Kimly was also tired after the long journey in the air conditioned express bus where he could hardly sleep due to the very low temperature. So the first day's programme was to get a good rest for both of us.

My refrigerator must have been quite empty for two weeks, after VC who was looking after the house had also left for his home town. To replenish my fresh stocks, we crossed the bridge from the bus station to the hypermarket opposite to get some meat, fruits, vegetables, etc. In fact, I needed a diet desperately to lose all the additional kilos I had gained in France but I had to put the plan aside as long as my guest was around. When Kimly told me that he missed French cuisine despite all the nice Malaysian food he had savoured during the past five months, I decided to cook a French lunch.

When we reached my house, I took out from my bag the dried sausages

and the mustard of Dijon

that I had brought back from France, Kimly was emotional to see the familiar food stuff from his home country.

Grown up in a Chinese Cambodian French family, Kimly was very used to Asian cuisine at home. Her mother was also good at cooking European dishes. In Penang which has a reputation of the food paradise, he was very content with street food. The hawker centre near his university offered a variety of local delicacies. Sometimes when he craved for a steak, he would go to a western restaurant which was much more expensive than the locals. Yet he could not find the authentic French taste.

I am definitely not a conventional cook. When I plan to prepare a meal, I first look into my refrigerator to see what is left inside, then I cook my own version of dishes. With the ingredients I had that day, the dish that came into my mind was the famous Southern French stew "ratatouille", of which Hollywood had used the name to make a cartoon two years back.

I started to cook spaghetti

and stew beef, tomatoes, a green pepper, egg-plants that I had cut into small pieces and seasoned with chopped garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Provence herbs.

The French loaf, though not as crusty as the ones in France, was freshly baked from Tesco.

My guest, who did not complain about the authenticity of my ratatouille, kindly finished everything which was served in front of him.

Did the welcome lunch make your tongue feel home, Kimly?