Last night, we were more relaxed than we had been in days. Groceries were scheduled to be delivered today and tomorrow, so we were thrilled that cooking wouldn’t be a problem for the next two weeks. We were so relaxed that we managed to watch three episodes of Kingdom on Netflix in one go because we didn’t have to keep scouring the web for more food sources. Simple joys. Short-lived though.
Today, still in bed, I kept checking the clock on my phone. Why hadn’t the groceries arrived? I checked my email and there was nothing that said there would be no delivery.
My older daughter, Sam, said that the Metromart website could no longer be accessed. I did what I thought to be the next logical thing — check the Facebook page. And there it was — the announcement that Antipolo was no longer included among the areas where groceries could be delivered. I felt panic, anger and frustration in the same split second.
I messaged Metromart, gave my order number and asked what would happen. I was especially worried because I paid with my credit card. If my card were charged but no groceries were delivered, that would be a double whammy for me. Five hours after sending the message, all I got was a canned response. Nothing that answered my question as to whether orders made and paid for prior to the announcement of modified delivery areas would still be honored.
*Sigh* Someone will have to go out tomorrow to buy from the market. What choice do we have? It’s less crowded there than inside the groceries where people, elbow to elbow and shoulder to shoulder, are still maniacally filling their carts with bottles of rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer.
Oh, the irony of having no choice but to go out after voluntarily and diligently staying home. It’s almost like “die from sickness or die from hunger”… but that’s too melodramatic. We’re not starving yet. And the threat of contamination in the market? Well, there still only one confirmed case in Antipolo and he resides too far away from us. I’d like to think that we can still stay safe.
So, anyway… Last night, there was oyster mushroom fried rice.
Oyster Mushroom Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 250 grams oyster mushrooms
- 12 green beans
- 2 tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- salt
- pepper
- 3 cups day-old rice (see notes after the recipe)
- 3 large eggs beaten
- soy sauce
- sesame seed oil
Instructions
- Cut off and discard the root ends of the oyster mushrooms. Tear large mushrooms into smaller pieces.
- String the green beans then cut into half-inch pieces.
- Split the tomatoes, scoop out the centers and discard. Cut the tomato halves into small pieces.
- Heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a frying pan. Spread the mushrooms in the hot oil. Over medium-low heat, cook, turning occasionally until the edges are lightly browned.
- Turn up the heat to medium-high and pour in another tablespoonful of oil into the pan. Add the green beans to the mushrooms, sprinkle in salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often until the green beans are softened.
- Throw in the tomatoes. Sprinkle in a bit more salt and pepper. Stir a few times and cook for half a minute.
- Turn up the heat to high. Add the rice to the mushrooms and vegetables. Drizzle in the soy sauce over the rice. Stir fry until the rice is hot.
- Push the contents of the pan to the sides and pour in the eggs into the well in the center. Stir the eggs slowly until partially firm then stir into the rice.
- Taste the mushroom fried rice. Add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Drizzle in the sesame seed oil. Toss a few times and serve.
Notes
Three cups of rice when mixed with other ingredients are just about enough for four of us. Adjust the amount of rice according to your usual consumption. And if you do use more rice, you might want to adjust the amount of the rest of the ingredients too.If you cooked this dish (or made this drink) and you want to share your masterpiece, please use your own photos and write the cooking steps in your own words.
Go to Small Neighborhood Groceries. Less Crowded. Safer.