Breakfast for Champs: Smoked Salmon Benedict

So, I’m sitting here in my 11-year-old childhood bedroom thinking what on earth to write about next. Since I flew back to Malaysia a week ago, I haven’t had a moment to myself! Not a single moment. I’ve been running errands with mum, training with my brother, raving with friends. Oh my goodness, life is so different here. I forgot what it was like to co-exist with people.

As a belated birthday gift, a friend of mine bought me tickets to Heineken Thirst 2013 – a huge electronic/house music rave in KL. We got to see Nervo, W&W, Example (ACK!), Afrojack, etc. I learned a very important thing that night: I am not a raver. I tripped and fell on my face even before it started, says the ice-skater. It was fun for the first hour but by 10.30, I was ready to call it a night. I guess I didn’t realize how much of a hermit I had become compared to the rest of my cocktail generation of smokers, druggies and skinny no-butts. I run by a tight schedule of college, work and CrossFit so I barely have time to recover from hangovers or hospital trips, let alone have lunch with friends. Are they the new normal? Or am I the new abnormal?

Also, would it surprise you to know that the CrossFit and weightlifting methods are totally different in this part of the world? As a birthday present, my brother booked a 4 hour private lifting session with a coach from China (ironically, the morning after I had been raving for 5 hours). It turns out that everything that I spent the past year learning in the States is… well, maybe just COMPLETELY different. I don’t know how to lift anymore! I’m ruined. :(

Word of advice: don’t party before training. Better yet, just don’t party.

Speaking of ruined, have I mentioned how freaking delicious Malaysian food is? And how incredibly NON-PALEO it is? Good Lord, forgive me for I have sinned. Over. and. over. and. over. again.

So, this is a recipe you often find in fancy little brunch places that have eggshell yellow walls and a generous tea selection. It’s actually quite simple to make and I guarantee it’s cheaper, too. It’s a perfect Saturday morning breakfast for your roommates, or late Sunday brunch for your significant other. It’s also really fun to make with your best friend or mum, especially because it doesn’t take as long when you have two cooks.Ingredients:-

3 farm fresh eggs (must be fresh, otherwise you can’t poach em properly!)

5 strips of thinly sliced smoked salmon

1/4 cup almond milk

Salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Little bit of distilled vinegar

Little bit of capers to garnish

Garlic aioli

6-8 cloves of garlic (because I can’t stand iridescent vampires)

1/2 lemon, squeezed into juice

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon salt

About 1 cup olive oil

Method of Madness:-

Scrambled eggs (hey, this is only my second time ever making scrambled eggs, so don’t judge!):

1. Break two eggs in a bowl and add almond milk, pinch of salt and a good sprinkling of pepper. With a fork or whisk, depending on how professional you want to look, beat the eggs until frothy. 
2. Drizzle some coconut oil on a pan at medium heat. Pour the eggs.
3. Using a spatula, push and pull the eggs as they cook, while allowing the uncooked wet mixture to flow over the part of the pan you scraped. Get it? 
4. You can stop scrambling whenever you reach your desired consistency/wetness. :)

Poached Egg

1. In a large pot (preferably with high walls), bring water to boil and then reduce to a gentle, relaxing simmer. 
2. Add a splash of vinegar. This allows the egg whites to tighten up and envelope the yolk.
3. Crack your fresh egg into a small dish, ready for its bath.
4. With a whisk, create a fast-moving water vortex in your pot. VORTEX!
5. Gently drop the egg into the center of the vortex. (key word: GENTLY)
6. Cook for exactly 2 1/2 minutes. 
7. Take out your baby with a slotted spoon and lay to rest on a paper towel. 

Garlic Aioli

1. In a food processor, mince the garlic cloves, egg yolks, salt and lemon juice until as fine as possible.
2. With the blade running, SLOWLY trickle in the olive oil, stopping every few seconds to check on the consistency. If you like a thicker aioli that’s spreadable like I do, add more olive oil. 

ASSEMBLE YOUR CREATIONS!