The Morning Charge The "10:45 AM Panic" is a familiar beast. Thawing pork, a school pickup deadline at 12:15 PM, and a craving for something more than just "fuel."
Today, I decided to see how much umami a single rice cooker could hold.
The strategy was a deep-dive into the pantry: pork mince browned with yellow onions and garlic, bolstered by dried mini scallops, cuttlefish juliennes, and a heavy teaspoon of miso. I hit "Start" at 11:15 AM and walked out the door, leaving the broccoli and peas in the steamer basket for a "flash-steam" upon our return.
The Result: Vibrant greens against savory, pork-fat-infused rice. Seeing Isaac dig in at 12:40 PM made the hustle worth it. It was a "one-pot" success that didn't feel like a compromise. Even the garden got a win—the leftover rice water went straight to the mint and the "struggling" pandan plant. A small act of faith in a cup.
The Evening Gambit By 5:00 PM, I had visions of glory for dinner: A Double Pork Devotion. I was ready to level up for Jesz—pork belly, king oyster "scallops," and a healing Tonjiru soup with aged young ginger and radish. I even made a secret run to the shops to secure the final ingredients while the heir to the ludus slept. (eh?)
The Tactical Retreat But as the hour moved like a mad thing, the wisdom of the house prevailed. A hungry belly is a formidable opponent, and a 45-minute cook-time at 7:00 PM is a gamble even Ashur wouldn't take.
Instead of a three-course umami feast, we retreated to the cafe downstairs. There is no shame in the "pivot." Sometimes, the greatest act of domestic care isn't the perfect miso-glaze—it’s knowing when to put the pork back in the fridge and prioritize a peaceful, timely family meal.
The pork belly waits. The radish is in the crisper. The glory is merely postponed.