3/16/2023
Lately my ideal food has been a rich, tender protein with fluffy, herby, flavorful rice and a sweet element for depth and balance, and this dish checks off all the boxes.
I had it when I went out to dinner with Ella, who ordered the same thing. We hadn't seen each other since 2019, and had had a few hiccups with scheduling since we were both so busy with work. I'd been worried that things between us would feel stilted at first, but when we laid eyes on each other, we picked right back up where we'd left off. Like no time had passed at all.
We talked about our jobs, what it's like to leave publishing for creative fields that have very different inner workings (and that we never would've seen ourselves in until we actually got there), how lucky we are to be part of something with people who are kind and supportive and just get it, that's fulfilling and makes us happy with labor in a way we never thought possible.
She talked about living away from home and wishing she could go back sometimes, how her mom would visit and they'd go out shopping, which I thought was really nice. "See, that's the thing," I began, "I was just getting to the part where my mom and I could finally be friends." And before I knew it—before I could even finish the sentence—my voice was breaking a little and I was in tears. Ella was quick to comfort me and reassure me that we all have moments that gave us license to cry in public, and it felt good to share a little about what the past two years have been like because I hardly let myself think about them sometimes. (Let alone cry about them.)
Conversation moved on to other things, meaningful and funny and eye-opening the way talks with Ella always are. Personal, the way I don't always get to be with everyone. (Scorpio things.) She's one of the few people I can really turn to when I need perspective on mental health stuff. I checked the time after I accidentally cried and it was 6:30 p.m. The next time I checked it, it was 8:30—but it didn't feel like two hours had passed at all.
We shared a Grab ride home and promised to see each other again very soon. It was very healing and life-affirming, and I can't wait for next time.
As for the dish: The salmon was a little more done than I expected, but I enjoyed the crispiness of its sear. I think it was brown sugar-crusted, because the crispiness had a bit of a crystal-like texture to it, and there was an extra layer of sweetness that was unexpected but definitely not unwelcome at all. It all came together well with the rice and the mango salsa, which needs to become the next big condiment that you'll find everywhere. It's my ranch dressing. It's my chili crisp. It's my way of life and I would carry it in a tiny clip-on bottle for mango salsa emergencies if I could.