This dish incorporates two of my favourite vegetables, aubergines and mushrooms. Heavily influenced from all the years I’ve spent in Asia, expect powerful, fresh and punchy flavours with that underlying sweetness that South-East Asian cuisine is known for.
SERVES 4
PREP TIME 10 MINS
COOK TIME 20 MINS
TOTAL TIME 30 MINS
INGREDIENTS
2 small – medium sized aubergines (cut into 3/4 inch cubes)
175g oyster mushrooms
1 and a half courgettes (I used up the 2 cores from my Easy Courgette Ribbon Salad and sliced them into squares)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp tamari / soya sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar / maple syrup
1/2 lime (juiced)
1/4 zest of lime
1 large mild red chilli (adjust as per your taste)
1 sq inch of ginger (minced)
1 clove of garlic (minced)
2 spring onions (sliced)
1 tsp sesame seeds
Large handful of coriander (chopped)
STEP 1
Prepare your 3/4 inch cubes of aubergines and sprinkle them with salt then set aside as you prepare the rest of your vegetables.
STEP 2
Heat a pan until it’s very hot and add rapeseed oil. When the oil is hot, add the aubergines and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes turning regularly to ensure all sides are golden brown the centres are soft.
STEP 3
Add chilli, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, tamari, apple cider vinegar, lime zest and a splash of water then cover and heat for another 3-4 minutes.
STEP 4
Add courgette cores (if you are cooking with whole courgettes and not just the cores then add these in with the mushrooms in step 3) and sugar then cover and cook for another 4 minutes.
STEP 5
Turn off the heat and stir through lime juice, sesame seeds, spring onions and coriander and serve with rice or noodles.
My first full day in Myanmar was certainly that – FULL. 104kms of an emotional, beautiful and bumpy-as-hell journey. I finally got my early start in with a 4:45am alarm that I snoozed until 5:30. Up, ready and out to the morning market for fruit stocking and breakfast before my (expected to be) 90km day. Had a spectacular breakfast of a handful of everything a lady had in front of her, mushed and mixed together with an onion bhaji type of thing and a miniature orange sweet curry bowl. My vegan note from Su Su had worked a charm and everyone around me was fascinated and amused with my food ordering encounter. This got me even more excited for all the food I’d be continuing to eat!
Stopped less than a kilometre out of the town, an immigration officer took down my details. He said he liked the premier league and laughed at my reaction when I told him that Arsenal were ‘no good’! The road was horrendous. Like giant moon craters covered in jagged rocks and the occasional bit of mud. This lasted for the first 50kms of the journey. Luckily, I was still experiencing a sensory overload of Burmese magic and digesting the dramatic changes from what seemed to be futuristic Thailand in comparison.
People here are so friendly and everything is beautiful. Overgrown and raw. Even the trees have untamed life growing all over their roots and bark – it’s amazing.
The hills together with the road conditions made the journey tough but my excitement for being here and because I actually managed to leave early this morning meant that I didn’t feel pressured or rushed to move at super-speed! I took a rest and ate my pomelo in the shade followed by a brief friendly encounter with a local I couldn’t communicate with. Burmese is HARD. People told me they speak English – they don’t!
I passed a man leading up to a tough hill…he was on a bike too. He overtook me then walked his bike when he couldn’t pedal anymore. When I reached the top we smiled a celebrated together. I shared a spare dragonfruit with him and we took a moment to rest whilst appreciating each other. He let me take a photo of us and our bikes. He was a cool guy – grey and black hair, longer than mine, and fabulous multicoloured clothes. I really enjoyed that moment.
After that I went up to the monastery that Su Su had recommended for lunch. The hill was crazily steep and I cycled half then walked up the stairs for the rest. Cycling would have probably been easier! A monk showed me around up to the pagoda where the view was incredible. Green land for miles. He seemed so proud which was also really humbling to see. I felt overwhelmed with love and joy.
Back to the bike to pedal the other 50kms to Hpa-An and I hoped the road improved which thank God, it did. And so did the scenery. Wow, the afternoon was to die for! Passing by giant limestone cliffs lined with countless plants all beautifully overgrown…even the tree trunks were bursting with life from every angle! Stunning.
I made it just in time to my last recommended stop, the pagoda on a lake, for sunset, which was beautiful. Enjoying the sunset there meant I cycled the last 12kms in the dark to the town but it was worth it and I arrived proud, exhausted and delighted with my crazy and fun-filled day getting just one tiny insight into what the next weeks had in store for me.
Entering Myanmar was the easiest process imaginable. In fact, it didn’t feel like a border crossing at all. Normally it’s all serious faces and no photography signs but the Burmese border officers were cheesing more than me(!) and snapping photos like I was a celebrity. A refreshing change.
Anyone who has done it before will tell you that crossing any land border is an interesting experience, and despite whatever efforts you give, you’ll always end up comparing the country you’ve just left with the new one you’ve entered.
As far as comparisons go, you can’t really get more different than Thailand to Myanmar. Leaving behind perfectly paved, civilised roads with your wide (false sense of security) ‘cycle lane’ comfortably marked along the left hand side, you arrive into a space that cars, trucks, motorbikes, cows, chickens, dust, bicycles and just about anything else that can be moved, all share a space. Oh, and flip reverse back to riding on the right side of the road. But after three months of ease and familiarity, it was a refreshing change that I was ready for and I suddenly felt like a proper explorer again.
I got straight to the first jobs – sim card and money exchange. Being the only white face, people seem to want to help in any way they can. I’d already learnt how to say you’re beautiful so I made people smile as soon as I arrived and fumbled my way through a conversation to get some data for maps and communication.
My first real impression of this wonderful country was with Su Su. I met her through Warmshowers and had pre-arranged to meet her for lunch once I’d crossed the border in the local town, Myawaddy. She took me to an awesome local place where I got to try my first tea leaf salad (one of the most known traditional dishes) as well as an epic curry. A fantastic start. She also helped me to learn some key terms, wrote down how to say that I’m vegan, educated me on some important cultural points to be aware of (like how you only bow when greeting a monk or that camping and being hosted by locals is strictly illegal) and mapped out the first part of my journey with loads of hot-spots to visit along the way. She did all this just to help welcome me to her country and she even bought me lunch. In fact, she was upset she couldn’t spend more time with me as she had to return to work! Her spectacular hospitality certainly gave me a good insight into the warmth and loving nature of the Burmese people and sent me on my way to Kawkareik, where I spent my first night, with a big, fat smile.
Following Su Su’s advice, I took the new road which was surprisingly modern and ventured over some mountains. I didn’t really know what I had in mind for Myanmar, but even this slight introduction was beating it. As tough as I found it to be climbing again, it reaffirmed my love for mountains and I was happy to be just taking my time and soaking in all directions of my wonderful surroundings. Varying shades of magnificent greens in all directions, coupled with the rawness of Burmese living, my senses were overwhelmed with joy and fascination. It’s incredible how such a small distance can present such huge differences.
Once I’d reached the peak of the mountain, I felt a huge wave of gratitude and emotion sweep through me. The land flattened out into large expanses of brightly coloured rice paddies glimmering in the delicately setting sun. Tears spilled over my eyelids as I realised that my dream of visiting Myanmar was actually happening right now. And it was already better than I could have ever imagined.
When I arrived into Kawkareik I headed straight for the guesthouse that Su Su had suggested but it was full. They sent me to another – also full. Unbelievable – what were the chances?! These were the only two licensed guesthouses for foreigners in town so a local negotiated on the phone for me to stay at a local’s guesthouse as long as I didn’t report them to the police (I know, why would I?!). It cost me 7,000 Kyatts (about £3.50) and my room was a single bed inside a tiny, dirty, green box. There was a fan and a washing line, a pillow and a sheet. Further down the corridor was a row of squatter toilets which smelt like they operated under the rule of ‘if it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down’. Next door to those were the showers, a plastic blue hose pipe with giant red lever opening or closing the flow of water to the rusty shower head. There was no hot water but that was the last thing I needed so no concerns there. Simple but fine, I settled in and was happy to have a place to rest my head for the night.
Next was my first independent food seeking experience. I ventured out, armed with my Burmese note and language list to ask around for some vegan food and it really wasn’t so hard. I ended up with some kind of fried bread with curried cabbage, pickled cucumber and rice – delicious first attempt and I was satisfied.
Day one in Myanmar had not disappointed and I was excited to reach Hpa-An, the first major town and place I could actually get a chance to rest my incredibly sore bum after a consistent and long stretch from Bangkok.
When I left Bangkok 9 days ago, I saw my journey to Mae Sot purely as my route to Myanmar. The reality was that it became my favourite part of cycling Thailand; not only because the views and roads were beyond stunning, but because I was fully integrated in Thai culture, hosted, fed and thoroughly looked after every single day.
I started the trip with a strong 112km stretch to stay with Aurelio, a lovely Swiss Warmshowers host that I’d organised staying with before leaving the city. He lived in a small country town called Tha Muang in Kanchanaburi. Even though it was all flat, going straight back into a 112km day after a long break can be tough, especially when you’re tackling strong headwinds for 45km of your journey. I arrived late (obviously, because I’m useless at ever leaving early!!) following a loving goodbye to Jodie. Despite feeling tired and beaten from the relentless wind, I was rewarded with a spectacular sunset when arriving into Aurelio’s charming rural village. Relieved to have finally made it and welcomed with open arms, my journey towards Myanmar had officially begun and that felt amazing.
I showered and changed then we shared wonderful cycle stories over dinner. Years ago, Aurelio cycled from Thailand to Switzerland so needless to say, we had lots to talk about. When morning arrived, he helped me clean my bike, tighten my bearings and made sure I was well fed and rested before wishing me well on my way north. In fact, saying goodbye to Aurelio late (again, haha) meant that I missed my next target of an organic farmstay campsite about 115km away which overlooked a beautiful lake. Although I was momentarily disappointed, I trusted that I was where I needed to be. This led to a perfect new sequence of events that made this journey as epic as it revealed itself to be…
A beautiful reservoir en route to Kanchanaburi
My wonderful Warmshowers host, Aurelio
Sunset arriving into Tha Muang, Kanchanaburi
I took the tiny dirt track roads through the sugar cane plantations which honestly blew my mind. Being surrounded by thriving nature on rustic, bumpy trails with not a soul around made it impossible to not feel deep love for life and gratitude for every moment. I started to search for a camping spot down the back roads where I asked locals if they knew of anywhere. Instead, I was invited to a loving family home where I was made the feast of a lifetime with my favourite vegetable – pumpkin! I really loved my time with this family because they were all so present – no phones and fully engaged with me and each other. This might seem like a strange comment, but really, phones and technology have taken over the world so much, even in rural Asia, people are still spending hours upon hours scrolling through Facebook.
My wonderful hosts in Nong Plong, Kanchanaburi
The next day I was bursting with joy and enthusiasm having recharged from my heart warming encounter the night before and full of delicious and nutritious vegan food. Winding through the never-ending green-lands, the day passed quickly and I started thinking about where I would find somewhere to sleep down the small country lane.
It was about 5pm when I passed a school. I rolled in and asked a lady if she knew of somewhere I could put my tent. They opened the old medical room which had a bed, fans and a bathroom. I offered to guest teach a fun and interactive lesson in the morning as a thank you. Little did I know that they’d organise an assembly to the entire school of 600 children followed by a lesson for two grades of children (aged about 7-10)! It was brilliant and I had the best time helping such smart, respectful and sweet children.
Late on the road following the class (again!), I cycled with pure glee all day just basking in the perfection of every direction I turned. Cycling through rolling hills gave new dynamics to the already outstanding scenery. Layers upon layers of deep greens lined in the distance with majestic mountains along the Thai-Burmese border.
Cruising along to the slowly setting sun, my mood was sky high as I passed a town called Khlong Chani. I heard a friendly “Hello!” from a group of people and thought I’d ask about where I could camp as the area was so beautiful.
I spoke with a friendly couple, Aor and Mangkhol, who spoke some English and they invited me to stay with them. The whole family and village welcomed me and I went to bed with a huge smile on my face!
I offered a melon and a pineapple as a thank you but ended up leaving the next day with a lucky buddha charm, three bunches of bananas, a bunch of longans, a watermelon, some sweet potato fries and a (paper) bag of caramelised peanuts! We also shared a very special morning where we ate breakfast together following prayers at their local temple as it was ‘Buddha Day’.
Arriving in Khlong Chani
Making offerings
Breakfast at the temple
Aor, Mangkhol and family, my hosts in Khlong Chani, Uthai Thani
Onwards and upwards from there as I needed to cover some ground to reach Mae Sot in time before my visa expired. It rained a little bit that day which literally dampened my mood and together with severe bum chafing (I know, ew, gross!) was distracting to say the least! Just as I was feeling a bit sorry for myself, the beaming sun broke through the clouds just as I reached the most incredible stretch of road. I reminded myself how lucky I was speeding down the country lanes to the heart warming sounds of magical natural life all around me.
Bumping along the rocky side roads had caused me to break a spoke which I stopped to take a look at. A woman on a motorbike pulled up alongside me and asked if I was okay. Her name was Ploy and she was visiting her home town from Bangkok. She invited me to stay at her home and even though I’d wanted to cover another 20km or so, it felt like a sign so I agreed with a smile and I followed her down the road to her beautiful house.
Blessing & building the new Buddha
Ploy, her mother and her beautiful daughter Nessa, my hosts in Baan Tha Magood
That evening was also a special one as they were holding a ceremony that evening to start building the base of a new Buddha at the local temple. So I visited two temples in one day and got to witness and take part in the prayers and blessings that meant so much to this loving and friendly community.
Another lovely host meant another late start but oh my God was I rewarded when I ventured (struggled!) down an impossible sandy track which brought me to a gorgeous rubber plantation.
I hadn’t been riding long but I just had to stop. There was a mesh hammock set up with my name on it and the shade summoned me away from the heat of the glaring sun. I cracked open the watermelon and basked in my moment of bliss.
Tougher spots to have a watermelon break…
My next stop was in search for food when I was given heaps of barbecued bananas for free. It kept me going and the break made me realise how much time was getting on and that I needed to make progress fast. I picked up the pace and transitioned into fat-burning-workout-mode. Arriving into a small village at a beautiful sunset gave me incentive to find somewhere to sleep fast.
A policeman offered to take me to a beautiful spot he knew by the river with some friends who owned a lodge on the outskirts of the national park. He said it was 1km away but we ended up going on a 45 minute detour into the dark down a rocky and sandy single track. I remember thinking, ‘where the hell was he taking me?!’
But it was worth it. It was pitch black when I got there and the family helped me to get set up fast. By the time I was done and showered, food was on the table waiting. An amazing beansprout and tomato dish and… wait for it… VEGAN BANANA CAKES! I had hit the jackpot!
We spent some time together whilst I helped the son practice his English then I went to bed more than content and full of gratitude.
Waking up next to the river was amazing. So many forms of life buzzing around you and the young sun glimmering off the water. Having breakfast with that view would be an incentive for anyone to get up and seize the day.
My lovely hosts next to Khlong Wang Chao National Park
After our photoshoot and loving goodbyes, the daughter gave me a pair of trousers as a gift which I graciously accepted. Back on the road and my early start saw me cover good ground before the heat slowed me down. Stopping to fill up some water around 11am, I was convinced into staying for lunch by some friendly local farmers. They bought me lunch and gave me some custard apples to take on my way.
Scenes changed to bight green rice fields and even though I’d planned to stay at the campsite at the top of the mountain on the way to Mae Sot, I took a wrong turn down an awful road which made me too late. Trusting the process, I didn’t get mad and stopped the near side of the mountain where yet another kind family took me in.
Not only that, but they provided me with the most outstanding view I could have ever wished for! Porn, the mother, led me down to a wooden platform at the bottom of their garden which overlooked about 10 stunning rice fields.
I showered and shared dinner with charming daughters, both glowing with their cute smiles, bubbly personalities and heavily pregnant bellies. I felt like the crazy, foreign auntie to be.
Porn’s lovely family, hosting me in Tak Province, before I tackled the mountain to Mae Sot!
Sunrise was beautiful and started my day perfectly. Getting on the road early was a must because I knew I needed to take my time being a little out of practice with significant climbs.
I remembered the struggle of battling sweat dripping uncontrollably into my eyes as I slowly climbed the (what felt like) giant task ahead of me.
Somehow, in the middle of the mountain, there was an ice cream man (which felt like a mirage lol). Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an option that had no milk and no plastic so after a moment of feeling sorry for myself, I pulled my chin up and got back to the task of conquering the peak.
I reached the top around lunchtime and it was insanely hot. A well deserved lunch which was bought for me by a friendly lady at the top after she took a keen interest in my trip. I was becoming a magnet for kindness and it was genuinely overwhelming. Overwhelming and simply beautiful.
From my tent at sunrise
The final leg!
My lunch company 🙂
Mountain views…
The second and smaller peak of the day felt more challenging. Passing through noisy, dusty and inconvenient construction works left me with an inevitable flat tyre. I got to changing it whilst hiding in the small amount of shade provided by a worker truck and got back to the task. I wanted to make it to Mae Sot to get to a bike shop as I seemed to have a small issue with my wheel which I wanted to check before crossing to Myanmar.
The final incline pushed me and my enthusiasm but the spectacular decline at sunset quickly reminded me why I love mountains so much. I flew. Soaring at 65km/h and really feeling every bit of emotion I was capable of; grateful for my physical ability and grateful for my presence in such a breathtaking setting. Descending into Mae Sot made me emotional as I reflected thankfully on what the past eight days had brought me.
Picking all the sharp bits out of my tyre earlier in the day had slowed me down, meaning I arrived late by the time I reached the hostel. Luckily, Tua, the owner of Sleep Nest Hostel, was there and drove me all over town trying to find a place as I had to leave the next morning when my visa expired.
We didn’t find anywhere that night but after speaking for a while, he sponsored my accommodation, made dinner for me with his friend, Chai, and instantly became a friend.
I fell in love with the guys and their kind hearts which made me want to help them, too. So I overstayed my visa by a day (this costs 500 Baht by the way) to share some art and help Tua with the hostel. It was special because everyone staying there got involved with some drawing, too, and we ended up having a bit of a creative social for my last night in Thailand.
The perfect end of my time in a fantastic country. A chapter full of love, epic food, unforgettable experiences and unparalleled hospitality.
Yesterday I shared my last day riding with Indie after an entire month 👯
There are few people that I know that are as brave, resilient, hard-working, genuine and kind-hearted as her. As soon as I met her ten months ago I knew she was special, but by living in each others’ pockets, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to get to know her on a far deeper level. Let me tell you a few things about this special young lady who has become like a little sister to me…
At just 18 years old, she decided she was going to spend a year abroad and this is how she spent it:
She travelled through Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, worked a ski season in France, took a cookery course, raced sailboats in Wales, worked in a care home to save money to travel more, has just cycled through Thailand with me and is now off to climb Kilimanjaro ⛰
This young woman is a superhero in the making and I am honoured to know her 🙏🏼
We have laughed and cried together and shared some of the most phenomenal and memorable experiences.
She is ridiculously clumsy, frustratingly inquisitive and beyond all, undeniably loveable 🥰
Indie, I miss you already and you haven’t even landed home yet.
I will miss waking up to you passed out cold every morning no matter how loud I am.
My days won’t be complete without watching you fall over, drop whatever you’re holding and of course, break absolutely everything!!!
How will I cope with travelling without you; someone who’s as passionate about food as I am and will eat two meals alongside me with no judgement then confidently split 3kg of mangosteens?! 😋
Who’s going to fill the water bottles, lock the bikes and most of all, carry the bag?! 😂
How can I possibly manage without my own personal photographer that also transforms into the world’s most entertaining and awkward and goofy model?! 📸
And who is going to literally drive me crazy asking me the most ridiculous questions ALL DAY LONG like “what’s your favourite vegetable?” 🍆🥦🍅
I’ll miss teaching you Thai and laughing when you tell someone “goodnight” with so much enthusiasm when you actually meant “it’s tasty” 🤦🏽♀️🤣
I’ll miss laughing at us drowning instead of surfing, painting Sian’s bar, couples massages on the beach, you (reluctantly) rubbing tiger balm on my legs, our 24 hour unintentional Cambodia excursion, meeting countless weirdos, eating our body weight in mango sticky rice and even all the disasters including our crash, your three flat tyres and when I got to cycle for the both of us pulling you home from the waterfall in Khao Yai! 🚴🏽♀️🚴🏽♀️
I’ll never forget how much you’ve made me smile and there’s now an Indie shaped stamp on my heart forever ♥️
To top it all off, to know that travelling with me has made some kind of impression on your daily habits including living pretty much zero waste AND eating way less meat means more than you could ever imagine 🌱
I am so proud of you; all that you are and all that you have already achieved. I know you will continue on to become even more successful and please make sure you don’t forget to share it with me!
So yeah, I’ll miss you, little sis! Spread your infectious giggle on your own journey, because it’s going to be a special one! 😘
Me and you are proof of how travelling, engaging with and seeking out new cultures and experiences make you more well-rounded people…
Who knew that a vegan and a pig farmer’s daughter could become like family 💚🐷🌱
