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Women still struggling with boys' club of Greek politics
Women still struggling with boys' club of Greek politics
As the credits rolled on Greek television's long-awaited election debate between the party leaders, one thing united them --...
2023-05-16 14:28
The dish that defines me: Frank Yeung’s prawn wontons
The dish that defines me: Frank Yeung’s prawn wontons
Defining Dishes is an IndyEats column that explores the significance of food at key moments in our lives. From recipes that have been passed down for generations, to flavours that hold a special place in our hearts, food shapes every part of our lives in ways we might not have ever imagined. There is a family scene I would love to engrave into my memory that involves my father, myself and my son, all making prawn wontons in one kitchen. Prawn wontons are so simple, like all good dishes, and they have a really special place in my heart. I have very fond memories of making them with my father, who is from Hong Kong, when I was growing up and it is my favourite dish. Now, it’s my five-year-old son’s favourite dish as well and he’s the same age I was when I first started making prawn wontons with my father, so it makes me excited to share the dish with him. When my son was younger, his Ye Ye (grandfather) would bring homemade wontons whenever he came over to my house in Peckham. But just recently, we were over at my parents’ home, and he made his first wonton. We were all very proud! It’s so nice because it’s a dish that has run right through my family, it was brought and championed here by my dad. He moved here in 1975 and has the classic first-generation immigrant story. He worked three jobs, moved around a lot, saved money and opened his first restaurant in 1985, 10 years after arriving in England. He finally retired in 2017, but he couldn’t get away from my restaurants. I opened my own establishment, Mr Bao in Peckham in 2016, and then Daddy Bao in my father’s honour. Even now when he comes around to visit, I make him talk more about restaurants. I think he enjoys it, though, and it reminds him of home. That’s really important now because ever since the 2019-2020 mass protests in Hong Kong, the country is a sad place at the moment if you’re from there. But it’s still an amazing place. My favourite part about making wontons from scratch was always the time spent with my dad. The chit chat between us, me kneeling on a stool and him standing at the counter. My hands were not as dextrous at that age and I certainly wasn’t practised, but he would be there to help show the right way to make the little parcels and finish them up for me. The bonding moment is what I cherish the most. Mum is English and she got involved too, she is actually amazing at it. Prawn wontons are also part of Christmas time for my family. Our big tradition is to have a massive steamboat on Boxing Day, which most people of Chinese descent will be familiar with. It usually involves a big, steaming pot of soup on a constant boil, and everyone sits around the table cooking fresh, raw ingredients in it and eating as they go. Prawn wontons are a big, big part of that meal for us, especially now that we have a couple of young kids running around at Christmas time, they really love it. The thing I remember most about making wontons with Dad is the filling. He has his own method for making the prawn mince that goes inside the parcels. He gets his prawns and chops them up, mixes them with any additional ingredients like garlic, and then he would make me pick up a handful of the mixture and throw it back down onto the chopping board, pick it up and throw it back down. It somehow aerates the mince and softens it, and makes it stickier so there aren’t big chunks of prawns floating around. I haven’t really adapted Dad’s recipe for myself, aside from the type of dipping sauce I like to have with them. We keep it very traditional. Oh, I suppose I do have a slight modification, actually. I like to mix gambas (white) prawns from the southwest coast of Spain with North Atlantic shrimps, which are tiny, tiny little crustaceans the size of your nail. They have got a really good flavour. I like to chop those up into the mince with the bigger prawns, add a bit of salt and white pepper, stir it through and then do the throwing method as my dad does. We usually make our own wonton skins. In a pinch, we’ll use shop-bought ones, but when we know we’ve got time we’ll make our own. At the moment, Dad makes handmade dumplings with my sister for her business so they have a dumpling skins machine – but we used to make them by hand, old-school style. He would roll them out because he could get the thickness of the skins right. It wasn’t possible when I was young as I had no idea and was clumsy! They have to be thin, but not so thin that they break or the wontons will open up in the water. It’s something I haven’t managed to master, but there’s still time. Some places don’t even use the regular wonton skins, and they are still amazing. One of my favourite restaurants ever was in Hong Kong – it has closed down now – but it was a hole-in-the-wall type of place that served two types of wontons: classic wontons or fish skin wontons. That was their entire menu. They used fish skins instead of pastry skins to wrap their wontons, and they were something like £1.20 for a bowl at the time. It was definitely the best meal I had with Mum, Dad and my sisters in Hong Kong. The wontons get boiled for two minutes. You can make a wonton soup with a base stock, using ginger, spring onions, salt, pork bones. Boil that down and skim off the top. Or, you can dip the wontons into a chili garlic sauce, which is how my dad likes – although another way I differ from Dad is that I like to add black vinegar to the sauce of soy sauce, garlic and chili, to add an extra layer of acid. You can also eat them as they are, they are completely delicious. My stomach is rumbling as I think about them. As my son gets older, it will be really nice to be able to make wontons altogether, the three generations of us at the kitchen island, chatting away. That’s what I’d like my son to take away from those sessions, the memory of doing it with his Ye Ye and me. I’d also like him to, in time, be able to link quality to food and what you’re putting in your body. I want him to understand that even though it’s so easy to go to the shop and buy something, everything starts out as a living thing. A prawn is an animal and a chive is a real plant grown in the soil. You don’t have to make it yourself and you should go to restaurants to support them, but when you do go, you’ll have a better appreciation for it. Frank Yeung is the chef-owner of Mr Bao and Daddy Bao in London. Read More The dish that defines me: Alex Outhwaite’s Vietnamese bun cha The dish that defines me: Eddie Huang’s Taiwanese beef noodle soup In Horto: Hearty, outdoorsy fare in a secret London Bridge garden Five dinner ideas from around the world to try this week Hi Barbie! Nine cocktails inspired by the doll’s most iconic outfits
2023-07-31 17:20
China Carriers Are Worst Airline Stocks as Reopening Bet Fades
China Carriers Are Worst Airline Stocks as Reopening Bet Fades
The boom-and-bust in Chinese airline stocks is another sign that investors are losing patience with the country’s slow
2023-06-01 13:52
Firms withheld pesticide toxicity data from EU: study
Firms withheld pesticide toxicity data from EU: study
Several major agrochemical companies did not disclose to European Union authorities studies assessing the toxic effects of pesticide ingredients on brain...
2023-06-01 23:55
Las Vegas F1: Jacques Villeneuve becomes first driver to get married in GP paddock
Las Vegas F1: Jacques Villeneuve becomes first driver to get married in GP paddock
Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve married his partner in the Las Vegas Grand Prix paddock on Thursday night (16 November). A wedding chapel was set up so anybody tempted to tie the knot in Sin City could “Race to the Altar” - and Villeneuve took full advantage. His partner Giulia wore a stunning dress for the occasion and the happy couple were then seen posing for photos. Villeneuve’s former Williams engineer, Jock Clear, was best man as the 1997 world champion became the first - and likely last - F1 driver to get married on the track. His wedding came hours before a chaotic first practice session was cancelled. Read More Sainz hits loose drain cover on Las Vegas track as F1 practice session turns to chaos Las Vegas Sphere wears giant F1 helmet ahead of inaugural grand prix F1 cars projected into sky as drone show lights up Las Vegas ahead of grand prix
2023-11-17 17:59
UNESCO designates ancient Jericho ruins as World Heritage Site, sparking Israeli ire
UNESCO designates ancient Jericho ruins as World Heritage Site, sparking Israeli ire
The United Nations World Heritage Committee voted Sunday to list the Tell es-Sultan archaeological site in Jericho as a "World Heritage Site in Palestine."
2023-09-18 10:51
Talented boxer reveals first sign of brain tumour after collapsing at service station
Talented boxer reveals first sign of brain tumour after collapsing at service station
A professional boxer forced to give up his career after a brain tumour was missed by medics for six years told how he was determined to get his life back. Dad-of-two Peter McDonagh, 45, collapsed at a service station in February 2019 after he stopped the car and started vomiting. He was taken to hospital by ambulance, where he underwent a CT scan which identified a brain tumour near his left ear. An MRI was performed, which identified a mass around 2.7cm by 2.7cm with surgeons removing most of the tumour before radiotherapy. But Peter was devastated to be told the mass had been identified on scans in 2013 and 2017, which were carried out for him to renew his boxing licence. Peter, from Leatherhead, Surrey, hoped to return to his old job as a fishmonger, but it was too unsafe due to issues he now has with balance. He now suffers hearing loss, facial palsy, balance disturbance and psychological symptoms, and is plagued by ‘what ifs’ - but is looking forward to getting hitched. Peter said: “Being diagnosed with a brain tumour was a huge shock to me as I’d been undergoing routine scans for many years so I would’ve expected anything abnormal to have been picked up in those. “One of the main things I’ve struggled with as a result of the tumour is my ongoing symptoms and also having to give up my career. “Boxing was a huge part of my life and I’ve found it really tough to come to terms with no longer being able to compete and do what I love. “After my surgery, I tried to return to my pre-boxing trade of a fishmonger but I also had to give that up as I was unable to balance and the risk of getting hurt was too high. “Since then, I get angry and upset sometimes when I think things may have been different if it the tumour been found sooner. “However, I am on the road to recovery and try my best not to dwell on ‘what ifs’ and focus on my future. The consultant neuroradiologist responsible for performing annual MRI screening on Peter as part of his boxing career, admitted that in 2013 and 2017 a brain tumour was visible on scans but wasn’t reported at the time, which “fell below a reasonable standard of care.” It was also admitted that had it been reported, Peter would have undergone earlier treatment - but as it was missed it continued to grow from 2013 to 2019. Peter collapsed on February 4 2019, when he stopped the car, vomited and fell to the ground. After a CT scan was carried out, he went to A&E four days later complaining of dizziness, and was told the CT scan had found a tumour, which was also visible on a subsequent MRI scan. Previous brain scans for his annual boxing licence were reassessed. On March 12 2019, Peter underwent a 15-hour surgery with the aim of removing around 95 per cent of the tumour, leaving a small mass on the facial nerve to allow it to function properly. He was discharged from hospital five days later, with a plan for six-monthly MRI scans. On 15 March, 2021, radiotherapy was performed following growth of the residual tumour. Two years on, Peter continues to be affected by problems with his hearing and balance, as well as occasional facial twitching and tingling, and he also struggles with his mental health. Since retiring from boxing, Peter is now writing a book about his life and the day-to-day difficulties he faces. He added: “While I would give anything to turn back the clock and change what’s happened, I know that’s not possible. “All I can do now is work hard on my rehabilitation. “I’ve had such great support and I’m determined to get my life back. “I’ve even started writing a book and I hope that by sharing my story, I can show others that there’s help out there.” Thomas Riis-Bristow, specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: “The last four years have been incredibly difficult for Peter, firstly being diagnosed with a brain tumour but then also having to give up a career he loved as a result. “While he is making great progress with his recovery, he continues to struggle with a number of issues, both physically and emotionally, which have a significant impact on not only him but also his family. “We therefore welcome the admission’s made which will help ensure Peter can benefit from the ongoing rehabilitation he needs to help him move forward with his life. “As part of Action for Brain Injury Week, we join Peter in sharing his story to raise awareness of the help available. We’ll continue to support him as he continues with his recovery.” Action for Brain Injury Week runs from May 15-21 and is supported by the charity Headway. Read More Bowel cancer ‘red flags’ that can show two years before diagnosis Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers says one food has helped him return to work after cancer treatment ‘Hundreds’ of cancer patients denied vital treatment as Israel and Gaza trade fire Father shares cancer symptoms he thought was too much coffee Dean Gaffney says I’m A Celebrity medics ‘saved his life’ after bowel cancer scare GB News in ‘significant breach’ of Ofcom rules over Covid vaccine claims
2023-05-14 20:50
I visited the 'City of Love' solo – and found a different love I wasn't expecting
I visited the 'City of Love' solo – and found a different love I wasn't expecting
Renowned for exuding romance with tens of thousands of proposals happening at the Eiffel Tower each year, it's no wonder Paris is branded the City of Love. The French capital first got its reputation in the 19th century, when artists and writers including Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac banded together for what we now know as the Romantic period. The movement rebelled against the formalities of neo-classicism, through a newfound interest in the expression of personal feeling. It was a time when literary evenings were a big hit among the bourgeoisie, later introducing words to European vocabulary such as "rendez-vous" and "je t’aime". Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Fast forward to 2023, and Paris' ties to romance are still going strong with its elegant buildings, charming streets, sultry bars and love for the arts. Given the unwritten pressures of visiting with special someone, Paris may not initially spring to mind as a solo travel destination. I've visited the famed city many times, but never alone. I too, felt the need to string someone along so I didn't feel out of place. Instead, I romanticised my solo life and headed to the city to explore through a different lens – and ironically, I fell in love, but not how you might expect. Nestled in the 15th arrondissement resides Hôtel Beauregard, a six-storey Haussmann building home to 38 rooms. Designed by Chloé Nègre, an India Mahdavi alum and one of this year’s AD 100, the hotel marries classic and contemporary features with a seventies retro twist. Complete with Eiffel Tower views and a Wes Anderson-esque restaurant, Hôtel Beauregard is the newest addition to hipster hotel company Touriste. The chain is passionate about guests "stepping outside of their comfort zone" to discover other lives, and "being comfortable with occasionally finding yourself off-centre before reclaiming parts of yourself you sometimes didn’t think were there". And, that's exactly what I did. The idea that Paris is exclusive to lovers is far from reality. It's quite the opposite: Parisians are experts at being by themselves. I read in cafes, dined al fresco, drank wine, visited galleries, and smashed my step goal. This led me to an epiphany that consciously dating yourself is one of the most romantic gestures. Even with public displays of affection in every corner, there wasn't once a feeling of missing out. While that may sound slightly self-absorbed, solitude has almost become a lost art. We spend most of our 'free time' booking in social plans, fighting dating app fatigue and desperately trying to stay busy. But, when you cut all attachment to the things you think you need, you learn to love your own company, time and freedom. It almost becomes addictive. Being alone also pushes you outside of your comfort zone. I found myself putting the world to rights with locals, discussing everything from French culture, politics, to their hate for Emily in Paris and exaggerated stereotypes – one of which being the French are rude. They're some of the friendliest people I've ever met. There's something poetic about being in the City of Love solo. Some friends, partners and family members come and go but you will always have yourself – which poses the question: Why do we struggle to value ourselves and cherish our time as much as we do with others? While I didn't find love in another person, nor did I intend to, it brings me to believe that solo travel life epitomises self-love. For more information, visit Touriste here. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-05-27 16:23
Elon Musk's 25-year obsession with 'X' explains what he did to Twitter
Elon Musk's 25-year obsession with 'X' explains what he did to Twitter
Elon Musk put so much of his fortune into X.com, he had a mere $4
2023-07-29 04:22
Snag this cute-as-a-button Lego Advent calendar playset for its lowest price ever
Snag this cute-as-a-button Lego Advent calendar playset for its lowest price ever
SAVE $9.88: As of November 9, the Lego Friends Advent calendar playset is on sale
2023-11-10 00:25
Vision Pro, iOS 17, 15
Vision Pro, iOS 17, 15" MacBook Air: Everything you need to know from Apple WWDC 2023
Well, that was certainly a lot of Apple news to take in. This year's WWDC
2023-06-06 08:49
Power up your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch with this $148 wireless charging station
Power up your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch with this $148 wireless charging station
TL;DR: As of June 7, the OMNIA M+ MagSafe Wireless Charging Station and A1 Apple
2023-06-07 17:45