Home cooking

Winter is now definitely here. After a short cold spell a few weeks ago, the temperature rose again to the twenties, but this week it won't get above 10 degrees. Making a nice soup is then a welcome diversion.
I went to the market today to pick up some vegetables and some meat with bone. I really like to buy directly from these farmers, who bring their goods to town every day, and offer the vegetables and fresh fish both under the ram-shackle sheet-metal roof of the market, as well as right on the sidewalk.

My local market is slowly falling apart in the shadow of a new building which has been erected in the past months. Every time I visit the market, a small part has gone, and the basement of the new building is slowly transforming into its new location. Today I noticed the electrical wiring and even lamps are all in place, the week before the tiling of all the concrete counters was done. The speed of construction in China is mind-blowing. In a matter of months buildings rise and open to host new business.
I went home with corn, mushrooms, green chillies, tomatoes, and some meat. The soup I made was a new invention, loosely based on observing my Chinese friends cooking in my kitchen, with some improvisation from my side, based on what I still had in my fridge. It turned out to be very tasty, and good-looking too!
Since today is a cold and grey day, and tomorrow I have class again, I guess I will spend the rest of the day doing some homework. The New Year weekend is officially over.