Jade: Bitemynuts.....peanuts

I was reading up for my clinical exam tomorrow and apparently sitting down for long periods of time increases the pressure in your intervertebral disc and puts you at risk of getting slipped disc. Not one to argue with Wikipaedia, I thought I'd take a little walk to the kitchen...

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My mum used to buy these peanut brittle bars from this dingy little shop when she went to the wet market, a little treat we would both share. You can get them anywhere now..supermarkets, Chinatown...but they never taste quite the same..much like how nasi lemak from a 5-star hotel never tastes as good as the one from the oldest stall in the oldest part of town. It's that special homey flavour that is sorely lacking.

So with half an hour to kill, I thought I'd try to recreate that naughty little sweet from my childhood:)

Peanut Brittle [adapted from Lily's wai sek hong]

1 cup sugar [ I used half dark brown, half castor; I love the caramel-y tones you get with brown]

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp water

pinch of salt

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

300g roasted peanuts

1. Mix sugar, vinegar and water

2. Melt over medium heat, DON'T STIR, however tempted you are to. The sugar will crystallize. Just swirl gently now and again.

* Tip: before you start anything, lightly grease the pot you're using with oil all the way up to the edge. It will not alter the taste or texture, but trust me, whoever's doing the washing up will thank you.

3. Let it bubble away gently for about 10 minutes. The original recipe said till 300 degree Fahrenheit but i don't have a candy thermometer. The mixture should be thick and stringy when you stick a spoon in it

4. While waiting for the sugar mixture, line a baking tin with foil and grease it thoroughly.

5. Sprinkle half the sesame seeds and all the peanuts onto the pan.

6. Once the sugar is ready, scrape it out with an oiled spatula and spread evenly onto the seeds. I got too impatient so I used my hands.

7. Sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds and let it cool slightly while you do the washing up, which should take no time thanks to my little tip;)

8. Once it's cool enough to handle, cut into little rectangles and let it cool completely.

9. Crunch away while you reminisce about days gone by:)

It tasted almost as good as I remembered...only things missing were my mum and our huge dining

table strewn with vegetables..