Fakie Sweet and Sour

Maybe "fakie" is not the most appropriate word to describe my dinner tonight. It was not really a fake sweet and sour meal per se, but I didn't make it, so I'm sorta A) pawning it off as my own when my mama really made it and B) my mama actually bought a bottle of sweet and sour and just added to it. By those statements, you could assume that it was fake, but it was pretty real and tasted pretty good on top of the fried fish that it was prepared with. Don't ask me what kind of fish though, all I know is that it was not tilapia, halibut or salmon.

Here's what mama started off with:
She bought this bottle of sweet and sour sauce at the local Pilipino market a couple of blocks from home at Island Pacific. I'm sure a bottle like this comes standard at any Asian grocery store. But she didn't use this straight out of the bottle. She added some fixins to it.

Slice into matchsticks:

• ginger
• onion
• carrots
• red bell pepper

She sautéed the ingredients above, then added the sweet and sour bottle sauce, then added a bit of water to dilute if too sweet (which she did). Place aside.

Looks like too much fake self tanner? Jersey Shore-esque? This could happen if you over do it ladies. But for us brownies, we just get browner. =)

Here was my contribution to the dinner:
Field of greens. Mmm...Wanna know what I seasoned them with? One guess...

Garlic! LOL!

Then for plating purposes, I decided this combo would photograph best with my leftover couscous.
Greens, fried fish with the sweet and sour sauce over it and a side of couscous. Plus side, this was all I ate! No seconds or anything! Progress, I think, yes.

p.s. Going to take a break from posting since I will be Coachella bound tomorrow evening. Fingers crossed the tickets I got are not "fakies". Lesson learned for sure. Perhaps this is what happens when the finances finally come together, but just a bit too late. But there's still a glimmer of hope, so positive thinking onwards!