The House of Doors

Synopsis: W. Somerset Maugham travels with a lot of baggage, literally and figuratively. The celebrated British author of the gilded age has decided to take an extended holiday in Asia with his “secretary” and long time lover Gerald Haxton. Willie is assiduously avoiding his wife in London, and in this tale, spends two weeks at the home of his old friend Robert Hamlyn and his wife Lesley in Penang. Maugham is broke, and ready to mine his friends and companions for new material to write about. Lesley eventually lets down her guard and shares stories about ex-pat scandals of the Federated Malay States, and a few of her own as well.

Review: Thoroughly wonderful. A well crafted historical novel set in colonial Penang. Tan expertly mixes fact, fiction, history and literature to weave a very believable tapestry. The initial chapters are largely setting the stage of time and place. The beauty of the writing carries it along until the plot kicks in. A true crime story of the first English woman accused of murder in Malaysia (her lover!), the arrival of Sun Yet-San, a true historical character of the time raising money to try and overthrow the imperial rulers of China, and Lesley our narrator, looking for something to believe in and give her life meaning. There are stories within stories, secrets, clandestine relationships, and more. Really delightful! I’m new to this author, but can’t wait to explore some of his previous novels, such as The Garden of Evening Mists.

Rating: 5/5

Recipe: Lesley describes an intriguing dessert she refers to as “glutinous blue rice pudding.” Hmm. I’m sure it’s wonderful, but the word glutinous was a little off putting. I could have considered a cocktail since these people seemed to drink heavily, but decided instead on the chicken satay she enjoyed at a local party for Willie. Who doesn’t love that? A long ingredient list, but not that difficult.

SATAY

1/3 cup coconut milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 cloves minced garlic

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

PEANUT SAUCE

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1/2 jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, fínely chopped

4 cloves minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 cup coconut milk (shake the can well before using)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

6 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1) Make marinade for satay. Cut chicken breast on the diagonal into 6 strips. Marinate 2-6 hours

2) For the sauce, heat peanut oil, and sauté onion and jalapeño about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger for about 20-30 seconds, then stir in coconut milk, peanut butter and curry paste. Whisk 2-3 minutes until sauce comes together. Off heat, add the lime juice, soy sauce and fish sauce.

3) Drain thee chicken from the marinade. Thread onto skewers (soak them first so they don’t burn) and grill 2-3 minutes a side until light charred and cooked through. Serve with peanut sauce.