HomeTime: Mr Selfridge, Hamish and Andy, Housos and a quinoa pilaf
VEG out on a Monday night - literally - with our gorgeous golden spicy pilaf, and the best of what's on the box.
YOUR options tonight: Hamish and Andy talk landmines, the Housos meet current affairs TV, and Mr Selfridge premieres. Let's go shopping ...
WHAT TO WATCH TONIGHT, BY DIANNE BUTLER
Mr Selfridge, Channel 7, 8.40pm, 3 stars
A BIT of Ari Gold lingers in Harry Selfridge, retailing pioneer, but not enough to make shopping at Mr Selfridge the intoxicating experience Channel 7 would like. Yes, it's a terrible shame. You remember Ari Gold? The agent in Entourage? Fantastic. But put Jeremy Piven in a set of spats and they hobble him. This starts tonight in 1909, and Selfridges - big famous London department store - hasn't opened yet, but Harry, a confident American, is seducing people, mainly employees, with his push and ideas. He's an idiot with money though. Problems to come. Is London ready for this kind of shop, his chief of staff Mr Grove wonders. Gagging for it, Harry assures him. Harry spends most of this episode assuring and reassuring people while they have anxiety about gloves and ribbons. (Are you a huckster? his little boy asks him towards the end of the episode ...) Harry should've been sexier than he is as well, because he's also a massive womaniser and Piven doesn't quite have it. Harry's wife Rose - Australian actor Frances O'Connor - could not be more bored and restless and jaded and eye-rolling. I was desperate to love this show as much as I loved The Paradise, the show about a fabulous early English department store the ABC ran earlier this year and which is identical to this except for one thing: it is superior on all levels. If only the ABC were able to recognise a great series when it had one and didn't squander it on a Saturday night. Mr Selfridge though. It's really just a soapie in a nice hat. Harry Selfridge was a complex visionary and so far he just sounds like Carlton coach Mick Malthouse, and they both sound like they're reading lines off a desk calendar.
Hamish and Andy, Channel 9, 7pm, 2 and a half stars
LANDMINES in Cambodia. Let's see them get a game-show out of this. They can't, is the answer. Just in case you don't want to have to endure it. I did it for you. These people aren't Jon Stewart. They're not even The Project. I don't know whose idea this was, sending Hamish and Andy into the country near Siem Reap to watch a group of de-miners run a metal detector over the ground but it's a weird one. Weird for them, weird for us. They don't seem to know which "war" it is they're talking about when they mention "the war." I mean, it's different in Australia isn't it Andy - you say war, it's automatically just World War II. It might not be World War II in Cambodia but you're not entirely sure are you ...? The guy in charge of the operation, Akira, was a soldier and laid landmines as a child. He trots out some disturbing figures about how many and Hamish and Andy ask him some benign questions. It's not funny and it's not emotional either. It's nothing. I think they're too scared they might offend someone. I don't know. Hamish, towards the end when Akira is fiddling with a landmine he's dug up, says "I love jokes so much but these are not jokes," and that's kind of a problem for a comedy show. They're in Hong Kong for the rest of the night, where they do a backwards race. They walk backwards. I hope that sounds as bad as it is.
Housos SBS2, 9.30pm, 3 and a half stars
Twenty of - quoting - "Australia's most wanted criminals" are going to be revealed on Wanted tonight. Ten's show. I only mention it because I know a lot of single girls. How long before some of these top 20 are in a new season of Underbelly? Or do they belong to Channel 10 now? I would've really thought, given the strong police presence on Housos, that's the show that'd be the better venue to run mug shots of serious criminals. Something for Crimestoppers to think about anyway. A TV crew is out at Sunnyvale tonight as it is, filming a story and, the reporter James Thomas says while his microphone's open, hoping for an overdose while they're there. Yes, that would be the real James Thomas, Today Tonight reporter, deep into his Method as James Thomas A Current Affairs - plural - reporter. If he doesn't get a Logie next year for Best New Talent I know nothing. But the main problem on Ramsay Street tonight is Dazza and his pre-diabetic condition and the tension this is causing in the marital bedroom. It sends Shazza straight to the Hunterz clubhouse (run by Angry Anderson, running for the National Party in the federal election, for real) because a girl has needs, many times, which leads Dazza to his decision to become a bikie. Initiation follows. Important fact: Sexual dysfunction is not claimable as an additional pension.
WHAT TO COOK TONIGHT, BY JANA FRAWLEY
IN a little over a month it's going to be spring, which means not long after that it's going to be summer. That, my fellow folk who've partaken of one too many scoops of buttery mash or opted for thirds on the chocolate self-saucing pudding (cream and ice cream not optional), also means that in the near distant future we'll be expected to abandon the camouflage of woolly jumpers and the bulky scarves and wear less. Perhaps even a swimsuit.
So, while we're not yet suggesting it's time to say no every slice of cheesecake that comes your way, it doesn't hurt to chow down on a few lighter, healthier recipes here and there.
Your time starts now.
Spiced quinoa pilaf with corn and broccoli
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking times: 20 minutes
Skills: Basic
Ingredients
1 tbs. olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
150g (1 cup) quinoa, rinsed, drained
500ml (2 cups) water
300g broccoli, cut into small florets
2 large corncobs, husks removed
Olive oil spray
2 tbs. chopped fresh coriander
Low-fat natural yoghurt, to serve
Fresh coriander leaves, to serve
Method
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic, ginger and spices. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in quinoa. Add water and stir. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and place broccoli on top. Cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat a chargrill on high. Spray corn with oil. Cook, turning occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until lightly charred. Set aside to cool. Cut down the corncob to remove the kernels.
Add corn and chopped coriander to mixture. Top with yoghurt and coriander leaves. Season with pepper.
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