Reunion with Dad

Last Monday signalled the arrival of Dad in Perth and what better way to reunite with him than to whip up a simple yet delicious home-cooked meal in the comfort of a cool room amidst the sweltering heat of the nasty summer.



My pesto spiral salad. Well-drained fusilli tossed with dollops of basil pesto, cherry and sundried tomatoes, peas and corn kernels, then drizzled with the simplest of olive oils. This is a real summer delight, sophisticated-looking but yet, so quick and easy to prepare. Eaten cold or warm, the pesto itself is the centre of attention. Pasta salads are equally flexible, so if you don't fancy peas or corn, feel free to substitute it with any garden vegetables that you like or maybe even capers or anchovies. For my salad, I love to use sundried tomatoes as the subtly scented infused oil tends to give the flavour an added boost.



Lemon honey chicken. I have to admit this fell short of my expectations. Using a mixture of lemon juice, golden syrup and rosemary to marinade the chicken, I should have used less lemon juice, while increasing the amount of honey to sweeten the meat. Well, one has to fail in order to succeed doesn't it? Nevertheless, despite the less than exciting flavour, the chicken was cooked perfectly with no pinkness in sight.

Overall, it was a good meal with Dad's safe and blessed arrival. Good food, great company, what more can i ask for?

Grilled Vegetables

It was on impulse that we stumbled on Corduroy Cafe. Although both of us have individually heard of the Cafe when it first opened at Bukit Timah, we have never had the chance to try its delicious offerings. Last Tuesday happened to be the golden opportunity when my girlfriend and I wanted to try something different and yet not too expensive. Browsing through the VivoCity's listing of food and beverages, we chanced on the cafe.

You order at the cashier once you have decided on the decidedly large array of offerings. Everything except mains are presented in a long glass counter. Its strongest offerings are alads, appetizers, side dishes, soups, and, desserts - done in more of mediterranean style.

My side order of four types of grilled vegetables was definitely something that I could easily get hooked. Costing only $4.50, it was delicious, healthy and yet filling.

The Cafe pays attention to details. Even the milk for the coffee came warmed and not cold (as in most other restaurants).

Hmm, this is one place I must introduce my girls when they come back to Singapore in December. I can almost picture my two girls lounging so comfortably on the different types of sofas sipping Earl Grey with macarons!

After the "grand" lunch, I chanced upon a bag that I could not resist buying. Shiny in patent and gilded in gold at correct places, coupled with the unusual shape, it surely capped a most fulfilling day!

Pumpkin and Ham Risotto

One of my favourite quotes on food belong to Miguel de Cervantes when he stated that ''All sorrows are less with bread''.

As sceptical as that might sound, I do believe it's true. No matter how quickly the world is going by, regardless of morning, day or night, there comes a standstill when time is simply just devoted to the pure, essential need to eat. People stuff themselves silly with chocolate when life does a 180 flip. Others go for junk food, sweets, weird cravings or anything which just about forms the theory of food.

Recently things haven't been going well with my life. Maybe it's a wake-up call from God, maybe I haven't been cooking very frequently, or maybe I neglected this blog for awhile. Whatever the case, life goes on. Speaking about sorrows, I decided to pull my remaining energy to make a comforting meal - Risotto. A meal much loved by Italians for a fact. I've always longed to make risotto centuries ago, but never got to fulfill this plan of mine. But no, I wasn't deterred by the thought of having to stay by the stove and keep stirring the rice for eons. Hell, I could stay by the stove for over 2 hours if the stove will have me.



Pumpkin and ham risotto wasn't so much a combination I was inclined upon. The grocery pretty much only had pumpkin (when I wanted asparagus) and ham was a nice addition for a nice meaty bite. For a first-timer, my risotto was surprisingly not bad. The flavours of the ham and pumpkin came together nicely, like they were meant for each other. The only regret was it should have been a little wet and runny in texture but got a little tad dry towards the cooking process. Just a warning, the ham can be quite salty so you might want to use a salt-reduced stock or make your own stock so that it doesn't become overly salty.

Pumpkin and Ham Risotto (serves 2)

200-250ml arborio rice
1 small yellow onion
600-700ml chicken/veg stock (salt-reduced)
3 slices of ham
1/4-1/2 small pumpkin
olive oil
parmesan (or any good hard cheese)
unsalted butter
salt & pepper to taste

Pour the stock into a pot, heating it, while letting it simmer.
With a knife and a chopping board, finely dice the onion. Set it aside.
Slice the pumpkin into fairly medium blocks/cubes. Set it aside.
Chop up the ham into squares. Set aside.
Heat up a good large pot, pour a good glug of olive oil in and when it gets medium to medium-high hot, add the diced onions. Fry the onions for a good 1-2 minutes or so or until the onions turn fairly soft. Don't let the onions burn though.
Pour in the arborio rice and toast the grains, letting each one of them get coated with the oil and onions for about 2-3 minutes. At this point, you can add a glass of white wine if you want.
With the simmering stock, add a ladleful to the rice and stir, letting it get absorbed before adding another. Mix in the pumpkin. You'd want to keep stirring and adding ladlefuls of stock until the rice is fully cooked through (roughly about 15-20 minutes). About 5-6 minutes towards the end, add the squares of ham.
When the risotto is just about right, add a few cubes of unsalted butter and about a 100g of grated parmesan. Turn off the heat and mix the butter and cheese in until it gets rich and creamy.

Serve immediately and enjoy.

A Lesson on Food Photography

After 2 weeks of attending an Executive Management Programme at NUS, the course ended on a high note with a buffet dinner at the Hyatt. The highlight of the nite is the free flow of wine and beer.

What captured my attention though was the dessert spread. With an extreme weakness for cakes - especially the condensed hard versions (mousse-types are out!) - I was delighted to see two gleaming plates of brownies and strawberry cheesecakes beckoning to me.



While the rest of my 50 over course mates and professors queued for the entrees, I made a definite beeline for the dessert corner.



Yummy and delicious! The brownies are nutty with just the right amount. The strawberries were large, sweet and the cheese were not overpowering. Together with red wine and coffee, I savoured two large pieces each!



What topped the nite though came unexpectedly. While I was trying to take the shots on the dessert spread, I was approached by the professional photographer hired by NUS. He kindly gave me advice on the best angles for the shots and also the lighting level to be used. You see the results of his advice on this page.



Do give me a holler on what you think of the final shots!

Good Old-fashioned Comfort Food

Have any of you renewed your passports recently? What was your experience at the Immigration Department? From 1 to 10, I reckoned many would have given it a 1!

Fortunately, to the rescue came the excellent mee pok noodles at Crawford Lane. My daughter Sam is definitely one of its fervent fans and I am in definite agreement with her.



Last Monday, it provided a soothing balm to the ruffled feathers of my me and my hubby. From the lack of notification to collect the passport to the under-catered carpark lots, from the long queues at the application counter to the longer queues at the collection point, I really wonder how the Immigration people are turning a blind eye to the daily boiling pot within their very premises. But that is another story!

Coming back to the mee pok, the family-run unit moved from Marina Square quite a few years back due to the Marina upgrading. With the move, the amount of noodles have increased with no damage to the purse-strings. The quality of the noodle also did not suffer. I love vinegar and I could really taste its flavour amidst the noodles. The pig's liver, pork slices and minced port are generous to a small eater like me.

Good old fashioned comfort food!

Waraku@Starhub

As my hubby needed to go to M1 to change his phone, we decided to have an early Saturday dinner to avoid the crowds along Orchard Road. Having heard so much about Waraku from colleagues and seen the many new branches in Central and Marina Square, we headed to the one at Starhub Centre. We were early and so had the privilege to choose a more obscure corner.

The menu items were extensive. Even the drinks and desserts have their own menu cards! We decided to go a la carte so that we could try the many dishes. From the waitress' recommendations, we finally made our choices.

First was the Sanma Sashimi. “Sanma” or Mackerel Pike is a fish with red meat rich with proteins. It is mainly caught off the north eastern shores of Japan as the fish swim down from Hokkaido. The flesh is fatty and sweet and the sashimi is served with grated fresh ginger and purple leeks. The taste was divine and delightful to the palate. Definitely a dish not to be missed!



Next, was the miso ramen with minced pork. It was served with freshly grated garlic. The soup was sweet but on the oily side. The ramen was cooked with the right consistency and the pork slices were generously large. Our verdict was a dish that is value for money.



The third dish was also recommended by the helpful waitress. It is some kind of cheese, potato and diced salmon mixture that was baked on an iron plate. Worth a try but not something to shout about!



The scallop skewers that followed were grilled to perfection. I enjoyed chewing on the succulent pieces that were soaked in its own savoury-sweet juices.



The perennial favourite of ours: chawan mushi was a tad disappointing. Although the pix showed pieces of eel, fish cakes, ginko nuts, etc, the real dish was a micro version of the pix. In fact, I couldnt even locate the eel and did not waste time to reveal my disappointment to the waitress, Serene. The porcelain bowl was however a feast to the eyes!

Overall, our Waraku experience is only average. There are definitely better Japanese restaurants elsewhere in Singapore!

Alfresco Dining@Mango Lingo

My broker raved about the fresh mango pieces. Another gym goer is particularly partial about the coconut combination. The children are keen on its ice concoctions. What am I talking about?

Why? It is the Mango Lingo and its array of ice-cold fruits and ice-cream offerings, of course!

Never one to turn a blind eye to desserts, my palate was tickled when my broker and gym friend spoke in no uncertain terms about their experience at Mango Lingo. After a particualr strenuous yoga workout, they have stumbled upon the brightly-lit unit on level 2 of Square 2 recently and lived to tell their tale. Amidst their enjoyment of the fruity sensations, they were joined by artistes from MediaCorp! Certainly, what better testimony for Mango Lingo than these self-professed authority on anything food!

That particularly day, my hubby and I shared the Lovers' Paradise: a mountain of diced strawberries, gooseberries or kiwi fruits and mango topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Very high antioxidants to scare away the harmful free radicles in your body. This means you get to eat delectable desserts and yet protect your health!



Another plus for the place at Square 2 is the open-air cul-de-sac that adjoins the unit. With a water wall providing a soothing and zen-like background, surrounding greenery and the wooden planks making up the flooring, this is one place to head for for a stress-relieving experience.

Rice Balls with Fillings

The shop is styled like the EC House chain of hair salons - with clear 3-step instructions.

First, you choose the kind of rice you want. There are five types - purple rice, brown rice, mixed grain, wheat (almost like couscous) or white. The lady behind the counter explained that purple rice is actually black glutinous rice! All the rice were kept steaming hot in wooden buckets.



Secondly, you get to pick five different fillings from a choice of 46. The range is wide - from meat to vegetables, you think it, they have it! There are helpful hints on what makes a good combination on the lighted neon signs place above the counter. We picked mixed grain rice with tuna, spicy shrimp paste, asaparagus, mushrooms and chick peas. The guy behind the counter balled everything up neatly and wrapped it in transparent plastic.

The third step is really optional - depending on whether you need a drink. We decided to try the purple glutinous rice drink.



The result was a definite thumbs up - both for the rice ball and drink. Certainly one helluva healthy snack or meal for you to consider the next time you are down at Square 2. I luv the rice grains which were hot, grainy and non-oily. The lightly sweetened glutinous drink was refreshing and filling by itself.

Will we come back to try the rest of the rice combinations? But of course!

Martha Stewart's Beef Stew

After much idleness in the kitchen for the past few weeks, owing to pain-in-the-arse projects and whatnots, living on packets of instant korean noodles to satisfy an increasingly ravenous stomach, my body finally protested and declared it was time for some healthy, brow-sweating, time-consuming home-cooked dinner.

Searching for a suitable recipe was another matter. I wanted to do something new, but not entirely new when one doesn't have a proper kitchen or equipment, like a food processor or a dutch oven. Hence, I finally settled for Martha Stewart's Beef Stew. The essential reason was the fact that I only required a large pot or a slow-cooker, and there is no doubt that a good pot of stew would definitely fill up a much carnivorous girl. As rustic as it sounds, I would think that the method of stewing meat in a water-based broth would have hailed from centuries ago, being prepared in so many ways, from an Irish stew to a Hungarian goulash.

This particular stew, showered with love and care, was a delight to make. It's operandi was hardly demanding. However, the result reaped was oh, so gratifying. The warm, slightly dense gravy was a matchmake to a spoonful of fluffy white rice. Soft tender chunks of beef chucks paired with the softest of potatoes and carrots made the palate craved for more.

Beef Stew - Martha Stewart
3 pounds of beef chuck
1/3 cup tomato paste
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
salt & pepper
1 pound medium onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound small white or red new potatoes, halved
1 pound carrots, cut into chunks
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves

In a large pot, combine beef, tomato paste, vinegar and flour, season with salt & pepper.
Add onions, potatoes, carrots, garlic, bay leaves and 3 cups of water.
Stir, making sure all the flour on the bottom of the pot has dissolved, otherwise you'll get burnt patches of flour.
Bring to a boil. Simmer till meat is cooked for about 2 to 2 1/2hours.
Do check on the stew at least once every 15 minutes to skim off the scum formed on the surface.
Season with salt & pepper to taste if desired.

Serves 6.

Nothing Angelic

With a moniker like Archangel, one would expect superior wait staff in the restaurant. After all, in hebrew, the name means superior or chief angel. However, our experience was nothing angelic at all.



It started off rather well. My friend and I arrived about the same time and plonked onto one of the 5 tables placed in front of the cafe. Glancing at the menu and the items on the chalkboard (which also doubles as a partition separating the kitchen and the front counter), we figured that there was nothing to lose to opt for the chocolate fudge cake and apple tart. (Come to think of it, there was everything to gain - especially unwanted calories!)

However there was a snag. This 'tea-break set' of cake/pastry plus coffee/tea is only valid from 3 to 5 pm. Despite this writing on the wall, we went ahead to ask the one and only wait staff. Nothing venture, nothing gain! Her reply was music to our ears. She agreed to give us the offer though it was only lunch hour. Top marks for her flexibility.



Then it was downhill all the way - the very long wait for the cake and pastry; and the even longer wait for the coffee. With customers numbering less than 10, the wait time was definitely unforgivable. Finally, the cake/pastry came - warmed just right. By the time, we finished them, the coffee have yet to appear. Hence, though the fudge cake was certainly one of the best that I've ever tried, the lack of accompanying coffee really spoilt the experience.

Because of the long wait, we had time to look at the other offerings on the counter, and spied on the squid-ink and sesame seed bread baskets. The loaves certainly look very tempting and despite the experience, we agreed to make a return visit to try the sandwiches.

An Unexpected Summer Drink

One of my absolute favourite summer drinks is, embarrassingly, bubble tea. I know the mention of bubble tea might ignite memories of overly sweetened tea with the ever familiar black tapioca pearls which I honestly find, quite diverting to chew. Strangely, as weird as it sounds, my cravings for bubble tea appeared out of the blue when I arrived in Perth.

I often patronise Formosa Cafe in Northbridge, Perth, for my occasional fix of bubble tea. Run and owned by Taiwanese, the bubble tea here has heaps more potential than the ones back in Singapore. They do a good range of flavours, from milk teas, to sorbets and smoothies. As for the tapioca pearls? A mellow honey-like taste erupts once you sink your teeth into the glutinous black flesh.



My favourite flavour - Grapefruit Green Tea. One sip of this envelopes your senses in sweet and sour heaven. Introduced to me by a dear Taiwanese friend of mine, I've never regretted ordering this ever since.

Singapore's First German Cafe

With 4 events to organise between now and 6 Nov, coupled with a raw recruit and another celebrating the birth of first daughter, I have had zero time for blogging this week. My apologies to all of you who had come and left in disappointment!

In vengence, my hubby and I decided to throw caution to the winds and indulge! Hence this evening we drove to Werner's Oven at Upper East Coast. According to their name card, this was the first German bakery and cafe in Singapore.

For drinks, we debated whether to order the German beer but my hubby decided to opt for the ice chocolate instead - thus giving us a reason to make a return visit!



For food, we had three dishes. First we had the popular ox-tail stew. The meat was bone-tender (to borrow my daughter's word). With only two apiece of ox-tail and potato, it was a bit steep for the price. Nevertheless, it sure brought back memories of my mummy's top-class version which was not only richer and tastier but came brimming with carrrots, onions and potatoes.



The boiled bratwurst sausages were served with potato salad. I spread the sausages with the mustard provided and popped them into my mouth. Mmm...it sure tasted crunchy, fresh and succulent. Non-oily and thus nutritious. By the way, 'bratwurst' means sausage made from pork or beef. Brat means fine chopped meat, and wurst means sausage. My hubby finished the entire potato salad! You form the verdict yourself.



The recommended meat loaf comes with bread dumpling, sauerkraut (cabbage fermented in red wine) and potatoes (not again!). Nevertheless, this was the indeed the highlight of the evening!



Surprisingly, the bread dumpling was tasty and rich! Did I say this dish certainly provide another reason to come again?



For dessert, we went to the bakery 2 doors away and ordered carrot cake, apple cheese cake and walnut brownie. Ooo-la-la, am I in heaven or what? Let me worry about the tummy tomorrow. Today, I am in German Heaven!

Hog's Breath Cafe - The Real Deal

Have you ever tripped over yourself, just trying to find the perfect steakhouse for a perfect slab of good ol' char-grilled meat?

Well, look no more, that is, if you're in Perth. (Or any aussie state for that matter)

Yesterday, Sam and I had a good opportunity to dine with Uncle Paul and Aunty Lily (friends of my father's), and an earlier decision was made to lunch at Hog's Breath Cafe at Northbridge.



Stepping into the surroundings made me feel like I was back in the 1960s, with cowboys and ranches and Clint Eastwood for that matter. The entrance was one of a vintage entrance to a typical cowboy's pub - very Hog's Breathish and no fuss-like nonsense. Wooden chairs and tables line the premise with old signboards and vintage car plates punctured here and there on yellow-washed walls.

Hog's Breath Cafe's specialities are undoubtedly their prime steaks, slow-cooked for up to 18 hours in a hot oven and char-grilled at the end to seal in maximum flavour. But for those not particularly fond of steaks, they do serve burgers, wraps, sandwiches, and other meat like poultry and fish. However, don't expect any vegeterian options, except for the salads, Hog's Breath is definitely for the carnivorous of appetites.

Whilst Uncle Paul & Aunty Lily opted for the Hickory Smoked Prime Rib, I opted for the Blackened Prime Rib. Sam, not a big fan of steaks that day, went for the Hickory Lamb Shank.

We decided to go for a serve of their garlic and herb bread for the appetizer, and boy, was it fricking good.



I love their garlic bread immensely. The garlic scent wasn't overpowering as compared to other garlic bread I've tasted. I liked how the bread was firm but not overly crispy and tough in texture. Just perfectly soft in the middle. One's definitely not enough for this greedy girl.



Hickory Smoked Prime Rib - I didn't get a taste of this so no views about it, but from how frequently it gets ordered by Uncle Paul & Aunty Lily whenever they patronise Hog's Breath, it must be something good, isn't it? Topped with Hog's Breath own smoked BBQ sauce and an accompaniment of curly fries and fresh veggies.



Sam‘s Hickory Lamb Shank according to her was fall-off-the-bone tender and utterly delicious. Acompanied by side dish of Dianne-amite sauce, mashed potato and fresh veggies.



Oooh, just looking at this picture makes me hungry again. Ordering the Blackened Prime Rib left me with no regrets. Deliciously moist and tender, this steak definitely puts all the other steakhouses to shame. Seasoned with Cajun spice, the salty flavour of the meat just permeates through my tastebuds upon chewing a chunk from my fork. The cut definitely has a good balance of fats and meat, and oh goodness, the fat immediately melts in your mouth with a salty, smoky flavour. Mine was medium-well, and I got what I ordered, so props to that. Accompanied by a special side dish order of mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and fresh veggies.

I was enormously bloated nearing the end of my dish so we didn't have the chance to order any desserts but apparently, the mud cake is totally wicked as well according to Sam, so I shall be ordering that at my next visit!

One thing to note though, although Hog's Breath Cafe has a few franchise outlets in Singapore, reviews of the food served at the Singapore outlets doesn't look really appetizing and a blow to Hog's Breath Cafe's reputation as Australia's best steakhouse yet. Once again leading to me, shaking my head heavily, and wondering whether steakhouses in Singapore are capable of cooking perfect steaks. No one wants a steak rock-hard on the outside and all red and raw in the middle do they?

Kaiseki Meal at Kuriya

Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese meal analogous to Western haute cuisine. Usually the meal courses are served in various ways of cooking methods. At Kuriya, Great World City, where I had my Kaiseki lunch, the 6-course meal comprises an appetiser, a fried item, a steamed item, sushi, soup, dessert and coffee. The dishes are served excellently by the polite and knowledgeable staff. In fact, they had the foresight to place the kaiseki menu on the table so that I can follow the courses and identify the various items in each course.

The appetiser, itself, consisted of 5 items: scallop and flying fish roe jelly, french beans tossed with sesame sauce, braised sardine with plum, brised japan chilli leaf, conger eel and cucumber. I like the refreshing and cooling scallop and flying fish roe jelly best.



The second course was the fried item. Essentially, tempura, the deep fried dish comes with prawn, potato and other vegetables. What was unique: the three gingko nuts that were placed strategically around the dish. Healthy and decorative!



The steamed item was salmon and mushroom with chrysanthemum sauce. The mushroom pieces were mixed with broken japanese rice to form an almost gruel paste.



The Nigiri or hand-pressed sushi was filling! This was served with the soup: minced crab meat and prawn in clear soup with egg white. This was one of my favourites!



Finally, the dessert which almost took my breath away. Not expecting much, I was unprepared for the magnificent sight that was in front of me. The waiter described each item: vanilla ice-cream, mocca mouse cake and assorted fruits. Together, with the coffee, I was completely satisfied with the entire lunch experience that day! The entire 7-course meal: $35++.



My lunch partner had the teriyaki salmon set at $24++. The salmon was done with crispy skin and no bones. The set comes with a smaller dessert (but equally well-presented) and coffee.

Tiramisu and Ben 10

If you are thinking what is the connection between tiramisu and Ben 10, wonder no more.

'Twas two nights before my father's birthday, i.e. today, that my sis saves the day...or more correctly night!

My hubby and I were watching TV at my father's when raps were heard at the door. Sis and her family entourage appeared with a cake to celebrate our father's birthday!

From Breadtalk, the tiramisu cake was burdened with candles galore to signify our ageing and senescent father.



Now, it has been a number of years that I've tasted a cake from Breadtalk. Surprisingly, the cake was light and not very sweet. The cream and cocoa combination was a counterfoil to the soft vanilla sponge. However, the cake could do with some rum.



As usual, my nephew demonstrated his appetite by downing 3 pieces...while giving his aunt a short course on Ben 10. 'Tis the story of 10-year-old Ben Tennyson who discovered a mysterious device, and gained the power to change into 10 different alien heroes, each with uniquely awesome powers. Shown on cartoon network, the series is the latest hit for Singaporean lads!

Sis Comes A-Knocking!

Staying in an apartment without my family gets me missing times when me and my sister used to rule the house back in Singapore. As for my sister, staying in a hostel without a proper kitchen isn't the sort of environment one would like to cook in.

Therefore, Sam came over to my house today to cook spaghetti bolognese, an utterly simple but favourite dish for both of us. According to wikipedia, bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce for pasta. However we twisted the recipe a little and threw in some mushrooms with our minced beef as well.



I love red onions. Sweeter than brown and white onions, they impart the most incredible sweet fragrance to the bolognese sauce.



Button mushrooms are fantastic. Perfect for salads, soups and stews, this thing we term a fungus just goes to prove how important and flexible it is.



Our lip-smacking result. The flavours of the tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and beef simply combined together like they were made for each other, producing a glorious beefy stock. Common ingredients in every supermarket and absolutely easy to prepare, spaghetti bolognese is a winner with everyone, from kids to full-grown adults.