Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Pisang Goreng (Fried Bananas)

When I was a mere child, my parents often took me and my sister to Lau Pa Sat, a huge hawker centre stocked with stalls of every Singaporean delicacy you could think of. Think laksa, hokkien mee, chicken rice, mee goreng, char kway teow, etc. Food was alright, nothing special, just everyday really fatty food one could find almost anywhere around Singapore.

What strikes me most deeply about my childhood visits to Lau Pa Sat would definitely have to be the Pisang Goreng, an utterly sinful infatuation of mine back then and now. Pisang Goreng or otherwise Goreng Pisang, are over-ripe bananas slathered in thick batter and deep-fried in oil.

Yesterday was one of the days I suddenly had an urge to make something well, eatable. So pouncing upon the fact that Pisang Goreng consist of the simplest ingredients ever, I had a rather 'battery' kitchen that day.

Now Pisang Goreng is really just a simple dessert on the eyes. Bananas and batter, period. So what would make a Pisang Goreng stand out would irrevocably, have to be the batter. From my childhood experiences and simple research, Pisang Goreng originated from the Malays. The type of batter they used differed from what the Chinese would produce, in that, the Chinese use egg in their batter, whereas the Malays don't. I did a batter experiment that day, using one with egg and another without any egg, and the result was significant.



The batter with a deeper yellow colour(with egg), produced a heavier, richer, more crunchy exterior. The Pisang Goreng had a more golden brown colour to it, probably caused by the colour of the egg yolk (below, first pic). On the other hand, the almost off-white batter(no egg), produced a lighter and chewier texture. The crunchiness was almost absent but the chewy bit definitely made up for it. I instantly developed a deeper love for it as opposed to the Chinese-style Pisang Goreng (below, second pic). I might add though, that I did not deep-fry the Pisang Goreng but pan-fried them instead as I ran out of oil. But deep-frying would definitely give them that extra crunch.





What can I say - even though I'm studying overseas, nothing can withstand my love for these delectable fried bananas. Try making it, I bet you it'll be super easy.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

An Eclipse Experience

Acoording to astronomers, an Eclipse of the Sun will occur today. The Moon will fall into the Earth's deep shadow, taking on an orange hue during the second total eclipse of 2007.

How appropriate then, that I had lunch with my very good friend Sandra at the Sun with Moon Japanese Dining Cafe at the Central Mall.

Although the restaurant had grew from its first outlet in Wheelock Place to its present third outlet, this was my maiden visit to the much heralded place. Having heard so much of its fantastic desserts, a quick glance did not disappoint. The desserts ran the gamut from ice cream to cakes, with varieties and colours galore!

Since this was a working lunch, we chose to order from the set lunch menu which is reasonably priced and comes with coffee/english tea. In keeping with the day's rare lunar event, we ordered rice with shredded pork topped with egg (cooked sunny-side up).



The entire pork/egg dish almost convinced me that I was in the middle of an eclipse! The surrounding egg white and the central yolk, almost bursting from its confines, projected a strong resemblance of the earth covering the moon!



There was a good lunch crowd. Service was good especially with the experienced staff. Our initial encounter was a friendly waitress who was not able to respond satisfactorily to our questions about the menu items. Fortunately, an experienced staff took over to sustain our experience. While the menu is certainly ambitious, the food is average.

Will I come back? May be - but not so very soon!

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Say Cheese, Again!



One week into my first visit to SayCheezeCake, two of my colleagues and I decided to have our inaugural networking lunch together at the same place. This time, I took up my daughter's suggestion not just to focus on the food but also the surroundings - especially since the decor is indeed strikingly red and shouting for attention! But not just the seats, look at the ceiling too! The yellow-red combination makes a fashion statement that is almost like an abstract piccasso painting! Yet, it is not garish and revolting. In fact, the entire restaurant is bright yet warm - like a flower attracting bees to its honey centre.



At the SayCheeseCake, one of its signature dishes is the chicken rice. The rice is cooked with a secret recipe using state-of-art machines! Yes, machines and not the usual steamer/wok used in chinese cooking. The result is a truly delicious taste of traditional chicken rice. You've got to try it to believe. For a person who is not into rice (i.e. myself), yet, I got to admit that it is certainly comparable to the best chicken rice stalls in town. To top this, the restaurant offers a chicken selection of white, soya and yin-yang combination (that is half white, half soya!). So now you have no excuse not to order that plate of chicken rice.



The dessert of the day was pulot-hitam cheesecake. At first, we were quite hesitant in ordering it but due to the persuasive waiter, we decided to take up on his recommendation - with no regrets. The cake was not heavy, in fact just right - and one can bite into pieces of red bean found atop the cake!



Yes, you've guessed it. This is certainly not my last visit to the place!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Exceptional Indonesian Fare

It is not often that I chance upon good Indonesian-Malay food but yesterday's lunch was certainly sedap! Pagi Sore, a delightful restaurant situated along one of the borders of Far East Square, was packed when 9 of us trooped into its premises at about 1 pm.



Thanks to our Malay colleague who is familiar with its offerings, we had an absolutely grand time feasting the restaurant's best dishes: Cumi Bali (char-grilled squid), Ayam Bali (grilled boneless chicken), tahu telor, kangkong belachan, beef rendang, and Ikan Otah Kukus.



Unlike the usual fish otah found at other Indonesian restaurant, Pagi Sore's Ikan Otah Kukus is leather jacket fish that had been thoroughly infused with a light otah and coconut milk seasoning and then steamed to perfection. Truly, it was my favourite dish and between me and another of my colleague, we wiped out the entire plate!



Besides the exceptional food, the restaurant also stresses on presentation. Even their plain rice comes encased in a pyramid made of banana leaves. When opened, the rice exudes the wonderful fragrance of banana leaves that serves to whet one's appetite!



To complete the enjoyable lunch, I decided to take up the restaurant's dessert recommendation: Avocado with gula melaka. And without a doubt, it is way above any I've tasted before. The avocado was rich, thick and comes topped with ice. When stirred into the avocado and gula melaka, the entire concoction was almost gel-like with just the right amount of sweetness. I scraped to taste the very last drop before I was willing to let go off my spoon!



The service staff are also friendly and thoughtful, making observations to top up your water glass - whether you take ice-cold or warm (like me!).

While the setting within the restaurant is decidedly cosy and comfortable, its decor is really nothing to shout about. What Pagi Sore scores is its Indonesian fare and to that, the restaurant truly delivers.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Home-made Steak



I made these delicious home-made steaks for the second time in a row ever since buying a couple of scotch fillet steaks with Dad whilst he was in Perth.

And boy, do scotch fillets taste good! Juicy, tender and most importantly, a balanced steak. Balanced steak meaning juicy and pink on the inside, firm but most definitely not overwhelmingly hard on the outside. I once had a most unbalanced steak ever at a restaurant, where the outside was hard like a rock, and the inside was pretty much uncooked to the point of rawness. (blood was oozing out like a waterfall, *shudders*) And the funny thing was, we asked for medium-well.

I marinated the fillets with a simple garlic-soy marinade (marinade recipe below). Dunk them in a ziploc bag, and leave them in the fridge for about 2 hrs. Easy-peasy.



To accompany the steak. I blanched some broccoli in boiling water and fried up some mushrooms in a buttery sauce. Simple but really good.



My steaks were fried for about 3-5 minutes on each side. You don't have to put too much oil as the fats will give off their own. Lastly, I made the sauce using leftover marinade with a bit of water to remove the saltiness, simmering it to the taste of my choice. Drizzle the steaks with the sauce and tuck in!

Garlic-Soy Marinade (Kudos to Dad)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2-1 tsp minced garlic

Give them a good mix and pour the marinade all over the steak. Refridgerate for at least 2 hrs.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Say Cheese!

Lunch today was a cheesy affair. Invited by our organiser to Barcelona, my group of 5 descended upon this month-old restaurant on the 1st level of Great World City: SayCheezeCake.



True to its name, cheese cakes are its specialties. Within the glass counter in the front sits more than 10 varieties of cheese cakes, including rum and raisin (the only one with alcohol - and it is truly a potent affair!), rasberrry swirl and tublo chocolate (that is half brownie).




According to the owner, new concoctions are in the works including durian and even laksa!

Besides desserts, the mains and entrees are also a journey of discovery and anticipation - especially when all the items are so very beautifully presented. One can feel the pride and efforts that go behind each dish that is served. We had the laksa chowder, mushroom cappuccino and harvest from the sea (kids will luv this!).





Price-wise, the restaurant is a place that most families can frequent regularly. Service-wise, SayCheezeCake is a definite destination for all!

Saturday, August 11, 2007

A Muesli Breakfast



This morning, I had a very healthy breakfast of muesli, low-fat yoghurt and skim milk. Just put some spoonfuls of muesli in a tall glass, add chilled yoghurt and milk, and you have a very nutritious yet delicious meal to start the day.

A Swiss doctor, Maximilian Bircher-Benner, invented muesli in the late 19th Century for patients in his hospital. The original muesli was made with uncooked rolled oats and various pieces of dried fruit, nuts and seeds. It was served at breakfast as a protection against a variety of illnesses. This is because muesli is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. The presence of nuts and oats also make it a good source of Vitamins E, B6, B12, Folate and Iron.

Today, muesli is widely available in the form of pre-packaged mixes at supermarkets. There are many varieties, some of which also contain honey, spices, or chocolate. These additional items tend to raise the level of sugar and spoil the goodness of muesli. Before purchasing muesli, make a habit to read the fine prints and check for unnecessary ingredients.

Despite the goodness of muesli, this is one breakfast meal that has not caught on with Singaporeans. It tends to be more popular among the people from the West.

To unleash the health benefits of muesli, take the extra effort of mixing one yourself. Get only the original unadulterated muesli containing pure oats, nuts, seeds and relevant dried fruits. Into this mixture, add your favourite low fat yogurt, skim milk and even fresh fruits.

Cool and creamy -- stir up a bowl of muesli the night before and enjoy as a quick, nourishing breakfast in the morning!

Friday, August 10, 2007

Fruity Business

I love fruits. And I know alot of people out there do too. Fruits are just amazing. Full of nutritious vitamins and minerals, wholly refreshing (imagine taking a huge chunk out of a really juicy watermelon after an exercise - YUM) and they are just so convenient for easy on-the-go eating. Oranges, mangoes, kiwis and strawberries are just a few among my favourite fruits.

Today I'm blogging about a couple of fruits which I tried for the first time, deciding to get them on impulse after reading positive reviews of them from other fellow bloggers.

I'm talking about the gold kiwi fruit and the blood orange.


The gold kiwi is just completely different from the common normal kiwi. If you notice the shape, it is thinner than the average kiwi, with a pointy flat tip at one end. Cutting open the kiwi reveals its light yellow flesh. Again, another difference from the normal kiwi which is green in colour.


And for the best part? The taste is just awesome. A mellow honey-like fragrance erupts once you bite into the soft creamy flesh.


When I first saw a picture of the blood orange on the web, I was quite mystified by the striking rich red colour its flesh encased. It was a real discovery for me, obviously quite unlike any other orange I've known. Of course, curiosity got the better of me. Unexpectedly chancing upon a really tiny section of blood oranges at Woolies, I excitedly got two of these babies. The blood orange is considerably smaller than a normal-sized average orange. The skin is thinner and softer, which makes it rather easy to peel, quite like a mandarin.


As expected, the colour is the focal point of its beauty. Which makes one wonder whether that rich a colour would cause the taste to be less flavourful. But I was wrong. The blood orange has a taste quite unlike any orange I've eaten. It's hard to pen it down, but the sweetness is rather overpowering (in a good sense) and the juices were just bursting with flavour. I can't emphasize how good it tastes, really. Oh yes, I would definitely purchase a bag of blood oranges again.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

The French Connection



A common interest in literature, drama and arts often find us browsing at bookshops, posting blogs and watching dramatic acts. Early this January, my daughter and I attended Hossan Leong's Multiple Personalities Disorder at the Drama Centre.

That was when we stumbled onto this cosy French Cafe - Makarios.



While the place does not reveal its French connections, the menu was decidedly continental with its offering of made-to-order sandwiches, wide range of salad combinations (nicoise, goat cheese, goose rillette, terrine de campagne), hot dishes such as escargot, boeuf bourguignon, quiches, lasagna, moussaka, and cold shakes, juices and smoothies. There was also a good range of foreign premium beers, French and Australian wines, champagne and sparkling waters.



Though the night's event was hardly a French theme, the mainly adult crowd at Makarios projected a french air, with many of them 'parlez en francais'. We were puzzled and curious.

With some detective work, we have uncovered the 'raison detre': The owners of Makarios had operated at the Alliance de Francais at Draycott Drive - before it moved on to Sarkies area from 1985 to 2005. With its 20 years of French connection, they are well plugged into the tastes and preferences of the French community in Singapore, and had captured a loyal group of French customers despite its new location.

Located at Drama Centre, on level 3 of the National Library, Makarios offers a quiet, pleasant place to catch up among friends. Make a point to arrive early.

(Diving deeper into our detective work, we now realise that Makarios' French Connection hardly stops at the Drama Centre. But that is another story, altogether!)

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Easy-To-Make Pie



A couple weeks ago, I made this really easy apple pie. The recipe was taken from Anne's Food, which I absolutely adore for the simplicity of its recipes.

The ingredients are the basic of all basics, truly. Juicy crunchy apples, healthy rolled oats, golden syrup, plain flour, baking powder, butter, sugar and cream.

To make this custardy delight, give the apples(4-5) a good rinse, peel and slice them into whatever shape you feel best. (I sliced mine into squarish chunks but they were still a little raw in the middle after I baked them, so thin slices would be better imo)

Line your baking container with the apple slices and add to them a pinch of sugar if you please. Preheat your oven to about 175 dg celsius. In the meantime, toss 200ml flour, 200ml sugar(granulated), 200ml rolled oats and a tsp of baking powder together, mixing all of them together in a bowl.
Melt 150g of butter in a pot, pouring 50ml golden syrup and 100ml cream to it. Immediately remove from heat. Whisk together the dry mixture earlier on with our butter mixture and stir well, making sure everything is well combined. Pour the wonderful yellow liquid all over the waiting apples and bake in the oven for approx. 25-30 minutes. Heaven.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Colourful Citrus Candy



My daughter bought me a bottle of the multi-coloured, multi-flavoured ones when she came back home during her first semester in her foundation year. Though I am not a candy fan, the attractive looking glass that encapsulate the colourful candy makes an unusual gift and is a sure conversation piece.



The candy, or more specifically, ROC candy originates from Perth. Within the city, the solitary store is found at 34/36 Piccadilly Arcade700 Hay StPerth WA 6000.

Flavours ran the gamut - from citrus based to peppermint, and from aniseed to lavender. According to the good people at the store, natural colours and flavours. are used where possible. Their bestseller is the watermelon and multi-coloured ones (which I promptly bought at my last visit in July this year).

Saturday, August 4, 2007

A Lesson on Bagels



I am dedicating this post to my dearest hubby.

Two hours earlier, we headed to one of our breakfast joints. Instead of my usual muffin, I was looking forward to sinking my teeth onto a bagel full of eggs and salmon. I could just picture the eggs done just right with the yolk oozing out as I take my first bite.

Instead of myself, this morning, my hubby gave our breakfast orders to the person behind the counter. This is just the recipe for disaster. When our orders came, it was certainly eggs and salmon and bread. The eggs were scrambled and the bagel that I was eyeing was nowhere in sight.
Apparently, my hubby genuinely thought that the particular bread that comes with the order belongs to the bagel family. Hence, my decision to dedicate this post to him.



So what is bagel? The bagel is a bread in the form of a roughly hand-sized ring. The interior is dense, chewy and doughy while the exterior is often browned and sometimes crisp. (Just think of a savoury doughnut.) Bagels are often topped with seeds baked onto the outer crust with the most traditional being poppy or sesame seeds.

Bagels are often eaten with several different popular toppings. Amongst these are cream cheese, smoked salmon, corned beef, tomato and onion. Even McDonald's has a line of breakfast bagel sandwiches that contain egg, cheese, and meat combinations between the bagel slices.

Friday, August 3, 2007

Sweet Yam Dessert



Like most teochew-ans, my family enjoys a bowl of sweet yam or taro paste now and then. Served with either pieces of pumpkin or ginko nuts or combination of both, the dessert is 'non-pareil'. Even my hokkien hubby is hooked. It provides the ultimate finish to any teochew dinner outing.

When I was growing up, my mum used to serve this for dinner regularly. To make good yam paste is not easy. The yam must be smooth with just the right consistency and sweetness. This can only be obtained through steaming and lots of mashing with fork until the yam is fully and completely blended with oil - without any lumps! Then the entire paste is fried with shallots, pandan leaves and sugar, and lastly water added to just the right consistency.

Nowadays, restaurants have adulterated the original yam paste version by adding coconut which spoils the taste and tend to over dilute the yam unnecessarily.



Thankfully, some still serve the true yam paste version. This can be found at mid-class Guan Hin restaurant along Whampoa, high end Golden Palace restaurant at Paragon and at dessert kiosks in Anchorpoint and Amoy Food Street Centre. Try any of them and see if you are not hooked!

By the way, this is not the only sweet yam dessert enjoyed by the Teochews. Want to know more? Continue to tune in!

Thursday, August 2, 2007

RUM Balls, Anyone?



One of my occasional weakness is RUM Balls. Packed with nuts, cocoa, shortbread and a generous dose of concentrated rum, they are perfect for afternoon tea - especially combined with a cup of hot capuccino!

This easy-to-make dessert or sweet is commonly found in our local bakeries, in different sizes, coating, and even shapes. One of my favourite outlets do not even call it rum but MUR! Yes, the people at Polar Puffs has decided to keep the monicker but with a twist. This is to meet the halal standard. Han's cafe also does a pretty mean Rum ball. If you are fortunate, you can get one at your nearest outlet - as some do not stock the balls at all!

Rum balls also make pretty presents for friends. Wrapped in coloured cellophane and tied with a ribbon, your friends will certainly appreciate your presents with a difference - especially if you had make the balls yourself! Try it out the next time you need to get a gift and drop me a line on your experience.