Chinese steamed chicken
Spinach - lightly fried with garlic and a bit of salt
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Sun, 29th October 2006
I've not done a simple home cooking post for a while. This was dinner at Wm's - she made a vat of soup, steamed some chopped up chicken (marinated in light soy, chinese wine, ginger, salt, pepper, cornstarch, sugar& sesame oil, she added some dried black mushrooms and wolfberries) and fried some spinach. I brought some salmon, which we quick cooked in the microwave. Altogether, a light, easy, home Cantonese meal.
Chinese steamed chicken
Spinach - lightly fried with garlic and a bit of salt
Chinese steamed chicken
Spinach - lightly fried with garlic and a bit of salt
Mon, 30th October 2006
This is my handbag taken in the ladies at the place where I was on Wednesday night. What a super evening and it was great to see everyone again!
And oh yes, there was food too.
As soon as I whipped out my camera, the staff obligingly posed and smiled and egged each other on to get into the pic. Thanks guys - I'm sorry I had to crop the pics.
And beverages.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Thursday, 26th October 2006
And just to prove that we do eat vegetables too, here is some blanched choy sum, with oyster sauce and garlic chips which I served with the tumeric chicken.
Friday, 27th October 2006
Steak and chips.
Panfried ribeyes, French fries and pumpkin. I had my steak with a dollop of HOT English mustard and 2 glasses of red wine. (Not in picture: Creamy mushroom sauce)
Dinner conversation with the kids:
Loan Sharks (HK, Singapore and Brunei style - all info gained from newspapers, hearsay, etc)
The pleasant unexpected surprise
Christmas
Empire Hotel
etc
Panfried ribeyes, French fries and pumpkin. I had my steak with a dollop of HOT English mustard and 2 glasses of red wine. (Not in picture: Creamy mushroom sauce)
Dinner conversation with the kids:
Loan Sharks (HK, Singapore and Brunei style - all info gained from newspapers, hearsay, etc)
The pleasant unexpected surprise
Christmas
Empire Hotel
etc
Saturday, 28th October 2006
A lazy Saturday afternoon:
Eating: An enormous scone with cream and strawberry jam
Drinking: Green Tea
Wearing: Tie skirt (translated into: expandable waistband) and old tshirt
Watching: Desperate Housewives Season 3 Episodes 1 to 4
Eating: An enormous scone with cream and strawberry jam
Drinking: Green Tea
Wearing: Tie skirt (translated into: expandable waistband) and old tshirt
Watching: Desperate Housewives Season 3 Episodes 1 to 4
Thursday, 26th October 2006
I was thrilled on Thursday as my second attempt at tumeric chicken was a smash if I may say so. I have always wanted to know why the fried chicken in Indian or Malay restaurants taste so good and how they make it.
Z's mum makes fantastic crispy fried chicken wings but her recipe is very closely guarded. Another girlfriend told me her recipe and I tried it out last week. It was good but I felt that something was lacking and far from what I have tasted, and although I know its msg, I tweaked the recipe on Thursday and decided to add fresh grated tumeric in addition to its powder form. Success!
The tumeric/ginger bits turned very crunchy and clung to the crispy skin of the chicken. Crispy bursts of flavour in every bite..
Recipe:
Slashed chicken drumsticks
Wings - found some really tiny ones in SS but on they other hand, they cook really quickly
Fresh grated tumeric
Fresh grated ginger
Salt
Lime juice
Wash and pat very dry meat. Smother with marinade, overnight. Fry in very hot oil. Drain and serve.
Here they are in their raw state. Let meat come to room temperature before you fry them.
In the hot oil:
Drain on kitchen towels:
I'll definitely make these again. Would any readers out there share their tumeric chicken recipes?
Z's mum makes fantastic crispy fried chicken wings but her recipe is very closely guarded. Another girlfriend told me her recipe and I tried it out last week. It was good but I felt that something was lacking and far from what I have tasted, and although I know its msg, I tweaked the recipe on Thursday and decided to add fresh grated tumeric in addition to its powder form. Success!
The tumeric/ginger bits turned very crunchy and clung to the crispy skin of the chicken. Crispy bursts of flavour in every bite..
Recipe:
Slashed chicken drumsticks
Wings - found some really tiny ones in SS but on they other hand, they cook really quickly
Fresh grated tumeric
Fresh grated ginger
Salt
Lime juice
Wash and pat very dry meat. Smother with marinade, overnight. Fry in very hot oil. Drain and serve.
Here they are in their raw state. Let meat come to room temperature before you fry them.
In the hot oil:
Drain on kitchen towels:
I'll definitely make these again. Would any readers out there share their tumeric chicken recipes?
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Weds, 25th October 2006
Not tidying up again! Today, I tackled my glassware cabinet and cupboard where I keep photographs, cookbooks, spare decor items, wrapping paper/ribbons, wire and stuff, cards. I found this in the photographs basket - it's a recipe for a baked cheesecake, from quite a well known place. The cake is very very rich and dense and the ingredients are simple and the results are guaranteed - if I can make this, so can anyone as I can't bake to save my life!I am definitely not a hoarder but sometimes I am surprised at the things I find while I am having a good old clean out.
For those with eagle eyes, you will notice the date on the fax as April 1988. That kind of explains the yellowed piece of doc you see here.
The next piece of paper I found was a recipe for Caesar Salad dressing, also from a well known place. It was written after watching them make it tableside, one evening, a very, very long time ago.
3 tbs garlic1 tbs anchovies
1 tbs mustard
(mix together)
2 egg yolks
tobasco
juice of half a lemon
lea & perrins
croutons
bacon bits
parsley
parmesan cheese
olive oil
few dash vinegar
black pepper
After egg yolks, add olive oil in a stream, mixing all the time. Add vinegar, tobasco & lea/perrins. Then croutons, bacon, parsley, pepper. Break up croutons.
That does not sound too terribly difficult, does it?
Monday, October 23, 2006
Saturday, 21st October 2006
J bought some seruding from the very popular stall by the escalators at Utama Grand. Her helper fried some cashew nuts and mixed them into the serunding.... Wow, it was good!
This recipe is from www.asianrecipes.com and I won't even think about attempting it so I might head over to the Mall later to buy a box ($10).
Beef Serunding
Ingredients :
500 g Shin or topside beef
300 ml Thick coconut milk
12 pieces Dried chilies, cut in 2cm pieces
10 stalks Shallots, coarsely chopped
2 cm Fresh ginger, chopped
3 stems Lemongrass, inner part of bottom 10cm only, thinly sliced
1 cm Fresh turmeric root, chopped or 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cm Galangal, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 pieceDried tamarind slice (asam keping or asam gelugor)
or 2 tsp dried tamarind pulp, soaked in 2 tbsp water,
then squeezed and strained to obtain juice.
Method :
Cut beef into 6cm cubes, then put in a pan, add water to just cover and bring to a boil.
Cover the pan, lower the heat and allow to simmer until just tender (45 - 60 mins).
Drain and reserve the beef stock.
When beef is cool enough to handle, use fingers to tear the meat along the grain to make fine, hair-like shreds.
Now soak chilies for 10 minutes in warm water, discard some of the seeds to reduce the heat, then process chilies, shallots, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric and galangal to a coarse paste in a blender.
Gradually add 180ml of the beef stock and keep blending until smooth.
Heat wok or pan and stir-fried processed mixture, coconut milk and salt over medium heat until mixture is very thick and starting to dry out. This should take approx. 15 minutes.
Add the shredded beef, reduce the heat to very low level and cook beef, stirring and tossing frequently for approx. 30 minutes.
Add the tamarind slices, or tamarind juice and continue cooking until the meat is completely dry and crisp.
Allow to cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.
Serve as a garnish with rice and other dishes.
This recipe is from www.asianrecipes.com and I won't even think about attempting it so I might head over to the Mall later to buy a box ($10).
Beef Serunding
Ingredients :
500 g Shin or topside beef
300 ml Thick coconut milk
12 pieces Dried chilies, cut in 2cm pieces
10 stalks Shallots, coarsely chopped
2 cm Fresh ginger, chopped
3 stems Lemongrass, inner part of bottom 10cm only, thinly sliced
1 cm Fresh turmeric root, chopped or 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cm Galangal, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 pieceDried tamarind slice (asam keping or asam gelugor)
or 2 tsp dried tamarind pulp, soaked in 2 tbsp water,
then squeezed and strained to obtain juice.
Method :
Cut beef into 6cm cubes, then put in a pan, add water to just cover and bring to a boil.
Cover the pan, lower the heat and allow to simmer until just tender (45 - 60 mins).
Drain and reserve the beef stock.
When beef is cool enough to handle, use fingers to tear the meat along the grain to make fine, hair-like shreds.
Now soak chilies for 10 minutes in warm water, discard some of the seeds to reduce the heat, then process chilies, shallots, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric and galangal to a coarse paste in a blender.
Gradually add 180ml of the beef stock and keep blending until smooth.
Heat wok or pan and stir-fried processed mixture, coconut milk and salt over medium heat until mixture is very thick and starting to dry out. This should take approx. 15 minutes.
Add the shredded beef, reduce the heat to very low level and cook beef, stirring and tossing frequently for approx. 30 minutes.
Add the tamarind slices, or tamarind juice and continue cooking until the meat is completely dry and crisp.
Allow to cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.
Serve as a garnish with rice and other dishes.
Sunday, 24th September 2006
Another typical Sunday for us - swimming/clowning around at the Sheraton while Mum surfs on the internet by the pool, reading the papers and having a pot of tea.Me: Kiddies, out of the pool now, please, it's raining!
Kids: awwwwww, but we're already wet...
Me: *thinks* - makes sense.. (goes back to the papers)
Late lunch:
Saturday, 23rd September 2006
Another soto post.
This one is from Tini's at the Mall. Piping, burning hot chickeny stock. Their chilli is eye-wateringly spicy. Add a good splash of white vinegar, 2 scoops of chilli paste and soya sauce for extra flavour and taste. I love soto and my fave is Tini's, followed closely by Sweet & Savoury's and then Rossmini's. Z's mum make fantastic soto too, served with the beef potato patties, handfuls of fried shallots & parsley - yummy!!!!
This one is from Tini's at the Mall. Piping, burning hot chickeny stock. Their chilli is eye-wateringly spicy. Add a good splash of white vinegar, 2 scoops of chilli paste and soya sauce for extra flavour and taste. I love soto and my fave is Tini's, followed closely by Sweet & Savoury's and then Rossmini's. Z's mum make fantastic soto too, served with the beef potato patties, handfuls of fried shallots & parsley - yummy!!!!
Saturday, 21st October 2006
BEFORE:
AFTER:
As I suffer severely from Ornithophobia, I kept a watchful eye on this the entire night - it made me very nervous, with its wicked beady eyes, bold comb, pointy beak and artfully painted plumage....
AFTER:
As I suffer severely from Ornithophobia, I kept a watchful eye on this the entire night - it made me very nervous, with its wicked beady eyes, bold comb, pointy beak and artfully painted plumage....
Saturday, 21st October 2006
On his return from Vancouver, R's promotion was confirmed and he took us all to our favourite restaurant Thiam Hock in Gadong for a celebratory meal - yes, we braved the traffic to make our way there on payday but we narrowly beat the traffic by going in at about 6.30 pm.
Menu:
1. Individual bowls of shark's fins for everyone - And here I must apologise for being so p-in-c and if I can justify it in anyway, we only have this once or twice a year - partly due to the cost ($24 per portion). It was lovely though, rich flavourful stock, chunky combs of fins, large pieces of dried scallops & firm pieces of crabmeat.
3. Butter Chicken (everyone's favourite)
Menu:
1. Individual bowls of shark's fins for everyone - And here I must apologise for being so p-in-c and if I can justify it in anyway, we only have this once or twice a year - partly due to the cost ($24 per portion). It was lovely though, rich flavourful stock, chunky combs of fins, large pieces of dried scallops & firm pieces of crabmeat.
2. A 2.6 kg lobster cooked in 2 forms (half was cooked in their signature stock with garlic and the other in a flavourful peppery light broth served in a claypot with glass noodles)
3. Butter Chicken (everyone's favourite)
4. Sizzling tofu with minced meat and egg
5. Braised Pork leg with slithery Sea Cucumber and Mushrooms
6. Stirfried Broccoli with crunchy firm fat prawns
We were all very full and satisfied after that meal. Thanks R, keep up the good work - you're a generous pal. Hope another promotion will come your way before too long... From your very grateful guests, Ym, M & H, Wm, P, D, J and KF.
Lastly, the bill (gulp..) :
And some nice crisp white wine, glasses thoughtfully provided by the management.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Sunday, 22nd October 2006
Hey all (and Sam) - I'm back and here is the quickest update, in no particular order:
1. Diet - Failed totally, utterly, MISERABLY
2. Work - Busy - I like
3. Kids - Off school till 1st Feb
4. Home - New curtains and upholstery (red, gold, cream theme) J says it's the 'boudoirish' look, I need a chandelier, a red beaded lampshade... and one wall to be painted RED to complete the look.
(Birthday gift from Hazel)
5. Helper - Left at end of 2 year contract
6. Self - Was the amah for 2 weeks
7. Helper 2 - Elf finally arrived!!!!!!! yippee
8. Birthday - Celebrated quietly - Jurlique rose handcream from J, MAC Studio Fix face powder, magazines & dried herbs from Wm, Tealight holder from Hazel & meal at Excapade from Mark, cake from Sheraton.
9. Shopping - 1 Oroton embossed croc leather handbag from Melbourne A$299!!!! reduced from A$499, British India super FLOUNCY multitiered skirt in beige, pink and brown, eyelet blouse (too tight but last one), green embroidered skirt from Butik Eileen Chen, napkins from Sheraton boot sale, bits and pieces for the house, bright pink flexible linen basket with handles which can double up as swimming bag, maroon runners from Cinnamon, 2 cream damask lampshades with little beads to replace my 15 year old silk shades.
10. Housekeeping - Tidied up EVERYWHERE (linen, bedding, clothes, crockery, cutlery, toolbox, kids' study tables, undie drawer, toiletries, DVD/CD cupboard) Elf and I have run out of places to tidy and clean
11. Doc visits - numerous for Hazel's asthmatic condition - stop the burning already, you environmental idiots nearby!
12. Food ate - too much and too many to mention
13. Sungkai - Sweet & Savoury (twice) and Sanur (sorry girls, missed Capers and another sess at S&S with you 3)
14. Acquired - This cool little baby - aren't the speakers sexy? Dell Dimension 9200
15. Hair - Appointment at Alan Inspiration on Monday 23rd Oct
So how have you all been?
1. Diet - Failed totally, utterly, MISERABLY
2. Work - Busy - I like
3. Kids - Off school till 1st Feb
4. Home - New curtains and upholstery (red, gold, cream theme) J says it's the 'boudoirish' look, I need a chandelier, a red beaded lampshade... and one wall to be painted RED to complete the look.
(Birthday gift from Hazel)5. Helper - Left at end of 2 year contract
6. Self - Was the amah for 2 weeks
7. Helper 2 - Elf finally arrived!!!!!!! yippee
8. Birthday - Celebrated quietly - Jurlique rose handcream from J, MAC Studio Fix face powder, magazines & dried herbs from Wm, Tealight holder from Hazel & meal at Excapade from Mark, cake from Sheraton.
9. Shopping - 1 Oroton embossed croc leather handbag from Melbourne A$299!!!! reduced from A$499, British India super FLOUNCY multitiered skirt in beige, pink and brown, eyelet blouse (too tight but last one), green embroidered skirt from Butik Eileen Chen, napkins from Sheraton boot sale, bits and pieces for the house, bright pink flexible linen basket with handles which can double up as swimming bag, maroon runners from Cinnamon, 2 cream damask lampshades with little beads to replace my 15 year old silk shades.
10. Housekeeping - Tidied up EVERYWHERE (linen, bedding, clothes, crockery, cutlery, toolbox, kids' study tables, undie drawer, toiletries, DVD/CD cupboard) Elf and I have run out of places to tidy and clean
11. Doc visits - numerous for Hazel's asthmatic condition - stop the burning already, you environmental idiots nearby!
12. Food ate - too much and too many to mention
13. Sungkai - Sweet & Savoury (twice) and Sanur (sorry girls, missed Capers and another sess at S&S with you 3)
14. Acquired - This cool little baby - aren't the speakers sexy? Dell Dimension 9200
15. Hair - Appointment at Alan Inspiration on Monday 23rd Oct
So how have you all been?
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Diet - Day 9
Day 9 - Wednesday, 20th September
Breakfast - Fried Kueh Teow with Beef and Egg (Super fattening)
Lunch - Tea with 2 sweet biscuits
Dinner - Watercress soup in chicken stock & 2 teaspoons of choc chip cheesecake
Exercise - Nil
(Diet rapidly flying out of the window)!
Breakfast - Fried Kueh Teow with Beef and Egg (Super fattening)
Lunch - Tea with 2 sweet biscuits
Dinner - Watercress soup in chicken stock & 2 teaspoons of choc chip cheesecake
Exercise - Nil
(Diet rapidly flying out of the window)!
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Monday, 18th September
I finally made it to Rossmini's soto in Gadong with J for lunch today. I had a kasturi ping and soto special. It was good, very good, but I prefer the soto at S & S, as I prefer my soups to be clear and Rossmini's soup is cloudy. But still delicious, nonetheless.
The fried egg in the soup was a nice touch! And wow, their chilli paste is amazing.... We had extra fried chicken and this was quite tasty with a simple salt & turmeric marinade and deepfried without batter.
Cold and refreshing kasturi ping or lime juice with ice.
The fried egg in the soup was a nice touch! And wow, their chilli paste is amazing.... We had extra fried chicken and this was quite tasty with a simple salt & turmeric marinade and deepfried without batter.
Cold and refreshing kasturi ping or lime juice with ice.
Tuesday, 19th September
I had lunch with J and her colleagues at Sweet and Savoury again. What a gem this restaurant is. It is so clean and pleasant and the food is fabulous. Beautifully cooked, with perfect blending of spices and tastes. The owners take great pride in their restaurant and you can sense this as soon as you walk in. Their tables, cutlery and even placemats are squeakingly clean, their floors sparkle, there is no lingering smell of grease (as in many other restaurants), and their condiment dishes are spotless and greasefree. Perfect for a clean freak like me. 10 out of 10 for cleanliness and more for their food.
I had their fabulous Nyonya Laksa, strands of vermicelli in a spicy, coconut broth, with kafir lime leaves, lemon grass and I love the blob of belachan on top. I always add at least 3 to 4 teaspoons of chilli paste to add the extra bite. I looove spicy food.
J's colleagues shared a Tom Yum Soup with Stuffed Tofu. I tried the soup and it was another winner. The prawn stock which was the base of the soup was amazing and together with coconut milk and other spices, the soup was amazingly tasty. I'll have that the next time I go.
I was still hungry after this so I shared a beef soto with J. Bounced back to the office all fat and happy after that feeding.
I had their fabulous Nyonya Laksa, strands of vermicelli in a spicy, coconut broth, with kafir lime leaves, lemon grass and I love the blob of belachan on top. I always add at least 3 to 4 teaspoons of chilli paste to add the extra bite. I looove spicy food.
J's colleagues shared a Tom Yum Soup with Stuffed Tofu. I tried the soup and it was another winner. The prawn stock which was the base of the soup was amazing and together with coconut milk and other spices, the soup was amazingly tasty. I'll have that the next time I go.
I was still hungry after this so I shared a beef soto with J. Bounced back to the office all fat and happy after that feeding.
Diet - Day 8
Day 8, Wednesday, 19th Sept
Breakfast - Tea and 2 Waitrose Bourbon biscuits
Lunch - Laksa & half portion soto (share with J)
Dinner - Beverages with S & S
Exercise - Nil
Hi S, nice evening!
Breakfast - Tea and 2 Waitrose Bourbon biscuits
Lunch - Laksa & half portion soto (share with J)
Dinner - Beverages with S & S
Exercise - Nil
Hi S, nice evening!
Monday, September 18, 2006
Diet - Day 7
Day 7 - Monday, 18th September
Breakfast - Cereal with soy milk and a banana
Lunch - ROSSMINI's SOTO - made it, finally, made it
Dinner - Large plate of stirfried vegs & small bowl of chicken soup & handful of peanuts
Exercise - Nil
Breakfast - Cereal with soy milk and a banana
Lunch - ROSSMINI's SOTO - made it, finally, made it
Dinner - Large plate of stirfried vegs & small bowl of chicken soup & handful of peanuts
Exercise - Nil
Sunday, 17th September 2006
Random shots from Sunday:
Hazel's lunch before she went to the pool to take part in her events (50 m free and 50m relay free)
Hazel participating in the 10 x 50m tyre relay
Chicken pies from SD - very disappointing - hardly any filling inside and what there was was dry with hardly any chicken pieces.
Hazel's lunch before she went to the pool to take part in her events (50 m free and 50m relay free)
Hazel participating in the 10 x 50m tyre relay
Chicken pies from SD - very disappointing - hardly any filling inside and what there was was dry with hardly any chicken pieces.
Sunday, 17th September 2006
In the middle of the swimming competition, I went out with J to Cinnamon to look at table linen and to have soto at Sweet & Savoury. I had 2 failed soto attempts earlier that morning (first one at Rossmini and second at SD - both places firmly shut) so I was determined to have soto come what may.
It did not fail to disappoint - I doused the soto with vinegar, soy sauce and chilli paste. Wow! Extreme soto - super tasty with crunchy beansprouts and tasty beefy shank slices and tripe.
It did not fail to disappoint - I doused the soto with vinegar, soy sauce and chilli paste. Wow! Extreme soto - super tasty with crunchy beansprouts and tasty beefy shank slices and tripe.
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