Foods for the Souls and Mind

D@H #3

2006-12-18T19:06:00.000+08:00

its been quite sometime since i last post my home cook food. no no.. don't get me wrong, it's not that i have not been cooking for the past ermm.... months but i was just too lazy to post them. besides the dishes are alil same.. however 2 weeks back me and my roomie was cooking up a storm at home. both for our other halfs.. hehe.. i didn't do much but my roomie made quite a lot of effort in making her man happy :)

me and MT always enjoys eating sui kow/wanton. my mom makes really good ones too.. however i can only manage to inherite part of her skills. none the less, a good and fresh ingredients makes tasty food. therefore, i tried my hands on that with my own make shift recipes.

Sui Kow

Fillings :

a small packetof mince pork

9-10 small grey prawns ( or any kinds of prawns of your own likings)

2 medium sized chinese black mushroom or shitake mushroom ( soaked and drained)

2-3 water chestnut

a few stalks of chinese parsley ( coursely chop)

1 tsp of corn flour

dash of sesame oil, salt, pepper and soya sauce

1 small packet of sui kow skin

Methods:

dice prawns, mushroom and chestnut. later add mince pork to the rest of the diced ingredients. add parsley and mix everything together and add sesame oil, salt, pepper and soya sauce to taste

(you may also put the prawns in whole with each sui kow instead of dicing it with the rest of the ingredients)

add corn flour into the mixed ingredients to give the meat a more tender texture. you may also subsitute the cornstarch with 1 egg yolk. but i prefer to use corn flour because it does not make my fillings that watery.

take one sui kow skin and put in about 1 tsp full of filling.

wet the ends of the sui kow skin with your finger tips and fold it into half.

heat wok with oil till hot, put in sui kow one by one. separate it to fry in 2 batches.

fry until golden brown and take it out from the oil.

makes about 10 sui kow.

my roomie on the other hand made a few dishes that even the experts will say MmmMmmmm.. she got this recipe from a particular restaurant whom had a cookbook.

this is fried tauhu with salted eggs

deep fried aubergine with sambal belachan

lam yu (fermented beancurd) fried chicken drumlets

Thai crazy

2006-12-10T16:31:00.000+08:00

my recent trip to bangkok during the thai coup didn't really satisfy my cravings for thai food. it only makes me crave for more! for some reason, thai tomyums are unlike tomyums we usual see in singapore. its clear in colour but the fragrance from the lemon grass and the rest of the herbs makes it so spicy and yummy. however, i realise one funny thing in bangkok. there seem to be more japanese restaurant than tradisional thai ones! is there really that many of a japanese there? none the less, the japanese cuisine there is also a class above from the rest. okie lets not sway from my original topic of thai food. in order to satisfy my hunger for thai food, me and MT went to "thai express" for a quick fix. its been quite a while since i last been there. the interiors have change quite a bit and so is the menu with plenty more delicious varieties to choose from. their new addition... soft shell crab and cray fish. but i didn't order any of them.. sheesh.... me and MT order our usual tomyum glass noodles with fish and his thai green curry chicken with white rice. oh, b4 i proceed, i also notice one weird thing in the menu. "red tomyum" and the normal tomyum. i thought there is only 1 kind of tomyum?! so i ask the waitress what's the difference? and to her knowledge, its the spicy-ness that sets the red tomyum and the normal one apart. so much for the name! true enough the tomyum noodles that i ordered looked very much like fish sliced noodles rather than tomyum noodles. the soup looks so clear,one can mistaken it for something else....

their latest promotion also includes a free serving of the tauhu squares for a minimum charge of $15 on your citibank card. for $8.90 a bowl of green curry with rice and $9.90 for the tomyum noodles, the tauhu squares are pretty much complimentary for us. thai mango salad for $5.5o seems pretty reasonable for the portion and taste. bottomless ice cold water is more than enough to quench the thirst. so here you go, my order for the day.

Snow Mango?

2006-12-05T12:11:00.000+08:00

after a fulfilling teo chew porridge at havelock rd, me and MT adjourne to siglap for some coffee and dessert. as we were browsing thru which one to go to.. so we decide on this one. similar to most of the Hong Kong cafes found all over the island, xin wang hong kong cafe is located along the siglap road, making business along side with Haagen Daz, Coffee Club and Cafe Cartel. it was close to 9.30pm when we arrive and there are still many customers there having dinner or maybe early supper? but none the less, anytime is a good time to eat. isn't it? and being a dimsum fanatic like me.. its always a good choice :P

so my choice of dessert for the nite is this.. enormous snow mango. looks really delicious. a catchy sight to missed. for $4.60, its quite worth the price, however i felt deceived by the whole gigantic look. its not as tasty as it seems. the mango sauce that was supposedly drizzle thru all the way down from the top to the bottom isn't enough to seep thru to the thick ice shavings.. therefore when you ply open the snow mountain, the inside is actually just.. "ice". btw, it was always suppose to be a layer of condensed milk over it too.. but sad to say, can;t really taste that too. besides the handful amount of mango bits at the bottom, everything else is just, erhmm.. "cold". :p my verdict... 3 out of 5

bak chok mee

2006-11-20T00:10:00.000+08:00

i live in the east.. so my nearest shopping fix will be tampines mall/century mall. i think with the upcoming ikea on the way... tampines will not the be same old tampines anymore this month end. traffic will rise and so is the crowd. however that isn't my concern at all :P

i'm not a big fan of pork, not to mention pork noodles. before this, someone mention to me that the best pork noodles can be found at bedok market. the stall owner has been there for ages and ppl who wants to have a try of their specialty are often greeted with a very snobish order taker. mind you, its self service during order taking. i have tried the noodles only once and i have to say its over rated. to some it may be a delicacy, the smell of fresh pork in the noodle.. ewww.. not me. therefore, i find it alittle too raw for my taste. though the serving portion is not too bad, but still it just isn't my bowl of noodle. and sad to say.. i think they are getting too popular,and yet their noodles are not getting any better. my friend once ate there and came back having diarrhea. oh well..enough of the bad publicity from me... thou shall know when they try.

lets talk about the good ones instead :) so far i like the one along siglap rd.. or issit HK rd? its the one next to the hong kong cafe. pls forgive me for not remembering the names of the shop.. i'm so bad with names. their noodles are just nicely cooked and you can also add something extra like fried wanton. but i guess the best pork noodles that i've tried so far goes to the one in century mall, tampines. you will always see a queue in front of the stall at anytime of the day, any day. they uses special brew of black vinegar that is very fragrant. it jsut brings out the taste and flavour of the noodles and pork. they also have a branch stall at marina parade food court, next to a yong tau foo stall.

so.. what are you waiting for? grab a bowl when your nearby, and i promise you won't regret. if you do... then look for a better one and tell me lor :)

steamboat anyone?

2006-11-18T22:49:00.000+08:00

was at liang seah street today with MT and his brother for dinner.. my my, how has the place change. not that i have not been to bugis for ages, however i can help but to realise the number of restaurants now which are serving "steamboat". so much so.. i begin to feel like i'm back in kl having my usual fix of steamboat with my buddy at tmn menjelara! hahaha.. i guess the only difference is the price. almost all restaurants i passed serves the famous "mala steamboat". i remember when i first get my taste buds on this delicacy.. that particular restaurant was the only restaurant that serves them. with their mainland chinese waiter, you won't miss it. now with its long queue outside them its hard to missed it even.as we were waiting for our turn, i realise that a few units away, they were selling the same thing, but only a dollar more expensive. i was telling MT that if they couldn't find us a place in another 5 mins we will walk over to the other one. the other restaurant obviously have a better ambiance... a more spacious layout with a new and clean look, an electrical cooker instead of gas and better seats. not to mention a better range of soups for only a dollar more. and yet, ppl still flock to this shabby looking shop that has table edges peeling of from its paint due to the heat from the fire, uneven chairs and dirty/ oily floors. why?? none other than the taste. it taste better.

so you see..although many places offer better environments, but if your food sucks, you won't be able to make it big. those road side stalls back in malaysia don't have air condition places, not to mention a safe and clean surroundings. chuck by the road side next to a dirty drain, ppl will still queue for the tasty hokkien mee :)

i remember once i was having ipoh horfun in petaling streets after school one day with my buddies... i actually saw rats running across the rooftop of the particular stall i'm eating at.. and god knows how many cockroaches are underneath the drain i'm sitting at! yikes!!!!anyway.. if you feel like having a try, get your butts to liang seah street. the one opposite ah chew's dessert. on weekdays its fairly okie to reach ard 7-7.30pm for dinner. but on weekends you better go earlier.....

a casual day out

2006-05-08T17:14:00.000+08:00

was back in kl for a few days now and my, did i had a great time or what? it's been quite a while since i came back and really enjoyed myself without having to be afraid that i might missed my flight. i slept till 10am at least sometimes later, then head out to my kitchen for my breakfast which my mom bought earlier in the morning.. egg tarts and a packet of nasi lemak. ^^ simple yet heavenly. my bf joined me in kl shortly after so, when he was here we went out during lunch for shopping and stuffs.. i manage to meet up with my friends for a good chat and dinner of course.... i also happen to be able to made it for a friend's wedding.. it's been such a long time since we were all just hanging out in school.. lol.. sigh, that made me feel old.. owell... time do flies.

my bf just left for sg today.. but none the less its a great weekend!! will see him back in sg anyway.. hehehe.. so honey, i'll be home soon!

Back in Hong Kong

2006-04-27T12:12:00.000+08:00

my previous post on HK didn't really show much on the kind of food i like besides the curry fish ball sold by the roadside vendors.. this time, i manage to savour some of my all time favourites like the egg tarts and many more.. just have a look here!

my 1st stop was the dessert shop after he usual dimsum breakfast.. a bird nest specialty shop!

these are no ordinary egg tarts... these are bird nest egg tarts!! cool!!!

a closer look at it.. can u see the uneven face of the tart? that's the bird nest!

something more cooling.. a cold double boiled whole coconut with bird nests

a mango fruit platter with a mango pudding jelly on the side.

where the world have i been?? part II

2006-04-20T21:29:00.000+08:00

so much for being at home.. here's something from abroad

Korea : Incheon

just look at the variety!! all these for just lunch?? (selections from a street side stall)

beef bulgogi with vegetable

pork knuckles, braised and deep fried, a local delicacies
a normal sight on a korean meal.. preserved vegetables

this is like a korean style 'lok lok' choose whateva ingredients you want and see them do the magic of preparing you a delicious dish.. on a cold windy day of 7degrees... this is GOOD !

a little sweet dessert for you? just look at these colourful delights..tempting

how can one just stop at dessert?! these fish paste sticks are yummy, they also have sausages, potatoes and squid sticks

chefs at work.. these delicious rice cake filled with red bean paste is made fresh every second!

korea has never been better in the winter.. my last trip proves to be so much more rewarding than all my korean trips put together. i had most of the famous food around like the bulgogi, kimchi and other knick knacks... shop till i almost drop litterally :p raining mar! and of course had one of those sexy looking glasses made in korea for a very cheap price. one can just not imagine how much of an influence korea has been to us.. korean drama like the one about the palace.. the good old romantic 'winter sonata' and jaw dropping singer, Rain. almost every person i met loves them.. no wonder the travel agency are making a bomb out of them too! kam sa hamidah!!

where the world have i been??

2006-04-20T19:55:00.000+08:00

i dun think im up for the blogger stuffs.. as i happily celebrate one of my favourite blogs for feeding me with a yr of good stuffs, i'm just all chuck to one corner letting my laptop collect dust. ahhh comeon, u can't blame me... if this world is without internet, i'll be bored to death.. this is basically what happened to me... i'm at my new place practically internet free for almost a month!!! woo hoo.. and i made it, kkekeke.. will finally have my line up tmrw and i dun have to tap on some unsecure line anymore!!!
okie okie... so where have i been lately?

Singapore : Kallang

Yikes!! what a big fish head!!!!??! scary...
It's crappy the crab dude!! Chili crab at its best

Kuala Lumpur : Sri Hartamas

a sumptuos deal of thai with my good old pals in KL while catching up on some news..

my meal for the night.. fried rice with prawn salad by the side

New Year Goodies... Yummy!

2006-03-08T17:37:00.000+08:00

ah... what is more delightful than to return home and enjoy all the goodies prepared specially by your love ones? nothing! no matter how delicious the food is outside, nothing beats the warmth of home cooked food. thats why its called " foods for the souls and mind". well, that is what i thought.

a couple of months back in february, i went home to celebrate chinese new year with family. my mom in hearing that i'm coming home.. specially prepare a feast to welcome me home. she cooked most of my favourite food; such as black vinegar pork soup (chu keok chou), curry chicken, fried dumpling and mushroom stew with chicken feet ( tong ku kai keok). of course the main dish " yee sang" is not left out.

besides all these delicious meals... how can one left out the cookies!!! ever year, my mom will bake pineapple tarts, chocolate cookies and many many more..

what's next?

2006-03-08T17:28:00.000+08:00

recently i realise i am begining to become lazy... i don't feel like going out, don't feel like doing anything... sigh... my bf often says how lazy i am.. just like a lazy piglet :p then i realise i have not been paying attention to my blog at all... i still take pictures intending to put it in my blog, but they are all still in my cam... :P but no longer!! heheheh... here i am again to update my unattended blog. so once again, don't bother about the date, but look into the occasion itself...
enjoy!!

South Africa, Johennesberg

2006-02-02T18:02:00.000+08:00

is that how you spell it anyway?? correct me if i'm wrong. but none the less you guys knew what i'm trying to say ya? ^^

b4 i step foot to south africa, i have to admit i'm kinda naive to think that all they have is acres of safaries and desert... but i'm wrong.. besides all those national treasures, they have alot more to offer. south africa is indeed a magnificant place for the wild and adventurous as well as for the mature seniors who are looking for a relaxing place to spend time with love ones.

given the fact that the hotel i stay in is actually link to a mall! how convenient is that. hehehe.. i don't even have to step out into the sun. not a very brilliant idea for me to stay indoor, but i must say its a year round event. no rain or sun can stop you! a 6 story mall link to the hotel (sorry, can't recall the hotel's name)

south africa is famous for its fresh catch, seafood! yummy!!! i'm not really a seafood person, but the freshness is just too hard to resist... especially the calamaries they have.. its very different from the ones you have in singapore.. very juicy, not tangy/tough at all. its so soft and fresh that it melts once you bite into them.... gosh... just something hard to put into words.
for my lunch, we chosen Ghirardellis @ the Nelson Mandela Squares. a wide varieties of western food such as pasta, pizza, seafood and grills.
did you know that fish & co. is originally from S.Africa?? its called Ocean Basket there...

my lunch?? i shared it with other colleague of mine. we ordered pork ribs, seafood palate, cream pasta and escargots. each of us jsut pay 90 rands for this sumptious lunch. we are so full it last us till the next day! no kidding...

Jingle Bells Jingle Bells...

2006-02-02T17:21:00.000+08:00

hanging christmas tree??? only at cineleisure!

yey.. x'mas is here again. this year i celebrated it with my bf's family. and boy am i going for a feast! just imagine having a spread fit for 5o people? that's the whole carolling team! ^^

hehehe.. my bf at work!

chocolate tiramisu ice-cream cake by riciotti italian restaurant

swensen's ice cream log cake

Room service!!

2006-02-02T17:05:00.000+08:00

lately i have this habit of ordering room service.. gosh.. not a good thing.. bcos i'll tend to sleep after i eat then... so there goes my diet!

Club Sandwhich - Bacon, Avocado, Mayo Chicken, Ham and Tomatoes on toasted white bread, served with chips on the side.

later that day, i went out for lunch and ordered a beef ball noodle at the Myer's food court. i have to say i'm quite suprised by the portion and taste.. not bad!

my colleague ordered tom yum noodles instead. though the look of it looks rather unappetising, but don't be fooled. it taste just as good as the serving itself.. loads of seafood!

Continuing my Journey in Japan, Nagoya

2006-02-02T16:45:00.000+08:00

Can one just be satisfied with Pork as a main dish? i would have to say yes.. as in japan i came across this restaurant that serve nothing else but pork dishes. yup.. from BBQ to hot plate. at 1st i thought they might have some noodles like the miso soba or chya soba.. but nope.. they only serve pork with rice! unfortunately its a little to late for us to leave the restaurant bcos we already drank their cooling ice tea.

however, it isn't such a bad experience at all.. it might turn up to be kinda heaty as all the dishes are either deep fried or bbq... oh and also their specialty is black peppered with miso sauce..

don't they all look the same?? indeed they ARE the same. sigh... we got cheated.. they are all, deep fried pork with their special sauce ( black pepper with miso) the only difference is that they are served differently. 1st one.. on a normal plate and rice by the side, 2nd one with rice and pork served together in a bowl (like katsu don) and the last one on a hot plate with rice served separately..

frankly speaking, they taste the same to me. regardless whether it is on a hot plate or not. so why do we pay so much more for the ones on a hot plate?? simply bcos we wants to be different :p KIASU!!!

Meals onboard?

2006-02-02T16:34:00.000+08:00

ever what they serve onboard? no no.. not on a plane.. on the BUS! yeap.. me and my bf often travels up to KL ( where my parents are) and we dread to those times when we have to be stuck in the bus for 5 hours and no food.. its pretty bad you know. i dare not eat food served at the stops that resembles canteen. 1 bad experience is all i need. ^^

however, ever since my 1st trip with aeroline, i'm glad they have provide me with an excellent service. a round of applause to them.. so lets cut my story short and see what they serve. i'm sorry there is only 1 picture at different angle.. as at other times, i finished up my food b4 i could remember to bring out my camera!

A top view of my tasty palate.

Another view from the side

from top to bottom : fish cake wrap with seaweed, salad, curry samosa and red bean pao

A little suprise from Chinatown

2006-02-02T16:18:00.000+08:00

ahhhh.. carrot cake... lightly browned on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside.. one of my definate favourite! although this pics are kinda outdated, but none the less it's still tasty food from none other than the famous chinatown in Singapore. the place : YUM CHA PLACE. on weekdays from 8am till 11am, they have special buffet promo's for early birds.. just pay a small sum of as little as S$19.90 and you can eat all you can! isn't it great?

Carrot Cake (Pan Fried)

Scallop Congee (Claypot Selection)

Century Egg with Lean Meat Congee

The Spread...

Siew Mai (Meat Dumpling)

chinatown has always been my favourite stop for dim sum.. although the best is always somewhere further, but hey, what the heck.. this is the best you can get at the nearest distance!

NOTE: alrite...my following blogs will all be submitted on the same day.. just ignore the date i posted it, but look more on the occasion itself :D

next stop - Hong Kong

2005-12-13T14:24:00.000+08:00

milk shakes and japanese snacks? what does this has to do with HK?? well.. actually nothing! hahhaha... however that was part of my dinner as earlier on i had a late lunch that got me bloated almost the whole day! but it still didn't stop me from savouring the late nite food found all over the streets!

curry fish ball, meat balls, beef balls, crab sticks, cuttle fish and many more... something every hongkies loved. beef noodles.. you see that big pot there.. its filled with beef internal organs. eww.....

ahh... dimsum... need i say more about it?

one cannot leave HK without trying one of these typical "Menu A" and "Menu B" breakfast set. Deepfried fish fillet with sausage, double egg with ham, beef toast and the ever popular, butter and kaya toast. however different kopitiam serves different types of breakfast set. :)

for a days trip in HK, i think i have done the best i could to eat as much as i can.. hehehe.. more to come!

foodies from all over -japan

2005-12-13T14:00:00.000+08:00

hmmm... what does this looks like? can you guess?

this is simply delicious... remember doremon's favourite cake?? well.. look again.. this is it!

i just have to take a bite!

the above 2 snacks are the blueberry marshmellow and my favourite, raisin biscuits. Don't be fooled by this simple packing, what you have inside is packed with mouth watering soft biscuits that is generously spread with a rum like taste cream and raisins... mmmmmm... oishi!

A world of Stereotyping

2005-11-29T13:30:00.000+08:00

recently i haven't been a good girl and update my food blog with interesting news and pics... well... it has to be because my life hasn't been that interesting so to speak. :p i have to admit that my mind has been doing alot of work, alot of serious thinking.. sigh... this is really getting me old! argh.. oh well. i do say its all worth it. because of this, my bf have been complaining that i didn't spend much time with him and not concentrating when i'm with him... :( sorry sweetie..
yesterday has been a big change to me.. i took one very big step into earning my 1st million. :D well... dun be shock i havent earn it yet. but soon.. hahhaha. i recently join the big group of Nu Life and learn alot of new things. knowing how important health is to everyone.. i decided to take this challange and venture into it. and i'm glad i did. there was once the director of Nu Life said "no one can help you, unless you want to help yourself" it has to start from yourself. if your unwilling to change, you will never go far. because the business world is all about adapting and changing. its a strange thing isn't it. sometimes you really wont believe it until u tried it. well, i've tried and i'm convince it will work for me and so to others as well. however the strong perception of the human minds are pretty hard to break into. alot of ppl are not very keen on "multi level marketing" or "direct marketing" or "network marketing" or wateva you may call it. that is where it pulls me down sometime. anyway.. no business goes smooth at the 1st run.. okie.. enough of my blabbling... will post my foodies asap.

D@H #2

2005-11-01T23:04:00.000+08:00

wasn't feeling too well a few days ago, so i head out to get some "comfort" food to ooze away my sicky thoughts. so the very 1st thing that came into my mind was.. of course SOUP. :p i have to admit i'm soup crazy. and due to the fact i'm having sore throat, there goes my chocolate cravings. sigh.. of well. the menu for today's dinner was:

Deng Ji Tang ( Chicken Soup),
Stir Fry French Beans with Grey Prawns and Dried Lily Buds,
Pan Fried Shisamo,
Sliced Tomatoes with Sesame Oil, and
Fresh Tofu with Fried Shallots and Garlic.

as i was preparing dinner for 4 including myself, the amount of food i cooked today is just nice. isn't it great when everything is finished up? i just love that feeling. soooooo satisfying :P okie, enough said, let's just drool 1st.. hahha...

Stir Fry French Beans with Grey Prawns and Dried Lily Buds

Pan Fried Shisamo (served with lemon wedges)

talking about shisamo.. the first time i tried it was in sakae sushi.. its was disgusting... yucks!! imagine, bitting into thousands of little unborn fishies.... ewwww... :P but... ahhhh.. i've learn to savour this japanese cuisine which is known to be famous in a small town called Kushiro in Hokkaido. this smelt fish is unique on its own. best served broiled.. this delicacy can be savour with rice or better still as an appetizer with sake. i myself like it to be lightly grilled. that way i can maintain its juicy roe inside while the skin is crispy on the outside.. :P however, i'm not fortunate enough to be equipe with a good kitchen so all i can do is to pan fried it. anyway, it still taste great... hehehehe. just remember to dry the fish properly before cooking them especially if you are "pan frying" it. i've learnt my lesson well... thinking that i can skip the defrosting stage and go into cooking.. i practically drown my smelt in defrosted water! not a nice sight.. quickly saved the fish out and dap it dry with a kitchen towel before putting it into a hot new pan. i got the shisamo at a very good price.. for S$2.90 i have 8 medium sized shisamo. just head out to NTUC FairPrice frozen section.

as for my french beans... i guess u can see its a little over cooked. was trying to soften my lily buds by stewing it abit but forgotten that my veg can't take it. not a good choice for my dish.. will be scrap next time.

my blog is not updated!

2005-10-30T06:36:00.000+08:00

gosh.. have no idea wat's wrong with this.. but my 3rd posting is not updated in the blog... oh man this is so frustrating! i spend so much time doing it and for some reasons.. it can be found in my blog profile but not in the published ones... how come?

Taste from Bintan

2005-10-29T15:54:00.000+08:00

was in Bintan few days back to celebrate my bf's birthday. and boy are we there for a treat! though its nothing spectacular than what we may get in Bali itself.. but for a mere 45 mins ferry ride.. its a price well paid. despite the fact that i have to rush like mad to get myself up the 2pm ride... everything else just sort of settles in once i'm in Bintan. we were greeted by a friendly staff from the Angsana Spa Resort at the ferry terminal and then chaeuffered to the resort. ahhh... a pretty resort indeed. things gets even better when we checked-in to our rooms! look at this...

suprise!! hahahha.. i really wasn't expecting this when we enter the room. in my mind.. the 1st thing i can think of was to jump into the bed and get some rest after flying for an agonising 13 hours from Manchester. gosh.. you wouldnt believe what happen!! okok.. lets not talk about my work.... so.. yup, this is what we saw once we enter the room... awww isn't it sweet :p both of us, stood there like a kid looking at the bed for some 10 mins before removing the flowers... hahaha... so silly. by then, my tummy have been growling for food... so we changed and head off to look for food. lobby cafe... nah.. cakes and juices only... resorts restaurant.. not open yet. so we head down to the beach where the "Pantai Grill & Bar"is. Menu, BBQ delights with heart filling sandwhiches and pizza's. MmMMmmmm.. sounds good. i chose a table just in front of the bar facing the beach..

and my treat.... a juicy, mouth watering sandwhich.

turkey breast slices with a generous amount of grilled pineapple and tomatoes slices, top with alfalfa sprouts and chips on the side. for S$11.65 a plate... pretty reasonable ei? :p

after filling my stomach... a short walk down the beach is just heavenly. shortly after we head back to our room to get some rest before getting ready for dinner. about 15 mins later.. the door bell rang! "room service"...... huh? i look at my bf with a very face... you ordered room service? "NOPE" he says... i reluctantly head to the door and peep at the door viewer... a man was standing at our door holding a plate.. i open the door to find another suprise... this..

i have to say their personalize service is excellent. this cake is the size of a A5 paper! no kidding. a soft sponge cake topped with tropical fruits such as grapes, mango and peaches. coated with a layer of sweet custard it taste just fantastic. they lined the cake with thin chocolate slices. nice? yummy..... :p

we were too full to dig in after the wholesome sandwhich we had earlier on, so we kept it for supper. that nite we head down to the Banyan Tree Resort where "TreeTop Restaurant is. they serve an array of international and local cuisines cooked by their talented chefs. with a smart casual dress atire, the restaurant itself is not smart casual at all! with a wooden attic facing the see at an elevated view from the tree top ( probably this is how they got their name :P) its just magnificent. i did not manage to take any pics here as the lightings were very poor and the dinner was suppose to be something romantic for me and my bf. but i can definately tell u what we ordered. for appetizers, we had chicken breast floss with sambal sauce serve on top a fried wanton skin. the combination between the chicken floss and sambal taste so good! unlike those sambal you will normally have for nasi lemak, this sambal sauce has a tinch of spicy and sour taste. together with the bunga kantan....wah.. i can still taste it in my mouth now as i type. hehehe... then the oxtail soup before the main course. normally, the western style of serving, oxtail soup is serve by itself.. but in TreeTop, the soup is served with the chef's own blend of pound chilies and lime slices. unique? or is it just me?.. i wonder. at last the main course. i ordered a salmon marinated in miso and terriyaki sauce served with seasonal veg, lotus and shitake mushroom. rice is served with this dish. my bf had a grilled pork butt in mushroom sauce, veg and potatoes. the whole meal cost us US$56.75 only.

overall... i enjoyed the trip very much. thou its only for 2 days, but its worth every bit of it. why not give it a try and be mesmerized by it.

Dinner @ Home #1

2005-10-26T20:51:00.000+08:00

ahhhh... doesn't this looks heavenly to you? well it surely does to me... warning.. you might experience some saliva dripping.. pls have a bib handy!! hehehe...

what you see on your right is "Masala Rice" a quick vegetarian rice which is loved by many indians and non-indians like me. cooked together with a spices called "garam masala" the basmati rice is covered with a riched aroma smell that will surely calls for the neighbours around. together with an array of mixed vegetable, you can be sure that this rice dish provides you a filling sensation as well as a fulfilling taste.

originally a type of north indian cooking, the masala rice comes in a variety of taste and flavours. but of course.. the main taste of the "garam masala" is not over powered by the rest of the spices that comes with it, because all it does is to compliment the taste. some people like to add yoghurt while some like to add a good amount of tamarind juice for the citrusy taste that goes extremely well with the "garam masala" spice. however i find both of these additions not to my liking as yoghurt will make me go to the loo while tamarind tends to make my end results a bit too acidic. anyway... one person's favourite may be someone else's poison. true?

besides the masala rice, i had my favourite "old cucumber soup" as well. i should say my culinary skills is improving as it taste so much better than the previous time i cooked them.. hahaha... boiled for aproxx. 3.5 hours, in low fire simmering to perfection, my soup is just mouth watering! not only does it looks good, it taste good too... hehehhe... okie shall leave the taste part to my roomie later to judge.

my mom once told me, you need pork ribs to get the sweetness out from the cucumber. when looking for the old cucumber, get the ones which is golden brown in colour, firm to touch and no dents or cracks. young cucumbers (those with green streaks) then to give out a sourish taste to the soup once boiled and this may spoil the soup. together with the soup i added some "kei chi" a type of herb to add colour and taste.

during the good old days, my uncle used to put in "dried squid" to add a very rich flavour to the soup. the dried squid is lightly burnt to get the aroma out and then put into the soup and bring to a boil before adding the meat, ribs and cucumber. i used to put the whole old cucumber chunks into the soup without removing the seed.... a VERY wrong move. the seed when bitten gaves out a bitter taste to the soup and can be pretty annoying when the whole soup is filled with them. :p oh well, lesson learnt. always remove it to ensure a clear and sweet soup.

alrite.. before i end.. here is the recipies to the "Masala Rice"

Masala Rice (Masale Bhaat)

Ingredients
(for approx. 6 people)
1 1/2 cup long grain raw rice,
3 cups water,
1/4 cup boiled peas,
1/4 cup gherkins chopped vertically,
1/4 cup brinjal pieces,
7-8 no. fried cashewnuts,
10 no. curry leaves,
2 teaspoon Maharashtrian goda masala or garam masala powder,
2 teaspoon turmeric powder,
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida,
salt,sugar to taste,
2 teaspoon ghee,
chopped coriander leaves and,
fresh grated coconut for garnishing

Whole garam masala (can be skipped)
2 cinnamon sticks,
3-4 cloves,
3-4 bay leaves,

For the masala:
1/4 cup dry shredded coconut,
4 red chilies,
2 teaspoon coriander seeds1 teaspoon cumin seeds,
Lightly roast all the items and grind.

Method
1.Wash rice and drain. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour.
2. Heat a thick bottom vessel. Heat 1/4 cup oil. Add the whole garam masala. When all the masala ingredients sizzle, add turmeric powder and asafoetida.
3. Add curry leaves, and chopped gherkins. Once soft, add peas and brinjal pieces and fry.
4. Mix in the rice and fry for some time on a medium heat. Pour boiling water into it. Stir.
5. Let the rice boil till it shows bubbles on the top.
6. Now turn the heat to low and add the ground masala, goda masala or garam masala, ghee, salt and sugar. Cover and cook.
7. Rice is done when all the water evaporates. Garnish with cashewnuts, coconut and coriander leaves. Top with ghee. Serve hot.

*recipies from http://www.mumbai-masala.com/maharashtrafood/masalarice.html *

alternatively, if the above method seems too tidious, there is always the convenients of ready cooked food! hehehe, before you knew it, everything can be found off the rack. pure laziness or home friendly.. your call!

A Revolutionary Trip

2005-10-25T03:20:00.000+08:00

Finally... my own food blog!! YES! Been doing alot of reading from the blog archives and also from recommendations of friends and relatives.. I've finally found the one blog I want to write.. my own food blog. Like many other foodies in this blog.. they all love food.. either its their hobby, their obsession, their pride orsimply just another blog to write about. Food will never be boring. We all need food. Be it heart felt food, filling food, sinful food, comfort food or soul food... they are all FOOD... kekekke.. alrite, I think I have over mention the word "FOOD" here too much.. let's not get obsess with it and dig in to the world of wonderful culinary and taste.
I personally like the idea of COMFORT food and SOUL food.. because both gave us this tingling feeling when we eat them and its always the ones we look for when we are happy or sad. Something which is very personal and close to us. I'm not sure about the rest of you readers out there... but for me.. growing up in a urban area have not contributed much into the rich taste of culture and mind.. however, I would love to contribute this website to my beloved granny whom I loved dearly, now next to god in forever peace and tranquility. She has inspired me alot about good food that comes with great taste and history. These are the type of food that brings back good ol' memories... those sweetness in it can just sweet your cup of black coffee. :P
okie.. so much for my introduction. A lil' about me and my food.. I dare not say I'm a food expert here.. but I definately knows what taste good in my mouth :D Sometimes adventurous, sometimes very reserved.. I'm trying to aquire the taste of exotic cuisines as well as famous food found around the globe. So far.. I'm pretty much still at where I stand.^^ But behold.. I'm making this my resolution for the year... wait up my fellow readers... prepare for some suprise.