Happy Lunch @ AMK

I'm falling in love....with Lagsane! All this while i dun fancy lagsane, but i'm actually falling in love with it ever since lunch juz now.
It's the last day of 2008 & my company actually grant us early release.I went to a coffeeshop in ang mo kio to have lunch. Oh ya...its the coffeeshop where botak jones is at. There's this stall fantastic lagsane.

This is the chicken lagsane which i love. There's this white cream cheese sauce at the side & they taste lovely! To be frank, this is the best lagsane i've ever eaten so far =D

Erm....we ordered some food from botak jones as well. B4 this, i heard pple mentioning how fantastic are the food from it, but after tasted it, i find it so so onli.
This is Spicy Cajun Chicken served with cheese potato & coleslaw.I find that the sides taste better than the main course. haha....

Their famous Fish & Chips served with special tartar sauce. The fish isn't fresh & has a fishy smell.....texture not so gd as well. I'm rather disappointed with it....or maybe i expect too much!

Well, the tartar sauce is unique, taste great with the spicy fries! haha....

Golden Beancurd Puff with Fish Paste

I prefer something light & steamed.Best serve with a sauce over.
Its healthier, less oily & the vitamins & minerals are being locked inside.
Normally i dun eat beancurd puffs(tau pok) which are sold outside, as i'm very particular over the oil which is being used to fried the tau pok.
At home, its totally different as i tends to wash them over & over again, squeezing out the dirty oil, pour hot boiling water over them to ensure its thoroughly clean.I noe i'm very troublesome but tt's the correct way of washing them for "kia see" pple like mi. haha.....

Hmm.....Its so fantastic, from the 1st bite, i'm able to savour the sweetness of the carrots & water chestnuts,freshness of the fish paste.
With the light & tasty sauce,its sooo....yummy~delicious. Dear readers, u all reali gotto try this out.

Ingredients;
12 small beancurd puffs
200g fish paste
3 baby carrots, chopped
5 water chestnuts, chopped
2 large dried mushroom, chopped
2 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp sesame oil

Sauce;
80ml mushroom water
1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce
½ tbsp sugar
Some cornflour water

Method;
-Wash & clean beancurd curd puffs, make a slit on top.
-Thicken fish paste with cornflour, add chopped ingredients & sesame oil.
-Stuff fish paste mixture into beancurd puffs, steam for 20 mins.
-Prepare sauce by boiling mushroom water, oyster sauce & sugar.
-When sauce is boiling, add cornflour water to thicken it.
-Drizzle sauce over beancurd puffs & serve with greens.
-Enjoy!

Curry Chicken Cutlets

Mum was saying that she doesn't feel like cooking 2nite, she wasn't in the mood to plan menu for our dinner.Besides, not everyone is coming home for dinner.

I thought weekends would be a great chance for me to come up with new dishes as tt's the onli time i'm available.So after i knocked off in the anternoon, went to buy some groceries & food for cooking 2nite.I'll be a gd gal & cook for Mum, Adam & myself.
Hmm...since Adam is working so hard lately, i prepared curry chicken cutlets for him as he likes fried stuff.

Ingredients
2 large chicken breast, sliced
1 tbsp coconut milk (I used skim milk)
1 tsp curry powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Dash of salt
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp flour (I used self-raising flour)
50g breadcrumbs
Hot for deep frying

Method,
-Slice chicken breast, add baking soda, salt, curry powder & milk.
-Set aside in fridge to marinade for at least an hour.
-Coat chicken slices with flour, into beaten egg, followed by breadcrumbs.
-Deep fried in hot oil till golden brown.
-Enjoy!

Steamed Chocolate Cake with Choco-mint fudge

Previously, I was saying that i'm having a hot & thirsty time making a cake for dad. This steamed version of chocolate cake is moist inside.
I did a fudge frosting over the cake. Dad saw this cake & he asked me wat cake is this? b4 i can answer him, he called out to Adam "Boy ya, come & see this 非洲和尚 cake tt ur ah jie make"

Haiz! watever......So insulting & racist rite? i spent so much effort suffering in the warm & stuffy kitchen! :-(

Dad said that the top looks so shiny & dark, juz like the head of an african monk.Deep in my heart i was thinking, since when monks are available in africa?!?! Dun care bout watever he wanna says bout my cake as long as he enjoyed eating it. haha.....

Ingredients;
220g sugar
200ml evaporated milk
180 butter
½ tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs, beaten
125g flour
75g coco powder
¼ tsp double acting baking powder
½ tsp baking soda

Choco-mint Fudge;
30g unsweetened coco powder
200ml evaporated milk
150ml water
120g sugar
½ tsp vanilla essence
50g cornflour
5 pcs Andes’s dark chocolate coated mint
50g butter

Method;
-Prepare cake by boiling 1st 5 ingredients over low heat till butter melted.
-Fold in remaining ingredients to form a batter.
-Pour batter into a well greased & lined 9 inch tin.
-Cover with a pc of foil & steam over medium heat for 45mins or till cooked.
-Prepare fudge by double boiling all the ingredients(except butter) over low heat.
-When fudge starts to thicken, stir in butter till melts.
-Pour fudge over warm cake.
-Chilled for at least 2 hrs b4 serving.
-Enjoy!

Iced Lemon Tea

I feeling so hot & thirsty. Was bz preparing to steam a moist chocolate cake for dad. Maybe its due to the steam & heat, its juz like doing sauna in the kitchen. Luckily i drop by the supermarket & bought some lemons when i was on my way home juz now.
Since the cake needs to be steamed for 45mins, i can get to enjoy a glass of iced lemon tea.

Wow...its so shiok! Imagine tt when u r very very thirsty, tired & sweating.U get to enjoy a glass of super cold,sweet,citrus iced tea with lots of ice cubes. Use the straw to give it a good hard stir! Whao.....the feel is super great.
I noe, this may sound tempting on a super hot humid day, especially for a place with hot weather like singapore.

Simply;
-Add some lemon juice to cooled red tea.
-Stir in sugar syrup.
-Garnish with lemon slices.
-Serve with ice cubes.
-Enjoy!

Tomato Egg Drop Soup with Meatballs

Other than carrots, another of my favourite is tomatoes. When my mouth is itchy, wanna munch on something, i will open my fridge & pop a few cherry tomatoes into my mouth.
As for big lovely tomatoes,i love to suck the seeds from the sacs.Its sooo....yummy, jelly-like & sourish....hmm...yummy.

Still remembers that when i was a child, whenever mum's preparing ingredients to cook sweet & sour fish,i will stand next to her, begging for few slices of tomatoes. haha....so cute rite? keke....

I had a sudden craving for a sourish soup & the 1st ingredients that comes to my mind is my favourite. In fact, this is the 1st time i cook soup with tomatoes. Normally i would eat them raw as i'm afraid that the tomatoes will lose their vitamins. But aniway, no matter wat, everything will be glupped rite down into mi & Adam's tummy :-P

Ingredients;
1 large tomato, wedged
8-10 cherry tomatoes, halfed
1 beaten egg
250g minced pork
1 baby carrot, chopped
2 water chestnut, chopped
1 mushroom, chopped
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Dash of salt
1 tsp cornflour
1/2 pot boiling water
1 chicken cube
Fried shallots

Method,
-Marinate minced pork with light soy sauce,sesame oil,salt for about 3 hrs, add chopped mushroom,water chestnut,carrots & cornflour.
-Mix well & roll into 1 inch ball size.
-Bring water to boil, add in chicken cubes & tomato wedges.
-Drop in meat balls, when its bout to cook, add in cherry tomatoes
-Slowly pour in beaten eggs when soup is boiling rapidly. This will form the eggy cloudy effect.
-Serve with fried shallots.
-Enjoy!

Happy Boxing Day

Yeah...its boxing day! Means that i can open my christmas presents! haha....isn't tt what everyone is waiting for? keke....

Last time i onli noe that boxing day is a day after christmas where u get to open all the presents which u received,but i came to noe y izzit call boxing day on christmas eve this christmas.

Uncle Brendon told us that its a day for sharing & giving to the less fortunate. In acient times, pple tends to contribute items in a huge box & left in the center of the town for the less fortunate.
Sounds logical rite? I forgot to ask uncle Brendon izzit tt in the process of snatching the presents, pple tends to box each other, tt's y its call boxing day!haha.... :-P

Wow...so many presents, i can't wait to open them all.

Merry Christmas!

December 25th 2008,Christmas is finally here. Wishes all frens & readers a blessed christmas & may all dreams comes true.

Would like to dedicate 1 of my favourite christmas to welcome christ the lord.

(Joy To The World)

Verse 1
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;Let earth receive her King;Let every heart prepare him room,And heaven and nature sing,And heaven and nature sing,And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Verse 2
Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;Let men their songs employ;While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plainsRepeat the sounding joy,Repeat the sounding joy,Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

Verse 3
No more let sins and sorrows grow,Nor thorns infest the ground;He comes to make His blessings flowFar as the curse is found,Far as the curse is found,Far as, far as, the curse is found.

Verse 4
He rules the world with truth and grace,And makes the nations proveThe glories of His righteousness,And wonders of His love,And wonders of His love,And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Christmas Eve Dinner

December 24th 2008, other than its christmas eve, its a day to awaits the birth of jesus christ.

Well, its was a half working day for me, kncoked off in the afternoon & went to the crowded supermarket to collect turkey,honey baked ham,crispy pork & pork ribs which was ordered few days ago.
Actually these kinda christmas package food is convenient & easy,juz need to bake them in oven & its ready to be eaten.

Roasted Whole Turkey with Mushroom Sauce, top with Honey Baked Ham.

Crispy Pork~hmm...abit fattening. haha...

BBQ Pork Ribs
Chicken Chipolata~this is tabby's favourite.

Some Bacon Wrap for the kids.

Spaghetti as main course for everyone

Assorted snacks bites~fried wanton, fried shrimp wanton with spring roll skin,yam balls,seafood stick parcels.

Santa Claus Agar Agar~to add on to the festive atmosphere, tabby's mum ordered this colourful layered agar agar.

We baked a Flourless Black Forest Log Cake. Its soooo..........yummy~licious, and its reali fun baking & designing a log cake of ur own.

We attended the midnite mass at St Anne's Church till 1plus in the morning.

"Have A Blessed & Merry Christmas"

Sea Cucumber Roll with Scallop Sauce

Juz went with dad to "Hock Wah" to purchase some dried sea cucumbers. We been waiting for this batch of sea cucumbers to arrive, it was indeed a long wait---months & months ya!
Lucky us,juz bought them few days ago & we can't wait to eat them.Normally, we would have them stir fry with meat, veggie or hearbal soup.This time round i suggested than i wanna do something different.

Dad loves this dish & was even suggesting that we can have this dish on our reunion dinner table for CNY ya! haha...not too far away, it will be next month. C how it goes 1st lo! haha............
Ingredients;
3 sea cucumber
350g minced pork
2 large prawns, minced
1 baby carrot, chopped
6 water chestnuts, chopped
2 mushrooms, chopped
½ tbsp light soy sauce
Dash of pepper & salt
1 tbsp sesame oil
Cornflour

Sauce;
3 large dried scallop
5 tbsp hot water
½ tsp oyster
Cornflour water

Method;
-Boil sea cucumber till soft, cooled.
-Marinade minced pork, prawns with light soy sauce, salt, pepper & sesame oil.
-Add chopped water chestnuts, carrots & mushrooms. Set aside in fridge for at least 3hrs.
-Soak dried scallop in hot water for about 15mins, steam over high heat for ½ hr. Remove & shred scallops, reserve stock for later use.
-Add cornflour into meat paste, dust the interior of sea cucumber with little cornflour.
-Fill sea cucumber with meat paste, stuff them firmly.
-Steam for about 15-20mins till meat is cooked.
-Prepare sauce by boiling stock from scallop, oyster sauce & shredded scallops.
-Add thickening agent.
-Pour over steamed sea cucumber when serve.
-Enjoy!

*I used the 4.5 inches dried sea cucumbers.
*Dried sea cucumbers muz be handle with lots of care, gotto boil till it expand, removes all intestines & unwanted stuffs from the interior part.
*Always soak sea cucumbers in water & the water gotto be kept clean at all times.
*Boil them twice daily until they expand & are soft enough to cook.
*Store the ready sea cucumbers in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
(Lots of work involved ya?! Haha..but for sake of good food, its worth the effort)

Promfet in Oyster Lime Sauce

This is another dish where i've been craving for recently. This dish was invented by mum yrs ago. Wow...this dish is superb! Fresh sweetness of the fish with a touch of tangy light soury taste.
Ingredients;
1 Promfet
2 chili padi, sliced
Juice from 2 limes
1 inch ginger, sliced thinly
1 tbsp oyster sauce
¼ tsp dark soy sauce
½ tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
Oil for frying

Method;
-Pan fry promfet with ginger slices & oil till 80% cooked.
-Remove fish & prepare sauce.
-Add chili slices, lime juice, water, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce & sugar together.
-Bring sauce to boil, add in fish & simmer till cooked.
-Enjoy!

Seaweed Egg Roll with Crabmeat Stick

I been wanting to make this egg roll since few wks back, but was too bz to do so. Yeah....lucky my events are over & i finally have the time to cook & blog. haha...

Ingredients;
2 eggs
½ tsp oil
1 tbsp water
2 nori sheets
4 crabmeat stick
1 pkt 西刀鱼 fish paste
1 baby carrot

Method;
-Beat 2 eggs with oil & water.
-Heat a non-stick frying pan & prepare 2 omelette
-Chop carrot finely, mixed well with fish paste.
-Spread fish paste onto omelette, lay nori sheet, followed by crabmeat stick.
-Roll up & steam for 15mins.
-Sliced & serve with thai chili sauce.
-Enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Pork

After the disappointing sweet & sour pork which we had on dad's b-day, i decided to cook my yummy version of sweet & sour pork for my family.

Ingredients;
400g 五花肉, bite pieces
½ tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
Dash of salt
1-2 tbsp cornflour
½ onion, slice thickly
Pineapple & cucumber cubes
Cherry tomatoes or tomato wedges
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
½ tbsp sugar
1 tbsp water (soup spoon)
Oil for frying

Method;
-Marinate 五花肉 with light soy sauce, salt & sesame oil for at least 3hrs.
-Coat 五花肉 with corn flour, deep fried in hot oil till golden brown.
-Remove & lay on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
-Fry onions with ½ tsp oil till fragrant. Add in tomato ketchup, water & sugar.
-When sauce is boiling, add in tomatoes, pineapples & cucumber.
-Return pork pieces to wok, coat evenly with the sauce.
-Enjoy!

Fluffy Oyster Egg with Hoisin Sauce

Remember uncle David, the seafood restaurant owner in pengarang? He specially ask his fren who is coming over to singapore to bring back some fresh oysters for us.Wow...so sweet of him rite?
Well, i did something which is some sort like the hotplate oyster eggs which we ate in pengarang.

Yum yum...this is the 1st time i tried cooking this dish. Its so delicious & is reali a surprise to me that it actually turn out so well. The eggs are so light & fluffy & the oyster are not overcooked.Actually oysters can be eaten raw, but for safety reasons, better to cook it to kills some bacterias. keke.....
Ingredients;
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp water
1 tsp oil
1 cup fresh oyster
Oil for frying

Sauce;
¾ tsp hoisin sauce
½ oyster sauce
80ml water
Cornstarch water
½ tbsp sugar
Coriander leaves & spring onions, chopped

Method;
-Beat eggs with 2 tbsp water & 1 tsp oil.
-Heat wok, add little bit of oil, fry oysters for 10 seconds & remove.
-Add about 1 tbsp oil to wok, add in beaten eggs.
-Toss & turn the eggs lightly b4 it starts to set.
-Return oysters to wok, scoop fluffy eggs onto serving plate.
-Prepare sauce by mixing oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, water & sugar.
-Bring to full boil, thicken with cornflour water.
-Drizzle onto oyster egg, garnish with chopped coriander leaves & spring onions.
-Enjoy!

Mini Glutinous Rice Balls in Meat & Veggie Soup

Who says glutinous rice balls can only be eaten as a sweet dessert? Well, that's how normally glutinous rice balls are being cook. With sweet fillings, in sugar syrup, in sweet peanut soup, red bean soup etc....
I cooked a salty version of glutinous rice balls, its soooo.....yummy! Something new tt's worth to try.

Ingredients;
50g glutinous rice dough
½ pot boiling water
½ cube msg free ‘knors’ chicken cube
2 mushroom, sliced
4 seafood sticks
3 meatballs
2 leaves of 大白菜, shredded
80g minced meat
½ tsp light soy sauce
Dash of salt
¾ tsp cornflour
½ tsp oil

Method;
-Glutinous rice dough is prepared by mixing glutinous rice flour with water.
-Roll dough into mini rice balls, set aside.
-Marinate minced meat with light soy sauce, salt & cornflour.
-Add chicken cubes into boiling water, when chicken cube dissolve, add in all the other ingredients except glutinous rice balls.
-When soup return to boil, add in oil & glutinous rice balls.
-When glutinous rice balls floats, means its cooked.
-Serve with fried shallots.
-Enjoy!

冬至汤圆

Today is 冬至, an occassion where family get together & eat 汤圆.I woke up very early this morning to help prepare 汤圆 for prayers & offerings.
Simple ingredients needed;
-Glutinous rice balls
-Pandan Leaves
-Sugar
-Brown sugar

Initially i wanted to cook without adding brown sugar, so that the colour will look nicer.Imagine, white & pink glutinous rice balls! Wow...But mum say since its meant for offerings, muz add the colour colour sugar to make the syrup look orangey.

Wishing everyone 冬至快乐!

Honey Rose Vinegar Drink

I can't wait to give the rose vinegar a try! B4 my rose vinegar is ready, i been looking at the glass bottle almost everyday! haha...hmm....tt smells lovely!
Prepare the honey rose vinegar drink as follows;
-Ratio of vinegar to water is 1:10 (adjust accordingly to own preference)
-Add honey & stir well
-Serve with ice-cubes
-Enjoy!

Rose Vinegar

Finally this day arrives. I been waiting for a month for today to arrive. haha....

I drink fruit vinegar frequently....remembered i juz bought a honey flavoured vinegar not long ago.
Different kind of vinegar aids in different way.For example, apple vinegar helps to lose weight, whereas the honey vinegar which i bought, other than helps in digestion, oso enables better sleep.

I decided to make my own vinegar. Not fruit flavour or honey, but something new where i can't find in the market.
Ingredients for rose vinegar are as follows;

Simply fill an empty glass jar with dried roses, pour in white vinegar till full.

Close the lid tightly,store jar in a dry & cool environment for 2 weeks. This is how it looks like on day 1.

Day 14: Open lid & add in more vinegar till full. Store for another 2 weeks.

The rose vinegar will be ready after that, simply filter & discard the residues.

After such a patient long wait, finally get to enjoy! hmm....feeling is great.

Christmas Party 2008

Finally 1 of my company event is over. Last nite was our annual D&D cum X'mas celebrations at quality hotel.

Children door gifts which i specially prepared for all the kids. Even the gift tags were designed & printed by me.
So sweet ya?! haha...
Lucky draw prizes for the nite. But too bad i'm not 1 of the lucky ones.

Soup station~the soup of the nite is Golden Pumpkin Soup with soft bread roll. The soup is not to my liking, after i took the 1st sip, yucks...its taste like pumpkin puree in in flour water. So diluted with very strong flour taste. haiz...

Oriental Fried Rice

Fillet Mignon Beef Oven Baked Provencal Herbs

Grilled Fish on Truffle Risotto~this is yummy....1 on my favourite dish for the nite.

Brussel sprout with butter

Hula Hula Duck Quesadilla~hmm...the pastry skin & the duck meat is very tough. This dish is served with a very sour tomato salsa. Not to my liking.

Chicken Cordon Blue~not so fantastic. The chicken breast is too thick,dry & tough. Couldn't taste the cheese & ham inside.

Potato Gratin~yum yum....another of my favourite dish of the nite.

Seafood Thermidor~Not so bad, its actually seafood cook in cream sauce, baked with cheese.But the seafood inside is mostly squid...eat already i oso blur blur like sotong. haha....

Roast lamb leg with natural herbs

This is my portion of food which i took.I didn;t take the fried rice, beef & lamb. There's a wide spread of salad with different dressings & condiments.Chilled seafood like prawns, crayfish,oysters etc....

Alamak, there's a dish which i forgot to take & been wanting to try.....its turkey slices,honey baked ham served with cranberry sauce. Haiz.... I heard tt its very nice! too bad! :-(

Dessert station~with mini fruit tarts, fruits, assorted cakes

Chocolate fountain.....with waffle, marshmallow & strawberries.

Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce

Assorted Mini Cakes~ wow...the mango moose cake is yummy! The chocolate brownie is a bit too dry,as for the cheese cake, haiz...disappointing. haha...

Wow...how can christmas be without log cake.The chocolate ganache is thick & sinful. haha....but worth commiting a sin. haha....

Our christmas party ended quite late as there were plenty of games lined up for the nite.But glad that everyone enjoyed the nite. :-)