Dinner @ Olio Cafe

We been wanting to try the Olio Cafe at Compass point and since we happened to pass by an olio cafe in City Square Mall, we decided to give it a try.

What to eat? What to eat?

So nice of Tab to compile and design a frame for all our dishes tonite!

韭菜虾米炒蛋

Chives is Teochew's favourite. However, for a non-Teochew like me, I do fancy chives, when it's being cooked the smell less way!

Ingredients;
1 bunch chives, cut into length of 4 cm
1 handful dried shrimps, soaked and drained
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of salt
Oil for frying

Method,
-Scrambled eggs in little bit of oil, set aside for later use.
-Fry garlic in oil till fragrant.
-Add dried shrimp, continue to fry for about 2 mins.
-Stir in chives, fry for awhile.
-Return eggs to wok, season to taste.
-Give it a quick stir and serve.
-Enjoy!

Idli With Dahl Curry for Bento

Aunty Sarah cooked some idli with dahl curry for me last evening. Since i already had light dinner, i decided to keep it for lunch the following day. Woke up early to steam the idli and curry and warm them juz b4 eating at lunch time.

Here's my spread for lunch today! Wow... enjoy!

Crispy Fried Fish

The old school way of cooking fish and serving them with dark soy sauce. Hey, funny ya, i've come across people telling me that what they love most is eating deep fried fish with plain rice and dark soy sauce.
Alright people, many of u may think that in our current society, seldom people will choose to eat small or medium fish with plain rice and dark sauce, den you are wrong. In fact up till now many elder still prefer that way as they grew up eating fishes that way.

Ingredients;
2 medium fishes
Salt
Oil for shallow frying

Method;
-Wash and clean fishes, marinade with salt and set aside for 15 mins.
-Rinse and drained.
-Pat dry with kitchen towel.
-Shallow fry till crispy.
-Serve with thick dark soy sauce.
-Enjoy!

韭菜腐皮卷

Oh mine, i'm supposed to use the minced pork for my scotched eggs and i only realize that after i completed wrapping the beancurd parcels. Lolz... I've some chives leftover from this morning's mee siam breakfast and since not wanting to waste it, decided to use them to prepare a deep fried snack.

Ingredients;
Beancurd sheet
Minced pork
Minced prawns
Chives
Salt
Light soy sauce
Cornflour
Oil for frying

Method;
-Marinade minced pork and prawns with light soy sauce and salt for about 5-10 mins.
-Marinade chopped chives with little oil & salt for awhile, mix chives into meat mixture.
-Add cornflour into fillings mixture and mix well.
-Cut beancurd sheet into small rectangle size, clean with a damp cloth.
-Place teaspoonful of fillings onto beancurd sheet, foldover to seal.
-Deep fried till golden brown and serve with chili sauce.
-Enjoy!

Fried Banana Balls

Another dish which brings back sweet memories for mum. A snacks where she likes to buy for her siblings during her teenage years. During that time, mum juzt stepped out into the society to work and earning her 1st few wages. At that time, as economic wasn't that good, she has ti think twice b4 buying anything.
The banana balls is cheap and good and huge portion as well. Hence, she loves buying these to share with uncles.

Ingredients;
3 ripe bananas, mashed
Self raising flour
Bicarbonate soda
Sugar
Vanilla essence
Oil for deep frying

Method;
-Mix bananas with sugar, slowly fold in sifted dry ingredients.
-Add 1drop of vanilla essence to enhance the flavour.
-Let batter sit for an hour.
-Drop tablespoonful of batter into hot oil, deep fried till golden brown.
-Enjoy!

简单的虾仁炒饭

星期天的美丽早晨， 特地为哥哥炒了份爱心炒饭! 为什么呢? 因为他不是很 ’中意’
吃我们大伙儿即将享用的 Mee Siam.

材料；
冷饭， 一碗
蛋， 一颗
蒜蓉
虾仁， 切丁
蟹味棒， 切丁
葱花， 少许
盐，少许
酱清，少许
油， 1 茶匙

做法；
-将蒜蓉与油爆香， 加入冷饭炒均匀。
-加入蛋， 炒散。
-加入蟹味棒，虾仁 和调味料。
-快速翻炒， 洒上葱花。
-上桌享用!

热腾腾，香喷喷的虾仁炒饭上桌啦!!!

Mee Siam Breakfast

Singapore's Election will be held on 7th May and since the news of elections announced, the topic of voting has been an 'IN' topic for all.

As Dad suddenly requested for me to cook mee siam on Easter Sunday Morning, I decided to do so as Adam do has little bit craving for it. However, we held a home election on friday night as mum came in as the opposition party. Hence we were to vote for either
1. Dad, the mee siam party OR
2. Mum, the wanton mee party

Adam voted for mee siam as he too been craving for it. Whereas, Jesper gave up his chance to vote coz he dun eat mee siam therefore if we were to cook mee siam, i juz need to cook a fried rice for him will do.

This time round, i added more tamarind paste, rempah, chili and prawns for my mee siam. A spicy and sour mee siam for breakfast on Easter sunday.

Came across a giant 虾米 while pounding the dried shrimps! See the difference.....

Dessert Time @ Causeway Bay Hong Kong Cafe

It was a last min decision to accompany Aunty Margaret into JB. Tab and I decided to catch a movie @ KSL. As the movies all ended quite later, we decided to shop around instead. After shopping for clothes, we are feeling tired and thus decided to sit down for a drink at HK cafe.

There are a total of 4 cafes on the 1st level near the entrance of KSL. After some negotiations, we decided on Causeway Bay HK Cafe.

Nice angle for taking the pic. The light reflection on the menu cover seems like the sun just rise up into the sky of the city.

香港丝袜冰奶茶 for me and a 冰柠檬蜜糖水 for Tabby.

Our waffle with double scoop ice-cream.
Peanut butter was being spread onto the pipping hot waffle, topped with chocolate ice-cream, drizzle with hot chocolate sauce. Simply yummy~licious!

Our 2nd drink~Lychee iced tea.

All Time Favourite~Potato With Meat

Here's our family's all time favourite~ Potato with meat stir fry. Erm... not only stir fry ba, at least the gravy muz be simmer until thickens. Wow... what we love most is the thick sweet and salty gravy with meat juices. Mixed well onto plain white rice is simply too shiok for us!

Ingredients;
2 medium potatoes, cut into slices
2 medium onions, wedged
2 handful of meat slices
1 clove garlic, minced
Oyster sauce
Sugar
Salt
Dark soy sauce
Water
Coriander and spring onions, chopped
Oil for frying

Method;
-Fry garlic in oil till fragrant, add meat and fry till change colour. Set aside for later use.
-Fry potatoes till soften, add meat and onion.
-Season to taste.
-Add water and simmer till gravy thickens.
-Sprinkle coriander and spring onions & serve.
-Enjoy!

家常豆腐

As usual, mum is grumbling that she ran out of ideas as in what to cook for dinner! I assure her no need to worry coz i'm at home. I will do the cooking tonight! I told mum that Adam is someone who wanna try new dishes and hence, i decided to cook a simple tau kwa dish.

Ingredients;
2 pieces of tau kua
1 stalk leek
1 red chili, slice into strips
2 pieces black fungus, soak & shred
1 small onion
1 clove garlic

Sauce;
2 tsp home-made chili paste
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 dark soy sauce
Stock
Thickening agent

Method;
-Cut tau kwa into 8 pieces, deep fried light golden brown. Drained.
-Fry garlic till fragrant, add leek fry for a min.
-Toss in black fungus and onion, fry for another min.
-Add tau kua & sauce, simmer for a min.
-Add chili strips and continue to simmer, stir in thickening agent.
-Serve & enjoy!

Sesame Glutinous Dumplings With Spicy Ginger Sweet

I realize that eating dessert outside isn't as cheap as what you think it would be. I help Kate 'ta bao' a bowl of glutinous rice dessert with ginger sweet syrup the other day, and it costs $2.1 for a small pathetic bowl with only 3 pieces of rice dumplings and 2 pieces of dried longans.
Scary rite? Ya ya... not forgetting pple still have top pay for rental, gas etc.... Ok but i prefer to cook my own, at least it is enough for our whole family to eat. :-P

Ingredients;
Dried longans
Red dates
Ginger slices
Brown sugar
Water
Black sesame flavour rice dumplings, boiled

Method;
-Boil water with red dates and ginger for 5 -8 mins.
-Add dried longans, continue to boil for another 8 mins.
-Season to taste with brown sugar.
-Serve with rice dumplings.
-Enjoy!

Soft Baked Sausalito

Adam supported himself during his personal selling recently by purchasing a packet of soft baked sausalito and what attracts him to buy is the 'milk chocolate macadamia' flavour.

Here's the expensive $5.50 soft baked cookies which Adam enjoyed during lunch break today. This boy reali knows how to enjoy life! :-P

What a big piece! Sweet chewy cookie with milk chocolate bits and chipped nut~no other word to describe except YUMMY!

鹌鹑蛋豆腐汤

A very light and plain soup to go with my brown rice. Hmm... yummy and delicious. Erm... all are healthy and low in calories except the quails eggs. Lolz... Oh ya, I raised objection to adding quails eggs but since mum insisted and even says she's been craving for it, I've no choice but to oblige.

Ingredients;
1 box springy tofu
10 quails eggs, boiled and peel
Some minced pork
Stock
Iceberg lettuce
Shallots oil
Fried shallots

Marinate;
Light soy sauce
Salt
Cornflour

Method;
-Marinade minced pork with light soy sauce and salt, mix with cornflour just b4 cooking.
-Bring stock to boil, add shallots oil & tofu, boil for a min.
-Add quails eggs and drop teaspoonful of minced pork mixture into soup.
-Season to taste, off heat and add lettuce.
-Sprinkle fried shallots and serve.
-Enjoy!

油皇老鼠粉

Ever since the shop which sells fantastic noodle stir fry closed down, i can't help but feeling abit lost & wasted whenever i passed by the place.
We would always patronize the friendly lady for the stir fry 老鼠粉 and mee goreng. Since i can't find it anymore, i shall fry my own soy sauce version 老鼠粉.

Ingredients;
老鼠粉
1 handful beansprouts
3 baby carrots, cut into strips
Fishball slices
Lean meat, strips
1 egg
Shredded lettuce
1 clove garlic, minced
Oil for frying
Roasted sesame seeds

Sauce;
Dark soy sauce
Brown sugar
Salt
Stock

Method;
-Scrambled egg and set aside.
-Fry beansprouts for a min, set aside for later use.
-Fry garlic in oil till fragrant, toss in carrots and fry for a min.
-Add meat, fishball slices and fry for a min.
-Stir in 老鼠粉 and sauce. Fry for another min.
-Toss in scrambled egg, beansprouts and lettuce.
-Mix well and serve.
-Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds over and enjoy!

Spiral Cookies

Cookies which brings back mum's childhood memories. She loves these cookies and would call them 猪哥饼. Asked mum how she got this name for the cookies and the best thing is she dun even know. My deceased 3rd uncle would always request for this kinda cookies as a child.

The thing about buying cookies in the past isn't as convenient as it is now. Mum had to walk all the way from Tampines Giant all the way till Defu lane market just to buy cookies. And gosh... it's like having to walk 7-8 bus stops coz taking bus isn't cheap hence she rather walk. Furthermore, these cookies are only available in the pasar malam during special occasions

Since I came across a shop selling these cookies this morning, decided a buy a pack to cheer mum. Seems like Adam enjoyed it more than mum. Lolz...

Gossip Time @ La Gourmet~JB

It was nite b4 Good Friday and Tab and I was out for church visiting. After visiting few churches, we decided to drove into JB for a short chill out over drinks and snacks.

Erm... new menu!

Our all time favourite fruit juice! Green apple juice and orange carrot juice for tabby!

My favourite wedges.

Tab's favourite fried wanton.

While pumping petrol at the petrol kiosk, i spotted our childhood keropok - Giant Lobster Cracker! Gosh... I'm so excited and muz buy back to Singapore to share with Adam!

A Bowl Of Everything~ Childhood's Favourite

This dish has almost everything that a child like to eat. Well, I wouldn't know does it apply to every child but at least to Jesper and me. During our childhood days, grandma used to cook this dish the white version(without dark sauce) and Jesper will finish the whole dish.
Grandma used fishcake instead of fishballs and the fishcake where she used is the kind which i hated most. Oh... the kind with chopped chili & scallion in it :-(

In order to let me fall in love with this dish, mum used fishballs instead. When reached the age of knowing to be fussy over food, i requested mum to add oyster sauce and dark say sauce to make the dark version. At least the gravy goes well with plain rice! :-P

Ingredients;
Dried mushrooms, soaked and shred
Fishballs, sliced
Lean meat, sliced
Oil for frying
1 clove garlic, chopped

Sauce;
Oyster sauce
Dark soy sauce
Sugar
Salt
20ml water

Method;
-In a heated wok, fry mushroom with bits of oil till fragrant.
-Push to side of wok.
-Fry garlic with oil till fragrant, toss in meat and fry till change colour.
-Add fishball slices and fry well.
-Stir in sauce, simmer for a min and serve.
-Enjoy!

花生肉酱米粉干

This noodle dish had been revolving round my mind these day and since mum cooked a big pot of spare-ribs peanut soup last nite, I decided to reserve some stock and boiled peanuts for my bento lunch this afternoon.
Woke up quite early this morning to prepare the dish, packed the rice vermicelli, veggie and sauce separately, warm them up just b4 serving and it gave a a WOW effect during lunch in my office.

Ingredients;
Thick rice vermicelli, blanched & drained
Sweet beans, blanched & drained
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 shallot, thinly sliced
Minced pork
1 water chestnut
1 shrimp, chopped
Peanuts, boiled
Oyster sauce
Pinch of sauce
Dark soy sauce
Stock
Thickening agent
Oil for frying

Marinate;
Light soy sauce
Pinch of salt
Corn flour

Method;
-Marinade minced meat, prawns and water chestnut with soy sauce and salt.
-Mix well and add cornflour 10 mins later.
-Blanch sweet peas and rice vermicelli, drained.
-Fry garlic and shallots in oil till fragrant.
-Add minced mixture and fry till meat change colour.
-Add peanuts and stock, season to taste.
-Thicken the gravy and serve over blanched ingredients.
-Enjoy!

Close up on my yummy~licious lunch.

黄金面包丸子

Dad was mentioned that he's sick of eating bread, especially plain bread these days. And since there are some bread left and i dun think Dad will eat them again, I decided to make a snack out of it.

Ingredients;
100g minced pork
2 medium prawns, diced
2 water chestnuts, chopped
1 seafood stick, chopped
Salt
Light Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Pepper
Cornflour
3 slices plain bread, diced
Oil for frying

Method;
-Mix the 1st 8 ingredients together, set aside in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
-Stir in corn flour and mix well when about to coat with bread cubes.
-Roll meat mixture with wet palms, roll into loaf.
-Toss in bread cubes, ensure it coat well.
-Chill in fridge for an hour.
-Deep fried over medium flame till golden brown.
-Enjoy!
*Do not fry over high flame as bread tends to burn easily.

Longan Dessert With Aloe Vera

Aunty Sarah gave me around 20 stalks of aloe vera which she grow herself. My usual practice is to serve them as toppings in honey lemonade drink however this time round i prefer to cook it as a dessert which I ate few yrs back.

Ingredients;
15 stalks aloe vera
Water
Pandan leaves, knotted
Some red dates
Some 南杏 and 北杏
1 handful dried longan
Candied water chestnut
1 pc 石蜂蜜
Some small rock sugar

Method;
-Prepare aloe vera by removing leaves and spikes from the aloe vera, slit out the flesh.
-Rinse a few times to remove the slimy feel, drained.
-In a pot, pour enough boiling water to cover the aloe vera, bring to boil.
-Season with sugar, drained and soak in ice-cubes.
-Now for the preparation of dessert;
-Bring pandan leaves, red dates, 南杏 and 北杏 to boil.
-Continue to boil for 20 mins, add dried longan and water chestnut.
-Season to taste.
-When rock sugar dissolve, stir in aloe vera, boil for 20 secs and off the flame.
-Serve warm or chill.
-Enjoy!
Look at the translucent aloe vera floating on the dessert!

Chio's Culinary Session

Chio's Culinary Session~This is the title where the gals insist i've to use for our album on facebook. Hence i decided to use it as the titile here as well. Chio's refers to us as chio bu'. Interesting name ya?!

We scheduled to spend a day at Tabby's place to bake and book and it was reali fun. We start off with baking, so that we can have cakes for tea-break and light snacks for dinner.

Making of Pandan Chiffon:

Beat egg white to....

Stiff peak like this. Fold egg white into the mixture which we prepared earlier on and....

Ta ra........... ready for baking.

While baking.

To let cool

Finally our product.

Due to error of adding too much flour for our 2nd chiffon, we decided to add more butter to bake a butter cake.

Here it is! after it cool, we will cut it into 3 rectangles, spread with kaya on layers and top the final layer with snow powder. Yeah....

Something which seems alien to me. An antique oven which looks like a pot! Lolz... Tab's grandma used to bake with this oven.

Our peach muffins waiting to bake in the antique oven.

Am wondering does it work?

Phew... luckily they turned out well.

Next, Bread Making:

Mixing the necessary ingredients for basic sweet dough bread and let dough rise. Our pretty dough.

Tabby's waiting for Angelize to weigh the dough.

Quick roll by Tabby.

Here's the cute silicon pig mould which we will be using for some of our bread. Wow... the moulds are from Japan! Erm... no fear, Tabby bought them last yr and not after the earthquake. Lolz...

Various designs of our tuna bread.

And some comes with cream cheese toppings.

Time for dinner! YEah... was feeling so hungry after the hard day baking.
Our pumpkin soup using........

Frozen soup! Juz need to ass little bit of water and boil over low flame till melted. So convenient rite?

Angelize is delighted with the fruit salad.

Not forgetting our main course~Ee fu mee with shredded egg omelete.