One of the things I love doing in the kitchen is experiment and have tons of fun. Being somewhat a typical resourceful (a nicer term for stingy) Asian, I’m always making use of whatever gadgets, equipments or kitchen ware I have instead of buying additional stuff that I might only use once or twice. Friends could not believe that I have been baking with mama’s 30-year-old portable oven (have konked out recently) and mixer. If any of you dare not start cooking because you don’t have a proper kitchen, the good news is you don’t need them to start. Anyone that can cook with the bare essentials. Continue Reading →
Steamed Cod Fish is another indulgent recipe you can effortlessly recreate at home. Cod has a ‘sweet’ taste that you can just eat it on its own without seasoning. This recipe is simple and absolutely delicious. Silky steamed cod that practically melt in your mouth, with an awesome umami sauce is heavenly. Not only that, I can eat plain rice with this sauce alone. So good! Continue Reading →
Grandpa loves to give away his papayas (pardon the pun) everything I visit. and I’ve made many visit since last year, hence papaya overload. He has 3 papaya trees in his backyard which he is extremely proud of. I do not understand why he loves planting just papaya and sugar apple trees in his huge backyard, I love other fruits too like mango, rambutan and passion fruits. Maybe I’ll sneak in a mango tree next time I’m back.
Last weekend, I took back an unripe (green) papaya to make Som Tam (Thai Green Papaya Salad). Continue Reading →
Salt Grilled Mackerel or Saba Shioyaki is a popular seafood dishes served as an entrée or part of a bento combination in Japanese restaurants.
I have to confess. I’ve never ordered Saba Shioyaki before in the restaurant. I always end up ordering salmon because it’s usually almost the same price. Yes, I didn’t think very highly of mackerel. The poor mackerel didn’t get all the media hype like salmon does. Mackerel is one of the highly recommended oily fish for a healthy diet, rich in essential oils, vitamins, minerals and Omega fatty acids. Continue Reading →
Both my sisters are seafood fanatic, especially crab and prawns. They can both eat 4kg worth of crab, prawns and shellfish in a sitting. We Chinese love steaming our seafood, and believe that steaming is probably the ‘best’ way to enjoy most seafood in all its’ natural ‘sweetness. Steaming is not only easy, it is also a very healthy cooking technique. This Steamed Garlic Prawns is my elder sister CM’s go-to prawn recipe. Continue Reading →
Besides sushi, Chicken Teriyaki has to be one of the most popular dishes in Japanese restaurants all over the world. In Japan, chicken teriyaki is a popular lunchtime staple, mostly found in bento boxes.
If you have not tried cooking Japanese, Chicken Teriyaki is a great first introductory dish to cooking Japanese food with a few easy-to-find but essential ingredients. Continue Reading →
Whoa.. Egg yolk + Prawns = one cholesterol loaded dish!
Very so often, there’s an egg controversy. One large egg has roughly 186mg cholesterol — all in the egg’s yolk. Since having high cholesterol levels in our blood increases our risk of heart disease., egg yolks have been critisized and health nuts stick to eating strictly egg whites. In recent years, scientists have come to the conclusion that cholesterol in food is not the true villain — saturated and trans fats have a much greater effect on blood cholesterol. If you have been told by your doctor to watch your cholesterol levels, your priority should be to cut down on saturated fat. Continue Reading →
I was selected as the top 20 finalists in the Asian Food Channel (AFC) Foodie Face Off about a month ago. We have to create 2 dishes with a ‘Raya Celebration’ theme. When I receive the news, I was travelling & only had very limited time to practice before the competition day. Even though it was stressful, I knew I would learn so much from this challenge. I could only imagine the recipes in my head, practiced and prayed for the best. The competition was indeed an eye opener, not only it’s a test of skills, creativity definitely plays a major point clincher. With dishes served in champagne glasses and test tubes, I definitely have to up my game in the next competition. Continue Reading →
Like most popular dishes, Beggar’s Chicken is a dish with an interesting story of origin. A starving, homeless beggar in rural China stole a chicken from a yard and was about to cook it when the emperor’s guards passed by. In his state of panic, he tried to hide the chicken by covering it with mud and threw it into the fire. Hours later when the coast is clear, he ended up with a chicken that was said to be the most tender and flavoursome he’s ever eaten. Continue Reading →
I’m no fan of fish head, except the silky smooth cheeks. Mama would “devour” the whole fish (the head, fins, tail) until the fish is irrecognisable. Many times she have failed to convince me to try the fish head. No way I will touch it, not even scrumptious curry fish head. Yes I know some of you reading this will go “Eww, how can you eat the fish head”. Mama will tell you it’s very delicious, the cooked fish meat between the bones is super tasty and firm, break the bones with your fingers, and suck out the meat. There’s no way avoiding getting your fingers dirty to truly enjoy fish head. Continue Reading →
