Potato and Carrot Soup(done)
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Lime Fruit Jelly
Ayam-wan Kepiting
No-bake Blueberry Tarts(done)
Ham Rosti
Chicken in Maple Syrup with Rosemary and Thyme
Rissoles
Sweet Potato Balls
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
A week of guinea pigs
I cooked for a few friends of mine but sad to say, I had to eliminate some on my list, due to my leg condition. I cooked for Gen Sausage in Tomato Sauce, Onion Omelette and Fried Chicken Wings. The review was that she loved the sausages, the egg was waxy-looking, as I had fried it for too long a time, and the chicken wings were oily as I saw her try to rub oil off. I decided to cook Japanese Rice instead but I guess she wasn't used to it. For dessert, it was Sara Lee's Apple Pie with berries as garnishing. She liked the blackberries and the pie was warm from the oven.
Cheryl had it bad though. I decided to cook noodles instead, accompanied by Tuna Cakes, Chicken in Black Bean Sauce and Seaweed Soup. The food grew cold as we started our meal late. The noodles became dry and stuck together. Thank goodness I reheated the soup and it softened the noodles. The Tuna was obviously not nice as it was cold. The chicken dish was fine but I did not add enough water and so it was a little salty. There was not much soup left after reheating. The redeeming factor was my Lime Fruit Jelly which had set perfectly. She enjoyed it. My student Huijie had the better lot as I toasted the Tuna before letting her try. She liked it. :D
Minglong was next. I cooked rice, Seared Scallops, Korean-style Beef with Asparagus, Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and Miso Soup. The scallops were a little salty, the beef was good :D, the satay too and the soup was a little salty. He found the Apple Pie all right.
One of my best friends came for dinner. I put less salt on the scallops but he found it fishy. He liked the beef which was cooked Teriyaki-style and with Yellow Peppers instead. He thought the Prawn Cakes were Salmon Cakes and he liked the Tofu with Mushroom and Cucumber Soup, which I had added Dried Thyme to. I cooked Minced Chicken in Soya Sauce, to reproduce what my mum had cooked for me when I was young. The taste was rather authentic but I put in too much dark sauce. I had Starfruit and Berries for dessert. The Starfruit had turned brown as I had not added salt to prevent it. He liked the raspberries as I do. They are sweeter.
Meifen requested for Nonya food and so I cooked Sambal Squid, Chicken in Korean-style Sauce, Cucumber in Dried Shrimp Blachan, Teriyaki Chicken Wings, Potato and Carrot Soup, and rice. I made Strawberry Fruit Jelly for dessert.The squid was good as I had used Prima Taste's Nonya Sambal, which is very authentic in terms of true Nonya cuisine. However, I had cut the squid into too small pieces and having left the dish out for a while, the squid became hard. The first chicken dish was good. I could really taste the ginger included in the sauce while the wings became oily after being left out for a while. Toasting them before I ate them for dinner, made them taste way better. The vegetable dish surprisingly received a good review, and I did this from scratch. :D The soup was really good, close to the exact taste that my mum's version was. I used chicken cubes for the stock, added button mushrooms and dried herbs though. My student liked it too, even though I felt it was a little salty. The dessert was good and had no added sugar. :)
I used pre-packaged sauces and marinades to cook, for convenience, and the results weren't too bad. :) I decided to start much earlier than my previous attempts, as I have a time management problem when it comes to cooking. I have made some of my guests wait for me. However, the disadvantage is that the food grows cold as a result. Sigh.
Cheryl had it bad though. I decided to cook noodles instead, accompanied by Tuna Cakes, Chicken in Black Bean Sauce and Seaweed Soup. The food grew cold as we started our meal late. The noodles became dry and stuck together. Thank goodness I reheated the soup and it softened the noodles. The Tuna was obviously not nice as it was cold. The chicken dish was fine but I did not add enough water and so it was a little salty. There was not much soup left after reheating. The redeeming factor was my Lime Fruit Jelly which had set perfectly. She enjoyed it. My student Huijie had the better lot as I toasted the Tuna before letting her try. She liked it. :D
Minglong was next. I cooked rice, Seared Scallops, Korean-style Beef with Asparagus, Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and Miso Soup. The scallops were a little salty, the beef was good :D, the satay too and the soup was a little salty. He found the Apple Pie all right.
One of my best friends came for dinner. I put less salt on the scallops but he found it fishy. He liked the beef which was cooked Teriyaki-style and with Yellow Peppers instead. He thought the Prawn Cakes were Salmon Cakes and he liked the Tofu with Mushroom and Cucumber Soup, which I had added Dried Thyme to. I cooked Minced Chicken in Soya Sauce, to reproduce what my mum had cooked for me when I was young. The taste was rather authentic but I put in too much dark sauce. I had Starfruit and Berries for dessert. The Starfruit had turned brown as I had not added salt to prevent it. He liked the raspberries as I do. They are sweeter.
Meifen requested for Nonya food and so I cooked Sambal Squid, Chicken in Korean-style Sauce, Cucumber in Dried Shrimp Blachan, Teriyaki Chicken Wings, Potato and Carrot Soup, and rice. I made Strawberry Fruit Jelly for dessert.The squid was good as I had used Prima Taste's Nonya Sambal, which is very authentic in terms of true Nonya cuisine. However, I had cut the squid into too small pieces and having left the dish out for a while, the squid became hard. The first chicken dish was good. I could really taste the ginger included in the sauce while the wings became oily after being left out for a while. Toasting them before I ate them for dinner, made them taste way better. The vegetable dish surprisingly received a good review, and I did this from scratch. :D The soup was really good, close to the exact taste that my mum's version was. I used chicken cubes for the stock, added button mushrooms and dried herbs though. My student liked it too, even though I felt it was a little salty. The dessert was good and had no added sugar. :)
I used pre-packaged sauces and marinades to cook, for convenience, and the results weren't too bad. :) I decided to start much earlier than my previous attempts, as I have a time management problem when it comes to cooking. I have made some of my guests wait for me. However, the disadvantage is that the food grows cold as a result. Sigh.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Big breakfast at Cafe Cartel with Di and Theodore
My order. It was filling and good!
The guys' order. They each ordered one of this set. The pancakes look fluffy and the sausages look more well-grilled than the ones above. :S
Hot Chocolate: mmm....
Friday, March 20, 2009
Amazing Race - buffet style
Lately, express buffets have been introduced to Singapore's foodies. Consumers pay a lower price if they can finish as much food as possible within a stipulated period of time. I feel that it is more suitable for excessive food lovers. However, there is a huge disadvantage to this concept.
Customers fill plates with lots of food and finish eating them within the stated time. This causes them to gobble their food, so that they can continue to take more after that. It is a cyclical process. This will give them indigestion and make them obese. Excessive intake of different foods may cause heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes too. They will have long-term health problems as a result of a moment's gluttony.
Another disadvantage is that there is no opportunity to savour the food in all its taste and goodness. The intensity of labour it comes with is lost to the glutton, as he strives to devour it just to fill his ravenous stomach.
It is evident that gourmet tasters are unsuitable for this type of meal.
Customers fill plates with lots of food and finish eating them within the stated time. This causes them to gobble their food, so that they can continue to take more after that. It is a cyclical process. This will give them indigestion and make them obese. Excessive intake of different foods may cause heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes too. They will have long-term health problems as a result of a moment's gluttony.
Another disadvantage is that there is no opportunity to savour the food in all its taste and goodness. The intensity of labour it comes with is lost to the glutton, as he strives to devour it just to fill his ravenous stomach.
It is evident that gourmet tasters are unsuitable for this type of meal.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Fast-food is healthy? Like real!
There are more fast-food outlets and though this may pose good news for consumers, with their fast, convenient and cheap offers, fast-food is a detriment to health.
I agree with nutritionists that it can cause obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Look at the fried items on the menu like french fries, fried chicken and fried fish. Deep-fried food usually contains lots of oil, cholesterol and salt. Incidentally, fatty food causes phlegm too. The desserts and drinks contain plenty of sugar. Their recommendation of twice a week is actually too liberal, I feel. Once a week should be the norm. I cannot fathom how some can go there three to four times a week and even claim that the health risks are overstated!
Others feel they are still young and so the effects will not be so bad on them. Such naivety! People as young as in their teens and even babies have died from cancer. What sort of world do these people live in? It may be comfort food to some others but it is not the only type of comfort food. Chicken soup, porridge and pasta are comfort food too.
I agree with nutritionists that it can cause obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Look at the fried items on the menu like french fries, fried chicken and fried fish. Deep-fried food usually contains lots of oil, cholesterol and salt. Incidentally, fatty food causes phlegm too. The desserts and drinks contain plenty of sugar. Their recommendation of twice a week is actually too liberal, I feel. Once a week should be the norm. I cannot fathom how some can go there three to four times a week and even claim that the health risks are overstated!
Others feel they are still young and so the effects will not be so bad on them. Such naivety! People as young as in their teens and even babies have died from cancer. What sort of world do these people live in? It may be comfort food to some others but it is not the only type of comfort food. Chicken soup, porridge and pasta are comfort food too.
Inspiration to cook
I decided to try cooking Teriyaki Chicken Patties with Rice.
I had marinated the minced chicken with sesame oil, sugar, dried rosemary before adding cornflour and shaping it into patties. They were a success, coupled with red onions and yellow peppers in the teriyaki sauce. However, one thing I must tweak is the amount of teriyaki sauce or conversely, the amount of water, so as to make it a little less salty.
As for the rice, I had added too many dried bay leaves into the small amount of rice I cooked. I think just one would have sufficed. The chicken cube I added into the water made a great difference to the rice though.
Still, it was a success for a first attempt, and perhaps it can become another of my signature dishes for entertaining guests. :D
I had marinated the minced chicken with sesame oil, sugar, dried rosemary before adding cornflour and shaping it into patties. They were a success, coupled with red onions and yellow peppers in the teriyaki sauce. However, one thing I must tweak is the amount of teriyaki sauce or conversely, the amount of water, so as to make it a little less salty.
As for the rice, I had added too many dried bay leaves into the small amount of rice I cooked. I think just one would have sufficed. The chicken cube I added into the water made a great difference to the rice though.
Still, it was a success for a first attempt, and perhaps it can become another of my signature dishes for entertaining guests. :D
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