Cooking Tips & Recipe

[nice_to_shop]

sp,
I fried it in wok.Pat the squid till very very dry with paper kitchen towel, shouldn't "squirt" at you when you pat it dry.

I mixed sambal chilli with hay bee hiam for the sambal.

 

[ah_cat]

LittleCat,
I stayed at 17th floor.... so I doubt any cat can survive. Haha.. anyway, it's been a while so I am ok now. I try to dig out their adult photos tonite.

Sophie,
Yor cats look so cute! And yor figure oso superb leh. *whistle~
Generally house cats are very clean because they dun hunt for rats & eat raw meat. For the 24 hrs rule, the poo will become toxic if it's exposed to the air for more than 24hrs. So when u see it, just quickly clear away.

Van_G,
U really know how to pamper yourself! All the food looks good!! Ok, I try to get the maggi chicken stock before I start the hokkien mee.

 

[sophie]

Van,
You think can "grill" the sambal squid in oven toaster? For me, I'm just lazy to clean the oil splatters.

sp,
You dare not fry stuff? heh, is that how you get your smooth creamy white complexion with no open pores on your face and hands?

Your peanut butter sounds like the authentically non-processed kind I like to buy sometimes - I think couscous texture is about there, cos the organic peanut butter got not emulsifier/other hardening agent, so they are normally more "liquid" and the layer of oil separates to the top after awhile. Takes awhile to get used to it after being so used to my favourite Skippy

cat-tail,
I didn't know about the poo toxicity after 24hrs! Better remind dh to clear it both morning and night now!

heh, the cats are just longkang cats... the brown one is not so pretty, but my plea to my hubby was that such a not-so-good-looking cat sure cannot survive out there, cos no one will give it food, so I begged and begged him to let me bring it home... have to shed a tear to make him say OK!

 

[nice_to_shop]

Sophie,
I have tried "grilling"(Open on foil)/"Baking"(wrapped in foil) in oven and oven toaster.

My oven toaster is very "strong",can only use baking method.If you wrap it up, the sambal won't brown nicely,need to open up a little to brown it.

 

[spongme]

van,
thanks for the tip!

sophie,
u r very kind-hearted to rescue street cats!

sophie,
I dare not fry but always eat outside fried stuffs, lately a lot of pimples. my itchy fingers always go peel off the "skin", now got black marks.

My neck and face full of pigmentation, my mum asks me to laser them away, I'm still considering. Anyone done it before, how soon will the pigmentation come back? Very expensive lah, they count by spot, I got hundreds of spots so ugly

 

[nice_to_shop]

sp,

For frying stuff, it also helps if you don't fry it immediately after washing.Leave it on a strainer to drip dry.Before frying pat dry or pat/coat with flour/corn flour.

I did laser for birthmark on my back before, it's very expensive, and has down time,i.e.MC. Need to wash the "wound" with saline, and apply the antibiotic daily, and stay away from the sun during the healing period. AND if you don't take care after that(apply sunblock,avoid the sun), they will come back again...then all the money and suffering wasted liaoz.

hey...they don't count by spot, but by the area of the patch.Besides doctor's fees and medicine, also need to pay for "use" of the laser machine...that's the practice is Singapore's National Skin Centre,not sure about M'sia though.

 

[sophie]

Van,
Thanks for the tips. Think I may grill it "open" in my oven toaster, since seafood cooks quite fast.

sp,
I cannot see any pigmentation in your pic; in fact, the first thing I noticed was "The Hand" which was so smooth and creamy!

A friend of mine tried laser. She said can smell burning flesh leh... cos they're technically "burning" away the top layer of flesh. Quite scary right? But so far her spots didn't come back.

How about trying a homemade mask for a few months and see if it works? Heh, I just tried it my first time last week, so just one time, cannot see any effect tho a bit messy to apply. Cheaper alternative too!
I saw this from Motherhood magazine Aug issue:

Tomato Blemish Fix
1 pc ripe tomato (to be chopped into small portions)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp instant oatmeal or old-fashioned rolled oats

Blend all ingredients till a paste develops. Spread out onto blemished skin, whilst making sure that mixture is thick enough to stay in place.
Leave on for 10 mins.
Remove paste with a damp washcloth. Rinse and tone as per usual.

I checked online - some websites say that lemon is good for getting rid of blemishes.

 

[little_cat]

sp, me too! lots of it on my hand i can even count hor from the wrist till my arm got one line of the black spot, like 7 stars link up!

yeah annlee, how are your boys now?
take care of the little handsome boy hor...

here's my lunch today:

 

[sophie]

LittleCat,
Your beehoon looks yummy! I also like cut red chilis with soy sauce. Maybe tomorrow lunch will fry beehoon...

You got a digital camera already?

I didn't know spots on hands are also counted as pigmentation? That means I got a lot too... since the pregnancy, I seem to be having more freckles on my hands and body! Hope they disappear after baby is born.

 

[cupcake]

Wah, all the pics are making me hungry. I usually eat my daughter's leftover porridge for lunch! Dun really feel like cooking another meal juz for myself.
My hubby didnt actually complain abt my cooking, he juz said it taste like the food he ate when he had chicken pox.

He wont dare to complain so directly else i ask him to fly kite!! hahaha
sp, perhaps u shd try lighting cream 1st? I also hv lots of blemish marks but I find lighting cream gotten from dermatologist v effective. My SIL recently went to laser her freckles away..cost her 5K. But no guarantee that it wont come back, must maintain by avoiding sun and apply sunscreen religiously. Must say she looks really good even without makeup after the laser.

 

[sophie]

cupcake,
Laser cost 5k? *faint*

I heard that this thing called IPL is good too? A friend's friend has oily skin with pigmentation, and she did IPL. After her treatment, my friend said that the skin looks like she put on makeup/foundation/powder, but actually the girl didn't put anything at all! But they say also expensive (about $400-500 per session), and worse, must maintain by going back to do it regularly.

 

[nice_to_shop]

Meow Meow,
I cooked fried beehoon yesterday morning without the canned pork...this morning just bought a can of stew pork for cooking on Friday.

Your beehoon got a lot of liao hor,and the chilli.... yummm

 

[ann]

sophie, thanks for the eggplant recipe. I like eggplant not my hb and i think is more suitable for me. Put lime/lemon will be nice and increase the appetite.

starz, littlecat, my son is getting better, his poxs stopped popping out and now waiting for them to heal. Thanks for your concern!

sp, right now i think the fastest way to get rid of pigmentation is to go for laser which is expensive. IPL is good too but takes alot of session for pigmention, another alternative is PPX http://www.cosmopolitanclinic.com/ cheaper than IPL if im not wrong. Pigmentation will still comes back if yours is cured. It depends on our hormones also, if produces more melanin( color pigment), then pigmentation will produce on the face or body.


Remember to put good and lotsa sunblock even though you're at home. Preferable SPF 40-50 and Pa+++.

 

[sophie]

annlee,
Glad to know you ds getting getting. Don't worry, kids skin are so much better and more elastic than adults' - they should heal well!

Haven't seen Annelise for a long time?

 

[krisjoy]

Hi Choc,
I m into my 28 weeks. A bit early for water retention right? Most people got it at the last few weeks...So that's why maybe gynae gave me one week MC..

Littlecat,
Red bean soup can reduce water retention ah? Then I will eat more

anyway red bean is healthy right? Your fried mee hoon looks good! How did you fry till the colour is so evenly distributed?

Van,
Your hokkien mee looks very yummy! I just finished dinner but is hungry again ;p Let us know if this form of diet works well on your hubby then next time after delivery can follow suit

 

[little_cat]

Krisjoy
Yes red bean soup can help to reduce. But eat in moderation also lah

or u can try the brown rice cereal, if making brown rice abit troublesome for u.

The Fried Bee hoon : i put the source early and also with lots of vege there while cooking there are moisture coming out help to blend well on the colour.

Van, no hao-liao like your fried noodle leh

i only put fish cake, carrot, vege, mushroom, taugeh and the can pork.

 

[little_cat]

saw this from the web:

Red Bean With Carp In Soup

This soup can help in water retention at the legs. It can increse breast milk too.

Ingredients:
1 pound 10oz carp
5 ounces red bean
4 red dates
2 slices ginger
1 tablespoon chinese cooking wine
8 cups water

Instructions:

1. Cut open and boil fish for a while . Dish up, rinse and drain.
2. Remove pits from red dates.
3 Bring water to the boil. Add carp, red beans , red dates, ginger and wine. Bring to the boil.
4. Cook over mild heat for 2 hours. Season with salt.

Prep/Cooking Time:

2 1/2 hours

 

[choc06]

Hey annlee, yah.. I like eggplant too.. but ang doesn't.. think this is a ladies' food !

Hey cat, think I asked before, the stew pork is it the one with the ribs ? Cos I remember that someone mentioned the cube pork also nice to fry with bee hoon ..
Thanks for the tip on reducing water retention! Think I'll have that more often.. have been eating green bean soup and fu zhu yi mi..

Hey Krisjoy, did doc say what's the cos of water retention is ? Is it too much salt intake ? My elephant legs quite bad now..

Van, thanks for the hokkien mee recipe.. must try man ! Really look like zhi char kind .. If I stay near you, I'll tingkat from you .. hehe.. Everyday got ho liao !
With your 140 sqm house, do you have a part time cleaner ? I think I won't be able to do this cleaning for long ...
My dd's teacher asked us to approach the MP to open up more classes for this yr's p 1, since it's dragon yr.
For your sambal sotong, what sambal chilli you use ? I saw the bottled ones from shop n save, thought can gei my own liao inside..

YOur berenice got nice hair..I just brought my girls for a hair cut.. The hairdresser says must trim every mth for hair to grow more.. How'r her legs?

Hey sp, you very slim leh.. can see from your slim hands ! How did your peanut butter go ? Ho Jiak boh ? My no. 2 loves peanut butter.. how long can it last ?
Don't peifu me leh.. going to mati soon liao ! heehee.. Aft conf, I think I'll be eating instant noodles everyday !

Eh cat tail, your Edna's cheeks really cute.. want to have a bite on them

 

[ann]

krisjoy, littlecat is right, a bowl of red bean soup a day helps reduce fluid retention and do not take too much. When doing my confinement, I bought Rejuvenating herbal package from Malaysia and they advised to eat red bean soup for fluid retention and not to eat more than a bowl per day.

choc, drink honey can help shorten time of labour and reduced the pain. Now you should drink it, one cup a day.

 

[spongme]

little cat,
wah, yr fried meehoon looks really delicious! YUM... *drool* yrs also very hao liao mah as u put 6 liao inside...

van, sophie, cupcake, annlee,
thanks very much for your sharing on the ways to get rid of pigmentation. I think my case more serious becoz started from 16 yrs old. That time my mum got bring me to see dermatologist, he also say stay out of the sun & florescent lights, use sunblock, he say if remove will come back one.

choc,
we used the wrong food processor to make the peanut butter so it's coarse and not the usual smooth paste. if u try to make, do grind it till very fine and smooth ok! we keep in the fridge to keep it fresh longer, not sure how long it can last though. the taste ah, okay lah, not as nice as the ones we get outside, don't know what is their secret ingredient, maybe add a pinch of salt will be nicer.

 

[nice_to_shop]

Good Morning!

"Heavy" breakfast for hb today is porridge,Ikan Bilis+toast peanuts,Chap Chye and luncheon meat(

,very ordinary dishes,so never take pictures. Decided to cook Bak Kut Teh with pig's stomach and button mushroom tomorrow for his heavy breakfst.

Choc,

Canned pork cubes is good for fried rice.

Fried beehoon can use canned stewed pork leg(which has chestnut inside) or stewed pork ribs.

I used bottled sambal chiilli from shop n save mixed with haye bee hiam,chopped garilic,shallots and onions for the sambal.

Actually I prefer my dd to keep her hair short because of her eczema, but becos of her ballet test, which requires the ballerinas to tie a bun, so bo bian have to let her keep long hair.

My dd also loves peanut butter, can eat it everyday not sian,refuse to take others like jam or kaya.

I used to have a part-time cleaner that comes in 3x/week for 4 hrs each until my dd attend school daily and take lunch in school, then I stop having.Now everything I Bao Ga Liao.

On and off she still complained of leg pains. She also have growing pain at thigh area at night quite often. I read a lot about growing pain and feel that her symptom is growing pain,but my hb is not very convinced.Luckily the doctors also said it's growing pain.

sp,littlecat,
hehe...I also COUNTED the number of liao in the fried beehoon!

Cat_tail,
Hey, now we know who does Edna look like...Pretty Mama and Pretty Edna!

 

[sophie]

good morning!

All these food pics made me dig out my brown rice beehoon last night! Later will cook beehoon for lunch, but will be vege version, cos I ran out of the canned pork.

annlee, Choc,
What a shame your hubbies don't like eggplant, cos it's full of bioflavanoids - can help prevent cancer, stroke and haemorrhages. But then, eggplant has the kind of taste you either love or hate, so I understand. Eggplant lasagne also very yummy... but leychey to make.

annlee,
So if wanna have easier labour, start drinking a glass of honey starting from when? 3rd trimester?

Van,
2 days in a row cooking for hubby... you not tired? I love porridge for breakfast... any kind, whether it's Cantonese congee type or teochew muay style

When will you start boiling your Bak Kut Teh? Cos it takes a few hours for flavour to come out right?

 

[nice_to_shop]

Sophie,
I have been cooking the heavy breakfast for hb since Monday(Fried Rice).Tuesday-Fried Beehoon,Wednesday-Hokkien Mee, Thurs-Porridge,Friday-Bak Kut Teh.

I think I will make use of my Tiger Thermal Pot to cook Bak Kut Teh late tonight, boil then leave it in the pot overnight.

 

[spongme]

van,
hehe, u r not so bad, I not only like to count how much each thing I cook costs, I also counted how many button mushrooms in 1 tin (answer is 7, keke), if liao is limited (eg. prawns) how many can each person eat...

 

[sophie]

Van,
You are what my mum calls "24-hr wife" - hubby says he likes heavy breakfast then you cook for him the whole week? Hehe, my mum will wish for a DIL like you!

Let us know whether the Bak Kut Teh cooked in thermal pot overnight is good... take a pic!

 

[giggler]

Hi all, do you have recipe for fried bee hoon? Realised that I got bee hoon and the canned stew pork at home so thot of cooking it this Sat.

 

[ann]

sophie, drink the honey on the last month of pregnancy, use organic honey.

Also drink 1 bowl of red dates beverage on the last month of pregnancy if acts as detoxication agent for anesthetics after caesarean delivery. Can also drink red dates beverage if going for natural birth, in case using epidural.

Method of preparation of red dates beverage:
Make small cuts on 7 - 10 red dates. Soak red dates in a bowl of hot water for an hour. Steam for 2 hours and consume.

I used ji xin zao (chicken heart dates??) not normal red dates. I will make the red dates bevereage for 5days consumption, is better this way as i don't have to make it everyday.
Add 50 dates to 5 rice bowls, soak for an hour of water and i double boil for 4-5hrs. I double boil to make sure the water will not evaporate and remains 5 bowl of it. When the beverage is done, let it cool down and put inside the fridge, everyday heat up 1 bowl and drink it.

 

[nice_to_shop]

Sophie,

My hb definitely don't think I am a good enough wife(becos I don't get along well with his mum... he admitted that!), and my MIL definitely don't like a DIL like me....

 

[sophie]

annlee,
Thanks for the tips! I've heard of ji xin zao... my mum mentioned it mentioned it before, so I shouldn't have a problem finding it. Will file this under my "Prenatal Recipes" folder

Van,
Like I said before - you should tell your hubby about me, this "frozen-food wife" who is now trying to change this "frozen-food" habit

Then he'll learn to appreciate you!

Giggler,
I just made my beehoon, but today's beehoon not so "happening", cos I don't have canned pork, so used bacon. Don't have cabbage (the bao cai goes really well with canned pork), so I used xiao bai cai. So think I won't be the one giving you "recipe" for beehoon

. I'll let the gurus here tell you instead!

 

[ah_cat]

Van_G,
Heehee.. thank you. But u would think twice after I removed my make-up.

 

[sophie]

cat_tail,
I just saw Van's posting, so went into Yahoo Group to kaypoh again

Your dd does look like you! Even the smile! Yes, I agree... pretty mama, pretty baby

Your catpost is HUGE! I kind of like the botak Miko pic... quite cute. My current catpost getting old now, so I may get a bigger one like yours... just need to find the space to put it!

 

[ann]

cat_tail, you're another pretty mama.
your dd so cute.....

 

[happysunflower]

Wah.. the food pictures making me drool...

Littlecat,
The chilli padi making me drool even more.. kekeke...

sophie,
You like to freeze food ah? Or you buy frozen food? I like to freeze food.. lol.. A habit I cultivated when I was in UK. That's why when I buy frideg, I make sure I got a big freezer compartment...

Van,
You not good enough wife ah... Then I worse lor... kekeke...

Krisjoy,
I also ate lots of red bean soup with "bai he" when preggie

Sometimes I boil red bean and glutinous rice soup

hmm.. for water retention, I think gotta watch out your diet... That time I had water retention when I ate penang laksa and prawn noodles when I went to Penang. Then one more time of water retention when I accidentally had canned soup... I do watch my diet and symptoms that I get, so I know what cause water retention for me... Maybe you wanna try to watch your diet and see?

cupcake,
I think I will be like you, eating leftover porridge when my boy start to wean...


Ok gals... I go continue cook my lunch.. my microwave oven beeping away liao... Today is brown rice with "cha ba lang" vege...

 

[happysunflower]

hey,
I havent got time to see the yahoo pictures yet.. you gals are so fast... i dun have enough time to follow the forum also... later gotta do my work lor...

 

[ah_cat]

Sophie & annlee,
Thank you, u all praise me until I soo pai sek.

Sophie,
U a pyscho too like me? Like to see the cat botak...hyiak hyiak..U noe that time when Miko is so naked, he dare not sleep on the cold tiles.

 

[ann]

sophie, the Bragg liquid amino looks good! Better choice for normal soy sauce. Can get from NTUC(have seen Bragg apple cider at NTUC) or cold storage?
I'm making egg plant follow by your recipe tonight.

van, I told my hb about your hokkien mee, he wants it and want me to cook it on Saturday.

 

[happysunflower]

Wah.. cat_tail, Sophie, you both also shave cats ah... lol...


This is my lunch today

Baby is good today, so got time to cut and cook

 

[happysunflower]

sophie,
3M got new magic mop ah?? How much is it?

van,
Wow... Your stir fry black sauce hokkien mee looks very appetising.. I just ate my lunch.. and I am drooling already... lol...


Ok gals... I really gotta go do my work liao.. no time to catch up all the posts.. paiseh...

 

[nice_to_shop]

annlee,
huh, you told your hb about my hokkien mee? pai seh leh...remember to use chicken stock hor! Packet soup like Knoss or Svenson's good enough.

I told my hb that I posted the Hokkien Mee picture up, he said I should add some oil to the noodles before taking the picture to make it look more appetising..You2 Liang4 Liang4...I told him without any "makeup", I think the noodles look alright already what?!

 

[little_cat]

van, your ang so cute! still suggest u 'dress-up' the noodle bfore posting! haha
oops better dun tell my hb, if not he sure ask me to cook one! somemore he one week at US, sick of ang moh food liao!

cat_tail aiyoh so envy u, slim and pretty! yeah your dd looks like u, i like the way she smile with the lips like that, very adorable!!
i like white colour cat leh! the fake lion looks so arragont!

eh my hb also dun like eggplant leh.. wonder why? and ladies finger also, becos of the sticky thing...
if they say dun like lady finger cos got the word 'lady' it make sense, but why eggplant leh? cos the colour too ramantic? or the word egg? haha meow meow xiao liao!

choc i use the pork rib, but i remove the rib, actually i ate it! so soft and nice. Then i use fork to mesh it abit b4 frying the beehon.

lyn, so is the chilli not the beehoon haha!

i chop the garlic and chilli, add soya sauce and... olive oil!
some will put sugar then some lime. But i prefer it to be salty.. but no too salty so i add the oil...
haha just my weird taste!

this morning went for my gynae check up. everything is fine, i saw baby swallowing water during the scan, so cute!
doctoc said likely to be a bigger baby as the grow is slightly above average.. now explain why my tummy so big lor!
i thot i gained quite a bit, but at the clinic they measure just 1kg compare to previous visit.

aiyah my beehoon liao not very good liao, no prawns one

 

[little_cat]

hi Giggler, this is my version of fried beehoon, the rest might have diff way:

soak the beehoon,
here's vege i used, can be lesser i tried to clear stock also TRY to eat more vege :
taugeh
carrot
xiao bai cai
mushroom
fish cake

Use Wok to fry some garlic, put in fish cake & carrot. Then put in the mushroom and vege, Stir for a while, put in the beehoon. continue to stir. put in the pork & the sauce stir and cook, pour some dark soya sauce.
if u want it tasty can put fish sauce and oyster sauce too.
Putting the dark soya sauce early and with the moisture from vege, it will make your beehoon colour more even.

i like to put the beehoon early, so my vege not over cooked. Also with the vege, it will have some water coming out, so u dun need to put in oil/water to make your beehoon damp.

last time i use another method is to cook the liao and beehoon seperately. just fry the liao then cook the beehoon seperately. but by doing so u need to put some water/oil to fry if not your beehoon too dry.

 

[ann]

van, your hokkien mee looks shiny and good enough. Will remember to add the chicken stock.

littlecat, my hb says eggplant taste 'nuah nuah' thatz why don't like it. He also don't like ladyfinger but eat fish head curry ladyfinger???

I remembered some aunti, my mum and veggie seller told me not to eat eggplant, ladyfinger and stingray when pregnant. Some says the food will expand or whatever in the stomach. Not sure how true it is and i don't take it when preggie just in case.

 

[nice_to_shop]

Littlecat,
I only told my ang about the picture this morning, so too late liao, cn't listen to his advice and "dress-up"my hokkien mee.

Eh...should feed your ang with a whole week of local food when he comes back from US to compensate mah...

It's good that your baby is growing well,so he is gaining the weight not your lor! Can't imagine how you see the baby swallow the water during scan...my dd didn't give me such "entertainment" before..

...funny huh... my ang also don't like eggplant,ladysfingers,pumpkin...actually he doesn't like a lot of things,especially those that his mum never cooked for him before.

 

[waterbibi]

sorry for not posting...i've been busy.
The hokkien mee and beehoon pictures are so yummy!

Cat_tail,

You're so pretty, Edna looks a lot like you! All your 3 cats are very unique...what breed are they?

Sophie,

I like the pic of you in Ao Dai...very sexy.

 

[giggler]

Sophie, so you think that the bee hoon will taste better with the canned pork?

LittleCat, thanks for the recipe

Van_G, I like your hokkien mee too, tell your hb there's no need to 'makeup' the noodle, it's very nice looking liao.

 

[choc06]

Thanks annlee for the honey tip for easy labour ! didn't know that .. manuka honey can boh ?
After hearing what you all said about the red bean thingy, I went to the foodcourt to have a bowl before lunch ..

Van, the can cube pork is it the spicy kind ? The one that can go with porridge ? Canned stew pork ribs has chestnuts inside meh ? Must go and see.. sua koo when comes to this .. too many varieties liao !
Agree with the rest ! You really 24/7 good mother and housewife.. your ang got good food everyday ! Porridge for breakfast very good already ! Must learn from you.. sifu..

How you wash the pig's stomach ? I know very leychey ! You think shop and save pre packed ones clean boh ?

Wah lyn, your lunch is so healthy.. brown rice with chap chye, is it ? So much liao leh.. you tried brown rice bee hoon before ?

The 3M magic mop is about 24 bucks, less than 25.. not bad.. can dry and wet mop.. but must wring the mop manually with hands

cat tail, does Edna "bully" your cats ? My no.2 went to catch my niece's hamster until the hamster bit her ! Think she went to squeeze it

 

[nice_to_shop]

Choc,
Yes the canned pork cube is the spicy kind,the Sui Xian Hua/Narcissus brand one. Canned stew pig's trotter have chestnut(may be only 1pc?) and mushroom, canned stew pork ribs(Hong Sao Pai Gu) doesn't have.

I bougth the cooked pig's stomach from shop n save also...looks and taste okay leh..I don't like to wash the raw one myself...the smell will linger on...

I also thought of start eating brown rice for my lunch,went to NTUC to search for it, but the tiny NTUC at Bt Batok only sell big-size pack.

Health Food Gurus, any recommended brands for brown rice?

 

[sophie]

lyn, cat_tail,
Heh, I am not a psycho cat-shaver

My longkang cats got not much fur for me to shave, but I do like my hubby's head clean shaven, as in, skinhead

He likes it too, but whatever little hair he has grows out quite quickly, so it's quite leychey to shave every 2 days, so now just crewcut for him.

lyn,
I think the 3M magic mop is about $20-30. Sold at most NTUCs.

Oh, Choc answered more specifically already!

Van,
Your Hokkien Mee no need makeup! I like it the way it is - yummy and healthy-looking

annlee,
Hmm... first time I hear about not eating eggplant and lady's finger when pregnant. Will just note and not eat so often... heh, vain, don't want my stomach to expand with food, but not baby!
The Braggs Amino Acid smells just like Maggie soy sauce to me, and altho hubby hated it at first, he's since gotten used to it. Yep, can find at all NTUC Unity or the Health Food Corner at NTUC. You can buy the very small spray bottle one to try out first - should be less than $5. I buy the larger one at around $9.

Giggler,
The canned pork makes the beehoon more local and authentic. Whereas my bacon does make it taste fragrant, but not so local, and taste a bit weird with sambal chili.

Van,
For brown rice, I just buy the NTUC housebrand The Pasar one. It's found at the dried goods section, about $1.80 for a small pack, so don't have to worry about not being able to finish it. I used to buy the Aussie Sunrice or Lunderberg kind, but sometimes too big pack, cannot finish very wasted.

 

[nice_to_shop]

Choc,

Sophie,
Thanks! I went to the RICE section, no wonder can't find small size pack!

 

[ann]

choc, manuka of course can.... expensive and good one leh... even better if is organic.

I bought organic red brown rice and mix with white rice, sometimes i use 5 grains rice and mix with white rice. Must soak the brown and 5 grains rice before cooking them as to soften the rice.The rice can get from NTUC. My MIL told me when sick or having fever better don't take them, say they're quite heaty or 'pu'.