Cooking Tips & Recipe

[nice_to_shop]

Ate too much red meat these few days, so lots of cruciferous vege today to make up for it...watercress,broccoli...

http://www.deliciousorganics.com/recipes/broccoliandcauliflower.htm

Ordinary dishes today...but no harm to post some food pics in this cooking thread yeah?

BTW, hb didn't come home for dinner,and didn't inform me, so got to throw away half of what I cooked today.

Just reinstalled my Scrapbooking software, used these pics to test out.Chose the lowest resolution to keep the file small,so the picts are not very clear.

Starz,
Thanks for sharing the two sites.The word UNLIMITED STORAGE on multiply.com sounds good to me, and I do have some dd's video files that I want to find some secured storage place,but again need to look into security issues,since hb is very concerned. Got to find some time to explore...

Sounds like you are going to pop pretty soon...you take care and get your "hospital bag" packed!

Sophie,
You only printed your photos from those Kodak kiosk? How's the quality compared to those Lab printed ones? I have been printing my own photos at home,guess won't be as lasting, but I will usually laminate them to "preserve" them.

 

[ann]

van, not ordinary dishes lah... looks very healthy. Your broccoli added some slices carrot to make the the green dish look colourful and not boring. Sometimes when I stir fry cabbage with tanghoon, the colour is so plain so I add some carrot or something darker to make the food look more appetitsing.

starz, I agreed with the rest... think shld take leave and rest at home, makan your favourite food with hb, movie with him etc... as you might not have the time when bb is born

 

[cheerful747]

Hey Van

You are an adventurous cook....so nice of you to show all your dishes....I cook already will straight away go shower and make the rest eat dinner....

What is dinner tonight?

I will be making some otah,fried pa bo cai, and steam fish....

Anyone care to share your style of frying pa bo cai....maybe I can learn a new style of cooking....thanks

 

[cheerful747]

Anyone here is a big fan of Hong kong wang wah egg rolls?I am and yesterday got two boxes from HK airport....

Surf the web and there seems there is some shops import the pdt but I went there and there is no such place selling it...anyone know where I can get this in singapore...or I will have to wait for every trip that hubby goes hk......thanks

 

[sophie]

Van,
Thanks for the red bean paste recipe!
Of course no prob with even ordinary dishes - in fact, I'm really lousy at cooking Chinese dishes, so any dish other than steamed broccoli & steamed fish is fancy to me

Your scrapbook looks good! Is this a freeware or did you pay for it?

For my pics, if I am printing a few hundreds, I normally give it to the lady and ask for "old-fashioned chemical printing" which costs about 25 cents each or even lesser. But just for a few pics, I use the Kodak kiosk. Quality is pretty good! I find the paper not as glossy, but my hubby says the quality is very good, much better than home photo printers and almost as good as lab quality. I also find it more economical than home photo printer, cos for home ones, have to buy good quality paper and the ink, then sometimes alignment out, waste paper and ink. And if not using for a long while, ink dries up. The Kodak Kiosk charges 50 cents per pc only I think, and you can choose smaller pics by having 2 pics on 1 pc... or you can choose decorative styles. Quite fun! I print out stuff now and put in my Baby Scrapbook

 

[ann]

hee..joy747, my house still got left over egg roll from HK kee wah recommended by sophie and van. Wang wah is nice too?? Recently saw on the paper that kee wah also selling mooncake in sg.

pa bo cai sounds familiar... think from my mum, what veggie is that?

Tonight I'm making mushroom stuff mince pork but the mushroom I use is from market not NTUC as I find those mushroom from NTUC got very strong aroma.

 

[sophie]

annlee,
Pa Bo Cai is the "Beat Wife Vege"

To me, it looks like "sheng cai" that people normally dunk in soup for steamboats... taste similar to me too.

 

[cheerful747]

annlee

ya man, wing wah is very nice...I remember I ate up whole tin when I was stop over in hk for a day, transist to san francisco....still thought that I can carry the egg roll there....

Pa bo cai is quite soft type of veg...a bit like xiao bei cai but its in a softer version and produced lots of water after cooking.....

 

[ann]

sophie and joy747, 'sheng cai' is it lettuce (not those round type for salad) with lotsa sands on the root. My mum's steamboat always got tang or, bai cai, and lettuce. And I use that for salad too...

 

[krisjoy]

sp and Sophie,
Ya lor, it's pregnancy rash so no choice leh, need to hang in there...just that my skin is bleeding from all the scratching

Sophie and Joy,
My family usually cook Pa Bo Chai in soup and steamboat and the vege is very sweet even though it is boiled. I actually like this vege

What about frying with hae-bi? Think I've eaten this version before..

Van,
I like to eat fried rice and your replica is a nice change from the normal ones.

Twinkle,
Same here, my hubby does not take beef so even I cook any beef dishes, guess I have to eat them on my own

 

[sophie]

annlee,
The Chinese sheng cai is more like the elongated ones.... or maybe I got it wrong? Maybe the elongated one taht I see is the pa bo cai?

Krisjoy,
Bleeding? Oh no... poor thing!
Cut your nails short ok?
And try not to scratch... I know it's easier said than done, esp. at night when sleeping, veyr hard to control. Maybe wear looser clothes too and try to stay in aircon, may help?
Just a few more weeks to go!

 

[cheerful747]

Krisjoy

Habee also can but my family does not take it...So, I will just stir fry with prawns and a bit of dark sauce...the simple version.

You may try to fried fried rice with some grind chillies with balcan.

 

[annelise]

Hi everyone. Sorry, been busy helping my hb prep some training materials - no time to post. Thanks for all your compliments

I will post a detailed step-by-step method later this week. Hi Van, yeah I wanted to take pics of the steps but my hands were so oily & hb was busy trying to keep the girls away from the worktable, haha! the next time when I'm not so kan cheong, I will take the pics! Which cartoon character are you thinking of making? Hi Krisjoy, I'm not sure if the cocoa powder is diff - I haven't tried PH's Valrhona, I didn't know they sold them too. I'll buy and try it the next time. Hi Joy, have you tried Tokyo Banana? It's really yummy but because of it's short shelf life, it's not exported. Maybe next time when your hb flies to Narita, can get him to buy for you to try - I'll post the link to the website later

Sorry, gotta go - catch y'all later

 

[cheerful747]

Hi Annelise

Tokyo banana?Hah?He is going to fukoka next week but me no banana fan...maybe asked him to buy for my gal instead....thanks for sharing

 

[iceystarz]

hi ladies....
thanks for e concern... i told hubby lastnite abt my worries, plus pelvic bone starting to be painful, difficult to walk... so today went for checkup... everything is okay with bb.. and i got 3 days mc to rest.. hehehehe...

i "dont bear" to use my leave so early.. see how it goes.. maybe another couple of weeks ask doc if he gives hospitalisation leave for e last 2 weeks or not lor.. i heard some gynae gives that...


sophie,
try taking yakult daily.. but get e "less sugar" one.. as preggers more susceptible to diabetes.. aka gestational diabetes.. so got to really watch out e sugar level in ur food intake...

krisjoy,
oh dear.. i know easier said then done, but dont scratch leh... "psycho" urself to think tat next time got scars very ugly n see if can control ur hands.. like wat they say, cut ur nails super short so cant cause much "harm" even scratch.. i'm e type super vain one.. so i usually psycho myself this way...
we r almost there...!!! Jia You!!!

Van,
ur dinner yesterday all my favourites!!! esp watercress soup..!!! now i see also drooling liaoz...
ya, intending to pack my hospital bag tis weekend.. but over these few days can start liaoz..


annlee,
hehehe.. we r not worried abt lack of couple time next time.. cos got alot of "support network" very nearby, my mum, 2 sisters-in-law.. all can be entrusted with our bb next time if we go out... only thing is, can we bear to leave him to go out or not... hehehe..

ok lah, going for lunch liaoz... ta bao vegetarian bee hoon...

 

[iceystarz]

hi ladies....
thanks for e concern... i told hubby lastnite abt my worries, plus pelvic bone starting to be painful, difficult to walk... so today went for checkup... everything is okay with bb.. and i got 3 days mc to rest.. hehehehe...

i "dont bear" to use my leave so early.. see how it goes.. maybe another couple of weeks ask doc if he gives hospitalisation leave for e last 2 weeks or not lor.. i heard some gynae gives that...


sophie,
try taking yakult daily.. but get e "less sugar" one.. as preggers more susceptible to diabetes.. aka gestational diabetes.. so got to really watch out e sugar level in ur food intake...

krisjoy,
oh dear.. i know easier said then done, but dont scratch leh... "psycho" urself to think tat next time got scars very ugly n see if can control ur hands.. like wat they say, cut ur nails super short so cant cause much "harm" even scratch.. i'm e type super vain one.. so i usually psycho myself this way...
we r almost there...!!! Jia You!!!

Van,
ur dinner yesterday all my favourites!!! esp watercress soup..!!! now i see also drooling liaoz...
ya, intending to pack my hospital bag tis weekend.. but over these few days can start liaoz..


annlee,
hehehe.. we r not worried abt lack of couple time next time.. cos got alot of "support network" very nearby, my mum, 2 sisters-in-law.. all can be entrusted with our bb next time if we go out... only thing is, can we bear to leave him to go out or not... hehehe..

ok lah, going for lunch liaoz... ta bao vegetarian bee hoon...

 

[annelise]

Hi starz, glad to hear that all is well - yeah, you should rest more. Hope your boss won't make you come back to work despite you being on mc! It's good that you went to see your gynae - at least can put your mind at ease

Hi Joy, this is the link: http://www.tokyobanana.jp/banana/index.htm
So far I've only tried the 1st & 3rd in the left column. I'm sure your dd will enjoy it!

Gtg, girls going for my neighbours bday party. Catch up later

 

[nice_to_shop]

Brought dd for doctor's review, dropped by Taka just now.

annlee,joy747,
Taka's mooncake fair selling Kee Wah's egg roll and egg+almond/coffee/seaweed cookies in addition to mooncake. Though hb will be going to Hong Kong during the Deeparaya long weekend, but can't wait and bought 1 box each from the Taka fair.

Sophie,
I bought the scrapbook software from amazon.com. Much cheaper than buying in Singapore. Challenger run out of stock of the older version, and hasn't brought in the latest version.

annelise,
I would love to make Pooh bear or Hello Kitty character, do you know how to make that? Looking forward to your step-by-step instruction...best with pictures to illustrate.

starz,
I got lots of hospitalizatoin leave during 3rd trimester, but not given by my gynae, it's given by the specialist seeing my arthritis problem.

krisjoy,
does applying aloe vera gel help to ease the itch?or some ice-pack?so poor thing...scratched till bleeding...

<font size="+2">Choc</font> and <font size="+2">LittleCat</font>, super busy huh....?

 

[cheerful747]

Van

Is there any branch for kee wah here?How is the egg roll like, sweet or not?I very lazy to go downtown.Was in isetan just now. Some sales items already started though supposed to start on 7 oct. I bought a food warmer for my baby.

Your friend like your gift?

 

[cheerful747]

Thanks annelise, looks interesting....

 

[nice_to_shop]

Joy,
I asked the promoter,they said it's specially imported for the mid-autumn festival only.They don't have any branch or counter here. Egg roll is the thinner,Hong Kong Style type,not too sweet.

Haven't passed the gift to her yet...but already told her about it, and she likes the idea,saved her from buying a small slow cooker.Thanks Again!

 

[annelise]

Hi Van, Hello Kitty should be quite easy to make cos' the colours are simple and the outline is nice and bold! This website has really nice Hello Kitty colouring pictures that you can download and print: http://www.sanrio.com/main/games/printouts/coloringcharacter/kt.html

Pooh is a bit more tricky cos' need to mix the icing until you get the right shade of orangey brown for his fur.

Hey, my sis juz found a website that actually has a step-by-step guide with pics! I can't cut &amp; paste here cos' it's copyrighted but here's the link: http://www.cakecentral.com/article12.html

My recipe for the buttercream is similar to the one in the above site except that the Crisco I used looks like blocks of butter (sold in blocks of 3) - unlike the one that came in a tub. The one in the tub is pure white whereas mine was yellow - that's why my icing had the off-white colour!

 

[annelise]

Hi Krisjoy, my friend from Indo taught me this method to relieve itching - scoop some warm cooked rice, place on a clean, small damp towel, bundle it up so that it looks like a dumpling and press it gently on the affected parts. Hope it helps!

 

[sophie]

starz,
I didn't know Yakult for "less sugar" one? Will check it out at NTUC!
Your lunch very healthy - zai beehoon... my favourite!

Van,
Your dd's doc review OK?

Eh, the scrapbook software must pay?

Heee... I'll go search out net if there is any freeware then!

 

[little_cat]

hi all
sigh busy busy with work and attending some training...
i did pop by to read some of the message, this is my only 'push' to continue to work lah...

read about van &amp; joy747 birth story, aiyoh u 2 are really brave women leh! if me hor sure super gan-jiong one!

i have the pain like starz, hmm... must find excuse to get some MC next week liao... if not MC also forfeited...

van, will try the 3cups chicken if i visit the bu-yea-tian again.

sophie, the petai is fried with minced meat. not too hot, it is very nice, even my fussy hb like it

krisjoy, aiyoh bleeding ? better dun scratch too hard.. can apply some lotion or oil?

van, how's your dd ? appetite ok? must 'bu' back liao.

yeah where is my hum sister?
soon will be out from confinment can eat hum liao kekeke!

annelise, u really are the great baking si-fu !
eh start with something simple one first leh.. like deco the cupcake, let me impressed my boy first.

Amelia, u ok liao? back to makan action ?

ok back to work so i can go home early.. tired, tired and very tired! :'(

 

[krisjoy]

hi mummies,
Thanks for your concern, really appreciate it!

I'll try to refrain from scratching and pyscho myself that the marks left behind will be ugly...

Starz,
U rest well at home...my gynae gave me hospitalisation leave when he issued MC leh. Otherwise my 14 days MC will not be enuff...

These days I can't chat as frequently as last time cos we got a contract staff to cover me during my maternity leave. So am busy teaching her my work. Can only catch up prob at nite...

 

[nice_to_shop]

annelise,
Thanks for the website! It's very useful! I have just printed the instruction out. I have to clear my outstanding baking promoises before I could attempt the cartoon character cake.Told my dd that we are going to bake cakes and cookies for those people who visited her at the hospital...our appreciation baking sessions.

Sophie,
Doctor said my dd is ok, can resume ballet,golf and swimming liao, but gradually.He discourages giving too much dairy products though.

I did try out some trial version of scrapbook software, not as good as the one I bought. The Photorecord software that comes with my Canon digi cam is still my favourite software so far,very easy to use,but they don't have any upgrade version,there are some limitations.

LittleCat,
When are you getting your maid?

My dd's appetite is ok, but I dare not let her eat too much at one ago.That day just drank 1 packet of Smoo milk and a slice of banana cake already complained stomach ache....made my super gancheong hb so panic,almost collapsed...and start blaming the "outside food" banana cake,so going to bake some home-baked banana cake for her.

 

[annelise]

Hi cupcake, I love the pics of Muffin and your dd! Awww....they look so sweet together!

Hi LittleCat, oh you poor thing - you sound really very exhausted! Hope you'll get a good sleep tonight. I'm not baking expert leh - just like to experiment with cakes more than I like with cooking! The cupcake is decorated using buttercream icing and a Malteses ball. The piping nozzle I bought from PH together with the disposable piping bags.

Hi Van, yeah how did Ber's review go? Hope the paed gave you the green light for her to resume her usual physical activities. Re: Image icing, you take a look at the website first then we discuss further on the details, ya? Btw, I have Hello Kitty cookie molds which I bought from Jap many years ago - if HK is your theme and you wanna borrow to bake for her party, lemme know, okay?

 

[cheerful747]

Van

Thanks for info again...

I may get hubby to go with me to taka to check out the egg roll tho I have two boxes of wing wah egg rolls with me...kee wah sells different type of egg rolls, right?Which is nicer?thanks

 

[ann]

My mushroom with stuffed mincepork for dinner

Don't look good but is quite tasty. My maid marinated the pork and tot she added MSG hee... but my house got no MSG so shouldn't be.

 

[krisjoy]

annlee,
What did your maid use to marinate the pork? Just curious how to remove the 'porky' smell...

 

[sophie]

Van,
Good to know your dd is OK. Less dairy products is OK - she can always get her calcium from other stuff.

annlee,
Looks good to me leh, got a little wolfberry as decorative item somemore!

How did you make your gravy?
You steam the stuffed mushroom with gravy or you steam without then later pour gravy over?

 

[etelle]

Hi annlee
how u make the mushroom with minced pork dish look so delicious...can teach???

 

[etelle]

where to buy wolfberry??? how useful is it?

can i join u mummies in here me learning to cook...want to cook for hubby...

 

[nice_to_shop]

Joy747,
Kee Wah's egg roll...

 

[nice_to_shop]

Baked banana butter cake today...cup cake instead of loaf so that it'll take shorter time to bake, and easier for dd to bring to school.

 

[nice_to_shop]

annlee,
The stuff mushroom look good to me. You used only minced pork? Didn't add other things like fish paste,prawn paste,water-chestnut?

Etelle,
You are welcomed to join us!

wolfberry can be found in Chinese medical hall such as Fu Hua,Yu Yan Sang(corret spelling?) and supermarket. It's rich in Vitamin A,very good for eyesight.Can be added to lots of soup and herbal dishes.

 

[mayng]

van: nice.. where u got those cups from?? keke when i shift i will learn to bake!!!

 

[krisjoy]

Van,
Can courier me your banana cakes? hahaha...looks good!

 

[krisjoy]

Van and Joy,
Are the Kee Wah or Hang Hiang's egg rolls better? My SIL likes HH ones and I thot they look more yellowish compared to KW ones. Any comments?

 

[cheerful747]

Van

Thanks. I think wing wah roll is different from kee wah....First one is more fluffy type and I like it with the sesamee seed on it....I think KW is the more traditional egg rolls.....

 

[spongme]

annelise,
thanks for sharing the step-by-step link, it's quite a lot of work but looks fun!

annlee,
yr minced pork mushroom looks delicious and dainty! pls share yr recipe, thanks!

van,
yr banana butter cake looks good and yummy! yr dd is so lucky to hv a mum like u. what do u plan to bake for her visitors at the hospital?

 

[ann]

krisjoy

I told my maid to marinate the pork with soy sauce, pepper and corn flour,very simple. I added one mince onion that why taste a bit sweet, like added MSG. Not sure how to get rid of porky smell but i do notice that market pork smells stronger than those in NTUC so normally I buy my mince pork from NTUC.

sophie, if didn't put the wolfberries, the mushroom will look very boring... sometime i put carrot on top on the meat to make it meimei... About the gravy, i never add any gravy... they produce by themselve after steaming, very good hor... got gravy somemore.

van, only add onion to the mince pork but I have tried using water chestnut, is nice too.

The cupcake looks good, can steam instead of bake?

Etelle, Welcome!!

My mushroom stuff mincepork is very simple. Just add one onion,soy sauce,corn flour,pepper to the mince pork and marinate then stuff inside the mushroom and steam for 15 mins. I also put wolfberries on top for decor.

 

[sophie]

Van,
Your banana cakes look good! I have the same question as Carole - where did you get the cups? They look like the bakery shops type.

annlee,
Woah, gravy comes out by itself? I thought need a lot of work like restaurant type, where they pour gravy over!

btw, how is your ds' rash (hives)? All ok now?

Etelle,
Welcome!

 

[nice_to_shop]

Dd finished one cupcake this morning.She's dissappointed that she couldn't help out cos I baked it after midnight.Also dissappointed initially when I told her it's not those soft banana sponge cake (too late at night,too noisy to use stand mixer to beat,that's why can't make sponge cake), but the heavier,hand-mixed butter cake.After taking one bite, she's happy again,cos she said it's also very good,and ask me to let her help out when I make the banana sponge cake.



Joy747,
My ex-colleague used to buy for me Imported-from-Hong Kong Phoenix Rolls(Feng4 Huang2 Juan3) from Chinatown. It's more yellowish,very fluffy(thin and break easily),can see,smell and taste the sesame seeds,it tastes even better than Kee Wah's egg rolls.May be that's the one that is similar to Weng Wah?

I saw some Mei Zhen Xiang shops selling this type of phoenix rolls.

I think I better ask hb to get me the Weng Wah's egg rolls to try when he goes HK in two week's time.

sp,
For her visitors at hospital, I am going to bake cookies for them,most probably will be chocolate chip cookies, since most people like it.Will also be baking Sour Cream Coffee Cake for my cousin, who visited my dd almost everyday,cos her kids love the cinnamon sugar in the coffee cake.

annlee,
Cannot steam lah, won't be nice.Do you like Huat Kueh/Fa Gao? I have tried making sweet potato Fa Gao, it's successful.Can post the recipe if you want.

annelise,
I have read through the step-by-step instuctions,not easy huh? I think I better start with Hello Kitty first,like you said, it seems easier. I thought of making may be 2 designs at one go and freeze it,do you know how long can it be kept in the freezer?

Need your help...
1) What did you use to make the border? Did you use the store-bought icing like the website suggested?
2) What kind of tracing paper did you use? The non-waxed parchment paper?

It's a good idea to have Hello Kitty Theme...Thanks for the Offer to lend out your cookie mould! Will let you know when I decided on the theme, and if I succeeded making the HK cake.

Carole,Sophie,
I got the cups from Phoon Huat. There is a shop in Bt Batok Blk 154 selling a lot more designs of such cups. Saw a similar branch in Bt Batok Blk 279 area,near NTUC, and another branch in Teck Whye, but not sure if they also carry this kind of cups.

 

[sophie]

Van,
Sour Cream Coffee Cake sounds interesting!

After you have baked it, can post a pic + recipe?
Thanks!

 

[cheerful747]

Van

I have tried many different fluffy egg rolls in singapore and none can beat wing wah....Hubby knew that its my favourite and even asked permission from his colleague to walk to the other side from the airport to buy it as they got no time to wait.....

You will not regret eating it..best thing is I do not even put on weight by just eating it...heeeee

 

[little_cat]

hi all good morning!

wow seems like we all back in action liao!

van, we will pick up the maid tomorrow night.
weekend will start the training.. sigh another type of training...

must prioritise what to teach her first. somemore got to leave her at home while we working.

hey your banana cake with the cup looks very professional.

got to go, chat later.

 

[ann]

sophie, my ds2 95% recovered, thanks!

van, haha thought can steam the cupcake. Fa gai sweet potato sounds good. Never make any sweet stuff for myboys before so would like to have the recipe. TIA!


Would like to check from your gals... my hb got the intention to get for me one oven because I;m always telling him how nice to make baked fish, chicken, cakes, cupcakes for my ds from you gals. So happened to saw some oven at sheng siong but was wondering how come so cheap... most of them sells at less than hundred dollars.
And any specific brand or things that must take note when buying a oven? Can we put the oven on top of the microwave as i've seen some ppl doing that but that was on the tv show

 

[krisjoy]

annlee,
That means the gravy must be very sweet lor ;p cos all the goodness is captured there!

Sophie,
I think I saw the cups from Phoon Huat. But they sell it in big rolls...