Cooking Tips & Recipe

[sophie]

hello ladies,
Good morning! DD is offically sick too - started dry cough on Fri night, and by yesterday, nose is congested with green stuff. Also had fever on Sun and Mon nights, but she seemed real happy to have fever cos either me or hubby would sleep with her and sponge her in the night. I guess she is craving for attention which has been halved since didi came along
Went to see PD this morning, given medication that is drowsy... hope she would sleep in the day and get some rest. Will keep her away from school this week too.

Choc,
Thanks for reminding me about acidophilus... will order it from iherb. I used to give dd that, but after moving house, forgot about it cos maid stashed it away somewhere in the fridge and I never saw it for sometime. Yesterday took it out and the powder turned hard like rock!

Tonight's menu:
Teochew muay with fish in black bean sauce, luncheon meat + potato in tomato sauce, stirfried kailan.

 

[reena]

I haven't been able to view this topic for days... anyone facing the same problem? When I visit "Year 2008 Mums", I can only view the up to "Feb 2008 MTBs" and the rest of the list are empty.

 

[ivena]

Hi reena

I also encounter the same problem until yesterday I manage to view the thread again...what i do now is to bookmark this thread so that I can easily access it...

 

[cheerful747]

Hello everyone

This thread like not very active now..Mummies must be very busy with kiddo.

Huskie
Hope your dd is recovering well.
Ivena
Hope your ds is well too.
Today, make an effort to cook, as yesterday, was sitting at a coffee shop waiting for the xo fish bee hoon soup and saw how they cook , lots of msg.There after, I tell myself, try to cook myself and a healthier lifestyle

 

[ivena]

Morning all

ya...agree this thread is slowing now again.

Joy
my ds is well already...today got sch excursion to jacob ballas garden...but seems like the sky is turning gloomy...hope tt it wouldnt rain else the little kiddos will be so disappointed.

how come u can see how they cook....think the soup is the most impt for cooking this dish...cos the fish is deep fried and the bee hoon is tasteless...its the soup that compliment this dish

Tonite dinner intend to steam fish, lotus root soup and fried caixin....

 

[choc06]

Hello all!

Reena, sometimes I encounter the problem of not being able to scroll all the way down to cooking thread, so I search for the history and manage to find it.
Eh, I look at your step by step when I was making my jap cheese cake and finally succeeded!haha.. Tks.. Yesterday attempted the clear water sponge cake from little teochew's blog. Was nice, but thought it tasted like ji dan gao

. Dds loved the cute little cakes, but I think I'll do the cheese ones next time.

Husk,ya lor, the acidophilus will turn into rock if not used. So nowadays, I buy the capsule ones, then, when want to use, I'll open up the capsule to empty the acidophilus into juice or water.

Joy, I guess the fish bee hoon soup secret weapon is the MSG! I only put chicken bones and fresh anchovies for the soup base. Dd likes the milky version, but I dare not put in the milk, scared dunno what product will I get!

Ivena, these few days weather really erratic, morning will be so hot, afternoon will rain! Last friday, we went to the zoo, cos dds' sch had half day. Weather was good tho. Hope today will be a fine day for your ds to enjoy the trip.

Today making watercress soup, sweet and sour batang fish and fry cabbage.

 

[choc06]

Just to side track, yesterday went to you tube to listen to this lady singing pokarekare ana, a very beautiful folk song of NZ :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4Xv2WumClw&feature=related

 

[reena]

Thanks for all your suggestions, I've also bookmarked this page so I can find it easily next time.

Choc06,
You finally got it correct! I saw the clear water sponge cake from Cook Bake Love but haven't try it yet. Phobia using whole eggs recipe I think it taste like ji dan gao because only basic ingredients used. How's the texture? Soft and fluffy?

 

[choc06]

Reena,

haha! thanks to your step by step, I think the crucial step is to beat the white till med stiff. I guessed I underbeat the whites, that's why got the kueh consistency..
I had one taiwanese cook book that had step by step, all in chinese, but I couldn't quite figure what what they saying. It's all in fan2 ti3 zi4. And the recipe calls for whip cream too. Saw bread talk selling the jap cheese cake for $8 plus, dunno how tasty is theirs.

The clear water sponge tasted like ji dan gao, very eggy taste, was soft and fluffy, good for babies' mouth. And like what little teochew described, chubby and cute. haha.. and dd2 packed 2 to school
But I think I prefer cheese flavoured ones

 

[ivena]

Hi all

Have been so busy over this wkend....

nonetheless, tried to do the no-baked oreo cheesecake but turned out not quite sucessful this time...hubby commented it to be too watery for the cheese part but my elder boy say its good as he likes oreo biscuit...was thinking maybe i didnt add enough of the gelatine solution as by the time i was washing up, there still quite a fair bit of it in the bowl.

but the 'yang zhi gan lu' was good....it was more fast moving as compared to the cheesecake...

anyone saw the YOG opening...wah...the fireworks are much better than NDP ones...my family were enjoying it live from our hse...n my boys were shouting so loudly at the windows... hahaha

 

[sophie]

yikes, forum a bit cranky huh? My post is gone...

anyway, seems like you ladies are having a fun time baking. I'm still nursing 2 coughing kids.

Choc,
Breadtalk cheese cake is good but I find it a bit pricey.

Tonight's menu: apple corn soup from thechinesesouplady.com, steamed fish paste and tofu from Reena's blog and stirfried vege.

 

[choc06]

hello all,

Eh, Where's everybuddy?

I just finished baking one banana cake experimenting "ang bak jio", cos everytime I'll use the delmonte mini ones. See if this ang bak jio will give a more fragrant cake

Ivena, My dd2 and I only saw the YOG bus passing by our window and they created such a ruckus! Haha.. then dd2 and I went down to "chase" the passing of torch of one runner to another.

Wow, oreo cheesecake! My family's fav too, the combi is just so nice, choc with cheese cake.

Husk, me also coughing esp at night. Wah, very itchy throat.. yesterday made green and orange carrot soup using nan bei xing.
Hope your kids are better now, cos this virus or bacteria is rather stubborn

What's cooking ladies?

 

[sophie]

Choc,
I think ang bak will give a more fragrant cake. I remember a baking instructor once told me to use ang bak ones for banana muffin so it's more fragrant and sweet.

Hee, YOG: I "chased" after the torch runner

I was waiting by the roadside when the YOG buses passed by. Didn't see any torch so I asked an Indian guy (about 16-18yo) where the torch is and if it's passed by already. He told me that the torch is in the bus and said it quite confidently too. I told hubby that it's the first time I've heard of the torch in the bus? And so we went off... then after a few mins, I saw a girl running with the torch so we quickly drove back and literally ran so we can show the kids the torch runner. Sigh, the Indian guy... dunno should just say dunno... he can really smoke!

Yesterday changed menu and cooked LittleCat's pumpkin with prawns instead of tofu fish paste. Soph likes it!

Kids are ok, but ds still coughing a bit. Yeah, it's a real nasty virus this time! You girls take care too.

Tonight's menu: Stirfry spinach, steamed fish paste tofu, sea coconut carrot corn soup (good for cough)
http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/category/soups/soups-for-coughs-and-colds/

 

[little_cat]

hello everyone!

pai seh MIA for so long...
was having flu and sore throat last week. then it was ok during weekend. yesterday back again!
Last nite at 12 mid nite, my neighbour up stair 'ke-xiao' again.. making noise at this wee hour. angry!!

i find my new pc abit xiao xiao.. i expect it to be faster but it is like 'old soul in new machine'... slow and hang take long time to appear...*^$&%^(

today thinking of doing something different, will cook prawn noodles.
Bought the prawns and ribs and noodle and kway tiao, bean sprout, kangkong... oh btw i forgot fish cake

Choc, wow drool on your banana cake leh.. thinking of making the banana muffin later.

ivena, wah really the firework is better then NDP?
we went to cousin's house at holland and can see abit of the NDP fireworks, my ds2 was so HAPPY!

eh where you stay ? pai seh i mountain turtle, where is the firework for the YOG?

aiyoh i so scare when driving nowadays, scare got one YOG bus or taxi behind..
oh the other day, dh told me, he saw a taxi with the lights blinking and thot another taxi try to be funny and he never give way... dead!
haha.. cos we didn't know the YOG also got the taxi or car version, we thot only the bus

 

[sophie]

btw, my apple corn soup last night was real yummy... I added in chi xiao dou to make it thicker.

 

[ivena]

hi all

the thread is alive again...thought the server is down since i havent seen anyone one post anything.

im staying near vivo city...btw the opening ceremony for YOG is at marina floating platform...its also where the fireworks are at...

ya...think they have got taxi n car instead of jus buses....think the YOG is affecting everybody in one way or another...students having sch holiday these 2 wks cos of the YOG, cars have to give way etc

tonite dinner is lotus root soup with pork ribs, stir fry veg and fried pomfret with leeks n tomato...

 

[choc06]

Wah,ivena, your fried pomfret with leeks n tomato sounds good! I'm going to steam white pomfret in plum, like teochew style, but somehow i always can't get hawker standard.. haha..

I'm making lotus plus huai san soup

Husk, ya, my ang bak jio cake turned out nice and fragrant .. How about using phang jio, you think it'll be nice? And I saw those gigantic bananas in the vege stall, wanted to also try it.. hehe.. so better ask around first

Going to try apple, corn plus chi xiao dou soon, tks for your suggestion ..
First time I made the apple soup, I used fuji apples, the soup didn't taste very good, not much apple taste. Then I used royal gala, it was much better.

How did you cook your pumpkin prawns? Have not tried it before.

haha.. torch in the bus, ya.. the whole bus will be torched

.. then we'll all see a YOG torch bus..

Ya cat, I also got the "throat virus" twice in 3 weeks! Went to see doc, the doc gave me a very strong antibiotic, feel so lethargic after taking it

 

[ivena]

choc, jus had steam fish yesterday....with salted veg, tomato n mushroom....

oh...i will be adding the cranberry bean to the soup...i also like it with huai san...

have never tried apple soup before...cos the mindset for apple is more of a fruit or dessert like apple pie or crumble...cant get used to the idea of making soup out of it....

seems like the virus is really strong nowadays....must try to drink more herbal tea to expel the heat...

 

[choc06]

What kind of herbal tea do you take?
I only cook barley water.. hehe.. My mil says qi1 xing1 cha2 is good wor, I dunno about that.

 

[ivena]

on rotation will cook barley, chrysanthemum with luohan guo and jin yin hua, ginseng roots, a type of sugar cane looking thing with water chestnut etc....

 

[sophie]

Ivena,
I also like cranberry beans with soup! Love the way beans melt into the soup to give it a thick consistency.

It's weird to cook soup with fruits huh? But try it, it's really quite yummy.

Choc,
Not sure about pang jio leh... you try and let me know!

I also love steamed fish teochew style... My teochew mummy makes a wicked steamed fish.
Not sure if you're already doing this: she says you only put the fish in the steamer when the water is bubbling hot. And just 10mins for an averaged-sized fish will do.

I cooked my pumpkin prawns with heh bee.

Littlecat,
Hope you're feeling better now!
Maybe your PC got virus too that's why it's so slow?

Tonight's tofu fish paste was real good.
Sea coconut soup was also very good. Unfortunately the sea coconut I bought was a bit old, so too hard to eat. dd ate whatever soft parts there were.

Tomorrow will cook gobo (burdock) soup.

 

[ivena]

ya....jus had second serving of the soup...added in some huai san too....yum yum....

ok...will try the soup some time next wk....

tts what my mum teach me for steaming the fish too....

wat is burdock?...is it fen ge?....

 

[reena]

Choc06,
I understand that the egg white whisking part also determines if you will have a cracked cake. I've not mastered that yet.

When you mention the cheesecake was kuih like, was it only the bottom part?

A few possibilities for kuih like bottom:
1. didn't mix well when folding in beaten whites
2. if the egg white is over beaten, it will not blend well with the cheese mixture and thus a kuih like bottom
3. waited too long before you bake, cake mix may have separated.

 

[reena]

Bananas in bakes
I don't like to use delmonte as I find them not fragrant enough. I prefer to use Asian bananas, once overly ripen, they are so sweet!

 

[sophie]

Ivena,
Burdock is niu(2) bang(4).
It looks like tree branches/long twigs. Can find in NTUC, usually in plastic bags.
Looks like that:
http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/gobo-root-or-greater-burdock/

 

[ivena]

Huskie,

managed to search for the answer last nite...how does it taste like cos I have neber try cooking it before...think i read in some cooking blog that it can be cut into strips and fry as well...maybe shall try frying it this wkend....

wats everyone cooking for dinner tonite....Im not cooking tonite...having gathering session with some friends...its been a long long time that i have not had some 'me' time...

 

[sophie]

Ivena,
Yes, I think I saw it in my Jap cookbook... they stirfy strips for a side dish.
Have made my soup... can't really taste anything from it really. Soup is very light tasting.

Nice to have some "me" time! I haven't met up with my friends for a long long time.

 

[zzzcookiemonster]

Choc,
u want me to laugh and fall off y chair isit.. copycatmum blog.. hahaha..
should name supermum.blogspot. but why u shut down the blog?
i am zzzcookiemonster. so of cos must bake cookies. and this weekend think of trying some orange cookies

the dh also like yr dh, loves meat. if i give him too much vege, will ask if i think he is a cow so eat only grass.

Huskie,
the jam are really very easy to make, and u can adjust the level of sweetness.
u must try it.
i tried making strawberry jam once in germany. my friends mum taught us but she uses some setting agent which can;t get it here. till i read abt some of the fruits do not need setting agent.
picotin is so nice but very ex.

Cat,
ask yr dh to upgrade yr laptop again.
how's yr yoga lessons?

Joy,
there is a nice indian curry fish head at siglap behind the killiney kopitam and near the flamingo valley. do u happen to the opening hours?

Reena,
thanks for the pointers on cheesecake. i will try it again... if 2rd time still fail... sigh.. dunno what to make of my half cotton soft cheese cake top and kueh like amercian cheesecake bottom.

Ivena,
i love cranberry beans!
can check with u if boil chestnut drink, must peel of the brown colour skin?


YOG,
went to the opening ceremony rehearsal. err.. maybe its the rehearsaland maybe compared to the beijing 2008 opening ceremony. ours was really tiny scale. the performers cannot even filled up the whole stage. most of the time like its hald of 2/3 of the stage. but concept is refreshing. as have the feel that performers 'walked on water' and lots of fireworks and very youthful feel.

Cough,
my boy throw out pretty often whenever he coughs. so always need to standby small basin next to night whenever he cough to catch the vomit.
there's once very bad bout of cough and we going overseas. so my mum asked me to give him the eu ren sang hou ning san. its effective after 2 doses!
so now whenever he have mild cough (heaty type), will go eu ren send buy the 'qing ri zhi ke tang) and boil for him.
also give him the mild cough powder.
when if bad cough will take out the secret weapon... nou ning san. very ex, so will stock up during the 20pct sales.

soup,
so many soup experts here!
hee... let me contribute what i saw on tv... but yet to try out..
saw on one taiwanese show. apples, bonito flakes, ikan billis, and har bee (small dried prawns). boil for 30mins. and will be like the jap steamboat soup.

me time,
my long time buddy who is still single telling me its either meet me for lunch during weekdays or weekend will need to come my place.
even gatherings with girlfriends also often at my place. asking me to take leave and meet up with them to rest and relaxbut explained to them leave is precious, need to save up for the children and family. told them my rest time fm work is when i am away fm office and being with my children. rest time fm the children is when i am in the office working. at least i still get to alternate betweem home and office. salute to all sahm, u guys work 24x7 and truly without any rest. cos i still get to go lunch and have quiet time during the commuting journey to and fro work.

 

[cheerful747]

zzzcookiemonster

It has shifted to 1,telok kurau road.I have not tried it though.

 

[choc06]

Hello ladies,

These 2 days psle oral, so no more "me" time,but OT with kids.. hehe..
Morning brought all for macs breakfast as there was discount coupon. Then playground to play and sweat it out. Ha! Just the 4 of them chasing around and still ask me to catch them. Of cos, I said no..Just recovered from cough, no stamina..

Oh thanks for the tips Reena, I thought I underbeat the egg whites. You know, I saw the little teochew blog and then daring daring attempted the castella cake. Taste not bad leh, but my cake pores were not as fine as hers..

Saw your blog about baking with kids, wow! your pizza looks very delicious and pro, so I went down to get a bottle of olives, and my girls are pestering me to do with them. Now waiting for the right time to do..

Wow Ivena, enjoy your "me" time!
Nowadays, my "me" time is just to sneak downstairs in the afternoon for a cup of tea, or do a quick half an hr of shoulder n neck massage.

Hey cookie, I saw happy homebaking's blog on cranberry oatmeal biscuits, told myself when all recover from cough, must bake this one..

Shut down blog cos I didn't update it, and most of the updating was done by my dear niece. haha..
Jam so easy to make? ok, will put in on my list and will consult you when I'm going to do it.
Will go look for EYS hou ning san when there's discount. Doc kept giving antibiotics which I'm fretful of giving.

Husk, ok , tks for the tips,will try the steam fish again. Your ma is really good at cooking!

Today making beef stew and fry small kailan.

 

[little_cat]

Hello all!

Hehe thanks guys I am feeling much better now.
The sore throat just gone after taking some anti-swelling pill. Never see doc, cos scare they sure give antibiotic

Me time
After becoming sahm I finally have some ‘me time’ now. Last time really work and scolding kids
During weekday, some days will have lunch with dh, or drop by shopping center to top up grocessary or go library or bookshop.

Just now sent my ds1 to kumon, managed to have a quiet 40 min to read a book.

Btw I m reading the 'scream free parenting'.
hopefully tat will ease our throat? just kidding..
Anyone read that book before ?

Herbal tea
Thanks for the list hehe.. now I can have more choices now.

Choc, I recall taking qi-xing-cha last time when I was really young, my mom put condensed milk inside and I still remember drinking it with milk bottle… haha!

I just make the herbal for cough and phlegm, the nan-bei xin, with dried orange, dried fig.
Heard it is good to take even during normal day.
Another one I used to cook is the liang tea pack with the xia-gu-chao… something like that.

Soups
Btw what is cranberry bean ah ?
Haha I cooked lotus root soup today, plus steam fish and sambal kangkong.

Wow we have lots of fans on teochew steam fish hor?
I like it too, but I didn’t put the sour plum, just tomato and the rest.

Huskie, how was the pumpkin prawn ? oh you put dried shrimp too.

Cookies, upgrade botebook? Oh man.. over his dead body… after getting this notebook is like cutting his fresh… u know what I mean

Oh the yoga, aiyoh my old bone still intact lah… but the stretching part is good! The instructor know my age lah so keep asking me take my time.. dun rush. That is also one thing I like about her class.
But quite surprise with her experience (not sure how many years of experience, but can tell she is really old bird) teaching in sport center, thot they will go to those private company…

Wow orange cookies, tell us how it goes!

Chestnut drink with sugar cane (tek-jia), for me I didn’t remove the skin entirely, only wash and brush to ensure no soil there, dun want to ‘jia-liao’. Then use the motar to break it.
I cooked twice already, first time I use the motar to bruise the sugar cane and it is more tasty.
The second time I use knife to cut thru, find it not that sweet or fragrant leh.
After that add some rock sugar to taste.

Eh the burdock is it the same as fresh huai-san ? looks similar..

Tomorrow planning to cook one dish meal, ether fired noodle or beehoon or one pot rice.

gals, want to ask something about weight control.. aiyoh so much cooking, baking and tasting it... find my weight didn't go down leh.. as one of my goal to stay sahm also to watch the diet and keep my weight and bad cholestrol level down.

 

[ivena]

cookiemonster,

I didnt peel off the waterchestnut skin....i just wash them really clean and then use a chopper to smash them...just throw in n boil it...after the the herbal tea is ready, i will then peel off the skin of the chestnut and diced them, add back to the tea...so no wastage...

i have also seen the taiwanese show on the jap steamboat soup...have also yet to try it out...normally will jus boil ikan billis soup for the steamboat...if too lazy will just get those canned chicken soup...

nowadays the 'me' time is usually when i am at work...even when i send my elder boy for enrichment, i also dun get personal time cos still have to take care of the younger one....though having 'me' time, will still keep thinking of them...when wanna shop for own things to pamper myself, will end up buying stuff for the boys n i didnt get anything myself....

talking abt weight ctrl, it seems so difficult ....even dun eat also can put on weight....so sad right....right now dun even want to step on the weighing machine...tell myself so long as can maintain current weight is good enough...dun want to put on more already....the most depressing moment is buying clothes...must get bigger size one...

 

[choc06]

AH! Talking about weight control 7 early 8 early! Haha.. man! I'm having problems too! I find a drastic drop in metabolism once I hit 36 yrs old. Eat little, weight also can't go down. So nowadays, I eat half bowl of rice at dinner, more veg and smoothie twice a wk. Weight doesn't go down as fast as last time, but can maintain, tao chio liao.. still got 6 more kg to shed after no.4, boohoohoo..

hehe..After sending kids for enrichment once a wk, then have me time with hb and no.4, or drink some tea at coffee shop alone.. I think my maintenance of myself is very low,haha..
ya, like what Ivena mentioned, always want to buy things for kiddos, but not on ourselves. I guess being a SAHM, we have to pamper ourselves to feel good too, else will feel so lousy( haha.. speaking to myself)

That day happened to have a glimpse on a jap tv prog on preparing steamboat, they arrange crabs, mushrooms, leeks, etc nicely in a claypot, prepare dashi stock, pour over the ingredients, boil them and the steamboat is piping hot, ready to serve.. wah.. so easy!

cat, cranberry beans is zhen1 zhu1 dou4, the veg seller said good for complexion wor, so we must eat more.. Burdock is very long, longer and thinner than huai san, with a sharp end. Some folks say it can reduce chol and blood pressure.

Screaming at kids, haha.. didn't read that book tho, but have engaged a discussion with my friend before, haiz.. no good to scream and shout, but it doesn't seem to work for me

..

Think must stock up some liang cha, maybe go Fu Hua to get some..

Yesterday my beef stew wasn't tender enough, so changed plan to roast pork ribs and mashed potatoes. Tonight will eat beef stew with rice. Afternoon going to do pizza with kids.

 

[cheerful747]

weight control
I used to be around 43kg but now not so light, as in 45kg and still trying to do damage control.I guess as aged, digestion rate really slow down.

What are mummies cooking today?How long do u usually prepared the food?

Tonight am cooking, nothing fantastic, but took me one hour to prepare.Am cooking chillie lady finger,took me a while to do the rumpa, stirred fried brocoli wif scallop and mushroom and lufa, my girl all time favourite.

By the way, choc06 what is dashi source, where to get it.

Holidays
Anyone been to hokkaido for holidays?care to share your experience /am planning to go mid nov, free and easy...but not finailised the details as yet.

 

[choc06]

Wah, joy, you so slim!

I normally take an hr or two to prepare dinner, at abt 2pm, I'll start boiling my soup and leave it alone in the thermal cooker. Then while supervising kids in the afternoon, I'll do some preparation of raw food, cutting, etc..

Eh, your dishes very nice liao leh, my cooking is very very simple. ya, rempah takes a lot of time. My friend taught me to prepare basic rempah, portion and freeze them, then when need it, just defroze. Thought that was a brilliant idea, but haven't got chance to do yet.

How did you cook your luffa and mushroom? I only fry luffa with eggs, else dried white baits and shallots.

Dashi, if I'm not wrong, is prepared from konbu( dried sea kelp) and bonito flakes. But I bought mine, prepacked from shop and save. Very nice for making udon soup and sliced beef
Hee.. haven't stepped foot into japan yet..

 

[cheerful747]

Hi Choc06
Thanks for the compliments.

Thanks for the info on dashi, i will look out for it in shop and saves.Is it stated as dashi in the packing?thanks again.

Just screamed at my dd.Leave her alone to get all her works done, she ended up reading story books and now too tired to do anything and went to sleep.Told her I will not be borrowing any book for her anymore.

All in all, she cannot be left alone at home.Nothing done or min done.terrible.

For luffa. I added in fish cake and stired fried toufu.All to the kid's liking.

 

[sophie]

Tonight's soup was a big hit with dd and ds. Made fish maw, sea coconut, lily bulb, corn soup. Fish maw is supposed to be good for lungs, so hope it'll help clear off the rest of the phlegm in ds' throat. Lily bulbs also clear phlegm I think.
Thinking of trying chicken feet conch soup tomorrow.

cookie,
I am also a big fan of EYS hou ning san... also stock up at least 3 bottles whenever there is 20% discount. But somehow, this round it didn't work for dd. At the start of her cough, I gave it to her, and after 2 bottles, she started to get full-blown runny and blocked nose.
But my hubby who had childhood asthma and sometimes still get a bit breathless when he coughs too much now... he claims hou ning works for him.

Will try jam making one of these days

Littlecat,
I read that konnyaku is good for weight control, besides toxin elimination. Maybe you can try adding konnyaku in your dishes?

Choc,
I also buy my dashi in a bottle. I use it for chawanmuchi... soph's fav.

Joy,
The luffa dish sounds yummy! I'll try that soon.
I usually just steam my luffa for 10mins and when ready, add a bit of sesame oil and soy sauce. This was a recipe in my "Food for Flu and Cold" book which says luffa cooked this way is good for clearing heat in the body. It says to leave a bit of the green inner skin on it too.

 

[cheerful747]

Hello everyone...so quiet...

Bet most is eating out today?

Huskie
Where did you buy dashi in a bottle?

Thanks for info on luffa.This is my girl all time dish.

 

[sophie]

Joy,
I bought mine from a Jap shop in KL, but I assume specialised shops selling Jap stuff in SG would have it too.
Brand is Ninben Shiro Dashi - looks something like this, just diff brand:
http://www.meidi-ya.com.sg/en/hds.asp?act=detail&qid=748

Didn't eat out today - cooked yong tau foo. Made apple soup but threw in conch cos quite excited buying conch first time. Result: soup smelled like soured socks when boiling... not sure if it's the Fuji apples (Choc said they're not as sweet as Gala which I used to use all along)... or it's the conch?
But soup tasted sweet.

 

[cheerful747]

Hi Huskie

Thanks for the link.Will get hubby to buy if he goes japan again.

Yong tau foo is my all time favourite.

Cooking vs diet
I dont really cook what I eat.I also stopped baking, cos after baking, i have to eat, if not cannot finish.So,in the end, I chose not to make cake anymore...

Now, should I have cake crave, i will buy it from cafe cartel or secret recipe.Missed those days when they have got one for one offer in secret recipe.

 

[ivena]

Hi

ya...agree its quiet...guess most is enjoying family time over the wkend....

didnt cook today....was out at suntec for dinner....havent been there for a while....wah...it was so packed with pple....mostly teenagers...guess must be after church service and pple go there for dinner too...

bakerzin is having 30% disc for cakes ...be it for whole cake or for a slice....i also like secret recipe cake....esp the choc banana...it taste so good....occasionally will go during tea time where they have high tea offer...1 slice of cake and a cuppa tea at abt $5 plus or $6...quite worth it.

 

[cheerful747]

Ivena

I almost sent to suntec too.Usually I go there during weekday, particularly like to dine in tony romas, cos children love the ribs there.

True, secret recipe has got great offer for tea time.Unfortunately, my craving for cakes only set in at night...heeee...

Have a good family time all...

 

[choc06]

Hello everyone!

Husk, haha.. sour socks soup? Or is it that you put in too much conch during your excitement?

Wanted to ask you about the sea coconut soup with apple in the previous post? where did you get the sea coconut? Want to give it a try too..

Your steam luffa sounds good and easy! Will try that. tks!

Joy, same here lor, when doing revision, my dd1 will also sneak some time to read books, haiz.. I know she doesn't have much time to read.. so I told her to know her limits.. else she has to forego some playtime!
The dashi I bought is in a box, and has 3 or 4 individual packs in it, have seen in bottled ones too.

Wow ivena, I love bakerzin choc cakes too!

Had dim sum at hong xing yesterday, wow, the place was packed. The pigs trotters vinegar was good.
Tonight cooking pasta in clam tomato sauce and pizza.
last fri, my kids had fun putting their own ingredients on the pizza. Comparing whose pizza is the cheesiest!

 

[ivena]

Hi all

I also like the dim sum at red star...will go there for dim sum once in a while when the dim sum craving kicks in....pigs trotter vinegar also 1 of my sure to order item...n also egg tart...siew mai, char siew bun.....etc....

tonite cooking stir fry sweet potato leave with dried shrimp, fried egg with long beans and steam fish...simple and not too oily dish since have been eating too much 'sinful' food over the wkend...haha

 

[sophie]

I also like dim sum at Red Star... love the pig trotter vinegar!

Choc,
I got the sea coconut from vege stall at wet market. The uncle says they don't have it everyday so must order in advance.

OK, very tired after T3 outing today. Post more tomorrow!

 

[choc06]

HELLO HELLO ! Nobody's cooking?

Husk, no wonder lah.. I combed the markets, NTUC and even NTUC finest, and still couldn't find the sea coconut! The veg seller told me that they stopped selling it because the turn over rate was too slow and some had turned bad upon arriving their stall..
Nevertheless, I am still going to hunt it down

The soup lady has really a list of soup for coughs and colds and it's really very helpful! Tks..

This afternoon's lunch will be Mee hoon kueh( my kids always call it MHK for short, haha),
Dinner will be braised pork( wu hua rou) with tau kwa, tua pok, tua kee and eggs, fen ge and cranberry bean soup and fry cabbage.

On tues, I blended some fresh chilli, dried shrimps, onions and 2 pcs of garlic to make a rempah to fry some leftover bittergourd, tau kwa and fresh prawns,also added some coconut milk.. outcome was very lemak and not too spicy.. good to go with rice..

Anyone got nice rempah to share?

Reena,
Saw your sour plum konnyaku jelly, the molds are so pretty, where did you get them? And your strawberry jelly cake is awesome!

 

[little_cat]

Joy, aiyoh so good, below 50kg, so envy u

that was my teeneger weight bah haha...

choc thanks for the info on niu-bang.
eh i watch the taiwan show the niu-bang got another effect one leh
Japanese ladies like to cook that for their husband on friday nite... haha.. make a guess

Huskie, wah fish maw soup, my dh like it.
The fish maw, are you referring to the hua-jiao ?

thanks for the tips on konnyaku , will go check out more

dh is sick and 2 days MC at home.
yesterday night ds2 got fever too... so all plans gone

Lunch had fish soups with rice, use the fish bone to make the stock and put in fresh fish slice, taofu, fishball and vege.
dinner will be watercrest soups, steam fish.

hey want to cehck any chinese doc that is good in tui-na ?
i suspected i twisted the vein or what, when i fold my left leg too long, i can't stand up to walk... pain...

 

[little_cat]

choc, i used to make this chilli paste to cook my petai (smelly bean) sambal on the ladies finger and eggplant.
original receipi from my previous maid.. haha..

5-6 red chilli
2 challot
garlic 1 clove
half tomato
candle nut
pinch of salt, gula melaka or sugar for taste

Blend all except salt and sugar.
Put some oil in a pan and fry this till fragrant. Add the salt and sugar to taste.
You can put this on top of the eggplant or ladies finger.
or you can use this to cook with seafood like prawn or squid.
or you can add some dried chop shrimp for cooking the petai.

i like this version as it is not too oily.
if you want it to be more hot, put some chilli padi.

 

[ivena]

Hi

I also got watch the taiwanese show...n will sure to watch it everynite cos they will cook some nice dishes in the show...the other day they were cooking some claypot chicken with liver n it looks tasty...will be trying to cook it for dinner tonite...plus stir fried broccoli n scrambled egg with tomato.

how abt 'quan qi dao'...saw from adv that they have quite a few branches located all over...u can go for the one nearest ur plc?

 

[little_cat]

thanks ivena

will check it out.
cos still not sure what is the problem.. and dun want to get 'con'.. then the western one sure pass u lots of pain killer