February 14, 2017
Located at North Bridge Road (next to Liang Seah Street and opposite Bugis Junction), Blanco Beef Noodle has been on my food-to-try radar for a couple of months since I drove passed the store several times. Being a huge Hainanese beef noodles fan, I finally tried it last week. I was lucky to meet the brainchild behind Blanco Beef Noodle on that day of my visit and chatted briefly with him. A little background history on Blanco Beef Noodle. Firstly, they are not affiliated to Blanco Court Traditional Hainan Beef Noodles at Guillemard Road. The real reason behind the name is this Hainanese Beef Noodles store is situated at the defunct Blanco Court site, which was once a food mecca for some of the best local food in Singapore...
February 10, 2017
Banana cake is one of my favorite cakes I would make over and over again, it’s almost an obsession. Over the last couple of years, I’ve experimented with a few different hybrid from the original recipe and this Double Chocolate Banana Cake is the latest addition. Fudgy, moist and loaded with chocolatey flavor, they are incredibly easy to make and guarantee to satisfy any serious chocolate cravings you might have...
February 8, 2017
Besides having a rich comforting taste, Miso Soup is well known for its anticancer effects and positive beneficial enzymes which helps improve digestion. I love making my own miso soup as I could customize the taste to suit our palettes. Besides using the basic ingredients like wakame (kelp) and tofu, you could add in daikon, carrot or clams to heighten the umami-ness of the soup. The best part of making this quick and easy homemade miso soup is it’ll take you only 10 minutes from start to end. I’m using white miso paste for a delicately flavored taste. You could definitely use red miso too (or a blend of both white and red) if you prefer a darker and punchier soup...
February 3, 2017
If you love Japanese curry as much as I do, then you will like this Hamburg Cheese Curry Rice. Inspired by a curry restaurant we visited in Tokyo recently, this dish will appeal to both young and old alike. Japanese-style curry was inspired by the British during the Meiji era when India was under their colonial rule. Japan has since adapted the flavors and made it uniquely their own.
Instead of making the curry roux from scratch, pre-made instant curry blocks are widely available in all supermarkets, especially here in Singapore. The most popular brands are House Foods and S&B Foods. Japanese curry’s heat level is generally milder therefore, they are very popular with the kids too...
February 1, 2017
Since saying no to shark finning years ago, we have been carefully avoiding shark fin soup at wedding banquets and celebratory occasions. Consuming shark fin is cruel and unnecessary. In fact, shark fin itself is rather tasteless. The flavor comes mainly from the broth, which is made with chicken stock. Whenever I visit Hong Kong, I’d always come across this imitation shark fin soup 碗仔翅 sold by street hawkers. At HK$15 (approx. S$3) a bowl, they are shark-friendly and taste pretty genuine. Mung bean vermicelli or glass noodles is used instead to mimic the shark fin’s chewy and gelatinous texture...
January 27, 2017
Cauliflower is a vegetable that I often left out in the weekly grocery shopping list, unlike its cousin, Broccoli. Over the last couple of years, there is a steady health food trend of using cauliflower to substitute rice or starch. Since one of my New Year resolutions this year is to observe a healthier diet, I’m going to turn this superfood into a regular ingredient in my pantry.
Besides roasting them in the oven, another quick and easy option is to turn them into “rice”. I’ve been seeing so many Cauliflower rice recipes all over the internet and was really intrigued to find out how it would taste...
January 25, 2017
New Year’s resolutions are the perfect opportunity for all those who have failed to start making the changes that they said they would make next week, next month, etc.
3 weeks into 2017 and it is time to start fulfilling one of my top resolutions – start eating healthier food. I chose kale as I’ve always been wanting to incorporate this cruciferous vegetable in my diet. Cruciferous vegetables are unique because they are rich in glucosinolates which support detoxification and greatly reduces the risk of breast, colon and lung cancer. However, Kale has a bitter and peppery taste which might not be appeal to some people. A great way to enjoy kale is to turn them into kale chips. If you are not a fan of Kale, then perhaps these crispy salt and vinegar kale chips will convert you!...
January 13, 2017
Mention beef stew and immediately, a comforting image of soft chunks of meat with vegetables sitting in a bowl of rich, deeply flavored brown sauce comes to mind. Contrary to popular belief, using cheap lean cuts of meat is not necessary ideal for making beef stews. When there is not enough fat marbling in the meat, they’ll just turn dry and leathery and will never ever become tender no matter how long you cook it. Trust me, I’ve seen my failed beef stew days. Nowadays, I generally stay away from packaged meat labelled as “beef for stewing” which has zero vein of fat...
January 9, 2017
With Chinese New Year just three weeks away, it is time to plan ahead and make your reservation for reunion lunches and dinners. The year of the Rooster begins on 28 January this year and if you are looking for an innovative and inventive Chinese menu done with a great flair (that is not in a hotel), Blue Lotus would be the perfect venue. This critically acclaimed new age Chinese restaurant has creates its own unique and healthy version of Yu Sheng (Chinese Raw Fish Salad). Filled with up to 20 fresh ingredients and aptly named 十全十美 (Shi Quan Shi Mei), which literally translates to “completely perfect”, it is one of the most unique and tastiest Yu Sheng I’ve ever come across...
