端午节快乐!

Before it gets forgotten, I like to post this as an appreciation to my pal who invited me to his mum's house for some zongzi (粽子) lesson.

Thanks SC, I finally fulfilled my long time daunting wish to make my own dumpling!

The expert at work!

Line up of the stars!

Even their domestic helper can make chang!  I want her!

My generous host kept asking me to add more more more meat!

That's me - needed extra hand to make the cut.

After 2 hours of wrapping, they are ready for boiling.

So nostalgic, i remembered my grandma used to utilise the space in the corridor too.

enjoy the fruit after another few hours of boiling.  Yummy, really.

Spiced Nuts (Improved)

After the realising how easy (and tasty) is home-made nuts, I have been a little obsessed and been making them quite alot.  In the process, I fine tuned the amount of spices to add, and glad that this is now perfect for me!

One neat trick thing I learnt is that a little egg white will make the spices and whatsoever (salt, sugar blah blah blah) to "stick" to the nuts.  Simply lightly froth half an egg white and pour it into the mixture before sending off the nuts into the oven makes so much difference!

Updated with the recipe @ Jun 25:

Spiced Nuts

(Fills 3-4 jars)


1-2 tbs vegetable oil (preferably Olive)
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 star anises
3 cup of raw almonds (or any other nuts like cashew)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp each of powdered chilli, cumin and cinnamon spices
1/2 - 1 white, lightly beaten with fork until it froth - no need for mixer.  

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160 deg C.

2. Heat oil in a wok together with cinnamon stick and star anises. When you smell the fragrance, turn off the fire and add salt and sugar. Add the raw nuts, stirring well to ensure even coverage.  When the mixture and wok is cool (important cos you do not want to cook the egg white), add the egg white and mix it evenly.  You may not need all the egg white.

3. Scatter powdered spices over the nuts & stir for even coverage.

4. Place nuts on an oven tray, spreading them out. Roast for 15 minutes or so. Keep a close eye on them as they burn easily.

5. Switch off the oven but leave nuts inside for another 5min. Remove and allow nuts to cool before storing them in clean jars. The nuts will harden upon cooling.

6. Wrap a Christmassy ribbon round the neck of the jars and you have a healthy gift to give away this season

Note: While honey or maple syrup may make the powdery spices "sticks" to the nuts, it will get very sticky (read: messy) as you eat.  Using egg white is a safer cleaner bet.  

Foodie @ Alkaff Mansion

It's been a long 8-9 years since Alkaff Mansion was closed for renovation.  I remembered i wanted to hold my wedding there but gave up the idea cos money no enough then!

Perhaps that the reason why this place holds a special place in my heart; when I read about the reopening of the restaurant, I made a date.



Deja-vu...  Fort Canning?



this is a speaker in disguise!

Beautiful courtyard

the restaurant entrance?  You wait in style while the staff get your table ready.



This is a starter, on the house.  Can't remember the name but very tasty

fresh warm bread... complimentary too.

buddy's starter - Scampi



Mine - Pan Fried Mozarella with Parma Ham.  Thumbs up... you can hardly go wrong with anything ham & cheese!  



The cold cuts room in the middle of the restaurant where the ham and cheese are aged and stored.

a elegantly quiet place!

Pan seared Cod Fish

Grilled Baby Chicken - very well marinated!

Caramelized Almond Semifreddo with coffee sauce.  I could hardly eat anymore but just had to have a sweet ending!

nothing is done till the coffee is served!

Not cheap but compared to many fine dining like Ku Da Ta & Sky 57, this is affordable!

Oreo Cupcake

I think this is the first cake since I am back to Singapore almost a year ago.

Glad I did cos this recipe is simple yet yummy...  Any Oreo lover shouldn't miss this.

 



Ingredients

250g butter
1 cup sugar (I reduced by 3tbsp)
2 cups self rising flour - sift
1 tsp baking powder – sift (I used double action cos that's what I have)
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
8~10 oreos – crushed (with the cream)

Method

1. Whisk butter, sugar, self raising flour, baking powder, eggs and vanilla essence for 2 mins.. dont overbeat ok..
2. Stir in ur crushed oreos and thats it.. 
3. Pipe batter into cupcakes casing
4. Baked in preheated oven of 170C for abt 10 to 15mins

Ready to go!

I added a piece of Oreo before topping it up with batter.



Source: Bisous A Toi

Initially I wasn't sure of beating every thing up together.  I was thinking about the gluten etc that will make the cake tough, but all work out in the end.

Crushing the Oreo is probably the messiest part if you are chopping by hand. You get crumbs all over the place and cleaning up is no fun.  Well, not unless you have a domestic help.  I don't have 1, so I do it in the food processor which is alot easier!

I baked to try out this thingy! *LOL*

If you are still skeptical about the method, here's another recipe that I have bookmarked for the longest time.  It takes a bit more work though...

Quick and Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

B is a big fan of macaroni.

We have loads of these when living in London - you get the ready-to-(h)eat packs from supermarkets for very reasonable price.  So convenient that you can tuck in after few minute nuke.

B missed the gooey delicious dish and was always asking for me to bring back some during those dreadful business trips but they have really short expiry date so the supply is limited.  Today, we found a a cheater version of macaroni...

Cheater's Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Serves 2
1 can of white pasta sauce
1 heap rice bowl of elbow macaroni
some breadcrumbs (i made mine from toasted leftover bread)
some freshly ground black peppersome grated sharp white cheddarsome grated moserella cheesesome grated cheddar




1. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. This step is necessary to stop cooking and wash off excess starch in the pasta.  The pasta will soften further when the sauce is added and baked.


2. Prepare cheese sauce.  Usually I find the canned stuff to be overload on sodium, so I would lighten it with additional cream or milk (whichever I have in the fridge).  Pour the sauce and extra milk/cream/cheese (if using) into a wok and heat it until the mixture bubbles.  Add black pepper.

3. Stir macaroni into the cheese sauce and toss the macaroni well.

4. Transfer the content into a oven-proof casserole dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and moserella cheese. Bake in a preheated oven @170C, until the cheese melted and bubbling.

For extra treat, I added bacon, breadcrumbs, and brocolli.

I don't know but if B has a comfort food, this will be it!

Sunday Morning Pancake

B's love for pancakes begins with MacDonald's Hotcakes... we used to share many weekday mornings at Macdonald, with B enjoying dipping pancakes into the syrup while I put up with the horrid coffee (despite being branded premium toasted coffee!)  

We then tried making our own at home, using the ready mix.  You know, those powder mixture in plastic container which you just add milk and shake, and you have the batter ready in 30seconds flat!  QUick and easy,  but it hardens as soon as it leaves the pan.

So it was back to Mac again until I re-discovered this pancake recipe in my bookshelf "Homemade", by Clodagh McKenna .

As suggested in the book, I made the batter the night before and let you rest in the fridge.  It thickened the next day, and I read from somewhere that it is ok to add more milk to thin the batter if thin pancake is preferred.  It was just nice for me...  think thick and fluffy!

New-York-Style Blueberry Pancake

200g self rising flour

1 tbsp baking powder

70g caster sugar (I used 50g)

1 egg

300ml milk (I used whole milk, not skim)

50g butter (melted) + more for greasing the pan.

250g fresh blueberries ( I omitted)

maple syrup ( I used honey cos that's what i have at home)

1. sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

2. in a separate bowl, whisk egg and  milk together.

3. Pour the milk mixture into the center of the well of the flour and whisk together until it forms a batter. Leave the batter in a fridge for an hour before you use.

4. Just before cooking, stir in the melted butter which prevents the pancake from sticking to pan (and yes it works!)

5. Over medium heat, grease the frying pan (non-stick preferably!) with a kitchen towel so you use just enough butter (a tip i pick up from the auntie at Tangs homeware department. Have you seen her before?) 

6. Pour enough batter to cover the pan and swirl around to make sure you get an even spread, allow to cook for 1-2 minutes . Then Flip over the pancake with a spatula and cook for about another minute on the other side. Then place on a warm plate, cover with tin foil and put in a low heated oven. Continue again until you have enough made.

The recipe says it makes 10 pancakes, but i suppose it all depends how thick you want the pancake, and how big is your pan...  I do get enough to nicely feed my family of 3.

Why I can't get the nice evenly browned pancake like this?

.


This is pretty good for the minimal effort.  It is very buttery and tender, even when cold.  But I guess nothing stops me from experimenting with buttermilk instead of whole milk... read from some blog (like this) that it makes it even more moist.

When I get enough energy (and time), I would pretty much look forward to try out the one in KAF or even this one in Jamie Oliver - it calls for egg white to be whipped separately.  I believe this is what the atas (upmarket) like Strictly Pancakes does. 

Foodie in London - IceBar London

 Throughout the time we lived in London, never once we visited the Icebar.  I tried to visit the place last Dec, but the Xmas holidayers filled up the queue that I gave up the thought.  I gave it another go when I was there last month. 

Despite the reservation I was told to wait in line since they operate on fixed time slot and I'd arrived early.  I was offered to have my meal at the restaurant while waiting for my session. I supposed the only difference in Icebar Bar and Icebar Restaurant is the what's being served.

So I went on. 

Ha,  no lor.  There's nothing ICE about the restaurant/lounge area!!!

It was toasty warm on there, which I welcome but at the same time a little disappointment!!!

First you will be offered the cloak room service where you can keep all your belongings and coat/jackets.  A fee of GBP2 will be added to your bill for using this facility.

Once seated, the waitress tried very hard to get me to order the starter/nibble, which I was tempted but knowing my capacity, resisted!

This is what I had.

Grilled pork loin, pork cheek, black pudding, spiced swede puree, confit red cabbage, red win jus (GBP18) with Rocket and Parmesan salad (GBP3.50).

Liquid wise, I had Kiwi Caipirinha (GBP 7.70) - I always love a good Caipirinha!

I was rather filled after the main, but the waitress strongly recommend this choc-ky dessert, and my will gave in!  Dark Chocolate Tart, Chocolate Bailey's Mousse, and Ice cream (GBP6) - very rich, and a good bitter capuccino (GBPx) went well with it.

You can see the Icebar merchandise for sale:

  

 Finally my turn to get into the Icebar.  You will be given a silver cape and glove to keep warm.  Uh only that this point I realised I left my warm clothings in the cloakroom so that's all have to keep me breathing!

It was indeed a special experience, everything is made of ice, including my drinking glass.  But I was freezing my butt in there.  You are allowed to stay for the entire session of 40min, but I had to get out after 15min!  It is too cold for me.  Well, for someone who is used to 30C all year round, -5C is C-O-L-D! 

I only remembered to take some pic when I was about to get out...

It reminds me of a friend who confide that she once booked a night stay at the Ice Hotel in the Nordics, only to be standing by the toilet all night.  Why toilet?  Cos that's the only place in the entire hotel with a radiator! 

------------------------
ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL London/Below zero restaurant,
31-33 Heddon Street, Mayfair, London
+44 (0) 20 7478 8910,
www.belowzerlondon.com.