tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-231090632024-03-12T12:52:00.890+08:00So Much Food, So Little StomachRarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.comBlogger321125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-31858547532093261282021-05-15T16:44:00.001+08:002021-05-15T16:45:14.745+08:00Chan Pau<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB8JDt8UC1nM8vVdrnRzVSgtBLsNtvpGwSsd_LQPSfeG0bkrlebaGSL78RnQHa_oqcYhUf62UNvjeJ861Rv4n9bMr7eh1K4NE3KaRYKZ_bL1As5EiPo3deG6jpQOv9aep6rVe/s2048/20210515_143108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB8JDt8UC1nM8vVdrnRzVSgtBLsNtvpGwSsd_LQPSfeG0bkrlebaGSL78RnQHa_oqcYhUf62UNvjeJ861Rv4n9bMr7eh1K4NE3KaRYKZ_bL1As5EiPo3deG6jpQOv9aep6rVe/w480-h640/20210515_143108.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>Hello May 2021! Its beginning to feel a lot like deja vu. Here we are back in lockdown 3.0. I've started baking again. I find it therapeutic and I'm glad the government decided to allow some outdoor physical activities. Walking G is a key role in keeping my sanity in check. So back to online classes for my 2-legged animals while we wait. Hope everyone is staying safe and keeping sane. </p><p></p><p>This is a 2 part recipe that does require some prep in advance. I made the filling the day before and note to self, do not overfill the buns. I had a few bust open in the oven. Love the er "rustic" appearance. Recipe makes 12 buns </p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Filling</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> 400gm of pork fillet cut into small cubes</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tablespoon shao xing wine</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tablespoon oyster sauce</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tsp 5 spice powder</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tbls hoisin sauce</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tbls sugar</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tbls dark soy sauce</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tbls soy sauce</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">half tsp salt</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">white pepper</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tbls corn flour</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">optional - 2 tbls toasted sesame seeds, handful of chopped celery leaves & spring onions</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mix all ingredients together and marinate for a few hours. To cook the filling, place the mixture into a pot and add half cup of water and simmer for half hour. Until the mixture is cooked and thickened. Toss in the sesame seeds and greens if using. Mix and set aside. Taste as you go along. I don't like it sweet so I only added a spoon of sugar. The recipe I based this loosely on used half a cup of sugar. I'm glad I did not follow that recipe precisely. </span></p><h3 class="mv-create-ingredients-title mv-create-title-secondary" style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; float: none; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">For the buns (recipe from <a href="https://healthynibblesandbits.com/scallion-pork-floss-rolls/">healthy nibbles</a>), simplified below</span></h3><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><i style="background-color: white;">tangzhong</i></span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">30g (3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) all-purpose flour</span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">115g (1/2 cup) water</span></h4><div><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">whisk the flour and water in a saucepan until smooth. heat over low-med heat, whisking continuously until a thick paste is formed. remove and let cool</span></div><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;"><i style="background-color: white;">dough</i></span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">canola or vegetable oil for greasing bowl</span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">150g (2/3 cup) whole milk</span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">1 tablespoon sugar</span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">7g (2 1/4 teaspoon) instant yeast</span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">450g (3 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour</span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">1 tsp salt</span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">70g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted</span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">80g (4 tablespoons) sweetened condensed milk</span></h4><h4 style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; color: #323545; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">1 large egg</span></h4><div><span style="background-color: white;">egg wash - 1 egg & 1 tablespoon milk/water, whisked</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">1) heat milk in a saucepan until warm. throw in the butter to melt. once lukewarm, you can add a beaten egg into the mixture</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">2) place all dry ingredients and cooled tangzhong into mixing bowl of stand mixer. Use the dough hook attachment. Mix and pour in the milk mixture and condensed milk. Mix for about 10 mins. The dough will be soft and a little sticky. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">3) dust flour on the kitchen top and give the dough a quick knead and shape into a round ball before placing in a well greased bowl. cover with plastic, I use a clean bin bag that i can reuse later. Let rise for 1 hour or until its double in size</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">4) punch the dough and tip onto dusted kitchen top. Give it a quick knead and divide into 12 equal-ish balls. Flatten into a disc and place 1 heaped tablespoon of filling into the centre. Pinch the sides till you get a sealed bun. Careful to not overfill, I stretched some a little thin and they tore a little while proofing. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">Shape into round buns and place on a lined baking tray</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">5) cover with plastic wrap and let rest for half hour or until doubled in size</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">6) preheat oven to 180C and prepare an egg wash, brush each bun gently and scatter some sesame seeds over. Baked for 25 - 30 mins or until golden brown. </span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7O6Bhi9RYRf8XArV4gfq7YduiXyM4foDME57PeS34qX_71fpS231qZP4BOsabwgOF2XdIj-9yuadVdDL8J4I_Rktr7xpqBqB6f8Wmchpmng3ojLIdppqz3Meh-oS3NZO_x3FE/s2048/20210515_144526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7O6Bhi9RYRf8XArV4gfq7YduiXyM4foDME57PeS34qX_71fpS231qZP4BOsabwgOF2XdIj-9yuadVdDL8J4I_Rktr7xpqBqB6f8Wmchpmng3ojLIdppqz3Meh-oS3NZO_x3FE/w480-h640/20210515_144526.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-91858902815134238272021-02-08T14:25:00.005+08:002021-02-08T14:25:48.565+08:00Vegan Radish & Pumpkin Cake<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW4dHwnJM3BbYe-7pCJe8IiCr5JWoauDFMQkGnRGaoctPFeePrqInTN4oPH5x2eI4c_sYvUMWVvGWH3IrSLsOCAAq2rPkPfRVVxAtRfYzWOeEA1JO7t1Y9UzJwmVCevXT72DB/s2048/20210203_183705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW4dHwnJM3BbYe-7pCJe8IiCr5JWoauDFMQkGnRGaoctPFeePrqInTN4oPH5x2eI4c_sYvUMWVvGWH3IrSLsOCAAq2rPkPfRVVxAtRfYzWOeEA1JO7t1Y9UzJwmVCevXT72DB/s320/20210203_183705.jpg" /></a></div>Decided to make some vegan lor bak goh today. The daikon didn't quite add up to the weight for my usual recipe so I decided to add in some diced pumpkin. I quite like the addition of sweet cubes of pumpkin. I like to eat it pan fried with some chili sauce and also sauteed with beansprouts, spring onions, chilli garlic oil & coriander. For mum, I pan fried them with chinese sausage, prawn sambal and egg on top of the veg. She couldn't even tell the radish cake was vegan. haha!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><i>Makes one 9" square dish</i><p></p>400g radish (grate half and cut the other half into strips)<br />200g pumpkin, diced<br />40g fresh shiitake mushrooms<br />1 tbls shao xing wine<br />1 tbls finely chopped coriander<br />1 tbls chopped spring onions<br />1 tsp sugar<div>1 tsp mushroom seasoning<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />1/2 tsp five spice powder<br />1/2 tsp white pepper<br />200g rice flour<br />500ml reserved liquid from mushrooms, etc...<br /><br />1. Pour hot water over the radish and let sit while preparing the other ingredients<br />2. Clean the mushrooms, remove the stem and dice the caps into small pieces.<br />3. Remove radish from the water and let drain. Remove as much excess water as you can.<br />4. Heat some shallot oil or grapeseed oil in a wok & add in the mushrooms. Cook briefly<br />5. Add in pumpkin, radish, spring onions and coriander followed by all the seasoning. Mix thoroughly and add in the flour, followed by 450ml of reserved liquid. Cook mixture for a few minutes. Taste it as this point. Adjust seasoning accordingly. The mixture will thicken and resemble thick cake batter. Add remaining liquid if its too thick. Or if its looking watery, cook it for a little longer. If it still doesn't thicken, add in more rice flour. Turn off heat.<br />7. Grease the tin and pour mixture in. Steam on high heat for 1hr or until cooked. It will be soft but set. Based on previous failures, if it hasn't set by this point, something has gone wrong somewhere.<br />8. Remove and let cool completely. Refrigerate over night if you want to pan-fry the cake.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeASs3FVHPWJduq0j8fQOoVvmVtXDsjtnkZYG-rd4AhyLNKtfpwFMVGeU7aNbFhF8XQw35EAuYEIreHKIU4ijEFKibwpFZI7PZjVeZpTKzNvMdDytl15bNNI4w3XymTYqi7o08/s2048/20210203_135900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeASs3FVHPWJduq0j8fQOoVvmVtXDsjtnkZYG-rd4AhyLNKtfpwFMVGeU7aNbFhF8XQw35EAuYEIreHKIU4ijEFKibwpFZI7PZjVeZpTKzNvMdDytl15bNNI4w3XymTYqi7o08/s320/20210203_135900.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">What the cake looks like before steaming.</span><br style="text-align: left;" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHg4B7RwOyHh0YlC6ZJN6XqcOBZ8o_ZNhoZ9KkXnpe2j5Ntdp8ye5dSdJO2QdUSpG3qtP0a3Zm30EvneNxcqF1iF3IIz0irvYjiJNvRrYLmstMtTl_lE9aXQZanahsp6VPf11g/s2048/20210204_091111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHg4B7RwOyHh0YlC6ZJN6XqcOBZ8o_ZNhoZ9KkXnpe2j5Ntdp8ye5dSdJO2QdUSpG3qtP0a3Zm30EvneNxcqF1iF3IIz0irvYjiJNvRrYLmstMtTl_lE9aXQZanahsp6VPf11g/s320/20210204_091111.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pan-fried with Lingam's chili sauce</div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-70690254631354621832020-12-16T22:45:00.002+08:002020-12-16T22:49:55.611+08:00Gingerbread Chabors<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEdyl4SbhjuF2DnpSNomPALNC6TTHZrPbgINhXKq_g3YOyWgt3zU1YVKHhSpjhJA0cBBt2XsCw9EP_8qXlQiSfRPeHlb4er6MjH8QrOlLMGU4WAuagbQnNmq6svd_fwIWC_38/s2048/20201216_165728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEdyl4SbhjuF2DnpSNomPALNC6TTHZrPbgINhXKq_g3YOyWgt3zU1YVKHhSpjhJA0cBBt2XsCw9EP_8qXlQiSfRPeHlb4er6MjH8QrOlLMGU4WAuagbQnNmq6svd_fwIWC_38/w400-h400/20201216_165728.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />If you stumble upon my ig account you will notice I've been in a festive baking mood. I'm looking for warm flavours for winter but in reality I live in Malaysia so all I'm getting is a sore throat from all the ginger. Last year I tried a new recipe for gingerbread men which had a strong <i><a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/5-things-about-chinese-herbal-syrup-nin-jiom-pei-pa-koa">pei pah goh</a></i> flavour thanks to the generous dose of molasses. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Last week I found a recipe written in my recipe journal. I was happy because this was the one with golden syrup and I remember being happy with the taste back then. Looking at the recipe, I found it odd that there was only ginger for spice. Since it was my own writing, I trusted myself. Boy, was I annoyed with ME. To be fair, its a lovely ginger nut biscuit taste but I was so irritated when I was rolling the cookies out. The dough was so soft and difficult to work with. It wasn't even a warm night when I was doing this. A very vague distant sense of deja vu appeared and I felt I had experienced this before. I did get the cookies done but not without frustration. Gosh, an angry baker is not a pretty sight.<p></p><p>I set out to look for another recipe, convinced that ME had sabotaged me with this dodgy recipe. So I tried another & hoped for the best. Same thing. The dough stuck, I had to decapitate and annihilate deformed shapes. I got there in the end. I am writing both recipes here as they both taste good in their own way. A few tips if you are baking these in a warm & humid climate. Turn on the ac in the kitchen if you have one. If you don't, try to do this at night when its cool. Divide the dough up to 4 and keep the rest in the fridge when rolling out. Don't be afraid to flour the surface <b>generously</b>. Flour the suface, flour the dough. Roll, flip and flour some more. Keep dusting with flour. Work fast to get the shapes onto the tray. Its not so bad, I'm just sharing my experience when baking in this climate. Not dry & crispy wintery weather. Its wet, humid, warm & cool at the same time. </p><p>Note: Recipe #1 will yield a crispier cookie compared to the soft and chewy Recipe #2. HOWEVER, thanks to our humid weather, Recipe #1 will turn soft after 2 days so you'll end up with the same texture lah</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjncqj9NJ0I9Bjbz8-dk1cklEaQR6tOQ1ezw17yHuPiW2gQlB6jb6JIRo6ZrQhJ7jHMzX-2TktFdzRERkRmbIXX2yZLuWIABDRPSrxRR7noNzJpcZgDoZw9N6gqXqdpIw_o_k4u/s2048/20201216_141935.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjncqj9NJ0I9Bjbz8-dk1cklEaQR6tOQ1ezw17yHuPiW2gQlB6jb6JIRo6ZrQhJ7jHMzX-2TktFdzRERkRmbIXX2yZLuWIABDRPSrxRR7noNzJpcZgDoZw9N6gqXqdpIw_o_k4u/w300-h400/20201216_141935.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><u>Gingerbread Recipe #1</u></p><p>375g plain flour</p><p>1 tbls ground ginger</p><p>120g salted butter</p><p>100g brown sugar</p><p>1 egg separated</p><p>1 tsp soda bicarbonate</p><p>1/2 cup golden syrup</p><p><u>Gingerbread Recipe #2</u></p><p>350g plain flour</p><p>1.5 tsp soda bicarbonate</p><p>2 tsp ground ginger</p><p>1 tsp ground cinnamon</p><p>1/2 tsp all spice</p><p>freshly ground black pepper</p><p>1 egg</p><p>1/2 cup sugar ( even mix of brown & castor)</p><p>160g salted butter</p><p>3 tbls black treacle</p><p>3 tbls golden syrup</p><p><br /></p><p><u>Method for both is the same</u></p><p>1. Whisk all dry ingredients together and set aside</p><p>2. Cream butter and sugar(s) until pale and fluffy. Add egg(yolk) and treacle/golden syrup to the mixture</p><p>and beat until combined</p><p>3. Using a spatula, mix in the dry ingredients until you get one cohesive mixture. Divide dough into 4 and wrap in cling film, flatten in to discs and refrigerate for 1 hour at least</p><p>4. Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 baking trays with paper (you may need to redo this part depending on how may cookies you end up making</p><p>5. Flour surface (read second paragraph). Roll out dough to desired thickness, remember they puff and expand. If you want crispy cookies, roll them 3mm or so. But the thinner they are, the harder it is to handle. Put your shapes on to prepared trays and pop them to lower section of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes</p><p>6. Cool on wire rack</p><p><u>Royal icing</u></p><p>1 egg white</p><p>150g sifted icing sugar</p><p>Whisk egg white until soft peaks, add in sugar a little at a time. Whisk till you get a glossy mixture. Divide and colour. </p><p><br /></p>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-389623294484597452020-06-17T10:59:00.002+08:002020-06-17T11:01:04.557+08:00Nutty Mushroom Pastry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnAEIl9A4AWjhN5ROH-cqlEKJIeSaMK8AMh2WdgXfp4XA8MohChBfZnifbNLvDSYPhPN2Qf_se6zKHoIi5EYC1mCp51RRLXdvPjk2fVcZEzaGKYotMfjW-i6H9WPFxPIYyI3E/s1600/20200617_083343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnAEIl9A4AWjhN5ROH-cqlEKJIeSaMK8AMh2WdgXfp4XA8MohChBfZnifbNLvDSYPhPN2Qf_se6zKHoIi5EYC1mCp51RRLXdvPjk2fVcZEzaGKYotMfjW-i6H9WPFxPIYyI3E/s640/20200617_083343.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Back to eating clean after drowning in indulgence during MCO. I made these last night with store-bought puff pastry. Side note, can't seem to find butter puff pastry anymore. Having said that, these Pampas ones are pretty good and doesn't have a weird margarine-y after taste. Anyway, decided to make them vegan and they turned out pretty damn good. I was about to finish them with an egg wash (duh) then I made a wash with a mixture of turmeric powder and water. Doesn't have that beautiful sheen that egg wash leaves but the colour is lovely and golden.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_cQNypt9pEFJaVh3hkxQLw8kk4IWHlnqkpxsnDvv6m6E0b4NPAm8EuGUSfSPwUyUbZIdKCKshses3jaYDlnC7joKAAADs1AXat777qNQbVjlQrsFM_nqaHId8KJf-QDOw456/s1600/20200616_220952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_cQNypt9pEFJaVh3hkxQLw8kk4IWHlnqkpxsnDvv6m6E0b4NPAm8EuGUSfSPwUyUbZIdKCKshses3jaYDlnC7joKAAADs1AXat777qNQbVjlQrsFM_nqaHId8KJf-QDOw456/s320/20200616_220952.jpg" width="240" /></a><i>recipe</i> (makes 8 triangles)<br />
12 button mushrooms, sliced<br />
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped<br />
Half a small onion, finely chopped<br />
A couple sprigs of thyme<br />
Dash of mixed herb seasoning<br />
Dash of mushroom seasoning<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
Half cup almond milk<br />
1 tsp plain flour<br />
2 sheets puff pastry<br />
1 tbls nutritional yeast<br />
Handful of chopped nuts (I used almonds & walnuts)<br />
"egg wash" - turmeric powder mixed with some water<br />
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1.Heat some olive oil in pan and saute and the garlic and onions. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms develop some colour<br />
2. Add in thyme & mixed herbs, followed by almond milk. Bring to a simmer<br />
3. Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and mix well. As it cooks, mixture will start to thicken. You may need more/less milk/flour. Season with salt, pepper and mushroom seasoning<br />
4. Remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast and chopped nuts. Leave to cool completely.<br />
5. Preheat oven to 200C or 180C fan forced<br />
Cut thawed pastry sheet into 4 squares. Fill each square with a tablespoon of mushroom filling and fold over to create a triangle. Crimp the edges to seal. Repeat until you finish your filling. Place onto baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and brush the pastries with turmeric wash. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked throughRarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-77778249667670411642020-05-06T23:23:00.002+08:002020-05-07T08:33:51.097+08:00Lo Mai Gai During the past 7 weeks in MCO, I've been both inspired and uninspired to cook. I now understand why my Mum gave up at some point and just cooked a small repertoire of dishes on repeat. I'm child number 4 so you can imagine how fed up she was by then. This is why I've thoroughly enjoyed looking at everyone's meals online. The everyday dishes that is a like a warm hug at the end of the day. God knows, we all need it. The hug. And the warm meal.<br />
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Its been awhile since I made lo mai gai. The sad truth is no one at home likes it except me. I've always loved it. I remember sitting in the car, in my pyjamas, with Mum as she drove to the shop along Jalan Ipoh at night. She would order a large amount of char siew pau and lo mai gai to go. The ride home would be unbearable as the smell of steaming hot pau and glutinous rice filled the car. That's what I think of when I want to eat lo mai gai. Its hot, sticky, oily, salty and sweet. </div>
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I made 2 batches of lo mai gai back to back. One with chicken stock and one without. Honestly, both were good. Maybe the one with chicken stock just rounded off all the flavours nicely. I used half a cube with 450mls water which is half the recommended amount. It tasted like those weak-ass flavoured water they chuck wantons in. You know what I mean. Those noodle stalls have that non-descript peppery water with a faint taste of maybe boiled chicken and spring onions. After looking through some recipes online (referencing <a href="https://tasteasianfood.com/lo-mai-gai/">taste asian food</a> and <a href="http://nasilemaklover.blogspot.com/2011/04/lo-mai-kai-steamed-savoury-glutinous.html">nasi lemak lover</a>) and remembering my previous attempts, here is my recipe for a soft, sticky, lo mai gai. If you like your lo mai gai to have more of a bite, this is not the recipe for you.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggFjfZD-7nBC_0wWhR0pc6OowmF-LvAwxJBSUUFBkP3cSDupl_YtCanhXWni00YDrKrviJ-G79yZJd2j3cPTFtLyrCTdfTFhHza7NMgHSWtGXxbZ969j83Cd1aQi4Q-1anvkI/s1600/20200506_100235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggFjfZD-7nBC_0wWhR0pc6OowmF-LvAwxJBSUUFBkP3cSDupl_YtCanhXWni00YDrKrviJ-G79yZJd2j3cPTFtLyrCTdfTFhHza7NMgHSWtGXxbZ969j83Cd1aQi4Q-1anvkI/s400/20200506_100235.jpg" width="300" /></a>Recipe (makes 8 x 4" bowls) </div>
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<i>for the chicken</i></div>
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3 x chicken thighs, cut into 8-10 pieces </div>
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10 chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water for an hour. Drain and reserve water (see notes below)*</div>
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knob of ginger, grated (about 2 tbls of ginger juice)</div>
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1 tbls sesame oil</div>
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2 tbls shao xing wine</div>
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1 tbls oyster sauce</div>
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1 tbls soy sauce</div>
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1 tsp corn starch</div>
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Mixed everything together and leave to marinate over night </div>
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<i>for the rice</i></div>
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500g glutinous rice, washed & soaked over night (see notes below)*</div>
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1/4 cup shallot oil</div>
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2 tbls soy sauce</div>
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2 tbls oyster sauce</div>
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1.5 tbls dark soy sauce (I like my rice brown)</div>
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2 tbls brown sugar</div>
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white pepper to taste</div>
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dash of 5 spice powder (not more than half teaspoon unless you love it)</div>
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450ml water with half a chicken stock cube crumbled in OR 450ml water mixed with dash of soy sauce, sesame oil + white pepper)</div>
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1. Prepare the rice. Mix all ingredients into the rice except for the shallot oil and water</div>
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2. Heat shallot oil in work and stir-fry the rice on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Pour in the 450ml water mixture, give it a mix and put the lid on. Cover and cook on low heat for about 10-15 minutes. Just keep an eye on it. There should still be some moisture left. (I left first batch to cook til dry and discovered rice had stuck to the bottom. Luckily not burnt. I cook it in the wok because I use it to steam after. Less cleaning up is always a plus).</div>
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3. While the rice is going, braise the mushrooms. Pick out the marinated mushrooms from the chicken and place in a small pot with reserved mushroom water to cover the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms in a gentle simmer until tender. I used very meaty mushrooms and it took about 20 minutes. </div>
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4. Soak the sausages in hot water for a few minutes until the casing starts to come away. Remove the casing and slice diagonally. Set aside</div>
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5. To assemble, place a piece of chicken skin side down in the bowl. Place mushroom cap side down and sausage next to it. Spoon cooked rice into the bowl and fill to the top, pressing down with the spoon as you go along to make a nice compact bowl. Spoon remaining marinade liquid over. Repeat and line up the bowls in a steamer tray</div>
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6. Pour water into the wok (you see how easy it is to clean after, yes!), cover with lid and let it come to a boil. Place steamer in, cover and steam on medium-high heat for 15 - 20 minutes for soft, sticky rice! </div>
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*<i>mushrooms</i></div>
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I used fresh shiitakes and I found they had soaked up a lot of the marinade. Cooked them in a pot with some water for 5 minutes and left it to steam in the pot. Removed it and placed it back with the chicken. I like the fresh ones because it has a soft bouncy feel compared to the more meaty and heavy texture of dried ones<br />
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*<i>rice</i><br />
The good thing about cooking the rice beforehand is you can adjust the seasoning. This is when I discovered it needed more sugar. I know it seems like a lot but don't skip the sugar. It really adds to that "msg sweetness" flavour </div>
Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-52418812244025834412018-03-22T08:56:00.001+08:002018-03-22T08:56:21.455+08:00Peanut Butter & Banana MuffinsTried out this <a href="https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/09/18/skinny-peanut-butter-banana-muffins/">recipe</a> from Sally's Baking Addiction for Skinny PB & Banana Muffin yesterday. It's good! Muffins usually turn out a bit dry or stodgy for me but this was perfectly moist. I used 3 bananas instead of 2 and lessened both honey (2 tablespoon) and brown sugar (1 rounded tablespoon). I did add chopped up Cadbury Old Gold dark chocolate because I had half a block left in the fridge. That gives it enough sweetness altogether to satiate my sweet tooth.<br />
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Making your own muffins is so much better than eating the ones from coffee chains. Fresh is best and don't skimp on the ingredients. I used Pic's Natural Peanut butter and organic whole wheat flour. Bananas are organic from farm in Broga. Unsweetened natural yogurt from local producer Farm Fresh, free from any addictives, food conditioners, etc...The downside to this yogurt is the short shelf life. Luckily its only a small container and my animals can finish it in one go. I don't buy everything organic but sometimes it turns out to be cheaper than the regular stuff imported from US or Australia. Always read labels on the packaging. I was quite upset to discover the natural peanut butter I was eating had hydrogenated palm oil in it. After that I always check the labels!<br />
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<br />Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-59176689517122280592018-01-19T09:32:00.001+08:002018-01-19T10:14:26.764+08:00Never-Ending Love Affair with TempehYesterday was such a strange day. Everything was just off and that rarely happens for me. I have to say I've always been a pretty lucky bunny so when the universe sends me signals to slow down and stay put, I turn off my phone and go to bed! Which is what I did but not before cooking up the one dish of happiness in my unlucky day. And it really turned out quite wonderfully.<br />
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My bestie was away recently and asked me to look in on her helper. Her helper makes the most wonderful indonesian dishes and I love her tempeh goreng kicap. She taught me how to make it and so I tried doing it. It wasn't as crispy as hers was because I realised she used a helluva lot of oil. With 2 tablespoons of oil, I think I managed to cook something pretty close. It takes a longer cooking time because I'm almost roasting in lightly in the wok. It took about 15-20 minutes to get the tempeh toasted and "dry". Not bad for a far healthier version!<br />
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RECIPE<br />
2 packets (200gm roughly) tempeh<br />
Half a medium onion sliced thinly<br />
2 cloves garlic chopped<br />
A knob of old ginger, grated finely<br />
Handful of organic raw peanuts, optional<br />
1 tablespoon thick soy sauce (kicap pekat)<br />
1 tablespoon soy sauce<br />
1 scant teaspoon brown sugar<br />
olive oil for cooking<br />
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1. Slice tempeh into small rectangular pieces. The smaller they are, the faster they will toast and dry in the wok. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan/wok and fry the tempeh on high heat for few minutes then turn it down to medium-low and keep an eye on it for 15-20 minutes. Until it turns golden and crisp around the edges. Remove and set aside<br />
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2. In the same pan, add a little oil and stir-fry the onions, ginger and garlic. Throw in the raw peanuts at this point (or after the tempeh if you are using roasted peanuts). Keep frying until the onions are caramelised and the peanuts toasted. Add in the cooked tempeh, followed by sauces and sugar. Give it a quick stir to mix all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Fry for a few more minutes until it looks crisp and caramelised.<br />
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Its so good with thin slices of big red chillies but I was making it for my kids so no chilli added. Enjoy!Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-28438092799540272502017-11-23T20:39:00.000+08:002017-11-23T20:51:21.879+08:00Chilli For Rainy Days<div>
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Monsoon season officially started in November and it has been raining almost everyday. This kind of weather just makes me want to curl up on the sofa, watch Netflix with a hot bowl of stewy-soupy concoction in my lap. I've made Jamie Oliver's <a href="https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/smoky-veggie-chilli/">smoky chilli</a> before and I love it. I don't char the vegetables because I'm just too lazy and honestly, it doesn't really need it unless you like that charred taste. You could serve this with cauliflower rice or sweet potato mash but I added potatoes in the chilli so it was a complete meal on its own. Hearty, filling and packed with plant-based protein.<br />
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I added some flageolet beans because I found them on discount at Cold Storage. RM2.99 for 500gm bag! They don't take long to cook at all. Use any bean that you like but try to use dry ones as they soak up way more flavour without turning into mush. For the black beans, I usually soak a 500gm bag overnight or for at least 6 hours before boiling them in the water they have been soaking in with some salt or vegetable stock granules for about 2 hours. I pack what I don't use into smaller containers (without the liquid) and store them in the freezer. They keep well and don't lose their texture or flavour.</div>
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400gm black beans, precooked</div>
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200gm flageolet beans, precooked</div>
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olive oil</div>
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4 cloves garlic</div>
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1 onion diced</div>
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2 stalks celery (optional, I had them in the fridge so I tossed them in)</div>
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1-2 carrots, cut into half moons</div>
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2 x 400gm tinned tomatoes </div>
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6-8 small potatoes, washed and quartered</div>
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1 tsp cumin</div>
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1 tsp paprika</div>
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1 tbls unsweetened good quality cocoa powder</div>
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1 heaped tbls peanut butter</div>
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fresh red chillies according to how spicy you want it</div>
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salt to taste</div>
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<i>vegetables to be added on later</i></div>
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2 zucchinis</div>
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bunch of kale (I had them in the fridge but you can use spinach or another dark leafy veg)</div>
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300gm mushroom</div>
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3-4 peppers </div>
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Heat a large cast-iron pot or heavy bottomed pot on medium heat. Add 3-4 tablespoon oil. Saute the onions and garlic until soft, add the celery and carrots. Saute for a few minutes before adding the cumin, paprika, cocoa powder and peanut butter. Mix well and add in the tinned tomatoes. Fill the tin with water and add that into the pot too. Finally tip in the potato and beans, turn down the heat and let it simmer for a few hours with lid on. I made this a day in advance to let the flavours develop. </div>
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When you are ready to eat, heat up the pot. When it is simmering, add in zucchini, mushrooms and peppers. When those are ready (about 5 minutes), I stir through the kale and turn of the heat. Delicious on its own! This recipe serves 4 adults, feeds more if you are serving it with side of carbs.<br />
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Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-51301475192577951742017-11-13T19:29:00.001+08:002017-11-13T19:29:54.636+08:00Pumpkin Mac N Cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Vegan version with almond milk and nutritional yeast</i></div>
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Mac 'n Cheese. Who doesn't love a good mac 'n cheese?! I've seen this pumpkin version on the web for a while. The thought has always appealed to me because I love pumpkin and I love the idea of sweetness to a savoury dish. After looking over a few recipes on the internet, I decided to follow this <a href="https://www.skinnytaste.com/pumpkin-mac-and-cheese-with-roasted-veggies/">recipe</a> (pictured below). It was just as cheesy and delicious as a regular mac n cheese. I also made a vegan version using almond milk and nutritional yeast (pictured above). So once you have this bechamel base, you can make add any vegetable puree to make a creamy vegetable sauce. I'm going to try this with cauliflower to make a alfredo sauce. A creamy spinach one would be lovely too.<br />
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<i>For the pumpkin puree</i><br />
0.5 kg pumpkin, peeled and cut roughly into 1" cubes<br />
Salt and olive oil<br />
Heat oven to 160C (fan forced). Place pumpkin on tray and toss with olive oil and salt. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes or until soft and caramelised around the edges. Let cool before blending in food processor. Set aside<br />
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<i>For the bechamel base</i><br />
1.5 cups milk/nut milk<br />
1.5 cups vegetable stock<br />
0.5 fine chopped onion<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 tablespoon plain flour<br />
1 tsp sea salt<br />
Dash of nutmeg<br />
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Heat olive oil in pan and cook onions and garlic until soft. Add flour and cook for a few minutes, until it browns a little before adding in milk. Stir thoroughly to get rid of lumps. Add the stock and keep cooking. Turn up the heat and let it come to a boil, it will start to thicken quite a bit. Stir in the pumpkin and season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Tadah, you have your pumpkin cream sauce!<br />
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At this point, you can add 2 cups of grated cheese (I used parmesan and aged cheddar) and cooked pasta. This recipe serves 4-6. For the vegan version, add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast just before serving. Delicious eaten with roast broccoli and nuts.<br />
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<i>With milk, grated parmesan & mature cheddar</i></div>
<br />Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-10643521554509397542017-11-13T11:38:00.000+08:002017-11-13T11:38:17.859+08:00The Rabbit ReturnsWow, that was a long hiatus. I have unpublished entries from 2013 which I think should remain that way. I can't believe I wrote those posts. I don't think I write anything longer than a wish on a birthday card these days. I've decided to revive this blog and turn into a space where I can share vegan/vegetarian recipes that I've tried or created. Been an on/off vegetarian for over a year now. I say on/off because I still eat meat socially when the occasion calls for it. Anyway, will be posting a recipe real soon!Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-27901235683024535682013-01-22T16:55:00.002+08:002013-01-22T16:58:36.925+08:00Cantaloupe In The Sky<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have been waiting for about a year now. At long last, the boys from Frangipani have opened their first of three restaurants at Troika. Cantaloupe is a fine dining restaurant that is long overdue but well worth the wait. The menu is a natural progression from Frangipani's. Its more refined, more complex and mature, its grown up. And pretty high up on the 24th floor. Its currently running a small soft opening menu so if you like options, many options, then maybe you should wait until the full menu is ready. I quite like this small menu of 4-5 options at each category, it makes decision making a lot quicker. On the night that I went, there were only two options for main course and they were both beef. I didn't quite feel like beef so I had 3 smaller courses instead. The amuse bouche was a delicious smoked duck wafer with maple syrup foam and raspberry coulis. Doesn't sound like it would gel but the flavours actually work really well. The salty smokiness of the duck with the tangy raspberry and hint of sweetness from the maple syrup. Sigh, wish there was more of it.</div>
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My first was was a croquette of sorts. It sounds a little odd on paper with peekytoe crab and oat carbonara but its actually a lovely golden nugget of creamy crab croquette that looks a little like a muesli bar when it arrives. Accompanied with some truffle shavings and brussel sprout leaves. I'm not kidding you when I say leaves. It was delicious. Light, creamy, crisp, salty, sweet... Hunky had oysters which he did not share so I'm guessing they must've been good. Second course was slow-cooked pigeon but I think I must not have read the menu properly as I did not recognize it when it arrived. I was expecting a bird or part of a bird but what arrived was a terrine of bird, foie gras and chicken. It was to be my least favourite dish of the night. I think the flavours for me got somewhat lost in translation. The highlight of the evening for me was probably the lobster with crisp fried beef tendon. Surf and turf gets the <i>atas</i> treatment at Cantaloupe! I love the sweet clean flavours of the lobster against the rich crispy salty beef tendon. I cannot stress enough how delicious this was. The little cubes of globe artichoke and carrots were a delicate touch and added to my source of veg. Three courses down and barely a mouthful of vegetables. </div>
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And finally dessert. I see a reincarnation of Frangipani's signature chocolate ganache meringue sandwich. I didn't think this dessert could be improved on but clearly I was wrong. Its bolder, punchier, its got attitude. I think this dessert sums up the menu at Cantaloupe. The only thing I would gripe about is the foam overkill. I don't want my food frothing at the mouth. Apart from that, it was superb fine dining!</div>
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Expect to pay between RM300-500++ per person. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Cantaloupe. Level 23A, Tower B, The Troika, Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur. Tel 0321620886</i></span></span><br />
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<br />Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-83659854281030666372012-12-31T16:42:00.001+08:002012-12-31T16:42:11.638+08:00Goodbye 2012Its the last day of 2012. Feels like just a few weeks ago that I was ringing in the new year and here I am again at the cusp of another year. Its been a short year, theres no denying that. To sum it up, its been a year of survival. Surviving stage fright, my mother, the end of the world! I did my first ever amateur pole competition which was exciting and frightening at the same time. If you had told me last year that I would be on stage in my skivvies, pole dancing in front of 400 people on a competitive level, I would've laughed and replied I was more likely to grow a beard. Well, I am beardless and still pole dancing.<br />
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My mother has finally moved from our family home into a safer, more manageable apartment. We have talked about this for quite a while and when the move actually happened, it was done in two weeks! We spent our last Christmas together in our family home and it only hit me when I took a photo of the children together by the Christmas tree. I did feel a little sad but amazingly, there was also a sense of relief. It was like as if the chapter could finally end. There has been many, many amazing memories in the house but as with all old houses, these memories sometimes haunt with regret and sadness too. I feel like we can finally move on and brave the new year and new challenges ahead.<br />
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And of course, there was the rather uneventful end of the world. As my sister's contractor very wisely put it (in cantonese), "Do you think it would be that easy? When the police comes to catch you, do you think they let you know first?". In short, live your life and do what you want to do. Nobody knows what the future holds so they should never be able to tell you what and what not to do.<br />
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So heres what I hope for in the new year. Peace. Understanding. Love. Freedom. Agree to disagree and keep and open mind. Happy new year!<br />
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<br />Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-86898785278857453692012-07-07T18:33:00.002+08:002012-07-07T18:33:41.740+08:00I Want to Win an Awesome Tropical Island Holiday with Cikipedia!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://cikipedia.com/cikipedias-healthy-getaway-weekend-pangkor-laut-resort-3days-2nights-holiday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #030387; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">I’m participating in Cikipedia’s Healthy Getaway Weekend!</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj69bQefPKt3NWYPSbPJaBAC9vrtAL0yPVv1naifvEMO_i6N1N_oVMoI2yk6RWN-2TyJ8WX7zUf60f4xT9XOGXmipAeKmIUgU5IuWjbzzNTbHempFFEuuVNpUaIvtV3wqvk_i1/s1600/photo-1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj69bQefPKt3NWYPSbPJaBAC9vrtAL0yPVv1naifvEMO_i6N1N_oVMoI2yk6RWN-2TyJ8WX7zUf60f4xT9XOGXmipAeKmIUgU5IuWjbzzNTbHempFFEuuVNpUaIvtV3wqvk_i1/s200/photo-1.PNG" width="132" /></a>How could I resist the lovely Ciki tempting me with a chance to win a lovely holiday at the gorgeous Pangkor Laut resort. Flashes of Ciki running slow motion on the beach in her bikini come to mind. A poster child for hotness and health rolled into one. Funnily enough, Hunky and I were just talking about taking Her Madesty to Pangkor Laut for a holiday. Neither of us have ever been so this is meant to be!</div>
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If you've been following my last few posts then you will know I've been doing the Atkins thing while exercising to shed the post baby weight. But seriously, if you ever need to lose baby weight fast, don't hire a maid. Have no help at all and you will see the lbs melt away faster than butter on a hot pan. I was only 3kg away from my pre-baby body when ch-ch-chang! I got a maid. Fast forward 9 months later, I was back to my full-term pregnancy weight!</div>
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So HM is now 1.5 years old and I am back to my original weight. Kinda fat but fit, thats how I see myself. Hey, not every skinny person is fit. I'm nowhere near slim but I bet I can out jog, out box and out pole your flabby, skinny ass. Yes, thats my weekly excrcise regime. I kickbox, TRX or do various isometric exercises with my trainer once or twice a week. In between, I pole dance 2-3 times a week. Pole dancing is amazing for your core muscles and overall fitness. I see so much improvement in my core compared to when I was only doing the usual sit ups and plank. Oh, and everyday I repeatedly lift and carry a 12.5kg weight called HM. Man, my arms and upper back have never been so firm! :-) </div>
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<br /></div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-48320623053018432152012-07-06T14:28:00.002+08:002012-07-06T14:32:38.556+08:00Life post Atkins<div style="text-align: justify;">
10 months ago I stared at the mirror and hated what I saw. Its not like I've ever been thin but I HAVE been very overweight and anyone struggling with weight issues will know how easy it is to slip back into a comfortable, elasticated pants kinda of lifestyle. I'm not sure what it was that finally made me get off my butt. I think starting pole dancing classes may have played a small part in tipping the scales so to speak. Watching the more advanced girls defy gravity with such grace and form was inspiring. I'm not saying you have to be thin to pole dance but as I have discovered, a lighter body sure does help. After all, imagine hauling a 70kg body up the pole instead of a 50kg one. Anyway, I'm still pole-ing and loving it. Its very liberating and amazing to compare myself from day 1 to now. Kind of like my weight loss. I'm happy to say I have maintained the shedding of baby weight. And as promised, albeit a tad late, a blood test to study the short term effects of Atkins.</div>
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In total, nothing had changed. My liver and kidney function test came back normal as before and my LDL cholesterol improved! Amazing because I was convinced eating 2 eggs everyday was going to increase my cholesterol levels. This only goes to show, do your own research if you are going on a diet. There will be heaps of people saying its bad for you. But why is it bad? In every situation there is going to be some pretty bad scenarios and IF you choose to eat sausages and bacon for breakfast, snack on artificial sugar-free snacks, steak with cream sauce every night, then YES, Atkins will be very bad for you. I can honestly say I actually ate MORE vegetables on Atkins than I usually do. When you are only allowed 20g of carbohydrates (during induction phase) containing vegetables, you really make it count. I have stir-fried vegetables and copious amounts of salad leaves everyday on Atkins. When I'm not on Atkins, my typical day would be toast for breakfast, fried mee hoon/pasta for lunch and dinner would be rice with vegetables and a meat dish. Lets not mention the milo and biscuits I love to have in between. </div>
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I'm not pushing Atkins for everyone, just trying to give my personal experience with Atkins. Unfortunately I can't really curb my love for sugar. It really is EVIL. Just ask my cellulite. They seem to have shrunk in the absence of sugar. So for me, it really is a roller coaster ride. I'm currently doing another bout of Atkins and this time it really doesn't seem so difficult. I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe I'm finally kicking the sugar habit. Or at least keeping it under control. I'll keep you posted :-)</div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-27290497012229809362012-04-05T19:39:00.000+08:002012-04-05T19:39:44.144+08:00Konichiwa Niseko!<div style="text-align: justify;">Its been 12 years since my family and I went on a vacation together. Its been far too long and we should definitely not wait another 12 years before the next one! We always have so much fun as we have a common interest ie. food! I think our love for food came from my late father. He definitely loved to eat and when he was alive, he would always drag us out to obscure places for specific dishes he had discovered. Sotong bakar here, drunken prawns there,... Anyway, he would have loved this trip as we had some seriously amazing food. I haven't been back to Japan since I was 8 years old. We were in Tokyo then and funnily enough, most of my memories involve the food I had eaten back then. Chocolate ice cream cubes, beautifully laid out steam boat dinner, hot steaming roasted sweet chestnuts eaten on the bullet train, being carried by my brother so I could reach the bowl of ramen we had at a street stall. Hmmm, so I guess I've always loved food!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8pB5Io_illCQVq7GroP9SleGt4nu4vk4ynxjOww96dbC1TtPetVpJy-AMzkX6umwBWFyOl21hSD9xwigB8yIcz2jWGx6TR-uqQ60gi1me1hb_mVTlJ07dX2tJXUltuIZ_NTj/s1600/niseko1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8pB5Io_illCQVq7GroP9SleGt4nu4vk4ynxjOww96dbC1TtPetVpJy-AMzkX6umwBWFyOl21hSD9xwigB8yIcz2jWGx6TR-uqQ60gi1me1hb_mVTlJ07dX2tJXUltuIZ_NTj/s640/niseko1.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Top left: Lovely simple breakfast of rice, veg, seaweed and pickles at Kansai Washington Hotel. Superb! Creamiest tamago I've ever had but not sweet at all. Top right: Just your average regular beef. Look at that marbling! Bottom: Pigging out at ramen shop in Kuchan. </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fast forward to 2012. We flew into Osaka for one night. Upon arrival, it was quite late in the evening already and we grabbed a bite to eat at McDonalds! I know, sacrilegious having McD's in Japan! But you know what. Its the best ever McD's I have ever had! The patty, cheese and bun taste very different. Who knows, maybe we were just really hungry. We continued our journey the following day to Chitose on Japan's new domestic airline called Peach. Its fairly cheap but they are pretty disorganised as they only started operations a couple of months ago. Kinda like Air Asia back then. Gasp! The horror! Yes, even the Japanese can be disorganised. But in a very calm manner. Oh but the food on board is way better of course. Once we got to Chitose, we had to take a coach to Niseko resort. It was a long and tiring 2.5 hour bus ride as I was feeling quite ill and Her Madesty was just full of beans! Despite being nauseous and looking after bouncy HM, I could still enjoy the landscape. It was really quite beautiful. Its a small place so the roads are extremely quiet and everything was covered in a blanket of snow. We stayed at Yutaka townhouse via <a href="http://www.skijapan.com/Home/Resorts/Niseko/Accommodation/Townhouses">SkiJapan</a> which was just enough to house the entire family. Lovely townhouse with fully equipped kitchen, laundry, etc... All the things you would need for a longish vacation. The food in Niseko is delicious and being on the island of Hokkaido, all things dairy are to die for! I'm not kidding you when I say that you can get really decent food at their version of 7Eleven called Lawson. Lovely yogurt, milk and Hokkaido butter. Nyum! And this is not even the gourmet stuff. Wow, who can blame the Japanese for having such high standards? Their idea of junk is like gourmet for us. Guffaw. Prepackaged katsu sandwiches, onigiri, ice cream, they all taste amazing. HM was a great traveller and ate all that was presented to her, from shabu-shabu to onigiri to grilled tofu. Such a good little girl.</div><br />
We had a lovely meal in a ramen shop in Kutchan (town near Niseko). We ordered gyozas and minced pork mayo sushi to the two bowls of ramen and fried rice. Yes, there were only three people eating. Well, four if you count HM. Loved the shoyu based soup. Didn't much care for the salt based soup as they put so much raw bean sprouts in there that it was just overpowering. We took away 3 portions of katsu rice for the kids dinner and the entire bill came up to less than RM140. Surely it would've cost more in KL? At Niseko we had a fabulous meal at Izakaya. Loved the raw squid marinated in uni, aromatic chargrilled squid and scallop sashimi. I have never tasted scallop sashimi like this. It actually has texture to it. Firm and sweet. Delicious! We had some nice dishes at A-Bu-Chan 2 the following night. Melt-in-the-mouth beef and scallops cooked in butter. Its a little bit pretentious and I much preferred the food at Izakaya.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGknLTuyXXkhbkBbD9cbkfXSFykDAAxFhJgAZ8CZOtkIS3BVDNZwUM7NgxdNlS5Pp-p7g4BW6QLDhtShsJzL5-h-dXDgtQ58jFy_j8I7b2WvnZD5XRg0mm2PGVm8QkxVaw5iqK/s1600/niseko3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGknLTuyXXkhbkBbD9cbkfXSFykDAAxFhJgAZ8CZOtkIS3BVDNZwUM7NgxdNlS5Pp-p7g4BW6QLDhtShsJzL5-h-dXDgtQ58jFy_j8I7b2WvnZD5XRg0mm2PGVm8QkxVaw5iqK/s640/niseko3.png" width="640" /></a></div><i>Top: View from the gondola. So serene, all that powdery snow! Bottom left: raw squid with uni as a marinade, waaah! Bottom right: the biggest mother ebi sashimi we've ever had. Deliciously sweet & springy in texture.</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">We were sad to leave Niseko but Kyoto was calling. OMG! Chitose airport! The mecca of good food! You can get all kinds of Hokkaido goodies here. If you are flying out of Chitose airport, go very, very early to enjoy all the samples and eat till your hearts content! I am embarassed to admit that we did not see much of Kyoto. Apart from visiting Kyomizu Temple on our first day, we spend most of the time just wandering around the market (food) and looking for more food! So much to eat, so little time. Sigh. The Japanese diet must agree with me because I managed to lose weight despite eating so much. Speaking of weight, there really isn't any overweight people in Japan. Seriously, theres no one even vaguely chubby here. It was so obvious we were tourists. Big-sized, loud tourists from Mainland China. Choi!</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">We had some amazing meals in Kyoto. Akaneya Junshinken was some superb izakaya dining. I particularly enjoyed the marinated baby squid sashimi and stuffed and deep fried lotus "patty". Oh and the amazing stuffed yam dish which tasted like dim sum <i>woo kok </i>but so much more delicate in texture but full on in taste. Looking back, some of the meals have merged into one. Thats the problem when snack carries onto lunch and spills over to tea and melds with dinner! Sigh, blogging about all this food has made me miss the food again. I don't know how the Japanese do it because if I lived there, I'd be as fat as f%$@.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirZ-sggcTZYgZaM1-gBlNBk8VGpg6zuRx3fa-OXjdkdttBpySlEGDXRNLAGteqqyWlA5PRdjZInJFTMtT03JzIbuS1i7tXrKAaR_3t4_9MPLurFei_2VbtHsuoApDzKwnOMgB/s1600/niseko2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirZ-sggcTZYgZaM1-gBlNBk8VGpg6zuRx3fa-OXjdkdttBpySlEGDXRNLAGteqqyWlA5PRdjZInJFTMtT03JzIbuS1i7tXrKAaR_3t4_9MPLurFei_2VbtHsuoApDzKwnOMgB/s1600/niseko2.png" /></a></div><i>Top left: marinated raw baby squid. Bit squeamish at first but glad I ate it. Yum! Top right: one of the many things we ate going up to Kyomizu Temple and all the way down too! Bottom: HM's" tapow". I thought it was tamago but its actually sushi wrapped in swiss roll?!?! Very strange...</i><br />
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Love you Niseko-Kyoto, hopefully will see you again soon!Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-51753972307701767542011-11-14T22:11:00.000+08:002011-11-14T22:11:06.175+08:00Over It - Atkins Phase 2,3,4, I'm Out The Door!<div style="text-align: justify;">I regret to announce that I'm over this whole Atkins diet. I have not lost a single pound for over 3 weeks despite following the program religiously and upping my exercise. Patience is not my forte! BUT, its not like I've completely given up and having buffets everyday. I've just decided that being on such a strict regime with no results for three weeks was just too stressful. So now that I have relaxed and started introducing a bit more fruit and veg portions, I've lost 1lb. I know I'm too focused on the lbs but I'm still inches away from fitting back into my old jeans. I don't know how else to monitor the weight loss. Sigh... Meanwhile, i've outgrown my recent pair of fat jeans. Woohoo! They are too loose to wear now! Yay! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">My friend P was inspired by my Atkins regime and she recently dropped 5kg in 3 weeks. She didn't even follow it religiously. She ate lots of meat and way much more than recommended limit for cheese. And zero exercise. So there you go, everyone is different and what works for me might not work for you. The important thing is, we try. I have tried and yes it does give results super fast and that is great for boosting morale. The other thing is, my skin texture improved. Amazing. Sugar really is bad for the skin. The drawbacks of this diet for me is that it has screwed up my menstrual cycle and I have trouble going to the toilet. Seriously I really need to eat LOTS of veg to keep myself regular. Perhaps that was over-sharing a little but you need to know that so take some psyllium husk every morning. It kinda helps but nothing beats fresh vegetables. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16hP3XuscAWC7O-Dz3ErvrxMwdnEUImyHVKPy0NdslohUwTTFXPAvxnuyQvAtQaLt4WUIxd-ZGlYSBiR5aCajyTf3cqoS2LrJpnCIwPF3cdt3hTAzdMIjGYYySEYaFZvHrAjG/s1600/IMG_0272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16hP3XuscAWC7O-Dz3ErvrxMwdnEUImyHVKPy0NdslohUwTTFXPAvxnuyQvAtQaLt4WUIxd-ZGlYSBiR5aCajyTf3cqoS2LrJpnCIwPF3cdt3hTAzdMIjGYYySEYaFZvHrAjG/s640/IMG_0272.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Pan-fried fish with avocado & tomato salsa and salad - super satisfying!</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So my last two weeks of Atkins, and then blood test to find out if/how Atkins has affected my insides. Fingers crossed!</div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-86135402481993353632011-10-30T15:25:00.000+08:002011-10-30T15:25:30.609+08:00Atkins; Phase Two minus One, Week 4<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not sure what happened but the weight loss stalled. Perhaps I moved too quickly onto O.W.L. My weight just wasn't shifting despite following the diet exactly. I still exercised 3-4 times a week and ate my 20g of carbs + 5g of new foods from O.W.L. I decided maybe it was the melon? So I've stopped eating that and I cut back on the strawberries too. Instead of having it everyday as a snack, I'm having it every other day. In the last 3 days, I'm finally back on track with a 2lb weight loss. Weight loss to date is 14lbs. I guess I need to stick on Induction a bit longer as this weight loss is more stubborn than my mother. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Wednesday I had severe sugar cravings. I haven't felt this way at all throughout the pass 3 weeks. I very nearly caved. I even contemplated diabetic chocolate! I must've stood at the aisle staring and reading all the labels for a good 10 minutes. Finally, Hunky came to the rescue and reminded me that 1) diabetic chocolate sucks and 2) I'd only be cheating myself. Such a supportive husband! The next morning, the feeling was gone. Wow, I came so close to giving up. Sigh, I really, really do miss my sugar. Last night, I did have one chocolate covered almond. It came all the way from Spain! I felt incredibly guilty but Hunky (again) reminded me that this is a long term thing and I shouldn't be so hard on myself for eating one miserable chocolate almond. So instead of feeling bad, I went for a jog this morning. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPi53AXMC25dyjSddaW69Wpd7456t96L45UW0ym-Kez7w4WlWiRb12P2Y9vrjutRJKCkhSmCEaqrlxlM6H-gOI3lRVO-Wdqtv2QXqRAqxcUqDdocac0rvGzVXnNzpCfpNMIH4/s1600/IMG_0252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPi53AXMC25dyjSddaW69Wpd7456t96L45UW0ym-Kez7w4WlWiRb12P2Y9vrjutRJKCkhSmCEaqrlxlM6H-gOI3lRVO-Wdqtv2QXqRAqxcUqDdocac0rvGzVXnNzpCfpNMIH4/s640/IMG_0252.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Lunch - grilled chicken salad with avocado, ham & balsamic dressing</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks everybody for the encouragement. Its a constant battle with my inner sugar demon. Its only been 4 weeks but it feels more like 4 months. 4 more weeks to go! I think I'm going to have to up my exercise too. Will keep you posted!</div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-30169676397395990832011-10-20T20:43:00.001+08:002011-10-20T20:45:05.371+08:00Atkins: Phase Two - O.W.L<div style="text-align: justify;">I made it! Its been 17 days since I started Atkins and I'm still alive! I thought I'd just <i>dieeeh</i> from sugar and carb deprivation. Drama much? So now I am in the second phase of Atkins which is Ongoing Weight Loss or OWL for short. Like Harry Potter but not quite as magical. Sigh. So this week, I can up my carb intake by a whole 5g! Woohoo. You know I am being sarcastic right? Whats 5g? Basically 1/2 cup of strawberries. I know, sounds really lame huh? But I've been so deprived that I am ever so grateful for that sweet, sweet taste of strawberries! I can also eat raspberries and blueberries but who can bloody afford those here? My other fruit choices are rockmelon and honeydew which fantastic! It has a great sugary hit and I thought I wouldn't be able to stop myself from eating more but surprisingly, I managed to stay satisfied with that tiny portion (half cup) of rockmelon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the scales, it has been impressive. 11lbs to date but I don't really feel it. My clothes feel more or less the same. Okay, maybe I can breathe a little better in them but more importantly, I <i>can</i> breathe a little better when I'm exercising! Scary, my poor heart must've been working so hard. Breakfast remains a challenge. I've been having omelettes. Cheese and tomato, plain cheese, cheese and mushroom, mushroom and chicken, etc... Sigh. I've had soft boiled eggs several times just for a change. This morning I had scrambled eggs and sauteed mushrooms. Super rich as I used 1/4 cup of cream for the eggs. Very satisfying. I think I might go buy some bacon for breakfast this weekend. Yum. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3miL4Lv47J4io-WNKrI3ECXqNWUJMUyQv1K8LgqTLF5oxNTcocPIcxW3vcs_ONFdGhp7NeValT7TuyHcMqCzXWaqDUM1wsia1ox8i8JFp1oUL6VZsaCg5iMbxFaCq1kJnNL_w/s1600/photo-12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3miL4Lv47J4io-WNKrI3ECXqNWUJMUyQv1K8LgqTLF5oxNTcocPIcxW3vcs_ONFdGhp7NeValT7TuyHcMqCzXWaqDUM1wsia1ox8i8JFp1oUL6VZsaCg5iMbxFaCq1kJnNL_w/s640/photo-12.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My afternoon snack! Grilled chicken with homemade mayo, hard boiled egg (white) and alfalfa sprouts</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">So my challenge now is slowly adding different foods from the <a href="http://www.atkins.com/science/sciencearticleslibrary/ArticleDetail372/Reach-Your-Goal-by-Climbing-the-Carb-Ladder.aspx?articleId=372">carb ladder</a>. I'm suppose to go slowly, adding 5g of carbs each week while monitoring my weight loss. If I continue to lose weight, then I can keep adding til I find my limit. This is going to be a battle for me because I am so impatient. I guess it would help once I'm able to have a bigger variety of foods to select from. Until then, lovely glorious pieces of fruit!</div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-14913242995166010352011-10-17T13:55:00.000+08:002011-10-17T13:55:56.109+08:00Atkins; Phase One - Induction<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I have been on a diet for the past two weeks. It came to a point where I was just feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. And I can’t even say its baby weight because I put it on <i>after</i> I gave birth. I made the mistake of eating like I was still breastfeeding except I wasn’t. So all those naughty calories just stuck and BAM! Suddenly I had put on 7kgs! I was 3kgs from my baby weight when Her Madesty was 3 months old. How could I have let this happen? Instead of losing 3kgs, now I have to lose 10kgs! Sob! So, it was time for drastic measures. No, I couldn’t “just cut down on the food'. If I could <i>just</i> control my eating habits, I wouldn’t have found myself in this predicament in the first place.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I did a little shopping around on the net for diets. There are so many out there but the two that shows consistent results have got to be Atkins and Dukan. My friend is on the Dukan diet and she swears by it. Its quite similar to the Atkins philosophy but I think it is less severe in terms of its variety but its also less tasty as it doesn’t allow for any oil or fats. So with that in mind, I embarked on the first phase of Atkins; Phase One - Induction. A grueling 2 weeks of protein and total net carbs of 20g. I soon discovered how little 20g of carbs are! Anything vaguely fun and tasty naturally has more carbs. I can eat cups and cups of lettuce and that would be fine. But ¼ cup of pumpkin and I’ve already used up ¼ my daily net carb. Do you know how little ¼ cup of pumpkin is? Its tear-jerkingly little! I also look back and think that I must've had 1000g of carbs a day previously. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I needed to do this diet because I really had to break my bad habit of snacking. Its pretty bad as I'm so use to eating a little here and a little there. I can't blame it all on work either. So since I can’t have sugar and carbs anymore so why bother snacking right? The first three days I really missed my sugary snacks and resorted to snacking on beetroot. Beetroot! Is this what you skinny ass people do? Snack on beetroot? Its so sad.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Atkins definitely gives you results but its not without controversy. After all, eating so much meat and practically zero carbs can’t be good for you. I read about Atkins being bad for your kidneys and cholesterol. So I decided to test it for myself. I did a blood test 4 days into my diet. My cholesterol, as expected, was over the healthy limit. I was relieved to find that it was only my LDL (bad cholesterol) that was elevated. My HDL (good cholesterol) was well within the norm as was my Triglyceride levels. My kidney and liver function were good. And the only thing that showed the symptoms of Atkins was found in my urine sample. Ketones. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lifted from Wiki - </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Ketones are metabolic end-products of fatty acid <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolism"><span style="color: #002ca1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">metabolism</span></a>. In healthy individuals, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketone_bodies"><span style="color: #002ca1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">ketones</span></a> are formed in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver"><span style="color: #002ca1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">liver</span></a> and are completely metabolized so that only negligible amounts appear in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine"><span style="color: #002ca1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">urine</span></a>. However, when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrates"><span style="color: #002ca1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">carbohydrates</span></a> are unavailable or unable to be used as an energy source, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat"><span style="color: #002ca1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">fat</span></a> becomes the predominant body fuel instead of carbohydrates and excessive amounts of ketones are formed as a metabolic byproduct. Higher levels of ketones in the urine indicate that the body is using fat as the major source of energy.) </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">So the good news was, my body was beginning to burn fat but the bad news was, I was dehydrated. I swear I drink close to 4 litres of water a day but I’m constantly parched. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_y2I6zUJ92snez1xmWznvsgBtBVp7gWC43ptUnsRg8INSZUikXBGQ3Q_HjDqZun5cpSg79d3ymLDiYAw5PCDqvy57TYx5qH6R7SscOQq05TUph4Fye7Y7Ab4UhyD9j8E2Cc6d/s1600/soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_y2I6zUJ92snez1xmWznvsgBtBVp7gWC43ptUnsRg8INSZUikXBGQ3Q_HjDqZun5cpSg79d3ymLDiYAw5PCDqvy57TYx5qH6R7SscOQq05TUph4Fye7Y7Ab4UhyD9j8E2Cc6d/s640/soup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><i>Homemade fishballs with chicken broth, choy sum and spicy chili sauce.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">There is a misconception that you can have as much fat and protein as you like. They encourage a sensible amount of good fats and only about 170-220g of protein each meal. So while technically I can eat a whole turkey for lunch, its probably not a good idea. I am conscious of what all this protein might be doing to my body so I try to eat mainly fish followed by chicken and hardly any beef and pork. Do I feel hungry? Honestly, no because protein really fills me up. The only thing is, I still really miss my sugar. I dream about having chocolate cake. Sigh. And the only sugar substitute allowed is Splenda. I bought a packet and it sucks!! I’ve never bothered with artificial sweeteners so maybe that’s why I think its gross. It sucks so bad that I don’t bother putting it in my coffee anymore. The taste is not even close to sugar and the taste stays in my mouth for hours. Gross. It’s amazing how everything taste so amazing once you start appreciating the simple things again. I had grilled salmon with fennel salad and it just tasted soooo good. The salmon tasted so sweet and the fennel really packed a punch in terms of flavour. I was totally satisfied because everything was just so tasty. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">That’s the thing about Atkins. You really have to spend time planning your menu and buying good quality produce. And that’s why Atkins is a very expensive diet! I’ve more than doubled my weekly grocery budget. For me, if I was going to do this, I would do it right. I've followed the diet exactly. Which makes life a little harder but its so worth it. I can still go out to eat but at selected restaurants where I know I can have lean proteins. Japanese is always good. I just have sashimi and some teppanyaki. I know it would be easy to reach for the quick options like sausages and canned meats but I just don't want to go down that road. That would be like replacing one bad habit with another. Having said that, I did have a couple of sausages and chicken wings at a friend's barbecue over the weekend. See, its still a pretty sociable diet. Oh, but I guess it would be a big turn-off for drinkers as you can't have any alcohol at all during these two weeks. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Today is the last day of my two week induction on Atkins. I’ve lost 9lbs. That’s a little over 4kgs. (I switched my digital scale to lbs because its more fun seeing the pounds come off!). I’m almost halfway to my goal. I think it probably helps that I’m fitting in some form of exercise at least 3 times a week. I’m ready to move on to Phase 2 of Atkins: Ongoing Weight Loss. I get to introduce some fruit! Yay! </div><!--EndFragment-->Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-56910264109846260072011-10-09T16:38:00.000+08:002011-10-09T16:38:20.215+08:00The Quest for the perfect Victoria Sponge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhG3ZHgwjtdBu4zMWh6bUc4N4QFZf0cvFdTBf5ss85vsq6F4WyL8T4ilQjLAPOpwqZZRj1CLvy-Xfr_FTqZHPLl3NSVliix7BFRWJnTgjMR3ifrIe8ofkuI1LKqfkGJrGPCth1/s1600/_1060731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhG3ZHgwjtdBu4zMWh6bUc4N4QFZf0cvFdTBf5ss85vsq6F4WyL8T4ilQjLAPOpwqZZRj1CLvy-Xfr_FTqZHPLl3NSVliix7BFRWJnTgjMR3ifrIe8ofkuI1LKqfkGJrGPCth1/s640/_1060731.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Its often said the best things in life are a slice of victoria sponge with a cup of earl grey. Or something like that. I love a good sponge. Its the perfect balance of cake. Light, fun but with some depth unlike its airy fair-weather friend the chiffon. Mind you, I love a good pandan chiffon too. Sigh, what can I say? I just love cakes! So anyway, my sister requested for a Victoria Sponge cake for her birthday and being the good sister that I am, I made her one! When it comes to all things English, there can only one guru to turn to and thats Delia of course. She even has illustrations of 4 different sponges that have slight variations in the recipe. Studying her all-in-one recipe, I had serious doubts it would work. Gasp! Yes, I doubted Delia! Forgive me D! I'll never question you again. It just sounded too simple. So of course I went for the harder one even though she specifically said the all-in-one "is the best sponge of all". Me stupid yes. I tried the classic and honestly not worth the effort. Not that its so complicated but the all-in-one is amazingly idiot-proof. Trust me, I'm an idiot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Don't expect a sponge like the ones in local bakeries here. This is a full-bodied PG13 version. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>Delia Smith's All-in-One Sponge</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>110g self raising flour + 1 tsp baking powder</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>110g butter (or margarine) at room temperature</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>110g caster sugar</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>2 large eggs</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>2-3 drops vanilla essence</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>To finish: icing sugar, jam, lemon curd or fresh cream</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Pre-heat oven to 170C and line 2 x 7" round tins with greaseproof paper</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>1) Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Sift from good height to give the flour a good airing</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>2) Simply add all the other ingredient into the flour mixture and mix thoroughly. If the mixture doesn't drop off a wooden spoon easily, add 1-2 tbls hot water to loosen.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>3) Divide between the 2 tins and bake for 30 mins ( I found I only needed 20 mins in my oven)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>4) Pop it out of the tins and cool on a wire rack the moment they come out of the oven. (Yes, its freaking hot to handle but don't question Delia!). Peel of the paper carefully.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>5) Once cooled, spread generously with jam and freshly whipped cream. Y-U-M-M-Y!</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>6) If you want more depth to the cake, increase mixture to 175g of flour, sugar (I only use 110g) and butter and use 3 eggs. Allow extra 5-10mins cooking time.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-81507564176439120222011-09-25T10:10:00.000+08:002011-09-25T10:10:49.303+08:00Lazy, Hazy Sunday<div style="text-align: justify;">Just when I thought the worst of the haze was over, I wake up to a thick blanket of smog hovering the usually beautiful KL skyline. Sigh... Its been a long time since my last post. Who has time to blog these days? Besides, its not like I've had much opportunity to dine out these days. So I guess I'm writing because Her Madesty has gone out to Gran's and I did manage to eat at a few new places recently. But, I'm not going to write about that today. Instead, I'll just say "Hello" with breakfast this morning.</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrIfZC8dJYjyIxEBTLPNE6Y25EQ_w-nuQwaNNfWwUgzHosM7kKpu1ZKRxpDQOERZvJqAdRphYR_lycRdgXMM8XIKVPXOh1isZQW6v7nylpIY48pE1aM27rrua9L4ZQjH0k7in/s1600/panckae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrIfZC8dJYjyIxEBTLPNE6Y25EQ_w-nuQwaNNfWwUgzHosM7kKpu1ZKRxpDQOERZvJqAdRphYR_lycRdgXMM8XIKVPXOh1isZQW6v7nylpIY48pE1aM27rrua9L4ZQjH0k7in/s640/panckae.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jamie Oliver's pancakes with bacon & maple syrup. This picture was actually taken a while back. This morning we had it with back bacon which just didn't taste quite as nice. Its a great pancake recipe and soooo easy. Love it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 eggs, separated</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">115g plain flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 heaped tsp baking powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">pinch salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">140ml milk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks and set aside. Combine all the other ingredients together. Fold in 1/4 of egg whites into mixture to loosen in. Then fold in remainder of egg whites. Heat non-stick pan on medium heat and pour 1 ladle full of pancake mixture in. Wait until bubbles start to appear on surface before flipping over. Voila! Makes 5 x 5" (diameter) pancakes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Sunday everybody!</div></div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-61285238886343109362011-05-16T17:53:00.006+08:002011-05-16T20:30:04.514+08:00Porky Pizzas at 101 Express<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Thin crust pizza with REAL salami!</i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJwzDdkBWr6e6gRJ8kJV_u2GTEQ6hd7sL_kmarAGznKt9R0Uci95nlc0gs4_WTKJLbB5qABF-r5KFAM1haZvhbBAtxMe90eOHs1XL0xFRfIWGlPWVZM7u6rhGmjF3bP9bjAvV/s1600/IMG_2536.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1UknP75uHN5j1QPGl2CUWQ7foor7UaYEay636McBGjZ7DKxFe1p_co714V5s467tlYM_NQNqiJsDzNyDDlySBjTLtiS3_pwTJEPHH2NstFbJnamSCWFSMQeYt0GM_vGpPba-2/s1600/IMG_2535.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1UknP75uHN5j1QPGl2CUWQ7foor7UaYEay636McBGjZ7DKxFe1p_co714V5s467tlYM_NQNqiJsDzNyDDlySBjTLtiS3_pwTJEPHH2NstFbJnamSCWFSMQeYt0GM_vGpPba-2/s400/IMG_2535.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607261809574871218" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">With shopping malls sprouting faster than fungus in this country, the older malls fade away into the dusty background of our minds. Gone were the heydays of Ampang Park, Yow Chuan Plaza and Lot 10. Nobody wants to wander in their dark and gloomy corridors anymore. Well, Lot 10 has had a revamp but theres still something quite gloomy about the place. One dusty old shopping mall is still buzzing with youthful energy and thats my favourite, Sungei Wang Plaza. This place is great! You can buy almost anything here! Its been a while since I've been and I'm happy to see that its still crazy busy on a weekday. However, I am very sad that HK Noodle House is no longer there. Replaced by Snow freaking Flake?! Com'onnnn! Anyway I digress. So I hear about this pizza place with porky toppings and I think, "Finally!". After all, 90% of the people in there are Chinese! How come its taken this long eh? Oh well, better late than never. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">101 Express is a small kiosk located just inside the Sungei Wang entrance of the skybridge that links Lot 10 and Sg Wang together. Its a takeaway place with several bar stools for dining at the counter. Its not a big menu but I always believe in quality over quantity anyway. We tried the salami pizza, <i>siew yoke</i> & capsicum and the bacon & egg pizza. Sis ordered a soft drink and asked for ice but they didn't have any. We didn't have to wait very long at all. Soon our pizzas literally came out of the oven and onto our plates. Love the thin crust and the assortment of porky toppings! My favourite was the bacon & egg. Generous bacon bits and a barely set egg yolk. Yum! How can you go wrong with that combination really. Pizzas cost RM16 each and can feed two or one hungry person. I'd like to go back and try the <i>nam yue</i> pizza. Should be quite interesting. Chinese cheese?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJwzDdkBWr6e6gRJ8kJV_u2GTEQ6hd7sL_kmarAGznKt9R0Uci95nlc0gs4_WTKJLbB5qABF-r5KFAM1haZvhbBAtxMe90eOHs1XL0xFRfIWGlPWVZM7u6rhGmjF3bP9bjAvV/s400/IMG_2536.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607261812897918130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;">101 Express - 1st Floor Sungai Wang Plaza (same floor as Esquire Kitchen). Tel 0162038747</span></div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-85284778955352884552011-02-28T17:22:00.003+08:002011-02-28T18:16:43.886+08:00Levain Boulangerie Pattisserie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyyQeqfZaLCacw98M5ZACBN0qv3MIHUTKy-AxGPrs1H-Bi1cB_xDFE4-DgTJfNa6aZxEB8rvg8Q_2iZ7q-x_5JNl90iwWlDi6PttBl7WumRTAkB_3M2DsumNXTHvFKfITr-06/s1600/photo-9.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 640px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyyQeqfZaLCacw98M5ZACBN0qv3MIHUTKy-AxGPrs1H-Bi1cB_xDFE4-DgTJfNa6aZxEB8rvg8Q_2iZ7q-x_5JNl90iwWlDi6PttBl7WumRTAkB_3M2DsumNXTHvFKfITr-06/s640/photo-9.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578679860466264066" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">When my mum first told me about this bakery I thought she was trying to tell me that it was Lavender. I couldn't help it because she kept saying "La something. La wane...La wen..." She had brought back an assortment of buns and she was telling us how busy and packed to the brim the bakery was. After tasting their little pizzas, I decided to go check it out. What a dumb idea to go after lunch because the place was just heaving with office people. I can't believe its an actual stand alone bungalow right next to Fukuya on Jalan Delima. The moment I stepped inside my first thought was "Ipoh"! Firstly the twee decor but more importantly, the hordes of Chinese people! Never have I seen such a big gathering of Chinese people in 1) a bakery and 2) a <i>porkless</i> bakery!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This place is huge! There is the bakery to the left when you walk in and the rest of it is dining area that extends upstairs. I was disappointed that they didn't have much left on offer at the bakery. Or rather nothing that interest me. I saw people crowding around the chocolate log bread. A striped log of soft white bread with streaks of chocolate. It just tastes like you've been too stingy with the chocolate spread. They have a maple flavoured one too which I'm sure is probably more exciting. I like the mini pizzas which are crisp and not doughy like at most bakeries. And the mushroom cheese bun is yummy as is the cream cheese danish. We sat down to have a coffee and I must say, the coffee is better than a lot of restaurants I have been to in KL. I also sampled their macarons which must be the cheapest in town. (They are RM3.60 a piece if you buy 1-3 and he price drops to RM3.00 each when you buy more than 10). There is a reason why they are cheap too. They weren't bad per se. The texture is nice and its a little on the sweet side but they don't use real fruit to flavour their macarons. I particularly enjoyed the junky taste of the orange macaron with its orange essence because I love my orange creams! The colours are rather vivid in various neon shades.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't mean to sound like I'm slagging the place off because I do like some of their stuff but honestly I don't get what the big deal is. The bread here is just like every other bakery in KL. Yes, they have some more exciting flavours on offer such as the mentaiko baguette but at the end of the day, its still soft fluffy sweet white bread. </div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-30875335879862903162011-02-16T17:35:00.008+08:002011-02-16T19:42:31.179+08:00F by Buffalo Kitchen<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2OQRCykRNjdzMsGRIIvTYcYMoyAVqmQZuFU9gtE5CfZU3mwhr-yPxcbbyXiHpBGghCVG10tVPP7cpQXwhwqkgic0mASNTlcCCUgNgHPEFDiPaG1VbvD5dqv4_CSyA-He089V/s1600/fbuffalo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2OQRCykRNjdzMsGRIIvTYcYMoyAVqmQZuFU9gtE5CfZU3mwhr-yPxcbbyXiHpBGghCVG10tVPP7cpQXwhwqkgic0mASNTlcCCUgNgHPEFDiPaG1VbvD5dqv4_CSyA-He089V/s640/fbuffalo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574243578822169906" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Yes, the name of the restaurant is F. Like most people, Hunky and I read it as just Buffalo Kitchen. I was anticipating the opening of this restaurant as the black hoarding looked like it was going to deliver something sexy and unique. Boy was I wrong. With the arrival of Bean, dining out is rare opportunity which Hunky and I cherish. So one Sat afternoon, with Bean safely snoozing at my mother-in-law's, we headed to Bangsar for lunch. Hunky wanted to try Plan B but unfortunately they were full and I refused to queue. Queue for Plan B? You must be joking. So we headed to F instead. The upside on being on the first floor is the natural light flowing in from the windows. I guess the drawback would be the lack of traffic. An open kitchen greets you when first walk in. The cake display looked promising while the smell of coffee was intoxicating and that was a plus for me. We weren't sure what to expect judging from the appearance from the restaurant. The menu was a mishmash of japanese infused "western" food. I must say, absolutely nothing appealed to me while reading the menu. And the one thing that I was veering towards was unavailable. So I settled for a seared tuna salad and tenderloin steak while Hunky ordered soft shell crab and risotto. We settled into our surroundings and according to the information that was printed on the place mat, F prides themselves on serving simple, healthy and quality food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were given some bread and fifteen minutes later my salad arrived. Fresh mixed leaves with slices of seared tuna in a miso dressing. It was pretty good as the tuna was nicely done and the miso was a nice balance of sweet and salty. However, I was done eating my salad before Hunky's starter arrived. His soft shell crab done "two ways" consisted of two <i>pergedil-</i>looking cakes and a small piece of deep fried soft shell crab. Again, they were pleasant enough. Like I said earlier, it really was like pergedil as it was more potato and spices than anything. My sesame steak was a total miss. It came with some lotus root and fennel salad. The taste just didn't gel together for me. The sauce was really bland and the fennel salad was way too tart for the steak. Hunky's salmon was straight foward without any hint of japanesy influence. It was a nice and creamy risotto with a firm bite to the rice. Overall it was an average dining experience but we won't be returning anytime soon. Not because it was bad but because we just don't like the fusion, non-descript menu. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">F by Buffalo Kitchen is located above Chawan in Bangsar. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">69-1 Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, KL. Tel 03 22011710</div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23109063.post-15366314048894532052011-01-01T14:25:00.007+08:002011-01-02T11:22:09.765+08:00Happy New Year!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>Looking back, 2010 in food shots. Left to right from top:</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>1. Towards the end of my pregnancy I had serious cravings for ice kacang. This was from my favourite cheap and cheerful restaurant Suka at One Residency (Jalan Nagasari). </i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>2. Succuling pig in Ipoh - my parent's hometown and pure evil to the waistline</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>3. You know I can't resist fried beehoon! This one was from a teochew restaurant along Jalan Pahang. Eventhough it looks rather anaemic but its very delicious and aromatic thanks copious amounts of salted fish and pork lard.</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>4. My all time favourite tiramisu cake from Alexis but alas, 2010 marked the year of a definite downturn in quality. I hereby announce I will no longer be eating this cake anymore after several very disappointing visits in 2010.</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>5. The best ramen I've had in a long time! Marutama Ramen in Fahrenheit 88. O-M-G! Have you ever tasted anything so buttery?! Its like butter broth. Farck! How can it go wrong really?!</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>6. Strolling along the aisles in Selfridges, Hunky and I spotted Baconnaise! Sounds wrong but you know you get in there with a spoon.</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>7. Red velvet cake - this decade's tiramisu?</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>8. The magical world of Heston Blumenthal. The most unforgettable meal of 2010.</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>9. Pregnancy cravings once more at The Daily Grind. Chicken maryland! Fried chicken with onion gravy, grilled bananas, coleslaw and cornbread. Is that a complete meal of what?!</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>10. Lots of baking done in 2010 - will I have time now that the bun is out of the oven?</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>11. Roast pork at Yut Kee - love my weekend brunches here. </i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>12. My last holiday for a looong time I think. "Chan village noodles" in Shenzen. Moreish! Who needs to shop when you can eat all day?!</i></span></div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYXVkNDWGT1KTXUlVAd67Ed32ZLPZ3ZJr2NQvv4uTr7UNuelnIM-foU3SWl8AHaJzjRBwappTO2tN724VHesM_wxpEqE58fTPzh7vOp2ZBP3JEA-InWhPidt5bdeU8vdiV-J6/s640/2010+food.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557119918888654530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 640px; " /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wow! I know I say this every year but really, 2010 really went by in a flash. It was made even more apparent because I was pregnant. I remember the denial and shock when I first found out and the next thing I knew I was waddling and peeing every 15 minutes and then pop! Welcome baby! Seriously, I want to apply the brakes because I want to savour every minute which seems to fly by like nanoseconds. And here I am, the last day of confinement (wheeee!) and baby is almost a month old. 2010 was a ride. It was fun, a little scary for the fainthearted (me) and exciting. I really truly feel blessed. I am so thankful for my friends who have provided me with laughter and comfort. For my husband who makes me laugh and makes me feel safe, gorgeous, loved and adored (thank you for not running away during the hormonal days!). For my family who irritate the hell out of me sometimes but I wouldn't have it any other way.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Heres to 2011! Wishing all of us a year of discovery, peace, friendship, deliciousness, love and laughter! Happy new year!</div>Rarebeethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833751740789015509noreply@blogger.com11