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Jamie Oliver is my dream guy! Not only is he cute, he's a great cook. But come to think of it, I actually don't need my guy to whip up a meal for me because I find cooking therapeutic and I enjoy cooking for my loved ones(just like Oliver!). As long as he can wash the dishes after the meal, I think that is good enough. Haha! I'd love to have a fully equipped kitchen like Oliver's and a backyard to grow my own herbs. Right now, I can only make do with Mum's kitchen and McCormick's herbs. Those fresh ones are not easily available and can be really expensive! :(
Anyway, I got Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food from K as my early X'mas present(actually I requested for it). :P I can't wait to try making paella, a cracking burger, perfect roast chicken, baked cod wrapped in bacon with rosemary, baked french potatoes, baked camembert pasta and many many more! *drools*
This book contains a range of simple recipes and is actually inspired by people Oliver has met who thought they could never and would never learn how to cook. Regardless, this book is for a reluctant beginner as well as a good cook who just appreciates simplicity. Why Ministry of Food? It's a food movement called pass it on which Oliver has started. "On the surface it's quite simply about friends teaching friends how to cook good, honest, affordable food and just generally be a bit more streetwise about cooking." To learn more, buy a copy and pass it on! ;)
My friend and I stopped by Jones The Grocer for tea break after visiting an art flea market organised by House some time back. I'm still planning to go back there for breakfast and free coffee as L promised. :P
Anyway, this lemon tart by Gordon Ramsay was really good. It was sweet and zingy. Melts in your mouth... and very fattening. But who cares when heavenly temptations like this can de-stress you like no other.
Next to curry, I believe otah (or otak) is something I can't live without. So far, the best commercialised otah I've tried is from Lee Wee & Brothers. Whenever we have a BBQ or party, there'll be Lee Wee & Brothers' Otah. Other than that, mum makes pretty decent otah from scatch too. The difficult part is making the chilli actually.
Anyway, I happened to go Muar for a wedding shoot a month back. The couple is nice enough to bring me around and more importantly, introduced me to Muar's famous otah. Even restaurants serve otah as their signature dishes.
Muar is a really small city in Johor. As they joked, there's only one straight road. The otah "shop" is situated at a residential property somewhere in the city. I think that supports the idea that the otahs are homemade. Haha! However, when you stepped into the house, there was no sofa, tv or such. Commercial freezers occupied the living area with a little cashier counter near the doorway. 
The otah comes in two sizes. RM4 for small pack and RM5 for big. I didn't actually see the difference in weight bought grabbed many of the big ones. Besides fish otah, there's also prawn and sotong flavours which the boss claimed they are catered to Singaporeans.
I wrapped it in aluminum foil and cooked it in the oven for 15 minutes. If you prefer it a little crispy and burnt, open it up to grill for another 5 minutes. Over there, they usually steam it. 10 minutes will do.
Some otah are made with fish paste but you can taste the fish meat in this which is why I like it. However, it's not spicy enough and kind of fishy at certain parts especially with the skin on. I'll request W to buy me other brands to try next time she visits Muar. :P
You can also try to make fried otah omelette by smashing up the otah and mixing it with egg.
Frozen Muar otah is available at supermarket in Singapore but how authentic and fresh it is I'm not so sure. I think next time I should ring Otah Boy up when I'm planning for a gathering.
Entering a bakery is very much like shopping in a fashion boutique these days. Bread of all attractive shapes, designs, flavours and even names. One is really spoiled for choice. Even our neighbourhood bakeries no longer offer regular buns at $0.40 each. That is also why whenever my friends and I are around Upper Thomson, Whampoa or Serangoon Gardens area, we never hesitate to drop by the traditional confectionery for some nostalgic taste of yesterday. As T loves local bread, and with our failed attempt two years back, we decided to pick up bread-making from my cousin who is a great baker.
Ingredients for dough:
480g bread flour
120g plain flour
130g fine sugar
10g fine salt
20g milk powder
11g yeast
1 egg yolk
60g butter
300ml water (chilled overnight)
Directions: Combine bread flour, plain flour, sugar, salt, milk powder and yeast in a mixing bowl.
Add beaten egg yolk and butter and mix well, breaking up lumps.
Add water slowly until dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Coat table top and hands with bread flour.
Divide dough into small portions (depending on size of bun you desire).
Use a roller to flatten dough to form an elongated shape.
Place ingredient(can be raw) at the edge of dough and wrap it up by rolling.
Let them stand for an hour, covering with a damp cloth.
Brush egg yolk on bread and bake in oven at about 150ºC for about 20-30mins or until brown.
Quickly brush butter on buns when they are ready.
Otah, ham & cheese, luncheon meat and hotdog! Life's simple pleasure. Best served warm!
If you prefer to feast your eyes with fancier buns, feel free to use the same dough recipe and create your own. I'm so going to make my own curry buns the next time round. And definitely other prettier ones because it was really fun. :D
By the way, the otah filling is from from Muar, which I will blog about, later. :)
I'm those who'll pick fried hokkien mee over fried kway teow. Simply because fried kway teow is sweet for my liking. The only fried kway teow stall I patronise is the one at Army Market. No pork, no lard and served with a healthy portion of vegie. That's however not the main reason for I'm not a health conscious person. It's the special touch of crispy and savoury fried ikan billis toppings that somehow neutralised the sweetness a little. But no, this isn't the savoury fried kway teow I'm going to introduce today. The first time I tried the authentic Penang Fried Kway Teow was in Penang itself. It was savoury! I fell in love with it instantly and tried the same dish from different stalls for every meal. And they were all just as tasty. My friend W, who is from Penang, was amazed by liking for Penang Fried Kway Teow and my huge appetite. :P So, she was quick to introduce me to Jason Penang Cuisine when she discovered the stall at ABC Brickwork Market. This was the closest thing to the one from Penang. The kway teow (flat rice noodles) was the skinny type, unlike some places that used the thicker version instead. Served with a generous serving of clams and fresh prawns, it was spicy and yes, savoury. The bean sprouts cut down the oiliness and they wasn't too cooked or soggy.
W just asked me to a Penang buffet in the West which she heard is pretty good. I don't fancy Asam Laksa or Chendol and wonder how much worth of Penang Fried Kway Teow can I gobble up. :P Oh, I do like Penang Hokkien Prawn Mee too. Exactly how unhealthy (and gluttonous) can I get? :P
My memory of a fulfilling bowl of Lor Mee is from Amoy Market I had when I was working during vacation more than 10 years ago. Interestingly, I found out that the Lor Mee stall's owners happened to be my ex-colleague's parents 10 years later. Anyway, her mum has rented out the stall (still selling the good old Lor Mee) ever since her dad passed away. :(
Anyway, I only discovered how satisfying this bowl of Shark Meat Lor Mee ($3.00) from Tiong Bahru Market was lately.
Be prepared to queue unless you plan to go during off-peak hours. The portion of noodles was really small but the shark meat was pretty generous. This is one rare occasion when I finished up the noodles before the ingredients. The shark meat was deep-fried to perfection, not too oily or dry. The extra bits and pieces of deep-fried crisps added more bite to the gooey noodles covered with thick and tasty gravy. Other ingredients include slices of fishcake, pork belly and bean sprouts. Importantly, add lots of garlic, chillies and vinegar for extra kick! Attack!
I used to work with a client marketing shark fin during my advertising days. He educated me that they, as responsible fishing partners, do not condone indiscriminate fishing practices by disposing the sharks back to the sea cruelly after removing their fins. But, they actively advocate purchasing the whole carcass of the shark for its bones and meat.
It makes me wonder if consuming shark's meat is as cruel as eating its fins. Nevertheless, I enjoyed both. :P Well, you can opt for the regular Lor Mee at $2.00 if you're a conservationist. ;)
These are mini croquettes ($3.00 for bag of 5) I bought from a Japanese food fair at Takashimaya basement level. There are many other interesting Japanese snacks and food. I think it ends in October so it's still not too late to pop by if you plan to head town the next few days.
What's so special about these croquettes is that they come with a pack of seasoning. Two flavours to choose from, black pepper or consommé. I thought black pepper was too expected so I bought the consommé. What you have to do before eating is like the steps you do with the seasoned fries from Mc Donalds or Mamee Noodles. Sprinkle the seasoning into the bag of croquettes, grab the opening and shake it. Tear open along the dotted line and enjoy! It was a tad too salty because greedy me added the whole pack of seasoning. :P
To me, Russia is the place of birth of countless classic cameras. To me, Russia is the largest country in the world. To me, Russia is a stranger. And that includes Russian food.
There are probably only a few Russian restaurants in Singapore, and Shashlik Restaurant being the most popular, is a must-try since I don't think I'll ever get to visit Russia in my lifetime. The name Shashlik or shashlyk comes from a popular skewered dish throughout the former Soviet Union and Mongolia.
Shashlik transports one back into the 70s with waiters and waitresses, mostly between their 50s and 60s, dressed in maroon vest, pushing wooden trolleys in a dimly lit restaurant tucked in a corner of Far East Shopping Center. Reservation is recommended regardless of its secluded location.
I shall start with the desserts because they are what made my heart melt. My favourite is the Cherry Jubilee ($16.00, serves 2). It was "cooked" and prepared before our eyes.
The warm cherries soaked in liquor blended perfectly with the melting ice-cream. Every mouthful was love at first bite.
The Baked Alaska ($16.00, serves 2) is ice-cream cake with meringue covered with mountain of whipped cream, drizzled with rum and heated to crisp. It was heaven on earth.
The desserts are so popular that they have to restrict diners from coming just for desserts because of the limited seats, especially during weekends.
The mains are mostly steaks and skewers. Shashlik Beef ($25.00) is Russian beef kebabs, tender, tasty and perfectly seasoned. Shashlik Pork ($22.00) is not too dry or tough but palatable even when I'm "semi-halal".
Steak a la Russe ($26.00) is good too but tasted like regular European food.
These mains were served with "Russian Salad".
This is some caviar-stuffed-eggs appetiser I had on my first visit. Can't remember the actual name, price or taste. So I guess it isn't worth trying. :P
Many complained about their poor service but I haven't experienced anything indigestive. Apart from the bad reviews on their service (and my bad pictures), Shashlik is definitely worth trying even when it usually totals up to $40-$50 per person for a full meal. Just remember to leave some room for desserts!
On a separate note, I got to taste some unique and interesting Russian food a couple of months ago at Russ'a Delights, Sim Lim Square foodcourt. Very excited to open my appetite and welcome new flavours as I'm always curious about Russian cuisines, I ordered the unfamiliar Kotlety ($7.90) and cabbage rolls ($4.90).
They were quite decent and flavourful. I wikipedia-ed and figured that they were Russia local delights. Unfortunately, before I can get to know Russian food a little better, the stall has wound up.
To date, Russia still remains as a strange but special place.
*Really sorry for the lousy pictures as the place was really dim and they were shot with my hp. :(
