Eat Out: Singapore Favourite Food Village 2013

Are you looking forward to this year SFF? It will be held at Bayfront Avenue(Marina Bay)-next to Bayfront MRT station from this Friday 12-21 July 2013.

Over there, You get a chance to taste all 20 local dishes at 1 location. The difference between this year dishes from last year is that you get to discover local dishes from some hidden treasures (votes from sg.openrice.com/SFF).

This Hokkien style Ngoh Hiong is from one of the top-voted vendors- China Street Fritters, Maxwell Food Centre Stall 64.

It is quite hard to find traditional hokkien style Ngoh Hiong nowadays. I ordered 3 items with beehoon, costed $2.90.

The owner preserved their family recipe dated back over 60 years ago and till now they still hand made all items.
Open Tues to Sunday, 12pm-8pm.

This top voted Rojak is from Apa Kitchen at Great World City Food Court. The difference between this Rojak and the rest is that many "uncommon" fruits are used: green papaya, green mango, guava, rose apple, on top of pineapple, cucumber, Chinese turnip etc. The rojak sauce that they used is also slightly different. And this Rojak is actually Johor style.

Rojak at $4/5/6.
You can buy their signature sauce at $6/jar.

If you like Briyani, maybe you will know top voted Sakunthala's Food Palace. This restaurant is at 66 Race Course Road. The Briyani set consist of rice, side dishes and choice of meat curry. I like fish curry and chicken curry. A plate like this costed $9.50.

If prata is what you are looking for, you may want to try top voted Thondamans Indian Muslim food. Address: 15 Norris Road. Besides normal prata, They also served tissue prata, chocolate prata, banana prata and strawberry prata.

We like their tissue prata and chocolate prata. Price range from $1-$2.50.

Besides all these local dishes, you can also find House of Seafood Chilli Crab, The Beef House Beef Soup, Muthu's Curry Curry Fish Head, QQ Soya Bean Tau Huay etc.

SFF village (12-21 July 2013) will be open from 11am-11pm. Admission is free.
Payment mode: just use your FlashPay Card.

Eat Out: Shabu Sai

Do you like my new template? Thought this is neater and clean cut. Pardon me for not posting this earlier as I was busy with my own holiday trip and also a filming commitment.

I was at Shabu Sai for a food tasting session. Guess you must have heard of this restaurant? Their first outlet is at Causeway Point(opened in Dec 12). I went to their second outlet, which is at Orchard Central(opened in May 13).

I like the fact that the price is very affordable and value for money. For example, per pax $16.99++, you get to experience a sumptuous steamboat buffet lunch.

There are 7 soup bases to choose from, and every 2 months a special soup base will be featured. For May-June 2013(till 30 June 13), on top of the 6 soup bases: Seaweed, Sukiyaki, spicy, curry, tonkatsu and tomato soup(as menu below), you can also choose Yuzu Salt Beauty Hotpot soup base. This is very suitable for the ladies as this soup is full of collagen and you get to taste the freshness from the Yuzu. For July-Aug, do check out their special soup base- Seafood Shoyu.

如果你喜欢吃火锅，你一定会喜欢这家日式自助火锅餐馆-Shabu Sai.这里有多达7种汤底让你选，6月份还有独特柚子美容汤底可选择，让你的皮肤水挡挡。价格也很合理，周日午餐时间，每人才$16。99++。你除了可以吃到无限供应的新鲜肉类：牛肉片、猪肉片和鸡肉片，还可以自己挑新鲜海鲜如虾、淡菜、墨鱼，面类、蔬菜和菇类。我很喜欢装在竹筒的牛肉胶和鱼胶。牛肉胶腌得很入味，鱼胶则非常嫩滑。你非吃不可！

这里的汤底选择多而且特别，有咖哩汤底、番茄汤底、海苔汤底等等。要多吃不腻，我建议sukiyaki汤底。此汤底会让你越喝越想喝。

附加$1。99++，你还可以享用无限供应饮料和雪糕。

写了这么多，我又想回去再回味个中美味。

If you like to try something special, you can choose curry soup base or the tomato soup base. I like both, but you may find it too rich after awhile as it absorb all the sweetness from the ingredients. I highly recommend the Sukiyaki soup base as it is clear but yet capture all the sweetness from the ingredients. Means汤会越喝越甜且不腻。and it complement all the ingredients especially the thinly sliced white radish, vegetable and mushroom very well. With this soup base, You don't even need to dip any sauce!

I also like the fact that you can order the free flow fresh meat(thinly sliced pork, chicken and pork) you like and the waiter will serve to you.

On top of that, you can choose other ingredients from the buffet counter. Don't miss the signature minced beef paste and fish paste served in bamboo. The bamboo has anti bacterial properties that protect the freshness of the meat.
I loved the well marinated beef paste, so flavorful.

The buffet counter also have a spread of fresh prawn, mussels, squid, salmon rice, udon, soba, vegetables, mushrooms, sushi etc.

As for the dip, you can mix and match the garnish and sauce to your liking. If you want to eat like a Japanese, you can choose the ponzu sauce or the sesame sauce. For me, I like to mix and match to my liking, I added sesame paste, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, abit of ginger, fried onion, and alot of coriander leaves.

If you pay additional $1.99++, you get free flow drinks including soft drinks, hot green tea, hot barley tea and soft ice cream.

Lunch
weekday: Mon-Fri- adult:$16.99++, *child:$9.99++. weekend and PH - adult:$19.99++, *child:$9.99++.

Dinner
weekday: Mon-Fri- adult:$24.99++, *child:$9.99++. weekend and PH - adult:$29.99++, *child:$9.99++.

*child: 5-9 years old. 4 years old and below, dine for free.

Weekday Lunch: 11.30am-3pm, dinner: 6pm-10.30pm
Weekends and PH: 11.30am-10.30pm

Address: #08-09/10/11, Orchard Central. Tel: 68846760.

Taiwanese street food - Gua Bao 刈包

One of my favorite Taiwanese street food is this - 刈包 Gua Bao. Although there are more and more Taiwanese street food stores and restaurants in Singapore, but not many serve this street food. Since this month AB theme is Bao, I shall recreate this bao and bring back the taste I have been craving.

Gua bao in my interpretation is 扣肉包 with 咸菜 and 花生。This combi actually add crisp, taste and texture to the normal 扣肉包, and make this Bao so irresistible and unforgettable.
I adopted this 扣肉 recipe for the pork(I used lean meat as it is healthier, in Taiwan you can also choose lean meat to go with this Bao). And used back my previous recipe for Bao. I did a short cut for the 咸菜 and grounded peanut: bought 咸菜 in a bottle and ready made ground peanut.

扣肉recipe:
Ingredients:
1 pack of lean pork meat (sliced)
1 tsp Hua Diao wine
1 tbsp ginger, onion, garlic (diced)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp Five spice powder
2 small cube of rock sugar
Some pepper

Method:
1. Fry ginger and garlic till fragrant. Add onion and fry till golden brown.
2. Add sliced pork, fry till cooked.
3. Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, wine, five spice powder, rock sugar, pepper and stir fry.
4. Add some water. Turn to high heat and wait to boil.
5. Turn to low heat and simmer for 1 hour. Set aside.

Bao Skin Ingredients: (about 10 Bao)
175 gm bao flour sifted with 1/2 tsp double action baking powder
Mix together - 100 ml lukewarm water, 20 gm caster sugar and 1/8 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1/2 tbsp shortening

Method:
1. Add yeast to the water mixture. Let yeast rest and foam up abit before adding flour. Mix well.
2. Knead to form dough and add shortening and continue to knead till smooth and shiny.
3. Let dough rise to double the size, about 1/2 to 1 hour. Remove dough to a floured surface, punch down dough and divide into equal portions. Shape into oval shape and fold slightly into half.
4. Leave to proof for 15 - 20 minutes.
5. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes. Off heat and leave paus for a further 3 minutes before uncovering to cool on rack. This is to prevent wrinkle, rough skin.

6. Open the Bao skin, fill with cooked lean meat and top with 咸菜 and ground peanut. Ready to serve.

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #31 - Bao Ho-Chiak (May 2013) hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders.

Parmesan Cheese Chiffon Cake

These days I am into Chiffon Cake, after the successful attempt of Yuan yang Chiffon Cake. I always like the spongy texture of Chiffon Cake, and since now I can make my own, as and when I want to eat or crave for Chiffon cake, I will start baking.

Few months ago, I bought a bottle of Parmesan cheese powder. It's expiring in 2 months time and I still have not used it. So I thought maybe I can google and see if there's any cake recipe that call for Parmesan cheese powder. True enough, I read some good reviews of Parmesan cheese chiffon cake. So I used the previous chiffon cake recipe and use permesan cheese as one of the ingredient. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
10g caster sugar
35g permesan cheese powder
50ml water
20ml cooking oil (I used Canola oil)
50g self-raising flour

2 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
50g caster sugar

Method:
1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar till slightly pale.
2. Add water and oil into the egg yolk batter. Fold in the permesan cheese powder and flour.
3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until mixture is foamy. Gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff peak form.
4. Gently fold beaten egg white into egg yolk batter until blended in 3 batches.
5. Pour batter into ungreased chiffon mould. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180 deg C for the 1st 10 minutes, then reduce to 170 deg C for the next 30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and invert cake immediately until it is completely cool (I let it rest in oven for 5 minutes with door slightly open before invert, in case the cake shrink).
7. Cool completely before remove cake from mould and serve.

Green Tea Kaya Pau 绿茶甜包

Think I make bao make 上瘾. This time, I steam dessert包。I used the same recipe of pork bao that I made days ago, just added green tea powder(that explain the green colour skin). For the filling, I used the jar of Kaya in my fridge that is expiring soon.

I like to see how my dough become bigger and bigger when it 发. Maybe I let it prove for too long or I did not add enough shortening, this time the skin is not very soft and quite chewy and it stick to my teeth. Lesson learnt: don't prove your dough for too long? Can anyone tell me what caused the chewiness?

Bao Skin Ingredients: (I halved the quantity this time)
350 gm plain flour sifted with 1 tsp double action baking powder
Mix together - 200 ml lukewarm water, 40 gm caster sugar and 1/4 tsp vinegar
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp shortening

Filling: 1/2 jar of Kaya

Method:
1. Add yeast to the water mixture. Let yeast rest and foam up abit before adding flour. Mix well.
2. Knead to form dough and add shortening and continue to knead till smooth and shiny.
3. Let dough rise to double the size, about 1/2 hour. Remove dough to a floured surface, punch down dough and divide into equal portions. Shape into a smooth ball. Set aside to add kaya filling and shape into round shape.
4. Leave to prove for 15 - 20 minutes.
5. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes in bamboo steamer. Off heat and leave bao for a further 3 minutes before uncovering to cool on rack. This is to prevent wrinkle, rough skin.

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #31 - Bao Ho-Chiak (May 2013) hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders.

Easy Oven Cooked Enoki Mushroom with Tofu 烤豆腐与金针菇

This is by far the easiest and no fail dish that I always cook. I did not follow any recipe for this dish as this is A dish I just thought of and put ingredients in oven. the two main ingredients are only 豆腐and 金针菇（enoki mushroom）. These two ingredients can easily be found in any supermarket and they are not expensive. I like it as it can be a healthy dish: Enoki mushroom is a good source of amino acid and tofu is a good source of iron and magnesium.
Before serve, I like to top with spring onion and coriander to bring out the flavour. I also use truffle salt instead of normal sea salt as it helps to bring out the flavour and sweetness of Enoki Mushroom.

Ingredient:
1 pkt of Enoki mushroom
1 tube of tofu (or egg tofu)
(optional) spring onion and coriander

Seasoning:
A pinch of salt and black pepper
1 tbsp Olive oil

Method:
1. Wash mushroom and tofu. Place on plate.
2. Drizzle olive oil on mushroom and tofu.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper.
4. Put into 170 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes.
5. Sprinkle spring onion and coriander before serve.

I'm linking this post to Little Thumbs Up event, hosted by Joyce,
kitchen flavours, organized by Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids and Doreen for my little favourite D.I.Y.

Pork Bao 大包 (first attempt)

Can you believe this is my first attempt making bao? Yes, 千真万确. Why 大包(pork bao with hard boiled egg) out of so many other bao? Because I missed my mom version of pork bao and I want to recreate what she made last time.

Although this is my first attempt, and I did not use bread maker(as original recipe) to make these bao, but I am very happy with the result! I loved how my filling taste and I loved the bao skin, so tender and fragrant. As for the colour of the bao, may not be white as I do not have hk flour or bao flour that is why I choose this recipe without using the above flour. The skin colour turned out to be light yellow. Even so, I am still very proud of myself.

Some Da bao that I bought before did not have hard boiled egg(disappointed!) I loved my bao with hard boiled egg. So of course I won't miss it. Thanks to Kimmy for this recipe, I did some modification as below:

Ingredients for Meat Fillings:
250 gm minced meat
Marinate with:
1 tbsp each of soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, cooking wine;
A pinch of Hao chi seasoning and pepper
2 tsp cornflour
Leave overnight

2 hard boiled eggs - quartered

Bao Skin Ingredients:
350 gm plain flour sifted with 1 tsp double action baking powder
Mix together - 200 ml lukewarm water, 40 gm caster sugar and 1/4 tsp vinegar
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp shortening

Method:
1. Add yeast to the water mixture. Let yeast rest and foam up abit before adding flour. Mix well.
2. Knead to form dough and add shortening and continue to knead till smooth and shiny.
3. Let dough rise to double the size, about 1/2 hour. Remove dough to a floured surface, punch down dough and divide into equal portions. Shape into a smooth ball. Set aside to add meat filling and hard boiled egg and shape into pleated bao.
4. Leave to prove for 15 - 20 minutes.
5. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes in bamboo steamer. Off heat and leave paus for a further 3 minutes before uncovering to cool on rack. This is to prevent wrinkle, rough skin.

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #31 - Bao Ho-Chiak (May 2013) hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders.

AB #30 - It's Tea Time! Round Up

Wow! This is really a awesome Tea Time! It's my pleasure to host this month AB theme and Thank you so much for your contributions and support. You have made this Tea Time interesting, with a spread of 53 Beautiful items ! 掌声鼓励鼓励！:)

I am very thrilled to receive all your posts in the month of April 2013. It not only give me the opportunity to e-meeting all the food bloggers here, but also give me a chance to get to know you and your blogs(some blogs I may have missed or did not have a chance to come across) ! All your work really make me drool and inspired me to try some of the recipes. Hope you also feel the same and as excited as I do.

So, please enjoy this sumptuous Tea Break and "lim teh"! 一起来品茶吧！ Let's start from the first entry onwards. (do let me know if I missed out any)

1. Green Tea Chiffon in Cuppies by Genie of Honeybee916food

2. Glutinous Rice cake With jasmine Tea & Lotus Seeds by Choo Doris of Sumptuous Flavours

3. 日式绿茶蒸蛋糕 Green Tea Steamed Cake (Mushi Pan) by Min of Min's Blog

4. Green Tea Soya Pudding by Food Playground

5. Earl Grey Pound Cake by DG of Tested and Tasted

6. Pandan Peppermint Tea Cupcakes by Cindy of Willow's Wonders

7. Earl Grey Milk Tea Cake by pengskitchen.blogspot.com

8. Matcha Cheesecake Tart by Happy Homebaker of Happy Home Baking

9. Earl Grey Sponge Cupcake by Baking Science

10. Matcha cake sushi rolls by Baking into the Ether (http://bakingintotheether.wordpress.com/)

11. Green Tea Ice Cream by Cheah of No-Frills Recipes

12. 枸杞桂花糕 by Jozelyn Ng of jozelynng.blogspot.com

13. Matcha Sponge Cupcake by Baking Science

14. 樱花蒸糕 Sakura Steamed Cake by Hippomamalai of 怡。然自得 Hippomama's Kitchen

15. Dilmah Tea Loaf by
Cheah of No-Frills Recipes

16. Earl Grey Chiffon Cupcakes by Li Ying of Happy Flour 

17. 日式绿茶蒸蛋糕 Mushi Pan by Angelic Heart of 启动生命的旋律

18. Matcha Chiffon Cake 烫面抹茶戚风蛋糕 by Jessie of Jessie-CookingMoments

19. Green Tea Crepes by pengskitchen.blogspot.com

20. Earl grey chiffon cake by CC of Dumpling Love

21. Matcha Chiffon Cake by SSB of Small Small Baker

22. Milktea Chiffon Cake by SSB of Small Small Baker

23. Matcha Cream Cheese Muffins by Happy Homebaker of Happy Home Baking

24. Banana Milk Tea Buns by pengskitchen.blogspot.com

25. 红糖奶茶戚风 by Joceline of Butter, Flour & Me

26. Lemon Tea 相思蛋糕 by Foodplayground

27. Green Tea Cheesecake bites by Baking Tray

28. Green Tea and white chocolate cookies by Baking Tray

29. Japanese Green Tea Cheesecake by Foodplayground

30. Earl Grey Tea Cake by Anncoo of Anncoo Journal

31. Orange Tea Butter Cake by Genie of Honeybee916food

32. 奶茶马芬·Milk Tea Muffins by Pet猫猫 of petsleepingpig.blogspot.com

33. Matcha chiffon cake by CC of Dumpling Love

34. Teh Si puff cakes by Noelle Chua of: Pinchofglamor

35. Earl Grey Tea Cookies by Foodplayground

36. 绿茶长崎蛋糕 by Joceline of Butter, Flour & Me

37. 蜂蜜绿茶面包（直接法）by Joceline of Butter, Flour & Me

38. Almond and rose tea butterfly cakes by The Land of Bakerie

39. Green Tea Swiss Roll by Esther Lau of Copycake Kitchen

40. 绿茶相思蛋糕by Joceline of Butter, Flour & Me

41. Milk Tea Cake·奶茶蛋糕 by Pet猫猫 of petsleepingpig.blogspot.com

42. Black Tea-Lemon Cornmeal Cupcakes by Jasline of Food Is My Life

43. Afternoon Tea with Chateau Rouge's Vanilla Rooibos by The Charmed Cupcake

44. Green Tea Cheesecake by
Tze of Awayofmind Bakery House

45. Yuan Yang Chiffon CakeBy Foodplayground

46. Eggless Matcha Red Bean Tiramisu by Vivian Pang of Vivian Pang Kitchen

47. 红茶相思蛋糕 by 茄子of 袅袅烘焙香

48. Earl Grey Macarons with Ganache by Alicia Lim, recipe adapted from Here

49. Matcha Cream Cheese Marble Chiffon Cake by Wendy Han / Wen of Wen’s Delight

50. Chamomile Chiffon Cake by Grace of Life can be Simple

51. Matcha adzuki layer cake by CC of Dumpling Love

52. Earl Grey Tea Butter Cake by:Keiko of dequeenkitchen.blogspot.sg

53. Black Tea Ogura Cake by Doreen/mui of my little favourite DIY


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What's next? To participate in Aspiring Bakers #31 - Bao Ho-Chiak 包好吃 (May 2013), hosted by Miss B of EEWIF, can refer Here.