tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60258492012-02-01T10:05:47.899+08:00The Delicious Appreciations of Pick YinPick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.comBlogger1361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-18668770444134242382012-01-30T17:09:00.001+08:002012-01-30T17:11:36.604+08:00

It's the eighth day into the Dragon year and I must admit I've enjoyed last week's indolent moments rather immensely. Most of my time in Kuala Lumpur was spent at home, doing next to nothing catching up with my reading and... Sherlock (yes, if you haven't heard already, this is a good one). All this while snacking on what seemed to be an endless supply of New Year cookies, arrowroot chips and

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-46254158616944685272012-01-19T15:06:00.010+08:002012-01-19T16:33:48.370+08:00

If "There would be no New Year without pineapple tarts!", then as a child I wouldn't have had any Chinese New Year at all. My mother, although she baked (yes, she no longer does, she has indeed 'thrown in the apron'), never made cookies for us kids. Much less the time consuming, finicky, hair pulling invention like the New Year pineapple tart - I don't even remember her buying them. She would

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-63277119233771370232012-01-16T16:18:00.001+08:002012-01-16T16:55:11.639+08:00

As kids, after giving up on feeding us just bread with peanut and jam for breakfast, my parents began introducing to my brother and I what most other parents did - cereal with milk. I didn't care much for Honey Stars, on the fence with Kellogg's Corn Flakes and addicted to Koko Krunch. When I was old enough to buy my own food, not a single cornflake came anywhere close to my bowl of cold milk.

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-67337137399489225542012-01-10T17:41:00.001+08:002012-01-13T10:43:15.370+08:00

I have a packet of store-bought puff pastry in the back of my freezer. But I haven't gotten around to using it for anything (although from all the Donna Hay Fast, Fresh and Simple episodes I've gone through, I could easily have made two or three dinners out of it). Instead, I'm sharing with you a post about this tart, in which I tell you to dust your rolling pin and make your own pastry. Now,

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-20406667213252784232012-01-03T14:03:00.008+08:002012-01-13T09:52:04.661+08:00

To be frank with you, I'd really rather skip January and move on to February if I can have it my way. After the Christmas mayhem topped by a full on four course dinner the night before New Years Eve, I looked at the calendar, blinked twice, almost had a panic attack and sighed. Chinese New Year tickets home are booked and I have two weeks to get the house - including a rather unsightly room - in

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-63649055010529049802011-12-30T11:32:00.030+08:002011-12-31T16:08:28.246+08:00

2011 has been fun for us. Talking so much about food not only brought us knowledge and growth in creativity but priceless new friendships and experiences we'd probably miss had it not been for this humble space. We hope you had as much good times as we did and didn't gain as many dress size as I.Update 31/12/2011: Click on the individual photos to go to the recipes posted this year.Thank you for

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-66310912990262268592011-12-28T14:33:00.005+08:002012-01-03T14:52:27.422+08:00

So, Christmas came and went, the big feasts cooked and downed and Boxing Day's excuses to spend more money made peace with. You're probably sitting in a cozy corner with a book in one hand and a mug of hot chocolate in the other, planning to do next to nothing and fix the next few dinners out of leftovers from the fridge till the next year arrives. Well, I had such grand plans, not to go into the

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-36959450074321271842011-12-24T10:54:00.003+08:002011-12-28T15:05:10.896+08:00

The past few days were madness. I was caught in the rain countless of times and barely avoided an onset of flu. The shops were filled with mobs, the train service went kaput a few times and Orchard Road flooded (yes, again). However, yours truly survived, coming home with presents, groceries enough to feed an army and even a couple of ornaments for the tree. A jar of apple cranberry chutney and

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-85013530035401962852011-12-19T16:54:00.005+08:002011-12-23T11:10:22.704+08:00

Since it's now less than a week before the force of Christmas be with us, I reckon I'd better come clean about something. These chocolate chip cookies were really what I wanted to make for my friend Jikon visiting from Australia last month, not these. The reason was simple. I've been given these for my last birthday and they were definitely worth all of David Leite's effort to research for the

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-56348447521465879982011-12-14T16:15:00.003+08:002011-12-20T14:18:38.974+08:00

Before we proceed with regular programming where I start telling you how some dried berries, flour, rolled oats, coconut and nuts partied together in these crunchy outside chewy inside rounds of somewhat breakfast worthy concoctions, allow me to indulge you with a preview of how we spent our recent short getaway. It involved a humongous 75,000 years old super volcanic lake, an island within an

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-79402653228046140252011-12-06T16:22:00.003+08:002011-12-14T16:31:02.120+08:00

I remember my first plate of risotto. It was lunch at an Italian restaurant in a hotel back in Kuala Lumpur where I was attending a hackers conference. (Yes, you read that right. In that other aspect of my life, I'm in a total nerd/geek zone.) The rice, like the restaurant I found myself in, was quite memorable. Cooked just to the right doneness and seasoned well enough without overpowering blobs

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-20593001017123525142011-12-02T10:08:00.007+08:002011-12-06T16:59:13.537+08:00

I'm sure by now you've gotten over the "What? It's December already? Where did the year go?" moment and recollected yourself just long enough to realize yes, it's that time of the year again. The time where at most places and offices, it's largely an unproductive month and work just gets literally dragged in that festive, oh-that-can-wait-till-later slow motion mood. (I wonder why Pope Gregory

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-38945791737131590742011-11-28T13:59:00.012+08:002011-11-28T14:52:17.098+08:00

Growing up, I was lucky to have parents who not only cooked well, but never stopped their children from experimenting with food from other cultures. My late father himself loved Indian mutton curry, nasi lemak, beef rendang and a good spicy curry laksa - you see a pattern here, I know. I'm pretty sure my inclination towards spicy food came from him, as my mother, though she loves chili, has

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-22911492431426725902011-11-22T14:10:00.010+08:002012-01-17T16:30:16.293+08:00

Since moving to Singapore we've entertained quite often and always had a ball doing it. For the first dinner party we hosted though, yours truly was not so bright and made the mistake of poor menu selection. While guests had downed their aperitifs, done their mingling and were beginning to hungrily stare at the appetizers on the table, I was still frantically frying pieces of chicken and cooking

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-65981480917997773742011-11-14T16:15:00.008+08:002011-11-15T10:49:54.751+08:00

You know how sometimes the stars align and all things just seem to fall into place? It's been awhile since this happened to me but alas, this is how it happened for this cake. It all started with my going through Ms Lawson's entire season of Nigella Bites during my last business trip (weekdays, hotel room, tired and extremely comfortable on the couch after dinner out/room service - you get the

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-43882350786492793732011-11-08T15:28:00.003+08:002011-11-08T15:42:53.616+08:00

When you run a food blog, friends (and sometimes family) have the impression that you cook and eat well all the time. "... but I keep seeing all those mouth-watering photos, you must be a kitchen goddess!" Truth is, we're just like most working couple out there and there are times when I'm too tired to even consider washing a spoon or mug as the result of a homemade beverage. Home only late in

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-33522707024438259722011-11-01T14:38:00.006+08:002011-11-02T16:10:44.561+08:00

After a week in Kuala Lumpur it's good to be back home where my own kitchen is. Only I couldn't get pass making just some honey lemon the pass two days because I was immediately struck with the mother of all flu bugs once I unpacked. Not that I'm complaining, better sick now than last week, when our Diwali festive cookout saw Vijay, his family and I raging in their family kitchen since three in

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-18219072319997212362011-10-18T14:21:00.002+08:002011-10-18T14:52:33.392+08:00

If you've watched Ratatouille (my absolute favorite animation ever, really, do I even need to tell you this?), you'd remember that scene where the jaded, skeletal and grim-reaper-like restaurant critic Anton Ego tasted Remy and Colette's creation of that humble French Provencal dish and was instantly transported back to the back door of his mother's kitchen, bringing a smile to his otherwise

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-8556315096371938902011-10-11T10:44:00.025+08:002011-10-11T21:14:58.432+08:00

While most of cooking friends have all been knee-deep into their fancy colored Dutch ovens (I'm sorry Le Creuset, but made-in-France doesn't make your Dutch ovens French) and raving on how their heavyweights changed their lives, it took me awhile to join in the cast iron fun - so long, I only lugged one home two weeks ago. Only it's neither colored nor the (largely) overpriced brand. Ever since a

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-67301863204933167132011-10-03T20:24:00.007+08:002011-10-11T21:24:43.395+08:00

Have you ever woken up one morning with an epiphany to make something as a solution to both clear your fridge and make someone very happy? Okay maybe not an epiphany to be exact but more like a Eureka! moment. Awhile ago I ended up with a situation in the form of eight egg whites sitting in my fridge after making a batch of semperit butter cookies to celebrate Eid. Now, before you breathe a sigh

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-88864085437607537712011-09-25T02:44:00.005+08:002011-09-25T04:39:56.270+08:00

Earlier last week a friend I've not seen for years made her way down to Singapore for a vacation with her plus one and little boy Max. See Ming has a thing for lemon cakes. Months ago, over Twitter, when she first called for recipe recommendations, I mistakenly drove her to the direction of this one. Yes, she wanted something that baked whole in a pan and not requiring fiddly layering or frosting

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-43280080979761419982011-09-21T18:02:00.001+08:002011-09-21T18:04:54.656+08:00

Shanghai is currently moving into fall and the temperature is now hovering around 19-24°C. As cars and offices stop utilizing air conditioning and it's now pleasant to go for long walks outside, I look forward to even cooler weather in the coming months and possible forays to places away from the typical concrete jungle of the city. I need to discover the heart and soul of people in China who are

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-81472396774152682011-09-15T17:12:00.006+08:002011-09-15T17:50:23.592+08:00

I never thought I'd see the day I'd tell you about a drink, much less a healthy drink. Not that drinks are not worth talking about, I just don't make a lot of them - other than coffee, the occasional Milo and the very often ginger tea - all of which I'm sure you have your own awesome methods of whipping up. Something beneficial, good for breakfast, body and soul, really - have you seen my recipes

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-48912205854843325572011-09-06T21:53:00.004+08:002011-09-08T12:42:54.516+08:00

It amused me to no end seeing Vijay running around our kitchen on my birthday preparing my bash. I figured out what he was cooking despite his efforts to keep everything a surprise, hiding books, flipping over his scribbled recipes and all. This week he'd like to share with you yet another chicken dish (yes, we know, but chicken we love) close to his heart, another homemade recipe from his mother

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-73757162597671036292011-08-31T17:04:00.013+08:002011-09-04T20:26:12.463+08:00

Things got ahead of me and I find myself catching up on writing up posts the week after they're supposed to be up. This is what happens when you're stuck with a day job, not at your own home half the time of the month and not very good at following up with emails. So on this second day of Eid (probably the first if you're in Australia, New Zealand or Indonesia, Eid Mubarak!), while I have a

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-34996651875315639532011-08-25T03:39:00.003+08:002011-09-04T20:28:02.179+08:00

Normally I'd go straight to the point and tell you about the cake but today we shall connect a little and kick start on a different note. Don't worry, I'll get to the cake bit soon enough. If you're tempted to scroll down all the way for the recipe though, I'm equally happy about that, simply because, that is one of the reasons why I started food blogging. Now if you're either still here

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-71605606798439668282011-08-16T20:49:00.007+08:002011-09-04T20:30:57.860+08:00

During the month of Ramadan, those of you who're fasting would probably be cooking up something special every other night (or two) at home, whipping up dishes leaning on the festive side yet restrained and nourishing. I know I would definitely want my ayam percik during this month while another friend announced to me the other night that this spicy chicken rendang was for the win during Iftar.

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-64611389505242941092011-08-12T21:00:00.010+08:002011-08-15T14:38:16.770+08:00

It occurred to me just now that I'd better write up about the rest of my Hong Kong trips before I actually forget where these photos were shot due to the ailing state of my memory. At this hour of a rainy night in Shanghai, it's easy to miss Hong Kong. Perhaps it's because I haven't found the hidden jewels of Shanghai yet - the pass two business trips had been short and quite unadventurous, I

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-89198913736653663582011-08-08T15:06:00.003+08:002011-08-08T15:13:43.488+08:00

Normally I wouldn't impose on visiting guests to cook for me in my kitchen. I'd make them sit down for a dinner I cooked or probably make Vijay come up with one of his signatures. The worst that could happen is the well-fed friends find themselves doing the dishes, which, in my puny kitchen can be of some challenge but afterwards be rewarded with at least a dessert and some good coffee.

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-69630982325977398822011-08-02T21:07:00.006+08:002011-08-02T21:37:37.863+08:00

In the spirit of eating mindfully and taking care not to over-indulge ourselves during the holy month of Ramadan, I thought I'd dig out this recipe from the deep abyss of my almost forgotten stash of food photos and share with you something that will not make those of you who're fasting want to go to bed after having it for Iftar. Sure, on some days you may find yourself drawn to something more

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-14799906045084310322011-07-26T23:12:00.007+08:002011-07-27T00:34:25.140+08:00

We've managed to both forget our fifth anniversary last Friday. I don't know if it's due to my working like mad before having to catch a delayed flight back from Shanghai late in the evening while Vijay was too comfortable with me leaving him a free man for almost two weeks. The nearly forsaken milestone was only remembered when Vijay examined the leather strap of his watch, then sparking up a

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-41812168567992161892011-07-20T20:33:00.002+08:002011-07-20T20:52:57.931+08:00

While the rest of the northern hemisphere is currently going through a beautiful hot summer, in Singapore I'm starting to see heaps of cherries and other warm weather berries piling up makeshift counters at the supermarkets. These in-season imports are now fresh, juicy and plump, some of them even going on discounts at selected outlets. Before leaving for my business trip, I managed to lug home

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-67126156144286254722011-07-16T12:42:00.002+08:002011-07-16T12:59:24.364+08:00

We don't get friends from Malaysia willing to come all the way to the suburbs to see us very often, especially since we don't live in some place hip and happening like, oh you know, Orchard Road or the likes of it. So when the wonderful Joanne and her daughter Adrienne were in town and wanted to meet, a dinner party was quickly arranged over Twitter. As Vijay and I sat down to plan the menu, we

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-7968641331697062102011-07-11T20:36:00.004+08:002011-07-11T21:53:00.057+08:00

A couple of weeks ago I went on about making these cupcakes as one half of an order for a friend. The other half of it was to be chocolate and originally I wanted to make these again - my in-laws were in town and I thought a tried-and-tested recipe would avoid any unforeseen coronary inducing surprises. But then it occurred to me that she had eaten those root beer ones on several occasions and

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-25666130730859723952011-07-04T22:28:00.005+08:002011-07-06T12:50:47.847+08:00

This is a joint post as we both have stories to tell you about this special dish by Vijay's mother, Mageswary. If you're familiar with Southern Indian cooking, chances are you would've already made this before. If not, it's high time to venture into the cuisine of Tamil Nadu and give this a go. We promise you'll not stop at just once.Vijay’s to market, to market…Father’s day this year was a

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-9939952276799873532011-06-27T16:19:00.014+08:002011-06-28T09:48:29.771+08:00

Two things were established when I produced my first ever batch of cupcakes for sale last week - I would eat my client's request and send them a couple of cupcakes short. Having been told this, you'd probably forget about ever commissioning any baked goods from me but I had good reasons to deliver my friend 58 cupcakes instead of the 60 I promised. Despite being thought of as the baker/cake lady

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-53052989151782982052011-06-21T01:15:00.030+08:002011-06-21T09:47:01.763+08:00

I have several 'mad' dishes lined up to be attempted this year (there's really only six months left of 2011, how's that for time flies?) but wrapping these Cantonese dumplings was not at all planned, or thought to be possible by myself. There was no help and all I had for guidance were some vague images from a 2-hour class in Hong Kong and a couple of tips via Twitter from a fellow Hakka food

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-75794549122248150422011-06-13T14:08:00.011+08:002011-06-13T18:39:10.941+08:00

My parents never held back on indulging us with good food and my brother and I were often showered with restaurant level cooking at home. Late dad would wag his finger at my request for a swimming class but would never bat an eyelid lugging home things like pomfret, jumbo king prawns, various dried seafood from his trusted suppliers and dried shiitake mushrooms from Japan. Hardly ever eating out,

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-7680048603199365752011-06-07T15:16:00.022+08:002011-06-07T21:12:55.830+08:00

Growing up, I've eaten my share of zongzi (Mandarin 粽子, or bakchang 肉粽 in Hokkien) although my mother didn't manage to obtain any wrapping skills or our family's recipe from my grandmother. I've also only been exposed to the savory variant of the dumpling (filled with pork belly, beans, dried shrimps, salted egg yolk and a chestnut) and always assumed they all look like the triangular ones we eat

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-69247948648137957282011-05-30T18:49:00.000+08:002011-05-30T18:50:32.680+08:00

You know those kitchen dramas you read about or see on the tele? It really happens, for real, but sometimes I wish for less of it and would prefer to breeze through the process of making something so simple, like a bucket of dark chocolate ice cream. Especially after being home only shortly after a 3-week business trip from a country advancing into a humid summer to an island currently going

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-56201364635027478292011-05-23T22:30:00.011+08:002011-05-27T18:22:02.232+08:00

First and foremost let's get one thing out of the way - I've never eaten red velvet cake prior to this one. The amount of food coloring in it gives me the heebie-jeebies and I wasn't sure if I ever want to dig into a piece of cake that looks like it has gone to war and back. In fact I posted this on my Facebook exactly a year ago going "Red velvet cake freaks me out. Why make something chocolate

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-21910684423836938242011-05-18T16:02:00.002+08:002011-05-18T16:05:39.271+08:00

On my recent flight back to Singapore from Hong Kong, I chanced upon an in-flight entertainment food program highlighting the culinary gems of Asia and the particular episode shown was on Japan. Predictably, it went on about sushi, sashimi, ramen and bento boxes but one word kept me perked up despite the dehydrating cabin air and shaky turbulence. The concept of kodawari (briefly here) was new to

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-28052469761101416072011-05-11T13:44:00.006+08:002011-05-11T17:09:44.170+08:00

Recently I've come to realize that I'm not very good at traveling alone. When I'm by myself, it's easy to procrastinate. Holed up in a hotel room for three straight weeks while not being on an actual holiday, the big bed with pristine white linens and the oh, so welcoming tub in full view always seem to beckon to me, "It's so hot out there, why bother?" When I do get out, I'll end up taking it

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-26769546285755748032011-05-04T17:26:00.015+08:002011-05-11T17:17:40.194+08:00

I'm not sure why some people only think of roast chicken as a quick ticket to a plain/simple/done-to-death/lazy meal; perfect for when you're busy running errands or having guests over. You know, just stick a lemon up the bird, dump it into a roasting pan with some spuds and plunk it into the oven. An hour later, voila, it's lunch/dinner on the table; meanwhile you'd already have a million other

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-22960242100296222642011-04-28T21:28:00.003+08:002011-05-04T11:34:17.131+08:00

It's been four years since I've relocated to Singapore and I've come to miss my friends back in Malaysia very much. I would often harass convince them to come down for short breaks just so we could meet up. "What holiday? Have you seen the exchange rate lately?!", they would exclaim. "Well... err, you can stay with me and I'll cook for you. That would be priceless right?", I'd resort to bribery.

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-88899687956807849402011-04-21T15:51:00.005+08:002011-05-04T11:30:35.316+08:00

Sometimes I get carried away, forget that I'm here for work and slip into vacation mode, at the land of dim sum, roasted meat and colonial Cantonese. It's so easy to subconsciously think about where to go or what to eat next, then automatically reach for the map to study the MTR network, plan detailed programs and contact friends on Twitter/Facebook for more information. With a new job that

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-12374276932342762502011-04-13T19:32:00.004+08:002011-05-04T11:24:03.252+08:00

This is another guest post by Vijay. I'm always excited when he wants to cook. Nothing beats having love put on a plate for you by your other half. Since I've taken up another new job which brings me out of the country (and therefore my kitchen) most of the time, I'm gunning for more meals made for me, especially something like this, a recipe from home, which we both miss. Next time I'll do the

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-3462053043608900372011-03-30T16:51:00.007+08:002011-06-01T09:42:46.063+08:00

Originally I was going to go on and on to you about how this cake became my redemption after over two weeks of continuous baking disasters - three episodes of Japanese cotton cheesecake flop (literally, the cakes collapsed in all three attempts) and another bad day where I managed to split my butter while trying to make my mother's layered cake. Yesterday changed that, so this will be a

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-34799191404969597882011-03-22T12:42:00.033+08:002011-06-01T09:53:33.324+08:00

My previous stories about our Australian trip last year - yes, we need another vacation soon - had all been about food. This week I'd like to take a break from my regular gastronomic programming and (finally) start the first part of a photo series (hopefully) telling the tales of our adventures Down Under. Over the course of about two weeks there we've been quite nomadic I've stayed at five

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-47711613653533271082011-03-15T13:07:00.012+08:002011-06-01T10:03:44.858+08:00

As much as I love this cake to bits I've not baked it since I was still in school, more than 10 years ago. You tend to cook and bake for the people you love and Vijay is not particularly passionate about anything primarily pandan or cakes as light as chiffon. So whenever I feel like downing a few pieces of this aromatic green fluff, I resort to buying them from Bengawan Solo for my lonely

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-73667863327831768242011-03-03T11:29:00.006+08:002011-06-01T13:25:03.013+08:00

The last time I ordered Char Kuey Teow (fried flat noodle) at our Yishun neighborhood food court from an unfriendly and grumpy looking Penang hawker food stall owner (who I seriously doubt is from Penang), the episode went like this."Uncle, can I add extra chili and 50 cents more kuchai?" I ventured.His faced twitched slightly, with what I thought was annoyance. "50 cents? No 50 cents! Add one

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-257659732249287572011-02-23T14:07:00.011+08:002011-06-01T13:37:02.183+08:00

... and a sourdough flop.  I will get to the flop bit later. Let's start with some good news first, because God knows we have enough bad news in the world to lament on this week. Bourke Street Bakery came into my radar just in time before we left for our Down Under vacation last year, thanks to the wonderful Shirley, who baked so consistently from this book despite her busy travelling schedules.

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-9080361104747851242011-02-17T13:37:00.009+08:002011-06-01T13:39:59.130+08:00

With a blink of an eye Chap Goh Meh (元宵節) has arrived. Two weeks into Chinese New Year I'm down with a nasty flu and bad throat. Blah feeling aside, today is still auspicious and I think timely to share with you this dish my mother made when she came over to Singapore to spend the New Year with me. I know many Chinese are vegetarian today to observe Chor Yat Sap Em (初一 十五, vegetarian on the first

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-68245684824230514482011-02-14T12:32:00.022+08:002011-06-01T13:43:30.241+08:00

It was bloody hot yesterday and the sun blazed with a vengeance right into the deepest nooks of the kitchen in our tiny flat. Despite this, I wanted to bake, urgently. Something with egg whites beaten into a French meringue. Something with just a little bit of sugar and a little cream. Something light and fluffy. Something with lots and lots of chocolate, even though I already had a chocolate

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-39172517291596205512011-02-07T14:28:00.006+08:002011-06-01T15:21:44.449+08:00

First off, Xin Nian Kuai Le 新年快樂 (Happy New Year in Mandarin) and Gong Hei Fatt Choy 恭喜發財 (Well Wishes and Prosperity in Cantonese) to all my readers who are celebrating the Lunar New Year.I hope everything good breeds like bunnies for you and your families - this is the Rabbit year in the Chinese zodiac cycle. This week it's back to the grind for Life is Great but we're really still in a very

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-82774053874326215802011-02-02T10:29:00.027+08:002012-01-16T10:47:29.997+08:00

It’s Chinese New Year eve and I promised yesterday to tell you about this tart. I know it has been all about cookies lately around here but I think you wouldn’t want me to talk about this after the festivities having possibly gobbled up a good amount of them yourselves.  Festive cookie baking was not really on my original agenda. With my mum coming over to Singapore, there’s enough work to be

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-84609303051655489092011-02-01T09:32:00.008+08:002012-01-09T09:02:41.805+08:00

Everyone has their own favorite festive cookies. I thought mine is the by-now-made-to-death-in-my-kitchen pineapple tarts – I promise to tell you about that by tomorrow. I was pretty convinced until I popped one of these into my mouth, got knocked back with a few seconds of salty yet sweet melting peanut-butter-like heaven and then having my hand in auto-pilot reaching for another cookie. That is

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-5637816491209521562011-01-26T04:57:00.011+08:002011-06-01T15:44:56.729+08:00

By now you are probably aware of my affinity with all things chocolate. Even the New York cheesecake got chocolate swaddling over the top of it. It's only befitting that I share with you now the best chocolate cookie, ever. I excitedly went on and on about the recipe with my friend Najah after finding it at Deb's Smitten Kitchen. She warned me that one recipe yields only a small batch of cookie -

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-81140300720618656242011-01-13T22:40:00.007+08:002011-06-01T16:00:55.964+08:00

I hope you had a blast welcoming the start of a new decade. Can you believe that it’s already two weeks into January? While most of us are ushering in the new year with resolutions and refreshed ambitions – I’m not going to be smug, I have some of my own – I spent the first few off days of 2011 quietly at home, sipping coffee, feasting on leftovers from our Christmas dinner and a New Year Eve’s

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-45235634012371040562011-01-08T16:13:00.011+08:002011-06-01T16:03:46.242+08:00

Let's start of the first post of 2011 at Life is Great with something different. My other half wrote this piece about the best mushroom soup I've ever had in my life. He first cooked this for me on my birthday last year and I can't get enough of it ever since. Happy New Year!Remember how difficult it was back in the old days to get a car started in the morning, let alone a cold rainy morning and

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-33838621719980770192010-12-28T20:54:00.022+08:002011-05-04T12:54:06.822+08:00

First off let me just say to those of you being blessed with a white Christmas how envious I am of you lot. Please throw a snowball at me and pass over your cup of hot chocolate with homemade peppermint marshmallows floating in it. In addition, to those of you who are on leave till next year, I… well, would like to be in your warm socks. I hope you had a blast with lots of love and warmth all

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-57633624312376539882010-12-23T21:18:00.013+08:002011-06-01T16:17:11.415+08:00

I never go to markets late. Having been to the wholesale market at as early as four in the morning in Kuala Lumpur taught me why early birds catch the fattest, juiciest worms. We arrived at Queen Victoria Market after lunch due to the late night before at Lygon Street, the inevitable late morning rising and further delays around Melbourne CBD before finally hopping on a cab there. I thought I

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-42762244576382297042010-11-17T19:23:00.006+08:002011-06-01T16:29:45.438+08:00

Let’s promptly forget about how long it has been since I've talked to you over here. It’s not that I haven’t cooked or baked since that last pink soufflé. I just… haven’t gotten around to telling you about the escapades. Life, in essence, got in the way. The trip back to KL during Diwali was short and I came back with a major flu bug. At least Vijay got away to Langkawi Island, celebrated his

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-66980101430600216792010-10-22T06:57:00.010+08:002011-06-01T17:08:43.609+08:00

Soufflé is one intriguing animal of a dessert. The fact that it scares the most professional chefs and every time I order it I'd be made to wait for an excruciating half an hour for the deliciousness to arrive draws me towards it even more. Light and airy, fluffy and wobbly, temperamental and heart-warming, this is one dessert I'd go for as long as it exists on the menu when we eat out. While an

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-40625324933987039642010-10-13T22:22:00.014+08:002012-01-19T16:46:36.582+08:00

Two things happened after I debated (with myself) whether I'd be making something with chocolate (because we no longer have any chocolate desserts at home for emergency cravings) or cooking chicken soup (because both of us were slightly under the weather) over the weekend. Najah gave me a whole bestest chocolate cake and I found this recipe while reading the August issue of the Australian Gourmet

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-46690548007471816252010-09-29T22:34:00.010+08:002011-06-01T18:01:52.048+08:00

The inevitable has happened. I've ventured into weekday baking adventures rewarding me with sleepless nights and going through following days at work in zombie mode. But as they say in Mama Mia, how can I resist you, oh best chocolate cake, cocoa brownies and root beer float cupcakes. Baking to feed others is pure joy. The latest calling was for Kevin's birthday. Over a dinner of Vijay's

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-75344045152049409842010-09-18T16:25:00.017+08:002011-06-01T18:13:27.811+08:00

I hope those of you celebrating Eid are still having a blast. Thursday was after all another holiday in Malaysia, most of you are only back to work next week and it is customary to carry on with the feasting and merry making for the entire month. As for us we managed a quiet and relaxing weekend over a Star Wars movie marathon, good food and doing just about nothing. Awhile back I vowed to cook

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-81636837252464116252010-09-12T15:27:00.011+08:002011-06-02T16:08:44.653+08:00

The festive season really makes me slightly lazy. The food to celebrate Eid is of little help. Tis the season where Muslim homes will be filled with traditional fares laden with coconut milk, chilies and carbs. Desserts will be buttery and after a typical Syawal feast, I would be inclined to adjourn to the nearest couch for erm... a short rest. Rendang is my all time Eid favorite. It's intensely

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-48645282404635836452010-09-10T14:05:00.008+08:002011-06-02T16:11:22.450+08:00

First order of business, I wish Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim readers. It's a busy day at our kitchen. The spicy chicken rendang is done and the ghee rice is in the rice cooker. While it's great that 1 Syawal falls on the holy Friday, Vijay will have to wait before he can gorge on the chicken because today is also the day he goes to the temple. With all sorts of Indian spices stashed in my pantry

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-20192825563322599892010-09-07T20:26:00.011+08:002011-06-02T16:22:40.575+08:00

What? It’s less than three days to Eid? Before the first of Syawal knocks on my our door (yes we have a sliding glass door everyone who comes to our flat likes), I’d better get my act together. The semperit is yet to be baked and the plan to make nasi minyak and rendang ayam pedas for the first day of Raya would require military-precision planning. I’m in awe of those who can pull off entire

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-14787718166861926622010-09-01T20:26:00.016+08:002011-06-18T09:20:30.476+08:00

Now if you're wondering why my birthday cake was not made exactly in time for the actual event, well... a few things came along forcing me to only get to it last weekend. First of, on the weekend before the birthday there's the deadline for the recipe testing. The next day my wisdom tooth drove me literally running to the dentist to have it removed - I shall not bore you with the gruesome details

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-13148102647804965852010-08-21T19:04:00.005+08:002011-06-02T17:13:24.267+08:00

It's a few minutes to iftar and the lift upgrading noise outside our apartment is showing no signs of coming to a halt. Last night's farewell dinner arranged for me was bliss, Gajalee is definitely a place we will visit again. Bombay duck? Yum.Today has been about a recipe testing and trying use up four egg yolks left in the fridge. Egg tarts and I have always been good friends. That sunshine

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-63499000216711558202010-08-18T00:00:00.008+08:002011-06-02T17:21:52.788+08:00

Judging from the title you'd guess that this is one of those long lost item which I forgot to tell you about. The pass weekend was crazy as I baked around the clock four batches of brownies and three batches of cupcakes for the good people at work which I will leave the day after tomorrow. So yes, I haven't done anything to remotely celebrate Ramadhan despite my desire to bake some butter cookies

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-51327417056631087702010-08-10T21:59:00.009+08:002011-06-02T17:27:42.776+08:00

It is the night before Ramadhan and Muslims around the world will begin fasting tomorrow. During this month I hope to cook and bake local Malaysian favorites and desserts. Let's see how that will turn out.Meanwhile, the weekend passed by with this cheesecake. After taking the first bite of something dulce de leche for the first time ever, I stopped for a minute to ponder what other delicious

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-49668065526511021372010-08-07T21:46:00.013+08:002011-06-03T11:43:38.435+08:00

It's a week into August already. Before I can pause and contemplate a little, mooncakes are showing up in bakeries and the holy Ramadhan is just around the corner. Don't you just feel that time is flying and life needs to slow down? In any case I know that you probably speed read that entire paragraph because your eyes were pulled away by this decadent looking ice cream. I will start by saying

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-47246964658601144322010-08-01T10:42:00.007+08:002011-06-03T13:47:48.491+08:00

This is the result of one of those spontaneously inspired moments and... (more accurately) that time of the month when it's impossible to go to sleep without having something chocolate. Twas last Friday evening on the way home from work when I spent a good part of the train ride trying to think of the easiest and fastest way to make myself some chocolaty baked good. I was tired but desperate. The

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-78464680199272560692010-07-29T21:05:00.006+08:002011-06-03T13:57:27.762+08:00

You know that time of the year when everything seems to happen at once? July is such a month for us. The lease on our apartment was renewed, the World Cup won by Spain, I'm in between jobs, our anniversary celebrated, friends wanting to come and visit and the Great Singapore Sale - which I missed. The final blow came when the Fujifilm service center informed Vijay it costs 800 bucks to replace

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-18666744185157003122010-07-17T12:56:00.007+08:002011-06-03T15:02:10.750+08:00

This cake is... shall I say... over the top? Maybe a little.One evening while lazing on the couch going trolling through Deb's archives, I came across this. The page was promptly shown to the other half. "Oooohhh", he takes a closer look. "What's inside?" "Cheese, chocolate and coffee." It took him awhile to register what I said. "Wuahhh, all the things I like in a dessert combined together leh.

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-1744499645923608062010-07-08T21:08:00.009+08:002011-06-03T15:14:05.086+08:00

No, this is not a fast food nation blog. No, I can't explain why there should be another burger recipe.It's World Cup season and Paul the octopus is the talk of town the world. On the night Holland was up against the Danes, we made burgers to be had with the game after a weekend foray to Chip Bee Garden at Holland Village got us some Valrhona chocolate and a pound of minced lamb. It took some

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-31457523447417486862010-07-05T20:19:00.011+08:002011-06-03T15:27:49.649+08:00

Being so into food, you may roll your eyes when I tell you I've never heard of onion marmalade till recently.That and the fact that it's a perfect burger condiment. I love onions, so when Najah plastered a picture on her Facebook of her pan-grilled salmon steak on a bed of rocket salad, Roma tomatoes and Turkish bread croutons tossed in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and onion chutney (got all that?

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-25575271136065670242010-07-03T12:20:00.014+08:002011-06-03T15:41:50.222+08:00

This weekend it will be all about me trying to post up backlogged recipes before I... uh... completely forget about them. One of the challenges of my cooking sprees is how to deal with leftovers. When you have only one other person to (hopefully) indulge in your kitchen output there are bound to be times when the fridge end up with a tub of sauce or a portion of meat in danger of being neglected

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-62431625940575584802010-07-02T23:17:00.011+08:002011-06-03T15:52:41.644+08:00

I have never cooked a whole chicken, you know... whole. This adventure came about thanks to no other than Najwa Nasseri (get well soon superwoman!) who made it over and over again I lost count how many chickens actually ended up at her dining table after being stuffed with hot lemons. Laying down my chicken on the cutting board, head still on, I ended up saying a small prayer before chopping it

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-83113121359870883882010-06-19T10:40:00.011+08:002011-06-03T16:00:29.270+08:00

I suppose by now some of you may have heard something about these brownies. I can't stop thinking about them. In less than three weeks I have made three batches. It all started with Najwa putting up the cutest photo of her son waiting for a good-sized brownie with his mouth wide open. Then Najah posted the recipe. A discussion on brownie baking ensued - cakey versus fudgey, crumbly tops, how much

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-7099715600265101932010-06-10T22:39:00.007+08:002011-06-15T15:26:00.331+08:00

Yes, I'm back. Barely. No I wasn't on a cooking break or any kind of break for that matter. The list of backlogged recipe is growing. I've been meaning to post this for the past two evenings. There is not enough hours in the day for everything to be done is there? Did I mention there's work, the gym and chores? Then there's cooking, man-handling the dishes and editing photos. However, since the

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-21467603363113369532010-05-23T12:13:00.011+08:002011-06-15T15:32:58.679+08:00

It's Sunday afternoon and I finally have a little time for some update. Workdays generally leave me exhausted by sundown and Wednesday had been hellish. However, why focus on the bad bits right? I have at least one reason to rejoice. Yesterday, the new oven (finally!!!) and cabinet have been set up (albeit some minor issues with missing drawer dampers and the top door knocking against the ceiling

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-39448246939792066252010-05-12T15:49:00.009+08:002011-06-15T15:45:57.492+08:00

Before we get to the cake, let me digress, generously.Today, this wackiest Wednesday in my life, nothing can go more wrong in my small world of making food and taking their photos. Lunch was supposed to be a simple fried rice topped with Kak Sarina's fried chicken. I managed to just sightly overcook the rice last night - I put it into the cooker sleepwalking in the kitchen at about 12:15 AM. This

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-77362974518399106862010-05-07T18:21:00.011+08:002011-06-15T15:57:31.396+08:00

I have never cooked beef in my life, ever. My mother dislikes the "smell" therefore family cooking is always safe from anything bovine. Since Vijay also doesn't eat beef, I have not found reason to cook a steak as much as I love to eat it. One weekend in KL saw me at Las Vacas (actually I demanded Farha to bring me there since I've heard so much about it from fellow steak lovers). The no-frills

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-19707296500940443332010-05-04T14:28:00.027+08:002011-06-01T08:06:44.126+08:00

Last night I asked Vijay whether or not I should blog about something I haven't personally tasted. It's not that I don't trust the good people who finished this cake and proceeded to tell me I should open a bakery but them being my good friends and all, what if they just didn't want to hurt my feelings? Bah... he said, even if I make the same cake and taste it myself (1) it wouldn't be exactly

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-16272880505435061492010-04-22T20:17:00.008+08:002011-06-15T16:10:20.328+08:00

This is one of those throw-together-whatever-you-have lunches built around a piece of my favorite fish. The sides can be made when the fish is in the oven. The salad dressing was my invention during one of those sickly feverish days resting at home with nothing to eat except eggs, bread and some salad greens. The potato salad is a recipe from Jamie Oliver's Naked Chef.Fruits make excellent salads

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-84898118758787203112010-04-20T18:59:00.017+08:002011-06-15T16:21:04.151+08:00

The last time I baked a cake was more than 10 years ago, before going to uni. A moist chocolate cake from a high school classmate was a favorite other than my mother's pandan chiffon cake. While the urge to bake (it's therapeutic I tell you) is strong lately, I didn't want to clog up the pantry with funny stuff which will not be utilized for other cakes or will go bad after I leave town (back to

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-64101543841583052352010-04-19T19:30:00.004+08:002011-06-15T16:56:10.250+08:00

A meal which can be done in under 15 minutes, contains fatty bacon and under 5 ingredients will definitely be in my good books. Recent house arrest months placed me in front of the telly with AFC on almost everyday. Nigella's new program caught my attention with her easily achievable recipes and common ingredients. Speaking of simple ingredients, I've replaced pancetta with beef bacon and garlic

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-67180794734954435632010-04-16T19:41:00.012+08:002011-06-15T17:16:03.434+08:00

I've recently been put in a slight predicament - having three egg whites sitting in the fridge - after the hollandaise sauce episode. Cringing at the thought of wasting any edible parts of an egg, I toyed with the idea of making little meringues to be eaten with ice cream and chocolate fudge. Pavlovas have long escaped my memory until Haza recently ordered it at one of our eating out sessions.

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-84059737394009740642010-04-07T11:07:00.026+08:002011-06-16T11:28:56.404+08:00

Of late I find myself surrounded by people who love this thing. There's Vijay with his penchant for lots of butter ("...more butter on that toast please?") and more than a handful of friends who order eggs Benedict for brunch. A most recent outing with Zarina finally convinced me to try making it despite my lack of interest in traditional French mother sauces - béchamel, espagnole, velouté (I

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-72201552629349712212010-04-05T15:11:00.015+08:002011-06-16T11:43:33.997+08:00

Comfort food can be convenient. When we think of convenience however, more often than not the approach is to minimize effort constantly. Let's face it, after a hard day at work and probably having screaming kids around the house, sometimes we crave for something along the lines of reheat and serve immediately. I for one am a fan of one pot cooking and storing ahead recipes. After contemplating

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-64550071024290133282010-04-01T14:12:00.015+08:002011-06-16T11:55:02.425+08:00

Eggs are amazing. They are not easy to get right. Some chefs can't fry a decent egg to save themselves. There are so many ways to cook eggs but the best way for me - poached. I have ordered poached eggs ever since I learned they exist. Poached is not a typical Asian way of doing eggs. Soft or half boiled is more common but they are different. A half boiled egg won't sit on top of say, smoked

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-61399036240919384932010-03-31T21:33:00.002+08:002011-06-16T12:11:18.178+08:00

I first had a version of aglio olio at Delicious Bangsar Village (way back when it was not a franchise and the food not overpriced). It came as Duck Confit Spaghettini with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Coriander, which is now one of its most famous item on the menu. I loved it for its simplicity and lightness. Aglio olio is a simple pasta of no sauce and few ingredients. The basics are garlic and

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-87077089877316652812008-08-07T15:46:00.011+08:002011-06-16T12:20:13.536+08:00

Continued from this post in March, when we first got the news of the possibility of having to move. Before we knew it, it’s July and we had to rush through taking pictures of the rest of the house right before starting to pack everything into boxes.

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-83936672376133706412008-06-28T18:44:00.006+08:002011-06-16T12:27:21.275+08:00

Nikkor AF 35-70mm F/2.8D — Vijay’s. Special edition onyx onopoly set — $110. Pasta dinner — courtesy the hosts. Good times with friends — priceless.

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-49318066036526072822008-05-19T14:55:00.011+08:002011-06-16T12:34:01.115+08:00

I wouldn't say that the lunch buffet at Lemon Garden Cafe is the best. Shangri-La's food has always been of a certain standard but I guess due to the rising cost of everything, RM60 plus won't get you much.The tiny clams, no mussels for the lunch but ample supply of oysters and sushi.The cheese board, which Vijay didn't try.The creamer, unimpressive tarnished silver.Melange of salad greens,

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025849.post-3859057918103907692008-03-28T12:40:00.008+08:002011-06-16T12:40:07.818+08:00

Pick Yinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08824124525130706818noreply@blogger.com0