Short Week Long Weekend

So Generally I..

Thought of the long weekend ahead. For the Muslims, this is a special week.

This Friday, Muslims will celebrate Eidul Adha, one of the two Eid festivals celebrated during the year. Eidul Adha or Feast of the Sacrifice or Greater Eid, is celebrated by Muslims worldwide to honour the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to God, before God intervene to provide him with a sheep sacrifice instead. 

In the Indian subcontinent, the festival is known as Bakr-Id because of the tradition of sacrificing the goats. (source of info : Wikipedia)

In Singapore, it is commonly known as Hari Raya Haji. For the Muslims, the day will begin with a congregational prayers and sermon at the mosques (which is a must for the men and optional for the women). For those who have chosen to carry out the Qurban (sacrifice) rites, it also means a visit to the mosque which will carry out the Qurban rites for them. In Singapore, the sheeps are imported from Australia and cost about $465 per sheep to do the Qurban. Alternatively, Muslims here can also carry out their Qurban in other countries like China, Indonesia and Cambodia. This is arranged through Muslim organisations in Singapore and cost much lower (between $150 to $200). 

But just like Eidul Fitri, Eidul Adha also means spending time with friends and relatives and enjoying the festive dishes. 

Which reminds me of an old favourite dish which is a staple during the Muslim festivities but in Singapore, is also available daily almost everywhere. Enters the Lontong with the Sayur Lodeh (vegetable curry)..

The Sayur Lodeh is a versatile dish..one that can be tweaked and substituted according to one's preference. But the base is the same, an anchovies paste simmered in coconut milk until fragrant. It can be eaten with lontong (hence the name) or white rice. 

The dish most likely originates from Indonesia, although there are varieties to how the dish in cooked in a typical Indonesian household. 

The recipe that I am sharing here is a family recipe. Over the years, I have seen many varieties of it at gatherings, during Hari Raya, food stall, etc. But I think this is pretty easy to cook once you get the ingredients right. 

You will need :

Part A - The Anchovy paste

10 gm of dried anchovies, soaked for 15min

1 large onion

6 cloves of garlic, medium size

20 gm of belacan (shrimp paste)

1/2 - 1 teaspoon of tumeric powder, depending your preference

Part B - 

2 carrots, sliced diagonally

5 long beans, sliced diagonally

1 small turnip, cut into strips

1 small cabbage, cut into squares

4 pieces of firm tofu, cut into 4 triangles

2 pieces of tempe (fermented soybeans), cut into 2 inch squares

Chili paste (optional)

1 inch of galangal (lengkuas)

1 stalk of lemon grass (serai)

1 packet of low-fat coconut, approx xx ml

Salt to taste

2 cups of water

4 - 5 tablespoon of oil 

What to do :

 - Blend all the ingredients in Part A. The paste should have the distinct smell of the belacan with a tinge of the anchovies smell (Note that the anchovies smell should not overpower the belacan smell). Set aside.

 - Light fry the firm tofu and tempe. Set aside. 

 - Heat oil in work. Add in the anchovies paste. If you want the curry to be hot, add 1 or 2 tablespoon of the chili paste. Otherwise, you can omit it.

 - Sautee the paste until fragrant and slightly reduced (approx 5 mins). Add in water. This water and the coconut milk will make up the gravy, so if you want to have a thicker gravy, add less water.

 - Bring to a boil. Add in the coconut milk. Add in the galangal and lemon grass. Continue stirring and ensure that it does not boil over. 

 - Add salt to taste. Add the carrots. Wait about 2 mins before additing the rest of the ingredients in Part B. Continue stirring occasionally. When all the ingredients in Part B are cooked, turn off the fire. 

To eat with lontong, cut cooked lontong into small cubes and place in a bowl. Pour the vegetable curry onto the lontong. Best eaten when warm and with some sambal tumis. Otherwise, the curry is also great with rice. Enjoy!

   

Following the Planetary Dots...

I have heard a lot of talks among my friends on the latest attraction in Johore, the Legoland Park. In fact, I have heard and seen the promotion brochure months ago..but at that time, there were not much information on the ticket price, etc.

With the school holidays coming in about 3 weeks time, the opening of the theme park in early October is timely. Boasting 40 interactive rides, shows and attraction, the park should provide a good alternative to Universal Studios in Singapore. 

I checked out the prices on the website and there is a promotion going at the moment. When you online (7-days advance booking), there is a 25% off on the published rates (ie RM105 for adults instead of RM140 and RM82.50 instead of RM110 for children up to 11 years). Not a bad deal for a day's pass to the park and unlimited rides access.

I also checked out Voucherlicious.com. They have a on-going deal for Legoland right now. For SGD78 or at 46% discount (usual value SGD145), you get the following:

 > A day's pass to the Legoland Park

 > Entrance pass to the Chocolate Factory

 > Dinner

 > 2-way coach

This is a very good deal you don't want to worry about driving there and/ or planning a trip with a big group of friends or family. The pick up point in Singapore is at Newton Hawker Centre. 

95 transactions has taken place so this seems like a good bargain. Find out more by going to this link > Legoland Deal

Dining in Glam

18 Oct 2012

So Generally I
had a great night out with a few girlfriends. As always, meeting up on a worknight means a 'curfew' for those of us who are working the next day. So dinner has to be somewhere accessible (meaning a centralized location) with food that is quick to serve. Fast food is out, leaving us with Arab Street which has enough food options to keep us deliberating for a few days before we come to a mutual agreement. Verdict : Dinner at Kampung Glam Cafe and desserts at Fika.

For those who are familiar with the area, they would know that Arab Street is a great choice for a day or night out with friends and family. Located about 5 mins walk from the Bugis MRT station, the area is hip and happening for diners and shoppers alike. 

Arab Street is best known for textile, shawls and basketry items. Many of the shops along Arab St sell similar textile products, with some specializing in the more exclusive silk materials. So the best thing to do when deciding to make a purchase is probably to do some window shopping first. Check out the prices and make some comparison before making a decision. If you are confident enough, try some bargaining. Most shops have a fixed price policy but if you buy a few pieces of fabric at the same shop, they might give some discount. 

Do note though that most of the textile and non-food shops in Arab St close early on weeknights, usually around 7pm. Most shops are open from Mondays through Saturdays. On Sundays, many shops are closed as understandably, many of the shops there are family businesses. So the best days to visit Arab St for shopping are weekday afternoons and Saturdays.

When it comes to the dining, it's a different ball game altogether. The food choices are many and varied, focusing mainly on Malay, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines. In the last 5 years or so, the Arab Street has seen many changes, with new cafes opening up, serving Western cuisine like Swedish food (Fika), French food (Cafe Rouge). Several bars have also opened..giving the place a mixed buzz in the evenings. 

One of the popular cafes serving Malay cuisines is Kampung Glam Cafe. Situated at the junction of Busorrah St, the food joint opens early in the mornings and stays open till the wee hours. In the mornings, it serves the typical Malay breakfast fare like Nasi Lemak, Lontong, Mee Siam and Mee Rebus. If you want to have a lighter meal, go for a cup of coffee or teh tarik (pulled milk tea) with some epok-epok (curry puffs) or pau kacang (red bean steamed buns).

The lunch menu starts early. 11am onwards is a good time to go, as the crowd is much lesser and the dishes are still in abundance. Try nasi padang, i.e. white rice with a variety of dishes so as to get a good taste of the local Malay cuisine. Must-tries are the Ayam Lemak Cili Padi (chicken cooked in a spicy coconut gravy), Sambal Goreng (a side dish of tofu, green beans and tempe) and perhaps the Sambal Tumis Sotong (squid cooked in chilli). In the evenings the menu changes again, and you will see the serving crew handing out laminated menus to patrons before they order. The spread are more varied and includes Thai, Indian and Western options. There are also some desserts to try, e.g. the brownies, pineapple tarts, suji cookies and malay kuihs. This is probably to cater to the more versatile evening crowd, including the tourists. Prices are reasonable at the eatery; drinks starts around SGD$1 and food around SGD$4 upwards.

After dinner we hopped over to Fika on Beach Road, just a street behind Kampung Glam Cafe and had our desserts. Fika is a Swedish cafe, serving authentic Swedish cuisine. A little pricy, but totally worth it. Try their Swedish meatballs and finish the meal with an apple crumble or strawberry cheesecake. Fika is not a big establishment, so do make reservations before you come. 

After desserts its another hop over to Cafe Rouge for us (located opposite to Kampung Glam Cafe), simply because Fika closed at 10pm. Cafe Rouge is a french cafe which opened only early this year. Its open, street-side dining offers a relaxed atmosphere, perfect for enjoying a cup of coffee or tea. Its French menu is quite extensive and is mixed with some local beverage like teh tarik and other local coffee and tea variations. I tried the Pear Caramel cake..it was delicious. The cafe opens till late as well, but some things on the menu may not be available at such late hours. (note : the food establishments mentioned here are Halal. Btw, no incentive was received for reviewing any of these cafes; I am simply a foodie!). 

 Kampung Glam Cafe

                          Teh Tarik (pulled tea) & Teh Cino

                          Sidewalk cafes along Bussorah Street.

Walkway to Swedish restaurant, Fika

 Swedish meatballs (above) and desserts at Fika

French Cafe, Cafe Rouge (above), Teh Tarik and Pear Caramel cake (right), another cafe at Bussorah Street, Bushra Cafe.









                                              Sultan Mosque, the heart of Arab  Street

History Trivia : Arab Street has two explanations behind the name. The first one is that the area was owned by an Arab merchant, Syed Ali bin Mohamed Al Junied and that it was the site of an Arab kampong, hence the name Arab Street. The Chinese referred the street as jiau a koi (Javanese street), in the view of the Javanese who used to be the majority inhabitants of the area. In Tamil, Arab Street is known as pukadai sadkku (flower shops street), because of shops selling homegrown flowers, lime and other goods sold by Javanese women in the early years. It is also tied to the pre-existing situation at the time of the nation's founding by Sir Stamford Raffles. When Raffles was planning the outline of areas to be allocated for the government, as opposed to commercial and residential use, a community of Bugis seamen and merchants were already near the Sultan's palace. He therefore allocated the area to them, near where their boats were sheltered in the river, bringing their annual cargo to abarter basis. That is how the name Bugis Street came about. The Arabs and other Muslim traders (Chulias) were also allocated to areas near Kampong Glam. (source of info : Wikipedia)

Tummy Comfort

14.10.12

So Generally I...

Thought it would be nice to tuck into some comfort food on a rainy afternoon yesterday. Something warm and sweet and of course, easy to make. It’s a toss between another batch banana cake or bread and butter pudding. Hmm…banana will just have to wait another day. A quick search through my recipe books and I found the recipe for the pudding. This one actually comes from www.allrecipes.com But I was never happy with the vanilla sauce that comes with it. So another search through a recently bought food magazine found me a recipe for a vanilla sauce which I thought was easy and made more sense than my existing one.

History Trivia – The bread and butter pudding originates from United Kingdom and can be traced back to as early as the 18^th century…1723 to be exact to a gentleman called John Nott. In the early days it is also known as whitepot and can be made from bone marrow..(wow that would make the dessert very very rich) or milk. The basics of a B&B pudding is bread, milk, sugar, butter and some spices to enhance its flavor. The dessert can be eaten on its own or made more delicious by introducing a sweet sauce or cream or fruit jam (source of info : Wikipedia).

For the bread and butter pudding, you will need :

6 -7 slices of day-old bread

2 tablespoon butter, melted

1/ 2 cup raisins (optional)

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups of milk

3/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

What to do :

Ø  Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Prepare an 8 inch square pan

Ø  Break bread into small pieces and place in the pan. Drizzle the melted butter over the bread. You should use salted butter as this will add balance the sweetness of the sugar. Sprinkle the raisins on top.

Ø  In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract. With a whisk, beat until the mixture until combined well. Pour over the bread and use a fork to push down lightly until the bread is covered and soaking up the mixture.

Ø  Bake for about 35 mins or until the top springs back when tapped. You should actually start checking around 30 mins, depending on how hot your oven is.

For the vanilla sauce, you will need :

Ø  500 ml  milk

Ø  2 tablespoon of cornstarch

Ø  1 egg

Ø  1/2 cup of sugar

Ø  vanilla seeds from 1 vanilla (if this is not available, you can use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)

What to do :

Combine all the ingredients and mix well with a whisk. Cook over slow fire until mixture boils and thickens.

Cool the sauce a little before serving. This recipe makes about 8 generous servings.

I have included a link to the allrecipes.com website which shows a short video on how to make the pudding. Hope this will be helpful.

http://allrecipes.com/video/976/bread-pudding-ii/detail.aspx?prop24=RD_VideoTipsTricks

Allrecipes.com

Following The Planetary Dots..

The iternarary for my upcoming trip is finalized. Pheww! 3 packed weeks..

Our route will be :

Singapore to Paris; to Switzeland, to Amsterdam, to Brussels, to Manchester to London and back to Paris before flying home.

Transportation and accommodation is the biggest cost for the trip but we have been lucky to get pretty reasonable rates for the air fare. $4,800 (including taxes) of return tickets (Sin to Paris) for 4 pax is quite a deal!

I’ll share more soon, once I have compiled all the information on hand.

I did have a taste of ‘Italy’ to accompany my bread and butter pudding yesterday though…or rather..I had pizza..this time from Domino’s. I have only recently discovered them and was pleasantly surprised how good the

y are. Domino’s have 14 outlets in Singapore, mostly in the heartlands. Delivery service is available and they are free.

If you check their website and order online, you will be guided through a simple ordering process. The menu is also simple and clear, with 4 different types of crusts, 3 different sauces and 16 pizza toppings to choose from. I have tried the Classic Hand-tossed crust and also the Crunchy Thin crust. Both are good, but for preference, I’ll pick the Classic Hand-tossed.

There are 12 side orders available, which include the usual breadsticks, chicken wings and garlic onion rings. Others are Crazy chicken crunchies which is comparable to KFC’s chicken popcorns but meatier and comes in 2 flavour options, original or tom yam. I have tried both, and I must say the tom yam flavor is just great. Spicy and tasty. Another side order, the twisty bread, is a personal favourite.  It’s soft and sprinkled generously with garlic cheese powder. They have sweet dessert too, the Chocolate Lava cake and the Caramel Sticky dessert. Have not tried any though.

It is advisable to order their combo meal as this is more cost-saving. There are 5 combo meals  to choose from, ranging from 2 - 10 pax meals. 

Domino’s has a 30 minutes delivery guarantee, or a 15 minutes dine-in/ take-away guarantee. As it happened, they were late for 15 minutes late for my delivery. In compensation, I was given a coupon for a free 9 inch pizza on my order. Based on their ala-carte menu, this is worth $22.80!

I have included a link to their website here, if you want to check them out. BTW, I do not receive any incentive for this review, it’s purely a sharing of info. More to come I hope J !

Domino’s Pizza Website

Bananas Alert!

10.10.12

So Generally I..

Tried yet another recipe for Banana Cake. Testing our banana cake recipes has been a tireless pursuit for someone like me who likes bananas and any banana by-products. And a banana cake is a major by-product for me. This recipe is taken from the book ‘Cakes Galore’ by Valerie Barrett. The original recipe in the book is called Carribbean Banana Cake, but since I am happy just to try out the basic cake, I had omitted the spice ingredient in my version. My verdict of the cake is … hmm..how shall I put this? The cake didn’t last 24 hours..yes, it’s that good. Its moist and dense (which is what I was looking for)  and look very much like a good-old home-made cake.

History Trivia : There are reports that banana cakes could have originated from Eygptian times. While others might claim that the cake originates from Asia, as banana is an Asian fruit. However, the most popular information states that the banana cake recipe originated from America in the 18th century, when housewives discovered baking powder and baking soda and uses them as leavening agent in baking.

Carribbean Banana Cake

You will need :
2 ripe bananas, peeled

2 tablespoon clear honey

200g self-raising flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg (I omitted this for my version)

150g unsalted butter, soften

175g soft light brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

50g pecan, finely chopped.

What to do. :

Preheat oven to 180 C, 350F or Gas mark 4. Grease a 10 inch x 10inch cake tin.

> Mash the banana in bowl with honey.

> Sift the flour, baking powder and nutmeg in a separate bowl & set aside.

> Cream the butter and sugar together till pale and fluffy. Add in the eggs gradually, beating well after each addition.

> Fold in the banana and flour mixture.

> Bake for 25-30 mins or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Below is how my banana cake looks like. Do note that I made certain changes for my version as follows : I added 1 more banana as I wanted a more dense cake and I wanted to taste more of the banana. To balance up, I added 2 additional tablespoonful of flour. I skipped the nutmeg and pecans as I was not a fan of either one.

You can find more banana cake recipes on Allrecipes.com.

Show Me the Money..

I found a very interesting programme called Easy Paycheck Formula created by Sara Young. Sara is a mother of 6 kids and she worked from home doing internet marketing. You're really going to like this because she is completely hype-free and very practical and down to earth.

Sara doesn’t talk like a guru. She's just another person like you and me who happens to have cracked the code on how to make a living online.

Her programme won't show you flashy cars and huge mansions.  She

won't promise that you will make $100,000/month. Sara will just show you a simple system that works and makes you money within days.

And that's what I like about it - it's so simple and realistic,

and it's taught step-by-step so anyone can follow.

I highly recommend you take a look at what she has to

offer. In addition, you can also join her programme as an affiliate member.

Click here to get more information on this great programme.

Click here for the link of the My-Data-Team programme which I mentioned earlier.