MarketWatch: California Peaches

My relatives recently bought some delicious peaches from the florist shop at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. Mum says they are available at leading fruit stalls too. The peaches are from California, and each peach is quite pricey. They emit a subtle fragrance and are incredibly sweet, soft and juicy! Almost as good as Japanese peaches!

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MarketWatch: Sakura Chicken!

I have seen this "Kami Sakura" Chicken sold in supermarkets like NTUC since a long time ago, but I never really gave them much notice... until Ieat of ieatishootipost introduced and explained the difference of Kami Sakura Chicken.

This chicken is farmed in Malaysia, and grown using Japanese farming technology so it is hormone-free and antibiotic-free. They are fed with live probiotics (beneficial bacteria like LB) in their diet and also given enough running space.

Upon hearing ravings about its tender breast meat and non-fatty flesh, we decided to taste-test it for ourselves. Mum easily got hold of the Sakura Chicken from NTUC, a relatively large-size chicken for around $8. We decided to cook it plain and simple: No flavourings, salt, pepper or seasoning. Without any condiments, the steamed chicken will truly test the quality of this chicken.

So was it really that good? The answer is: YES!

It's plump, tender and juicy but not fatty at all! It is almost like having the best qualities from the Kampong Chicken (Less Fat) and Local Chicken (Tender and Tasty). The drumstick had to be my favourite part for its juicy and tender meat! It was tasty on its own, and the broth that we cooked with it was also fantastic. The breast was rather tender, and not too "siap" (Dry). Mum and I will be sure to try out their Sakura Chicken Eggs soon!



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Special: Hospital Food

As promised... the post that will surely motivate you to keep fit and stay away from the hospital!!

...Just kidding! The food's ok if you're not staying in the ward for too long. After all, any delicacy will taste boring after a while. ;)

Of course, the first food that comes to mind for patients is naturally, Porridge! This looks like the plainest congee you've ever seen, no? Actually, it's pretty ok with a dash of pepper and some re-heating.



One of the better Chinese Breakfasts on the menu. I prefer Bee Tai Mak to the Kway Teow.

But who says there's no meat on the menu?



Look! Chicken Chop and Mashed Potato for Western lunch! Oh did I mention on lucky days, you get mashed potato for breakfast, mashed potato for lunch and mashed potato for dinner? But honestly speaking, it's pretty OK.

They do serve Fish and Chips, Fried Noodles, Potato Wedges and Sandwiches sometimes. Especially on days when the kitchen forgets dietary restrictions. But honestly, I would rather eat these somewhere else.. :/

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Super-long Hiatus!! :(

Sorry to everyone reading this blog for the ultra-long hiatus of more than one week! Unfortunately, XY was warded at hospital for a week, and following the discharge on Sunday, the computer gave no output to the screen! Meaning that the screen will be blank until the technicians arrive. Until then, please do bear with me! Your patient wait will be rewarded with...

HOSPITAL FOOD!!

..Haha someone in the forum suggested I blog hospital food, and I did take some very unappetizing photos. I will reveal the biggest reason why you must take good care of yourself (be an orthorexic!!) and never land yourself in hospital, ...so watch this space!!

P.s. In case you're wondering, I'm using my Dad's Computer!!

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Hawker: Cheng Ji Steamed Fish Head in Hot Sauce

With 200 over food stalls at the newly reopened Smith Street Food Complex, one would surely get a headache just deciding what to eat. But Claypot Chicken Rice (Sa Boh Fun) and Steamed Fish Head are the two prominent dishes here.

It can get pretty crowded at night, with many people ordering Steamed Fish Head and Claypot Chicken Rice. We came for lunch, and decided to order Steamed Fish Head with Hot Sauce from Cheng Ji, which also occupies another stall a distance away.

Despite being a freshwater fish, the meat tasted fresh and the sauce (although on the salty side) did complement the fish well. I just love the jelly-like flesh near the head area! Do beware the large bones, though.



We also ordered "Ku Lu" Pork, fried crispy pork in a tomato based sauce. This was really good. It came hot and crispy, but do eat it quickly or its gets soggy from the sauce.



Finally, there are quite a few hidden gems here, with less common dishes like this Teochew Pork Jelly. Cooking fatty pork would result in a gelatinous layer on top of the cooked broth. This dish is created by adding some meat and chilling this layer and then cutting it into blocks of strips.

Another hidden find is a German stall tucked away at the far end. They have Cordon Bleu, Pork Knuckle, Goulash and German Beer, all at reasonable prices. Just nearby (not in food complex but directly downstairs) is another German stall selling breads. I love their half-size French-style Baguette, and they have pretty interesting innovations like the Fragrant Onion Bread.

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Hawker: Wanton Mee

Sometimes when there's no choice but to eat a quick meal at the hawker centre near my house, I sometimes pick this Wanton Mee for lunch. It has a yummy QQ texture and springy bite to the noodles, but there is a slight hint of "boric acid taste". The other ingredients aren't that great, but I do love my noodles!

Before I put the noodles in my mouth, I tend pick the noodles up with my chopsticks and pour some soup over them to "rinse" excess soy sauce. Think it helps reduce sodium intake? :/

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Experiment: Beef Lasagna

A little experiment I've always wanted to make, but as you can see from the picture above, it didn't turn out very well. There wasn't enough cheese to cover the entire lasagna pasta, and it dried out when baked. Also kinda over-greased the baking tray... In the end my lovely aunt had the privilege of sharing this with me! :D *smiles innocently*

Ingredients:
-Tomato Sauce-
1 bottle of Chunky Tomato Puree
1/2 can Tomato Paste
1/2 large Onion
1 clove Garlic
1 tsp mixed Italian Spices/Herbs
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tbsp "Less Salt" Chicken Stock
Pinch of Nutmeg
1/2 Bayleaf
100g Minced Beef
Salt to taste

Cook the tomato sauce as with Spaghetti Al Pomodoro recipe. Add the minced beef just after frying the onion/garlic blend and cook for about 2 minutes (or until slightly brown).

1. Lightly grease the baking tray and layer with tomato sauce. Preheat oven at about 180 degrees C.

2. Put a piece of lasagna pasta on, followed by a generous layer of Shredded Mozzalrella Cheese. (Cover the entire pasta!!)

3. Repeat this, adding layer by layer on the lasagna, ending with the cheese layer.

4. Sprinkle some Grated Parmesan Cheese on top if you like.

5. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, or until cooked. (Check with a fork) Let it rest for 2 minutes before serving.



This must be the worst "sinful" eat for its high sodium, phosphate and calcium content! If you're on the diet, go easy on the salt and cheese (Try low-sodium ones), and avoid taking more than 1/2 of the serving pictured above. Share it with your loved ones! (like I did, hehe..) If you're making this for others, go heavy on the cheese because it helps retain moisture and keep the pasta soft.

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Recipe: Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Adapted from Women's Weekly foodbook: Issue 1

Ingredients:
3 medium-large potatoes
1 heaped tbsp butter
1 1/2 clove garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Dash of Parsley
1/3 cup Hot Milk (Optional)


1. Boil potatoes in hot, boiling water for around 20 to 25 minutes. For a quick way to peel the skin off potatoes, see this post. ;)

2. Mince the garlic and heat a pan to medium heat. Melt the butter and fry the garlic for not more than 3 minutes. Do not overcook the garlic or it will turn bitter! X(


3. Mash the boiled potatoes slightly and add the fried garlic oil.

4. Keep mashing the potatoes and mixing it with the garlic oil and fried bits. Add extra butter to make it more smooth/soft.

5. Add a dash of parsley, and salt to taste.







6. (Optional) You can add hot milk to make it even fluffier. Slowly pour in the hot milk, stirring and mixing the mixture to desired smoothness.

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Video: Peel a Potato Quickly!

1. Cut a small slit at the middle, around the uncooked potato.
2. After boiling potatoes, put in ice water.
3. Take out after 10 seconds.
4. Gently twist both ends of potato.

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BBQ Chicken: Korean Fried Chicken!

There's been quite a lot of hype recently about Korean Chicken and Street Snacks, especially with the Korean Drama Wave on TV. I happened to chance by BBQ Chicken, a Korean restaurant-style fast food with their signature healthier Olive Oil Chicken.

They are a restaurant-style fast food eatery, similar to Pizza Hut, so prices are a little steep for fast food. I ordered their Crispy Olive Chicken (Original) set [around $12], which comes with 2 pieces Chicken, some Potato Wedges, Coleslaw and Soft Drink. Look at the delightful packaging! (:



The price may be twice KFC's, but definitely much, much better. The chicken here is of good quality, plump and oh-so-juicy! The batter is very crispy, yet not salty or oily. It might not be as flavourful as most fried chicken, but it suits me perfectly. There is a tinge of spice just enough to tickle the tastebuds! (: I was very, very impressed. This has got to be the best deep-fried chicken I've had yet!

I'm not too sure about risk factors regarding deep-frying foods in olive oil-- there has been some health issues about the low smoking-point of olive oil (BBQ Chicken claims they use extra virgin!!) But I think it's still better than frying in hydrogenated oils.

June Update: I tried taking it away to eat (in the ward!!) but sadly, it was far, far inferior to when I last had it on the spot. Don't da-bao this! The chicken loses its crispyness and juicyness. Best eaten on the spot!!

8 Grange Road
#B1-04/05 Cathay Cineleisure Orchard


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