050610: Cafe De Hong Kong

I know, I know, my last post was on 1 June 2009 which is more than a year ago. Yes I've been on a major hiatus since Junior College started. But this doesn't mean I'm too busy to feed myself.. :P

TTC recommended Cafe de Hong Kong's Claypot Rice to me on Facebook and we went down to try it after my Famine Camp CIP (No, I was not involved in the fasting).

Mum started off with a Daily Soup (例汤), which I did not try but my Mum seemed to love it. It's a clear Watercress Soup with Chicken.

We decided to try the highly recommended Egg White Wrapped Treasure Bag. This dish is quite a novelty to me. Mum said the "skin" is made from egg white, which makes it slightly "bouncy". The filling (which was very generous) is made of finely diced mushrooms, carrots etc. However taste-wise, it wasn't extremely interesting.



I'm a sucker for all things tofu, so I just had to order the Supreme Tofu.



And being a sucker for Braised Goose Web, I also had to order one... Cafe de Hong Kong's Goose Web was very plump and had more bite than Imperial Treasure's soft fall-off-the-bone rendition.



And finally, the Claypot Rice with Waxed Meat arrived!



They served the wax meat platter above with a huge claypot of rice, plus really aromatic soya sauce (It had loads of fragrant shallot oil!!) to go with it. I liked the waxed sausage and waxed liver sausage best. They were not overly salty and tastier than the usual ones Mum bought. The belly was not salty at all, though quite oily with that thick layer of fat. The duck was too salty for me and Mum to handle, so we decided to da-bao it home to cook. (Mum suggested a tofu dish)

We rounded off with Almond Paste and Mango Pudding for dessert. My Mango Pudding was loaded with real mango cubes. :>

Click here to see Mum's Claypot Rice! :D

P.S. Thank you TTC for your recommendation!

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Dinner with Rice (:

Here are some of the home dishes that mum whips up to go with plain white rice. (:

Pork Ribs Marinated in Red Yeast



Steamed Pomfret (Teochew Style)



Crispy Tempura Prawns


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Dim Sum Lunch at Ah Yat Forum!

We went for a dim sum lunch at Ah Yat Forum last week because it was a special occasion. ;)

We just ordered a few dim sum as we were rushing to leave for Singapore Art Museum afterwards. These are just some of the dim sum we ate.

Egg Tarts



We had a Danish guest with us, so we dared him to eat Braised Duck's Tongue. He enjoyed it! :D



Sorry for the blur photo! This is the Char Siew Pastry.


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Mum's Experiments: Faux Tiramisu!

Mum saw this quick tip on making "Faux" Tiramisu on TV, and we tried it out!

It's really simple and easy to make! All you need is some full cream, mascarpone cheese, sugar and some chocolate swiss roll from your nearest cake shop. Just beat the full cream, mascarpone cheese and fine sugar until it becomes smooth and velvety, then layer it on top of slices of chocolate swiss roll. Alternate and finish with the cream layer. Chill and before serving, sprinkle some cocoa powder on top! Alcohol is optional.



Try to use a smaller container, or there won't be enough for multiple layers, like what happened in the picture above! You can see why it's called "Faux" Tiramisu. There's no coffee, egg or liqueur in it, but it's just so easy to make!

And I has fun making the cream! :D

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Mum's Experiments: Okonomiyaki

Sorry everyone for the major lack of posts! I've been rather busy with school, and there wasn't much to post anyway. ): But Mum's making new experiments again, this time it's the Japanese Pancake: Okonomiyaki!

I wrote words on with Mayonnaise! Mmmm! :P


This is what is looked like before serving. Pan fry the pancake then add Okonomiyaki sauce: 2/3 part Tonkatsu Sauce, 1/3 part Tomato Ketchup.


Sprinkle generous amounts of Bonito Flakes and it's ready to eat! :D

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Dad's Hainanese Hamburg

I've been making my own home-made hamburgers lately, so Dad decided to make his own hamburger... without the burger buns. He wanted to recreate that old coffeestall-style Hainanese Hamburg Patty with Vegetables, so here it is!

Mum took a bite... and well, let's just say there was too much nutmeg in the patty. :P

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Roasted Meats at Imperial Treasure Nan Bei Restaurant

Some other goodies we treated ourselves at the New Year feast:

Roasted Pork (烧肉)

My personal sinful indulgence: A crisp layer of crackling skin, followed by a melt-in-the-mouth experience of aromatic lipids, finished off by the tender meat. All compacted in a small but sophisticated package of flavours and textures. They provide mustard, but I like to eat it as it is.



Roasted Goose

Another stellar dish at Imperial Treasure, this one is me and Mum's favourite. The meat is not the slightest bit dry, and the skin crisp and bursting with flavour. Truly the epitome of all Chinese roasts! :D

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My Favourite Goose Web!!

While celebrating "ren ri" at Imperial treasure Nan Bei restaurant, Mum and Dad treated me to one of my favourite dishes: Braised Goose Web!

Fear factor to others, but favourite dish to me! :D The skin and meat is so smooth and tender it slides from the bone and glides down your throat! The strange thing is that many restaurants serve this dish with knife and fork. I find that using chopsticks is much easier.

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Chinese New Year: Yu Sheng

We had a rather delicious Yu Sheng (Lo Hei) during the Chinese New Year festivities at Imperial Treasure Nan Bei Restaurant. (During "Ren Ri" or the birthdate of all men in Lunar calendar) To tell the truth, I've never liked Yu Sheng as 1) I still couldn't get used to raw fish except Aji; 2) Full of veggies! But strangely this one actually got us finishing the entire plate!

The syrup was not too cloyingly sweet, and I liked the fact that they added crunchy shredded yam. Oh oh and there were (a few strands of) jellyfish!



Mixing the ingredients together and drawing it high for good luck!

Click here for more information about Yu Sheng and Lo Hei!

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Lunch at Wahiro

Year 2009 has started, so it also means that school will be starting very, very soon. As a start-of-school-year treat, my parents brought me to Wahiro at Goldhill Plaza (Katong is pretty far, and Dad might find it a little squeezy) for their kushiyaki. (grilled skewered items)

They have pretty good set lunches, so Mum got this Wahiro Set that comes with a little of everything.



I had the Tempura Set(shown above), while Dad had the Yanagawa-nabe set. Of course I also ordered ala-carte kushiyaki!



From left: Chicken Skin (Kawa), Beef Tongue (Gyu Tan), Chicken (Tori)
I really enjoyed the beef tongue, because it's been a really long time since I last had such a thick meaty cut of it. Some parts were too well done, but the rest with pink centres were really delicious! Kawa was chewy and crisp at the edges.

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009! (and school!)

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New Year: Mum's Stir-fried Glass Vermicelli

Every Chinese New Year, Mum will cook this staple dish without fail. These "glass vermicelli", or also known as mung-bean vermicelli or "Tang Hoon" is extremely delicious because it is cooked in a concentrated stock. Stir-fried with Jew's Ear and various veggies, I can wolf several servings of this down at dinner time! :p

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New Year: "Hae Zhor" Prawn Rolls

These are a family specialty: "Hae Zhor", or Hokkien Prawn Rolls.

My grand-aunt does it the traditional way: wrapping prawn meat, water chestnut and minced pork in membrane derived from pigs' organs. It may sound gruesome, but some sausages also utilise the same natural membrane as a casing. First, it has to be steamed to ensure the ingredients are cooked. It is then coated in batter and deep fried to a crispy golden brown!


Hae Zhor in batter ready for deep-frying!

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Mum's Traditional Foo Chow Nian Gao

This is Mum's Traditional Foo Chow "Nian Gao", a kind of New Year pudding made from tapioca flour, sweet potato flour, red sugar and shredded yam. It is wrapped in beancurd sheet and garnished with red dates. She made 3 cakes to share and give to family and frieds! :)

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Experiments: Baked Pumpkin Gratin

Mum and Dad were so impressed with the Pumpkin Gratin at Sushi Tei's Hokkaido Promotion, that they decided to try baking their own!

Loads of mashed potato in the hollow pumpkin, plus topped with cheese and black pepper! I don't usually like pumpkin, but this really had me getting second helpings!

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Mum's Steamed Crab with Glutinous Rice

While everyone had loads of delicious Butterball Turkey, (this year's turkey was really tender!--from Cold Storage) Blackforest Ham, 240 days aged Roast Beef, Leg of Lamb, (generously sponsored by our loving Uncle :P) Mixed Salads, Jamie's Corn Soup, Jamie's Mashed Potato etc etc.. (and not to forget Jamie's really awesome Tiramisu!!) Mum made Steamed Crab with Glutinous Rice specially for Grandma this Christmas!

The crab was specially selected by the fishmonger, who claimed that the crab was 'neither male nor female', but the roe is the best.. and true enough! The meat was succulent and the roe, aplenty and deliciously sinful!

Merry Christmas, everyone! :D

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Grilled Rack of Lamb

What I grilled on the eve of Christmas Eve! These were small, but so tender and delicious! I got this rack of lamb from Meidi-ya Supermarket, and it is claimed to be 8 months old.

Only seasoned with salt this time, as I didn't have time to prepare a marinade or basting liquid. *Don't you love those grill marks?* :D



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First Makan Session at Buono Pizzar Bar

My very first Makan Session with makansutra forum kakis at Buono Pizza Bar and Ristorante! Many thanks to Uncle Eslim for organising this makan session, and Uncle TTC, Ivan and everyone else for giving me and Mum such a warm welcome! :D

Assorted Pizzas
Loved the aromatic mushrooms on the thin-crust pizza. Quote Jeremy: There's always room for pizza! :P


Seafood Soup
Tomato-based seafood soup with a fresh prawn, some squid rings, a mussel and clams. Served with a slice of toast at the side.


Baby Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese, Mushrooms, Cherry tomatoes and Winagrette


Mediterranean Salad with Chicken, Eggplant, Bell peppers, Onions and Winagrette


Penne with Spinach, Home-made Sausages and Saffron
Mum was so happy she made a better choice of the Penne...Hur hur! Jeremy loved the sausages.


Seafood Ravioli
The sauce was tangy and decent (though it reminded me of the seafood soup), but we didn't quite like the filling.


Lamb in Red Wine and Rosemary Sauce
When it came out, everyone went "Horrors! The huge serving!" We thought it was pretty good; I didn't mind grabbing it and eating like a carnivore. Despite our tummies, we relished this course. :P


Semifreddo Italian Ice Cream Yoghurt (blueberry)
Everyone agreed the mango was better than the blueberry, and tiramisu couldn't make it. According to Jeremy, we have two stomachs: One for food, the other for desserts. According to Mum, we have three stomachs: One for food, one for desserts and one for wine.

I learnt to appreciate the aroma of wine last night, and I could still remember the dessert wine with rose petals which Mum absolutely loved. Picked up a few beefy tricks from Ivan, experimented with food photography, slept really late too! (HAHA!) Thanks for an enjoyable night, makankakis!

P.s. Hungrybear: Wish you were here! :)

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Mum's Indian Curry Chicken

My first daring attempt to tackle Mum's Indian Curry Chicken! (I can't tolerate spice very well) And may I say... I LOVED IT!

Mum used only the wing and thigh parts, and the tomatoes added a sweet-sour twist to the palate. It turned out, the only gripe everyone had (but me) was... it wasn't spicy enough! :P

Mum's Indian Curry Chicken Recipe

To be prepared before cooking
Ingredients
Dry Chilli (Mum suggests the ones from China)
A little Cooking Oil
Coriander Seeds

Method
1. Clean the chilli with a slightly damp cloth; do not wet.
2. Cut into half. Seeds need not be removed.
3. Fry the chilli in a little oil, DO NOT BURN!

4. Wash coriander seeds, then let dry.
5. Fry the seeds without oil. (roasting)
6. Grind Chilli and Coriander Seeds separately. Set aside to be used later.

Seasoning for Chicken
Ingredients
3 Tbsp Ground Chilli Powder (made as above)
1 and 1/2 Tbsp Ground Coriander Powder (made as above)
1 slice of ginger, diced
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
1 chicken, chopped into bite-size pieces
10 shallots

Method
1. Cut 10 shallots longitudinal-wise; slightly thick. (Knife perpendicular to two ends)
2. Mix the Chicken pieces with the Ground Chilli Powder, Ground Coriander Powder, Diced Ginger, Mustard Seeds, Turmeric Powder, 10 Shallots and Salt.
3. Leave in the fridge overnight.

Cooking
Ingredients
Marinated Chicken Pieces (as prepared above)
5 shallots
Cooking Oil
1 to 2 Tomatoes
2 stalks of whole Green Chilli
5 stalks of Curry Leaves

Method
1. Cut 5 shallots transverse-section into thin slices. (Knife parallel to two ends)
2. Heat the oil in a wok, then add the 5 shallots and fry until fragrant and slightly brown.
3. Add marinated chicken pieces and fry on medium fire.
4. When chicken is about 1/2 cooked, add Tomatoes, Green Chillies, Curry Leaves and 1/2 cup water.
5. If the chicken appears too dry, add 1/2 cup water each time. (Do not add too much)
7. When chicken is cooked, remove from heat and serve.

*Please adjust the ingredients according to taste and level of spiciness! ;)

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Experiment: Mentaiko Spaghetti 明太子スパゲチ

I recently got introduced to Japanese-influenced Italian dishes, such as Tofu Mentai and Mentaiko Spaghetti, so I decided to try my own! Here's how I made my Mentaiko Spaghetti!

Here's the Mentaiko before opening the sac! I used one sac for a serving of two.



Using Chubby Hubby's recipe as a basic guide, it turned out pretty good even though I substituted butter with chicken fat and left out the wine.

XY's Mentaiko Spaghetti Recipe
Serves 2

Ingredients
1 Sac Fresh Mentaiko
3 Tbsp Chicken Fat (less sat. fat than butter)
5 Tbsp Chicken Bones Stock (according to taste for smoothness of sauce)
1/2 Medium Onion
1/2 Tbsp Light Cream
2 Tsp Japanese Mayonnaise
Roasted Nori strips (for garnish)

2 servings of Spaghetti
Cooking Oil
Pinch of Salt

Method
1. First, cook the pasta. Boil a pot of water and add a little oil and salt. When it boils vigorously, add the uncooked pasta.

2. Let the pasta cook until al-dente. You can pick up a strand to test whether it is ready. Make a note of the timing so you can refer to it again next time.

3. When the pasta is ready, simply drain the water and let it rest for a while.

For the Sauce:
1. Carefully cut open Mentaiko sac and scoop out the Mentaiko with a metal spoon into a small bowl.

2. Blend the Onion slightly to get a thick paste.

3. Heat a pot on medium fire and add Chicken Fat. When it has heated up, add a little less than all of the onion paste you made and stir fry until fragrant.

4. Raise the fire to medium-high. Now add the stock and stir a while longer until it starts to be reduced.

5. Turn heat off and add Cream, Mentaiko and Mayonnaise. Stir well so everything is mixed.

6. To serve, simply heat up a pan and add the pasta and sauce. Stir and mix well then put it on a plate. Garnish with some Roasted Nori strips and serve it while it's hot!

Enjoy! :)

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The Hairy Crab Season's Here!

'Tis the season to be jolly... for it's hairy crab season again! I'm not exactly crazy for this expensive delicacy, but I have to admit the roe is really good.

To quote TTC, “农历八月挑雌蟹，九月过后选雄蟹”, meaning you should choose female crabs in the Eight Month and male crabs from the Ninth Month onwards (Lunar Calendar). The one in the picture is a female. You can tell from the underbelly; if it's shaped like a triangle, it's male. If it's more rounded, it's female.



Mum purchased 4 crabs from Capital Restaurant and steamed this herself at home. The deeper red roe is hard and dry. The yellow-orange soft roe is the more delicious roe, being softer and more aromatic. (:

Capitol Restaurant
Bukit Pasoh Shop Houses
44 Bukit Pasoh Road (S)089857

P.S. The gills (shown in the second picture) aren't edible, but not poisonous either.

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