ChaoZhou Porridge restaurant is home to a gamut of Teochew-style cuisines. To learn the ins and outs of Teochew cuisines, the head chef has connected with and picked the brains of diners and chefs in Chaoshan. During his travels, he also picked up authentic local recipes that he is now sharing with epicureans in Singaporeans.

At ChaoZhou Porridge, you can discover seven types of dishes: Cold; Steam; Braised; Deep-fried; Boiled Vegetables as well as Chaozhou signature and ChaoZhou porridge. The marquee dishes include the following:

The ChaoZhou Porridge (70 cents per bowl) is prepared by immersing rice into boiling water, and then cooked under high heat. Such a process splits and separates the rice grains. Each rice grain then becomes softened. The water also turns into a light porridge base.

In Chinese, “半山半水” is a phrase used to describe the porridge. When presented, the bowl of porridge reflects the divide between 山, the mountain and 水, the sea. This was how working men in the past would cook their staple as it allowed them to save money and still have a gratifying meal. This porridge follows an authentic Teochew recipe.

A variation of the ChaoZhou Porridge is the Steamed Meat Ball with Porridge Water ($5.50/pc). The meatballs are a medley of different ingredients such as pork and vegetables. The slightly salty pork and bright vegetable lend an extra dimension to the subtle taste of the porridge.

A great appetiser here is the Big Sotong ($6.90) with Homemade Sauce. This has got to be my favourite for that night. Fresh and pillowy squids are first steamed and then chilled, making this a cold appetiser. It is served alongside with an artisanal sweet-sour sauce tinged with a spicy note.

In the Chaozhou Steamed Fish (seasonal price), the Mullet is chosen for its meatiness. The whole fish is steamed in the pot first before having its gut removed. This step retains the juicy and original taste of the fish oil. Vegetables are then added for a crunchy bite. I thought the fish was a little tough and dry that night. But the salted vegetables certainly helped a little.

For me, I really like to pair my teochew porridge with Steamed Minced Meat with Salted Fish ($4.50). We also The simplicity of the Fried Omelette with Radish ($2.50 small, $4.50 large) belies its wonderful flavours. The egg is artfully fried to a resplendent golden. Fillings of radishes add a crunchy bite.

The recipe of the Braised Duck dish is the culmination of 30 years of experimentation. The braised duck is a must-have dish during Chinese New Year. The duck meat is braised for a rich taste, before being repeatedly soaked in brine to lock in the fragrance. Besides the duck, you can also try the Braised Pork in Soy Sauce. Boasting the right proportion of fat and lean pork meat, the pork promises juicy tenderness. The process of marinating and cooking the meat over a small fire takes more than a day. Go for the Braised Delights Platter ($16.90) which includes duck, pork belly, large intestines, egg, bean cur and tau pok. Not a fan of their braised intestines though.

For someone who cannot live without carb (like me), Chao Zhou Fried Kway Teow ($8) is a good choice. Despite its Hokkien name, the stir-fried noodle dish is believed to have originated from Chaozhou in China’s Guangdong province. It is a simple meal for the ordinary man, and a hot fire gives a wok hei is essential to this dish. That night, our fried kway teow was pretty impressive. Each stand of kway teow, although pale, brings a smoky flavour and the crunchy prawns simply up the game. Pairing with the noodles is the Stir-fried Green Beans ($8) which was enlivened by radishes. I prefer the Dried Shrimps stir fried with Water Spinach ($8).

To end the meals, the Crisp-fried Taro Rolls ($2.30 per pc, minimum 3 pcs) dish is a creative take on the usual orh nee. Each roll has a crispy exterior, which encases cotton-ball, soft taro. And each bite into its piping hot luscious flesh is thrilling. ChaoZhou’s cuisines hark back to a simpler time. Juxtaposing this is the restaurant’s modern vibe and air-conditioned setting. Happy to know that the place opens till late for supper!

ChaoZhou Porridge
Address: 221 River Valley Road, Singapore 238279
Telephone: +65 6268 6763
Opening Hours: 10.30am to 5am daily

At Tian Bao Szechuan Kitchen, a new restaurant on the fifth-storey of Ngee Ann City, the heat is almost always on, and it comes at you in different ways. Sometimes, it hits you with full blast on first bite. Sometimes, you feel it’s okay initially but the heat slowly builds up.

Upon entering the restaurant, look up the ceiling and you will be greeted with beautiful stacks of steamer baskets. The tables are nicely spaced so it’s good for private conversation with friends while having a meal.

Working hand in hand with many renowned food and beverage groups in China, Tian Bao is the grand F&B venture in Singapore by its Chinese parent company. That is why they are more than confident to call their food unparalleled in taste and style.

What Tian Bao offers, is the most authentic way of cooking Szechuan food, yet they will certainly surprise you in their wonderful tastes and flavours. The menu sprawls to more than 50 selections, and focuses on Sichuan, with some nods to other Chinese traditions as well. A cold appetizer of Tender Chicken Slices with Noodles ($9.80) logs in a smooth chilli oil was refreshing and the hit of the meal.

I’ve been having a run of disappointing spicy wonton dishes, but I actually enjoyed the ones here. Wanton in Chili Sauce ($8.60/6pcs) is slippery smooth. You won’t easily feel enough because the well-balanced chilli sauce helps cut through the meat wrapped in dumplings. Mind you that it might get you hooked.

The classics are honored: Tian Bao Szechuan Dan Dan Noodle (Dry, $8.80) arrives in layers, pale and pristine noodles beneath a rubble of ground pork, with that immortal sauce of chilli oil and ground roasted Sichuan pepper, waiting to be churned together. The first taste is shockingly light, as if there were no chilli oil at all, and still it explodes.

Don’t be intimidated by Vermcelli with Braised Beef and Bamboo Shoots ($13.60). It wasn’t as spicy as it looks. The chunks of beef brisket were tender and the bamboo shoots were more crunchy than tender.

Sichuan’s inimitable heat is a big part — for me, the main part — of what makes this cuisine such a riveting adventure. My favourite dish for the meal was Boiled Deep Sea Fish Fillet in Spicy Sauce ($22.80). There were generous silvers of fillet. The stock is spiced with fresh red chilli, dried chilli and peppercorns. It’s fickle, tricky, fierce. It can light a match to your tongue, numb your lips, snap you to attention and do a job on your stomach that lasts a good long while. Brace yourself for some serious heartburn!

For less daring eaters, the more familiar Chinese fare is also quite good. Tian Bao Steamed Small Pau with Pork ($9.80/6 pcs). The delicate dumplings are comfortingly warm and filled with well-marinated minced pork and a rich stock. When popped whole, the xiao long bao brings a full burst of flavours and you don’t even need the vinegar or ginger.

It is easy to make a fetish of Sichuan cuisine’s numbing heat, but balanced meal requires soothing desserts, like the beautiful Pearly & Purple Sweet Potato Ball with Peanut Filling ($6.80/4 pcs), Glutinous Rice Cake with Cream Filling ($6 / 4 pcs) and Premium Black Sugar Ice Jelly with Osmanthus ($3.80).

Tian Bao Szechuan Kitchen
Address: 391 Orchard Road, #05-06/07 Ngee Ann City Podium Block, Singapore 238872 (beside Best Denki at Level 5)
Tel: 6734 4216
Website: http://www.tianbaorestaurant.com

Eclair is currently experiencing a heyday in Singapore. There’s little not to like about the comforting combination of airy choux pastry filled with sweet cream and custards, all in an elegant package. Today’s elcairs are different from the versions in your supermarket. They are freshly made with bright and bold flavours, it’s an exciting dessert!

KARAFURU, a new Japanese-inspired desserts café in Kampong Glam, serves an array of signature eclairs and gourmet yogurt parfaits. Walking into the cafe feels like I am in Japan, its clean white interior is a canvas for colorful desserts that are a feast for the eyes and a treat for the palate.

Helming the kitchen is Michael Liu, a very talented patissier and menu consultant whom I have known and worked together for a year. Michael is someone who is very passionate about what he does and he was trained to perfection for this race.

We tried most of the items in the menu, starting from the Japanese parfaits. A generous swirl of its signature yogurt soft serve, made fresh everyday with Hokkaido milk, sits atop a plate surrounded by a colourful spread of moist soufflé cakes, wobbly puddings, chewy Japanese dango balls and thin buttery langue de chat crisps. Savour it all with a specially concocted sauce, or not. The flavour and textural combinations are endless.

Green tea lovers will like the Matchazuke filled with matcha soufflé, vanilla pudding, jasmine crème anglaise, mizu-yokan, dango and matcha langue de chat. My favourite is Hanami. Decked in beautiful pink sakura soufflé, vanilla pudding, refreshing red fruit coulis, cereal crunch, dango, strawberries, raspberries and sakura langue de chat, it is a plate of happiness, just like spring in Japan!

Reimagining traditional Japanese flavours in surprising ways, KARAFURU has created a menu of unique eclairs. Priced between $6 to $7, KARAFURU’s éclairs are lighter, fluffier, and more dainty than its French counterparts. The slightly savory choux is hand-piped and dipped in a spectrum of vibrant glazes. Carefully baked to a refined crisp and filled with soft velvety creams, KARAFURU ensures that the subtle delicacy of each flavor always shines through.

You’ll have a hard time choosing an eclair, as they’re all good and offer a level of inventiveness. The yuzu version, with its winning combination of yuzu crème, candied lemon, marzipan and ginger sablés, is a light and refreshing piece. If that one isn’t available, the lightly sweetened Sakura Rose with sakura rose crème, marzipan and pineapple is equally enjoyable.

Indulge in original creations that include the Ume Shiso eclair UME SHISO that combines the aromatic notes of umeboshi crème and shiso leaf. It felt like a dare game to eat that but once you pass that, you will enjoy it. Another favourite of mine is Ichigo Yogurt, pairing a quintessential yogurt crème with strawberries, raspberries and pistachio sablés

If you prefer something heavier, try Black Forest stuffed with kirshwasser crème, candied wild cherries, raspberries and dark chocolate. UCC coffee, Lupicia tea and crafted fruity soda drinks topped with yogurt soft serves and served with Perrier water, round off the delectable menu. Recipes are reviewed frequently in accordance to customers’ feedback.

Guess who did i have desserts with? Thank you Cynthia for being my hand model!

Perfection is the object, which is achieved through repetition. Michael’s elcairs is evenly tubular, crisp on the outside, heavy with filling, and uniformly glazed. Every piece is like an art by itself, the fillings are not too sweet and the pastry is not too heavy. If you enjoy cocktails which mix different flavours to create an explosive drink, you will probably love eclairs which makes the colours and textures dazzling.

For those who are looking to dress up a private or coporate event with original flair, 12 KARAFURU éclair flavours are available for online ordering.

KARAFURU
Address: 8 Jalan Klapa Singapore 199320
Tel: 6291 4430
Opening Hours: Tues to Sun 1pm – 10pm (last order at 9:30pm), closed every Monday
Website: karafuru.com.sg

KARAFURU has launched their Eclairs and Parfaits sets this October and they are rewarding 5 readers from MissTamChiak.com with an Éclair AND Parfait Teatime Set Worth $38 (Éclair set $18, Parfait Set $20). Closing date for the giveaway: 2 October 2015, 12pm. 

How to win?
1. LIKE Miss Tam Chiak and Karafuru Desserts on Facebook
2. LIKE and SHARE this entry
3. COMMENT below: Which Éclair or Parfait flavour would you like to try and why?

Pince and Pints is definitely not a stranger in the F&B scene anymore. These guys make lobster rolls famous in Singapore and their queues were so long since the first day of operation. The last time, I complained about having to queue for 1.5 hours to eat my lobsters. This time round, I revisited and guess what’s the good news? They have expanded upwards adding 30 more seats on the second level of the restaurant.

Freshly caught lobsters are flown in direct from Boston, Maine and Canada, twice weekly, to Pince & Pints’ own holding facility with specifically tuned-in conditions; engineered by state-of-the-art mechanisms. The temperature of the water must be kept at a constant of 5 to 7°C.

To commemorate this new chapter of growth, the kitchen has launched their latest dish, the Truffle Lobster Roll and it has become my favourite already! The lobster is first blanched for 3 to 4 mins before taking an ice bath. Stuffed with hearty chunks of lobster meat (using a whole lobster and the claw) and coated with chopped chives, the lobster roll is then topped off with truffle caviar adding new depth and flavour to the dish.

Adding fragrant truffles on the lobster roll is a match made in heaven as the truffles brings an aromatic and earthy feel to the dish underscored by the sweet flavour the lobster has to offer. The dish is also served with a new house made truffle sauce with a side serving of fries and chef’s salad with the restaurant’s own house dressing. The dish is priced at $68++.

The Truffle Lobster Roll is served warm (yay!). But if you prefer something cold, go for the original lobster roll where the meat is first steamed, then tossed with tossed with mayonnaise, salt and pepper. All hot dog buns are custom-made by a traditional bakery in Chinatown and soaked in butter, then pan-fried till golden yellow, which makes the roll light and crispy with an aromatic richness.

If you want to have the entire lobsters, go for the Live Whole Lobster to fully appreciate and experience the natural sweetness and freshness of lobsters. Alternatively, have the Singapore style: Chili Lobster with Mantou which is sweeter than the chili sauce used for the crabs. Each dish is priced at $48++.

Good news for our friends in Malaysia! Pince & Pints Kualar Lumpur will officially open its doors to public on 9th October 2015. The restaurant will be located at Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar Baru, an area that offers a diverse mix of luxurious restaurants, cafes and lively bars and pubs. This new outlet will be the first of many to come as part of Pince & Pints’ great lobster migration. Fresh lobsters FTW!

Pince & Pints Restaurant and Bar
Address: 32/33 Duxton Road S089496
Tel: 6225 7558
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri : 5pm – 11pm (Dinner Only) Saturdays : 12pm – 11pm (All Day) Open on Public Holidays (No reservations)

The ambrosial aroma of butter meringe frosting hovered in the air at Lynda Ann Cakes, a small storefront nestled in a quiet neighbourhood of Bedok. Welcoming me is Lynda Ann, which I thought she was the owner’s daughter. But the truth is, she is the owner and Lynda Ann is her name!

I stared at her, my expression totally bewildered. This lady who is in her late 20s started baking since she was 14 years old. She said her mother didn’t buy much cakes, so she went to the library everyday to read recipe books so that she can bake at home. In 2012, she opened this small bakery and prides itself with cakes and pastries made with love.

I was literally blown away by Lynda’s Pandan Perfection ($5 per slice). Four solid layers of moist pandan cake made using pure pandan juice, sandwiched with light refreshing gula melaka fresh cream and roasted peanuts. Not a big fan of roasted peanuts, thought it will be better to just go with shredded coconut. But well, I have no complaints over its soft sponge layers.

Its signature is the carrot walnut cake with cream cheese. This moist cake is deliciously light and nutty. Just a little blemish for me is, it has a little too much cream. If not, it will be perfect. For young ladies who love colours, you can go for their rainbow cake ($5 per slice) or the rich and cream peanut butter cake ($5 per slice).

One of the tweaks of Lynda’s excellence is using Italian Butter Meringue for the frosting which is lighter on the palate than traditional butter cream frosting. This is obvious in its range of cupcakes. They also have freshly baked biscotti and cookies. All the above cakes come in bigger size as well. You can see that Lynda doesn’t really go fanciful designs like many other shops, but this neighbourhood bakery is worthy to visit because of the quality of ingredients used that’s truly made with love.

Lynda Ann Cakes
Address: Blk 122 Bedok North Street 2 #01-98 Singapore 460122
Tel: 96792041
Email: lyndaannthebaker@hotmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lynda.ann.cakes
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 12 to 7pm; Saturday 10am to 4pm

Why take pre-wedding photos? First, it lets you get comfortable with your photographer so that you will be more prepared for your wedding day. But the most important reason, these photos will be your keepsake the rest of marriage life.

To be honest, we initially wanted our wedding to be as simple as possible. No pre-wedding photoshoot at all. Just a small luncheon with our families and closed friends. But the idea sparked off when I was wearing my customized gown specially designed by Michelle HuiMin from Bridal Veil. I thought, it would be such a pity if I don’t document it. So in the end, we decided to look for photographer. We met Melvin from Multifolds whom we clique off quite well. Then my university friend, Li Yi, contacted me as she is running her own wedding styling business called Styled Story. With such a great combination, my pre-wedding photoshoot was a bang!

Planning a photoshoot can be quite mind-boggling, because there seems to be so many things to think about – my hairdo, makeup, outfit, lighting, weather, poses etc. Here are some tips to help you plan your pre-wedding photoshoot. Let’s calm those nerves!

How to Plan Your Perfect Pre-Wedding Photoshoot

1. Do you have a theme for your pre-wedding photoshoot?
Is there a story you want to tell through the photos? Are you thinking of the place where your love story started, or a superhero style photoshoot because both of you love superheroes? If you have a theme for your actual day wedding and you want to incorporate it into your pre-wedding photoshoot, do it! Grab ideas from Pinterest. Trust me, it’s my best friend now.

Before you call the photographer, have a heart-to-heart with your better half about what kind of engagement photos you’d like — posed or candid, formal or casual. I also suggest the option of getting a professional wedding stylist to style the photoshoot. They are the ones who can put your thoughts into reality. I never heard of wedding styling before I met Li Yi from Styled Story. Similar to food styling, she plans the theme of the shoot and gathers the necessary parties for the photo shoot. Having her for my pre-wedding photoshoot is like money drop from heaven. She makes our photoshoot such a breeze and added that extra spice and creative punch to your album.

2. Outdoors or Indoors?
Where are you going to shoot? Is it going to be the beach, nature or a city landscape? Or a restaurant where you had your first date? Decide if you wish to have your photoshoot outdoors or indoors. Do you prefer a day shoot or night shoot? If you are considering going overseas for your shoot, plan early please. A tip for everyone who is planning a photoshoot outdoor, make sure you find a location with a toilet nearby so that you can quickly touch up and change outfits.

3. Find your favourite photographer
Once you got a “feel” how you want your pre-wedding photoshoot to be, look for a suitable photographers who are experienced in taking such theme. Look through each photographer’s galleries to get a sense of their style. Also, think about how much budget did you allocate for your photoshoot? It really depends on how much these photos meant to you. Also, from the pre-wedding photoshoot, determine with the photographer is suitable for your wedding day. Make sure the images and people are in focus (unless they’re meant to be grainy). Make sure people look relaxed, and not spooked by the camera. Some photography vendors include the print-out service in their packages. Be sure to clarify what is included as some freelance photographers only specialize in the shooting itself and will pass you the digital version only.

4. Props, props, props!
Create a meaningful backdrop for your photos by revisiting nearby sites that are significant to the two of you, or even recreating it from nothing! Props can add a lot of life into your photos. For me, I wanted very much to have a beautiful farmer’s market because that’s the place that I would definitely go whenever I am overseas. It really helps to save a lot of time for us when we engaged services from different vendors like flowers using With Every, fairy lights from Midnight Sparks, garden cake from Butter Studio, food from The Disgruntled Chef and vintage props from Styled Story.

5. Plan your outfit
Is it going to be casual shoot or full bridal shoot? What kind of outfit are you wearing? Any accessories (necklace, earrings, hair veil) to go along with it? Who is doing your hair and makeup? What kind of shoes are you wearing? You should really think about it early so that you can start sourcing for the suitable items. Communication is important, so speak to your bridal studio and makeup artist to discuss further. Trust me, they have done enough weddings to share and recommend. For me, I totally forgot about the jewellery part. Thank goodness Michelle HuiMin from Bridal Veil offered us some jewellery to pair with the outfit. And of course, I did a trial makeup at Clara’s place before the wedding to make sure we set our expectations right.

I also suggest to get your manicure and pedicure done according to the colors that you are going to be wearing for the session. Go for Joan from PrettifyMe The Nails Bar. Remember that you may be photographing your wedding band, let your photographer know so he can do some detail shots. Read about my ring selection at Michael Trio.

6. Pick a day
Plan enough buffer time between your photo shoot and when you need the photos, in the unlikely event of wet-weather or last-minute crop ups that might cause the shoot to be postponed. Have one or two back-up dates prepared. Make a booking with all the necessary parties ahead of time, and also with the venue if it is not a public one. Once you have a short list of people you are working with, tell them early to make sure they are free on your date.

7. Recee your Photoshoot Location
If you have some time, I strongly suggest heading down to your shoot location for a recee. Note which days and which spots are less crowded. Or work with your stylist to discuss what creative ideas can be done on the location. Be sure to ask your photographer for advice, as they would probably have done shoots in those popular locations before.

For me, we initially plan to do our photoshoot in an abandoned hut in Punggol where we can light up the beautiful hut and also witness sunset. Recee was done and we were very excited about it. Unfortunately, on the day of the photoshoot, there were construction workers at the location and they say we cannot do our photoshoot there. So it was a last minute decision to do it in a small park nearby. So remember to think of contingency plan if you are going to shoot in public places.

Also, while you are recee-ing your location, find out where the nearest toilets are. If it is an outdoors location, find out where the shades are. Because mine was done at a park, there was no toilet nearby so we had to make sure we clear our bowels and we brought a make shift dressing tent so that I can get changed for outfits.

8. Just Enjoy the Day
When the day arrives, just enjoy it! Try not to sweat the small stuff, like a relocation of my photo shoot because the photographer and stylist will take care of it.

For me, I went to my makeup artist house for makeup before heading to the location. Allow your photographer to keep you on schedule, to frame the shots and to know what will look best. Remember to get close to your better half. Plan to get a few affectionate close-up pictures: hug, hold hands, sling your arm around his shoulders. You’re in love, show it off!

Hope this guide has helped you plan for your shoot! Just remember to do your homework early so that you won’t be stressed out. If you liked this post, please do share it!

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Fresh blooms, a delectable spread and romantic fairy lights – that’s what I want my pre-wedding photoshoot to be. A FRENCH FARMERS’ MARKET! Read about our interview with The Wedding Scoop.

Big THANK YOU to the following vendors:
Photography: Multifolds Photography
Wedding Dress and suit: Bridal Veil & The Men’s Club
Rings: Michael Trio
Makeup: Clara Song
Nails: PrettifyMe
Flowers: With Every
Lights: Midnight Sparks
Cake: Butter Studio
Food: The Disgruntled Chef
Styling and Vintage Prop Rental: Styled Story (formerly Au Lapin Blanc)

I love drinking soup! Especially those that has been cooked till it’s super ‘gao’ and flavourful kind. While we were doing food hunting last week, we came to A.S Seafood Soup from a tip-off. Learning from the seafood soup master at Woodlands Centre, A.S Seafood Soup (安盛海鲜汤) owner started from a hawker stall in Bedok before shifting to Depot Road.

Using old hen, dried scallops and pork ribs to cook the stock for 4 hours, the broth is full bodied with a balance of sweetness and savouriness. In my opinion, it is not as deep and has a milder crustacean flavour as compared to Yan Ji, but still good enough when you crave for a piping good bowl of soup on a rainy day.

We ordered $12 bowl which comes with crayfish, fish slices and prawns. The most important thing about having seafood soup is the freshness of the ingredients. The crayfish is the star as it is meaty and tender. The prawns are crunchy as well. The seafood soup also added big chunks of seasoned minced meat but it was slightly tough for my liking that day. Coupled with the slight sour tomatoes and grouper fish slices, it is a really satisfying meal.

I’ll give the pig trotter’s a skip though. Their version is not that great. Their new branch will be opening on 8 October 2015 and it will be at Blk 412, Bedok North Ave 2.

安盛海鲜汤 A.S. Seafood Soup
Address: 108 depot road #02-22, Depot Height Shopping Center Yue Hwa Food Court Singapore 100108
Tel: 8398 7155
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 11am to 9pm

Eurasian cuisine is essentially a fusion of the East and West. It is characterized by strong and rich flavours and often liberally spiced. Each colony – Portuguese, Dutch, British or Spanish has its own favourite dishes. Honestly, I only start to understand more about Eurasian food when I was studying for tour guide course.

Casa Bom Vento is now managed by Lionel, son of original proprietor Gladys Chee. The menu offers a wide range of Eurasion and Peranakan dishes. One Eurasian dish that I have been dying to try was Debal Curry, which many people called it Devil’s curry because of its spiciness. ‘Debal’ refers to ‘leftovers’ in the Kristang language. This dish was created when all the leftover Christmas meats were put together in a hot curry. Of course, now we don’t have to eat it during Christmas as Casa Bom Vento serves it everyday!

True enough, their debal curry ($13 for small) is SUPER HOT. Casa Bom Vento’s version is cooked with chicken, chicken sausage and potatoes, this is spicy without the richness of coconut milk. Because it is a halal-certified restaurant, they do not use ingredients like pork or ham.

I always give salute to Peranakan chef who creates delicious food using their tombok tombok (grinding method). Over in Casa Bom Vento, one of my favourite appetizer is the Kachang Botol Salad ($8) which is raw sliced winged beans with lime. It’s a salad with a medley of ingredients for the refreshing crunchy deliciousness.

The ayam buah keluak ($13 small) is a clear winner. Originates from his Perankan mum’s recipe, Lionel grounded the buah keluak nuts, added into the rempah and simmered for hours to create a thick and rich gravy. The addition of lime and ginger gives the gravy the perfect balance of flavours. I am a fan of stingray and was thrilled by the grilled baby stingray with peppercorns ($20 small). It was a lovely combination of spices, but unfortunately, it wasn’t quite tender on my day of visit and I didn’t have an easy time sliding it off the bones.

As you know, Peranakan kitchen uses lots of tamarind to add sourness to a dish. Itek Sio ($17 small) is a Peranakan braised duck in tamarind and coriander gravy. Cooking duck can be time consuming. To ensure a very fragrant sauce, the restaurant also add adds toasted coriander. It’s fork tender and pairs well with a bowl of rice. Another dish that uses tamarind is the Prawn Nanas ($30 small) with pineapple. We also Special Curry Fish Head (seasonal price) which needs one day in advance.

 

A photo posted by Maureen Ow (@misstamchiak) on Sep 17, 2015 at 5:41am PDT

During my second visit at Casa Bom Vento, I had the chance to truly experience a Tok Panjang meal. During the 12th day of the traditional Peranakan wedding, Tok Panjang celebration is held where families feast the entire day on over 40 dishes. Casa Bom Vento Restaurant is one of the few places in Singapore that still caters to the traditional tok panjang. We had a wide range of Peranakan dishes including devil’s curry, mutton rendang, botol salad, nonya curry lemak, chap chye, mee siam, ayam buah keluak, itek sioh, eurasian beef semor, sayur lodeh and many many more. It’s usually catered for 15 pax and more, please call 3 days in advance to book!

Casa Bom Vento
475 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427682
Tel: 6440 0196
Operating hours: Mondays to Sundays 11.30am to 3pm, 5.30pm to 10pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

Owing to the geographic location of Mandalay, Burmese cuisine has been influenced by Chinese cuisine, Indian cuisine and Thai cuisine. Like many of you, I am totally clueless about Burmese cuisine. But after spending four good days exploring the city, I am fell in love with its street food, all thank you to our local guide, Jericho and Faye. As I wandered the city’s streets, scented broths wafted from the huge metal cooking pots. Here’s an insider’s guide to the best places to eat in Mandalay.

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Shwe Pyi Moe Tea Shop
Address: 66th street (between 26th & 27th street)
Opening hours: 5am to 11pm
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Shwe Pyi Moe Tea Shop, a very famous breakfast stop for all Burmese (beside Sedona Hotel). Burmese loves to toss together humble ingredients like the pea to create tempting salads, soups, curries and stir-fry. We had Mont Di which is thick rice noodle with chicken pea flour. The red chili paste and oil gives the white rice vermicelli the yellow colour. Mixed with fishball, beansprouts, onion and pickled mustard, it is a colourful combination.

Another staple food for Burmese is Shan Noodle, which I like it better than Mont Di. Shan noodles are served everywhere, at all hours of the day, and it is equally filling but more tangy (like mee siam). Influenced by the Thai, the noodles is a combination of sweet, sour and salty, and the toss of peanuts, fresh cilantro, onion and preserved vegetables makes it a light enough to keep me full and happy, yet craving for more.

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Shwe Shan Buffet (Golden Shan)
Address: 84th street (between 22nd and 23rd street)
Opening hours: 10am to 11pm
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The Shan is a Tai ethnic group of Southeast Asia. They are descendants of the oldest branch of the Tai-Shan, who have migrated from Yunnan in China. The Shan live primarily in Myanmar and its cuisine boosts a diversity of dishes with strong and interesting flavours. After walking around Mingun, we went to Shwe Shan for buffet because I was really hungry. It feels like I am eating chap chye peng, but instead of being served, you pick your own favourite dishes. I had more than 10 dishes on my plate andI am so hungry that I had more than 10 dishes. The lady spoke fantastic English and was very helpful in introducing the dishes! Many of them have Chinese influence and have flavourful taste profile. The buffet is only 4000 kyat (about SGD 4) and the standard of the food is very good!

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16th Street Myee Shay
Address: 16th Street (between 81st and 82nd street)
Opening hours: 8.30am to 3pm
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Traditionally, Burmese eat their meals from dishes on a low table, and this is evident in this no-name stall along Street 16 that sells excellent Myee Shay which draws a huge crowd. For only US$1, you get a bowl of rice noodles full of ingredients including pig’s tail and pig’s skin, plus a super flavourful bowl of pork ribs soup. Drizzle some lime and add some mustard leaf to give it some tanginess, I don’t know why, but it reminded me of our Singapore style beef noodles. Yes, I am sitting on a stool by the roadside eating my noodles. That should be the way to travel! Pardon my oily face and messy hair, even though it was 38 degree celsius that afternoon, the heat didn’t stop us from exploring all the good street food that locals go.

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Tut P
Address: 33rd Street (between 84th and 85th street)
Opening hours: 11am to 7pm
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Tut P is a famous pork stick stall in Mandalay. The pork comes in different parts, they either blanched or deep-fried. Unlike other stalls, they really use premium thick skewers for their pork. They will serve you a few trays of pork stick, you can pick which one you prefer and eat it. I suggest you to have the blanched version so you can dip the skewers into a bowl of spicy morning glory soup. By the end of the meal, the servers will come and count the number of sticks. We had about 50 sticks and it only costs us about SGD4!

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Shwe Taung Tan
Address: 66th Street (between 26th and 27th street)
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm
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Shwe Taung Tan’s comforting bowl of Kyae Oh (pork noodles) is one of the best meal I had i Mandalay. While my friends in Singapore was complaining about the haze, I feel it here too as the smoke from the charcoal permeated the air. But of course, I am the lucky one because this is what makes his broth good. One by one, he scooped a spoonful of minced meat into the soup in brisk motions. I look at my unassuming bowl of noodle soup and wondered, how good can this be? After sipping the first mouthful of soup, I turned to my partner and exclaimed, “WAH THIS BAK CHOR MEE SOUP IS SOLID!” The broth is so power packed that I can easily finish the whole bowl of soup even though I am quite full. The minced meatball was so tender and tasty, which makes them look like little gemstones in the ocean.

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Man Myo Daw Bow See
Address: 30th Street (between 77th and 78th street)
Opening hours: 4am to 10pm
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“Bow See” means “bun” in Burmese language. Here, the shops sells fluffy and soft steamed buns that are made fresh daily. The size of the bao is moderate and packed with juicy pork. Something that interest me is their dumplings which looks like the big brother of xiao long bao. Not as soupy, but this dumpling has generous scoop of marinated pork.

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Shan Tofu
Addeess: 71st street (between 34th and 35th street)
Opening Hours: 7am to 12pm
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You must be wondering, “Where got tofu? Which is the tofu?” Well that bowl of gooey looking dish is none other than Shan Tofu! The sauce is made from liquid Burmese tofu, which is yellow and made from pea flour. It is thick and gooey, and served warm with noodles, some savoury homemade sauce and minced meat. Trying to think what does it resemble. The closest I can think of is lor mee! If Shan Tofu is not your thing, go for their usual noodle soup then!

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Saya Gyi
Address: 28th Street (between 70th & 71st street)
Opening hours: 6am to 11am, 3pm to 6pm
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Mohinga is a rice noodle and fish soup from Myanmar and is usually eaten as breakfast. In Myanmar, freshwater fish and shrimp are usually made into paste and added into cooking. Saya Gyi’s versin is thick with fish paste and less soup. It’s mixed with Its ingredients depend on their availability. However, the rich broth is mixed with chickpea flour and kept on the boil in a cauldron. It is served with rice vermicelli, dressed and garnished with fish sauce, a squeeze of lime, crisp fried onions, coriander, spring onions. Good news is, Saya Gyi is also available in Penisular Plaza Singapore!

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26th Street Tea Salad
Address: 26th street (between 65 and 64)
Opening hours: 10am to 10pm
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If you wish to buy souvenirs from Myanmar, I suggest getting Lahpet (tea salad). It is an eclectic mix of flavors and textures that includes soft pickled tea leaves, roasted peanuts, sesame, garlic and more. The tea leaves are first harvested, then the best of the crop is set aside for fermenting while thee rest is used for tea. You can choose how you want to combine it according to your own preference and this is usually served as the last course. If you prefer, have your preserved tea leaves with a plate of rice!

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Tet Nay Win
Address: 68th Street (between 34th and 35th street)
Opening Hours: 3pm to 9.30pm
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Okay, YOU GOT TO EAT THIS. This is another of my favourite meal in Mandalay. Order the lemon fish please! Because they have pretty fresh fish here, the fish is steamed with tangy lime and garlic sauce. It totally opens up your palette and my boyfriend had three bowls of rice to go with this. Alternatively, go for their BBQ fish which is equally good – soft and tender meat with a light hint of smokiness. Also, order their BBQ chicken. They are sweet, smoky and just sticky enough to make us very very happy. It was served with their special chilli dip. Simply heavenly!

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THANK YOU JERICHO & FAYE!
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I really want to say a big THANK YOU to Jericho and Faye for showing us around Mandalay! The couple has been staying here for about two years and they were generous to bring us around to eat and explain to us more about Mandalay food. It’s new friendship found and I really appreciate their help to break the bubble and perceptions that we initially had.

If you are wondering how easy and accessible is Mandalay? Let me tell you, it is no problem for everyone (easier than travelling in Bangkok in my opinion) because the city, neatly planned with its lettered roads and numbered streets, so it is easy to locate the street food stalls I have introduced. Motorcycle taxis lurk near hotels, expect to pay 1000 Kyat (about SGD 1) for a short hop, K1500 across the centre, and K10,000 (about SGD 10) for full day hire. These drivers speak decent English.

SilkAir flies to Mandalay thrice a week, through a circular routing with Yangon, departing Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Follow SilkAir Facebook / Instagram / Twitter for updates.

I have bought some good food items from Mandalay to giveaway to 5 lucky readers! These items include thick and rich Mandalay milk tea, almond biscuits, peanut candy, traditional tea leave salad and a SilkAir travel kit (not in picture)! Giveaway contest will end 9 Oct 2015, good luck!

How to win?
1. LIKE Miss Tam Chiak and SilkAir on Facebook.
2. LIKE and SHARE.
3. COMMENT below which Mandalay street food you wish to try and why.

Advertorial

Healthy living doesn’t have to be dull. Health Promotion Board (HPB) will show you how to make it fun with Healthy Lifestyle Festival SG!

Healthy Lifestyle Festival SG is set to be an exciting month-long festival, starting with a myriad of activities, events and roadshows in the first 4 weekends in October across various locations island wide, leading up to the anchor event on November 7-8 at the Singapore Sports Hub and Kallang Wave Mall. It will be a fun-filled and educational festival for the whole family with a host of free activities, exhibits and goodies bags, with limited edition notebooks and coasters.

The activities are planned around HPB’s five main health pillars, which are to inspire people to get active, eat smart, get appropriate screening tests, think positive and quit smoking. Taking place at the Healthy Lifestyle Festival SG is the inaugural 30-minute Healthy & Tasty Cook-Off.

30-minute Healthy & Tasty Cook-Off is a cooking competition that challenges participants to create healthier meals in under 30 minutes, using wholegrain, vegetables and/or fruit, and products with the Healthier Choice Symbol.

Shortlisted pairs of participants have gone through a round of mentorship sessions prior to semi-finals which will be held at each roadshow (4, 11, 17, 25 Oct). The winning pair from each roadshow will then proceed into the finals, held at the anchor event on 8 Nov.

It marks the second phase of HPB’s ‘Shop Healthy. Get More from Life’ campaign launched in July this year, which encourages Singapore residents to opt for food products with the Healthier Choice Symbol so they can prepare healthier meals when eating at home.

HEALTHY & EASY RECIPE: VEGETABLE ROLLS

We all know that eating right can help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid certain health problems, but your diet can also have a profound effect on your mood and sense of wellbeing.

The Healthier Choices Symbol is introduced by Health Promotion Board to mark food products that meet the nutritional standards set by HPB. If you are shopping for healthier food choices, all you have to do is look out for the Healthier Choice Symbol on its packaging. Products with this symbol are lower in fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium. Some are also higher in whole-grains, dietary fibre and calcium compared to similar products in the same food category.

It’s easy to create healthy and tasty meals at home. Just last week, I created this simple vegetable roll at home to replace our usual popiah which will take a longer time to prepare.

Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
200g carrots, sliced into strips
200g tau kwa, cut into strips
100g beansprouts
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
8 pcs butterhead lettuce
8 pcs spring roll skin
some white pepper
some sesame seeds

Method:
1. In a pre-heated wok, add oil and fry garlic till fragrant.
2. Add carrot, beansprouts and tau kwa and fry for about 5 minutes until the ingredients are cooked.
3. Season with condiments. Adjust to taste. Set aside.
4. Lay spring roll skin on a dry plate. Place a piece of lettuce and spoon cooked vegetables on it. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
5. Fold the left and right side of the spring roll towards the centre. Finish by rolling the whole spring roll into a cylinder shape. Serve.

Tips: Use unsaturated oils like sunflower oil, canola oil or olive oil instead of saturated oils like butter or ghee.

SEE YOU AT THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE FESTIVAL!

Come down to the Healthy Lifestyle Festival roadshows and anchor event for a fun-filled day out and cheer on your favourite 30-minute Healthy & Tasty Cook-Off team. I am very excited to be going down for the festival and enjoy the many free activities. What’s more, I will be judging the Healthy & Tasty Cook-Off, thank you HPB for the opportunity!

The festival brings 4 exciting roadshows in the heartlands, an anchor festival at Singapore Sports Hub. With lots of free activities, visitors can try out new workouts like piloxing and bowkwa, or all time favourite zumba sessions, pick up tips on how to cook healthy and tasty meals for the family, visit the kids zone, get screened and many more. Goodie bags and limited edition notebooks and coasters to be collected.

Detailed Roadshow details (10 am-9pm)
3-4 Oct: Toa Payoh HDB Hub Atrium
10-11 Oct: Tampines Central (Field beside Tampines MRT)
17-18 Oct: Canopy at J-Link (Beside Jurong Regional Library)
24-25 Oct: Hougang Central Hub (Beside Hougang Mall)
7-8 Nov: Singapore Sports Hub and Kallang Wave Mall

For more information, please visit www.healthylifestyle.sg

Having transformed from a fishing village to one of Asia’s most dynamic cities, Singapore offers some of the best food in South East Asia. With a rich multicultural heritage, this little red dot offers a wide variety of the most delicious dishes that are heavily influenced by our Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian immigrants. Despite the wide options of food available, Singapore is also famously known for its local food that is just shiok! And in this humid/hazy weather, pairing local food with Coke® is sure to delight!

What’s the next best thing? Stand to win $100 dining vouchers from 21 On Rajah located within Days Hotels Singapore At Zhongshan Park by taking a photo of local food with Coke®! More details at the end of the post!

Rojak, Popiah & Cockle
Address: #01-56, Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street

This is the only stall selling rojak in Maxwell food centre. The ingredients are the common turnip (bang kwang), egg, lettuce, bean sprouts, peanuts, sweet sauce and a dash of chilli. Ingredients are fresh and the sauce is rich.

Yan Kee Noodle House
Address: BK Eating House, 21 South Bridge Road

Bak chor mee is actually a dialect for minced pork noodles. Yan Kee is a good rendition of this popular Teochew dish. It includes fluffy minced pork, succulent stewed mushrooms, springy noodles in a dark vinegary sauce. As I savour my bowl of Bak Chor Mee, I like to pair it with a can of Coca-Cola® to cool my tastebuds.

Asam Tree Café, Bakery & Restaurant
Address: Blk 712 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6

Asam Tree Café, Bakery & Restaurant is a halal-certified restaurant that serves good nasi padang. Their thick and gooey prawn paste is simply irresistible. What’s the kick here? Their belachan IS SUPER SHIOK. The staff skilfully tossed the rojak with their homemade belachan. It gives a super spicy kick, but really, it is very addictive! Of course, my plate of rojak goes better with a can of ice-cold Coke light® or Coke zero®.

TAKE PART & STAND TO WIN $100 DINING VOUCHERS!

Stand to win $100 dining vouchers from 21 On Rajah located within Days Hotels Singapore At Zhongshan Park when you take part in the contest, as below:

Step 1: Take a picture of local food and Coke® or Coke light® or Coke zero®, where both food and drink(s) are part of the same meal.

Step 2: Upload the picture with a caption that explains why this food and drink pairing creates an enjoyable meal, onto any of the below social media platforms:

i. The comments section of HungryGoWhere’s Facebook post where this Contest is being announced and hashtag #HGWxCoke, OR

ii. Participant’s personal Facebook or Instagram or Twitter account, and hashtag #HGWxCoke

Contest runs from 30th Sept to 27th Oct 2015. Entries must be set to “public” accounts during the Contest period in order for posts to be eligible. Entries must clearly feature at least one can or bottle of Coke®, Coke light® or Coke zero®.

Prizes will be awarded to the most interesting posts that best show (via the picture) and explain (via the caption) how local food is paired with Coke®, Coke light® or Coke zero® for an enjoyable meal. Terms and conditions apply.

My Little Spanish Place has set up its second home-style space in town. Housed at the ground level of a conservation shop house along the Boat Quay riverside, Spanish food lovers can now have a taste of Spanish ‘meson’ dining right in the heart of CBD.

With its new location by the waters, the My Little Spanish Place chef duo, Chefs Maria Sevillano and Edward Esmero, naturally looked to the Balearic Islands – an archipelago made up of 4 islands, the well-known clubbing destination Ibiza, Majorca, Minorca and Formentera. The brand new menu offers dishes inspired by new regions previously not explored.

We started our dinner with a quick demonstration of Spanish Ham craving by Chef Maria Sevillano. Ranging from 48 months Guijuelo or Iberico Bellota from Joselito ($25/25g), 36 months Jabugo or Iberico Bellota from 5J ($21/25g), 30 months Jabugo or Iberico Bellota from Sierra Mayor ($16/25g), 24 months Salamanca or Iberico from Laudes ($12), to 18 months La Alberca or Serrano from Fermin ($7/25g).

The Balearic Islands have always been an intrigue for the Spanish. Even though it is part of Spain, this is an area that has been conquered by different kingdoms and countries. To pay homage to the lesser-known pantry of the Balearic Islands, the team embarked on the Tabla de Salchichas Artesanales (Handmade Sausage Platter, $21).

Comprising of 3 parts – the Butifarra and Morcilla sausages as well as the Sobrasada terrine, the Butifarra and Sobrasada is handcrafted in small batches each week. A Balearic staple, the Butifarra is made from minced pork and an assortment of spices and sherry vinegar, and was traditionally prepared as part of the festive rites in Majorca to mark the coming of the autumn and spring seasons.

The Sobrasada, better known as a raw, cured sausage, is served in the ‘tarrina’ (terrine) version. Made from pork fat, paprika and salt, it is best enjoyed when spread over toasted bread.

The Mojo sauces, a signature from the Canary Islands, also make their mark in the Handmade Sausage Platter. Nicknamed the “pesto of the Canary Islands”, they are made from a base of olive oil, salt, water, pepper, garlic, paprika and spices such as cumin and coriander. The Mojo Rojo and Picon are red sauces of varying levels of spiciness made from paprika, olive oil, cumin seeds and red chillies, while the Mojo Verde is a green sauce made from parsley, coriander, garlic, cayenne pepper, sherry vinegar and olive oil.

A pastoral dish originally made from overnight breadcrumbs that is said to have originated from the shepherds and the La Mancha region, the Migas ($8 per serving) was said to go through many rounds of refinements before the chef is finally happy. Made homemade croutons, chorizo, tomatoes, peppers and topped with a half-boiled egg, it doesn’t sound like a plate of anything you would come to the restaurant for. But only when you enjoy a well prepared dish of migas do you realise that this homely family dish can be tasty.

The grilled fresh octopus leg Pulpo de la Casa ($36/100g) is a highlight. Seasoned with pimenton, sea salt and olive oil, then served with red and green pepper purees. It has an amazing combination of texture and flavours. I was surprised that the meat was so tender and sweet with just a hint of chewiness.

Another highlight is the Secreto Iberico ($28), the butcher’s cut (between the shoulder blade and loin) of Iberico pork, which is first marinated with thyme and garlic, then served with grilled piquillo pepper and Patata Fritas. The hearty slices of Iberico pork are fatty and smooth, how not to love them?

While the flagship My Little Spanish Place restaurant in Bukit Timah is celebrated for its paella, the chefs have introduced the Fideuà Verde ($38 for small, $66 for large) – a similar dish to paella that uses short noodles instead of Bomba rice. The short noodles are cooked in concentrated homemade prawn stock until it achieves a crispy layer of soccarat at the bottom of the pan. Although the fideuà is a common dish in Spain, the chefs have created a Spinach-based paste and mixed it into the Fideuà for a unique green shade. I actually find this insanely delicious with perfectly cooked shellfish and the charred noodles at the bottom add a contrasting texture.

For dessert, the chefs have included the Spanish tradition of mixing wines and food. The Leche Merengada con PX ($12) is home-churned meringue milk ice cream studded with Serrano jamon bits, served with a shot of sweet Pedro Ximenez sherry dessert wine, which is then poured over the ice cream. Since the haze is still here, it can get pretty warm and humid, which provides a perfect excuse to get down with their White and Red Sangrias.

My Little Spanish Place @ Boat Quay
Address: 54 Boat Quay, Singapore 049843
Tel: 6532 0665
Website: www.mylittlespanishplace.com.sg

Katong is a melting pot of culture with charming heritage shophouses, quaint stores and many exciting eateries. For visitors coming from Changi International Airport, staying in Katong is a good option because not only it is near the airport, it also has many delicious eateries!

We spent our weekend at Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore recently. It is conveniently located just 15 minutes away from the airport and a short walk away is East Coast Park with attractive beaches and facilities popular with families. Opposite the hotel is Parkway Parade Shopping Centre, a one-stop shopping destination that caters to every family or the business traveler’s needs.

The hotel has 576 guest rooms and suites, choice of five dining outlets and outdoor swimming pool. We stayed in the executive room which gets a peek of heritage Katong and a scenic view of the sea. The bed is comfortable and I slept throughout the night. If you crave a luxurious soaking tub, the room has a huge bathroom with bath tub so you can spend more time in the bathroom.

Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy offers one way complimentary shuttle service to Marina Bay, Esplanade and ION Orchard every Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays at 10.00am, 11.00am and 12.00noon. The hotel also offers complimentary one-way shuttle service to Paya Lebar MRT Station from Mondays to Fridays at the following stipulated timings: 8.30am, 9.00am, 10.00am, 10.30am and 11.00am.

Executive Lounge

We were entitled access to the Executive lounge on Level 17 where we enjoy a refreshing drink in a quiet environment and gaze at the breathtaking sea view. There is also complimentary breakfast, all day refreshments, complimentary evening drinks with hors d’oeuvres, complimentary Wireless broadband Internet facility and selection of reading materials. For those who are on business trips, you have complimentary two-hour use of the Executive Lounge Boardroom.

Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant

Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant has always been one of my top Chinese restaurants to go for a meal with my family. Recently, the restaurant welcomes the new head chef Victor Lee with the launch of a new menu. Born in Malaysia, Chef Victor was inspired by his elder brother who worked as a head chef of Goh Zha Kang restaurant in Malaysia. He started his culinary career as a kitchen helper at the age of 20 and has stints with Gim Tim Group of Restaurants and Seafood International Market and Restaurant.

The menu was designed to reflect on the contemporary oriental décor, embracing the Chinese characters “家味” that refers to home flavours, hoping that it will encourage diners to enjoy a home cook meal with their family members. Each of us had an executive menu for the busy executives which contains a good range of dishes such as chef’s hot stone soup that promises to warm your heart.

Whet your appetite with some fresh king prawns sauteed with chef special sauce, which tasted similar to gan xiang style, it’s aromatic with the spices balanced perfectly. Not only do they serve traditional dishes, they also does dishes with a twist. For example the grilled sea perch is done with kawasaki sauce and seafood fried rice comes with caviar.

We only tried the executive menu this time round which I thought didn’t quite display the strengths of Chef Victor. But it gives me a reason to come back again. I would love to try their fish maw and seafood soup with my family next time. Yum Cha is also available at Jia Wei every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm for dim sum lovers.

HAIRY CRAB PROMOTION
Do not miss the hairy crab, a seasonal special that is renowned for its intense flavour & crab roe. Hairy Crabs are available at $28 for 125g from October to November. You can also personalize your seafood feast menu with a wide slection which consists of fresh prawns, crabs and many more from just $198 for 4 persons. Make your reservations by calling 6340 5678.

BREEZ BISTRO.BAR

During dinner, we were so glad to stay in our hotel instead of heading out for dinner just so that I can escape from the haze. Located on Level 4, Breez Bistro serves a range of local and international delights. We were served with another executive set dinner ($36 for 3 course; $42 for 4 course) with salad and seared chicken breast, mushroom soup, chargrilled rib-eye and chocolate orange cake. The juicy and tender rib-eye is beautifully seared for maximum flavor. Pair it with a glass of good red wine to enjoy it fully.

Alternatively, you can request for a special cocktail creation from their bartender. Glad that the haze is now disappearing because you get a nice view of the refreshing swimming pool. Breez bistro.bar HAPPY HOUR is available every day from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm and ALL DAY SUNDAYS!

Do you know, Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy operates a Halal Certified Kitchen on Level 4 that prepares all the Halal Cuisine at the hotel, including the menu at breez bistro.bar as well as the Halal menu for the Malay weddings.

OCTOBER PROMOTION
Enjoy a comforting Ox-Tail Stew or Braised Lamb Shank along with seasonal vegetables & fresh garlic toasts. End off the meal with a glass of draught beer or moctail at $26.00.

Feast@East

Where to eat buffet in East Coast? Feast@East Buffet Restaurant! I know Feast@East because from their famous Peranakan buffet. Every day is a different day as the menu constantly varies to ensure guests will always be pampered with a delicious buffet selection.

During breakfast, the restaurant serves quite a food range of items. Besides the classic eggs and beans, they also have honey glazed wings, japanese style daikon and many more! Give you a tip, visit Feast@East for lunch or dinner because they serve their signature laksa and durian paste.

TASTE OF THAILAND PROMOTION
From 16 – 25 October, the talented culinary team will be preparing authentic favourites such as Kaeng Som Pla (Thai Sour Fish Soup), Phad Thai (Stir Fried Rice Noodles), Khao Phat Sapparot (Pineapple Fried Rice), Yam Takhrai (Lemongrass Salad), Goong Sarong (Deep-Fried Prawns Wrapped In Vermicelli), Khao Niaow Ma Muang (Sticky Rice With Mango) and other delicacies. Adults $47, Child $23, Senior Citizen $36, Pioneer $30. For enquiries and reservations, please call 6340 5665.

Thank you Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore for the staycation invitation. For visitors, there is complimentary Shuttle Bus Service to/from Changi International Airport from 6.30am to 2am everyday.

Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore
Address: 50 East Coast Road (Opposite Parkway Parade Shopping Centre), Roxy Square, Singapore 428769
Tel: (65) 6344 8000
Email: H3610-FO16@accor.com
Website: www.grandmercureroxy.com.sg

For most people in developed countries, being hungry is the uncomfortable feeling you get if you skip lunch. But it’s very different if you’re one of the hundreds of millions who don’t get enough to eat every single day. Being malnourished means you don’t have the energy to do even the simplest tasks. World Food Day is a day of action against hunger. On October 16, people around the world come together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger. Created in 1945, it is now an annual event observed in almost every country by millions of people.

Do you know, 805 million people, or one in nine worldwide, live with chronic hunger.

During my college days, I have been to 30 Hour Famine Camp to challenge myself against poverty by going hungry for 30 hours. I experienced first-hand the events leading to the poverty trap while battling illiteracy and hunger. It’s not fun being hungry and after the camp ended, I was thankful to be given a lunch pack. It was probably one of the best meal I ever had after being hungry for 30 hours.

In honor of this day, food ordering app foodpanda launches “You Say. We Give”, a week-long campaign to encourage collective efforts and be part of this global movement. Charity food drives are always something which I am passionate about. Because not everyone has got something to eat everyday!

From the 16th to the 22th of October, visit https://www.foodpanda.sg/contents/worldfoodday and select 1 of 5 stock food items (rice, pasta, potatoes, pulses or flour), foodpanda will donate 1kg on their behalf to the programs of Food from the Heart Singapore in your name.

Here’s the kicker: For each time your donation is shared with your Facebook friends, foodpanda will double the donation! The more you speak, the more they give.

Doing good has never been this simple.Join the global movement to end one of the most persistent universal challenges. Make a difference with foodpanda!

Looking for delicious deals? Groupon is the place you start when you want to buy just about anything, anytime, anywhere. I am a fan of Groupon (that’s why I agreed to do this advertorial lah!) and once in a while, I will check the website for any delicious deals so that I get to try the restaurants I have been wanting to go.

Do you know Groupon Singapore has sold over 10 million vouchers thus far? To celebrate this achievement, they have specially curated a F&B collection called “Delicious Month”. SAY YAY TO ALL FOODIES!

During the “Delicious Month”, you can try out the latest additions and stand the chance to eat for free for an entire month! There are 30 new merchants with exciting deals who have never been featured on Groupon before. I am super excited to see the new F&B merchants and the delicious goodies they will be featuring!

Enjoy an ice chocolate drink from Cocoa Colony to beat the heat; share a lamb rack from J’s Wok & Grill with your family; or end off the meal with lip smacking sweet churros from Chulop. Coffee lovers will cheer at the smooth and creamy coffee from Coffee:Nowhere and Jamaica Blue, seafood lovers should not miss the deals at Dancing Crab; Pad Thai fans can enjoy their Thai food at ParaThai and Thai Pavilion.

Start your breakfast with Tai Lei Loi Kei Pork Chop Bun. Craving for mala hotpot? Fu Lin Men Dou Lao Steamboat is the choice! For crispy roast duck, Tunglok Signatures London Duck will satisfy your cravings. For those with a sweet tooth among you, you can go for desserts at Originale Artisan Frozen Yoghurt or Teddy & Me Café.

For juicy sirloin steak, head to Bobby’s Restaurant. To celebrate your family’s birthday, try Cantonese food at Dragon Bowl. 1 Tyrwhitt Bistro & Bar and Atmosphere Café are good for café goers. For unique squid items, munch at UYI Squid.

30 days, 30 merchants, 30 Groupon vouchers. SO MANY THINGS TO EAT! Which outlet is your favourite?

As part of Groupon’s “Delicious Month” there will be an Instagram contest on my Instagram account. Buy any one of the Delicious Month deals, and you could stand the chance to win all 30 Groupon vouchers! That’s one dining experience each day for an entire month!

1. Simply purchase any Groupon deal from the Delicious Month page
2. Comment on this Instagram post (LINK) with the Groupon Voucher Code
3. Tell us what food is most delicious to you and why. Remember to hashtag #grouponsg and #deliciousmonth

Get a curated selection of electronics, fashion, home furnishings and more using Groupon. To search for great deals or subscribe to Groupon newsletters, visit http://www.groupon.sg

Click here to visit Groupon Delicious Month!

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This post is brought to you in partnership with Groupon Singapore

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore welcomes new dim sum chef Li Shou Tao, who will lead Shang Palace’s dim sum culinary team. A native Chinese, Chef Li has been perfecting his skills for 23 years at hotels across China and renowned restaurant groups in Singapore prior to joining the Shangri-La family.

Chef Li developed an interest in the art of dim sum making almost instantaneously when he started his career at 17 years old. Well-versed in making traditional dim sums, he presents dim sum with a modern twist at Shang Palace. We began our lunch with delicate steamed lobster dumplings and bittergourd served in dim sum basket.

Shang Palace dim sum combination includes steamed boletus aereus dumpling, baked crispy BBQ pork bun and deep fried shredded turnip pastry with foie gras. I love eating the flaky, savory turnip pastry, the addition of foie gras makes the dish more tasty.

Turnip cake is a popular dim sum dish as well as a common appetizer. Instead of pan frying it, chef creates the steamed version with addition of egg white and conpoy, hence making it soft and light with good amount of turnip. Maybe it’s just me, but I find it a little blend. Perhaps the addition of some chinese sausage will work? Pan-Fried Chilli Crab Meat Bun is an interesting dish. Instead of the usual pan-fried pork buns (sheng jian Bao), chef replaced it with our local chilli crab meat. Shredded crab meat and sweet chilli sauce are wrapped up in the dough. It is a savoury gravy-filled treat with a touch of heat. Other dim sum classics include steamed siew mai with fish roe, prawn and mushroom; and steamed rice roll, BBQ pork & parsley.

In October and November, Master Chef Steven Ng will also be serving six-course hairy crab tasting menu featuring succulent hairy crab with rich golden roe. These small delicacies will either be steamed or braised to present its rich, yet delicate flavours. The six-course set menu is priced at S$138++ per person and features steamed hairy crab and hairy crab served with crispy noodles.

We had the braised tofu with hairy crab meat and roe, and braised hairy crab with shiso leaves and glass noodles. The noodles absorbed all the flavours from the flavourful hairy crab. Look at that beautiful orange roe! The a la carte selection starts at S$22++ and features nourishing Steamed Bird’s Nest with Hairy Crab Meat and Roe. To cool it off, we ended the meal with steamed layer cake, coconut combination with ginger tea and glutinous rice ball.

Shang Palace
Address: Shangri-La Hotel, 22 Orange Grove Road, Singapore 258350
Tel: 6213 4138 (book online)
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 12pm – 230pm; 6pm – 1030pm. Sat, Sun & PH: 1030am – 230pm; 6pm – 1030pm

Managing a blog is no easy task, it takes a huge commitment to keep it going. Without any special tools, I created my own online space 8 years ago, and to share this ride with people across the world. It’s the new digital era, and I truly feel like we are part of something massive. I found people who shared the same passion and interests, it is rewarding to find inspirations online. Not even for a second I would have though that this journey would bring me that far. Just two weeks ago, I was invited by Singapore Tourism Board to fly to Berlin to judge for Food Blog Award 2015. I had lots of fun mingling with the food bloggers from Germany and exchanging our views. Here’s what I did with the finalists in Berlin!

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Introduction at WARENDORF Küchen

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On the first night, we gathered at Warendorfer Küchen to meet all the finalists for the first time. I have seen all their blog entries online but it is so good to finally put a face to their name. Warendorf is like a kitchen for personalities. The kitchen is so modern and we were separated into different corners to learn how to cook!

Some of us learnt sushi making, some of us prepared coriander & cucumber salad, while some of us prepared salmon & beef skewers. It was a night of fun!

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Gourmet Liner

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On the second day, we were up on The Gourmet Liner which is a ​​luxurious pop-up restaurant on a double-decker bus. We were welcomed by the crew on the red carpet, with a glass of champagne. Using products from GEFRO Balance, we were treated to a curry coconut soup, tofu salad and beef cubes while being chauffeured around the historical sites in Berlin.

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Lunch at Miele Gallery

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Lunch was at Miele Gallery where we experienced the fascination of the Miele brand. Staging cooking events, wine tastings, fashion shows, product launches and other entertaining and informative events provides a special setting to experience Miele. Chef Damian from Singapore shared with participants how to make curry at home with the introduction of our Asian ingredients.

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Workshop at KAHLA Porzellan

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Here, we were welcomed by Barbara Schmidt, KAHLA’s award-winning porcelain designer, who gave us fascinating insights into the worlds of porcelain and coffee. Additionally, we had a workshop with Conditorei Coppenrath & Wiese about seasonal coffee tables, completely styled and laid out for photography. “The cake looks delicious and I don’t want to eat it!” That’s the charm of food styling. I had a chat with food stylist Claudia Potgeter who showed me her thought process for styling a cake.

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Berlin Food Week

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Berlin is a food paradise. From street food culture to fine cuisine options and supper clubs, this city offers a versatile world of food experiences. That night, I had a taste of the local food scene at the highly anticipated Berlin Food Week. One of the more interesting concepts is Über den Tellerrand kochen – an establishment which hires refugees in Berlin to cook and help them to integrate into the German society. We had a pea stew called Dambou, which comes from Mouhamed Tanko, a 31-year-old from Niger. This classic African dish is served with Wanke, a type of flat bread made of wheat flour. Other items we tried include the tempura beef cubes, homemade pasta and tempeh pancakes.

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Food Blog Award 2015 Award Ceremony

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And finally, it’s the award ceremony! Even though I am only giving out award, I am as anxious as all the finalists on stage. It felt like a mini Oscar Award for the food bloggers! The judging process has been equally rewarding for me as I have also picked up tips from many food blogs in Germany, many of which are of high quality photos and exciting content.

Thank you STB Europe for giving me the chance to be part of Food Blog Award 2015. I have never been able to predict how blogging has take us so far. Here’s a quote for all #foodaw15 finalists, “Dreams don’t work unless you do.” Dear winners, I will see all of you in Singapore this January! <3

In recent years, Berlin has become a hot spot for urban gardening. Known as schrebergarten, or allotment gardens, city dwellers grow their own crops in community gardens to promote sustainability. During my trip to Berlin, I had the chance to catch up with Arne & Claudia who blogs at http://foodviewberlin.com (it’s written in English, by the way) and they have kindly let me into their friend’s schrebergarten to have breakfast and chat about photography, recipe inspiration, and food blogging.

Arne & Claudia are freelance creatives who do professional film making and photography. FoodViewBerlin.com is their hobby where they share inspiration for their vegan and vegetarian crossover recipes. But they are rising stars in the food blogging world — their work has been featured on sites, and they have recently won Bes for “Best English-Language Food Blog” and “Best Recipe Blog” at Food Blog Award 2015.

If you’re like us, you’ll be drawn into their world by the incredible photography and quirky recipes, and stay because of their warmth and wit. Read on as the couple shares the secret to their food blogging, and recipe for Banana & Cashew Cream with Red Quinoa on Date & Walnut Crumbs, topped with Caramelized Fruit.

Even though they live right in the middle of the city, a natural and healthy cuisine made ​​up of fresh and unprocessed seasonal ingredients is very important to them. They love fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market, and autumn raspberries or other veggies that they grow on their balcony or gain from harvesting wild. Of course, there are some sprouts, microgreens, and fresh herbs on the window sill as well, and so home-made basics from hot & fruity chutney to creamy spelled & almond milk and homemade spice blends.

Arne and Claudia started out quite differently. At first, Arne just wanted to do urban photography. He considered himself more like a photographer, not a cook. But their culinary habits so changed over the years. They started this journey as two vegetarians, and since a while, Arne turned vegan. So now, they cook and do the food shootings together.

Claudia shared, “The recipe we won for the award is a good example. We wanted to do something for a picnic package, like homemade lemonade and delicious vegan sandwiches. But we don’t want to call it vegan sandwiches. We just wanted to create a sandwich with ingredients that are in season. For example, the broad beans, carrots are in season during that time. Arne said let’s do the sandwich in a sandwich bag, and I said let’s put the sandwich bag into a basket. So one idea leads to another. So we exchange ideas, it is a mutual process. It’s always fun to develop that idea.”

The couple increasingly love to create delish recipes did serve bothsides: vegan treats without substitutes are most tasty by itself. They love a colorful and manifold cuisine, and they regularly crave for raw food and whole-grain treats. For our breakfast that day, Arne and Claudia bought some ingredients from the market, picked a few apples from the garden and prepared breakfast in a jar filled with quinoa and banana cream, served with homemade green smoothie.

They started out first shooting the ingredients in its raw form in the garden, shooting Arne picking the apples and him attempting to crack the walnuts. Natural light is important to them when it comes to food photography. They usually shoot next 
to a large window or will bring the dishes outside to photograph them. In this case, they are lucky to have such a romantic garden to work with.

Simple plates, cutlery, etc. and raw ingredients make great extra props. Claudia and Arne usually think about the ingredients that they are using and what colors will go best with them. Of course, since they are making something fruity and light for breakfast, they’d be more likely to go with a cleaner brighter background. Using a Canon 5D Mark ii with Canon 50mm F1.8 lens, the photos give a very nice bokeh.

“It’s teamwork, it’s about finding a mutual image language.” – Claudia

As bloggers, the couple love to push boundaries. When reading their posts, you feel as if the two of you are chatting in a corner, sharing a drink. They have the ability to make their digital home feel cozy. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they comes up with mind-boggingly awesome recipes — and has incredible photography skills.

When asked about their process when taking a photo, Arne explained, “Sometimes the color and personality of the food will really click with specific props or lighting. Other times, we will wiggle with the setting, or create a story for why that walnuts is cracked. SI’d say I generally prefer to do more with less, and execute styling that makes sense.”

FoodViewBerlin.com updates once a week, as the couple try to shoot recipes during weekends so that it can be used for the next few weeks. They work with seasonal ingredients most of the time, so they try to publish the post as soon as they can. Arne said, “We do stock photography and we were told they need Christmas images in July for their magazines, which is quite fun! It was really hot out here like Singapore, we were sweating but trying to create the Christmas mood.”

Thankfully, we aren’t sweating as we chat and have breakfast in the garden as it was already autumn in Berlin. Even though I seldom have vegan meals in Singapore, I am learning to appreciate vegan after coming here. It may be a turn-off to some of you but trust me, it’s really tasty! As I listened to the rooster calling and smell the light apple aroma in the air, I am thankful for this good life and blessed with friends from all over the globe.

Banana & Cashew Cream with Red Quinoa on Date & Walnut Crumbs, topped with Caramelized Fruit

2015-10-14 11:27:29

Serves 4

This is a rather filling (and by the way vegan) breakfast that is full of nutty, fruity and citric flavors and keeps you going all day, especially if you enjoy it along with a ginger-spicy green smoothie. There’s fresh apple and plums involved, both of which are right now in season over here.

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For crumbs, cream and toppings

1. 100 g dates, pitted
2. 75 g walnuts
3. 1 tbsp. maple syrup
4. 1 tsp. cinnamon powder
5. 1 big banana
6. 150 g cashew nuts* + 1 tbsp.
7. juice of 2 small organic lemons and zest of 1
8. 75 g red quinoa
9. a splash of maple syrup
10. 1 big apple, cleaned and cored
11. 2 plums, cleaned, halved, and pitted
12. 4 blackberries, cleaned
13. 1 tbsp. of honey
14. 4 jars of 290 ml each

For the smoothies

1. 2 handsfull of mache, cleaned and washed (or any other green lettuce that you prefer)
2. 2 bananas
3. juice of 1 lemon
4. 1 big apple, cleaned and cored
5. fresh ginger to taste (recommendation is to start with 1 slice and then add more, if you like)

Instructions

1. Prepare the quinoa first: Bring to a boil with the double amount of water, reduce the heat, close the lid and simmer for about 15 minutes or until done but not too soft. Add a splash of maple syrup and fold in well.
2. For the crumbs layer, put dates and walnuts in a food chopper and chop (not too much, pieces of nuts and dates should still be visible). Season with cinnamon and fold in the maple syrup. Fill in the jars as a bottom layer.
3. For the cashew & banana cream, put cashew nuts, lemon juice and water in the blender or in a dish that you use with your hand-held blender. If you soaked the nuts over-nigt, you will be fine with 75 ml, if you didn’t you will need a little more, about 100-125 ml. Now mash finely until you get a smooth cream. Add the banana (make sure that you use a fully ripened fruit) and mash again until everything is well combined. Fold in lemon zest and quinoa and fill the cream into the jars as a second layer on top of the date & walnut crumbs. Put into the fridge while you prepare the topping and the smoothie.
4. For the smoothies, put all ingredients into a blender along with 500 ml of water (or add a little more, depending on which consistency you like best in your smoothie) and blend finely. You might want to add a little more ginger or lemon juice or banana if you like your smoothie a little more hot or citrus-like or sweet, that’s totally up to you.
5. For the cream topping, chop the remaining tbsp. of cashews and roast in an ungreased pan until they start to smell nicely. Put aside. Slice the apple (you will need four slices), and in the same pan, carefully heat up the honey. When it starts to bubble gently, put the apple slices and the plum halves in the honey and caramelize (about 1-2 minutes on each side). Take the jars off the fridge and decorate each with an apple slize, a plum half and a blackberry on top, finally sprinkle with the toasted cashews. Enjoy along with the smoothies!

Notes

1. If you soak cashew nuts over-night in cold water, the result will be more creamy

By FoodViewBerlin.com

Adapted from http://foodviewberlin.com/

Adapted from http://foodviewberlin.com/

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

Whenever I meet up with my overseas friends, the first request they always gave was, “Can you bring us to the best chicken rice?” It’s really a headache because chicken rice is a national dish that everyone has their own favourite and hence I can’t really say this or that stall is the best.

My first childhood memory of Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice (威南记鸡饭), was when my dad who brought me to have a plate of chicken rice in Marina Square. I wasn’t born a foodie of course, and you know lah, as a kid I will just eat whatever my parents buy for me. But to me, going Marina Square always remind of chicken rice. But I can never remember the name until two years ago when I was judging for Food Republic Hawker King, I ate Wee Nam Kee chicken rice at I12 Katong and was very impressed by its roast chicken. It was then that I recalled that they have a stall in Marina Square as well.

Just last week after shopping, we decided to drop by Wee Nam Kee for dinner after hearing so much from the FINS group lately. Wee Nam Kee at Marina Square is spacious, clean and air-conditioned. Coincidentally, I saw Mr Wee Liang Lian, the friendly second generation owner of Wee Nam Kee so I asked him for a picture (Note: I paid for my own chicken rice, thank you very much).

They serve three different types of chicken – namely the poached, soy sauce, and fried. Unfortunately, we only tried the poached one for that day as the rest was sold out. But that was enough for me because I belong to the poached chicken category. When done correctly in a flavourful broth, the poached chicken is juicy and tender, gently gingery with subtle chicken flavour. It’s sliced and served alongside more broth, rice, chilli sauce and a fragrant bowl of chicken broth. The broth is tasty enough to boost your appetite.

The rice at Wee Nam Kee is decent, each long grain rice is well-oiled, mildly fragrant, yet not too greasy. It separates easily into loose grains. But for me, I prefer something that’s more flavoursome than this. However, the chilli is a delicious, well-balanced blend of ginger, vinegar and spice – which compensates for the rice. It was tangy with very little sting. Let’s not get started on the alarmingly thick ginger paste. Mix it well with the chilli sauce and you have created a million dollar recipe.

Unfortunately, Wee Nam Kee doesn’t do other Hainanese dishes to complement the chicken rice. Instead, they offer a decent range of home-style cooked foods such as a bowl of tofu soup with salted vegetables, cereal prawns, sambal kang kong, hotplate tofu etc. Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice currently has four outlets in Singapore – Marina Square, United Square (to replace Novena Ville), Gluttons Bay at Esplanade, I12 Katong.

Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice
Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square #04-102B, Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 9:30pm
Tel: 6333 9830

Do you know, many Singaporeans consume 300 calories more than what we need daily. As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. Essentially, this means that the foods and drinks you put in your body have a direct effect on your health and well-being. If you nourish your body with the right food, it will perform better.

Over the weekends, I went to Healthy Lifestyle Festival SG in Tampines, organized by Health Promotion Board (HPB), and had a better understand of how to eat healthier and smarter. Healthy Lifestyle Festival SG is set to be an exciting month-long festival, starting with a myriad of activities, events and roadshows in the first 4 weekends in October across various locations island wide, leading up to the anchor event on November 7-8 at the Singapore Sports Hub and Kallang Wave Mall. It is a fun-filled and educational festival for the whole family with a host of free activities, exhibits and goodies bags, with limited edition notebooks and coasters.

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30-minute Healthy & Tasty Cook-off

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Big thank you to Health Promotion Board, I am honoured to be one of the judges for 30-minute Healthy & Tasty Cook-off semi-finals round. Participants form into groups of 2 with their family members or friends and they have to prepare a delicious healthy recipe.

Healthy cooking is not necessary dull. It is evident in the cook-off as the participants create original recipes which include wholegrain (e.g. brown rice, wholegrain noodles/pasta, wholemeal bread), vegetables and/or fruit and products with Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) within 30 minutes! Yes , I am not kidding! In 30 minutes!

For the first team, the mother and daughter team prepared a Baked Rendang Chicken Rice with fruit cup. This dish was created by the daughter who missed Singapore food while she was studying in London. So she combined the fragrance from chicken rice and the flavourful spices from rending chicken to create this western style baked dish.

Team 2 marinated and pan seared the tandoori chicken curry. Pairing with wraps, the wholegrain can be dipped into the spicy curry sauce and paired with a spoonful of the refreshing pomegranate mint yugert salad!

Last but not least, the last team created an Asian style tacos. This requires many steps. I am very impressed that they actually made their own Wholemeal Tortilla, stir fried their crunchy vegetable with assam sauce and air-fry their fish fillet.

Now it’s tasting time! Look at how happy I am! Haha! The aroma of the dishes is really tempting! Now make a guess who is the winner? *drum roll please*

Congratulations to Mohamed Yatim & Rose Azryena for emerging as the winners for the Cook-off semi finals.They have wow us with their tasty Tandoori Chicken Curry with Pomegranate Mint Yougert Salad! If you are free, catch them live at the finals on 8 Nov at Singapore Sports Hub!

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Other Festival Highlights

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Besides the 30-minute Healthy & Tasty Cook-off, there were many other activities for you to have fun, including Free BMI and eye screenings, mass exercise sessions, games and more! You can also pick up tips on how to cook healthy and tasty meals for the family or visit the kids zone. Goodie bags and limited edition notebooks and coasters to be collected.

See you at the following roadshows! (10 am-9pm)
17-18 Oct: Canopy at J-Link (Beside Jurong Regional Library) (I am judging that day!)
24-25 Oct: Hougang Central Hub (Beside Hougang Mall)
7-8 Nov: Singapore Sports Hub and Kallang Wave Mall (I am judging that day!)

For more information, please visit www.healthylifestyle.sg