Family Archives - Page 2 of 14

Sticky date pudding

When I’m skimming through a dessert menu contemplating what to have, the words that make me stop browsing and come to an immediate decision are “sticky date pudding”. I see those three magic words and I’m done. I close the menu, order and impatiently wait to indulge in my dessert. It doesn’t help that my hubby is similarly, a sticky date pudding fanatic. This basically means we have plowed through a significant number of sticky puds together, and unfortunately, only a third of them were stellar, some were stodgy and hardly any good and startlingly, many fell downright flat. Recently, I stumbled upon a sticky date pudding recipe on Nigella’s site, and registered that it’s actually a really easy dessert to make! I tucked that thought at the back of my head, and a few days later, found a bag of dates in the pantry. You can all guess what happened next. Continue Reading →

Fresh and zingy coleslaw

My 5-year old son tried coleslaw for the first time the other day, and he absolutely loved it! I seriously don’t know what took me so long. He generally loves crunchy vegetables, and enjoys dipping cucumber and raw carrot sticks in Japanese goma dressing or Korean bean paste, arugula in vinegrette and chomping on the cold iceberg lettuce cups in Chinese restaurants that are served with steamed ginger chicken. As any mother would be, I’m thrilled by his enthusiasm about raw cabbage and carrots! But instead of drenching the vegetables in store-bought dressing, I tried my hand at making my own, and am happy to report that the slaw was a roaring success. Continue Reading →

Keeping the kids happy in Margaret River, Western Australia

Once upon a time, my wife S and I visited Margaret River, located three hours (by car) south of Perth, Western Australia, on an almost annual basis. In fact, we had some of our best and most romantic holidays there. We’d almost always rent a house or cottage, spend the day visiting wineries, checking out local food producers and end the day with a homecooked meal, washed down of course with a new and yummy discovery. Continue Reading →

Leek and potato gratin

My brother D, is your typical meat and potatoes kinda guy. He is always hankering after a good slab of beef, and some weeks ago, for our regular Sunday dinner at my mum’s, he treated the family to some amazing Wagyu steaks. My job was to cook some sides to complement the meat. I instantly thought of having the simplest salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper) and baking up a tray of this awesome leek and potato gratin. Continue Reading →

Recipe: Roasted bone marrow over porcini risotto

Back in November last year, I wrote about a dinner I hosted to celebrate the wedding anniversary and birthdays of my brother and his wife (yup, all 3 on the same day). The menu was one I was particularly proud of: uni encased in tomato jelly; slow cooked prawns with scrambled egg and crab roe; foie gras with roasted figs and bocconcini; roasted bone marrow over porcini risotto; charsiu pork medallions with roasted brussel sprouts, spaetzle and pomegranate seeds; Japanese short rib curry; and matcha tiramisu. When I first wrote about the meal, and shared the recipe for the uni jelly, I promised to share some of the other recipes too. Unfortunately, things got in the way and I’m only now fulfilling part of that promise. Continue Reading →

Salted caramel, dark chocolate brownies

If there ever was a brownie recipe showdown, this is going to be the one to give all the other recipes out there a run for their money. Dark, rich, moist and fudgey, this classic brownie is a killer on its own. But with oozy salted caramel and flecks of crunchy sea salt over top, it is simply out-of-this-world.
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Anchovy, lemon, chili and rocket pasta

Two months ago, I enjoyed a rejuvenating trip to Bali on my own, leaving my two jumping beans at home with the hubby. I stayed at the stunning Mulia Resort, and ate like a queen. One of the dishes that left a lasting impression on me was a beef tenderloin drenched in a delicious bagna cauda sauce at Soleil, their fine-dining Pan-Asian restaurant. During dinner, the affable and talented Executive Chef, Corky O’Connor, came over for a chat, and apart from me gushing about that sauce, we discussed our love for anchovies (especially in pasta). Continue Reading →

The fabulous Chimelong zoo

I’ve heard from various trusted sources about the fabulousness of the Chimelong Safari Park, just on the outskirts of Guangzhou city – though admittedly I was still skeptical about how fabulous it could be, especially compared to my beloved Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. Continue Reading →

Creme de marrons

Chestnuts are one of my five-year old son’s favourite snacks. In Singapore, street vendors roast them in a covered urn or wok, filled with charcoal bits. You crack open the shell, and the flesh within is creamy, sweet, fragrant, and extremely addictive. My family goes through a 600g bag whenever the craving strikes. But recently, I have also developed an appreciation for the cooked and peeled chestnuts that come in foil packs, sold in convenience stores and supermarkets. With a few of those packets in hand, whipping up this crème de marrons is a piece of cake. Continue Reading →