Claypot noodles, also known as Yee Mee (伊麵) or Poh Chai Noodles (煲仔麵) are a type of crispy noodles made from wheat flour and palm oil. While resembling spaghetti in shape and texture, they have a unique flavour and are commonly used in claypot cooking. I love these noodles so much, I usually keep a [...]
Monthly Archives: November 2009
Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Pie
After my first attempt at making spanakópita, I packed the leftovers and brought it to my day job for lunch. I’ve got a reputation for bringing ‘nice’ lunches (even though they’re usually leftovers) so my co-workers were doubly impressed with my efforts. “Wow, there might be a Greek yiayia (grandmother) in you!” one of them [...]
Rempah Eggplant
I love eggplant, because cooked properly, it has this buttery-smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture that lingers on the palate, a true joy to eat. Eggplant is also an incredibly versatile vegetable and can be cooked in so many ways. Stir-fried, boiled in curries, grilled, baked… the list goes on. Here’s one of my all-time favourite eggplant recipes- [...]
Making Rempah (Spice Paste)
Rempah is a Malay word used to describe the spice pastes used in many dishes throughout the Southeast Asian region. Depending on the recipe, various ingredients are pounded together in a mortar and pestle, then fried slowly in oil until intensely fragrant. The resulting paste is then used as a recipe base for various curries [...]
How To Steam Vegetables In Five Minutes Or Less
“Don’t murder your veggies!” is a cry often sounded by many natural health experts, nutritionists and raw food advocates. Apparently, heat and the cooking process destroys many of the enzymes and vitamins in vegetables, reducing their nutritional value. Therefore, the experts often recommend eating a diet high in raw foods. However, a raw food diet [...]
The Mortar and Pestle
I may belong to the so-called Generation Y, but I’m actually quite old-fashioned when it comes to cooking. I prefer to cook using traditional, time-tested methods where possible, although it may be more laborious. Despite advances in modern technology, I find that certain things just can’t be replaced by a whiz-bang kitchen appliance. The humble [...]
Oven Baked Fish and Chips
I remember the first time I had fish and chips as a new arrival in Australia, back in 2003. I had wandered inside a fish and chips shop in Circular Quay in search of some lunch, and left with a huge parcel of greaseproof paper, wondering if I’d ordered an extra-large serving by mistake. At [...]