Monthly Archives: February 2019

Average Peranakan Dinner @ Tingkat PeraMakan Owen Road on 16Feb2019

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babi ponteh set

JH bought 6pax dinner to celebrate an occasion this evening on 15.2.2019..

SM arranged the place at tingkat peramakan owen road..

they have sets including main dish 2 sides drink plus dessert for between $10 & $16 quite ok..

the set prices ok…taste average not comparable with the tasty dishes like (say) at curry wok.

the sets were priced ok, came with choice of 2 sides, a drink and dessert.

i like the babi ponteh set, pretty good for S$10.

sambal fish set S$15

aunty Bes and i had the sambal fish set. at S$15 quite expensive and small serving of fish.

beef rendang set S$14

wife and JH had the signature sets, rendang and ayam buan keluak.

both were good at S$14. rendang serving was huge and beef and gravy were good. ayam buah keluak also good.

lemongrass drink

the lemongrass drink that came with the set quite average, not sweet so that was good.

beef rendang S$10

we ordered beef rendang ala carte to add on.

otah

and the otah was good too.

chendol

chendol

we ordered chendol dessert. it was good enough not the best. there was a supplement of S$1.80.

babi ponteh set

it was a pretty good dinner, trying a new place and enjoying good family time together.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tingkat Peramakan, Owen Road

Address:
119 Owen Rd, Singapore 218924
8V73+H4 Singapore
Contact:
peramakan.com
6291 3474
Opening Hours:
daily (closed mon)
  • 11am–3pm
  • 6–10pm

 

Recipe = Bean Noodles Soup 豆签with Prawns and Scallops on 20Feb2019

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bean noodles soup 豆签with prawn and scallop

made a light 1pax dinner this evening on 20.2.2019..

delicious noodles just throw in 2 prawns 3 scallops, scallions & crispy prawn chiili..very satisfying…

bean noodles 豆签

bean noodles 豆签

used my last bunch of 豆签misoya.

so went sheng shiong to get some more.

i bought the cheaper sinlong brand = $1.25 250g 6 bunch/pieces..

bean noodles soup 豆签with prawn and scallop

i had stock but even if no stock just add tsuyu which is the japanese soba stock.

add little water plus tsuyu (OR just use stock). add prawn first, then scallops and noodles soup 豆签.

this like instant noodles, probably took less time to cook then instant noodles, lol!

bean noodles soup 豆签with prawn and scallop

an immensely satisfying, totally shiok! bowl of wonderful goodnes.

and the noodles soup 豆签 very light, prefect for me low carb diet.

c.h.e.f andy

Below Par Food @ Summer Pavilion Ritz Carlton on 14Feb2019

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lohei

wife invited to a  bank CNY dinner = 2 tables at summer pavilion at ritz carlton on 14.^^

for the last many years, i cooked valentine dinner for wife on valentine’s day, and we would go a nice place for dinner on another day.

so in 2018 i made chorizo lobster, roasted miso cod, grilled scallops for wife on 14.2.2018

and lobster in superor, stock steamed turbot and mini pencai etc on 14.2.2017..

(it does not make sense to us like to pay double and get 1/2 the food quality and service outside on such public holidays..lol!)..

lohei

we started with lohei for prosperity since we are still in the chinese new year period.

on our table 2 young men who cam with their parents-the younger a 3-handicapper golf coach & his elder brother doing an online fashion portal sourcing from hangzhou & guangzhou..

suckling pig

must be a really expensive dinner this, at a place like summer pavilion, but standard of food below par..suckling pig ok, soup ok, scallop poor, crabmeat broccoli so so…

really true during festive season food cost double & taste 1/2 as good..service inside the private rooms ok

this the 片皮 style not our preferred 南乳…anyway it was good standard and the meat which was served as a second course was good too.

for me this was the only par standard dish for a atas restaurant like summer pavilion.

soup with lobster

soup was ok but with ingredients like lobster to produce a mediocre dish, i think much below par.

scallops and sea cucumber

scallops done like with xo sauce, for me a waste of good ingredients. and served with sea cucumber which was well done.

crabmeat and broccoli

crabmeat with broccoli ordinary…and ordinary here means not very good la…

birds nest

almond birds nest ok…

pineapple tarts and niangao

pineapple tarts and niangao for the CNY occasion, done nicely nothing to talk about really.

for me, this dinner is below par and likely cost an arm and leg!

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Summer Pavilion
Address:
7 Raffles Ave, Singapore 039799
Located in: The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
7VR6+93 Singapore
Contact:
ritzcarlton.com
6434 5286
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 11:30am–2:30pm
  • 6:30–10:30pm

CJ’s Annual Abalones Treasure Hotpot and Bak Kua Tradition Lunch on 13Feb2018

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CJ’s annual abalone treasures tradition

CJ invited RI bros for his signature annual tradition of abalones treasure hotpot and bak hua tasting lunch on 13.2.2019.^^ shiok shuok!!!

highlight of abalones and 3 types bak kwa tasting 👍🙂

TCH brought red wine & J brought homemade brandy umeshu ..YKK brought himalayan salt lozenges. LKY brught roast pork and a lucky prosperous piggy.

CJ’s annual bak kua and hotpot lunch

a big spread though we saw only one thing – the round white thing! ^^

shitake, shimeji and enoki mushrooms

good spread of beef, pork, fish, and veg. 🙂

LKY roast pork

LKY roast pork

LKY roast pork always good, but recently less practice so room for improvement. needs a lot more practice for our subsequent makans. ^^

yamazaki whisky

jeff’s umeshu

i love jeff’s umeshu…not good effect on me though..1/2 asleep the whole drive back home.better not do next time except maybe at home…

CJ’s annual abalone treasures tradition

the brotherhood is fully committed to safekeeping CJ’s annual abalone treasures tradition. ^^

beef & pork

beef

pork

beef and pork were great!

red garoupa fillet

CJ said maybe fish fillet was red garoupa. 🙂

red garoupa fillet

whatever it was, tasted good boleh la! 🙂

prawns

and prawns too.

tofu

tofu and some processed rolls.

veg

veg

and finsied off with some veg.

himalayan salt lozenges

KK brought some himalayan salt lozenges…he said a box (20 packets??) cost RM$18 in JB and S$18 here.

LKY prosperity piggy luck

LKY distribute his prosperity piggy luck. ^^

CJ’s annual bak kua and hotpot lunch

this is surely among the best traditions the brotherhood sworn to safeguard and protect. lol!

we had a great time and fellowship together. 🙂

(before coming here i met GYS at paya lebar square and picked up GCT’s book tall order…read it that week).

c.h.e.f andy

Minced Pork with Long Beans – 82nd Teban Gardens Community Breakfast on 15Feb2019

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minced pork with long beans 

made minced pork with long beans for teban gardens community breakfast this morning on 15.2.2019.^^

this my 82th friday breakfast community meal dish at teban gardens community service centre.

i first started doing a community meal dish for teban gardens CSC on 8.1.2016.

the centre was started in 2002 after much effort & challenge by our RI friend who is a pastor of pasir panjang hill brethren church (pphbc) which owns & runs the CSC.

minced pork and long beans 

i fried 3 packets about 1.1kg minced pork.

added corn flour and oysters sauce.

long beans

then i fried about 1kg long beans with chopped garlic. also added oyster sauce.

added water and covered to cook the long beans and reduced the liquids.

minced pork with long beans 

minced pork with long beans

today the quantity was a bit low based on what i had in the fridge and what i bought from the supermarket.

dish was ok, tasty enough, not my best rendition.

c.h.e.f andy

Recipe = Perfected Hawker Orh Lua (Oyster Omelette) on 13Feb2019

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orh lua oyster omelette 

this evening, i kind of perfected the hawker orh lua on 13.2.2019. ^^

made a thin crispy layer exactly like the excellent oyster omelette at beng thin.

hawker food are just so difficult to make.

they are so inexpensive and the good ones are just so good. they hawkers have done their in the hundreds everyday and many have done over many decades, so they perfected it like the back of their hands.

and many chinese/asian hawker dishes are more difficult to do than western dishes eg a bakchormee has so many ingredients c/w a pasta.

i of course experimented with hawker and zi char dishes, but if i cannot do them well, then not worth to do la..since can easily eat them outside.

orh lua oyster omelette 

orh lua is one of the difficult dishes.

there are some variations. some does the batter more wet, some do like a crispy sheet, like the superb orh lua at beng thin. i like both styles actually.

orh lua oyster omelette

orh lua oyster omelette

i mixed 1 tbsp heap sweet potato flour and 3 tbsp water, and added 2tsp fish sauce and white pepper.

then i fried the sweet potato flour, let it formed over high fire, then added egg and spread the egg and let it formed. then turned over turned fire to low and let the batter crisp. added my large plum oysters and covered to cook the oysters while crisping the batter. then added crispy prawn chilli.

voila!

c.h.e.f andy

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp heap sweet potato flour
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2tsp fish sauce
  • white pepper
  • 8 large oysters (i used frozen ones..hawkers used them too)

Directions:

  1. fry sweet potato flour let it form high fire
  2. add egg & spread. let it form
  3. turn over turn to low fire let batter crisp
  4. add oyster & cover to cook
  5. add crispy prawn chiili
  6. serve

 

 

 

Very Good Wagyu Homecooked Shortrib (Kalbi) Dinner at C’s House on 10FEb2019

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beef kalbi don

wife’s nephew C & J invited us for wagyu shortribs (kalbi) dinner on 10.2.2019. 👍👍

bbq wagyu shortribs (kalbi)

C got a new source. bought 4kg wagyu shortribs, bbq over a japanese charcoal stove, very flavourful.

and he had sous vide eggs, 2hrs at 62degC.

beef kalbi don

and australian short grain rice, much like japanese rice.

the kalbi was very good. i took maybe 8 slices. there were tough tendon oarts so better to cut to smaller pieces when eating.

army stew = hdl soup base

C prepared some soup using haidilao soup base. he called it army stew since we are sort of having yakiniku – japanese styled korean bbq 烧肉.

army stew = hdl soup base

a very pleasant soup.

beef kalbi don

nice dinner for the CNY family get together.

c.h.e.f andy

OPS 14pax Chinese New Year Get Together at CHH House on 9Feb2019

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dishes = OPS CNY get together

this evening we had 14pax OPS outram primary school annual CNY get together at CHH’s house.

also celebrated KS’s birthday!🎉🎊🎈

i missed WT this evening. GY is recovering from a fall so they couldn’t join us. LCH also not ,CF and SG also not able to join us this evening.

it’s a pot luck thing…you can bring a dish, cook or buy…my contribution = teochew braised duck. 🙂

lohei – year of the pig

i think the best dish had to be the lohei.

look at the pig design, for the auspicious year of the golden pig.

lohei

lohei

taste wise it was like any lohei…CHH had lots of salmon and abalone slices t add to it.

dishes = OPS CNY get together

there were 14pax including Mr Yuen & wife.

we had lots of dishes.

orh lua – oyster omelette

WM brought orh lua – oyster omelette. it was good, large oysters, good taste, less good when cold.

grilled pork ribs

roast pork

i tasted teh roast pork, taste quite ok, skin not so crispy.

M borught the 2 dishes but she was cryptic about whether she bought or made them.

ho see fatt choy

J’s hoe see fatt choy always one of the best. i took 3 times.

braised duck

my braised duck was good this evening. very flavourful and tender. KS was literally standing by the dish. HH said it was good.

chilli chicken

CH made chilli chicken. it was good too. very spicy. i liked it. 🙂

crystal dumplings

HC brought crystal dumplings from boon kheng market stall. i love it. took 3 pieces. overeat this evening. J was also eyeing them. 🙂

ice jelly

lay hua made the ice jelly, very nice. very refreshing.

forgot to take photo of KH’s braised pork ribs. it was very good like the last time.

have a great evening with these childhood friends, brothers and sisters.

c.h.e.f andy

 

Homecooked Teochew Muay Dishes 3pax Dinner with Sis and BIL on 12Feb2019

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5 dinner dishes 

郭记teochew muay better than 夜上海🙂

sis & bil stayed back after lunch to watch tv series 风在长林then have 3pax homecooked dinner 🙂

i made 5 dishes. 🙂

chilled yellow croaker 

chilled yellow croaker a typical teochew muay dish. typically called her bun 鱼饭.

just steam then chill in fridge, and eat with taujeon..as good as any at teochew muay stalls. 🙂

chilled sotong

likewise the chilled sotong, same preparation, steam then chill…& bil cut with scissors when we serving.

again, as good, and probably better than teochew muay stalls.

fried shitake with bit mala

the fried shitake with a bit of mala sauce was excellent.

really nice this, superb mushroom flavours enhance by just a bit if mala fragrance. best la! ^^

fried broccoli

standard oyster sauce fried broccoli.

fried china kailan

oyster fried china kailan.

5 dinner dishes

apart of chilled fish which i do just as well, key teochew muay dishes for me are the simple nice vegetable dishes they made.

and today my simple vegetables dishes were just as good, probably better.

3 of us had an excellent simple comfort food dinner.

c.h.e.f andy

 

 

 

郭记teochew muay better than 夜上海🙂

sis & bil stayed back after lunch to watch tv series 风在长林then have 3pax dinner 🙂

Excellent 4 Colour Don @ Izakaya Shindo with Sis and Bil on 12Feb2019

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4 colour don – uni, ikura, otoro, negi toro S$35nett

和姐和姐夫吃海鲜丼午餐🙂

had 3pax lunch with sis & bil @ izakaya shindo on 12.2.2019. ^^

great don set S$18nett chirashi don and S$35nett 4 colour don – otoro, uni, okura and negitoro…cheaper than japan, than Tsukiji haha😂

izakaya shindo menu

izakaya shindo menu

our dish of choice the 4 colour don – uni, ikura, otoro, negi toro, and the chirashi don.

lunch with sis bil

i asked sis, she preferred chirashi don with more sashimi items

chirashi don S$18nett

i had this previously.

it was good! there was chutoro and akami.

aji himono yaki S$14

the aji himono yaki, sundried horse mackarel, was very good, flavourful and not salty.

i think excellent dish to go with the don.

4 colour don – uni, ikura, otoro, negi toro

the 4 colour don was not what they claim.

i fail to see how there could be 50g otoro, 40g uni etc claimed in the menu. still it was a good serving and i thoroughly enjoyed the dish. something i will always take again.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Izakay Shindo

Address:
62 Boat Quay, Singapore 049850
7RQX+2M Singapore
Contact:
facebook.com
6532 0239
Opening Hours:
daily (closed Sunday)
  • 11:30am–2pm
  • 5:30–11pm

 

 

Crab at Bay CNY Celebrations Lunch for 12pax RI Bros on 11Feb2019

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salted egg fish skin and veg

my RI bros organised a chinese new year celebrations lunch on 11.2.2019. ^^

they bought me lunch, a chef hat and apron and a framed signed message. 🙂

12 bros attended missing LKY & cheok mung..

KK conspirator in chief organised the lunch, WL suggested the apron & went for trial fitting 🙂with a perfect self-gratified chef smile, TC penned the grace & niceties, chong lee took photos & collected signatures 🙂 & all conspired to have a fun memorable & surprise lunch…

very honoured and most appreciative to have these close RI bros and treasured memories together.

thank you to my bros

very heartwarming, and also the same thank you message i have for my RI bros. 🙂

lohei

RI bros lohei

being chinese new year, we started with the traditional lohei! huat ah!

salted egg fish skin and veg

salted egg fish skin and veg

the salted egg fish skin was good.

these days lots of packet salted egg fish skin, not too great. this one was good!

the thai kailan also good. 🙂

hk steamed lala & tua tau

the hk steamed lala & tua tau good taste but overdone.

(we had our brotherhood lunch here also organised by KK on 28.12.2016).

hk steamed always very tasty, whether fish, baby squids of lalas, or in a similar preparation, garlic steamed raxor clams. 🙂

J & LCH thought dish was too heavy on the sauce & salty. for me, i think it was more that the clams were overdone so not as succulent.

fish maw soup

fish maw soup was good here, though cannot really match the really delicious fishmaw soup at beng thin.

crayfish

deep-fried crayfish was good. not sure waht style but probably salt pepper 椒盐虾婆.

good, succulent, tasty dish.

brands essence froglegs

brands essence froglegs

surprisingly the brands essence froglegs was poor, not great taste. kind of unusual as this very easy dish and since they do the hk steamed sauce well, this should be a piece of cake.

poor c/w with many places, like (say) yalong bay brands esence froglegs on 10.7.2018 organised by LKH 

oyster egg

the oyster egg was quite poor as well.

egg was ok, zi char standard, any zi char can make a flavourful fried egg, the oysters were small, dry, overcooked.

pig trotters jelly

pig trotters jelly 

the pig trotters jelly was tasty though unusual preparation.

the trotters meat a bit falling apart, which is ok i guess for the jelly dish, for me not ideal. the jelly is tasty, but less bite.

potato leaves

the veg was nice, tasty, quite delicious. basically they should do these zi char dishes well here.

prawn dry horfun

the dry horfun had ok good enough wokhae. prawns were ok.

very thakful to have such wonderful thoughtful RI bros and while someone said it was an ambush, it was a most delightful and memorable lunch for me.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

<a href=”http://www.hungrygowhere.com/singapore/crab-at-bay-macpherson-upper-aljunied-paya-lebar-/”><imgsrc=”http://www.hungrygowhere.com/hungrygoback/crab-at-bay-macpherson-upper-aljunied-paya-lebar-/large/up/5/”&gt;

Crab at Bay
Address:
548 MacPherson Rd Singapore 368227 MacPherson Rd, Singapore 368227
Contact:
crabatbay.com
6743 8366
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 11AM–2PM

 

Wonderful Chinese New Year Day 2 Lunch for 29pax Family and Friends on 6Feb2019

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CNY day2 29pax lunch

made 29pax chinese new year day2 lunch..

wife made cheng tng.。。aunty bes made very nice poached kailan with shitake, and fried romaine lettice-

i planned 12 dishes = cny day 2 lunch menu

1 白斩鸡 AND chicken rice
2 braised duck
3 braised belly pork & trotters
4 chilli bean paste pork soft bones

5 salted egg prawns
6 steamed salted fish minced pork
7 steamed seabass with spicy black bean sauce
8 steamed large golden snapper tail with nonya sauce
9 nonya chap chye – red fermented beancurd, stewed cabbage, beancurd skin, mushrooms, cloud fungus, tanhoon
10 poached hk kailan with shitake by aunty bes
11 fried romaine lettuce by aunty bes
12 scallops with poached broccoli

PLUS wife’s lohei & cheng tng.

19family plus 5 friends plus E, PT, Eli, and aunty BEs and another helper..

usually we have cny day2 dinner..this year wife arranged lunch so MM & B joined lunch as they always visit during this time🙂 NM HK & YZ came too…

lohei

lohei

wife bought 2 packets of lohei, very expensive from kuriya….

SL fashioned a pig for the CNY of the pig.

#! chicken rice

#1 chicken rice chicken 白斩鸡

everyone loved the chicken rice and poached chicken 白斩鸡. i prepared the chilli and also the drizzling sauce. chicken tasty and tender. very good.

#2 braised duck

braised duck always good, not my best today…

still very popular all finished.

#3 braised trotters and belly

#3 braised trotters and belly

braised trotters and belly were excellent. very tasty and perfect texture. 🙂

#4 steamed salted fish minced pork

steamed salted fish minced pork the comfort food everyone loves. 🙂

#5 spicy bean paste pork soft bones

aunty Bes favourite dish which we all like and Bes cooked often when children were younger. didn’t make for many years.

this time i made myself. it was nice great taste and pork soft bones were very tender. a lovely dish on its own really. i used 2 tbsp of the spicy bean paste 辣豆瓣酱, fried to bring out the flavours and and braised for 1hrs 15mins…

#6 salted egg prawn

salted egg prawns my second try and first time using this sauce which i bought at tiong bahru market.

i dipped the prawns in egg yoke and cornflour then deep-fried like 30sec each side in not too much oil about 2cm. it was beautiful!

the sauce i think ok but not great. still everyone loved the prawns. i think i will use salted egg yoke and make my own sauce next time.

#7 nonya steamed golden snapper tail

everyone loved the nonya steamed golden snapper tail…wife’s sis YS mentioned several times it’s tangy and tasty.

what they didn’t know was that the fish was caught by my OPS friend WT. it’s like a 2kg+ golden snapper and i cooked only the tail – too big…

#8 spicy black bean sauce steamed seabass

i cooked the seabass last, and some were already on to dessert.

J, Wife’s 1st nephew’s wife remarked that the sauce was nice too (this the same sauce i made for the popular song fish head dish). when comparing, the nonya sauce still came out tops.

#9 scalllops with broccoli

i had good chicken stock so this dish was very tasty.

#10 shitake and poached hk kailan

and everyone loved aunty bes’s poached hk kailan with shitake.

#11 nonya chap chye

i made nonya chap chye. had a bit of problem as i could not get the red fermented tofu even though i tried both sheng shiong at tanglin halt and at clementi ave 2. anyway i managed to get this morning at giant grandstand.

lunch was at 1pm and there were 12 dishes to plan, but i still managed to go out to giant and got the fermented tofu around 10am.

#12 fried romaine lettuce

aunty bes made also the fried romaine lettuce.

wife’s sis YS diet is vegetarian plus fish, so 3 vegetable dishes used only vegetarian oyster sauce.

#13 lotus seed ginkyo nut dessert

wife made very nice tongshui dessert.

fruits

and they brought nice fruits too.

#6 salted eg prawns

everyone including our friends enjoyed the food, and we had great time and fellowship.

c.h.e.f andy

Great Food and Lohei at JH’s House CNY Day 1 on 5Feb2019

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roast suckling pig

JH’s family invited us for dinner at their place on chinese new year day 1 on 5.2.2019. ^^

JH’s dad is a professional chef so we always look forward to enjoying his food. 🙂

buddha jump over the wall

the buddha jump over the wall is always good.

today there was a bigger crowd and PK had to cook more soup, so taste wise the soup was not as intense as what we had recently. still it was very good.

broccoli with chinese mushrooms

today he made broccoli with chinese mushrooms. it was good.

roast suckling pig

somebody brought roast suckling pig with glutinous rice. great stuff!

scallops with asparagus

scallops with asparagus

the scallops with asparagus always good.

nice stock base, scallops succulent and asparagus texture just right.

vinegared trotters

JH’s mom”s vinegared trotters as good as always, perfect texture and the taste was just right, tasty slight sour from vinegar. KY said she used 6 trotters, anyway all finished. 🙂

joey’s thai fishcakes

JH’s sis J made thai fishcake. she used dory and batang fish meat. very nicely done and great with the sweet thai chilli.

hae chor

JH’s dad made his hae chor… good!

CNY get together

lohei

lohei 

and we had lohei. so many people so we had 2 lohei….JH’s mom’s side family doing a lohei toast together.

roast suckling pig

very nice dinner and evening.

had a busy day today starting with breakfast at my brother’s place, then visit LCH, the CNM wife’s good friends, and back and chill out in the afternoon before coming for dinner.

c.h.e.f andy

Recipe = Excellent Pencai 盆菜 on 4Feb2019

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pencai 盆菜 

做给今晚除夕团圆饭的盆菜

it’s chinese new year eve! i made pencai for this evening’s reunion dinner at my brother’s house.

this the first time i made pencai 盆菜 after giving the dish planning some serious thinking..

盆菜was delicious! everyone loved…sil said better than what they had few days back bought from hotel restaurant…as matter of fact, i was using a tunglok claypot which i bought like S$248 6pax pencai 盆菜  from tunglok maybe 6years back also for CNY reunion dinner.

that was a real disappointment! i think my pencai 盆菜 was just so much better!

pencai 盆菜

pencai 盆菜

in a sense pencai 盆菜 doesn’t need much skill or cooking….so it is just the stock or broth for taste, the assembly for presentation, and texture (so different ingredients need differnt timing).

braised pig trotters

i prefer to use braised pig trotters for my gravy/stock base.

it is my usual teochew braised trotters braise mix and recipe.

ingredients 

i used 10 ingredients-

  • Sea cucumber
  • Fish maw
  • abalone
  • Pig trotters
  • Broccoli
  • Belly pork
  • Chicken
  • prawn
  • Scallop
  • mushroom

fish maw

my deepfried fish maw the average type, 2 packets about S$9. use 1/2 packet enough.

sea cucumber

sea cucumber very expensive, especially now CNY.

bought the cheaper ones from sheng shiong still S$36/kg. i got 2 pieces like S$9. next time i will buy frozen ones <1/2price.

these will disintegrate and disappear if i cook too long so i decided just to just poach in the boiled gravy. turned out perfectly.

chinese dry mushrooms

i bought dry flower mushrroms from teh ghim moh shop, 300g no stalks for S$12. good enough!

tiger king 10 small braised abalones

and tiger king 10 small braised abalones, really tiny abalones, but the braise was good. i added the braise to my own trotter braise.

pencai 盆菜

not too difficult, just need good (very tasty) braise which i have from my braised trotters (if don’t like trotters then just use the tiger king abalones braise), and plan the ingredients so cook them to the right texture and timing, then assemble.

this was absolutely delicious!

c.h.e.f andy

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Recipe

I used pig trotters as a base stock because it gives a natural gelatinous gravy..and very tasty!
If you don’t like trotters then just use the brine from a braised small abalones
I bought this tiger king brand S$18.80 from ghim moh shop 10 small abalones

My 10 ingredients-

  • Sea cucumber
  • Fish maw
  • abalone
  • Pig trotters
  • Broccoli
  • Belly pork
  • Chicken
  • prawn
  • Scallop
  • mushroom

first make trotters & belly pork

my own braise-it is good!

  • 3tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp dark sauce
  • 3 tbsp huatiaojiu chinese wine
  • 1 bulb peeled garlic cloves

brown garlic in a little oil
add cleaned trotters & belly pork
high fire brown a bit both sides
add sauce mix
add 1 cup water
boil then cover low/medium fire 1/2 hr add little water if required

this part is to infuse the sauce so not so much liquids

then add water to cover
add mushrooms softened in hot water first & the mushroom water
add fish maw softened in water first

boil cover low fire 1 hr while reducing liquids test texture taste of fish maw, remove & set aside

continue boiling mushroom, trotters & belly pork for 1/2hr so total 2 hrs

remove belly pork cool & chill in fridge for easy cutting

add deboned chicken thigh 4mins simmer 6 mins poached
remove chicken & put in ice
this the 白斩鸡poached method

add sea cucumber to the boiled gravy off fire & poached

prepare claypot lined bottom with chinese cabbage & broccoli stems

add brine of braised small abalones
add cut broccoli & prawns
cover & boil the low fire 3mins
add scallops off fire

now assemble all the ingredients-trotters, belly, chicken, scallops, abalones, broccoli, prawns, fish maw, mushrooms

Recipe = Perfect Bowl of 1pax Bean Noodles 豆签 on 3Feb2019

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1pax bean noodles

made 1pax bean noodles 豆签 dinner on 3.2.2019. ^^

i like this  bean noodles 豆签 ..very light, not filling like a snack…good for low carbs diet, lol! ^^

1pax bean noodles

i had frozen prawns,, frozen scallops in the freezer and broccoli in the fridge.

so jsut defrost. prawns i deveined and seasoned with fish sauce and white pepper. scallops just defrost.

1pax bean noodles

so easy to prepare.

just little water 150ml. boil, add 1.5tbsp tsuyu, the jap sauce for soba.

add broccoli to poach, add pranws, then add  bean noodles 豆签 and scallops like boil 1mins to 2mins. and voila! as instant as intant noodles la! ^^

the perfect meal!

succulent tasty prawns and scallops, luscious broccoli colour and texture, nice tasty broth and perfect texture of bean noodles 豆签.

c.h.e.f andy

Most Unsatisfying Teochew Muay at Yelaixiang 夜来香 on 2Feb2018

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teochew muay dishes 

went with sis & bil to yelaixiang 夜来香 at bukit merah view coffeeshop on 2.2.2019.

柴船头mutton soup closed for chinese new year so went to 夜来香 very ex about S$36 for 3pax..maybe it was almost chinese new year time…prices were exorbitant and very unsatisfactory for the kind of food…would have been like $20 couple years back..

some red fish S$5

some red fish S$5 

cheap fish now S$5.

mullet S$12

mullet now S$12. was S$*, then S$9 previously.

teochew muay can be quite expensive and not worth it in many stalls in singapore.

in the past the attractions of yelaixiang and yeshanghai was precisley because they were cheap! and food was competent to good…

if the fish not cheap i can do it anytime at home. almost no effort and just as good, anytime.

vegetables

and one attraction of teochew muay for me is the vegetable dishes…for me, steam fish and sotong no need skill, purely matter of price, but the vegetables usually simple cheap dishes and very tasty.

today expensive and not very tasty. then come fro what right?

clams & veg

lala clams

teochew muay dishes

now totally lost interest in these teochew muay stalls…will vote with my feet..

my own teochew muay dishes much better at fraction costs.

c.h.e.f andy

 

Meimei’s Homecooked Nonya Dishes Housewarming Dinner on 1Feb2019

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babi pongteh

meimei & hubby EH renovated their flat recently, very nicely done.

so they invited us, the group who went for the kluang mission including TC’s mom to a homecooked dinner at their place on 1.2.2019. ^^

aunty (TC’s mom) brought 2 types of pineapple tarts/cookies she baked. very good!

first time trying meimei’s dishes…quite nice and well deserving subsequent tries, soon! 🙂

nice homemade chap chye, babi ponteh, sambal prawns.. ngoh hiang, & otah good too..& TC bought beef rendang..

babi pongteh was quite good. pork was ok, can be more tender with more practices and invites, taste was pretty good. 🙂

chap chye

chap chye good standard, tasted very much like chap chye haha!

like the real thing la! 🙂

meimei was worried about slight burnt bottom but actually it was good!

sambal prawns

prawn sambal nice too…didn’t ask if the gravy was made or ready sauce. anyway it was good la….

ngoh hiang

ngoh hiang was good, made by meimei’s friend…good friend to have. 🙂

otah

otah was nice! bought in malaysia, muar?

beef rendang

M bought beef rendang from some sarabat stall. he said he knew my wife doesn’t take lamb so he bought rendang. it was good, certainly tasted like the real thing. 🙂

the spread

looking forward to meimei’s next invite! 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

 

 

 

Belly Pork with Vegetables – 81th Teban Gardens Community Breakfast on 1Feb2019

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belly pork with vegetables

made belly pork with vegetables for teban gardens community breakfast this morning on 1.2.2019.^^

this my 81th friday breakfast community meal dish at teban gardens community service centre.

i first started doing a community meal dish for teban gardens CSC on 8.1.2016.

the centre was started in 2002 after much effort & challenge by our RI friend who is a pastor of pasir panjang hill brethren church (pphbc) which owns & runs the CSC.

belly pork

i bought 3 packets about 1.3kg+ frozen belly pork from sheng shiong.

braised in own teochew braising sauce for 2hrs last evening, then cooled down and placed in bag in chiller for this morning.

belly pork

belly pork

this so that it was easy to sliced thinly and cleanly this morning.

belly pork with vegetables

last evening i also prepared cut carrots, onions and potatoes, and placed in a tuppaenware in the chiller, quite ok this morning, not oxidised, not old.

vegetables

usually i needed about 3 kg of meat or 1.5kg of meat and 1.5kg vegetables for 140pax at teban gardens.

today just 1.3kg pork and about 1kg+ vegetables so would be a bit short.

anyway it’s just and additional dish not their main fares so usually serve till finish la…

belly pork with vegetables

i cooked the onions and carrots first, added oyster sauce, high fire fry then low fire cover stew…then added potatoes, fry and then added 1 cup chicken stock, high fire boil, then low fire cover stew…about 8mins anyway potatoes break when pressed against side or chopstick goes through…

belly pork with vegetables

belly pork with vegetables

then added belly pork, mixed thorough, cover stew a bit then done, transfer to aluminium carrier.

belly pork was tender and tasty and vegetables were sweet on its own.

c.h.e.f andy

Recipe = Orh Lua (Oyster Egg with Sweet Potato Flour) on 30Jan2019

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orh lua

made orh lua for 1pax dinner this evening on 30.1.2019.

made this several times before..singapore hawker food not so easy to make harder than most western dishes..lol! 🙂

orh lua

for this evening i got it mostly right, and the best i have done so far.

the Recipe –

  • 2tbsp flat sweet potato flour
  • 2tbsp water
  • 2tsp fish sauce
  • white pepper
  • 1tbsp oil
  • 1 egg
  • 8 large oysters (i used the IQF frozen oysters about S$10.95/kg)

for the preparation, add 2 tbsp water to 2 tbsp sweet potato flour, and add 2tsp fish sauce, and some pepper…mixed thoroughly.

medium high fire non stick pan, let flour batter form & crisp. crack 1 egg on top & roll pan to spread egg. add oyster on the side so it can cook..flip over egg batter. cover & low fire let oyster cook while crisping the other side. add fish sauce. add crispy prawn chilli.

orh lua 

pretty good stuff.

orh lua

quite shiok really!

almost hawker stall standard, the good stalls that is, lol! ^^

c.h.e.f andy

Quite Average S$3 Laksa @ Min Ji 明记 Laksa Bendemeer Market Food Centre on 29Jan2019

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ops 4 bros lunch 

went to bendemeer market food centre with OPS bros on 29.1.2019. ^^

mainly because i wanted to go ittibaa glazing @ blk 22 boon keng road to replace the broken glass of the bathroom shelf I imported from china ..

actually we were supposed to meet at geylang serai for nasi biryani..but of course the bros were just obliging la…

S$10 done on the spot. good as new. bin very good service… 4mm x 4” x 31” excellent job, service, price 👍👍👍 at hollandv it is S$50 & 3mm don’t have 4mm glass.

S$3 + S$1 hum laksa 

S$3 + S$1 hum laksa 

WT bought the laksa S$3 + S$1 hum laksa for all & WM went to get kopi.

laksa looked great but tasted quite average..hum was good though, big, plum, luscious…

coffee also average, nothing like what we had last week at the beef house coffeeshop and of course the likes of 1950s coffee 五十年代 @ chinatown.

chicken wings from changi village nasi lemak stall

S$1.30 chicken wing from changi village nasi lemak stall quite good..the fritter & also sambal..WM said not that tasty though..quite long queue..

not sure what stalls good at this bendemeer fc?

S$35/box yellow dragon fruit 

bought 2 boxes of yellow dargonfruit really sweet…

1box 9 fruits S$35…normally S$55..bought 1box for wife’s good friend J also..

went back to buy another 2 boxes the next day…it was that good and great value…

S$3 + S$1 hum laksa

there could be another reason my laksa did not taste great…usually i take thick beehoon mee…this time thin beehoon mee….thin beehoon absorb a lot of flavours & laksa gravy maybe less tasty?

c.h.e.f andy

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Min Ji 明记 Laksa @ Bendemeer Market Food Centre

Address:
29 Bendemeer Rd, Singapore 330029
8V97+M8 Singapore
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 7:30am–3pm