BITE ME!

Jade: Bitemyspinach

2011-03-20T13:21:00.007Z

I am immensely competitive. Not so much with other people...right, who am I kidding..yes, with other people. But certainly not as harshly as I compete with me. Nothing bugs me more than not setting another high score every time I play Fruit Ninja. And I have taken it upon myself to time my morning ward rounds...determined to finish my jobs at least 5 minutes earlier each day..not that there is much point, really..seeing as I had one patient who has now gone home. The things I view as a challenge, though...I worry sometimes..as does my mother when I occasionally let slip what idiocy I indulge in. I'd gone to my usual Malaysian restaurant to pick up some food. The waitress, who was clearly new, asked if I wanted medium spicy noodles. No, very spicy, I said. She looked a little alarmed, 'Miss ah..our spicy wery spicy you know'..I tried not to roll my eyes, reassuring her I could handle it. I got home, had a forkful...and it was unadulterated...physical..pain. Couldn't even swear my tongue was so damn numb. I briefly considered throwing the lot away...and then I remembered the waitress's warning..which in my head just sounded smug now. Could I live with myself if I just surrendered after one bite?...surely not..I popped the carton in the fridge to let the noodles get nice and cold..hoping it would temper the heat. I like to think there is method to my madness. Got out a punnet of strawberries and that was how I spent my saturday night~ alternating excruciating mouthfuls of noodles with bites of strawberries. I finished every last strand of it eventually...my lips triple their original size...and then I spent most of Sunday on the toilet for my sins...with a self satisfied smile playing on my still engorged lips. Jade-1; smug waitresses-0.

I realize I have a problem, I do.

Spinach soup~ the only thing I could stomach for about a week after..and because I've just watched wicked and fancied something gloriously green

1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 baby potatoes, cubed

2-3 large handfuls spinach

1 bowl vegetable stock

splash white wine

Salt + paprika to taste

1. Melt some butter in a pan, drizzle in some oil so the butter doesn't burn.

2. Sauteed the shallots and garlic until soft and translucent

3. Add potatoes and stock and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

4. Add the spinach and let it wilt

5. Get your stick blender and puree until smooth and silky

6. Stir in some white wine and season to taste

I'm fairly sure it's a lovely soup...I say fairly because I don't think I've quite regained my sense of taste after the assault I launched on my palate.

Jade: Bitemypasta #4

2011-02-27T13:20:00.004Z

Saturday evening, doctor's mess: [I don't know why I was there on my day off...I'm sad that way]

Jade: No...I can't picture myself wanting children

SHO: What is wrong with you, Jade? Even Elton John adopted a kid!

Jade: .....................

As I sat reading the BTS guidelines later that night, I found my mind drifting as I briefly considered the whole idea of motherhood....To play the role of friend, foe, super hero and evil villain all at the same time...and in between all the calamity-saving, triumphant moments and angry tears..the latter of which you can only hope come few and far between... the realization that a lot of what you do is the small stuff...little things that make a noticeable difference when they're not done, but taken for granted when they are...To have to really pay attention because you know that when something's not right, it is not enough to hand out a chocolate bar and pray the problem goes away...because they generally don't..not until you find the cause; To learn to live your life on someone else's terms...while keeping a smile on your face.

It's a bit like being a house officer....for the rest of your life.

Tuna Arrabiata~ thinking makes me hungry

120g spaghetti

2 cloves garlic minced

1 shallot minced

2 anchovy fillets

2 birds eye chillies, chopped

Half a can chopped tomatoes

Splash of white wine

Half a can tuna chunks in sunflower oil, drained [ I don't do flakes...reminds me of catfood]

salt and sugar to taste

Fresh basil

1. Boil the pasta

2. In the meantime, heat up some oil, n gently sauteed garlic, shallots, chillies and anchovies. Crush the anchovies as you go along so they melt into the oil

3. Add the tomatoes, tuna and wine, give it a quick stir and leave to simmer

4. The sauce should be ready by the time the pasta's done. Season to taste and stir in some torn basil

5. Chuck in the pasta and give everything a good toss

6. Curl up with a good book and your bowl of fiery pasta. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is a good place to start ;)

Jade: Bitemyputtanesca

2011-02-13T12:10:00.006Z

It's been a week since I've left home and I have yet to venture out of my room save to go to work...and even that is within the same compound. I have the post-home blues and online shopping with its guarantees of "free delivery whenever you want" is enabling my lack of motivation to do anything that requires more energy than tapping on a keyboard. Sometimes I think all these modern conveniences do nothing but feed laziness and the general moroseness that comes with it. Take away my swivelly chair and I just might have to walk to the bathroom instead of wheeling myself..or knowing me..just go into retention; Take away my card or my internet and I'll actually be forced to get off my arse and rediscover the satisfaction I once got from exploring the aisles of Waitrose. Better yet, tell me Papa John's website is down and I'll have no choice but to cook something...I suppose I could get some Ensures from the wards but that would require me to walk further..

Spaghetti puttanesca~salty, spicy and definitely worth a walk to the kitchen.

120g spaghetti/ linguine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 thai chilli, thinly sliced [or pepper flakes, I just happened to have fresh chillies]

2 anchovy fillets

200g tomatoes, fresh/canned [ I used cherry tomatoes..but whatever led me to believe I could/would peel the skins of 20 odd cherry tomatoes..we will never know. I lost the will to live after 4, so I say go canned...or get the heaviest tomato you can find]

1/2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained

Splash of white wine

salt and sugar to taste

torn fresh basil

** It's meant to have olives but I didn't have any...or rather the grocery store didn't deliver them

1. Heat up some oil, I used the oil from the anchovy can. Gently sauteed the garlic, chilli and anchovy fillets until they melt into the oil.

2. Add the tomatoes, mashing them with your wooden spoon as you go along

3. Add the capers, olives and white wine, and let it all simmer on medium heat

4. In the meantime, boil your pasta in salted water

5. The sauce should be fairly thick by the time your pasta is ready. Season to taste and loosen it with some water from the pasta pot if it's too thick.

6. Add the drained pasta, chuck in some torn basil and give it all a good toss

7. Grate some cheese over it and give your fork a good twirl :)

Jade: Bitemysoup #2

2011-02-13T11:19:00.002Z

I went for dinner with my friends the other day, 2 of the safest people I know when it comes to food~think white meat only, and the same order from the same fish & chips shop every week for the past 15 years. So when fish& chip boy remarked on how boring my choice of appetiser was, I was, I think, completely justified in my indignation. It was cream of white onion soup with beer, beautifully thick and creamy with bits of sweet caramelized onion. But as much as it pains me to admit this, I secretly knew what he meant...because I used to think soup was old people food...watery broth with the wilted remains of something that could've been a carrot once... And then my mum bought a book on chinese double-boiled soups. Soup of the day became double-boiled free-range chicken with aged cucumber and wolfberries...wintermelon with pork ribs and dried scallops...lotus root and soft peanuts with belly pork....all gorgeously clear yet so packed with flavour and depth..My little bowl of soup was no longer something I gulped down at the end of dinner...it became the star of my meal, something I looked forward to and eventually savoured..sip by sip..

For the record, 'soup is boring' boy~he had garlic bread.

Double-boiled chicken and dried shiitake mushroom soup~ the perfect remedy for homesickness

2 chicken thighs, chopped and trimmed of excess fat

5-6 pieces dried shiitake

small handful wolfberries

small handful dried scallops

2 honey dates

salt to taste

1. Blanch chicken pieces in boiling water and drain. This is meant to yield a clearer soup.

2. Dump everything in the top half of your double boiler and fill with cold water, leaving about a 2 inch margin from the top. There is a reason for using cold water...I just don't know what it is..I do as I'm told.

3. Once the water in the bottom half of the double boiler is boiling, lower the heat, fit the top half over it and let simmer for a few hours. I normally just leave it for the afternoon. Do check in periodically to make sure the bottom pot hasn't dried out.

4. Season to taste and enjoy piping hot.

5. Alternatively, boil some mee sua and have yourself the best bowl of noodle soup you'll ever have.

** If you don't have a double boiler, simmer over very low heat. The pressure cooker for all it's conveniences is not your friend.

Ice Room, Port Dickson

2011-02-04T07:50:00.000Z

We decided to drive down to PD for the day to get away from the city. And my awesome cousin brought us to the PD branch of Ice Room.

An interesting little place that you can spot as soon as you make the turning into PD town. The exterior is decked in a bright neon-ish green that you can spot from a mile away!

Anyhoos! The Ice Room is not like the flurry of fro-yo outlets that has been mushrooming around KL.

It's flavoured shaved ice! But the ice is so smooth that it's almost like ice cream! The toppings are quite basic but adds a variety of texture to your eating experience.

This commentor's favourite is the Black Knight, which is the black sesame snow ice!

Price-wise, Ice Room is very reasonable. Each Snow Series special is still under RM 10.

And they have other things on the menu such as the Durian Tempura - which is also highly recommended!

I'm pretty sure they have a KL/Selangor branch - though I'm not exactly sure where it is. The cousin says its in Bangi, near UKM. Will edit the post if I manage to find an address!

But if you're ever in PD, take a break from the hot sun and the beach and stop by this place. ;)

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Jade: Bitemypasta#3

2011-01-26T15:49:00.006Z

I should be packing, really..I start a 13 hour oncall in about 4 hours...and my flight leaves 3 hours after my shift. My suitcases are somewhere, I'm sure...I just don't know where they are. And in about 10 days, when I'm due to come back here, I will be the exact same picture of procrastination and disorganisation(? is it even a word); but for entirely different reasons. You see, in my head, if I don't acknowledge something, there is a good chance it might not have to happen; so I refuse to think unhappy thoughts...thoughts like me getting on a plane and leaving home, yet again..I dissociate myself from anything remotely related to the notion of leaving...I lock my suitcases away, hide my passport..and I don't pack because in my head, if I don't pack, I don't have to go. Just like how in my head, if I don't send that email ranking my F2 jobs, I won't have to leave Basingstoke. I think we can safely say my head's a pretty twisted place to be...except maybe for 5-year olds who hide their dad's briefcase so he can't go for another long business trip; they get me. Which isn't such a bad thing if you think about it...It all stems from some semblance of hope, however misguided....

Jade: Bitemycabbage

2011-01-21T19:19:00.003Z

I always finish my rice... I try to, anyway. I grew up with my mum telling me: if you leave any rice on in your bowl, you'll end up marrying a pockmarked man. It made me giggle..but deep down, there was always a nagging fear that she might be right. I remember looking at my dad at the dinner table... I used to sneak a sidelong glance at my mother's rice bowl everytime he got a new pimple...and this fear of mine would grow a little bit more. So I made sure I scraped up every last grain of rice..although it did worry me on a few occasions how the bits of meat and fish I chose to leave behind instead would manifest on my future husband's face. And then I got a boyfriend...and another...none of whom, sadly, were blessed with particularly good complexions and realized actually..all my efforts to clear my plate throughout the years hadn't made the blindest bit of difference.

Braised napa cabbage~ perfect with hot, steamed rice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bacon rasher

1 spring onion, thinly sliced

some woodear fungus, soaked n sliced

mushrooms, sliced

napa cabbage, roughly torn

splash of shaoxing wine

oyster sauce

chicken stock

1. Heat up some oil and sautee garlic

2. Add the chopped up bacon, and let it brown and crisp up

3. Add the mushrooms and cabbage, give it all a quick stir

4. Add the oyster sauce, wine and stock..how much you add depends on how much liquid you want

5. Slap a lid on, and leave it to braise on low heat for about half an hour

6. Serve with rice...I would finish the rice...just in case ;)

Jade: Bitemymushrooms

2011-01-16T18:25:00.006Z

Things that make me happy: staying in on a rainy day with the windows half open..and loving how all the colours outside seem so much brighter after a heavy downpour...Maybe the scientists have it all wrong..maybe instead of boring water vapour, clouds are actually made of sighs...and swallowed sobs..and when it all gets a little too sad, because even fluffy white clouds have their limit, they explode into millions of raindrops..washing away layers of frustration, leaving in their place clarity and fresh perspectives; The smell of nail polish..because it reminds me of the night before chinese new year and my 4-yr old self, perched at the end of my mum's bed, staring wide-eyed as she applies coat after coat of vibrant polish, hoping if I was still enough, she would paint my nails too...but mostly because it reminds me of how once upon a time, I couldn't wait to be all grown up; My dad's tatty old shirt that I'd rescued from the charity pile...with it's yellowed stains from where I've spilt countless cups of tea and the kind of worn softness that you can only get after about the thousandth wash..the same shirt i wore when my cousins and I played dress up..the one I belted with a ribbon because i thought it would look cool as a dress..the one that never fails to make me feel like a kid all over again; Hot mushroom soup made from scratch on a chilly Sunday...oversalted..but comforting nonetheless...because like all the best things in life, it has just the right amount of flaw.

Cream of mushroom soup~ I have a sneaking suspicion my mushrooms had gone bad.....but it baffles me how fungus can sprout fungus...

4-5 large chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

white wine

1. Heat up some olive oil in a saucepan, sauteed the garlic and onion until tender

2. Add the mushrooms and a generous glug of white wine

3. Once the mushrooms have softened, add the stock, milk and bayleaf and simmer gently for about half an hour, lid on

4. I used a stick blender to give the whole mix a good blitz...feel free to use a blender and good luck with the washing up

5. Season to taste....I have learnt less is more when it comes to salt....ladle into a pretty soup bowl and serve with your favourite bread :)

Mars: Mee Jawa - Curry Laksa

2011-01-10T05:14:00.001Z

I probably should have snapped a picture before diving into this, but I forgot!

But I do strongly suggest ordering this with a cold green tea!

The broth is thick and just enough flavour for everything. The tofu soaks up the soup and the flavours that when you bite into it, it flows out and fills your mouth with a barrage of flavours!

And at RM7.90, I do think its totally worth it. Do ask for extra tofu! (^_^)"

They have breakfast sets that I'm dying to try but normally do not have time for!

Mee Jawa
A1-G2-09 Solaris Dutamas
Kuala Lumpur

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Jade: Bitemymuffin #2

2011-01-09T10:12:00.007Z

I think having to wake up early in the middle of winter is one of the more depressing things in life. In the interest of political correctness, I am fully aware it's not famine or the apartheid..but try..just try and imagine that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when your alarm rings at stupid o'clock..when all you want to do is stay within the warm embrace of your duvet because you know the minute you fling those covers aside, nothing will protect you from that first shock of cold; and then you look out the window and all you see is darkness..it will still be dark when you're finally ready to leave the house...and however hopeful you try to be, you know deep down, any sign of the sun would have long gone by the time you leave work.. I really should get my vitamin D levels checked.

But on some sick level, I enjoy getting ready for work, winter or not. I love the ritualistic feel of my little routine...that precious hour of me time before I have to face the respiratory triage list. It's a sort of quiet satisfaction...shaping my eyebrows..which the lady at the Shu Uemura counter pointed out in cantonese-accented english: " is quite cham ( read: tragic) hor, miss" ; blending sandy golds and deep mochas...gently smudging my favourite liner...slow, therapeutic strokes of the mascara wand, making sure each lash has the right amount of curl. And then there's my closet, brimming with promise..a new dress perhaps? or my favourite skirt...better yet, a forgotten top hidden so far back it's as good as new. I'm a lucky girl, really.

Breakfast muffins

I can't for the life of me remember the recipe or if I even had one. It was one of those Sunday mornings where I'd woken up early out of habit, a bit unsure of what to do with myself because there's no ward round to be done..eventually deciding muffins would be perfect with my morning cuppa. I do remember replacing some of the butter with cream cheese...yoghurt..a pinch of caramel coffee..some chopped up pecans, chocolate chunks..and at some point, when it was far too late, realizing the pecans should've gone on top of the muffins.

Jade: Bitemycroissant

2011-01-08T17:13:00.006Z

I used to believe in new year resolutions. The whole notion of making list after list of promises to make the new year better than the last. And then I grew up...and it struck me how futile the whole exercise was. To spend all that time setting new rules for yourself, fully knowing what they say about rules and how they are meant to be broken....beating yourself up when you cave and eat that second slice of cake on the 2nd day of the new year......and then trying your damnest to justify that moment of weakness..convincing yourself it somehow doesn't count. So I shan't make any this year...I shall instead figure out what I don't want in 2011, because I don't want this year to slip by like so many others have...because I don't want to live this year on fast forward..to get where I want to get but have absolutely no recollection of how or why I ended up there...because I don't want to sit in bed on new year's eve thinking "why didn't I..."

I've missed writing...and as much as I love my job, I really don't want to be defined by how much I know about DMARDs or how many lumbar punctures I've done...So here's to a year of chinese calligraphy, traditional chinese instruments, pole dancing lessons and as much food as you and I can eat.

Caramel croissant pudding ~ adapted from Nigella

2 stale croissants [ i've tried it with pain au chocolat, equally gorgeous]

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp water

1/4 cup cream

1/2 tbsp rum

1/4 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

~I'm not a huge custard fan, original recipe calls for double the custard...but that to me just spells soggy bread

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees

2. Tear croissants up roughly and arrange in a little pie tin or a small baking dish

3. Pour sugar and water into a saucepan and let it caramelize over medium low heat. Swirl it gently, but don't stir..the sugar will crystallize. Should take about 3-5 minutes to turn a beautiful amber

4. Take the pan off the heat, and pour in the cream, rum and milk

5. Whisk in the beaten egg and pour the mixture over your torn up croissants

6. Nigella says to steep for 10 minutes, but i usually just let it sit while i'm doing the washing up which takes all of 5 minutes. Read above re: aversion to soggy bread

7. Bake for 20 minutes, drizzle some cream over it and have yourself a very happy new year :)

Jade: Bitemycrullers

2010-11-07T13:41:00.003Z

I love "you tiaw". It's one of the things I look forward to before going home...Piping hot, crunchy chinese crullers...Savoured as is....dipped in congee..dunked in bak kut teh..spread with peanut butter...or better yet, soaked in 'lek dao suan'...I could go on..It's probably one the few things that can get me out of bed at 6 in the morning..a trip to the market with my mum, carrying bags of fresh produce...barely registering where I am...all so I can be rewarded with some freshly made crullers, complete with the comforting oily scent of anything deep fried.

You Tiaw~ I was shown how to do this by an auntie I met right in the middle of finals. She used only SR flour and water...I thought I'd be clever and use beer...mine look like anorexic crullers:( cést la vié. Beggars can't be choosers.

1 cup SR flour

water/ beer~ enough to yield a soft dough. I thought beer would give it a nice yeasty flavour and extra lift

Pinch of baking powder and bicarb

Salt, you tiaw isnt you tiaw if it isnt salty

1. Sift all the dry ingredients.well...all 3 of them..make a well in the centre, add liquid of choice

2. Mix gently until it comes together to form a soft dough

3. Cover and rest for about an hour

4. Heat up some oil..I used a small saucepan because it meant less oil..maybe that's why my crullers didn't puff up as much

5. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, divide into little sticks. Stack 2 pieces together and press down lengthwise down the centre with a chopstick

6. Stretch the dough pieces, drop them in the oil and fry over medium heat till golden brown and hopefully puffy

7. Leave to drain on a rack and enjoy with some steaming hot congee:)

Jade: Bitemyscallions

2010-11-07T13:11:00.005Z

You know one of those things you see in nearly every restaurant you go to, every blog you read..but you just never quite get around to trying. That's how scallion pancakes were like for me. Something more exciting always caught my eye....and I'm only sorry for how long it took me to get acquainted with this flaky, fragrant pancake. I was watching some food show and the hosts had gone to a rural part of China to have the famous 'lao bing'...it reminded me of scallion pancakes and that technique of slowly stretching soft dough until it was paper thin...so sheer you could see the woodgrains of the table holding it..well..I couldn't resist.

Cong You Bing~ adapted from Almost Bourdain

250 g all-purpose flour

salt~ I like my salt, but feel free to season to taste

110 ml warm water

1 bunch spring onions, bruised and chopped

Scallion/ shallot oil or lard~ I used shallot oil but I imagine lard would be amazing for flavour and extra flakiness

1. Make a well in the flour, add warm water slowly and mix slowly until you get a soft dough

2. Cover in cling film and let it rest for about half an hour

3. Cut the dough in 2. Take one portion and roll it out. I did what I learnt from the show~lift the edges of the dough and gently stretch it out..this probably warrants a step-by-step pictorial guide or a video of some sort but I can't even bring myself to get up and put on a jumper. So yes, coax the dough gently until it is paper thin..I was well chuffed when I could see the marbling on my counter top through the dough.

4. Brush generously with oil/lard and sprinkle on the spring onions

5. Then starting from the edge closest to you, roll it up, sealing the 2 ends.

6. Now roll it up again into a snail, flatten slightly and roll it out

7. Heat up some oil in a pan, brush both sides of your pancake with lard/shallot oil

8. Pan fry till crispy...cut into fat wedges that make the most satisfying crunch..serve hot:)

Testing

2010-10-19T01:42:00.001+01:00

Testing 1 2 3. I don't want Jade to murder me for not posting enough. Hence this trial, so I can post on the go! (^_^)v
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Jade: Bitemychickenwings

2010-10-10T14:22:00.003+01:00

I have a friend who doesn't eat boned chicken..which pretty much means no dark meat..no juicy chicken thighs...no tender drumsticks..and no chicken wings. Honestly, I think that is no way to live..I went through a phase where I had nothing but ready prepared chicken wings from Asda...in retrospect it tasted pretty awful...thank god the whole thing only lasted about 2 weeks..My point is...chicken wings have got to be the most addictive parts of a chicken...that, and maybe chicken necks..Deep fried, baked, grilled, stewed...it's one of those things that is near impossible to ruin, no matter how crap a cook you are. Having said that, perfectly cooked wings are hard to come by...I'm just lucky to have grown up on the perfect wings~my mum makes the most amazing crispy wings that she marinades in honey, soy and chinese wine...So you'll understand when I say I think the oft under appreciated chicken wings deserve to be a food group on their own.

Coca-cola chicken wings~ Like my old flatemate from china used to make

1 pack chicken wings, cleaned and separated into drummets and wings

4-5 slices ginger

3 cloves garlic

Splash of shaoxing wine

Dark soy

Light soy to taste

250ml Coke ~no Diet please

Little bit of brown sugar and a little dribble of balsamic vinegar for more body

Dried chili [optional ~ but that bit of heat balances out the sticky sweetness really well]

1. Brown the chicken wings and set aside

2. In the chicken fat, fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant

3. Add shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan

4. Add chicken wings, give a quick stir, add soy sauces and coke

5. Bring to a gentle boil, pop the lid on and let it simmer for about half an hour

6. Add the sugar, vinegar and dried chili, and taste to adjust seasoning and let the sauce reduce for a further 10-15 minutes.. really depends how much gravy you want

7. Perfect with a big bowl of sticky sushi rice. Save your leftovers, if there are any...because these wings and all that thick gravy is divine with scallion pancakes...almost a more peasanty take on peking duck;)

Jade: Bitemyberries

2010-10-10T13:55:00.003+01:00

I read a lot of food blogs..and I mean a lot. You'd expect..or in my poor dad's case hope to find at least some clever journals or revision sites on my list of bookmarked sites..but the last time I had a look there was one page I'd saved on heart murmurs about 4 years ago...Food related sites, however..now that's a completely different story...there are about 6 pages on how to make bakwa...10 on ayam pongteh in my quest to find the most authentic version...and I'm not even going to bother keeping track of the memory space dedicated to cupcakes and cookies...I think the most interesting bit about all this, besides the odd 'why didn't I think of that' moments~coke float cupcakes anyone?..is observing the trends floating around. First there were cupcakes..then macarons..at some point I think everyone was making artisan loaves....and then came the fruit pastry cake. Beautifully arranged fruit glistening like little edible jewels enveloped in tender crumbs of cake..I don't normally follow trends..but this time,I just had to make an exception..

Fruit pastry cupcakes~

100g salted

100g castor sugar-I used vanilla sugar

50g yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Pinch of salt

1 tsp lemon zest

3 large eggs

210g SR flour

1 tsp baking powder

Fruit~ I used canned peaches and fresh strawberries because that's what I had

1. Preheat oven to 180'C.

2. Wash fruit and dry thoroughly

3. Add the zest to the sugar and rub to release the oils

4. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy, then add eggs slowly

5. Add vanilla and salt, give it a quick mix and add yoghurt

6. Now either fold in the flour or beat on low speed..I wouldn't overdo the beating

7. Scoop the batter into paper cup

8. Cut your fruit into desired size, and go crazy with the arrangement, just don't press them into the batter or they'll just disappear when your cake rises

9. Bake for about 15 minutes, cover with tin foil to prevent over-browning and bake for another 10-15 minutes

10. Let cool and marvel at the sheer artistry of these little cakes. You could dust them with icing sugar..I was lazy

Jade: Bitemyweekend

2010-09-26T14:21:00.009+01:00

Green tea latte, cheese baked kimchi fried rice with chicken katsu, Nigella's new book and thick pyjamas = the perfect weekend

Green tea latte

1 green tea bag~matcha powder would be so much better but beggars can't be choosers

Less than half a mug of water just off the boil

Half a mug of milk

Sugar to taste

Your favourite mug

1. Steep the teabag in hot water to get very very strong green tea

2. Heat the milk in a pan, whisking until it gets beautifully frothy

3. Add to your tea and stir in some sugar to taste

Jade: Bitemystew

2010-09-26T13:50:00.004+01:00

I swear the film companies that make korean dramas all own secret ramyun factories. I mean, they must. I've yet to watch a korean drama that doesn't involve at least one steaming bowl of kimchi ramyun per episode...and at 11 at night, it.looks.so.damn.tempting. Didn't help that I woke up to a taiwanese food show that just had to be about korean food...and yes, they had ramyun...in a large wok filled to the brim with vegetables, tofu, ham, frankfurters, korean rice cakes and cheese....It took all the self control I had to sit and finish the show..granted there really isn't much of it to begin with...before I headed straight to my kitchen and had a quick fumble around. I had everything that was needed......hello korean army base stew for dinner.

Korean army base stew~ so much better than your standard packet of kimchi ramyun..If you do do give this a go, please don't leave out the cheese...it all but melts into oblivion and it does serve to temper the almost acrid heat from the pepper paste

2 sausages, diced and browned

1 clove garlic, minced

1 spring onion, minced

leafy greens of your choice, roughly torn

oyster mushrooms

1 tbsp kimchi, chopped

1tbsp gochujang

1-2 slices cheese [ I used cheddar']

water

soy to taste

1 piece ramyun

1. Chunk everything but the ramyun in a pot, pour in a bowl of water or more if you'd like more soup, pop the lid on, and bring to the boil

2. Give it a quick stir, splash of soy to taste, and let it simmer for a few minutes

3. Add the ramyun and boil till the noodles soften

4. Top with a bit more cheese and slurp as noisily as you can :)

Jade: Bitemycongee#3

2010-09-26T12:25:00.004+01:00

I have come to really appreciate the beauty of smooth, velvety congee......the contrast of creamy grains and crunchy yao char kuai, the robust flavour of good quality stock lifted by the subtle fragrance of jasmine rice...and with winter just around the corner, I forsee many many pots of congee bubbling merrily away on my stove. The secret to thick, lush congee that all but glides down the throat, I think, lies in the choice of rice. I've experimented with quite a few being the anal retentive person that I am..and for me, a mixture of sushi rice and glutinous rice with a ratio of 1:1 is perfect. Add a spoonful of shallot oil to marinade the rice with overnight and you're on your way to congee heaven.

Sweetcorn congee~ my new favourite thing to eat. If you love congee, you must try this....the perfect combination of savoury and that lovely golden sweetness you can only get from corn.

50g sushi rice

50g glutinous rice

1 tbsp shallot oil

2 pork ribs

1 small can sweetcorn

small handful goji berries

few dried scallops~mine are baby scallops so i used about 6 or 7

salt to taste

1. Wash rice grains until water turns clear and drain

2. Marinate with shallot oil and leave overnight

3. Blanche the ribs in boiling water, and drain

4. Put the ribs back in the now empty pot, add cold water and your can of corn. [ I don't actually measure out the water, I just generally fill it to about the level of the handle if that makes sense]

5. Add goji berries and scallops and bring to a gentle boil. I used a double boiler which is an absolute godsend when it comes to soups and congees. If you don't have one, keep an eye on the heat, and use a heat diffuser.

6. Now chuck in the rice and give it a good stir. If you're using a normal pot over direct heat, stick around and give it constant stirs to break up the grains and make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.

7. I left mine to simmer gently for 2-3 hours only because I had a certain consistency in mind

8. Season to taste, garnish with fried shallots and tuck into a hot little bowl of bliss. Trust me when I say you don't need any other accompaniments... :)

Jade: Bitemypoundcake

2010-09-23T12:04:00.005+01:00

Salted caramel pound cake. Because I'm on a self imposed shopping ban.......and I got really really really bored. Let me know if you want the recipe.

Jade: Bitemynaan

2010-09-23T11:16:00.004+01:00

Fluffy homemade naan and creamy chicken curry. So easy..yet so satisfying. On a completely unrelated note, my patient told me I look 25.....so I stuck in a large bore cannula instead of a bitty blue one....the things we do to get through the day....

Naan~adapted from here

1 satchet dry yeast, about 7g

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup warm water

2.5-3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup buttermilk [ 1/3cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice/vinegar, left to curdle]

1 egg

1. Mix warm water and sugar and sprinkle yeast on top. Make sure the water isnt too hot, else it'll kill the yeast. Leave the mix in a warm place until it foams, the oven is a good place as long as it's switched off please

2. Whisk the oil, milk and egg and set aside

3. Start off with about 2 cups of flour. Make a well in the centre of the flour and salt, add in the now bubble yeast mixture, give a few quick stirs, and add the egg mix

4. Once you get a clumpy, sticky dough, turn onto a well floured counter and knead, adding flour as you go along. You want a soft, smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands

5. Pat into a ball and leave to rise in a lightly greased bowl for about 45 minutes. Again, oven is a good place.

6. Once it's doubled in volume, flatten slightly and divide into 8 balls

7. Heat up a non stick frying pan, you could grease it lightly if you'd like, I didn't bother. Roll out the bread dough, don't do it all in one go, best to roll one out and cook it straightaway.

8. Cook the bread on medium heat till it bubbles on top, flip over and cook for a while longer...generally takes a few minutes

9. Serve as is or brush with some garlic oil and sprinkle with chopped coriander...I'm thinking cumin seeds and crushed curry leaves for my next batch:)

Jade: Bitemypolenta

2010-09-23T10:42:00.005+01:00

I love my carbs. I think there is very little in this world that is more comforting than a big bowl of steaming hot kimchi noodles...or a generous hunk of freshly baked bread. I don't, however, like potatoes...I know...I have my fish and chips without the chips..if I had my way I'd have it without the fish too..deep fried batter and tartar sauce..mm...I'd much rather have my sunday roast with steamed vegetables...and don't get me started on mashed potatoes...I wish I knew why...it's actually quite inconvenient to have to nibble the crispy bits off big fat chips and leave the rest of it in a pile..

Polenta chips~ the answer to my tuberphobia...not sure how much healthier it is though, considering the amount of cheese that went into it..but I suppose if you really want healthy, you could always opt for a carrot stick instead. Adapted from NQN

1 cup full cream milk

1 cup stock

3/4 cup polenta

1/4 cup finely grated cheddar

salt to taste

some paprika for a little kick

oil to grease the pan with

1. Grease an 8x8 baking tin

2. Heat milk, stock and stock until it just starts to bubble

3. Grab a whisk and start whisking as you pour in the polenta slowly

4. Keep stirring until cooked, mine took about 5 minutes...it's not a science..they tell you what to do on the packaging

5. You'll know when it's done...you end up with quite a stiff mixture...like super thick cake batter

6. Stir in the cheese

7. Scoop it into your greased tin and level it out with a spatula

8. Stick it in the fridge to set....should take a few hours

9. When it's ready, cut into thick chips and either shallow fry it till golden brown and crispy or bake in a 220 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

10. Serve with a juicy burger and lots of dip :)

Jade: Bitemycheesecake

2010-09-18T14:35:00.004+01:00

It's no fun to cook for one. It's even less fun to bake for one...especially when I don't have a sweet tooth. But you know those days when you're dying for some cheesecake....yet baking an entire cheesecake just seems excessive...and buying a sub-par slice from Tesco's is hardly worth the effort...so you go to bed feeling unfulfilled, wake up cranky the next morning, and spend the day secretly wanting to suspend analgesia for over dramatic patients...I'm a firm believer in not going to bed angry..enter mini cake tins, about the size of half a coffee mug, perfect for midnight cravings and those odd moments of self indulgence.

Mini lime and coconut cheesecake~ Because I had 1 lime, 1 carton of expiring cream cheese and a tubful of coconut cookies that never made it to the Tuesday MDT.

6 coconut cookies- the kind that's made of tightly packed toasted coconut and sugar

2 digestives [ you don't have to use coconut cookies, either use more digestives or add some toasted coconut]

2-3 tbsp melted butter, salted please

Abt 70-80g cream cheese

100 ml double cream

2 heaped tbsp sugar

Zest of 1-2 limes

juice of 1 lime

pinch of gelatine powder/ agar powder

1. Crush the biscuits till fine, add melted butter and mix until it looks like wet sand

2. Press firmly into a greased mini cake tin and pop in the fridge to set. I left mine overnight

3. For the cheese topping, rub the zest into the sugar to release all that gorgeous citrusy oil

4. Whisk sugar and cream into soft peaks

5. Zap lime juice and gelatine powder in the microwave for about 10 seconds

6. Add that to the cream cheese and mix till the cheese is softened. Don't overdo it or the whole thing will just turn to liquid

7. Fold the cream into the cheese mix, pour over your biscuit base and chill to set..again, couple of hours should do it, but I left it overnight

8. Makes one palm sized cheesecake packed with tropical flavour......that still took me about a week to finish...one deliciously tangy bite at a time

Jade: Bitemypasta #2

2010-09-12T15:25:00.005+01:00

With weekdays spent on wards and moving to a new hospital every few weeks, I used to think weekends were pretty precious commodity in uni. But if anyone had told me how much rarer they were going to be once I started working..I would've made a conscious effort to cram every single Saturday and Sunday with all the books I wanted to read, backlogs of fashion magazines, leisurely pedicures and massive dinner parties....that, or I would've just quit med school all together. Nobody messes with my pyjama-time.

Sausage and asparagus pasta~ because my mum decided she didn't like the sausages she bought and left them in my freezer. Thanks, ma

2 pork sausages~preferably non-mushy ones...not like the ones my mum left

2 cloves garlic

5-6 stalks of asparagus

double cream

1/2-1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

100g penne

freshly cracked black pepper

torn up basil

1. Boil some water and cook the pasta

2. Chop the sausages into bite sized pieces and pan fry till you get crispy little nuggets

3. Add the garlic and asparagus and sauteed on low heat till tender

4. Add double cream and mustard

5. Season to taste, toss in the cooked pasta and coat with the silky cream

6. Top with freshly cracked black pepper and some torn up basil. Sheer comfort food..the perfect ending to a lazy weekend...the kind where you do nothing but laze around in a soft kimono and red lipstick:)

Jade: For Phoebe

2010-09-06T17:19:00.002+01:00

For you, Phoe. Jie hopes wherever you are, you can see all the pretty things around you again...and may there be lots of peanut butter. I miss you.

Jade: Bitemybakwa

2010-09-01T20:42:00.005+01:00

It's the end of the day, everyone's huddled around the ward computer, going through papers for journal club.

Registrar: Here's one. Sex as a prognostic predictor for stroke recovery

Jade: *snicker*...*starts going on about how she saw a pamphlet on sex after stroke and suggests bringing one in as a prop for the presentation.*..*giggles like a mad woman*

Dr. P: Jade....they mean gender..

Jade: *locks herself in the stationery room and prays everyone forgets she's there*

In my defence, it's probably because I usually have more important things to think about. Like how gorgeous Pierre Hermes salted caramel macaroons are...or if Selfridges will still be open by the time I finish my oncall this weekend...or how to make my own Bakwa because frankly, at about RM 40 for half a kilo of roast pork, Bee Cheng Hiang is a bloody rip off.

Bakwa~ adapted from Taste of Time. Perfect for Chinese New Year..think fire crackers, loud chinese music and smoky sweet roast pork...

250g streaky bacon

1 tbsp fish sauce [ I like my bakwa sweet so I would actually do less than a tbsp]

Pinch of 5 spice just because I don't like 5 spice all that much

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

30ml maple syrup

25ml golden syrup

1. Run the bacon slices under the tap, lay them on some kitchen towels and pat dry

2. Pour over the marinade and mix it all up with your hands

3. Separate the bacon slices and arrange them in a container, pour in the rest of the marinade and pop it in the fridge for about 2 days

4. When you're ready to roast the bacon, preheat the oven to 220 degrees, line a baking tray with foil [ else it will be a pain in the arse to clean], and lay on your bacon strips

5. Brush the strips with the remaining marinade and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. I say 15 if you prefer more gooey, charred bits

6. Once they're done, leave them on a cooling rack for a while....although if I were you, I'd have at least 1 strip of glistening, meltingly tender bakwa fresh out of the oven...and in the time it takes for the rest to cool, I'd pop down to the shops to get summore bacon to make a second lot;)

Jade: Bitemycurrypuff

2010-08-29T23:24:00.004+01:00

Because after 5 years..I've only just realized my camera has a sepia mode....Recipe to follow..perhaps when I'm feeling less sheepish..

Jade: Bitemykuaytiaw

2010-08-29T22:47:00.005+01:00

Of all the noodles, kuay tiaw is probably my least favourite...i think it's a textural thing. Yet whenever I'm away from home, char kuay tiaw is the one dish I never fail to crave for. And it makes sense if you think about it...it's one of those dishes that appears in most coffeeshops, each trying to make their mark by dishing up their own take on these incredibly versatile rice noodles. In my hometown alone, there is a stall that does gorgeously smoky sambal fried kuay tiaw, another that has perfected the dry version of tomato kuay tiaw... one of my family's favourite restaurants does a pretty impressive plate of 'gon chau ngau hor' [beef kuay tiaw]..and I'm still wondering what happened to this one stall that did the most amazing kuay tiaw mee with char siew..so savoury..yet balanced with just the right amount of sweetness..oh and that wok hei...mmm..

Char Kuay Tiaw~ because that last packet of kuay tiaw in Chinatown was just begging to be taken home. Nevermind the fact that I'd never cooked kuay tiaw before..

Half a packet kuay tiaw/hor fun

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, smashed and minced

1 stalk spring onions sliced thinly

Some lap cheong, sliced thinly [ this is optional, but it does give a really subtle sweetness]

Fishballs, sliced

Chinese leaves, julienned

Beansprouts

1 large tbsp spice paste [ see curry laksa~ I had quite a lot leftover, and it's such a beautiful addition to this dish]

Kicap manis

Fish sauce to taste

1 egg

1. To prep the kuay tiaw, I like to peel them apart to make sure there're no clumps or thick pasty strands. Also handy to put some water on to boil.

2. Heat up some oil, chuck in the garlic, shallots, spring onions and lap cheong

3. Add the spice paste and some boiling water to loosen everything up

4. While that's bubbling gently, put your noodles in a colander, pour boiling water over it, drain and add to your pan/wok. The only reason I did it is because the noodles I got were quite brittle and I could just see them falling to pieces if I didn't soften them up somehow.

5. Turn the heat all the way up, stir quickly to make sure the noodles don't clump.

6. Add the vege and fishballs, giving the pan a good shake every now and then

7. Generous splash of kicap manis...or 3..and fish sauce to taste

8. When everything is nicely coated, make a little well in the middle, crack in an egg, break the yolk with your spatula, let it set ever so slightly, and give everything a quick toss. The residual heat from the noodles will cook the eggs to creamy perfection.

9. Plate, drizzle some chilli sauce over it..and tuck in while it's piping hot.....

The only things missing are some plump, briny cockles and a bottle of ice cold Tsing Tao...

Jade: Bitemycurrylaksa

2010-08-28T16:29:00.008+01:00

It's a cute little place, Basingstoke...horrendously boring...but there's a Zara in town..and it's about 45 minutes to London..so it could be worse. What properly pains me is how difficult it is to find the most basic ingredients...I used to be able to walk into any store in Southampton and come out with bagfuls of lemongrass, galanghal and nissin noodles...and on a good day, half a pound of okra and a sizeable daikon. I went into 3 supermarkets here the other day looking for lemongrass... one of the shop assistants asked me to spell it for him. Made me seriously reconsider working here for another year. ...And no, I wasn't being difficult...I wanted to make curry laksa now that Supreme is no longer an option...and laksa paste without lemongrass is like nasi lemak without sambal...an utter waste of time.

Curry Laksa~ adapted from Rasa Malaysia...with minced lemongrass that came in a jar. I'd be semi disgusted if the end result wasn't quite so good. But just in case, I made a trip to Southampton today and bought 6 ginormous stalks of lemongrass.

* I didn't make the chili paste because I was lazy and my guest was hungry. But I imagine it would've lent the soup more depth and a much prettier colour

SPICE PASTE

1 heaped tbsp belacan

2 large shallots [ I used the long, brown ones you get in supermarkets here]

Half a bulb of garlic

2 tbsp lemongrass paste

2 tsp dried chili flakes

1 tsp thai dried chili shrimp paste

4 tbsp coriander powder

Small handful chopped fresh coriander and basil

5 tbsp oil

STOCK

3 cups chicken stock

100 ml coconut milk

Brown sugar and fish sauce to taste

Spritz of lime for some much needed acidity~ I didn't have any lime so I drizzled in some balsamic vinegar. I thought it tied everything together beautifully

Noodles:

Egg noodles

Bee hoon

Taugeh

Mixed seafood

Chopped spring onions to garnish

1. Blend all the ingredients for the spice paste until very fine

2. Heat up some oil and fry the paste till the oil separates from the solids

3. I only used half the paste since there was only 2 of us. In a separate pot, bring the chicken stock to boil, add the spice paste

4. Lower the heat and bring the soup to a gentle simmer, stir in the coconut milk

5. Season to taste

6. Blanch the seafood, noodles and taugeh

7. Arrange in a bowl, ladle the rich coconut broth over the noodles, garnish with seafood and spring onions, and possible a dollop of chili paste..........close your eyes, slurp and pretend you are home :)

Jade: Bitemybrownies#2

2010-08-20T10:42:00.005+01:00

I'm pre-nights today. And while I'm absolutely shitting myself at the thought of having to deal with surgical emergencies at 3 in the morning...or worse..having to wake my registrar up to deal with surgical emergencies at 3 in the morning...I'm quite enjoying this lull before the storm. I woke up today and realized I could actually go back to bed if I wanted to... I no longer have to live in the dark..literally..because I finally have time to speak to accomodation services about the light that's blown. Even ringing the bank and being put

on hold for half an hour felt like a treat. So as I walked into my kitchen last night, relishing the peace and quiet...I felt a little celebratory baking was in order...something sweet..something deliciously sinful...Something like thick slabs of fudgy brownies with salted caramel swirls.......These are going to the Obs and Gynae department, where people actually enjoy chocolate. Here's hoping no one gets stomped on by a horse tonight..

Jade: Bitemykimchi

2010-08-18T20:26:00.003+01:00

I had this fantasy...that I would start work, take care of sick people in the day, go home at 5, cook myself a nice hot meal, buy lots of fancy bakeware with my fat pay cheque and bake pretty things over the weekend. It's been 2 and half weeks, sick people who pull out their cannulas are really starting to irk me, I have yet to leave the hospital before 6 on any given day, cereal's about the closest thing I've had to a balanced meal and I'm oncall every other weekend. Oh as for that pay cheque, I'm still waiting....and waiting...Like I said, I had this fantasy...

Kimchi fried rice~because my kimchi was expiring...I'm sure I've said this before..but who knew kimchi expires? Surely the whole point of preserving vegetables is so they don't go bad...like ever...

1/2 cup cooked short grain rice, overnight's better

lots of chopped garlic

2 stalks spring onions, chopped

Fatty bacon, diced

Kimchi, sliced fairly thin

1 tbsp gochujang/ korean chilli paste

fish sauce to taste

1 egg, sunny side up

1. Slap the bacon in a pan, fry till crispy..rendering the fat as you go along

2. Add the chopped garlic and spring onions

3. Add the kimchi and gochujang

4. Turn up the heat, add the rice and stir to coat everything in the yummy spicy paste. I like to leave it while I do the washing up, that way you get beautiful crackly bits of rice at the bottom of the pan. Probably the closest you'll get to 'wok hei' on an electric hob.

5. Season to taste, plate and top with an egg, sunny side up. Runny yolk please...fried eggs with solid yolks are an utter waste of time.

6. Enjoy with a nice korean drama :)

Jade: Bitemycookies #3

2010-08-18T19:47:00.003+01:00

I remember my first box of After 8's. I was 6, all dressed up in a pastel yellow dress with white polka-dots, lacy socks and white leather mary-janes. I was about to meet one of my mother's closest friends, a quirky British doctor who loved durian and deep sea fishing. I must've rehearsed how I planned to greet him about a million times, so eager was I to make a good impression. We went grocery shopping...don't ask me why...and as we strolled past the chocolate aisle, I spotted After 8's. My mum had told me about them before, and to my 6-year old self, they looked like the most sophisticated things. I wanted them...but I was so intent on behaving that day I bit my lip and kept going. The good doctor must've noticed that slightest of lingers..because he slipped a box into the shopping cart and as we left the shop, pressed the beautiful black box into my hands. Was it all worth it? To be honest, I thought it tasted like chocolate covered toothpaste...but to this day, I have never turned down an After 8 mint, simply because it reminds me of one of the most special people I've ever met:)

Mint Choc Chunk cookies ~ My cookie version of After-8's, because my parents' had just left, I'd run out of vanilla and was still technically unemployed. I miss being technically unemployed...

1/4 cup castor sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

114g salted butter, melted

1/4 cup vegetable oil [ I used olive oil because I haven't had time to go grocery shopping for about a month]

1 medium egg

1/2 tbsp milk

200g flour

50g cocoa powder

1/2 tsp crushed sea salt

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tspn baking soda

1/2 tbsp mint extract/ oil

1 cup dark chocolate chunks

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees

2. Cream butter, sugar, oil, milk and mint

3. Add dry ingredients

4. Fold in the chocolate chunks

5. Chill the dough for about half an hour

6. Scoop out large dollops and drop them on a cookie sheet, bake for 8-12 minutes

7. Cool, break one in half, and share with someone you like:)

Jade: Bitemysardines

2010-05-04T19:29:00.005+01:00

I loved Sugarbun as a kid. Not so much the fast food, although the fish burger is still my go to burger on days when I just want to feel as unhealthy as I possibly can....can't beat synthetic fish and old grease. No..I loved the adjoining bakery. Applebee. I'm not even sure if it's around anymore, but when we were in Miri, we had a massive Applebee in one of the shopping complexes where we would go nearly every weekend to could pick out curry puffs and buns for school. The best bit about that bakery though, had to be the semi open kitchen. Everyday, someone wearing a chef's hat would stand at the work station piping icing roses, icing baskets, icing cartoon characters on elaborate celebration cakes. And whenever I went, I would press my nose against the glass panel eating either sugary doughnut balls on a stick or their swirly ice cream cone. It was my treat for being good :)

Sardine puffs [One of my favourite pastries from Applebee..after sugary doughnuts on a stick, of course...only now I'm all grown up. So I don't have to buy them..I can just make them;)]

1 pack ready made puff pastry

1 can sardine

1 onion, sliced thinly

1 red chili, chopped

1 carrot, grated

Juice of half a lime

1 beaten egg

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2. Fry the onions till fragrant and chuck in the sardines, chili and carrots, breaking up the fish as you go along

3. Add the lime juice and a bit of sugar or salt to taste

4. Cut your pastry into squares, spoon about a tbsp of filling on top, brush the edges with egg and press down with a fork to seal

5. Score the top so steam can escape and glaze with beaten egg

6. Bake for about 15-20 minutes and enjoy, fresh out of the oven :)

Mine didn't have as much 'puff' as I would've liked...might have something to do with the fact that the pastry's been sitting in my freezer since 2009..

Jade: Bitemyrojak

2010-04-30T16:43:00.005+01:00

I remember the haze and coxsackie outbreak out '97. My sister and I weren't allowed out of the house for nearly 2 months. While I was perfectly happy not going to school for 6 weeks, the thought of all the street food I was missing out on was pretty damn near unbearable. I would lie in bed at night imagining the smell and taste of my favourite noodles, unable to sleep. Having said that, I think a lot of the food we miss when we're away from home is associated with treasured memories and a sense of longing for days gone by rather than a sole appreciation of the actual flavours involved. For me, teh tarik is less about the sweet tea and more about nights out with boarding school mates at mamak stalls; kampua mee never fails to bring back that buzz of excitement I used to feel when we would load up the car for our yearly trips back to our hometown. So when my pregnant friend's husband brought her jars of rojak sauce from home, I found myself craving for exactly that. Not so much the husband bit, but the pungent, briny smell of prawn paste...takes me right back to when I was 12, waiting for my dad to pick me up from tuition, knowing he's late because he's stopped to get a packet of rojak and ang dao beng for tea :)

Rojak for two

Half a cucumber, pared into chunks

Half a pineapple, cut into chunks [ I got mine ready peeled and cored from Asda]

Half an apple, cored and cut into chunks

Half a block of firm white tofu, cubed and panfried till brown and crisp on the outside

Sauce

2 big tbsp prawn paste

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp sambal olek

1tsp roasted chilli paste [potent stuff, adjust accordingly]

Juice of half a lime

As much crushed peanuts as you like, reserving a bit to sprinkle on top. I'm very generous with the nuts

* In an ideal world, I'd have ginger flower..but let's be realistic..this is England..

1. While the tofu is frying, whisk together the ingredients for the rojak sauce, tasting and

adjusting as you go along. Helps to add a tiny bit of hot water to break things up a little.

2. Cut up the fruit and veg

3. Spoon over the delicious rojak sauce, sprinkle some crushed peanuts over it, toss to coat and top with even more peanuts..and what you should end up with are juicy, crunchy chunks of fresh fruit cloaked in spicy, salty dressing

*I rather think eating it is an art on its own..I start by eating all the cucumbers because I don't like them..then I start on the apples..then the sweet, sweet pineapples..and finally, I mop up what's left of the rich sauce with soft bits of tofu...sheer rapture :)

Jade: Bitemybruschetta

2010-04-29T12:26:00.006+01:00

I love the versatility of food. It's hardly ever an exact science and most of the time recipes and cook books serve as more of a guide/ source of inspiration..I never follow recipes to the letter because half the fun is in experimenting with alternative ingredients and ratios. I got a little cookbook from the charity shops over the weekend and what I found most precious were the pencilled-in notes and suggestions in the margins of every page. "Too salty, try adding cumin?".."More zest, smaller portions, would make a wonderful starter"...someone had obviously taken the time to try these recipes and alter them to suit her palate. Shame that it ended up being given away...ah well, lucky me:)

Tomato bruschetta [ Adapted from yet another one of Raymond Blanc's recipes. This started out as Maman Blanc's tomato salad..thick slices of organic tomatoes marinated in a tangy mustard dressing. I had a craving for something light that I could pick on...something like bruschetta ;) ]

Half a crusty french baguette, sliced diagonally

1 beefsteak tomato [ you want something very firm and meaty since it forms the bulk of this dish]

1 shallot, cut in half, slice one half thinly and chop up the other half, this way u get a bit of it in the dressing, and a bit in the salad for crunch

1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

1/2 tbsp dijon mustard [ I used wholegrain]

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp warm water

some torn, fresh basil

some chopped parsley

1 chunk of goats cheese

1. Chop the tomato into medium sized chunks and place in a bowl

2. Add the thinly sliced shallots

3. In a separate bowl, mix the mustard, oil, garlic and chopped shallots till you get a thick paste

4. Then add the warm water, and whisk, so you get a lovely yellow emulsion

5. Spoon over the tomatoes, give it a gentle mix and leave to marinade for an hour or so

6. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and when that's ready, bake the baguette slices for about 10 minutes

7. Remove the baguette and drizzle with olive oil. I used sundried tomato oil because I had some in the fridge

8. Add the herbs to the salad, give it a quick toss, spoon over the baguette slices and top with some torn up goats cheese. Bon apetít :)

Jade: Bitemytomato

2010-04-24T14:05:00.005+01:00

The best thing about living in catered halls, besides having someone to clean your bathroom and kitchen, was always breakfast. Granted it was the only palatable meal served at the canteen..I loved the convenience of waking up, knowing a hot breakfast complete with my choice of tea, coffee or hot chocolate awaited. There was something so grown-up about getting to choose between hot danish or buttered toast, fruit or yoghurt and if it was yoghurt, what flavour? And then there was the cooked breakfast~ sausages, bacon, beans, mushrooms, eggs, fried bread..the works. It was always sausages and beans on days when I was feeling particularly indulgent...eggs on toast whenever I missed home because my mum used to make them..and on weekends, bacon on toast, topped with lashings of honey.

Stuffed tomato with mushrooms [ Inspired by Raymond Blanc's stuffed tomatoes. I was watching him on BBC and all I could think about the whole time was how I could turn it into a nice breakfast. Monsieur Blanc stuffed his tomatoes with minced pork and served them with a rich tomato sauce. I stuffed mine with sausage meat, nestled it in a bed of fried mushrooms and topped it with an egg, sunny side up]

1 beefsteak tomato [you want a big, sturdy tomato that will hold the filling and not turn into mush after baking]

1 pork sausage, skin removed

2-3 tbsp breadcrumbs [ I didn't have any so I used cracker crumbs]

1 small shallot, diced finely

1 clove garlic, minced

some chopped sage

1 egg yolk and a drizzle of olive oil to bind

some grated pecorino

freshly cracked black pepper

mushrooms

fresh parsley, chopped

a splash of white wine

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees

2. Combine sausage meat with breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs and seasoning, binding it with the egg and olive oil. Don't bother with a fork, use your hands

3. Cut off the top of the tomato, and using a spoon, gauge out the pulp and discard or save it for a tomato sauce

4. Stuff the tomato with your sausage mix, grate some more cheese over the top, drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 20-25 minutes

5. In the meantime, pop the mushrooms in a pan, add a glug of wine and stir till softened

6. Fry an egg just before the tomato is ready

7. Dish up and there you have it. My version of a British fry-up. None of the grease, all of the pleasure ;)

Jade: Bitemydongfun

2010-04-24T13:36:00.005+01:00

One of my best friends' uncle owns a little coffeeshop in the old part of town. My family has been eating there since forever. It's nothing fancy~none of the western inspired deco sported by so many cafés these days, no colourful drinks with posh names..Just good old-fashioned mosaic-tiled floors, giant white ceiling fans and metal chairs. And the food? Proper hearty, homey fare that never fails to make me smile. It's the sort of place where you see the same retired old men sitting at the same table every morning with their cups of coffee, where the owners know you so well they bring you what you want before you even ask for it..Helps too that I get to eat for free when I go with my friend :P

Fried Dong Fun/ Bean threads [ One of my favourite dishes at Ah Hee's, who knows " giam liao, dang hoon ka jer'' ~go easy on the meat and veg, more bean threads please ]

Bean threads, soaked in cold water till soft and tossed in a bit of sesame oil so they don't go clumpy

Sliced belly pork, marinated in kicap manis, shao xing wine and sesame oil. Use beef if you prefer

Carrots, julienned

Spring onions, julienned

Cabbage, julienned

2 cloves garlic, minced

Beansprouts if you like them. I always pick them out so it's a bit pointless

1 tbsp kicap manis

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

Light soy to taste

1. Get a wok really hot, heat up some oil, and stir in the garlic

2. Add the julienned vegetables and give a quick stir. You could set them aside so they retain their crunch, but I hate carrots, so I will do anything to mask their taste n texture.

3. Add the pork

4. Add bean threads and toss well

5. Drizzle in the wine and kicap manis and season to taste

6. I like to leave it in the searing hot wok while I do the washing up so I get little charred bits at the bottom

7. Plate and slurp :)

And for dessert, because it's Friday and I had some leftover crumble mix that I'd frozen, a lush banana pecan crumble, my most comfy pyjamas and my favourite cooking show.

Jade: Bitemycrumble

2010-04-20T20:47:00.006+01:00

I think most people have their own little quirks when it comes to food~ a defining routine perhaps..or a pet peeve they have absolutely no tolerance for. I save my favourite bits on a dish till last, so I can savour them slowly once everything else is gone...the yummy egg whites of a slow braised soy egg.. the hot, crunchy skin off a piece of fried chicken..the juicy mushrooms in a rich stew...they stay on the corner of my plate not because I don't want them, and if you touch them I will hit you. I nibble the ears, arms and legs off gummy bears...I might eat the head if I'm in a good mood, but never the body. And very little irks me more than soggy pastry alá hospital canteens. Why anyone would drown a perfectly decent apple crumble or pie in watered down custard is beyond me. My way involves getting a wide bowl, sitting my piece of crumble right in the centre, and ladling the custard around the fruity compote so the crumble stays the way it's meant to stay~~ crumbly ;)

Apple crumble [ courtesy of a mid-movie craving and the lone apple in my fridge]

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

Large pinch of cinnamon

1 tbsp white wine [ you could use water or juice, I was feeling a little self indulgent]

3 tbsp plain flour

1 1/2 tbsp cold butter

Pinch of salt

1 tsp sugar

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2. Put the apple, butter, sugar, cinnamon and wine in a little pot, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally~ You want to cook it down to a deliciously soft, sticky mess

3. Spoon into a ramekin, and leave to cool

4. In the meantime, rub the flour and butter until you get a coarse, mealy mixture

5. Stir in the sugar and sprinkle over the compote. I love the crumble topping, so I am very generous with it

6. Bake for 20 minutes, till the topping is golden and bubbling

7. Serve as is, with custard or ice cream and curl up in your squishiest chair with a girly film...my choice? New Moon. Oh the cheesiness ;P

Jade: Bitemytofu

2010-04-19T14:47:00.006+01:00

It's 1.30 in the afternoon, I'd spent the morning speaking to newly pregnant women...sounding like Donald Duck thanks to a heavy cold did nothing for my credibility..Nose dripping like a tap, I take a tentative step towards the canteen, momentarily pleased to have blocked sinuses that protect me from the usual pong of overcooked vegetables and old grease. In my head, I make a little deal with God~ If soup of the day is double-boiled chicken soup with shitaake mushrooms and fish maw, I shall donate my first paycheck to the NHS. Heart pounding, I lift the lid of the soup pot......No fish maw...only the remnants of a vegetable bouillon cube and some sad bits of cabbage.. :(

Tofu Soup~ the first thing I made the second I got back to my own kitchen.

1 block white tofu

300g pork ribs

1 tomato, quartered

1tbsp fried shallots

salt and pepper to taste

1. Blanch pork ribs, pour away the water, and refill the pot with about 3-4 cups of water

2. Add the tomato and fried shallots and bring to boil

3. Lower heat and simmer for about an hour

4. Add tofu, season to taste and simmer for another 10 minutes or so

5. Ladle into a large bowl and sip slowly while plotting grand bids to take over NHS catering.

** And if you get bored of plain tofu soup, a tablespoon of good quality tom yum paste, some coriander and lime juice, good splash of fish sauce and some seafood gives you instant, sexy tom yum soup ;)

Jade: Bitemyhummingbird

2010-04-13T15:28:00.003+01:00

I used to watch Oprah with my mum years ago and there was this particular episode...Art Smith was on it and everyone was raving about his hummingbird cake. I distinctly remember the secret ingredient being apple sauce and at the end of the show, waiters trooped down the aisles with individually packaged hummingbird cupcakes for everyone in the audience. Lucky sods. I finally decided to make hummingbird cake over the weekend...an interesting concoction of mashed bananas, crushed pineapple and apple sauce. Did it live up to all that hype? .......haven't got a clue. I have the mother of all colds and I can't bloody smell or taste anything :(

Jade: Bitemysalad #3

2010-04-10T15:49:00.006+01:00

You know those days when you get home after a long day in theatres and seemingly endless train journeys..and all you want to do is collapse in a heap on the cosy familiarity of your own bed and snuggle...doesn't matter if it's a smelly old baby blanket or a frayed soft toy you've had since you were 3...The only thing left to do is to order yourself some chinese takeaway and bury yourself in its msg-laden glory. Well as much as I would've died for some roast duck rice, with the sun shining and everyone prancing around in their summer best, I couldn't justify gorging on an entire container of fat, salt and carbs....So I made myself a salad instead. Equally comforting, much less guilt ;)

Roasted sweet potato salad with balsamic reduction [I think with all the diet trends floating about, salads have gained a rather unfair notoriety..the reality is if you just spend a little time on them, salads don't have to be rabbit food..but rather a symphony of fresh flavours and textures]

1 sweet potato, parboiled for about 15 minutes, cut into wedges

2 large shallots/ pearl onions, peeled and quartered

Handful toasted pine nuts

Some sharp, soft cheese [ Goats cheese would be perfect. I used some low fat cream cheese I had left]

Mixed salad leaves

Olive oil, salt and pepper, maybe a pinch of dried thyme

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tbsp golden syrup

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2. Toss the potato wedges and shallots in olive oil, salt, pepper and dried herbs and bake for about 30-35 minutes

3. For the balsamic reduction, simmer the vinegar, sugar and golden syrup until it thickens and all that initial acridity disappears..leaving you with a dressing that has a mellow intensity

4. Arrange some torn salad leaves on a plate, drizzle with some dressing

5. Top with your sweet potato and onion wedges, tear up some cheese on top, sprinkle with pine nuts and finish off with the rest of your dressing

Jade: Bitemycaiguon

2010-04-07T11:49:00.004+01:00

I went to Chinatown to pick up some stuff for a dish I was bringing to my friend's place. It was meant to be a potluck and I got a text from her saying "we have lots of curry, so anything but''...and the thing when you're making food for lots of people is, it has to be something easy and fun..and in this case portable. I wasn't about to braise a pork leg for 5 hours and attempt to cart that around because by the time that was done, I would be so exhausted and just give the dinner party a miss altogether. So anyway, filled my basket with groceries, brought it to the counter and realized I didn't bring my wallet...You always hear about this but you don't realize how mortifying it actually is until it happens to you. Finally managed to pay for it, and for the first time, the normally aloof shop girl came alive. She saw my basket and realized I'd be making a dish from her country~Vietnam. There was so much animation as she gave me her recipe for it, throwing in some free chives as she reminded me how important it was to get a good balance of sweet, salty and sour. I love how food brings complete strangers together..

Cai Guon~Vietnamese summer rolls [ To the lady in Chinatown, this is for you ;) I'm sad I couldn't find mint and basil too]

1 pack rice paper

1 shallow dish water

1 small packet bean threads/ dong fen, boiled to soften, tossed in a few drops of sesame oil and 1 tbsp of the dipping sauce shown below

Prawns boiled and halved lengthwise

Shredded carrots

Shredded cucumber

Shredded salad leaves [ You could use just lettuce, I used mixed leaves because the colours were pretty]

Shredded mint or basil [ I think this would've made a huge difference flavour wise so please don't leave it out. I had to because I couldn't find any last minute :(]

Dipping sauce

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp water

4 tbsp sugar

juice of one lime

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 red chilli finely chopped

1 stalk spring onion, thinly sliced

1. Mix the ingredients for the dipping sauce, reserving 1 tbsp to flavour the bean threads

*Try to work on a non stick surface. I used my silpat

2. Take a sheet of rice paper and dunk it in the dish of water for about 10-20 seconds, make sure the edges are submerged or it'll be a bit stiff to roll

3. Shake it to get rid of excess water, it'll still be a bit stiff, but it will soften while you pile on the ingredients so by the time you're ready to roll, it'll be just right

4. Take your prawns, I used 2 per roll, and place them red side down. This way you'll see that lovely orangey red through the translucent rice paper

5. Add some dong fen, carrots, cucumber and lettuce. Don't be greedy..you'll break the wrapper

6. Take the edge that's furthest away from you, bring it towards you, tucking in any excess, fold in the sides and gently roll it up. I just found it easier to get a tighter, neater roll this way. Also the excess skin ends up at the bottom so it doesn't cover up the prettiness within the roll

7. Slice in half diagonally, take a piece, dunk it in the dipping sauce, pop the whole thing in your mouth..now wait...for the explosion of freshness and flavours;)

Jade: Bitemydates

2010-04-07T11:34:00.003+01:00

For as long as I can remember, my grandma would brew a huge pot of red date tea on the first day of Chinese New Year. And on the morning of the first day, all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren would gather in her kitchen, slurping down bowls of longevity noodles and cups of this sweet tea. It never occurred to me that I didn't actually have to wait until new year to have it...until my mum started brewing her own. It's amazing how 4 simple ingredients can give off such concentrated flavour...sweet, smoky...and a lovely note at the end that reminds me of palm sugar.

Ang zhor teh [Wikipaedia says it's good for stress and soothing sore throats...just so happens I have both]

100g red dates

80g dried longan

3 honey dates

5-6 cups water

lump sugar

Dump everything into a stock pot and boil for about 1-2 hours

Serve hot on a nippy day. Don't forget your porcelain spoon to scoop out crunchy bits of longan;)

~Although when I'm back home and it's 40 degrees, my mum always makes sure there's a ginormous bottle in the fridge

Jade: Bitemyturnip #2

2010-04-05T23:04:00.008+01:00

I didn't finish my ultimate selfish day;) After a hearty breakfast of kaya toast and soft boiled eggs, my idea of the perfect selfish lunch would be a piping hot plate of 'char kuay'..not unlike the ubiquitous char kuay tiaw..only instead of boring flat rice noodles, what you get is mouthful after mouthful of fluffy turnip cake, crunchy preserved radish, barely wilted beansprouts and bits of caramelized egg. I like it because it reminds me of late night suppers with my best friends, of noisy food courts and cold beer in the smothering heat... of home:)

Char Kuay~ [my earliest memory of this was actually watching my dad eat my grandma's steamed pumpkin cake. He would cut up the panfried cake into bite sized pieces, and toss them in my grandma's chilli sauce.. and it looked like the most delicious thing in the world to my 5-year old self]

Steamed turnip cake, cut into bite sized chunks

Preserved radish, soaked for a few minutes and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 spring onion, chopped

1 large handful beansprouts

1 beaten egg

1/2 tsp thai chilli shrimp paste [optional]

Glug of kicap manis for colour

1. Heat up some oil in a non stick pan, and pan fry the turnip cake. Don't turn them too much, the idea is to let them sit and caramelize and get all nice and crispy on the outside

2. When that's done, set it aside

3. Fry garlic, spring onion and preserved radish on high heat till fragrant and the radish starts to 'pop'

4. Add the chilli shrimp paste and the fried radish cake

5. Add the beansprouts and give a quick stir. Don't add the sprouts too early. You want them to retain their crunch

6. Add the beaten egg, scramble lightly and leave to set.

7. Add kicap manis, give a quick stir and leave it for a bit while you do the washing up. Again, you want some lightly charred bits..it just adds so much more depth to the dish

8. Dish up, sprinkle some chopped spring onions over it, drizzle with some chilli sauce if you like and there you have it...my perfect selfish lunch..

Your turn to tell me all about yours :)

Jade: Bitemyturnip

2010-04-05T22:20:00.008+01:00

One of the things that kept me sane in my 3rd year were the frequent visits to the local dimsum joint with the girls. For those 2 hours, we would forget about looming exams and horrendous consultants and just be girls. There was an almost ritualistic feel to those afternoons that was remarkably comforting~we would start off with a small cup of chinese tea, necessary in dreary british weather, chat over fried pastries and the occasional plate of roast duck..and finally have full-blown discussions about the most random things while savouring hot steamed dumplings and glistening chee cheong fun. We're in final year now, and while the conversations remain riveting, a 2-hour lunch is a luxury we can no longer afford...not when there are past year papers to be done and journal articles to be critically appraised. What I could and did do, however, was steam my own little dimsum treat..in between revision sessions, of course ;)

Lor Bak Gou~Daikon/turnip cake [Adapted from TasteofHongKong]

1kg turnip, peeled, grated and left to drain in a colander

150g rice flour

25g corn flour

1 piece lap cheong [optional, but it really does add to the flavour]

4 pieces dried mushrooms, soaked and roughly chopped

small handful dried scallops, soaked and flaked

20g dried shrimp, rinsed and roughly chopped

1 shallot, thinly sliced

**1 1/4 cup liquid

Marinade

1/4 tsp fish sauce

1/4tsp sugar

1/4 tsp shaoxing wine

Seasoning

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp fish sauce

few dashes white pepper

1. Prep your steamer

2.** Reserve juices drained from the grated turnip as well as the soaking juices for the mushrooms and scallops. Make it up to 1 1/4 cup and set aside

3. Marinade mushrooms, scallops and dried shrimp in fish sauce, sugar and wine

4. In a large wok, heat up some oil, I used lard because I had some around. Fry the shallots till they turn a light golden brown, add the marinated mushroom mixture, and fry till fragrant

5. Add the drained turnip and fry for about 5-7 minutes, until they turn translucent and a lovely shade of gold

6. In the meantime, add the reserved liquid to the rice flour and corn flour and whisk till you get a fairly thin batter

7. When the turnip is ready, lower the heat, and pour in the flour batter, stirring as you go along

8. Season to taste and keep stirring until the whole mix starts to resemble thick, sticky, mashed potatoes

9. Grease a baking tin, scoop in your cake mixture and level out the top

10. Steam over high heat for about an hour.

*I didn't have a steamer, so I attempted to construct one using a large pan filled with briskly boiling water, a cookie rack, and my baking tin covered tightly with tin foil. Didn't work very well and I wasn't about to let all that grating go to pot, so I poured some boiling water into a large roasting tin, preheated the oven to 150 degrees, transferred my batter-filled tin into the water bath, foil covering intact and oven steamed it for about an hour or so. Worked like a charm.

11. Let it cool completely before cutting as it's very soft when it's still hot

12. Either enjoy it as is, and believe me, it's delicious enough..or, for that something extra, pan fry it with a little oil so you get a little piece of heaven that is crisp, slightly charred on the outside...and soft, almost creamy on the inside..

Jade: Bitemytausa

2010-04-05T22:12:00.004+01:00

Tau sa p'neah~Because I didn't have enough buttermilk filling and fancied making something pretty :) Sweet, nutty red bean paste, crisp, filmy pastry and a faint hit of sesame...brings back memories of treasured visits to the bakery with my dad on hot Saturday afternoons.

Jade: Bitemybuttermilk

2010-04-05T16:57:00.004+01:00

There is this bakery opposite where I live back at home. Really really good buns, appalling service. I'm not one for violence but I have been sorely tempted on more than one occasion to throw a frying pan at the 2 owners. The thing that keeps me going back and my urge to hurt someone in check is the buttermilk bun. Not the tangy buttermilk that guarantees a moist cake, but rather this intensely buttery crumble-like concoction that is simultaneously sweet and savoury. It reminds me of the squishy buns we used to get off those mobile sundry shops that would come round in the mornings and how my cousin and I would tear the buns open, scrape out the filling and leave the stale bread. I tried recreating that filling in my kitchen to soothe my ego after pastest told me I'm unfit to sit for finals...choosing to encase the delicate filling in layers and layers of flaky chinese puff pastry instead. I am happy to announce that I no longer have reason to put up with rude bakery owners..and should they upset me ever again, I can always buy me a new frying pan after ;)

Buttermilk pastry~ my new favourite thing to eat

Water dough

120g flour

1/4 tsp maltose dissolved in 1/4 cup water

20g sugar

pinch of salt

35g butter

Oil dough

100g flour

60g shortening

Filling

100g butter

80g icing sugar

100g milk powder

pinch of salt

1. See here for pastry method

2. Leave pastry to rest for about 10 minutes and preheat oven to 200 degrees

3. Cream butter, sugar and salt, and beat in milk powder to form a soft, pliable dough

4. Shape into little spheres and wrap

5. Give the pastries a quick eggwash and bake for 20-25 minutes

6. You absolutely have to have one fresh from the oven...doesn't matter if it's burning hot...you need to smell the milky fragrance that wafts towards you as you cut into the pastry..you need to feel the light, crisp pastry melt on your tongue..and you need to let the utter pleasure that is the gorgeous buttermilk filling wash over you and absolutely make your day :)

Jade: Bitemykaya

2010-04-04T15:09:00.003+01:00

I love Roald Dahl books..I love them for their simplicity and almost lyrical prose, I love how his characters seem to think the exact same thoughts as I do..and how they are brave enough to act on those naughty impulses..but most of all, I love the way he incorporates food into every one of his intricately spun tales ~ from the juicy meat pies and roasted stolen pheasants in Danny to the little aniseed balls I used to crave for in Boy...Imagine my delight when I discovered his granddaughter, equally witty with a deliciously impish demeanour, has a cooking show on BBC featuring themes, my favourite of which is the ultimate selfish day~ A day dedicated entirely to self indulgence. If you think about it, so much of our time is spent worrying about one thing or the other..sometimes pencilling in some down time is a lot more effort that it's worth. But with 2 months to finals, I thought a selfish day sounded like the perfect thing to do ;)

Kaya ~ [an hour of mindless stirring in preparation for my favourite selfish breakfast: Kaya toast and soft boiled eggs, light on the soy, heavy on the pepper]

4 large eggs

80g castor sugar

120g brown sugar

1 tbsp chopped up gula melaka

300g coconut milk

salt

1. Beat eggs on medium speed

2. Add sugar and beat on high

3. Add coconut milk and beat on high for another minute or so

4. Sieve and transfer into a double boiler

5. Cook over low heat until it coats the back of your spoon. Should take about an hour

6. Throw in a pinch of salt at the end, and don't fret if some bits curdle. Just run it through a sieve and you'll end up with a smooth, luscious jam

7. Toast some bread, top with thick chunks of butter and slather with freshly made kaya....sweet coconut jam, slightly salty butter..melted into the tiniest crevices of crispy, hot toast....do you blame me for not wanting to share?;)

Jade: Bitemyyolks

2010-04-03T22:50:00.003+01:00

4 eggs, 4 twin yolks. Toto anyone? and does anyone know if chickens can bear twins too?

Jade: Bitemypesto

2010-03-28T12:36:00.008+01:00

I was an only child for 4 years. And the way my mum would try to keep me entertained while she went about attending to her grown-up business was by leaving the telly on CNN or BBC....or any news programme for that matter. The idea was for my toddler self to believe the newscasters were actually talking to me..And so for an hour or so on most days, there I would sit, having rivetting conversations with my anchor friends. I no longer think Larry King is pointing at me because he caught me picking my nose..Some days though, when I am alone in my room and finding it hard to concentrate in the deafening silence, I put on a show on i-player and let the soothing voices of Nigel Slater and Nigella Lawson talk me through chapter after chapter of rheumatology.

Goats cheese and pesto parcel [I was in the middle of osteoarthritis when I caught bits of this recipe..and I knew..I just had to try it]

Pesto

50 g roughly chopped fresh basil

2 cloves crushed garlic

50 g roughly chopped toasted pine nuts

65g hard cheese..I used pecorino

big glug of olive oil

salt to taste

Pulse everything in a blender until it forms a vibrant green paste, faintly scented with garlic

Parcel

1 round goats cheese

1 big dollop pesto

1 square all butter puff pastry [try to avoid ready rolled ones, they don't taste as good]

1 beaten egg

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2. Roll out puff pastry into a nice big square

3. Place goats cheese in the middle, top with a generous dollop of fresh pesto

4. Brush the edges with beaten egg, bring all corners to the middle and pinch the seams firmly, making sure you get a tight seal

5. Give it a quick eggwash and bake for about 20 minutes

6. Serve hot on a bed of salad leaves and chopped tomatoes gently drizzled with olive oil and tossed in balsamic vinegar..

In the words of Nigel Slater.."There are few things that are quite as sexy to eat as hot, molten goats cheese..and warm, crumbly pastry.."

What to do with the leftover pesto? Beat in some cream cheese, toss with pasta, and top with freshly cracked black pepper...or better yet, seal it all in a fat, fluffy omelette with more goats cheese and thickly sliced tomatoes. They say gluttony is a sin..but for this, I would gladly be deemed a sinner ;)

Jade: Bitemybrownies

2010-03-27T16:39:00.006Z

Jade's top pet peeve~ nuts in my brownies. I know all these Michelin-starred geniuses go on about contrasting textures but nothing offends me more than biting into a nut while I'm enjoying a thick, fudgy chunk of brownie. Doesn't help that I don't actually like chocolate to begin with. I've been searching high and low for a chocolate dessert that is rich enough to satisfy the occasional craving, yet light enough to not make me put down my fork after 2 forced bites. The tuckshop back in boarding school used to sell cakes from Secret Recipe and oh how everyone raved about the chocolate banana cake. I loved the idea of fruit and chocolate...a lot less crazy about the blah execution....even less amused by the fact that I was actually expected to pay for substandard cake. So I head, once again, into my kitchen, trying to make my world better, one well-made cake at a time ;)

Bananachoc brownies~~[Adapted from Alton Brown's brownies, which are sublime on their own...but I like to be different:P]

4 eggs

1/2cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

8 oz melted salted butter

1 1/4 cup cocoa

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 cup flour

pinch of salt

2 ripe bananas, 3 if they're smaller

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp caramel

pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees

2. Slice bananas, dump them into a pan with the butter, caramel and salt and heat through so the butter and caramel melt, giving you this lovely toffee-ish sauce

3. Whisk eggs, add sugar and give another quick whisk

4. Add dry ingredients and mix till well combined

5. Add melted butter slowly, mixing as you go along

6. Butter a square pan, pour in half the brownie mix, spread the banana filling over it, and cover with the rest of the brownie batter

7. Bake for about 30 minutes. Without the bananas, 25 minutes is plenty..but with the extra weight of the bananas..a few extra minutes just helps it hold its shape better. I learnt the hard way when my brownie collapsed :(

8. Let cool completely, cut into generous squares and enjoy.

I have 10 squares left and I don't like chocolate. Any takers?

Jade: Bitemynoodles

2010-03-27T12:13:00.007Z

* Oh yay! 100th post!!

I was a fussy fussy eater as a child. I would pick and prod and push everything around on the plate until someone mercifully took it away. Explains why I never really reached my full growth potential:( When we lived in Miri though, there was one particular dish I would always finish, which is saying a lot because back then, food in Miri was frankly, crap. It was tomato noodles, not unlike the tomato kuay tiaw we get in Sibu. The chef was this old man with like 20 daughters [or at least that's what it seemed like at the time] and one of them was always pregnant. Her noodles tasted the best after the dad's. Perhaps it was the pregnancy hormones...alas she never stayed un-pregnant long enough for me to test that hypothesis. I have been searching for that taste ever since..but whenever I ask for it in Sibu, all I get are blank stares....which frustrates me to no end. It really isn't that complicated: use egg noodles instead of rice noodles.the end. Sigh, goes to show..if you want something done properly, do it yourself.

Tomato noodles [Thanks to the pictures on suituapui ;) Not quite 'old man in Miri' yet..maybe I need to get pregnant to grasp the true essence of the dish..but god, did it hit the spot.]

150g egg noodles

3 cloves garlic, minced

Bacon, diced [ use pork or chicken or fish, I used bacon because I wanted to render some of the fat]

Prawns

Pak Choy roughly chopped [ mustard greens would be even more authentic]

Kicap Manis

Splosh of dark soy for colour

About half a cup chicken stock or water [ depending how much gravy you want, if you want a thicker gravy, get yourself some cornstarch slurry]

Ketchup

sugar and fish sauce to taste

1. Heat up some oil and render some bacon fat. You don't have to, I just couldn't bear to throw the fat away.

2. Throw in half the chopped garlic, fry till fragrant and add the noodles

3. Add kicap manis and dark soy, stir till noodles are evenly coated and leave it. This way they get a little charred at the bottom. It's near impossible to replicate that whole 'wok hei' thing you get in the shops, especially on an electric hob, so this is probably the next best thing

4. Dish up the noodles and set aside

5. In the same pan, fry the garlic and bacon till fragrant, add stock, and stir in abt 1-2 tbsp of ketchup, tasting as u go along. The idea is to have a really subtle tomatoey sweetness..the last thing anyone wants is to taste nothing but ketchup

6. Add the seafood and veg, and season to taste, aiming to get a balance of sweet and savoury and the tiniest whisper of a tang.

7. Pour gravy over noodles, top with some pickled chilli and SLURP, as loud as you can ;)

Sush: Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-03-25T22:35:00.003Z

Like Jade here, I have this constant need to have peanut butter. I swear, I think I'm addicted!

Anyway, one of the food blogs I frequent is Smitten Kitchen. :) I love her stuff and her pictures are divine!
From my random browsing last night after revision, I came across her Peanut Butter Cookies recipe and I just had to give this a shot! A replica of the peanut butter cookies found in the famous Magnolia Bakery in NYC, they looked too good not to try!

It looked less guilty than the Peanut Butter Brownies anyway... lol.

They came out amazing. :) Soft and warm and chewy. Ahhhh...and so infused with peanut butter!! <3

You can get the recipe from the direct link I've provided! Next attempt this weekend will be Blueberry Crumb Squares. ;)

xx
Sush

Jade: Bitemyburger

2010-03-21T10:40:00.005Z

Everyone I know loves a fat, juicy burger with a side of hot, salty fries. But like the elusive cupcake, a good burger is so difficult to come by. Granted the definition of good is hugely subjective, case in point Mc.D's prosperity burger. I was so full of hope having read countless reviews about this seasonal treat..only to have my bubble go 'pffffttttttttt' when I finally took a tentative bite: soggy buns check, patty that tasted like cardboard check, watery peppery brown liquid check. I mourned that night..for the unnecessary wasting of precious calories.

Rice burger with sweet potato wedges~ Because it's healthier and because I would rather stop talking for a week than look at another potato.

Half a cup cooked sushi rice, formed into patties and panfried till crispy

1 piece butterflied chicken thigh, grilled [ I marinated mine in worchestershire sauce, honey, smashed lemon grass and garlic]

Fresh lettuce, tossed in the pan juices from the chicken

some tomato slices

Kewpie mayo

Sweet potato, boiled to soften, tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted for 30 minutes

Assemble burger, and enjoy a non-soggy bun, perfectly juicy meat and crunchy veg that hasn't been lying at the back of someone's fridge for a month.

Jade: Bitemyokonomiyaki

2010-03-20T13:46:00.005Z

The first time I had okonomiyaki must've been last year..when Mars and I [and by that I mean I wanted to, she really didn't have a choice in the matter] went on a food crawl around Covent Garden. Non-stop eating; 12 restaurants in 2 days. One of the best birthdays I've ever had, but I digress. I've never given much thought to this japanese pancake...the idea was novel, it looked pretty on a plate, but somehow it just never seemed intriguing enough. That is, until I took my first bite....light, almost creamy pancake packed full of crunchy vegetables and chunks of the freshest seafood, drizzled with tangy okonomiyaki sauce and silky Kewpie Mayo.....It was so much more than just a pancake..it was comfort food and a fuzzy hug all rolled into one. All those years I spent giving a disdainful sniff whenever someone suggested having it..what was I thinking? Ah well...better late than never, I say ;)

Okonomiyaki

1/4 cup all purpose flour [ I used self raising because I was lazy to measure out baking powder]

1/4 tsp baking powder

salt to taste

1/4 cup water or dashi stock [ I crumbled in some vegetable stock granules instead]

1 egg

1 spring onion, chopped

about 4 cabbage leaves, stems removed and roughly chopped

mixed seafood [ use bacon, mushrooms, cheese, anything you fancy]

Sauce

2-3 tbsp ketchup

1tbsp worchestershire sauce

soy sauce to taste

squirt of honey to balance out the tang

1. Get a non-stick frying pan nice and hot

2. Whisk the flour, salt and water till you get a fairly thick batter

3. Add cabbage, spring onion and seafood, crack in your egg

4. Give it a good stir, mainly to break up the egg, taking care not to overmix

5. Drizzle some oil into the hot pan, pour in your okonomiyaki batter and cook for about 5 minutes. I used my rice cooker lid to cover the pancake because that's what the lady at the shop did. I'm sure it has something to do with half steaming the pancake so it cooks thoroughly.

6. Get yourself 2 spatulas and flip the pancake, let it cook for another 5-10 minutes

7. Stick a skewer through the middle to check if it's cooked all the way through, brush on a generous amount of okonomiyaki sauce and drizzle on some Kewpie Mayo. You could use normal mayo, but it won't be the same.

8. Share with someone you like:)

Jade: Bitemysesame

2010-03-19T16:14:00.004Z

It is so hard to find a decent cupcake. I know.. it seems like a ridiculous claim to make, especially when specialty shops selling nothing but intricately crafted cupcakes are sprouting up everywhere. But if you look beyond the colourful sprinkles, arty swirls and sometimes enticing flavour combinations, more often than not, what you're left with is an overpriced, overly sweet, and altogether dry piece of confection. If I sound bitter, it's because I am. With the exception of Hummingbird Bakery, all the brightly coloured stores promising 'the moistest cupcakes baked only with the best ingredients' have failed to deliver again and again. Even then, the chocolate and beetroot cupcake I had at Hummingbird recently was a complete letdown..serves me right for ignoring the shopgirl's vehement headshakes.

It's not rocket science. A good cupcake has to be light and fluffy, with the perfect cake to frosting ratio. The frosting shouldn't overwhelm the cake, it should complement it, with just the right amount of sweetness. That said, having utterly given up on store-bought cupcakes, there was only one place to go when the cravings hit ;)

Browned butter cupcakes with black sesame frosting

[If you like cupcakes, you HAVE to try this recipe. You make the browned butter earlier, everything else takes 30 minutes start to finish, baking time incuded, and I promise you, it gives the tenderest crumb]

Cupcake

60g browned butter [ melt some butter in a pan over medium heat, let it froth, stirring constantly, until the sediments turn a beautiful shade of caramel and the smell..oh.. so evocative...reminds me of the smell of freshly toasted bread slathered with butter, my favourite breakfast back when I had time for it. Should take about 5 minutes]

90g brown sugar

pinch of salt

1 egg

1/4 cup yoghurt

105g self raising flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting

100ml double cream, whipped till stiff

50g butter

pinch of salt

50g icing sugar

2-3 tbsp black sesame powder

1. Brown the butter beforehand and let it cool to a soft slushy consistency. Overnight would be great

2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees

3. Put all the ingredients in a bowl following the order in which they're listed. So butter, sugar, salt, egg...

4. Beat on high for 3 minutes

5. Scoop into little pastry cups and bake for 15-20 minutes

4. Let cool.

*Did I not say this was the easiest thing to do? All those places selling dense, dry cakes have no excuse.

5. For the frosting, whip the cream and set aside

6. Cream butter and sugar and salt, add black sesame powder, beat until well mixed, and fold in cream.

** You could just use buttercream, but the cupcake is quite light and buttercream just seemed a bit too heavy for it. This way you get a really nice airy frosting

7. When the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost as you wish, although.. the cakes are good enough on their own

The nuttiness from the browned butter and the subtle sesame fragrance from the frosting, brought together in a small, fluffy package..who needs cupcake bakeries?;)

Jade: Makan

2010-03-17T16:44:00.006Z

I'm a homebody. I would rather lounge around in tatty pj's than get dolled up for a night out; I think curling up in bed with a good book is a much better use of time than heading down to the local pub, even if they do have the most amazing beer battered onion rings. Largely because my entire week is spent in a hospital making small talk with nurses and prying into the most intimate details of my patients' lives~[Who wants to talk about their menstrual cycle with someone they've just met 2 seconds ago. Frankly, I'm not quite sure I want to hear about it either]; so when I finally get a chance to enjoy the comforts of home, I struggle to leave my cushy little cocoon.

Last week though, struck by a sudden need to be spontaneous, possibly brought on by my quarter life crisis, I decided to have a wander around town with a girlfriend...in the evening!

Shows how far England has come~when I first got here, shops shut at 5.30..now they shut at 8. How's that for progress!..Right, this is all beginning to sound a bit sad. Point is, we were walking to Debenhams when we saw the word 'MAKAN' across the street. We ran a red light to get there. And when we saw penang char kuay teow on the menu, we just had to go in.

It was cosy...dimly lit, black furniture..although I wasn't quite sure about their choice of music..a remix of "qing ren de yan lei'' playing in a loop ..felt like I was in a low budget horror film...On to the food~ I had the singaporean curry laksa and teh tarik, which I was well excited about considering the only other Malaysian place in Southampton doesn't serve my favourite milky tea. It wasn't as 'kao' as I would've liked it to be...but beggars can't be choosers. The laksa, however....oh where do I begin....the broth was clear. Need I say more? To be fair, the flavours didn't suck..but if you're going to call it Singaporean curry laksa, some authenticity in the form of coconut milk would be nice. So if anyone in Southampton has a craving for curry laksa, I say stick to Supreme.

My friend decided on the Penang Char Kuay Tiaw. Wiser choice by a mile, although again, authenticity was a big issue. No slightly damp rice noodles, no chilli paste, no cockles. Taste was fantastic, plenty of 'wok hei', and really, it would have gone down so much better had they just called it char kuay tiaw. If anything, it reminded me of the CKT we get back in Sibu.

Service was good...not that I expected anything less considering we were the only customers in there..Fortune cookies at the end of the meal were a very nice touch, and the owner did say he was looking to introduce tea-time items like roti kaya, curry puffs and the like. So I will be going back...only next time, I will steer clear of the laksa.

Jade: Bitemymuffin

2010-03-16T16:56:00.006Z

I've gone on before in a previous post about the wonder that is my mum's prune and horlicks cake. Gorgeously buttery, incredibly rich, it's one of those cakes that's guaranteed to please even the fussiest eaters. I would know, I live with 2 of them. Truth of the matter is though, delicious as that cake may be [and trust me, it is. I brought it to clinic once, and got a bonus mark in my assessment because of it. Don't play play], the mere thought of the amount of eggs and butter that goes into it is enough to dampen any urge I might have to bake the damn thing. Well I said dampen, not kill entirely :P I wouldn't be here if I hadn't figured out a healthy compromise..Aren't you a lucky lot ;)

Prune and Horlicks muffin with caramel swirl-- a butter-free and rather deconstructed version of my mum's naughty treat

1 1/4 cup plain flour [ take away 2 tbsp of plain flour, add 2tbsp corn flour]

1/4 horlicks

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup yoghurt

1 cup chopped prunes [ tossed lightly in flour so they don't sink to the bottom]

1/2 cup chopped pecans [ optional, I had some lying around and thought why not]

50g caramel

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees

2. Whisk dry ingredients together

3. Whisk sugar, oil, egg and yoghurt till smooth

4. Add dry ingredients to the wet, and fold for a count of 10. No more, no less. Doesn't matter if the batter is lumpy, doesn't matter if you still see streaks of flour, just leave it. Chewy muffins= bloody waste of time

5. Add prunes and pecans and do a quick stir. 3 stirs should be more than enough

6. Spoon into muffin cups, I tend to fill mine up quite full because I'm greedy like that. And fat muffins are just so much more attractive

7. Drop a dollop of caramel on the top of the batter and swirl

8. Pop the tray in the oven, turn the heat up to 200 degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes

9. Cool the muffins completely, break one in half and enjoy the tender, malty crumbs with a nice cup of english tea :)

Sush: Cream tea scones

2010-03-15T21:07:00.003Z

Well ok, maybe not cream tea scones. :P Just ordinary basic fruit scones. But although they're only the basic recipe type, these babies are very light and fluffy, and dreamy :)

Best eaten when fresh out of the oven!

Taken from Nigella Lawson's "How to be a Domestic Goddess". It is my baking bible. ;) Although I do admit that I still tweak her recipes to suit my calorie intake and taste buds.

Ingredients:
500g of plain flour
1/2 tsp salt (recipe asked for 1 tsp but I altered)
2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
75g cold butter (I use salted)
300 ml milk

1 egg (for eggwash)

Method:
Preheat oven to 200C
Sieve all dry ingredients together.
Dice up cold butter and rub in with the flour mixture until the butter is rubbed in well and the flour mixture is like damp sand.
Add in milk and mix until dough forms a ball.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with 3cm thickness.
Using a cookie cutter (or any round object), cut out the scones.
Baste with eggwash and bake until golden brown.

Eat with butter and jam or if you prefer (and can afford the calories), clotted cream. :)

x
Sush

Mars: Gold Chilli

2010-03-15T08:04:00.006Z

I know I KNOW, Jade! I know! I'm sorry. I promise you I will start posting more! (^_^)v

Firstly, there's this little awesome place in SS 15 Subang Jaya where the butter chicken and kangkung belacan is just AWESOME!

This friend of mine, a Melawati native, decided to venture into the unknown parts of Subang to look for this shop called PopMyBerry (as eheh as it sounds.. its a shop selling BB accessories! really cool!) The Melawati native mistakenly said that the address is at SS15/1 - which resulted in the 2 of us driving around the place for half an hour looking for 15/1 AND which made me wonder whether I REALLY knew Subang like the back of my hand.

Annnyyywayy... we found the place and to change her housing would take about half and hour. We had time to spare, and I was starving after the gym... we walked a few doors down to Gold Chilli. (don't judge me. hmph!)

The kangkung belacan was a perfect balance of spiciness and sourness that just explodes in your mouth. I know that kangkung belacan is a normally a safe choice when going to these sorts of restaurants... but why leave out the favourites kan? ;)

And the butter chicken! SO creamy and buttery but you don't get tired of it if you pair it up with the kangkung belacan! You can distinctly taste a bit of curry and will get hit by the bits of cili api they sprinkle on the dish!

If you're looking for a place to go hang out whilst waiting for a new housing for your phone, and do not want to go to the usual mamaks littered around SS 15... Gold Chilli is awesome!

Gold Chilli - SS15/8B, Subang Jaya.

Jade: Bitemycrisps

2010-03-13T13:32:00.003Z

I was watching Rachel Allen on BBC the other day and found myself drawn to the thinly mandolinned slices of root vegetables on her work counter--paper thin slivers of bright purple beets, bright orange sweet potatoes, and creamy white celeriac. These were then tossed in olive oil and baked at 220 degrees for 4-5 minutes to a golden crisp. I tried it. Didn't work. Pfft. My lack of a mandolin might have had something to do with it...In any case, I turned to my trusty vegetable peeler, lowered the temperature to 120 degrees, baked my slightly deformed slices for 20 minutes, slapped on some aluminium foil and baked them for another 15 minutes. Not as satisfyingly crunchy as I would've liked..colours are pretty though :P so if anyone has an easy recipe for oven baked crisps, I would love to try it :)

Jade: Bitemysushi #4

2010-03-11T13:30:00.003Z

Last one on sushi..I promise. It's just I saw this being made at a sushi bar ages ago, and have been itching to try it since..Especially when I was charged 8 pounds for 6 pieces :( Granted it was less wonky than mine... but still...

Jade: Bitemycaramel

2010-03-11T11:05:00.006Z

I have hoarding tendencies. I save giftwraps, cards, name cards...and when I can't find a bin, which happens quite often in this country due to the whole 'bomb in bin' paranoia, I stuff bills in my bag..and they stay there, until my sister cleans them out while giving me looks of absolute disgust. Sentiment or rather, sheer sloppiness aside, I also hate throwing out food. Only because I cannot stand the idea of wasting food. So my freezer is packed full of leftover soups, frozen carcasses for stock, leftover dumplings..all waiting to be revived in one way or another.

I had a mid-revision craving for Haagen Daz Chocolate Fudge Brownie yesterday...only the fudgy brownie bits that I painstakingly dig out, though.. I don't even like chocolate ice cream. Enter a tin of caramel and a hunk of frozen leftover kek batik~

Salted caramel ice cream with faux fudge chunks

300 ml double cream

200 ml evaporated milk [ chilled. You want this properly cold. I usually pop it in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes while I get the rest of the stuff ready]

150-200 g caramel [ You could make your own: sugar, butter and cream; I chose to open a tin]

1/2 tsp crushed sea salt [ Add this slowly, tasting as you go along..not difficult to do, I assure you]

Chopped up fudge, or in my case, kek batik [completely optional. The ice cream is lush enough on its own. Or you could do what I did, divide the mix in half and make 2 tubs of ice cream~one plain and one with fudge]

1. I like to pop a steel bowl and my mixing blades in the freezer for 15 minutes or so before I start just to get everything nice and cold, but it's up to you, really

2. Add sea salt to caramel and mix until you're happy with the balance of sweet and salty

3. Add double cream to caramel and whisk till well mixed, about a minute or so with a hand mixer

4. Pop in the freezer

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the evaporated milk till it thickens and doubles in volume. If your milk is cold enough, this should take about 2 minutes

6. Fold the cream and caramel mixture into the whisked evaporated milk. Don't worry about fiddling with the flavour at this stage, you'll get your chance later

7. Pour into a shallow container and freeze uncovered for 1-2 hours

8. Take out your ice cream, which should be frozen on the top and slushy underneath, and turn it into a bowl

9. Taste, add caramel or salt if needed, and whisk till you get a nice creamy mix

10. Fold in the fudge bits if using, and pour back into container, again, freezing uncovered for about 2-3 hours

11. Take it out, let it soften for a minute or 2, grab a spoon, close your eyes and savour the velvety, buttery cream..not too sweet, thanks to the sea salt..and that distinct taste of burnt sugar..mmm...better than Haagen Daz...

More importantly, leftover cake~sorted; craving~quelled;)

Jade: Bitemysushi #3

2010-03-11T10:58:00.004Z

Had some friends over for dinner and decided the easiest way to feed anyone was sushi. No grease, no hours of braising, no mincing garlic. Well, that....and the fact that I really wanted to try my hand at the the whole reverse roll thing :P

Jade: Bitemysushi #2

2010-03-07T20:23:00.007Z

I love how the saltiness of pan fried luncheon meat complements the barely there sweetness of rice. And since I had bits of everything lying around, it seemed the most natural thing to do to wrap it all up in another fat sushi roll. Oiisshiiii...So much for my carb free diet..pfft