Jade: Bitemyorange

No recipes this week...3 weeks of radiology and counting means I have all but lost my will to live. Doesn't mean I'm quite ready to give up my food though ;) So for all you like-minded people out there, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR9JpX7oA9A&feature=related Click it, watch it, thank me later.

I personally think Anthony Bourdain is one of the most delicious men around....there's something about that raw, unadulterated passion.. albeit slightly masochistic..considering some of the things he's willing to put in his mouth....I did not think his shows could get any better...honestly, sexy host, gorgeous gorgeous food and those tantalizing night markets......that is.. until No Reservations: Food Porn. All that culinary magic...the bold displays of creativity and technique..the blatant worshipping of the kind of solace one can only find in a bowl of perfectly stewed broth....and oh my god the dishes served up.....much much better than sex....and even that, is an understatement.

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On a completely unrelated note, it is the weekend, and should you find an extra orange lying around and that bottle of honey that is a tablespoon shy of being completely empty.....do what I do, and turn it into a face mask.

Orange and honey mask

Juice of half an orange

Honey

1. Add enough honey to the juice to get a syrupy, slightly tacky mixture.

2. Apply to clean, scrubbed face. [ It can get messy, but it's a small price to pay for good skin. Just keep a towel nearby]

3. Put on some nice music and let it dry for about 10-15 minutes

4. Rinse off and moisturize as usual.

I love this mask~there's no chemically gunk, it smells divine,doesn't exactly cost much.....It's food, really...for your skin. And your skin will love you for it;)

Mars: BELGO, Seven Dials

I LOVED the feel of the place!

I kinda just realized that I'm writing about places that I've always taken for granted because it's always there! I mean yeah, everyone would write up about the amazing places they've been to, but these chains are really not all that bad! And good value for those living on a stuednt budget! (^_^)v So, yesh! (^_^)v

One of the things that impressed me about BELGO is the sheer friendliness of the waiters working! I mean, come on! It does make the whole dining experience even better when you're greeted with a smile! (^_^)v Not like some places I know of~ (=_=)"

Jade and I decided to split a pot of mussles and a starter.

And that was enough to fill our bellies to the brim. Mind you, I have a huge belly to begin with! (^_^)"v

Since I cannot have the ones with wine in them, we opted for the Green Thai mussel pot! I'm a sucker for things that have coriander in them. And this was awesome! (^_^)v We (by that I think I'm supposed to me 'I') almost tipped the pot over to get more of the juices out!


The starter was a salad with goats cheese on huge ass croutons! With a thick balsamic dressing! I LOVEd it! It's an incredible winning combination! And I was able to recreate it in mai kitchen! (^_^)v

Happy Jade with her power ring!

Belgo Centraal
50 Earlham St, London, WC2H
Open 7 days a week - Mon - Sat 12 noon - 11pm; Sun 12 noon - 10.30pm
Interesting Offers: Express Lunch £7.50; Beat the Clock! (5.oo - 6.30pm weekdays!)

Mars: Noodle Oodle, Bayswater

I was really happy when this place opened in Bayswater. After years of wondering why no one has tried opening a halal duck restaurant in London, Noodle Oodle finally did it! (^_^)v


Personally, I am quite happy with the quality of the duck. Tho at times, I do get really fatty ones. (T_T)v Then again, taste-wise, I'm prolly not the best person to ask about especially since there's a lot of Four Seasons-lovers around and I've never had duck in London before Noodle Oodle opened. (^_^)"v


I'm just happy there is a halal option now for duck in the UK. (^_^)v And I don't have to sit out when other people eat duck around me~ Wheeeeeee~


The lunch offers are not at all bad. A 3 course meal consisting of a starter of 3 dumplings, the main course and a dessert and all for about 9 quid is kinda okay! The dessert is a mango grapefruit 'pudding' that clears the palate after the meal! ;) And is prolly the best part of the offer!

If you're a student, you do get a 20% discount - but I think you need to ask for it. :D

Yeay for halal duck in London! (^o^)v

And now, I wish for a halal bulgogi place in London!!!!

Noodle Oodle, Bayswater

106 Queensway, Paddington, London, W2 3RR

Mars: Princi, Soho, London

Sush first brought me here earlier in the year and I TOTALLY fell in love with the place! You don't feel like you're in London or like you're even in the UK! The atmosphere is always warm and bustling with people. The employees/bakers there are always all smiles and give off a feeling like they're constantly on a caffiene high! (^_^)v My kind of place!

If you're living in London, or even if you're here for a visit~ GO! And order at least ONE cannoccino (as per Michele's brief by effective lesson on basic Italian grammar) and it'll bring you back craving for MORE cannoccini! (^_^)v

Btw, the the 2 rolly things on the front plate~ ;)

Princi, 135 Wardour Street, London, W1F 0UT
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7.00-00.00, Sun 9.00-22.00

Mars: Breakfast @ PAUL's

Jade: Mars! I'm going to boycott posting recipes if you don't post anything on the blog! Why you so useless one!?

Mars: *how am I supposed to eat if I don't have new ideas about WHAT to eat! (T_T)*

Thus, after numerous threats and blackmail by Jade, I am going to suggest (as if you people in London/UK don't know it already) to go to PAUL for breakfast!

They even open at 9am on a Sunday! So the last time Jade came down to London, I dragged her to have their incredible scrambled eggs! It's soft and fluffy and has the right amount of water to it! And it tasted amazing on their fresh out of the oven bread!

Jade, on the other hand, opted for the equally delicious poached eggs with salmon under a whole lot of hollindaise sauce~ See the happy Jade? Jade is picky about her food and this face is already at Level 4 (out of a possible 5). ;)

But the main reason I dragged her there for breakfast is this! The Fraisier~ It's incredible. I'm not a huge fan of marzipan, but it worked on this one. The cake was soft an light and not very sweet. Just nice to take the edge of the tangy-ness of the strawberries!

And it looks pwetty! (^_^)v

Jade: Bitemyglassnoodles

On days when I come home shattered and starving, I want nothing more than a steaming bowl of slurpy noodles. But having subsisted on every brand of instant noodles I could get my hands on in the first few years of uni..I think it's time to give the carcinogens a rest. For days like these, I make sure there is always a large pack of glass noodles in my pantry. You can get them in chinese stores either in one big packet, or like how I get them, in individual packs of 10. Super quick and I have to say, the fact that they are transparent is enough to convince me that I'm not actually eating anything at all...eases the guilt about 2nd helpings:P

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All it takes really is some rough chopping, and a quick stir-fry. And what you decide to throw in is absolutely up to you. I use garlic, anchovies, mushrooms, and since I'm not a big fan of meat, any vegetables I have on hand: fresh bak choy, spinach, french beans. I have to insist you try cucumber though. Peeled and thinly sliced, let it simmer in a bit of stock or water and oyster sauce while you do your washing up..until it goes all tender and translucent. Chuck in the soaked glass noodles, give it a quick stir, dash of white pepper if you so prefer...just a little bit though [ I find white pepper so much more pungent than black pepper] and tuck in. So refreshing, so delicious.

Jade: Bitemybakchoy

I think I've proclaimed time and time again my love for grocery stores. There's nothing I enjoy more than spending hours just staring at packets and jars, secretly feeling a sense of pride when I discover something new. And it was during one of my little trips to my neighbourhood chinese supermarket that I discovered dried bak choy. For all it's blackened stringiness, I thought it was fascinating..and as a huge fan of fresh bak choy, I couldn't wait to try its alien-looking friend.....Only I didn't quite know what to do with it. A quick browse on google showed it's apparently a popular soup ingredient....I'd certainly never heard of it...but maybe that's because Sarawak's always been 10 years behind anyway:P

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Dried bak choy soup

500g pork ribs or chicken...I think I used both since I had a bit of everything in the freezer

small handful red dates

smal handful goji berries

half a packet dried bak choy [around 150g]

Salt to taste

1. Wash and soak dried bak choy in warm water for about 2 hours. It's remarkably sandy, so give it a good scrub. [ that's saying something, coming from me. I dont usually bother washing anything]

2. Dump everything else in a big pot and fill it with water...up to the level of the handles is usually a good estimate.

3. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer on low heat for about an hour..or if you're lazy like me, just leave it until the dried bak choy is ready.

4. Give the veg a final rinse, chop into about 4 segments lengthwise, and add it to your stock.

5. Let it simmer for say another hour? Depends on the bak choy you get really, they can get rather fibrous.

6. Season, inhale the comforting scent....ladle the dark golden liquid into a nice deep bowl..whatever you do, please don't forget a proper chinese soup spoon...call me old-fashioned, but drinking chinese soup with anything else but a proper soup spoon is an insult to the chef's efforts.

7. Sip away, and let it warm you up from the inside out:)

Note: In case you were wondering, the dried version tastes nothing like fresh bak choy. It smells slightly of seaweed...with a really subtle twang at the end. Tastewise I thought it was similar to 'mei cai', the type used in pork braises.