Pork Rib Soup

“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” Mark Twain was onto something then. Bay area weather is unlike anything one would expect. Merely 2 weeks ago, temperatures were in the high 70s, daring some souls to meekly bring out t-shirts and flip flops, tempting the fickle clouds. This past week had all running […]

Lemongrass Ginger Patties

Lemongrass Ginger Patties

Lemongrass has that clean refreshing taste which reminds me of a quiet dawn, the dew still tenuously hanging from tips of branches and leaves, sunlight not yet come of age for the day. Ginger brings to mind secret joys, slightly spicy, slightly heady. Paired, they bring forth an exhilarating tingle at the back of the […]

Babi Pongtay (Stewed Pork with Fermented Soy Beans)

One of the dishes we request for when we are back in Singapore is Babi Pongtay. It is a Peranakan dish. Each family has their own special version. I learnt my first one from my mother-in-law, and subsequently added potatoes after seeing other recipes that included it. I also added sweet sauce and reduced the […]

Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐

Mapo Tofu

This is a popular dish from the Sichuan province. The tofu can be cubed prior to cooking for nice, evenly shaped pieces. I like a tossed-together look and go for irregular pieces, chopped up using the spatula during the cooking process. Other meats I’ve enjoyed include luncheon meat and lap cheong (chinese sausage). The meat can […]

Curry Puffs

1 large packet flaky or puff pastry (~450 g or 14 oz)  2 tbsp oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 slices fresh ginger, very finely chopped 2 tbsp curry powder 250 g (8 oz) minced meat or sardines 1 ripe tomato, chopped 1 potato, boiled and finely diced salt Makes 24 Heat oil and […]