Char’s Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Shrimp and Broccoli Stirfry WokSkillet 20170122 (2)

Soups are a great way to introduce a lot of vegetables to kids. Stir-fries, too, because they contain so many different shapes and colors. ~ Emeril Lagasse A couple of days ago, we had a lovely Thai Chicken Curry at a teensy weensy cafe that’s been around for at least 25 years, served by the same […]

Bakwan Kepiting – Pork and Crab Meatball Soup

Bakwan Kepiting

Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential. ~Winston Churchill I confess mine is not the modern family which has the luxury of planning meals in advance? Let’s just say ‘it’s an ongoing endeavor’. However, Bakwan Kepiting will taste oh-so-much-better with some preparation ahead of time, I promise you. It will also save you a bunch of time. […]

Eggplant with Dried Shrimp

Eggplant and Dried Shrimp 20170227 (5)

Is the eggplant a fruit or a vegetable? The Oscars were being awarded. I never had the patience to sit through the red carpet event, knowing there would be no shortage of lists and articles in the mornings summarizing all I want to know and more. I was definitely out of the movie loop – I did not […]

St. Patrick’s Deviled Salmon Cucumber Rounds

St. Patrick's Deviled Cucumber Rolls

May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and nothing but happiness come through the door. ~ Irish blessing I have always thought of St. Patrick as a ‘fun’ sort of saint. His namesake day March 17 tends to be associated with pageantry and revelry. Lenten restrictions are often lifted on this feast day of the […]

Turnip Cake ‘Loh Bok Gau‘ 萝卜糕

Turnip Cake

A love for tradition has never weakened a nation, indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril.  – Winston S. Churchill ~ DIM SUM SERIES ~ A week ago, people of Chinese descent all over the world celebrated the Lunar New Year, welcoming the Year of the Rooster. Following tradition, where Lunar New Year is celebrated […]

Crystal Skin Shrimp Dumplings

Crystal Skin Shrimp Dumplings

“Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.” ~ Mark Twain ~ DIM SUM SERIES ~ Twain was a man after my own heart. I love dim sum. The tapas-style dining means lots of varieties of food to try in one sitting, from […]

Siu Mai Dumplings

Siu Mai

“Never judge a Siu Mai by its wrapper.” ~ DIM SUM SERIES ~ Dim Sum (think ‘Chinese tapas’) restaurants are easy to find here in the Bay Area. However, good ones are another thing. They are but a handful, their credibility constantly reinforced by the ever-growing lines and wait times every weekend. True to Hong Kong dim […]

Honey Walnut Pine Nut Shrimp

“What’s more luscious than cheesecake, roses in bloom and freshly washed hair? Let me count…,” she said to Mr. Goat. ~ DIM SUM SERIES ~ What is about mayonnaise that makes it taste sooo good?  The satisfying ‘mouthfeel’ that food companies strive to imbue in their products, the same reason why crispy chicken, ice cream, chocolate, pecan pie and of course, […]

Singapore Hokkien Mee (Noodle)

Singapore Hokkien Mee

A uniquely Singaporean noodle in celebration of Singapore’s National Day. We are a few days away from Singapore’s National Day. As a schoolgirl, I looked forward to this day. I wish I could say, “for patriotic reasons”. The reality was more pragmatic: It meant we could have ‘an excursion’; this referred to a field trip taken during a school day. […]

Fried Salmon Cubes

I had a halved salmon tail, unskinned, wrapped in my freezer. I remember having scrumptious fried salmon at home, seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper coated with a little bit of flour. Here I added turmeric. Having learnt about the health benefits of curcumin, the chemical in responsible for the yellow colouring in turmeric, I have been trying […]