超爱吃粽子 ~ I love to eat dumplings ^.^

It's my first time making the dumplings with the help of my dear colleagues. Quite a tedious process as we need to shop for the ingredients, wash/cut, marinate and fry the ingredients. Next challenging and tiring process is the way of wrapping the dumplings.  I just cannot grab it well and wrap tightly.  However, after a few try and watching my colleague did the wrapping, I manage to do it but not nicely wrapped thou'.  But at least I tried and have fun in doing it.  All of us have enjoyed the day and tasting our handmade dumplings ^.^

Glutinous Rice - Washed, marinated with dark & light soya sauce, salt, pepper, 5 spice powder.
After a few hours, we fried the marinated rice until fragrant.
Thereafter, leave it aside and we proceed to cook rest of the ingredients.

Pork belly with some fats on it will be more tasty.  The bowl of pork is also marinated the same way as the glutinous rice. Thereafter, fried the pork till it's cooked.

Chestnuts (boil to soften them), Mushroons (sliced) ~ added garlic & shallots for more aroma and fragrant

Oh I forgot to take pics of the salted egg yolks and dried shrimps which are part of the ingredients for the dumplings.

We bought a packet of the bamboo leaves ~ soak overnight and next day, put them in boiling water. Then transfer to a bucket of clean water and wiped the leaves.  Note: to soak the leaves in water until you use them.

Hmm I really don't know how to describe the wrapping process ~ should have shoot a vid for your view.
Anyway, you should be able to google online or watch in youtube for the wrapping demo :)

See this is my first dumpling that I made ~  Happy till max ^0^

my bunch of dumplings waiting to go into the pot ^^

boil for at least 2.5 to 3 hours since our dumplings are smaller in size.  If those big ones, at least 4-5 hours.

The shape seems ok but it tasted a lttle blend :(.....should have put more soya sauce.
Well, not bad for a first timer like me ...hehe ^^

 

Putff Pastries Baking ^.~

Recently, I registered for the puff pastries baking class with BakinCalf . The recipes are quite easy but the folding process of the dough with margarine can be tedious and challenging.  The rolling process and thickness of the dough must take note correctly.  Overall, it was an enjoyable class and the puff pastries turned out nicely baked and delicious ^.~

Portuguese Egg Tarts ~the flakey crust is my fav.

 

Twist Puffs glazed with sugar and cinnamon powder.

Palmier Puff glazed with sugar

Tada ~ piping hot puffs from oven

Yummy egg tarts and chicken pies ~ nice color

Here's my box of puff pastries which I brought home o(^^)o

Prive Cafe



Prive Cafe is located at Keppel Bay with its beautiful waterfront surrounded with yachts. It  is a geat place to chill out with your family and friends.

  The cafe does serve all-day breakfast till 5 p.m. I was there on a friday night so I did not get to try their chef's recommendation of eggs benedict. We ordered their other recommended main courses and dessert ~  The Ultimate Fish & Chips (Battered Dory Fish with Fries served with Tartare Sauce & malt vinegar), Organic Mushroom Linguine with white wine cream sauce and Carrot Cake (its moist & yummy).

Thanks ^.~

I'm very thankful and blessed with such great gifts and treats 

from my dearest friends and colleagues.

I had a wonderful and FUNtastic birthday this year!

The Coastal Settlement

Over a weekend afternoon, we went to explore a nice, cozy, homely dining place with vintage interior design and furnishings which located at Changi, Netheravon Road.  To me, it was a secluded place and inconvenient.  Therefore, I'm  thankful to my colleague's hubby who drove us there ^.~.  From my photos below, you could see how wonderfully are their restaurant/cafe/bar settings ~ like it to the max!  It's a great place to relax or chill out with your friends or family ~ avoiding the crowds in town.   

Now come to our food tasting time (^_^)...We were really spoilt with choices in their menu ~ local, western & italian food.  So we ended up ordering so much food and finished up ALL! Bravo!  Overall, their food was decent and delicious. Pizza was our fav.

 Well, I have so much to share and update in my blog but I have been busy planning for my vacation and also rather lazy to do any update here..hehe! I'll try to update as much as possible.  So stay tuned!

YAYOIKEN Japanese Restaurant

One of my favorite supermarket place in town is Meiyi-da @ Liang Court Shopping Centre where you can easily get imported Japanese groceries and at times, they hold Japan Food Fairs too.   I also like to patronize the Japanese restaurants and deli there ~ such as Tampopo where they serve delicious tonkatsu and kurobuta ramen.  Oh their desserts such as Mont Blanc, Scoop Cake, Cream Puff are so yummy.  Well, I just have a piece of their scoop cake for afternoon tea today.

The other day, I was at Liang Court and suggested to my friends to try out the Japanese food at Yayoiken before heading to our Karaoke singing.  Here were our food orders

I have always like Calpis soda and candies ever since I tasted them in Japan. 

That day, I ordered the Calpis uncarbonated soft drink ~

a light, sweet and tangy yogurt flavor drink.

Ebi Gyoza ~ the ones which we usually ordered are with pork fillings.

You can eat the pickles as much as you want.  It is placed in a container at our dining table.
We had ordered the tuna & corn salad.  I simply love the Japanese salad dressing. So tasty.

Mix Toji ~ Beef, Pork Culet & Fried Prawn topped with eggs.

Mixed Grill Set ~ lotsa meat....these were my friends' order.

Mixed Grilled Set

This was my order ~ Saba Miso Set

Overall, the restaurant service is good and their food prices are affordable.