How to make Easy Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are usually made up of peeled, starchy chunks of potatoes. Often russet potatoes are recommended because they can give you the fluffiest, smoothest mash. They tend to fall apart easily during cooking, where they absorb butter and cream well.

Ingredients needed for (1) Serving:

2 medium russet potatoes

(to be peeled & cut into quarters for easier boiling)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

Dash of pepper

Light sour cream for extra flavoring

1/4 cup of hot milk

Full recipe:

Place the serving of potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt to it.

Boil the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes by reducing the heat to medium-low.

Try piercing a cut-sized potato with a fork to break it apart.

Drain away the hot water well.

Return the potatoes to the saucepan:

shake it gently over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to remove excess moisture.

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher untill no lumps appear in it.

Add butter, pepper & salt to it.to continue mashing while adding milk to make potatoes smooth & creamy.

Food Specialties in Singapore

Naturally food is descriptive by nature. Often there are different preparation methods to cook a particular meal. In fact we can discuss it as a debatable topic which can be narrowed down to inform the audience on their interest in food.

As far as I can remember the distinct flavors of food, no doubt it has formed an integral part of my life. Having grown up in Singapore, there are memories and dishes that are constantly reminding me of my identity, thus providing me a wider horizon of our city.

Whenever I crave for mouth-watering dishes, Jurong West 505 market and food centre is the first place that appears in my mind. It is just like any other ordinary market which casts an overview of a noisy and vibrant atmosphere that displays the passion and warm-heartedness of the locals. Within the food market itself, there is no way we can escape the pungent and fishy smell it contains of.

There is a large variety of local favourites found here such as the fragrant claypot rice to wanton dumpling noodles. One of the best hawker food I love tucking into would be this stall selling sliced fish soup, which is a popular dish to have on days when we want to eat healthily.

Originally from Teochew, it is varied with fresh or deep-fried sliced fish which is cooked in steamy broth, coupling with rice and various assortment of veggies. Alternatively you can add deep-fried fish and milk together.

Another food haunt to look out for is at Clementi 448 Food Centre. It is usually packed during the day, where it is not easy to get a seat. I grew up in this neighbourhood and its proximity is close to Clementi MRT station.

This bowl of wanton noodle at Boon Kee wanton noodle stall is immensely popular that I have to queue up about 15 minutes each time. Similarly, like any regular wanton mee, it comes with slices of char siew, deep-fried wanton, vegetables and a side dish of wanton soup. Its springy noodles which is mixed together with dark sauce produces a sweet & flavorful taste.

Although most hawker centres are not as posh or clean as cafes and restaurants, the best part of it is that I am able to lavish on these local foods at wallet-friendly prices where you can eat to your hearts' content.

How to make Sweet potato & ginger soup

Being a soup lover, it is always a heart-warming moment to drink soups that are soothing and refreshing to the throat, especially during cold weathers.

Introducing this sweet Chinese dessert soup, it is spiced with the heat of ginger and scented with the fragrance of pandan leaves.

Cooking this dessert soup consists of four simple ingredients; 
sweet potatoes, ginger and brown sugar. 

To enhance the taste and aroma of the soup, pandan leaves and dried longans are optional.

Health benefits:

• A good source of fiber which is excellent for digestion.
• Rich in beta-carotene (Vitamin a), a major antioxidant.
• Also acts a good source of magnesium which manages stress, promotes relaxation and calmness too.
• Good source of Vitamins E & C

Ingredients:

Brown sugar with ginger
(You can get it from Yue Hwa Products store)

Bentong ginger

Pandan leaves

- 400g sweet potatoes (orange and / or yellow flesh (peeled & cut big chunks)
- 2 tbsp granulated black / brown sugar
- 15 (about 20g) dried longans
   (U can buy it from any Chinese traditional medical shop)
- 60g Bentong light ginger (recommended by my mum)
- 4 pandan leaves (tie them into a knot)
- 1 litre of water
- 1 teaspoon pure ginger powder (optional)

Recipe:
Place all the ingredients (except ginger powder) in a large pot.Bring it to a boil, then allow it to simmer with a small lid vent opening for 15 to 20 minutes untill the chunks of the sweet potatoes soften. Add the ginger powder if you prefer the soup to be extra-spiced & warming. Remove the pandan leaves and ginger before serving the dessert.

Ready to be served!

Food Choices in Singapore

In Singapore, the locals tend to be picky or choosy when it comes to food selection. For some, they probably will go based on its taste, cost, religion or availability.

Indeed there are varieties of different foods available. Be it organic, fast food, vegan friendly, gluten-free, dairy free etc. It depends on our preferences and what we can do with the selection we have in Singapore.

Needless to say, we Singaporeans love to eat very much. The chances of finding good food here at the right places seem not much of a problem at all. In fact venues are available to meet all budgets and tastes, which range from the popular hawker centres and coffeeshops to swish, contemporary eating places.

Fried Bee Hoon

Coming across as a multi-ethnic country, Singapore halts as a multitude of cuisines that are categorized in accordance to the main cultures. It doesn't matter if you fancy haute cuisine, ethnic foods, vegetarian or spicy local dishes, you are bound to find great food choices.

Remarkably, everything is available from the familiar Thai cuisine, Japanese cuisine, Korean cuisine, Italian cuisine, Mexican cuisine, French cuisine to the more Russian cuisine. For example, the Thai cuisine has its own geographical epicentres, like the Golden Mile Food Centre.

Thai Omelette Crab Fried Rice

Curry Chicken

The different dishes that are offered in Singapore has its own set of positives and every flavour counts. In the Chinese places you can get a variety of the typical Chinese dishes while at the Indian restaurants, you may find spicy and hot foods.

Roti Prata

Locally, food is viewed as crucial to its national identity and a unifying cultural thread. Basically, eating has become a national pastime while food has turned into a national obsession. Being a frequent topic of conversation, one has to be mindful of each other's culture and it being chosen that is acceptable to all.

How to make Chinese Tea Eggs

Tea egg is a type of soy sauce egg which is relatively a popular snack in the Chinese community. It can also be added to medicinal herbs to boost its health-properties too.

It is an easy yet convenient way of preparation. Often it is also served as a nutritious snack or dessert. Brown and bruised which can be piled high in its tea broth, braising away for hours (sometimes days on end. Similarly, it is also emulating compared to where the Japanese do use such eggs for a ramen dish.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

0.67 slices ginger

1 Star Anise

0.33 cinnamon stick

0.67 bay leaves

0.67 tablespoons black tea leaves

0.33 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1.33 teaspoon sugar

0.67 teaspoons salt

0.67 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

2.33 cups water (to ensure that all eggs are submerged)

Note: For the sauce base, you can try getting a packet of the five-spice powder from Yue Hwa Products store to save time in finding the separate ingredients (one by one).

Recipe:

1) Bring the eggs to room temperature by leaving them out of the fridge for a couple of hours.

2) Meanwhile prepare the sauce base by adding the ingredients into a medium pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and then the heat down to a simmer. Cover the pot and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, open the lid, set it aside and let it cool completely.

3) Bring another pot of water to boil for the eggs. Once it starts to boil, lower the eggs into the boiling water by using a large spoon. Let the eggs cook in the boiling water for 7 minutes (best to set a timer). When the time is up, turn off the heat, quickly scoop out the eggs and transfer them to an ice bath. Allow them to sit in the cool to the touch.

4) Once the eggs are cooled, lightly crack the egg shells. The main purpose is to make enough cracks to allow the flavor of the sauce base to seep into the egg. Do use a small spoon to tap the eggs .

5) Soak the cracked eggs in your sauce base for 24 hours in the fridge to make sure all the eggs are completely submerged in it. They are ready to be served after 24 hours. For a stronger flavor, they can be soaked for a longer time. And yes, these eggs can last at least 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

The End Result

Nutritional Value of Food

As we set in to curb the COVID-19 virus and with mostly people working from home these days, we have to adapt to a healthy lifestyle change by adopting a healthier diet. Over the years, Singapore has seen a progressive shift towards sedentary lifestyle habits and hiking obesity rates.

In order to boost the health of Singaporeans, continuous efforts are initiated to shift eating habits and encourage the majority of residents to pick healthier meal options.

How do we recognize the importance of healthy eating?

To maintain a healthy body weight and lowering risks of obesity, we should concentrate the focus on the choice of foods that comes with a high nutritional value. Not only do we need calories for energy, they are also required to avoid "empty" calorie foods with little to no nutritional value.

Exercise discipline on Food Intake

According to a conducted survey carried out by HPB, "Singaporeans are consuming less sugar from drinks, but more from food, for example, confectionery and desserts. Nonetheless, pre-packaged sugar-sweetened drinks remain the single largest source of sugar in the diet, and more needs to be done to reduce sugar consumption from this source."

Due to the busy lifestyles and environmental change, many professionals choose to eat out, or settle for easy-to-prepare processed foods that are high in calories.

Undoubtedly, Singaporeans are increasingly surrounded by a diverse plethora of food, which may lead to a food binge or eating more than they should.

I guess keeping within our daily limits do not necessarily mean that we have to calculate the calorie value of every bite we savor. But it can also suggest that we can discipline the needs to forgo dessert or refrain from snacking afterwards.

Conclusion

Based on the diet of Singaporeans, it determines how our eating habits have evolved, and whether we are eating too little (or too much) of required nutrients.

Moving forward, we need to work on a sustained effort in addressing not just the quality of foods consumed, but also the quantity which is imperative.

How to Make Popcorn Chicken

Popcorn chicken are popular with consumers who like to grab them on the run.

They are small-bite size pieces of poultry that have been breaded or battered and fried.

Moreover, they are easy to pack in lunch boxes and are usually made for more genteel dining with a fork.

It is termed as a modern moniker, as the small cubes of chicken resemble popcorn after being fried.

Ingredients:

3 cups of flour

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 eggs

2 tablespoons lemon juice

oil for frying

3skinless, bonless chicken breasts, cubed

Full recipe:

1. Mix flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper together.in a bowl.

    Beat eggs and lemon juice together in a separate bowl.

2. Heat 1/ 1/2 to 2 inches of oil in a large pot over medium heat.

3. Dip the chicken pieces into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and again|
    into the flour mixture.

4.Test the oil to make sure it is hot enough- a small amount of flour dropped in should      

sizzle. Place 10pieces of chicken into the hot oil; cook untill golden brown, about 8 
minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate and season with salt.    

You Are What You Eat

How do we determine the quality of life that contains in every cell of our bodies? To simplify it, food has indeed does impact a huge effect on our health. Yes, especially when busy days and constant lack of time may influence people's nutrition. Generally, food influences the state of each individual's feelings, be it good or bad, but they also weigh representation of all ages and social groups.

To each of his or her own, they prefer to choose something special and having a unique style of their own. everyone is entitled to their own set of opinions of food choices. While some opt for more special food qualification needs, there are also some consumers who go for organic, imported and natural.

Citing that the choice of food details is not necessarily an ideal way of living a healthy life. Naturally, the people who can't afford to spend more than they should, have less special requirements end up buying more normal cheap food instead.

For many, it may become a struggle to eat healthy food especially when we pass by fast food restaurants. It can be a pretty temptation somehow. As the statistics show, it is clearly obvious people are refusing to change their lifestyles.

By eating a healthy diet, it is thus beneficial which includes a longer life, feeling happier, gaining vitality, losing weight and keeping a healthy appearance. Having that said, it says so much about how we can better fight diseases and living longer by eating healthy food, which is a good cause, yet coming across as an excellent natural anti-depressant.