Friday, April 16, 2021

How to cook Garlic Broccoli Shrimp Stir Fry

 


Ingredients (for 4 servings)

1 lb large shrimps (peeled & deveined)
3 cloves minced garlic 
2 cups broccoli florets (500grams)
1/2 diced onion
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

Preparation Method
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat
  2. Pour in the shrimps and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
  3. Fry the shrimps for1 minute of each side.
  4. Remove the shrimps and pour in the remaining tablespoon of the oil.
  5. Toss in the diced onions and remaining 1/s teaspoon of salt and saute for a few minutes untill they soften.
  6. Add in the broccoli, garlic and soy sauce and saute untill the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  7. Toss the shrimps back into the pan and mix untill everything is well-ino rporated and the shrimps are fully cooked, for about 1 minute.
  8. Divide the mixture evenly between 4 bowls.




Saturday, April 10, 2021

How to cook Lotus root with Pork Ribs soup

Lotus roots are rich in dietary fiber, very low in cholesterol and saturated fats. They are also a good source of essential vitamins and minerals too. 

This soup helps to improve digestion and tackles problems of constipation which is a very important factor for weight loss.

Ingredients

  • 1 long lotus root (about 500grams)
  • 500 grams pork ribs
  • 100 grams peanuts (to be excluded if you are allergic to nuts). Add 2 tablespoons goji berries instead. 
  • 1 carrot - peeled and cut into chunks.
  • 1 dried cuttlefish (rinsed)
  • 4 dried scallops (soaked in hot water for about 15minutes)
  • 8 dried red dates
  • Water
  • Salt to taste

Recipe
  1. Soak the peanuts in hot water about 30 minutes.
  2. Blanch pork ribs in a small pot of boiling water for 5 minutes to remove impurities.
  3. Peel and cut the lotus roots into 1 cm slices.
  4. Remove pork ribs from the pot & set aside.
  5. Put all the ingredients into a soup pot. Add enough water to submerge all the ingredients about 1 to 2 inches. 


  6. Bring it to a boil and allow it to simmer at the lowest heat for about 2 to 3hours untill the meat is tender. 

  7. Season it with salt and serve it hot with white rice.






Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Popularity of local food recommendations in Singapore

 NASI LEMAK



A dish originated in Malay cuisine that consist of fragrant rice, cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves. No doubt that Chinese style Nasi Lemak is a very popular dish amongst Singaporeans.

Location: KillIney Kopitiam

                456 Alexandra Road
                #01-01 Fragrance Empire Building
                Singapore 119962

Opening Hours: 0730hrs - 1800hrs

BAK KUT TEH






One of the best Bak Kut Teh I ever had in my life. This stall serves the soup with a peppery flavour, offering 2 types of ribs. There are other dishes such as braised pork belly, beancurd skin, preserved vegetables and youtiao (fried dough stick). Not forgetting that you can also get a refill of their peppery soup.

Location: Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh
                Blk 349 Jurong East Avenue 1
                #01-1215 Singapore 600349

Opening Hours: Tues - Sat 0900hrs - 1930hrs
                                     Sun 0900hrs - 1300hrs
Closed on Mondays

CHILLI CRABS


Originated from Singapore, it is a seafood dish where its mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato-and-chilli based sauce. It is often accompanied by steam or deep-fried buns (or known as mantous).

Location: Ming Kitchen Seafood
                12 Telok Blangah Crescent
                #01-91 Singapore 090012

Opening Hours: 1500hrs - 0100hrs Daily

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE
                                     

It is of Thai origin, a well-presented dish of fried rice with shrimp, carrots, pork floss and other ingredients, usually served in half of a pineapple. The soft rice and crispy pineapple is perfect on a hot summer day.

Location: Gek Poh Shopping Centre
                Koufu Food Court
                Thai Dynasty 
                Blk 762 Jurong West Street 75
                Singapore 640762

Opening Hours: 1100hrs - 2100hrs Daily

ROASTED CHICKEN RICE




When ordering chicken rice at Wee Nam Kee, a fragrant bowl of chicken broth will be served first, followed by chicken and rice. The broth is tasty enough to whet one's appetite. 

Location: Jurong Point Shopping Centre
                Cantine Food Court
                Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice
                53 Jurong West Central 3 #B1-60/61
                Singapore 648886

Opening Hours: 1000hrs - 2130hrs Daily




Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Food Health

 


How does the food we eat impact our health?

For our bodies to function well, we eat the food to obtain the "information" and materials. If we do not get the right information, we'd allow our our metabolic processed to suffer and our health decline.

Getting too much food or giving our bodies the wrong instructions, we may become overweight, undernourished, risk high chances of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, arthritis and heart diseases.

Performing functions of the nutrition in Food

The nutrients on food are essential for our physical functioning. They are the nourishing substances that build up the growth, development to function our bodies. If there is no presence of nutrients, human health will decline and impact aspects of function. If the nutrients' needs are not met as dictated by the cell activity, the metabolic processes will slow down or even stop.

In short, our bodies need to collect instructions about how to function as source of information for food. It gives us a view of nutrition which goes beyond calories or grams, whether it is considered as "good foods" or "bad foods". Therefore we should focus on foods we should include in our daily meals. It is a way to create health awareness and reduce diseases by helping the body maintain its functions.

How do we define a healthy diet?


Eating a healthy diet is to stay unrealistically thin, than to deprive yourself of the food you love to indulge in. Most importantly, you need to feel great, be more energetic, improve your well-being and boost your mood too.

Eating healthy is not a complicated issue after all. You don't have to feel too overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and advice out there. However, some specific foods or nutrients are said to have a beneficial effect on mood. What really matters is your overall dietary pattern which will impact a change in your diet. In fact it can make a huge difference to the way you think, look and feel. That is how we learn to create and stick to a tasty, varied and nutritious diet, making good both the mind and body.

Making the switch to a healthy diet




It takes time to adjust to a new diet. You need not be too perfect as to completely eliminate foods you enjoy. If one is to change everything all at once, it may only lead you to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan.

Taking a better approach is to make a few more changes at one time. This way, you can keep your goals modest so that you can achieve more in the long term without feeling deprived or overwhelmed by a major diet overhaul.

As you start planning your diet, think of a number of small, manageable steps. As soon as ir becomes a habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices.


Monday, April 5, 2021

How to cook Fried Bee Hoon

"Bee Hoon" is commonly known as thin noodles which is made from rice. It is one of the staples where you can choose from when you order food at any vegetarian food stalls in Singapore. Mainly, it is cooked with a minimal amount of ingredients and is served during a daily breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 100 grams rice vermicell
  • 3 cloves shallots (to be sliced thinly
  • 3 cloves (minced) garlic
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • A small handful of beansprouts
(A) Sauce

  • 150ml of water
  • 1/2 tbsp of light soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp of dark soy sauce
  • Add a bit more light soy sauce (if you are not using fish sauce)
Directions
  1. Soak the instant rice vermicell in a bowl for about 5 minutes untill the noodles are fully reconstituted. For other varied type, you will need to soak it for at least half an hour. Drain it well and set aside.
  2. Heat oil in wok, stir fry shallot and garlic till they start to soften.
  3. Add (A) and bring it to a simmer, followed by the softened rice vermicell and beansprouts. 

  4. If you wish to, you can even add veggies such as fish fillet, sausage, luncheon meat or a side-up egg.
  5. Make sure the noodles are well coated in the mixture so that you are able to get the uniform colour and taste. Cook it untill the noodles have absorbed up all the water and is of a dry consistency. 

  6. Serve and garnish the dish with spring onion, chilli or fried shallots. 










How to Cook Chinese Style Pomfret Fish




Benefits of eating Chinese pomfret

It is high in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids which helps to reduce cholesterol and risks of heart diseases. Containing mineral iron, it is needed for healthy red blood cell formation. It is also good for patients who have undergone surgeries which will aid in their recovery. In addition. Chinese pomfret is also high in Vitamin B3, B12 and Vitamin D where it is low in mercury.

Ingredients

  • 1 White pomfret fish
  • 1 tomato cut into wedges 

  • 20 minced ginger slices 

  • 3/4 tbsp light soya sauce
  • 1 tsp shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Directions
  1. Clean and pat dry the fish. Make a few slits on both sides of the fish. This will allow the fish to cook even faster and evenly. 

  2. Place ginger slices on both sides of the fish, which will prevent it from sticking onto the steaming plate. 

  3. Add tomato wedges and chilli padi if using.

  4. Add light soya sauce, shaoxing wine and sesame oil onto the fish. 

  5. Place the steaming plate on a rack to steam in a wok. 

  6. Steam the fish at medium high heat for about 15 minutes or untill cooked. 

  7. Test done-ness with a skewer to check that it is thoroughly cooked. 



How To Cook Shrimp And Snow Pea Stir Fry

  Ingredients  9-10 pieces shrimps, peeled and deveined 150 grams snow peas, trimmed 150 grams mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 t...