Archive for the 'Food' Category

My first time holding a chicken carcass.

Published on August 31, 2010 in Food. 6 Comments

“Woo… come and see this!” i yelled to Clem from the kitchen.
Made him peer at the chicken carcass i’d bought to make chinese herbal soup, so he could share my naive disgust.

It may sound silly, but true, that most city people don’t enter the world of livestock, carcasses, fruits and vegetables as others (others meaning those who cook haha).
Heck, i remember ClaudiaOnCrack’s reaction when we went to a village and she saw a rooster and a pineapple plant for the first time.

I *have* seen my maternal grandmother killing a chicken by slitting its throat over a drain before,
and for a young child, i sure as hell can remember the red blood dripping very clearly and abundantly!

I’d decided to attempt (you’re going to hear me use the word ‘attempt’ many times along with my posts on cooking. Cos they’re all attempts, lest they don’t work out) making herbal soup cos Clem and i were both having terrible food poisoning for 2 days.
And i thought some soup would be better than nothing for him to get down his throat cos he was refusing to eat like a little boy.
I also tried making 4 Heavenly Kings vege, this Chinese dish i absolutely adore and pay RM16 for (a tiny dish) every time i feel like it.

cooking

Didn’t take a picture of the raw carcass cos my hands were too messy and i wasn’t focusing on taking pictures!

cooking

Four-angled beans, ladies fingers + chilli

cooking

onion + garlic + aubergine

cooking

cooking

I actually liked how all the bits i threw away in the sink looked.
Different shapes, colours, textures and sizes!
Please don’t scold me if you think i’m cutting off bits i should be cooking  :xshy:

cooking

The veggie turned out exactly like the one i always buy… so i’m surprised how easy it was to cook cos i assumed Chinese food takes more skill and timing.
I was just banging balls trying my luck, cos there are no specific instructions with timing on recipes online.
Maybe this is the true Chinese in me coming out  :xpleased:

My only problem is… i’m the only one who likes this dish.
And after using up all the veggie i bought to cook the dish twice (so i wouldn’t waste anything) i’ve got sick of eating it 4 times (4 portions) and don’t want to cook or even buy it anymore  :xwhatevah:

So that’s that and i’ll have to think of something else to cook this week if i have time before Shanghai.

cooking

Herbal soup turned out tasty.
Chicken stock + carcass + flesh + herbs + ginger + carrots + dried mushrooms.

Was so tempted to throw in chicken’s feet cos i love it,
but knew Clem would refuse to touch the soup if i did, being the super anal kwailo who thinks Chinese people eat everything they can get their hands on, if i did.

I have to get a fine metal sieve so i can get all the small bits out before we drink it next time.

Yeah, can you believe it.

The next thing on my What I Want To Buy List is a metal sieve.

:xwhatevah: :xsilly:

cooking

Cassie keeps on moving around in high places now that she’s older.
She was on the lights that day.
Now she’s on top the high kitchen cupboard and i can’t get her to come down.

Related post:
Joyce’s First Attempt at Cooking. Properly. Somewhat.

Joyce’s First Attempt At Cooking. Properly. Somewhat.

Published on August 12, 2010 in Food. 14 Comments

SO!

Big adventure for me this week!
In my opinion anyway *layannnn*

I told some friends last week that imma gonna try to cook.
The suggestions i mostly got were to cook pasta – aglo olio, carbonara, etc.
And i was like, “No… why would i want to cook pasta..?”

Anyone can cook pasta…
(Okay, so *i* don’t even cook pasta myself)
But i wanted to cook something a bit more complicated!
Just throw myself into a recipe that actually counts as cooking,
and if all fails, i’d just never blog about it
never mention it to anyone
and pretend i never intended to cook HAHA. :xshy:

I was over at the Freeform office on Tues afternoon,
and spent some time talking crap with DidiBuli (i felt like someone dosed us both with drugs when we talk to each other!)
before googling some recipes to try out
so i could shop at Cold Storage @ Jaya One right after.

She suggested salmon cos it can be pretty simple,
and i wanted to hug her cos she’s the first that implied i could cook something else besides pasta.

I was quite fail at reading some of the recipes…
Didn’t even know what “c.” stood for till DidiBuli said, “… Cup!”
Whoops.  :xshy:

Somehow she still had a lot of hope in me,
and said i’m shouldn’t fail in cooking which according to her is a Test of Life.
So drama-rama.

AdrianCEO on the other hand was rather shocked that i am suddenly into cooking and said i’m getting old.

:xwhatevah:

Bought the stuff at the super,
prayed my butter wouldn’t melt on the way home in the traffic jam,
flung open the apartment door,
and loudly declared that i was going to cook dinner that night.

Clem was grinning ear to ear, “You’re going to cook?… That ees kind of scary.”

Hmph.

Joyce CAN cook!

Joyce CAN cook!

Up till this week, i always assumed shallots were a type of seafood (probably cos it sounds like scallops).
Yes, i know what shallots are now.
Yes, i am slightly ashamed i didn’t know before :p

But what i don’t understand,
is why when you only need ONE measly shallot,
they only sell you a whole bag with a hundred in them.

Joyce CAN cook!

Mixed olive oil + salt + pepper to season the salmon a tad while i did the sauces

Joyce CAN cook!

Joyce CAN cook!

I never knew butter costs RM8. Did you? Really.

Joyce CAN cook!

Adding butter to reduction of cab sav + shallots + chicken stock

Joyce CAN cook!

I steamed the veggies the normal way… in a pot.

Stated rather loudly to Clem who was in the living room,
“You know what i need? A VEGETABLE STEAMER… and a LARGE MARBLE TABLE… in a BIGGER KITCHEN… and AN OVEN.”
“I know. But right now, dat ees not posseeble.”

Joyce CAN cook!

Making sure the salmon is just done on the outside,
and slightly pink on the inside.

Joyce CAN cook!

Joyce CAN cook!

Joyce CAN cook!

It turned out rather well!
Though the ONE thing that i thought i’d ignore,
which was to leave the seasoning with the salmon i cooked,
had to be corrected and removed cos it was too salty.
But once i it was just the salmon and the sauce on top, it was okay… and mmm might i say, rather good!

Joyce CAN cook!

It was a really cheerful experience,
and i’m so excited bout other recipes i’m going to try now!

And through all that, i promise i won’t become one of those bloggers who become boring and evolve to only blog about cooking bwahaha.

Who else cuts their meat up into little pieces? Please raise your hand, stand up and do a little dance!

Published on August 5, 2010 in Food. 13 Comments

I’m still suffering from Post-Holiday Depression.

Besides the difference in schedule of what i should be doing with myself and my time every day,
a complementing factor to my list of Things That Are Different (To Me) Back Home…

is the food.

There will always be a debate about which region has better food bla bla bla.
I’m not being a traitor and saying i hate the food here, i LOVE ASIAN FOOD.
Dishes and flavours from any corner of the earth are so subjective and incomparable.

My problem is not only do i love Asian food, i love all kinds of food. :xwhatevah:
Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Italian, French, etc.

I find that i’m always rotating the types of food that i eat depending on what my taste buds feel like.
Even Clem says my favourite and most common question of the day is: WHAT ARE WE GOING TO EAT. *big shiny eyes and hands rubbing in glee*

Last night i was craving red meat.
You know a moment like that?
Where your tongue feels twangy and you start smacking your lips,
and you think to yourself, “I feel like…” while trying to connect your brain to your heart to your mouth so that it can accurately convey what you really want to taste for that meal / hour / second.

Yes.
I was craving a nice medium rare steak last night.

And i couldn’t help thinking, “If only i was in London right now, i could go out and get that gorgeous perfect succulent steak i had with Yishyene and her friends…”
Before my Proper Sane Self mentally slapped me Stop It! Just ACCEPT that you CANNOT get your hands on that very same steak right now and MOVE ON.

WELL.
Since i physically (and theoretically) am unable to get my hands on “that gorgeous perfect succulent steak i had with Yishyene and her friends”, i will merely blog about it as a half past six substitute of self-consolation.

steak

We went to this bar & restaurant at Elephant & Castle (i think) Clapham called 64th & Social where for £15, you got to choose:
- your type of meat + how well you liked it
- choice of sauce / butter on steak
- 1 type of mash and 1 type of vege from the extensive list provided
- wine / cocktail / etc

steak

The steak was divine. Pure heaven.
I cut it up into bite-sized pieces just the way i like it,
equally spread the garlic butter (which added points to the whole meal), popped them one by one into my mouth,
and slowly chewed and relished in the texture while smiling, as if in a drunken stupor, at the others.

The meat was done medium rare, just the way it should be (and oh, how many places actually get it wrong!)

Its accompaniments of mash and spinach i chose were crazy delicious as well.

steak

satisfied me + Yishyinini

steak

Martha 1, Aysha, Martha 2
I’ve never met someone named Martha before… let alone two in one day!

Anyway let’s backtrack to last night. *brakes screeching*
I was craving a steak, remember? Yes, you nod.
Ohkay.
I realise that there aren’t many good steaks here.
People always go on and on about how they love steaks at Jake’s, or Victoria’s Station… but i don’t.
I find it completely average and cannot fathom why people pay that price for an average steak that will always leave you 1. craving for something better and 2. slightly irritated that you can’t cos you already ate Average Steak and now you’re full so you just have to go home and rest that tummy.

The only steak i REALLY adore in KL, is at Prime.

But this post is not for me to complain, really.
It’s to ask you, besides Prime, is there any other place in KL where you think serves great steak?
Because i think i haven’t made enough effort to search for it,
and what happens the next time i have a steak craving and am not dressed appropriately for Prime?

To combat my craving last night,
Clem and i went to Blue Cow Cafe (my first time) where i got myself a medium rare rib-eye steak (RM58).
It came rare so i sent it back for them to cook it better.

‘Twas alright, and satiated my craving for the moment (as i tried to be positive and not think about better steaks i’d had)

steak

Out of nowhere, Clem comments, “You’d make a good mother.”
Me, in shock with meat in my mouth, mumbled back, “WhaT? Why would you say that?!”
“Because you cut your meat up in little pieces.”
“So?”
“People do that for their child.”
“I’m doing that for myself cos i am a child!”

Is it so weird that i cut my meat up into little pieces?
I know Dhanya rolls her banana leaf rice + meat into little balls before popping them into her mouth,
so i’m pretty sure there are other people who ‘prepare’ their food in funny little ways too!

What funny eating habits do you have/know of?

Share! (So i don’t feel like the total weirdo here!)

KL: Fat Spoon Restaurant / Cafe @ Damansara Uptown

Published on August 1, 2010 in Food. 4 Comments

Just before i left for Europe, ChelleX3 told JacintaTravinia and i how she’s starting on a new family-run restaurant business.
We loved her concept for it,
and we also loved how we got to be willing lab rats for some of the dishes they were testing out before its launch.
(This was when we were spending hours at Chelle’s house for the Leftblock x Nike project)

Her new restaurant is called Fat Spoon and located
on the same row as Wondermilk / right next to Hong Kee porridge
in Damansara Uptown.

Fat Spoon Cafe Restaurant @ Damansara Uptown

Went there with AshleyTheMonkey, whose favourite bit are the vintage doors they sourced

Fat Spoon Cafe Restaurant @ Damansara Uptown

I love the way ChelleX3 did the place up.
It’s unique in KL and has all these pieces that will make you go,
“Hey… we used to have a sofa set like that years ago *points at rattan furniture*”
“I think all our parents did… years ago!”

Fat Spoon Cafe Restaurant @ Damansara Uptown

Fat Spoon Cafe Restaurant @ Damansara Uptown

Fat Spoon serves Asian food -
not-so-typical dishes that originate from the smaller towns in Malaysia,
mixed with a tad of modernity (i.e. spicy beef macaroni soup, say what!)

Fat Spoon Cafe Restaurant @ Damansara Uptown

Fat Spoon Cafe Restaurant @ Damansara Uptown

Fat Spoon Cafe Restaurant @ Damansara Uptown

I told Ash that i feel like i’m eating in a kampung, but a cooler one.
Think Kampung Hipster.

Congrats on the launch of it, Chelle!
I think KL needs more spaces like what you just came up with…
and i foresee we’ll be having our future meetings there so i’ll end up memorizing the menu soon

:xlaughing:

Fat Spoon is located at:
73 Jalan SS 21/1A
Damansara Utama
Selangor

London: Wicked + La Poule au Pot

Published on July 9, 2010 in Food and Musical. 2 Comments

As i’m not going to be in London for that many more days,
i really wanted to take Uncle Mark and Aunt G for something…
not that it can repay back the ton of amazing food and wonderful shows they took me to,
but i just had to do something!

I remember them mentioning that they hadn’t watched Wicked yet,
and neither had i,
so i went on LastMinute.Com and got tickets to watch it last Tuesday.

wicked musical

wicked musical

The show was simply spectacular…
I was completely blown away by
the singing
the dancing
the costumes
the STORY

I think if you had to choose only one musical to watch in London right now,
it has to be Wicked!!!

They took me to a gorgeous French restaurant after that
(they paid, i got no more money haha)
called La Poule au Pot which has been the same for 30 years.

I was really looking forward to it
cos i heart French food!

la poule au pot london

It’s so authentic that the menu reads only in French,
and all the waiters speak French.

la poule au pot london

la poule au pot london

I had escargots to start with,
and bouillabaisse for my main.

la poule au pot london

I really like bouillabaisse,
had almost forgotten what it tastes like… <3
Love it to the extent i want to attempt cooking it when i get home!

Being in the restaurant really made me miss Clem,
obviously cos of all the French accents around me.

Well as you’re reading this,
i’m on my last trip in Europe – a cruise from St. Tropez to Rome,
then back to London for a couple of days,
before i fly back to Clem  :xheart2:

London: Princi + Ba Shan

Published on July 2, 2010 in Food. 2 Comments

One thing i can agree on with everyone here is the food.
Aunty G said there are about 6,000 restaurants listed in London,
so even if you tried a new one every day,
you’d still take over a decade to try each one.

0_o

london

Went to Princi for lunch with SunshineySteph and her friend Ben yesterday.
It’s a modern cafeteria-style Italian place where we had pizzas, spinach pies and choc desserts.

In the evening i went to a literary talk by Robert Sackville-West at the RAC
where he spoke about his new book called Inheritance.

If you’re wondering since when i took such an interest to aristocracy,
i didn’t book to go to the talk – Uncle Mark and Aunt G forced took me.
Before i walked into the room, i spotted it filled with people with white hair,
turned to my Uncle Mark and quietly said, “Oh god. So not my scene!”

95% of the crowd was over 60
and i must have been the only person there to have intentionally shaved themselves bald (or half bald, anyway)

It was definitely different… and i’m pleased enough i took it all in and didn’t fall asleep once.

:xpleased:

After the talk, we went for a Hunan dinner at Ba Shan @ Soho
where i had one of my top favourite meals here
(last one being at As in Amsterdam, and before that J. Sheekey in London)

london

Pigs liver in chilli oil that was tender and juicy…
Pigs trotters with garlic and chilli…
Beans with chilli…
and one of my faves – aubergine mashed with garlic and chilli!

london

I know, it sounds like all the dishes tasted the same cos of garlic and chilli,
but they managed to make it all taste distinctly different from one another!

Salivating thinking about the aubergine and pigs’ liver now.

Was SO FULL after that i couldn’t function properly,
turned down some Margiela party with VincePY,
and lay down at home to recover instead!

“You turned down a fashion party cos you ate too much?!” exclaimed Clem on the phone.
“Uh huh. *groans on bed*…”

He then asked whether i’ve weighed myself recently.
I said no.
Because i’m not going to give a damn about maintaining what i eat
(despite the likelihood of looking like a fatty on the cruise)
cos i just cannot get enough of the food here!
Plus i’m on holiday!
Plus good food makes me so happy!

 + + +

Okay am off for first day of Wireless now!
Looking forward to Temper Trap today,
and New Young Pony Club, LCD Soundsystem and 2ManyDjs tomorrow!