Garlic and Chilli Clams

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Been missing home quite a bit lately and one thing that gives me great comfort is food. Not just any food, but specifically mummy-inspired food! When I do head back for the holidays, I try to have as many meals as I can at home, cause mummy would just make all my favourites. Yup, I’m very blessed (:

So last Friday, when I was walking around Springvale market, and feeling homesick, I decided to make a dish that would make me warm and fuzzy inside. And one thing came to my mind – garlic and chilli clams. Spicy and the broth that accompanies it would be perfect with rice/quinoa and the best thing to have on a cold night!

and it’s really not difficult to make. Could get it from the pan to the dining table in less than 30 mins! We had this with the cheesy butter prawns in my previous post and with steamed jasmine rice, everything was just finger licking good! (I mean it, you need to use your hands to pick the clams up and SLURP! haha) Doesn’t food just taste better when you use your hands?

Garlic and Chilli Clams (Adapted from mummy’s Recipe)

800g clams, cleaned well soaking in cold water for at least 1 hour (changing water frequently)

8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

3 large chillies, finely chopped

small knob of ginger, slice thinly

1 tbs shaoxing wine

2 tbs fish sauce

1 cup water

2 tbs vegetable oil

salt and pepper, to season

fresh coriander, to garnish

Steps :

1) In a heavy-base wok, heat the oil on high heat and fry the garlic and chilli till fragrant, not till the garlic turns brown and be careful not to burn the garlic or there will be a bitter taste.

2) Add the clams and fry till well combined. Add the shaoxing wine and allow the wine to cook down. Add the fish sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add water and cover the wok, lowering the heat, allowing the clams to simmer for 15mins or until all (if not most) of the clams have opened. Discard those that are close.

3) Serve in a large bowl and garnish with coriander. ENJOY! (: Remember to use your fingers and slurp all the remaining broth that’s leftover once you’re done with the shells! hehe

So what’s the food that comes to your mind when you think of home? (:

Cheesy Butter Prawns : A Family Project

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You must be wondering, how is this post a family project. Let me explain.

My whole family is quite hilarious. We set up a group chat on Whatsapp and named it “Super Group” (of course! haha) and have been chatting to each other ever since. The 6 of us are a funny bunch and we chat about everything and anything. We are close like that. (: But the main topic that we usually discuss is of course, FOOD! We are quite a foodie family, I must admit. We enjoy cooking and we definitely enjoy eating. haha

A recent topic has been this particular dish we had at Jumbo Seafood Restaurant when they had a branch at Serangoon Gardens Country Club a few years back. It’s a favourite among the kiddos in the family and we never fail to order them when we are dining there. And now it’s gone, and we have been craving for it since!

Have you ever tried to recreate a dish that you tried at a restaurant/cafe? This was a first for me. My mum did try once a few years back, but it didn’t turn out quite the same, though still yummy. This time, I read up on some recipes online and realise it was the type of cheese we used. We always thought that we have to use the fancy cheeses. Shredded tasty, mozzarella and was pretty close to getting the expensive gruyere  to give it the last shot. But thanks to Bee from Rasa Malaysia, I found out that what chinese restaurants use is actually the slice Kraft cheese! I couldn’t quite believe it. But if there’s someone I would trust, it’s definitely Bee! So I told my mum to try using the slice cheese and being the spontaneous people we are, she made it that very night the conversation took place! haha

I planned to cook it the next day, as Friday was seafood day. Mum gave me feedback the night she cooked it, and told me that using slice Kraft cheese was perfect! It worked out well and tasted very close to the once we had at Jumbo! I got really excited. Couldn’t wait to try it!

Cheesy Butter Prawns (Adapted from Rasa Malaysia)

500g prawns, leave shells on

30g salted butter

1/4 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

75ml thickened cream

50ml milk

4 slices Kraft cheese

3 heap tsp of corn starch, to coat the prawns before deep frying

vegetable oil, for deep frying the prawns

salt and ground white pepper to season

coriander, for garnish

Steps : 

1) Prepare the prawns, take the heads off and keep it for other use. Carefully slice the prawn into half, length wise, keeping the shell intact and devein. Put the corn starch and coat the prawns well. Deep fry the prawns in very hot oil until the prawns are crispy and the shells have turned orangey-red. Drain and set aside.

2) Heat up a non-stick pan and add the butter. Add the garlic and onion, frying till fragrant. Careful not to burn the garlic, as it will leave a bitter after taste. Pour the thickened cream and milk into the pan, bringing it to boil. Add the prawns and lay the cheese slices on top of the prawns. Cover the pan, leaving the heat on high, and let it simmer for a few minutes or until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. If the sauce is too thick, just add a bit more milk, a tablespoon at a time.

3) Take the lid off and stir to combine the cheese well with the prawns. Season with salt and ground white pepper. Dish out and garnish with coriander.

Serve and eat immediately with steamed jasmine rice! ENJOY!

The good thing about leaving the shell on is that it retains more of the cheese sauce which is really delicious and it’s so crispy you can just devour the whole thing! (: Well the mr and I sure did! I foresee us cooking this dish very often from now. haha Think I got to lift more weights to burn those calories off! Luckily, I’ve got a husband who is a Personal Trainer! *phew*

I declare our first family project a success! (:

Brunch Sunday : Chez Dre

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South Melbourne is a gem. Its filled with good food, desserts and you can get almost anything you want or need from there. One of the reasons why I love weekends is because I get to spend time with the mr and do what we love. Eat and explore more of Melbourne together (:

Chez Dre

Add : 287 Coventry Street (Rear), South Melbourne, Vic

Tel : 03 96902688

It’s not my first time here at this amazing cafe. The first time I was introduced to this amazing place because of the desserts they offer. They have to ability to draw you in and just go “WAH!” You then want to buy everything that is on display. haha

I wasn’t joking was I? Don’t you just want to buy everything and try them? hehe I had to resist and bought 4 back this time. And they were all delicious! The chocolate tart is the Mr’s favourite, the hazelnut praline crunch was mine! We also had the salted caramel eclair and the pistachio & fig cake (can’t quite remember the exact name! Sorry!) They were all delicious! Want to head back and try the rest! (:

Well. We weren’t there for only the sweets. Our initial plan was to head there for brunch! hehe So we did!

As Chez Dre doesn’t have chai, I ordered a cappuccino instead. I do love a cup of coffee once in a while though I’m usually a chai/tea kind of girl. hehe But their coffee was really good and topping it with the cocoa powder was perfect!

The Mr had his usual latte. I’m always intrigued by the way the baristas draw the art with the milk and froth. It’s really a talent. Been wanting to do the coffee barista course but never got around to doing it. haha

This was the black pudding, caramelised onion and tomato chutney omelet that the mr ordered and it was DE-LI-CIOUS! I knew it was what the Mr was going to order as it had black pudding in it and the mr loves black pudding! hehe Was a really good choice though!

I, on the other hand, have an obsession with corn fritters. And lucky me went on the day that had corn fritters as a breakfast special! hehe So of course, I had to order the special. It came with a poached egg, avocado and a capsicum salsa. It was yummy but the corn fritter was a little more like a pancake and could do with a bit more corn. Everything complimented each other though! So was still delicious and I was very happy! hehe

The egg was poached perfectly and the runny yolk just acted as the sauce for the fritters! I was like a kid receiving candy when I cut into the egg and the yolk just flowed out. NOMS! Couldn’t stop smiling hehe

I have to admit, the portion size is smaller than the other places we’ve had brunch at, but the food was pretty good and everything was cooked perfectly. So we couldn’t really ask for more (although we would love more haha). We will definitely be back to Chez Dre, if not for the food, then for their amazing desserts! (:

What is your favourite dessert from Chez Dre? Would love to know!

Brown Butter Banana Muffin

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I do apologise for the lack of photos for this post. It’s gonna be a quick post and I just want to share this amazing recipe that I found from Karen of Citrus and Candy! You see, I had bananas that were over riped and frozen and really needed to use them. I’ve been wanting to make banana bread for the longest time. But I bought new muffins trays from Ikea that makes the muffin stand nice and tall. I couldn’t wait to use them, so muffins it is! (:

I am addicted to using these recipe cards now. So please bear with me for the time being! But I do hope you like the change! Do let me know, would love to hear what you think!

* Note : To make the brown butter : Put the butter in a pan over medium-low heat and leave it to melt. The butter will start to sizzle and splutter as it cooks. Eventually the noise will quieten down and the butter will start to foam up. Keep your eye on the butter as it won’t take long for it to burn. Swirl the pan and you’ll see the foam start to colour and the butter/milk solids underneath will brown and smell nutty. At this stage, take it off the heat and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes. Strain when it has cooled and put it aside for later use.

Yum Cha Addiction

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I don’t think I can ever have enough yum cha. I could have it every single day. It’s something I have quite often with my family when I’m back for my break. Yes, we are a family of foodies! hehe

But because it’s a tad expensive here, we restrict it to once a few months. So I treasure these yum cha days even more! Fun fact : Back home, we actually call it dim sum! Never called it yum cha till I got here. hehe But I am always very happy and excited when the mr and I have planned a yum cha brunch!

We usually only go to one place for yum cha but recently got introduced to a new place by Daisy after seeing her instagram photos of the food there. I couldn’t be more excited to give it a try! Can you tell from the grin on my face? haha I think I was a bit too happy that day. and cold!

Wealth Garden

Add : 866 Doncaster Road, Doncaster East, Vic 3109

Tel : 0398407611

Thank goodness the Mr has the same favourite cuisines as I do, so we could both enjoy our food together. To me, there’s nothing worse than being forced to have something you don’t like! Besides, food tastes more delicious when you have it with the person you love! (: Don’t you agree? In fact, the mr loves almost everything at yum cha so we could order everything I liked! hehe I was doing the happy dance inside.

This is a family favourite : fried chinese dough fritter wrapped in cheong fan (rice noodle roll). These were amazing! The cheong fan was so smooth and thin together with the crispy dough fritters, it’s a perfect pairing! It comes with a sweet sauce that you can go with. What I liked about the ones they serve here is they have vegetables (kai lan) wrapped in the cheong fan as well! Makes me feel less guilty when having it. haha

this is one of my absolute favourite dish at yum cha – char siew sou (bbq pork pastry). The pastry was really flaky and the filling was thick and every bite was filled with bbq pork. DELICIOUS!

Fried prawn wantons. Jammed packed with fresh prawns, this is served with a saucer of mayo. Just after these 3 dishes, we couldn’t stop smiling and saying “this is SO GOOD!” haha. Just thinking back, I can remember our eyes lighting up with every bite of the food. NOMS.

Now, this was the king of all dishes. haha In fact, this was the dish that made me ask Daisy for the place she was at! Steamed white radish cake. You can’t really find this anywhere else. The first time I had it was at Kam Boat in Singapore. Usually, its cute into large rectangular pieces and panfried till it’s crispy. The first time I had the steamed version I was a little reluctant and questioned if it would be as nice as the panfried ones. I was proven wrong with my first spoonful! hehe Amazing stuff!

The glutinous rice was really yum as well! I am sure my mum would love this!

 of course, yum cha would not be complete if we don’t have the usuals. They were all really yummy, but they just don’t stand out after having the others. Don’t get me wrong, they were still really good. Especially the siew mai. It was really tasty and generously filled. Having just one would fill you right up!

The century egg porridge was sadly the least of my favourite that day. It was just a little too blend and nothing really special. But I guess once you’ve had porridge from Crystal Jade then it’s quite difficult to find anything better!

Chicken feet is definitely considered a delicacy cause not every one would like it. The hubs is a big fan and couldn’t resist ordering this although we were already quite stuffed! hah But it was a really generous portion and I could only have a maximum of 2. haha So the poor mr had to finish it on his own! Oppsy!

So it’s time for the desserts. Yum cha cannot be considered complete without ordering egg tarts!

Another food blogger, Liz, also saw that I was at Wealth Garden and highly recommended the po lo bun (pineapple bun)! So we had to give it a try! I was surprised that it was filled!

They were filled with a sweet pineapple paste and also had pineapple chunks in them! I was surprised because in Singapore, I usually get the unfilled ones and have a slice of salted butter with it. It’s what my mum and I would usually have when we are having tea at Crystal Jade! hehe

Okay, feel a bit home sick after a post about yum cha 😦

Thank you for driving me all the way here to try this place! (: I think it has become our favourite yum cha place!

PS : Thanks Daisy for the recommendation and Liz too! (:

PPS : Do call in advance to make reservations, as this place fills up really quickly from the time it opens for business! 

Stir Fried Okra (Lady’s Finger)

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I never really liked okra when I was young. The only memory I had of okra of is using it during Arts and Craft lessona at school. Have you done those vegetable prints before when you were little? We use to do heaps! And using okra was very popular as it makes pretty flower prints!

(image credit to http://bkids.typepad.com)

So I never really knew how it tasted! Also, the slimy texture on the inside kinda puts me off as well. Always thought it was kinda gross. haha My brother still thinks it’s gross! But he was never a fan of slimy or soft textured food. The first time I had it was in the fish head curry my mum cooked and I loved it! But I didn’t know if I liked it cause of the curry gravy that made it yummy! So mum sitr fried it during dinner one night and I absolutely loved it!

This is my mum’s version of the stir fried okra! Mine looks a little different. haha Hers is still a little crunchier and is less gooey. I think my wok wasn’t hot enough! :O But nonetheless, it was still yummy and the taste was quite similar! So I was really happy with my first attempt of cooking it!

I guess there are many ways you can slice your okra. I prefer mine thin and cut at an angle. But even if you cut it round, it would look nice too! Just that when it’s slightly thicker, might take a longer time to soften. So do take note!

Also, I am really lucky that my dearest mum made me a huge bottle of her own sambal chilli. But if you don’t have sambal in your fridge, just slice up a large chilli thinly and it would work too!

So here’s the recipe for my version of the stir fried okra. I decided to put it in a recipe card for a change! What do you think?

Have this dish with a hot bowl of rice! *slurps* ENJOY! (:

Dessert Story

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There’s alot of buzz about Hong Kong desserts in Melbourne of late. And I can never get enough of it! The Mr and I were at Glen Waverley for dinner one night, and we chanced upon it while roaming around the area. We are relatively new to the area, and wasn’t too sure what we could find there. And we found a place to satisfy our sugar cravings!

Dessert Story

Add : 72 Kingsway, Glen Waverley Vic 3150 

Tel : 03 95618884

When we got there, it was super packed and we the last couple of seats available. Thankfully we were a few minutes earlier, because after us was a line of people wanting to get seats! They had outdoor seats, but it was far too cold to sit outside.

The menu was extensive and there were really heaps to choose from, both hot and cold. We were definitely craving (and needing) something hot so we chose a dessert each! Trust me, it wasn’t easy narrowing down our choices because we just wanted to order everything haha. There were some interesting combinations too! Some of which we never heard or seen before.

I ordered the soya beancurd with black sesame paste. It kinda killed two birds with one stone and satisfied my cravings for both desserts. I was a little worried about the combination cause I never heard of it before. It’s usually sold separately back in Singapore. But I decided to give it a shot anyways and no regrets there! The black sesame paste was really fragrant, thick and smooth and not overly sweet. The beancurd was really smooth as well and just melts in your mouth. I do recommend it if you are a fan of black sesame!

The Mr ordered the tang yuan (汤圆) which are glutinous rice balls in a sweet pandan broth/soup. These are filled with peanut and black sesame. Yes, haha we do like black sesame alot. Plus it’s good for you! (:

It was a good balance between the sweetness of the glutinous rice ball and the sweet soup. Makes me miss those I usually get from China Town Food Street and they sell their glutinous rice ball in a peanut sweet soup! Noms!

I have to admit. If I were given a choice between the peanut and the black sesame, I am more inclined to choose the black sesame. It’s funny how my taste buds have changed through the years. I use to only have the peanut ones, but now I will only order the black sesame ones. hehe Although they are both delicious!

We will definitely be heading back to try the other desserts on the menu! They have desserts from both Hong Kong and Taiwan! Can’t wait to try the shaved ice to see if they are like the ones we had in Taiwan! (:

So what are the kind of asian dessert you enjoy? Would love to know if you have a favourite place in Melbourne to have them so I could pop them in my “to-go” list! 

Spicy Chicken Bulgogi

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It’s winter and I don’t know about you, but I always crave for something spicy or soupy during this time of the year. I have to admit. Winter is my least favourite season of the year. Gloomy, wet and freezing! All I want to do is hide under my blankets and hibernate! Definitely can’t wait till it is over. But for now, winter warmers are a must!

If you’ve been reading my blog (and thank you for you constant support!), you know that I’ve been obsessing about the korean cuisine. When I do go to a korean restaurant, I would find myself looking at either the hotpot or hotplate page of the menu and I would end up ordering bulgogi. A hot favourite is beef bulgogi of course. But I also enjoy the spicy version of bulgogi. Don’t you? I’ve had really good spicy chicken hot plate at 7&7 in Carnegie and tonight, I was just craving for some! So I decided to make it for dinner!

Matched with a variety of mixed vegetables – it’s my version of a perfect and balanced meal. You have your carbs, protein and fiber all in one dish. Plus the heat from the dish just brings comfort to our tummies. Definitely a win-win! Have to thank Bee from Rasa Malaysia for her recipe for bulgogi. It’s delicious! (: Thank you for helping me satisfy a craving!

 Spicy Chicken Bulgogi (Adapted from Rasa Malaysia)

Ingredients : 

2 skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips

1/2 leek, thinly sliced

1/2 carrot, thinkly sliced

1/4 chinese cabbage, cut into strips

100g enoki mushrooms

4-5 spring onion, cut into large pieces

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs water

ground white pepper to season

For the marinade : 

3 tbs Korean red chilli pepper paste (gochujang)*

1 tbs Korean red chilli pepper powder (gochugaru)*

2 tbs light soy sauce

2 tbs mirin

1 tbs sugar

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tbs mince garlic

1 tbs grated ginger

pinch of ground black pepper

Steps : 

1) Mix all the ingredients in the marinade and add the chicken strips. Mix well and allow the chicken to marinade for at least 30 mins to an hour.

2) Heat a deep frying pan on medium-high heat and add 1 tbs of olive oil. Add the leek and carrot and fry till soft. Add the cabbage and enoki mushrooms and fry until the vegetable is cooked. Season with ground white pepper. Place in the serving bowl and set aside.

3) Add the other tablespoon of olive oil into the pan and fry the chicken till cooked. Add water and all0w the chicken to simmer for 5-10 mins. Add the spring onion and fry for another 3 mins.

4) Serve the chicken on top of the vegetables. Have it with korean rice and ENJOY! (:

Definitely spicy enough to warm up our tummies tonight. The Mr was very happy (: This recipe is a keeper and perfect winter warmer. Do give it a try and let me know what you think!

So dear readers, what do you order when you’re at a korean restaurant? Would love to know!

* Note : You can get the red chilli pepper paste and powder from most asian supermarkets. I got mine from KFL at Springvale. If you have a korean supermarket near you, ever better! (: 

Private Dining Room With Manu Feildel

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I’ve always been pampered by the Mr. He is the person who know what would make me happy and he got me the perfect birthday present. My birthday was spent in New Zealand with the family and that itself was awesome. That night, he passed me his phone and ask me to take a look. I didn’t know what he was trying to do, but seeing his smile, I knew it was definitely something good. (: And boy was I right!

The Private Dining Room with Manu Feildel at the MElbourne Good Food & Wine Show! (: I was smiling non-stop as I am a big fan of Manu especially after watching MKR. There something about his French accent that makes you smile. haha And him saying “Bon Appetit!”

It was just a small group of us and we were waiting outside these big black curtains. The wait staff come out with glasses of champagne and I have to say, that was a perfect start to an awesome meal. (:

To my Mr : Thank you so much for this absolutely amazing generous and thoughtful gift! I couldn’t ask for more. I’m truly blessed to have you in my life (: I love you!

Isn’t this the prettiest table setting you’ve seen? Incredible.

Before every meal, a representative from Dan Murphy’s would explain the wine that would go perfectly with each of our courses. I have to say, his role wasn’t small as well. We were all there for the food, but it’s really important to have good wine to go with the yummy food. So kuddos to him for his recommendations!

The yummy menu for the afternoon! Was my first time having chilled soup! Have to admit, I was a bit hesitant when I saw the menu, but I had no doubt it would be delicious.

Chilled pea soup with crab salad & black olive oil. Really delicate flavours and surprisingly being not a fan of peas, I really liked the taste! Was really refreshing as well. Made me want to just pick the bowl of soup up and slurp it rudely. haha But of course, I resisted. Best thing about it? You could have them with prawn instead of crab or in Manu’s words “Lobster if you’re feeling rich!” hehe He was humorous the whole time, was great to know how friendly he is with everyone (:

 Roast duck with spiced honey glaze. There just something about the combination of sweet and savoury in a dish. The caramelised skin of the duck and the caramelised carrots were just delicious! Though I preferred the fats on my skin a bit more rendered. But it was still delicious! Like MKR and the emphasis with the sauce, there were some guests that asked for more and Manu came around personally with the pot of yumminess and poured more on every plate. NOMS!

Chocolate and hazelnut mousse. Decadence in a glass. Pure indulgence. It was a really rice dessert, and the mr had to finish 1/3 of mine for me. But it was so good, really good. Every mouthful just felt like I had a mouthful of nutella. Smooth and creamy! But what topped the afternoon off was….

I was star struck and VERY happy! haha Was actually more in a shock but in a good kind of way (:

Thank you for the wonderful meal, Manu, and thank you again my dear husband for this awesome awesome birthday gift ! I think it’s gonna be difficult to beat for next year. hehe 😛

Certified Yummly!

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This absolutely made my day and what’s better than to get exciting news on a Friday nonetheless! My blog has been certified Yummly! What an honour! I couldn’t stop smiling when I got an email from Shelley from Yummly saying that my Apricot Cream Cheese Cupcakes has been picked to be featured on their blog!

So I am a certified Yummly now! Whoopeedoo! hehe Couldn’t be happier! Do head over to the Yummly’s post on 10 Sweet and Summery Apricot Desserts to look at the other yummy apricot recipes that were featured! I’ve already bookmarked a few that I would love to try making!

Thank you again Yummly for featuring my post! Feel really motivated and encouraged to experiment more in the kitchen and share with everyone! (: