New Found Gem : Kang Na Roo Korean Restaurant

12 Comments

I have something to confess : I’m a convert! Let me explain. I use to think that my favourite cuisine is Japanese food. Don’t get me wrong. I still love my sashimi and sushi. But of late, I’ve realised that I would actually rather have korean when given the choice! Just something about hot plates and hot pots that I am craving for all the time. (: And I have to admit, we’ve been a bit korean crazy lately. haha

We chanced up this small little restaurant when we were furnishing our new place and needed to get some materials. Traveling up and down to Bunnings Warehouse at Clayton and saw this restaurant, at the corner opposite Clayton train station, was still buzzing with patrons at 9pm on a weekday night! So we both decided it was a place we have to check this place out.

Of course, we decided to pop up on a Friday night at 7pm. PEAK HOUR ALERT! And waited, willingly and excitedly, for half an hour to get our seats. Standing at the doors was pure torture, only because we had to withstand the cold winds that was coming through the doors whenever customers were going in and out, and also smell the aromas from the food in front of us (and salivating non-stop because of it!). The restaurant was really cosy and everyone working there were koreans. We were excited, cause we knew we were going to get some authentic korean food.

Kang Na Roo

Address : 309-315 Clayton Road, Clayton Vic 3168

Tel : 03 95432842

I dunno about you, but I absolutely adore the small dishes that come just before the food comes. The top of my favourite list is the caramelised sweet potato! I could just have that all night, although my waist wouldn’t be too pleased about that. haha

We flipped through the menu and this hot pot dish caught our attention : Gamja Tang. It’s mild pork bone marrow stew with vegetables and potatoes. It was just the right amount of spice that we needed to warm our tummies up for the start of winter. The Mr was just happily slurping on the marrow and we finished everything in that pot.

What was special about this particular hotpot is that you could order a serve of special rice with vegetables that will come after you have finished 95% of the soup in the pot. Then one of the wait staff came to mix the rice into the hotpot and fry it on the spot! The Mr and I were just smiling non-stop cause we were so amused!

It looked simple but it tasted A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! With the flavours of the stew, it was a home run for us!

This, dear readers, was no ordinary fried chicken. It’s drizzled with a sweet chilli sauce that intrigues us. It’s almost like malt –  it’s super duper thick and sticky but not overly sweet when you taste it! We just couldn’t stop eating it even though our stomachs were starting to feel stuffed! The addition of peanuts and pine nuts just adds a bite to the dish. Just describing it now is making me hungry even though I just had dinner. haha

We could not be happier when we were done with our meal that night. Both the Mr and I had the widest smiles and the happiest bellies (: Definitely a place we will visit regularly from now, seeing that it’s about 5 mins drive away from our new place! (: And do know that you could call and book a table in advance so you won’t have to wait too long for a table!

So are you a japanese or korean food lover? Or are you a convert like me? Would love to know!

Miss Polly

15 Comments

Sorry for my long absence in posts as the past month! It has been a really tiring but exciting time for both the mr and I and I do hope for your kind understanding and thank you for your continuous support of Food Made With Love! (:

You see, the mr and I bought our first place and been crazy busy with the packing-moving-unpacking-and-decorating process! Plus we had no internet for the first 3 weeks after moving in, but now that the internet is up, I am back and here to stay!

This is a photo of our dining and living room. (: Loving our sofa from Freedom! hehe But this post would be dedicated to food, after being MIA for so long! haha But I promise to share more photos of the new place in the post to come!

Miss Polly

Add : 26 Britannia Mall, Mitcham Vic 3132

Tel : 03 98738246

I’ve always considered myself very lucky cause I have a family who care and love me unconditionally and a husband who loves me and loves to give me surprises! (: He came home one Saturday from training his clients and told me to get dress cause he’s bringing me to brunch! When I asked where brunch was going to be, he refused to tell me and replied simply, “secret!” haha. Weekends (especially long ones) couldn’t get any better just spending time with him and enjoying what we love – FOOD!

Miss Polly is a small and cosy cafe tucked in a small lane in Mitcham. It’s apparently opposite what used to be Coles a few years back! I kinda overheard the conversation the owner was having with another couple the table next to us. haha. Their mother used to go to that Coles! Love a place with rich history (: Makes the place more unique!

I was super happy that the mr brought me here. I was crazy jealous when he went there on his own after sending his car in for a service. I saw his pictures on instagram and it was on my “to-go” list (which by the way is ever growing! haha). Lucky us took the last table available besides the communal table! Plus, everyone at the cafe was really friendly and nice! Straight away we ordered our choice of hot drinks, as it was super cold that morning!

Our drinks are pretty standard for brunch : chai soy latte for me, and a large cafe latte for the mr. It was my first time seeing a large latte served in a tall glass! And what’s better? They use the beans from Proud Mary! The Mr’s favourite coffee. hehe it was a win-win!

Thank you for surprising me with brunch ! (:

When I skimmed through the menu, the one thing that caught my eyes was the dish with corn fritters! Ever since I had corn fritters at Replete Providore, it’s something that I crave for brunch constantly! So when I saw it, I just had to order it. It’s called Something Salmon! What a cute name aye? It has alternate layers of corn fritters, smoked salmon and spinach leaves topped with a poached egg and delicious tangy tomato relish! How pretty does it look? It tasted as delicious!

Of course, I couldn’t finish it haha (nothing new there!) and the mr had to, once again, clean the plate up for me! hehe Even after having his order of Polly Big Breakfast! The breakfast platter includes scrambled eggs, spinach, mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes, chorizo, a slice of bread and a side of tomato relish!

Loved how their scrambled eggs were still a little runny! The magical part of the dish was definitely the chorizos and the tomato relish. Really adds depth and flavour and also puts a smile on the mr’s face! hehe

Miss Polly is definitely a cafe we would frequent from now on. Good food, goof company and good service. It’s like a trio-winner-factor! Although it’s not exactly close to where we now live, but it’s near Box Hill, which means we can have brunch and then do marketing! hehe Well, distance will never be a barrier to us having our brunch! Don’t you agree? (:

So what do you like to order when you go for brunch? Would love to know your choices! Happy mid week everyone! Just 2 more days till the weekend again!

{NZ} My Kitchen Part 2

8 Comments

Remember my post on My Kitchen that had all the vegetarian Taiwanese food? This amazing place is also known for their meat-y delicacies and they are also equally mouth-watering! I’m sure if you’ve been to Taiwan, you know will know that they are well known for starters (小吃).

Pig’s ear! It’s stewed till the outside is really tender and the middle is really crunchy! It’s the fav of my parents and my hubs! It’s something you either like it or hate it I suppose. But in my family, we love it! hehe Mum said my grandma use to cook this but she doesn’t anymore. That explains why my dad loves it so much! hehe

Pan fried dumplings! I do love my dumplings. With lots and lots of vinegar! (: This came after our main for some reason and we were SO STUFFED. but still finished them all. haha

I ordered minced pork rice (卤肉饭)! I absolutely loved it! Worth every penny too! Just $4.95 for this small but mighty bowl of yumminess!

The hubs ordered the deep dried chicken cutlet. It was really crispy and was really well seasoned. It brought us back to Taiwan when we had the deep fried xxx-large chicken cutlet at the road side. This definitely came pretty close!

Mummy ordered braised pig trotters! Just looking at the photo makes me miss my grandma’s pig trotters even more! But these were really good too. Not too salty and the trotters were really tender, and the gravy. I could just have the gravy and rice to be honest. Think I might make some soon. haha

Dad had the dry noodles with mince. This sound and look ordinary but with the addition of the mince (similar to the rice) it was delicious. Could do more of the sauce though, cause it turned out a bit dry. The crunch of the zucchini was genious though. Added a bit of freshness with every mouthful! (:

The portions are really huge and we obviously didn’t learn from our first visit here and share our mains. haha Got too excited and just wanted to try everything on the menu! hehe Definitely a place you should try when you’re around the area!

Cooking in NZ : Courgette Polpette

10 Comments

As a way to say thank you to my uncle, auntie and cousins for their kind and awesome hospitality. The hubs and I decided to cook dinner for everyone. There were 11 of us that night and needless-to-say I was quite worried with how the menu would turn out. Mum was super worried that there won’t be enough food. But of course, there was always WAY too much!

We were quite daring to try one of the recipes that we saw on a cooking show at Paihia a couple of days before the scheduled dinner – courgette polpette. Simply put, cheesy courgette balls! haha As funny as that sounds, it tasted surprisingly good!

               It wasn’t heavy even though there was quite a bit of cheese added, I didn’t cook the courgettes till they were overly tender, I preferred mine with a bit of crunch! But might actually be easier to roll and combine them when they are softer. haha. Personal preference! (:

Courgette polpette (adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in River Cottage Everyday)

2 tbs olive oil

3 medium courgettes, finely diced into cubes

1 egg, beaten

2 tbs grated cheddar

1/2 ball buffalo mozzarella, diced

50g breadcrumbs

1 tbs chopped parsley

Ground black pepper, to taste

Steps :

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the courgettes for about 10 minutes, until tender and golden. Set aside to cool it a little.

3. Combine with all the other ingredients to make a thick, sticky mixture. Season with black pepper.

4. Take a heap teaspoon of the mixture and roll them into balls. Place on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 mins or until it starts to brown. Serve them warm or cold. With bread or with salad. ENJOY!

ps : it’s vegetarian-friendly too! (:

The Good Loaf Sourdough Cafe

19 Comments

I love roadtrips. I don’t know bout you, but I ALWAYS look forward to going on one. Regardless on how far or near they are. When my parents were here, they decided to head to Bendigo, since it’s different from the usual Great Ocean Road or Mornington Peninsula we usually go to when they are here. I was super pumped!

It was a really great day for a roadtrip. The sun was shining brightly and there wasn’t a single sign that it might rain at all. The 2 hour drive was really smooth (and straight!) The mr had alot of fun driving there. His first roadtrip drive since he passed his driving!

We made sure we left my place in time to try out The Good Loaf Sourdough Cafe in the city of Bendigo! It was showing on a program in Singapore, and was one of the places on the “have-to-go” list. haha

The Good Loaf Sourdough Cafe

Add : 404 Hargreaves Street  Bendigo VIC 3550

Tel : (03) 5444 2171

And we made it just in time! They open till 3pm on Saturdays and close Sundays! So remember to make your way down to Bendigo a little earlier cause this place sells the most amazing freshly baked bread! They sit nicely in a corner and is not like the older squarish buildings, but round! (:

We saw all the bread that was displayed and couldn’t resist buying them. We bought pumpkin sourdough bread as well as the raisin and walnut loaf! Amazing when warmed up and with some butter. NOMS!

So so true! I found this quote in the toilet. haha But I totally agree! Who could resist freshly baked bread? I definitely can’t! The Good Loaf serves amazing breakfast/brunch too! There are quite a number of choices to choose from and also a Saturday special : French Toast with caramelised bananas and vanilla mascarpone. Let me tell you, the special is SO GOOD.

Yes I know it looks sinful. But after a 2 hour drive and working at for the past 5 days, you should reward yourself with this sweet treat! Worth all the calories. haha (: Besides, you don’t have this everyday do you? hehe

We also ordered their bacon and tomato frittata with a side of salad and it was so good. They made bacon cups and had a whole egg in the middle. It was like a kid eating Kinder Surprise and finding a toy in the middle; I was beaming when I cut into it and found a whole egg! hehe Their salad was really yummy! It had a combination of barley, red quinoa, walnuts, capsicum, avocado, raisins and rocket leaves! So gonna try making this at home. hehe Yummy and healthy. Best combination!

Even though this looks like a normal sandwich, this bacon, egg and homemade pesto sandwich was delish! The adding of pesto was just genius! Brought this sandwich to a whole new level of yums!

The Mr picked the savoury muffin and it was delicious! Really different form the usual sweet muffins we have. Having it is making me want to bake my Broccoli and Cheese muffins! mmm!

Butter just goes well with everything aye? (:

This is something that caught my eye the moment I looked on the menu board. Indian baked beans! A slight tinge of curry powder and chilli with a dollop of yogurt! Something different but in a good way! Not the usual tomato based baked beans. We all really enjoyed it!

I love love love how they serve their milk in an old school milk bottle! (: Mum loves her long black with warm milk. She said if the milk is not warm, then her coffee would not be as hot anymore! haha

Of course, I had my chai soy latter and it came with a packet of honey! I have to say I’m very reliant on my chai latter. It’s one of my morning essentials. (:

So if you’re a bread lover like me, it’s definitely worth the roadtrip down to Bendigo and try their breads! (: You and your bellies will not regret it! You have my word!

{NZ} Puhoi Cottage Tea Rooms

10 Comments

Puhoi Cottage Tea Rooms

50 Ahuroa Road, Puhoi

Tel : 09 422 0604

Web : http://www.puhoicottage.co.nz/

I love traditional tea rooms. Those that have been there for a very long time, with really rich history and recipes that have been around for ages. I absolutely adore such places. The Puhoi Cottage Tea Rooms is one such place! It has been around for 40 years and is one of the oldest tea rooms in New Zealand! Highly recommended for their lovely scones, I just couldn’t wait to try them!

When we got there it was a cute little cottage with both seats inside and outside. With the sun shining above us, we just had to sit outside to enjoy the heat and greens.

There were even chickens running around us. Cheers to animals in the wild! (:

When we arrived, we were greeted by the owner, David, who was strumming jazz and blues on his guitar and singing for his guests! They had a whole range of different homemade cakes and savouries and hot drinks to go along. The devonshire tea/coffee set came with one large scone and a hot drink. Scones along are $5 each. May seem a little much for a scone, but you will understand why when you see the size of them!

We were warned! hehe Knowing how big the scones would be, we ordered 3 sets of scones and a serve of carrot cake for the 6 of us! (:

How glorious do those scones look? They were fresh from the oven, and served with freshly whipped cream and beautiful jam. The scones were so huge that they took up more then 1/3 of the tray! My face just instantly lit up when the tray arrived.

A mouthful of yumminess!

Beautiful carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. You could really taste the cinnamon in this cake and absolutely loved it! Was slightly moist which is how I love my cakes. hehe Gorgeous!

We had an absolutely amazing time and we were so full when leaving the tea room. (: Happy bellies, definitely!

{NZ} My Kitchen Part 1 : Vegetarian

7 Comments

I don’t know about you, but Taiwanese food has always been a favourite in my family. There was a period of time we went to Taiwan at least once a year. And when we are there, we would always eat till our hearts content! Especially the street food that you can get at the night markets. Simply delicious!

After days of western food, I think we were craving for something asian so my cousins brought us to My Kitchen! The good thing about Taiwan restaurants/cafes is that they cater to vegetarians as well. Which was awesome! We ate so much, we were stuffed by the time we were done with our starters. haha But the food was too good to not finish (of course the mr had to finish half of my food for me haha).

i was never a big fan of century eggs. I use to only like them in my porridge when I have dim sum. But I tried a dish a while back with toufu and a century egg sauce and totally loved it! When my cousins ordered this, I couldn’t be more pleased! It was delicious! I wanted more!

Thai style deep fried toufu! This was super yummy too! Just didn’t know whether it fits the Taiwan street food theme. I guess smelly toufu would fit more, but thank goodness they didn’t order it! haha Nonetheless, the toufu was super crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Went perfectly with the sweet and spicy sauce!

This was a childhood favourite of mine. Fried mantous with condense milk! No one at the table tried it before. I was so super excited when they placed this on the table. I was practically grinning! haha They seriously compliment each other. If you haven’t tried this, PLEASE DO! Hot and crispy man tou with sweet condense milk.

mmm. just thinking and looking at it makes me salivate!

It’s vegetarian braised mince pork rice (素卤肉饭) ! It was so so good! And only $4.90NZD! Delicious (:

This is my braised mock beef noodles (红烧牛肉面) and the soup was really herbal and perfect for a cold day. The noodles were endless and of course the mr had to finish it for me. haha

 Mummy’s mince mock pork noodles! This was a little ordinary compared to the rest. Loved the addition of fresh cucumber and carrots though!

The Mr ordered the pork chop set which came with braised mince pork rice and three side dishes. Doesn’t that pork chop look amazingly similar to the real ones we usually have? So so amazing!

The portion sizes were all really huge here so if you want to try more dishes, I suggest sharing the mains instead! Unless you’re a big eater or have someone who would finish up everything, like me! haha Stay tuned for the non-vegetarian meal we had at this place next! (:

Baking In New Zealand : Baklava

6 Comments

Sorry for the lack of posts the past 2 weeks. I just got back from a holiday in New Zealand (: So I am all refreshed and ready to keep the blog going! It was a fantastic trip; spending time with family and eating absolutely delicious food! I couldn’t believe 11 days went by in a jiffy. Time always seems to fly when we are having fun. Will definitely head back for another holiday in time to come!

We were so fortunate that we have family living in Auckland so we were able to live in their beautiful place for the 11 days. Just feel so calm and serene. Love their place! It’s really amazing to wake up to this view everyday.

When I first stepped into the house, there was just one word in my mind : WOW! The one room that I absolutely loved was the kitchen. The oven to be more specific!

Doesn’t it look gorgeous? It’s my dream stove/oven! (:

My cousin had a get together with his friends and he was in-charge of desserts so he asked me to teach him to make a Mediterranean dessert and the first thing that popped into my mind was baklava! It was quite brave of me to suggest that as I have never ever made it before. It was just always on my “to-bake” list! Thankfully, it turned out delicious and his friends liked it. *phew*

Nothing beats the combination of butter, nuts and sugar in between layers of crispy pastry. I remember when I use to live in Brunswick, we were able to buy really delicious baklava. Till this day, I would crave for one and have the urge to drive there to get it!

Making baklava was a team effort though. Needed someone to be in-charged of brushing the layers of filo pastry with melted butter, and other to place the layers of the filo perfectly in-line with the rest, another person scattering the nut and sugar mixture. Just made the whole process really fun! Loved every second of it.

Definitely making this again. Soon 😀

Baklava (Adapted from Gourmet Traveller August 2009)

250g pistachios and cashews, finely chopped

50g caster sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

100g butter, melted

300g filo pastry

Lemon Honey Syrup

150g caster sugar

75g honey

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Steps :

1) Combine the nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, and set aside. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and line a tray with baking paper.

2) Layer one-third of the filo pastry in tray, brushing butter between each layer. Scatter evenly with half the nut mixture, then top with half the remaining pastry, brushing butter between each layer. Scatter over remaining nuts, top with remaining filo, brushing between each layer with butter. Refrigerate until firm (15 minutes), then cut through all pastry layers into 4cm diamonds with a sharp knife. Bake until golden and cooked through (about 30 mins). If needed, cover loosely with foil partway.

3) Meanwhile, for honey syrup, combine sugar, honey, lemon rind and 150ml water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low, simmer until infused (10-15 minutes). Remove from heat, stir through lemon juice and set aside to cool slightly.

4) Cool baklava slightly (2-3 minutes), pour over syrup evenly, set aside at room temperature to cool completely (overnight if possible). Baklava will keep in tray, covered, for 3-4 days. ENJOY!

My favourite way to have it is to pop it into the microwave for 10 secs and have it warm! How do you like to eat your baklava? (:

A Day of Two Brunches

3 Comments

Brunch has been a weekend affair ever since I can remember. The Mr and I would try to explore different cafes on Sundays after church, especially if they are highly recommended. On some Sundays though, we rather head back to a place we know we would definitely love and enjoy. In fact, we went to 2 of our favourite places within 2 hours. Thank goodness for close proximity!

Proud Mary

172 Oxford Street, Collingwood Vic 3066

First stop : Proud Mary ! This definitely isn’t our first time at Proud Mary. The Mr and I came here on a weekly basis before we got married. But due to work commitments, we are only able to come once or twice a month. Not a bad thing though. Cause it makes us miss it alot more, and crave for their delicious brunch! As usual the queue was all the way to the road outside the cafe, so we had to put our names down on a waiting list. We were told it would be a 30 mins wait. So we decided to make a small detour and headed to our second stop : Monsieur Truffe (MT for short) that was just a few streets down to get ourselves our chocolate croissant fix!

Monsieur Truffe

90 Smith Street, Collingwood Vic 3066

When you enter MT, you are hit with the loveliest smell of butter pastry and cocoa. They make their own chocolates and you can purchase their bars as well! What got my attention was the huge chocolate rooster standing proudly on top of a cabinet of baked goods. We ordered a chocolate croissant each and had to head back to Proud Mary to wait for our seats!

This is what a croissant should be. Layers and layers of pastry. Crispy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside. With the addition of chocolate, PERFECT. The Mr just can’t get enough! (:

So about the time we got back from MT, our names were called and we got to our seats! Lucky ducks we were!

If you’ve never been to Proud Mary and you are a coffee lover. I URGE you to make a trip down as soon as possible. I usually am not a coffee drinker (chai is definitely my choice of beverage), but when I am there, I have to order their latte or cappuccino. Definitely one of the best coffees we’ve had! The baristas are super quick with the orders and professional, might I add. Proud Mary has so many different ways of brewing their coffee, I get so amazed!

Of course, it’s not just the coffees that are good here. The food is to-die-for! I didn’t really need to look at the menu. I knew what I wanted even before we got here. haha The Hash!

The potato hash was just heavenly. Every single bite was just more delightful than the one before. The saltiness of the bacon, the crispy bacon and the soft and runny poached egg. The hash was nice and crispy on the outside, but the unique thing about their hash is that you can see every strand of it. It’s not mush like others. Perfectly seasoned. YUM!

The Mr ordered the smoked herring. It was a new dish on the menu so he wanted to give it a try. And also because he didn’t want to end up ordering the same thing as me (oops). He also ordered a side of bacon (super generous portion) just cause he wanted some!

It came with a chutney, fried egg, salad and toast! Was pretty yummy, but we did prefer the smoke salmon they use to have! That was really good. hehe

After the 2 meals, you can imagine how full we were. But we were definitely very happy we had brunch there. (: So have you tried Proud Mary before dear readers? What was your favourite dish?

Till next time, have a lovely Easter everyone! xx

Salted Vegetables Duck Soup (Giam Chai Ark)

3 Comments

I love soup! When I think of soup, one word comes to mind – comfort.

They are a definite must during the super cold and gloomy days. Soups are the one thing I think of when I feel physically drained and especially when I’m down with the flu. After 8 weeks of work, I think my body is begging me to take a break and to have a good rest. Thank goodness the holidays are here! (: Unfortunately, I caught a kid-bug from school and am down with the horrible flu. This fluctuating weather in Melbourne definitely is not helping. Super cold in the morning and cold at night.

Back home, every dinner included a bowl of soup. Even though it was never cold in Singapore, soup was a necessity to begin and/or  end the meal. The Mr is cantonese, so before starting his meal, he had to have a few sips of soup. As for me, I’m Hakka, and have our soup at the end of the meal. So as you can tell, soup is very important in our culture.

Grandma’s pig stomach soup! noms!

One of my favourite soups is pig stomach’s soup. My grandma would always cook a whole huge pot for me when I am back in Singapore. This and stewed pork knuckle. Just thinking about it makes me salivate! The other soup that makes the top of my list is salted vegetables duck soup! My mum would make this occasionally and I would happy slurp down 2 big bowls of it!

We had a craving for it and decided to buy a huge duck from Costco. So the Mr deboned the duck and cut the carcass into a few pieces. I reserved the duck breast for future use and used the rest of the duck. It was my first time cooking it, so I was a little uncertain about how it would turn out. But with chinese food, alot is about trail and error. So I did! haha Thank goodness, it turned out well and tasted quite close to the one mum makes! yippee!

Salted Vegetables Duck Soup (An Original Recipe by Food Made With Love)

1 duck, deboned and cut into pieces (I kept the duck breast)

2 tomatoes, quatered

5 cloves garlic, chopped

6 dried shitake mushroom, rinsed and soaked (reserve the water)

1 can button mushroom (or any other mushroom you want)

1 packet of salted mustard greens*, soak in water for 30 mins and cut into big pieces

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 tbs shaoxing wine

1 tbs light soy sauce

1 tsp ground white pepper

1.5L water

Steps :

1) Heat a big soup pot over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Fry the garlic till fragrant. Careful not to burn the garlic or the soup will have a bitter taste.

2) Add the duck and fry till the skin is nice and brown, add the shaoxing wine and the water. Allow it to come to a boil. Skim the foam off the top to make sure the stock remains clear. Once the foam is skimmed off, add the tomatoes and the salted mustard greens. Cover the pot with the lid and simmer over low heat for 30mins.

3) Add the soaked shitake mushrooms and the water. Add the light soy sauce and pepper, adjust according to your preference. Add the canned button mushrooms and simmer the soup for another hour or more. Check every now and then to make sure the soup is not over-reduced.

4) Serve with steamed rice or quinoa and ENJOY! (:

Note :

* Salted green mustard can be bought at any asian supermarkets. Remember to soak it for at least 30mins as it might be a bit too salty. Do also note that there is a sour version of this. The packaging looks similar, so read it to make sure its the salted one!

** You can also add some pork bones or chicken bones to add more flavour to the soup! If you do, you can just use half a duck and keep the other half for something else (: