Two(?) More Days Before We Meet...

Dear Em

I just want to create this post for posterity, so I remember how I felt like in the days leading up to your birth. You see, your arrival will be extra special because you are going to be my first-born. And I want to remember this moment because as they say, once you have kids, life will never be the same again and everything changes.

In less than 24hours, your dad and I will be making our way down to the hospital to kickstart the birthing process. In fancy medical terms, I will be induced into labour and hopefully by late Friday or early Saturday, we will get to meet each other for the first time.

The third and last trimester of pregnancy has been tough on both me and daddy but it was not all bad. Your antics were a constant source of amusement to us. As you got bigger and more sensitive to your surroundings, you constantly reacted to our voices (especially daddy's) and even the sounds from the TV as we relaxed together nightly after dinner. You were and are a part of many daily conversations between us as we wondered about what you were doing inside me and how you would be like as a baby/girl/woman.

The last week or so, my sleep has been unusually peaceful compared to most of the last trimester, it feels like you are preparing me for your arrival by letting me (and therefore daddy) sleep well because once you arrive, we will have to get used to sleepless nights again!

That's you, inside my super stretched out tummy (9 months pregnant!)

Since Monday, when we thought we were going to end up with a C-section to get you out (long story for a future post), dad and I have been making an effort to spend more couple time together. We are looking forward to having you but we also realise that it is important to us as a couple to do and say lovey dovey things to each other that you will probably be grossed out to witness as you get older.

So, that means lots of late nights, random driving trips ending up with supper......cuddly moments everywhere and quiet times like reading together.

Today, as I write this post, the weather is cloudy, cool and calm. The streets are especially quiet (because its New Year's Day and everyone is chilling out at home) and your dad is in the office frantically trying to get more work done so that he can focus on your arrival. I have also been busy trying to get the house clean and in order so....yup so that I can focus on your arrival too. Grandma and grandpa are super excited to see you this weekend so I bet they must also be going through their first day of 2014 with thoughts of you.

We started the day with mass in church to thank God for 2013 and pray for His continued blessings in the coming year. We especially asked Him to continue to take care of you and grant us a safe and peaceful birth. As always, I pray that you always feel His presence in your life, from the moment you were concieved till the end, in what I hope will be a long long time to come.

Had a huge lunch at Samy's Curry....dad and I have a cunning wish to induce labour naturally on our own (to save the time and money of getting the hospital to do it) and it seems spicy food does the trick! Had my first ride in the MCE today. In the days before your birth, ECP and AYE were linked as one long highway and MCE did not exist. Not that this is a particularly important fact, just a random thought that I am adding into this post.

I wonder how tonight will be like. Contrary to what I thought I don't think we will be too pumped up to sleep. We have grown into the idea of being parents to you and shall be snoozing deeply to get enough rest for the exciting times ahead. I am remembering and appreciating the silence and stillness in this house as I sit here......and welcoming the sounds of laughter and girlish tantrums that will soon come from you.

So, hang tight little one, tomorrow we start on a new adventure. Rest well tonight too, you will need lots of energy and focus for your Birth Day. 

Love you, always and forever,

MOM!

And It All Becomes More Real.....

Creamy Congee In Thermal Pot

So I have been saying I want to learn how to make the best congee for the longest time. Think thick, savoury, Cantonese restaurant worthy stuff. Problem was that I was a) lazy to start figuring it out since such things require trial and error and b) not really craving for congee enough to try.

Anyway about 2 weeks ago I finally decided to get down to making that pot of congee. First, I scoured YouTube and Google to try and figure out the basics of congee making. Then I read as many recipes as I could online. There were so many methods, some people even blended the uncooked rice grains in a food processor to maximise the starch content of the congee and shorten the stirring time.

Finally, I came up with my own recipe that suited me best. Namely, something that was tasty and thick but which required as little effort and time as possible to make. Also, it could be made using a thermal pot which will allow me to leave the congee to cook while I went about my daily business. I certainly did not want to spend my day slaving over a hot stove stirring congee ala the traditional method.

Guess what, I am proud to say that my first time making congee was a roaring success! Yes I unabashedly claim that because every last bit was slurped up at the dinner table to appreciative sounds of happiness. So here goes, my recipe for Cantonese style congee made in a thermal pot. Its super easy and idiot-proof.

Chicken Congee 
(makes about 3 portions)

1. 3/4 cup Calrose rice 

I use Calrose but any short-grain rice will do. This is important, short grain rice breaks down easily. More starch = More gooey, silky goodness

2. 2 cups chicken stock + approx 3 cups water

I always have homemade chicken stock stored away in the freezer for occasions like this but feel free to use store bought stock. I just find the store stuff abit too intense in flavour for my liking so I don't really like to use it anymore.

3. 2 chicken drumsticks, deboned and meat chopped up into bite-sized pieces. Save the bones.

4. A generous knob of ginger, almost thumb sized, chopped into thin slices

5. 3 dried scallops, soaked in hot water and peeled into strips. Save the liquid that you soaked the scallops in.

Method:

- Wash and rinse rice in thermal pot
- Drizzle some cooking oil and about 1tsp of salt and proceed to coat rice grains with mixture. This is supposed to aid in making your congee silky and smooth.
- Then add chicken stock and water so that the height of the liquid is approx 3x the height of the rice. Adjust qty of water accordingly to reach this.

- Start to boil the mixture on the stove, let it reach a vigorous boil

- Stir occasionally so the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot, let it boil vigorously for about 5mins.

- Add chicken, chicken bones, ginger slices, dried scallops and the liquid that you saved

- Boil vigorously again, stirring occasionally for another 5mins.

- Switch off the stove, cover the pot and transfer to outer pot. 

- Go about your daily life, you can leave it in there till you are ready to serve the congee but min time needed for cooking is an hr. I usually leave it in there for abt 2-3hrs.

When ready to serve,

- Remove inner pot and place on stove again. Do not panic when you see that ALL the liquid has been soaked up and your congee looks like nothing but a moist glob of rice.

- Add enough water to reach just above the height of the rice glob and switch on your  stove. Start stirring continously.

- Now, its just a matter of adding enough water to reach your desired thickness. I love my congee thick so I don't add much but its all a matter of personal preference.

- Keep stirring so the congee at the bottom of the pot does not burn.

- Discard chicken bones (I prefer to keep them aside to chew on) and serve with garnishing of choice. Mine was spring onions and fried shallots.

** This tastes tons better when you keep it to the next day. Haha....just saying...

A Trio Of Grilled Peppers

Getting ready for grill!

I'd always wanted to make my own grilled peppers. Before I got pregnant, we used to have salads every night and I'd often think of how great it would be if I had some grilled peppers to throw in my salad. However, I was never able to bring myself to buy those in the supermarkets because they are soooo overpriced!

I knew they were easy to make but I guess laziness got the better of me till recently. I've been making my own grilled peppers since this first attempt and never looked back! This version comes steeped in a balsamic vinaigrette mixture which is why I love it so much. The bite from the balsamic vinegar and garlic dressing really complements the sweetness of the peppers and I just can't get enough!

*On hindsight I should not have chosen the green pepper, it didn't have much juice in it and ended up just being super dry and not fun to peel at all.

How To Make Your Own Grilled Peppers 

Keep these in the fridge and they
are ready to serve whenever
you want them!

  1. Grill peppers in oven at 250 deg C for about 30mins or

      until skin is black and charred

  2. Place peppers in a bowl and clingwrap it, wait till it is  

      cool enough to handle with  your hands

  3. Carefully peel back all the blackened skin and discard

  4. Chop them up whichever way you like it, I did mine 

      lengthwise

  5. Prepare equal parts mixture of balsamic vinegar and 

      olive oil (or according to your own taste). I used 

      approximately 5 tablespoons of each, that was roughly 

      enough for me to fill up my glass bottle after adding 

      the peppers in.

  6. Add salt to taste and chop up about 1-2 cloves of 

     garlic, throw them into the mixture

  7. Toss peppers in mixture, making sure they are well 

     coated

  8. Pop everything into a glass container and keep 

      refrigerated.

Butter Rolls

I love butter and although I am not a major fan of bread, I make an exception for soft fluffy rolls. So, I couldn't resist the urge to try my hand at making Butter Rolls some time back when I happened to see the recipe online.

These bread rolls with a butter pocket in the middle and topped with a yummy butter glaze did not require much fuss and were both cheap and easy to make! They turned out better than I expected. I fretted a little about them not rising but they did rise beautifully and you can check them out the photos below.

Butter and sugar mixture
Dough balls ready to be
shaped and filled

Just before applying glaze and rising

Puffing up beautifully after leaving the rolls in a warm oven for half an hour

Voila! Butter Rolls!

Would you buy a ridiculous item like this?

I WOULD!

Scenery I Miss from our Holiday

The sky as wide as the universe and the sea as blue as ink
Scottish Highlands (Gairloch)

Romantic landscapes nothing short of the kind 

I used to imagine about when 

I had my nose in a novel

Top: Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness, Scotland

Right: Driving around the great lakes in Scotland

Lazy, furry sheep
Near Red Point, Scotland

Going nowhere in particular
Cotswolds, Britain

The countryside
Cotswolds, Britain

Nippon Fever: Hokkaido Cakes

I love Japanese food and in several aspects, the Japanese culture as well. Nevermind that J-Fever has come and gone and K-fever, Face Shop and Gangnam style has invaded our shores. I still cling to Nippon Land for a ton of great holiday memories and greater food. 

View from our room at the Ryokan in Otaru-chikko (2008)

So, in tribute to the land of complicated origami pieces that I constantly YouTube about but never quite accomplish, I baked Hokkaido Cakes yesterday. It's fairly simple to make, I think once you have tried the Japanese Cotton Cheesecake or any Chiffon Cake, this one is nothing to sweat about.

Still, I was fairly nervous about whipping the cream. In the past, whipping cream has been a hit and miss  for me. Tragic thing is once over-whipped, the cream separates and you get a clumpy mess that you want to fling against the wall. This time, I refrigerated my mixing bowl and whisk beforehand and went about it in a calm and collected manner. I think calm and collected was the key for me, not so much the refrigeration. I just needed STOP worrying so that I will not suddenly sprout ten meddlesome thumbs. Anyway it turned out perfect, I did not panic unnecessarily and under-whip, or over-whip. It was just right.

Phew! That was alot of whining about cream. Anyway, Tada! Hokkaido Cakes!

Playing Favourites: My Favourite Song

I thought for awhile before deciding what I was going to talk about next. My Favourite Memory came as an easy first choice since I often think back about that day, especially when I see sunsets. So, I thought of My Favourite Food. That sounds easy enough, everyone knows I am a foodie. However everyone also knows I love fried chicken. So, not much of a revelation there. I didn't really have a favourite drink and neither do I have a favourite dessert. Hmmm 

While organizing some CDs during the weekend, the idea came to do My Favourite Song. In fact I love this song so much, its a no brainer that this is my all-time favourite. I never tire of listening to it and I never tire of humming it. So spit it out, what is my favourite song you say? Its La Vie En Rose, the Louis Armstrong version. I've always loved Louis' gravelly voice. It's perfect for jazz and love songs and it makes me think of a time when men were gentlemen and women were ladies. Romance was a journey you took towards wooing the partner of your dreams and love was alot less complicated.

I first heard La Vie En Rose while watching Love Me If You Dare with a classmate when I was about 17 or 18. I was mesmerised by the tune and immediately declared in the theatre "I think I just found my wedding song!" Over the years, my taste in music fluctuated from wanting to be oh so cool alternative, angsty rock and mindless pop but I never forgot my first musical love, jazz and blues and of course, La Vie En Rose. 

I know this song is synonymous with Edith Piaf and I love Edith too. Who can forget her dramatic performance in Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien? It always brings tears to my eyes when I watch her belt out the last verses.

However, I prefer the slower tempo and gentler swing of Louis Armstrong's take. I also really like how the song first starts off with the trumpet, that really lets me soak in the music before the lyrics come in. 

So, click on the video for my favourite romantic lullaby, La Vie En Rose. Waltz along to the tune and keep the romance alive!

Tea To Beat The Heat

    So, its not a secret that the heat has been CRAZY lately. I've been complaining endlessly everyday about it. Dosen't matter if its rains because the next day, the craziness starts again. Oh......I know we live in Sunny Singapore but isn't this a tad OTT? 

In a feeble attempt to beat the heat and cool down our heaty bodies, I made some Chrysanthemum & Ginseng tea. Well, I said feeble attempt because it worked. For awhile. Until the sun came up and started to clog the crap out of my pores again.

Note: The photo on the left is not an ad for Ya Kun. My choice was purely based on the fact that this little cup and saucer is sooo cute. The truth is also that I have absolutely no use for such a mini-sized cup and saucer set except for taking photos with.

Cured Salmon Update

After 24 hours

Homemade Citrus Cured Salmon

Okay verdict on my citrus cured salmon experiment: Loves! Been having lots of this with salad or on toast, plus its so cheap to make compared to buying it in the supermarket. Next time, I will be more generous with the zest. Was a little more cautious here because I don't want my salmon to turn out like I soaked it in Mama Lemon overnight.

I'm so glad I decided to revisit making this again after my last two attempts. I've always loved salmon especially in the form of sashimi or cured or smoked. However I must confess that it has been disappointing the few times I bothered to order any salad or sandwich with smoked salmon in it. There was so little salmon that I might as well be eating plain bread, which everyone knows I am not fond of.

So, hoorah for this latest success. Who cares if cured salmon is sometimes regarded as the poor man's smoked salmon? I'll be making this again soon! Yummeh!

Cured Salmon

I have tried making my own cured salmon on two occasions before. The first time I used an Asian inspired recipe of soya sauce and spring onions. It didn't work out too well, the salmon was much too salty and the sauce only served to hide the flavour of the fish. The second time, I stuck to the traditional Gravlax recipe of sugar, salt and dill. It turned out great but I learnt that I was not a fan of dill.

I then abandoned my efforts till I came across this recipe from Martha Stewart. I tried making it yesterday and since the salmon is still curing, I don't have any photos of the finished product yet but that will be coming up real soon!

* Martha's recipe calls for lemon, orange and lime zest. I didn't have orange and lime at home so I used lemon and calamansi zest from my calamansi plant instead. The salt/sugar rub ended up smelling pretty good so I assume it went well. Fingers crossed.

Playing Favourites: My Favourite Memory

I love old movies. Roman Holiday is my favourite because the old-fashioned storyline gets me everytime and because when you watch the movie, you understand why Audrey Hepburn was born to be a star and why Gregory Peck is the ultimate gentleman. 

Yesterday, I watched The Sound of Music again (I can memorize the lyrics to almost all the songs in the movie) and inspired by Maria and her favourite things, I shall blog about one of my favourite things weekly for the month of October. Here's my first entry!

My Favourite Memory

When I was 22, my husband or boyfriend at that time brought me to Europe. It was the first time I ever travelled out of Asia and it was on this trip that I found one of the greatest loves of my life, travelling.

We were still in the beginning of our trip, at Santorini in Greece and were strolling around on our first afternoon on the island. I can't remember if we decided to follow a crowd but we soon found some people waiting by the water for the sunset. This was apparently touted to be the best sunset watching spot and everyone was eagerly waiting, camera in hand.

We could have waited there with the rest but knowing us, we snuck off onto somebody's rooftop and there in our own private space (or rather someone else's private space), I saw the most breathtaking sunset I ever saw in my life.

The magical moment

As the sun slowly dipped into the horizon of the sea, the waters became really still. For a moment, I could almost believe that I would be able to walk over the water on my tippy toes and touch the sun with my finger. It was that still and it was our magic moment. For when that moment passed, I knew that it was so special and that I would never be able to capture that again. I actually told myself to remember this moment and to remember how we felt, watching this magnificent sunset together. I also secretly thought that if we ended up together we would go looking for the best spots in the world for sunsets as magical as this one. We ended up together alright but we never went sunset hunting.  :)

I am not sure why the water went all still during the sunset, probably an optical illusion? But it seemed to me like it was holding its breath waiting for the sun to touch it. And that, is my all-time favourite memory, our first time to Europe together, our first sunset and the most beautiful moment of our entire holiday.

An Old Favourite

Hel-lo Chawanmushi!

Do you like eggs? I LOVE EGGS! When I was 16, I wrote an essay in school about how much I love eating eggs. I also once gave a 10 minute speech in class about how much I love eating instant noodles....but that is another story for another day.

Eggs, fried, poached, scrambled, steamed, half-boiled, hard-boiled, tossed with fried rice, all mushy in a good bowl of instant noodles.....yes I go eggy for them eggs!

Unfortunately, as age catches up, so does one's cholesterol level. So, with much reluctance, I have gradually cut down my intake of eggs. I know I could just eat the whites and skip all the bad cholesterol but what's the point? The yolk is the best part! 

On Monday, after a particularly tense afternoon, I decided that the only way to revitalize my sagging spirits was to make some familiar comfort food. I have quite a list of comfort foods but something told me that it was time to start cracking those eggs and make Chawanmushi!

I've made Chawanmushi many times and it never fails to induce happiness in both my husband and I as we spoon the eggy goodness in our mouths. Of course, the key to good Chawanmushi is that it must be savoury, silky and smooth. Most people add chicken slices or fishcake in theirs but I like mine plain. Normally I get too lazy to type out recipes but I shall make an exception and share this one!

I had to tear myself away from devouring my
Chawanmushi to take this photo

Chawanmushi Recipe

Makes 3-4 servings

- 3 eggs

- 1 can of chicken stock (You can omit this  for 300ml of water but try not to!)

- 1 tablespoon mirin

- 1 tablespoon light soya sauce

1. Crack 3 eggs in a large bowl and stir gently with a fork to mix them all up

2. Pour stock into egg mixture and add the mirin and soya sauce

3. Again, very gently, mix the entire thing up, the aim is to create as little bubbles as possible so that your Chawanmushi will be smooth.

4. Sieve mixture into Chawanmushi cups, discard all the globby bits that will not go through your sieve.

5. Cover cups with or if your cups don't come with covers, use aluminium foil

6. Steam for about 10mins and voila! Jelly, silky smooth Chawanmushi!

Kiwi Cupcakes

I started out last Friday wanting to make some fruit tarts but clever old me forgot to buy digestive crackers for the tart base so I decided to switch things around and make Kiwi cupcakes instead.

I made a plain Vanilla cupcake base and through some quick surfing on the net, got some ideas for a Kiwi cream cheese topping. To decorate my cupcake, I added a slice of Kiwi fruit on top.

Nothing like a yummy dessert, yeah baby, yeah!

Verdict: This is possibly one of the best cupcakes I ever made! The tangy Kiwi went really well with the cream cheese and the topping in turn went splendidly with the Vanilla cupcake. Mmmmmmmm..........the cupcake was a big hit at our gathering and we all went home with our sweet tooth satiated. As always i wish I decorated it abit better but I have never been a skilled decorator to start with, maybe because by the time I reach this point, I just want to sink my teeth into the goodies!

Ok....I also confess that at this crucial moment, I am also busy dipping my fingers in the topping and finding extra kiwi slices to mop up that Kiwi cream cheese......more! more! more!!!

French Loaves

Freshly Baked!

Two weekends ago, I decided to make my own French loaves to accompany a curry dish. As always, I expected alot of mess during my first attempt but it turned out to be a surprisingly fun and fuss-free experience. I think its probably because I usually bake my own bread anyway so this was not a far deviation from what I was already doing. That said, the most exciting part of the entire process came when I had to throw a cup of water in the hot oven to create steam for that crusty French loaf exterior. 

There is absolutely nothing like the smell of fresh bread wafting through the house and that is what I always enjoy from the experience of bread making. I have to confess I am not a big fan of actually eating the bread (ironic I know!) but I totally dig that distinct bakery smell and these French loaves were no exception.

My only regret was in not shaping one of them properly, the one on the left has a crooked top and I think I was supposed to cut the slits before the second proofing and not after. Well, better luck next time!

Just before baking

Right texture and right consistency
but could look better!

Latest Beauty Loves

Biore Foam Facial Wash, SKII Signs Signature Eye Cream
and Crabtree & Evelyn's Rosewater Body Lotion

Ever since I was 18, I have had a beauty regime. It started with a Kao Biore cleanser and Oil of Ulan (this was before Olay came along) moisturizer. Then it gradually got more complicated as time went by. LOL

Over the years, I have tried many products but I still go back to SKII for all my basic needs, I guess its a matter of finding something that suits your skin and your lifestyle. I stopped using fancy serums and creams sometime back simply because it felt ridiculous to put on 6 different types of products at night and repeat the procedure again when I wake up. Now after washing my face, I simply go for a toner, moisturizer and eye cream before I hit the bed. When its time to leave the house in the morning, I reach for my sunscreen, slap on some makeup (if its a work day) and then just Go!

Here are my 3 current favourites:

1. Biore Foam Facial Wash

I love this! I cannot get enough of the foamy soft texture and the slight fragrance that it leaves behind on my skin. Best of all, it is fuss-free, affordable and each refill goes a long way.

2. SKII Signs Signature Eye Cream

Amongst all my SKII products, this is my favourite. A couple of years back, I developed some really deep creases under my eye. It freaked me out and that was putting it mildly. Then I decided to try the Chanel Sublimage Eye Cream after reading this post on Beauty Snob and splurged I did. It worked! After a month, the lines receded and I was hooked. Sigh, but the cream doesn't come cheap at more than $400 per jar. 

To cut the long story short, after a loooong odyssey of trying to find the next perfect eye cream at less cost, I finally found it in my trusty SKII range. I kick myself for missing it all this while because this eye cream is a gem (unlike the tube gel version that I used to use). It absorbs readily into my eye area, something the gel never managed to do and my fine lines definitely look plumped up immediately after application. Yes, I am not kidding, this cream works like a charm for me. I daresay I found the perfect replacement for my Chanel cream at a fraction of the price!

3. Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater Body Lotion

I understand that with most people, rose scented products are either a yes or a firm no. I used to equate the smell with old people, bandung (haha) and musky nooks but after using this while I was in London in May, I started to understand why people love rose. Its delicate, elegant and reminds me of blooming flowers. Maybe I never used the right product before or maybe your preference just evolves with time but I am definitely a rose person now. For now, this particular lotion brings back memories of my time driving around in the UK and it doesn't hurt that it smells so fragrant and the lotion is incredibly light, great for our humid Singapore weather.

Rainy Tribute

I love the rain. It's not just because the weather these days has been so unbearably humid and warm that I shudder to think about how our electricity bills will look like for the indulgent amount of air-conditioning swimming around in the house recently.

I love the rain because it smells fresh and clean. It emphasizes the smell of all the greenery surrounding you. I never miss the chance to open my balcony doors or windows when it rains to stick my head out, inhaling that scent of grass mixed with fresh air deeply. Getting it all into my system and then taking yet another deep breath again and again till my head feels clear and...my nose gets a little wet. I can never ever get enough of that rainy grassy smell.

I love the rain because it feels like the world is getting shrouded in a safe cocoon of misty showers that mute out the sound of traffic or conversation or the radio or the TV. You can only hear raindrops hitting every surface that is landing on and the occassional clap of thunder. For that duration, everything goes on silent mode. Just the rain matters and nothing much else penetrates my senses. I feel like I'm in one of those gifty glass globes with fake snowflakes swirling around whenever you shake it. Only that the snowflakes are raindrops and I am in my own little space, cut off from the rest who live outside my rainy little ball.

I love the rain because it's fun to poke my foot or hand out of the shelter and feel it get all wet and cold. It's like how kids love to jump into a water fountain and splish splash to their heart's content. Occasionally I get possessed by that inner child and actually do run around in the rain in my clumsy thirty-two year old body. I feel embarressed to act like a big kid but secretly I am enjoying every moment, the worries of catching a cold far behind me. I'm lucky enough to find a mate who actually joins me in these mad antics. Trust me, it's very therapeutic for your relationship to prance around together in the rain in the middle of the Botanical Gardens. I know this from experience. :)

There are so many reasons I feel excited everytime my nose catches a whiff of an impending downfall. There are so many memories I have that are associated with a good old shower of rain.

And when the first drops of rain start to fall, I make sure I am ready to marvel again at the little joys my favourite kind of weather brings. Until the sky clears and the sun peeks out from the sky, you can be sure to find me in my comfortable little rain globe creating memories to keep.