Foodarrific

Is it Friday again – so soon? December always seems to fly for me. Quick, let me get to this week’s questions. I’m late!

#1.  What’s your favorite crunchy food?
Who doesn’t love unhealthy food? Go crunchies. I love ‘em all especially nachos and fried wontons and muruku which is a spicy Indian snack. They come in different shapes (two shapes shown below) and flavors. I like them spicy . You knew I was going to say that, right?

#2.  How often do you try new recipes?
Not as often as I’d like to unless it’s something that looks absolutely delicious or it’s something we’re craving. I do improvise a lot though and tend not to stick to one cooking method or the same ingredients every time. I like to play around with different options.

#3.  Name a food that you almost always have in the house.
Being Asian, rice is a mealtime staple and a must-have though we’re not big fans. Instead we tend to do more bread and pasta so I always make sure I have plenty of those around.

#4.  What kind of food do you leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve?
I don’t celebrate Christmas though I love the spirit and excitement of all things Christmas. Still I think Santa needs to lose some weight so I’d probably leave him something healthy like carrots maybe .

With that, I’d like to wish everyone, especially my FFOF friends, a safe and Merry Christmas and the Fantastic New Year in 2009!

Want to play Four Foods on Friday along with us? Head on over to valmg’s blog at Fun, Crafts and Recipes for details.

Filed under: MemesTags & Awards by chili queen - 13 Comments →

If you can roast a chicken, you’ll never go hungry. That’s what I always say. Once you learn to roast a chicken, you just can’t go wrong even if you lose your Mom’s precious recipe or marinate with the ‘wrong’ ingredients because here, just about anything goes .

Here’s what I do when I make roast chicken. For the seasoning, I use salt and pepper.

I grab a few sprigs of Chinese parsley and a few cloves of garlic and pound them to a paste with my mortar and pestle (just like Jamie Oliver, so there ) .

I love the pungent smell of Chinese parsley but you can pretty much use rosemary, thyme or any other herbs you fancy.

Then I plop a generous dollop of butter into the paste to make a rub. Rub the mixture evenly all over the chicken, including under the skin.

Be gentle otherwise you will tear the skin like I did here. I did this in a rush so I ended up with a not-so-pretty roast chicken . Leave to marinade for 3-4 hours or overnight in the fridge.

When I’m ready to roast the chicken, I preheat the oven to 180 degrees F. Stuff a few stalks of Chinese parsley and a few cloves of garlic into the cavity of the chicken before placing into well-greased roasting pan.

Roast for about an hour or until chicken is sufficiently browned without being burnt. You can test for doneness by sticking a knife into the parts with the thickest meat. If the meat is soft and white, it’s done.

I’ve used estimates of ingredients and roasting time here because the actual amounts you use will depend on the size of the chicken you’re preparing. If you’re thinking of roasting a turkey for Christmas, this recipe works great too. Simply adjust the ingredients and time accordingly and you’re all set! Burp!!

Filed under: FusionPoultryQuick & Easy CookingRecipes by chili queen - 2 Comments →

When I was a kid, my folks would take us to The Ship every other Sunday after our swim. When I started working, I continued to frequent The Ship with my colleagues during lunch or dinner, and on birthdays and dates . You can tell I adore their steaks.

Been years since I’ve been there. Yep, life got busy when the kids came. But last weekend, we finally got to introduce our kids to a dining experience that holds a rich history for me and their dad.

Lucky us, they have a Royal Victorian Christmas Lunch set on their Christmas menu. It comes with Cream of Tomato Soup (below top) but for old times’ sake, I ordered their Seafood Chowder (below bottom) and DH his favorite Oxtail Soup (forgot to snap a pix of that).

Mm-mm, I’m speechless! My Seafood Chowder was crammed with large chunks of squid, fish and shrimps. Da best! And I’m not even paid to write this post .

There are 3 choices for the main course on their Christmas set menu. I chose the Charbroiled Black Pepper Minute Steak (below) which came with a thick, flavorful sauce that i found to be a tad salty!

The Roasted Chicken Whole Leg with Brown Sauce is simple but tastes divine…

The Grilled Fish Fillet with Caribbean Sauce boasts of a refreshingly sourish tomato-based sauce. A very nice combination.

This Santarina Mocktail (below) which is a concoction of orange and carrot juice, and a single scoop of ice cream complete the set lunch menu.

One of my daughters had the ala carte Charbroiled Rib Eye Steak which comes with a salad ahead of the main course. This steak is melt-in-the-mouth for real, not just empty promises.

My daughter was thrilled that the waiter topped the baked potato right before her eyes and she got to choose the topping from small metal serving jugs shaped like Aladdin’s magic lamp.

The kids were all over the nautical themed decor. It feels like dining on a real ship, they say. And of course, if you’re wondering if the food is still as good as it was back then, the answer is yes.

I don’t know how they’ve managed that. Everything is the same as it was 20, 30 years ago from the authentic decor to the impeccable service. And they still serve REAL food which is still value for money. Guess it’s not known as the best steak in town for nothing, eh?!

Filed under: BeveragesMeatReviewsSeafoodWestern by chili queen - No Comments →

Okay, if you’ve been drooling in your sleep about the McDonald’s Prosperity Burger you had last Chinese New Year, well, it’s ba-ack!

With a vengence, I might add!

The girls and I innocently stepped into McD’s this afternoon and woot, there’s the Beef Prosperity Burger, and then there’s the Double Beef Prosperity Burger for doubly good luck in riding out this economic crisis.

To be on the safe side, go for that Double Beef Prosperity Burger for double the pimples wealth, double the zits money, double the acne good fortune .

Yes, we’re officially one month (give or take) away from Chinese New Year so if you start eating ‘em prosperity burgers now, you’ll be looking nice and fat prosperous by Chinese New Year!

Okay and you can stop wondering now. McDonald’s isn’t paying me in Prosperity Burgers to write this post, okay?

Filed under: Fast FoodFusionReviewsSpicy by chili queen - 3 Comments →

This week, I’ve been eating more than I’ve been cooking. I can’t even think about food right now but here I am anyhow…

#1. What’s your favorite kind of roll?
It would have to be apple cinnamon roll. I also enjoy the occasional Swiss roll (provided it’s not too sweet) with hot coffee.

#2. Got a tip for keeping your cabinets or pantry organized?
I group the frequently used stuff at the front of the cabinet where they’re easiest (for the kids) to reach. In my pantry, I group like items together so I can easily stock check and make a mental list of what I have to top up.

I have two fridges, one for cooked and ready-to-eat stuff like chocolates, jams, fruits and drinks, the other nearer the stove and sink for fresh, raw items and leftover food for reheating.

#3. What’s your favorite kind of pastry?
I like flaky puff pastry but I’ve given up trying to make them myself. Much easier to just buy ‘em pre-made, then I only need to make the filling .

#4.Share any original recipe. (Why not submit it into my contest too?)
I have here a recipe for Crispy Stuffed Tofu Pockets, or Taupok which is a refreshingly different, not-so-common appetizer or hor d’oeuvres you can serve your holiday guests.

They’re really easy to make and it’ll be something different for a change from the usual Fried Wontons or Spring Rolls. You should be able to find tofu pockets at any Asian grocery store.

Want to play Four Foods on Friday along with us? Head on over to valmg’s blog at Fun, Crafts and Recipes for details.

Oh, by the way, valmg’s running a recipe contest on her blog right now where you can win free membership to EMealsForYou. Just click on the link in Question 4 above to enter.

Filed under: MemesTags & Awards by chili queen - 12 Comments →