Deathbed of Love?

The scenario when a guy proposes to a gal before marriage.
Read downwards ↓:

He: Fantastic! I have been waiting for this day. I can’t wait any longer.
She: Can I regret?
He: No, don’t even think about it!
She: Do you love me?
He: Of course!
She: Will you betray me?
He: No, how could you entertain such thoughts?
She: Can you kiss me?
He: Of course, and definitely not only once.
She: Would you hit me?
He: Not in a million years!
She: Can I believe you?

After marriage, please read upwards ↑

Sounds like some marriages, doesn’t it? Is marriage really the deathbed of love?

Doughnuts

hands kneading to silky smoothness
stretched so thin it forms skin over the timpani
make music the magic of dough.
And hear it grow


cut to circles
then in bubbling oil they go
sink,then float and rise
like golden sunshines


golden sunshines
with holes in center
eclipses that mar
the perfect wheel of life


yet little hands will grab
doughnuts with holes in the middle
and laugh at each bite
and doughnuts with holes in the middle
will fill the eclipses that
mar the perfect wheel of life


~Judy Koh~

此情无计可消除

嗨。。已经回来快一个月了，还是对香港念念不忘，而且整天心情不好，没心情工作：上班的时候就想下班，周末的时候就想到香港去，真的反常。记得上周末突然下了阵大雨，下得正大，心情非常的糟糕，有一种说不出的伤感。

这几时都在纳闷着是哪方面对我的情绪影响那么大，连最喜欢去的gym都快要放弃了。说实在的，那短短几天所接触的好朋友，美食和景点真的给我留下了很特殊的感觉和回忆，尤其是麦“不/大”记 的云吞面！而且加上应为刚回来在工作和生活上各方面的压力，造成了一种逃避的心理，所以就产生了不想面对现实而宁愿在香港的心态。承经问过自己为什么忘不了香港的那种感觉。难道新加坡没有云吞面吗？新加坡的白斩鸡就比不上香港的吗？答案是新加坡的美食都很不错，但是不能够拿来相比，更不能够拿来替换，应为它们根本是不一样的东西。漂亮的香港呀，漂亮的香港呀。。。此情无计可消除，才下眉头，却上心头。

话虽然是这么说，但是这种感情可以维持多久呢？有多少长途的感情能够经得起空间和时间的考验呢？香港对我含有的魅力会不会因空间和时间的因素而淡薄，会不会因眼前本地美食的诱惑而被遗忘了呢？贪食的胃呀，贪食的胃呀。。。到时你还会记得麦“不/大”记 云吞面的味道吗？

I left my heart in Hong Kong

I recently visited Hong Kong and had such a good time there that I did not feel like returning home. I could not bear to leave the sights, sounds and taste of Hong Kong.

I was very impressed by the changes that the former colony had undergone since I last visited it when I was a teenager. Upon arrival, the new airport was the first to greet me with its modern and spacious design. Just outside the airport was the MTR which took me to the station near my hotel in about half an hour. I was particularly fascinated by the lighted panel in the MTR which indicates the position of the train along its route. It gave me a good idea of where I was headed and how much longer to get there. What amazed me most was the improvement in the quality of service – I found that people are much more polite and helpful than in the past.

However, what is most unforgettable about Hong Kong is the food! I had the good fortune of trying out some of the popular local foods there.

Mak Ngan Kee is one of the well-known local eateries that serves Hong Kong-style wanton noodles. Even Anthony Bourdain visited it for the wanton noodles. The noodles were quite firm and springy, much more than those you would find in Singapore’s wanton mee, and the wantons were generously filled with crunchy shrimps. Both were served together in a delicious clear soup. But the reason why Mak Ngan Kee stands out from the rest is that its noodles lack the alkaline taste that is typical of Hong Kong noodles. Compared to other eateries serving similar wanton noodle, Mak Ngan Kee’s serving is smaller and the price is higher, yet its business is better than the others.

Yum Char is an integral part of Hong Kong lifestyle, and Maxim Restaurant at City Hall is one of the better known restaurants that serves a wide range of fine dim sums. The restaurant is huge – I think it can easily seat 500 people. What impressed me was the grand chandelier that makes the restaurant look like a palace. The siew mai, har kow, char siew bao, century egg porridge, yam dumpling, and fun cheong which I tried were great, and I would say that they were comparable to the dim sums served at Red Star Restaurant in Singapore. But I find that food in Hong Kong generally tend to be a little saltier than those in Singapore. As I was leaving the restaurant, I noticed that a long queue had formed and was waiting to be admitted into the restaurant, a scene not uncommon at Red Star, too.

Yung Kee Restaurant is reputed for its roast goose. When I visited the restaurant, I noticed that almost every table had an order of roast goose. The breast of goose that I had ordered was roasted to perfection with a dark, shiny, mahogany red skin. The meat was thick and tasty, but I find it a tad on the dry side.
What I liked most was the “bak chit” chicken with its supple and distinctly yellow skin, and succulent yet nicely chewy meat which was full of chicken flavor. The roast goose was a little of a disappointment but the chicken was a very memorable dish for me.

Who can visit Hong Kong without savoring its egg tart? Tai Cheong Bakery is well-known for its egg tarts which were a favorite of Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong. Unfortunately, I was just too full to try it. My visit was too short - there were so many places to visit and so much food to try but I just did not have enough time. Anyway, this should give me a good reason to return to Hong Kong at the first possible chance.

I returned to Singapore reluctantly, leaving my heart, or rather my stomach, in Hong Kong.

Food & Culture @ Museum

The Food & Culture series, organized by the National Museum of Singapore, is a new line-up of lifestyle programs aimed at increasing our appreciation of food and drink and the culture and history behind them. Here are some highlights of the lectures and workshops till the end of the year that look at the pleasures of food and drink in a refreshing manner:

Modern Manners – 23 August 2007

Know Your Chocolate – 15 September 2007

Discovering Local Herbs And Spices: A Mortar And Pestle Master Class - 18 October 2007

Classic Cocktails – 15 November 2007

Dinner And A Movie Night – 15 December 2007

For more details, check out:

http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/press/Life&Living.pdf

If love like Bread

If love like bread
We knead and feel with hearts that burn
With longing
To savour, each cherished bite
And fragrance that lingers
Forever in the depths of eternity
Bring pleasure to each sense
As we knead and mould each piece
Into ropes that bind

If love like bread
We wait with patience
For it to grow

For it will grow
Unless we forget
to care and cherish

then it will die
and pain will grow

But we start once again
hoping,
never giving up
with faith in our hearts
that one day, perhaps
we will find love
that will grow
and the courage, to start,
all over, all over again…..

Judy Koh


I was very touched the first time I read this poem. It spoke volumes by distilling the essence of what I was feeling about love and relationships. It very aptly likened love to the process of breadmaking.

To make bread, we need to knead the dough first. And, we should knead it carefully as an under-knead or over-knead dough would not give the desired volume and texture. Other steps in the breadmaking process also need to be carefully managed to achieve the desired results. Proper fermentation, molding, proofing and finally baking will result in a bread of beautiful color, shape, texture, and with an aroma that lingers on long after it has been eaten. Love, like bread, when properly nurtured, is beautiful and is relished forever.

But good bread is not without a price. The process of kneading the dough is tiring, fermentation and proofing demand patience and good judgment, and baking is hot and we risk getting burned if careless. But what price would we not pay to have good bread? Alas, despite our best intentions and effort, we may still fail.

As we “knead and mold” each others’ lives, we need to manage the relationship carefully for love to survive, if not blossom. Friction, misunderstanding, undue expectations, etc. could throw a relationship into shambles. Ignoring it will finally lead to irreparable damage with no options for reconciliation.

And, love, like bread, will diminish and die. In its place, “pain will grow” and there will be no end to this pain. The pain of rejection and regret will follow us for the rest of our lives. Despair, cynicism, insecurity, depression, amongst others, will haunt us. When will it ever stop growing? Even if it can be stopped, can it be forgotten?

The deeper that we have loved, the greater is the pain. And, to pick ourselves up to love again really takes a lot of courage. Questions of inadequacy in dealing with similar situations, loss of confidence, suspicion, etc are barriers that prevent us from starting another relationship. It takes a lot of resolution, inner strength, and above all else, personal courage, to allow ourselves to start all over again.

This is the part of the poem that touched me most and I think this is the best part of the poem: only someone who has gone through life’s upheavals could relate such an experience, and Judy has put it down so poetically in just a couple of hesitant lines.

“and the courage, to start,
all over, all over again…..“

Judy is a passionate baker, chef, teacher, and above all, a successful entrepreneur. Her gift in poetry has enabled her to infuse food into her poetry, and poetry into her food. She has founded a culinary school which teaches baking and culinary arts, and beside it she has started a café where she serves popular dishes that she teaches in her culinary school. Judy has adorned the café with her literary works, inspiring her customers as they sip the reflections of love and life.

If you are interested in knowing more about Judy's culinary school, please visit: http://www.creativeculinaire.com/

Wine and Food Pairing

RM: Yo, bro, what’s up? Wha’cha thinking so seriously?

CS: I am thinking why you can’t do things right. Last time I asked you to bring champagne to my birthday party, and what did you bring? A bottle of red and a bottle of white wine!

RM: Oh, I thought it would be a good idea to pair the wines with the foods that you have at the party. It is the hip thing now, you know?

CS: Pairing white wine with white meats and red wine with red meats, and all that jazz?

RM: Well, something along that line… but it has gotten more sophisticated now.

CS: Like how?

RM: Well, there are certain rules of thumb, such as you should match tannic red wines with grilled steak or lamb chops because the fats in these meats will tone down the astringent sensation of the wine. For example, if you are eating steak you would want to select a Shiraz or Zinfandel to go with it.

CS: I see.

RM: Similarly, if you are having Japanese teriyaki, which is a little sweet, you would want to pair it with an off-dry wine such as Chenin Blanc to balance the flavor.

CS: Why?

RM: Because if you pair it with a dry wine, the wine will appear even drier.

CS: I still don’t get it. Why do we need to pair wine and food?

RM: The main objective is to heighten our enjoyment of both the wine and the food. A wine that is full-bodied will overpower a light, delicate dish, and similarly a lighter wine will not be noticed if you drink it with a hearty roast. It is like drinking water. You want to complement it so that you can enjoy both the wine and the food.

CS: Well, I beg to differ. What if I like a full-bodied wine to go with my delicate food because I like the contrast in flavors? One moment it is delicate and then another it is robust. Don’t think I am the weird one here - take for example my uncles: they enjoy having XO brandy with whatever meals that they are having. Doesn’t that overpower most foods?

RM: Well, that is the older generation, not us …

CS: For me, I don’t like to be told what I like or what I don’t like!

RM: Hey, man, cool down, why so defensive and worked up?

CS: Of course. It is an insult to have these rules telling me how to or how not to enjoy my wine and food.

RM: Hey, these are only guidelines - you don’t have to follow them if you don’t like it.

CS: Let me tell you something: In China, people are drinking Maotai with all kinds of food. Now, this is about 60% alcohol and it burns if you put a lighted match to it. And, it will definitely numb your mouth when you drink it and I am sure you won’t be able to taste the food after that. But they are enjoying themselves! Are you telling me the Chinese don’t know how to appreciate wine and food? And, we need these stupid guidelines?

RM: But this is western wine that we are talking about …

CS: Hogwash! What western and what eastern wines? What wine is not important – what is important is one’s state of mind. It is not so much the origin of the wine than one’s appreciative state of mind when drinking it. If you are in a good appreciative state of mind, it will taste good, and vice versa!

RM: Gee, we are not into zen, are we? We are talking about just the enjoyment of the wines themselves. Back to the wine, ok?

CS: Ok, in that case, whether you like the wine or not is subjective or personal. And, this liking depends on your background, culture, exposure, status in society, and things like that. These western wines have not been part of our culture and have only been around recently, so I am quite confident to say that they are something that we learned to appreciate, or rather something we have learned to like. It may not be because they taste so fantastic but maybe they are the trend now and we want to be seen as being trendy. Since you appreciate them so much, why don’t you tell me why you like them?

RM: For the Cabernet Sauvignon which I brought that day, I liked it because it was bursting with ripe black cherries with hints of perfumed floral notes on the nose. This was followed through with layers of black berries, prunes, and mocha flavors on the palate, backed by an interesting dash of mineral notes, and rounded with grainy silky tannins.

CS: Wow, so chim! You have sophisticated taste, don’t you? I didn’t know you can differentiate between so many fruit flavors. If you ask me for my opinion, I would say that they actually taste more like grape juice than real wine. Real wine to me is like maotai (茅台), shaoxing (绍兴), zhuyeqing (竹叶青), and wuliangye (五粮液). Do you know how many percent of our population are able to appreciate wine like you?

RM: No idea. Not many, I guess maybe 1% of the population. Definitely less than 10%.

CS: I guess wine and food pairing is more for this minority as they have a common knowledge and experience in wine and they know what they are talking about. So, if you are throwing a party for these people, it would be a good idea to put some thought into pairing the wine and food. And, be prepared for an expensive party ‘coz all the dishes would have different tastes and this means you need different wines to pair with different dishes. As for the rest of us poor wine dummies, just leave us alone and allow us to enjoy it our way because I feel that as long as we like it with the food, it is a good pairing.

RM: Aiyo, today why are you so touchy? Why don’t we go and drink liang teh? I buy you liang teh , lah! I think you are very heaty and need to cool down a little. You didn’t have a good time with your girlfriend last night, huh?

CS: Ya, I’m sure I’m gonna have a good time with you later.

RM: Hehe, no thanks, I got sophisticated taste and I know what I like.

CS: Really? Do you?

Patchwork of Flavors

Yesterday was the official launch of “Patchwork of Flavors”, a cookbook with a collection of 38 multi-racial recipes contributed by senior citizens. It was spearheaded by students from NTU in its social entrepreneurship effort to encourage active aging in the elderly through continuous involvement in the community. The cookbook showcases recipes on traditional home-cooked dishes which were handed down to its elderly contributors. Going at $10 each and accompanied with a goodie bag of food samples, it was a steal. There was quite a queue to buy the cookbook and all proceeds of the sale went to charitable organizations.

Recipes such as Fa Cai with Oysters, Steamed Chicken with Dried Lily Buds and Black Fungus, and Black-Eyed Beans Soup brought back nostalgic memories of times past for me. Even the Guest of Honor at the event mentioned the memories of her mother whenever she thinks of certain dishes. Indeed, food embodies powerful meanings in our lives.

One interesting feature of the cookbook, which I think is innovative, is that some of the food pictures are flanked by commercial canned or bottled drinks and accompanied by descriptions of these drinks. This is quite unusual as I have not seen a cookbook that does this. It seems that the cookbook is promoting these products.

I learnt later that these are the products of one of its sponsors. I think this is an innovative way to raise funds as social entrepreneurship seeks to tackle social issues with entrepreneurial methods so that it is sustainable in the long run. The advantage of this type of arrangement/partnership is that it is a win-win-win situation for the organizer, the sponsor, and the beneficiary. When the event is successful, the sponsor benefits from the exposure that its products get, the organizer has a higher chance of success in raising the needed funds, and the beneficiary could receive more funds.

It all seems good and well to me but I have a little naggy feeling about our motive to give – doesn’t anybody give out of altruistic reasons anymore? Must there be some benefits derived from the giving?

The people who bought the cookbooks were supporting the charitable organizations but would they do it if nothing was offered in return? What about the sponsors? I asked myself if I would give to charity without anything in return. I had to contemplate and the answer was: “Maybe once in a while.” How far have we slipped from the ideal of just giving freely from the heart without expecting anything in return except the satisfaction that one has done a good deed?

One might argue: Didn’t we give unreservedly and generously during the tsunami disaster, the earthquake disaster and other disasters?

Yes, we did. In fact, we sprang into action to help those less fortunate. But, why are we so slow or reluctant in giving to the less fortunate who live amongst us? Why do we need "benefits" to give? Have we been inundated with too many requests to give that we have become insensitized? Do we need the media to sensationalize their plight in our very own country before we take action?

Maybe.

And, maybe, the human race has never been so unreserved or so generous in helping others, never was…. we are under the illusion that we were. So, unless we are shaken vigorously, that little thing called conscience will always lay dormant, covered by layers of our other more desired pursuits. And, because of this, chances of getting enough help through appealing to this side of human nature would always be slim.

That is why there is a need to resort to appealing to the more materialistic side of human nature. Only through this could the needy be helped. I think this is one situation in which the end justifies the means as it is for a good cause. At the end of the day, it is the tangible benefits which charitable organizations gain that is important.

Ideals will always remain as ideals as long as they are espoused by many and practiced by few.

Fate of the Mortar & Pestle

Recently, I signed up for a workshop on the history and uses of the mortar and pestle in Southeast Asian cuisine. It was part of the Food and Culture Series rolled out by the National Museum of Singapore aimed at linking culture and history to our modern lifestyles.

The workshop touched on the different types of mortar and pestle commonly used in the region, and there was a demonstration on how to use it to grind spices and herbs. One may think it is quite straightforward when using a mortar and pestle to grind spices and herbs. Actually there is more to it than meets the eye if one wants to do it efficiently. The trick is to grind the dry, harder spices first before the fresh, softer herbs. Of course, you can put everything into the mortar and grind them together but the flavor profile would be different and that would also take a longer time. I was especially intrigued by the way the pestle was used to pound the spices/herbs. It is not just a straight up-and-down motion to smash or crush the spices/herbs. It involves, at the end of the downward motion, a rotating movement of the pestle. This results in a combination of crushing and shearing. I call this type of grinding, ‘tumbuk’, to differentiate from the regular up-and-down grinding. It was said that in the olden days, the worth of a prospective daughter-in-law was based on her proficiency at using the mortar and pestle.

Several of the participants commented that they do have mortars and pestles at home but have never used them. Some recounted how their grandmothers would tumbuk pastes and cook up wonderful meals for them in the past, but they seldom have the time to cook now, much less to tumbuk the pastes. It seems that if this trend were to continue, the mortar and pestle would be ‘extinct’ one day.

Nowadays, the food processor has taken over the place of the mortar and pestle at home. It is more convenient, faster, and provides multiple uses in one machine, such as extracting juices, grinding meats, kneading dough, and even stuffing sausages. All these features help in optimizing the small space that we have in our kitchens. In addition, as most people are working, there is a lack of time for lengthy preparations. This tedious task is replaced by ready-made spices and pastes which offer more convenience.

The purists would argue that the spices / pastes produced with food processors would not be as good as those produced traditionally. I would not say that they are not as good, but I would say that they are different. ‘Good’ suggests a certain standard that has to be met and very frequently this standard is derived subjectively. It depends on one’s innate preferences, family traditions, societal norms, culture, industrial practices, etc. For example, would you eat tofu that has turned green and emits a foul stench? Well, not for me! But, in Taiwan this same tofu is deep fried and served with chili sauce and considered a delicacy. So, which is good and which is bad? None, there are just differences in food preferences. Similarly, the spices/pastes produced using modern technology are just different.

There is nothing wrong with being different. What is important is the meaning of the food to the eater. We eat food not so much for taste than for meanings that are embodied in it. We need sustenance, sustenance beyond just physical nutrition, sustenance to satisfy those insistent hungers that we have – for love, warmth, security ….

I remember my early university days when I was in the States. Sometimes, when I was really homesick, I would cook an instant noodle, adding lots of chili to it. Never mind that it was different from what it was actually like at home, it was the memories evoked from smelling, tasting, and swallowing it which reminds me of my homeland, my home and my loved ones that were important. It was the emotions that were accompanying these memories that I was craving for, and these were the meanings associated with the instant noodles.

Try this out for yourself: Look at the picture below and ask yourself - What is it saying to you?


Like to most people, it is probably saying to you: Have a break (or something related to relaxing). This is the meaning we associate with Kit Kat. Other brands of chocolate e.g. Cadbury or Hersheys would not be saying the same thing.

We always remember the food that is cooked by our mothers or grandmothers. It may not be up to standard. In other words – it may not be good. Does it matter? We still like it because it is associated with the love showered by them. Along the same vein, does it matter if they used a food processor or a mortar and pestle to prepare the meal? The feelings of love, warmth and security would not diminish a bit. At the end of the day, it is the memories and emotions attached to the food that matters. Isn’t it?

History is always evolving, and so is food. How can one stop the change? It is part of life. With the trend of less and less people using the mortar and pestle, these tools may finally find a permanent home in the museum or as a super paperweight on our writing desk. The future of the mortar and pestle seems bleak.

The workshop culminated in tasting some dishes that were prepared from the pastes made during the demonstration. The workshop was quite informative and the atmosphere relaxed as participants interacted spontaneously with the friendly and knowledgeable instructor. It was especially rewarding for me as I actually met Chubby Hubby and the mysterious S whom he frequently mentions in his posts. To me, he is the icon of food blogosphere and it was an honor to shake his hand. It was a memorable evening.

As I was leaving, I thought: Years from now, the grandchildren of these participants might be recounting how their grandmothers would pulverize pastes in food processors and whip up wonderful meals for them, and smiling as the fond memories stir up warm, reassuring emotions in them.


If you are interested in the other programs or workshops in the Food and Culture series or the events lined up for the Singapore Food Festival, visit this site: http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/

The Museum also has an interesting exhibition called “A Banquet In Stone” where delicacies such as “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” are created using rare stones which closely resemble real food. Check it out!

兴化米粉 Xinghua Bee Hoon

I went hunting for fengshui items recommended by a well-known fengshui master to “remedy” the difficulties of the year. Friends had suggested that I try the shops along Racecourse Road as the prices there are lower. So, I spent the whole of one morning checking out the shops for blue rhinoceros, wind chimes, brass pagodas, and mythical animals like fu dog, pi xie, and chi lin. It was a fun experience haggling over the price with the shopkeepers, never mind that I didn’t get much of a discount. It was also a hands-on induction into the world of fengshui remedies and enhancements. After having checked out shops on both sides of the street and gotten some items, I was very hungry and needed food. I went into a corner coffee shop and ordered fried bee hoon (i.e. 米粉 / rice vermicelli). I knew I needed to fill my stomach asap before my hunger pangs throw me into a foul mood. The food arrived soon enough.

It was a simple dish with a generous serving of bee hoon adorned with clams, prawns, tiny dried prawns, belly pork, mushrooms, cabbage, chye sim and with a little sprinkling of garlic oil on top. What struck me about the dish was the different types of clams, still clinging onto their opened shells, found on and embedded in the mass of bee hoon. I have never eaten fried bee hoon with these types of clams before. Although the bee hoon looked dry, it was actually quite tender with just the right moistness, and it tasted wonderfully sweet, a sweetness not due to sugar but a light, meaty sweetness imparted by the juice of the clams. The taste was complemented with the fragrance of the shredded mushrooms and the garlic oil, punctuated with the occasional crunchiness of the vegetables. I avoided the belly pork as I was trying to get rid of one around my waist :-) It was a delicious and satisfying meal, and the novelty of the sensations stuck on my mind.

As I was leaving, I caught sight of the name of the stall and understood the type of food that they are serving: 兴化家乡菜 (Xinghua home cuisine)

Xinghua, also commonly known as Putian (莆田), is a place located on the eastern coastline of Fujian province, China. In the early days of Singapore, a lot of people from this region came to look for jobs and worked as rickshaw pullers. There were a number of restaurants (or rather, eating houses) serving traditional Xinghua cuisine to cater to their needs then. There is still one today, which was established since the 1930s, standing at Maude Road. Despite its ancient facade and humble settings, it is doing a thriving business. In contrast, there is also a spate of modern restaurants under the “Putian” brand with sophisticated design and service springing up all over the country in recent years. It seems that Xinghua cuisine is enjoying a surge in popularity recently.

Xinghua is probably famed for the bee hoon that it produces. It is made from selected rice grains which is ground to a fine slurry. The slurry is compressed to remove most of the water and steamed till half-cooked. It is then extruded under high pressure into very fine strands and carefully dried. The strands are about half the diameter of regular bee hoon and are often referred to as “silver strands” because of its whiteness. The local dishes made from it are rustic and richly steeped in traditions. They are typically light in taste and include as ingredients a variety of shellfishes from its nearby rivers and estuaries.

The novelty of the delicious sensations was still stuck on my mind even after several days. I had wanted to return to savor it again, but silently knew that I would not be as satisfied as before because now I am not hungry anymore. I needed to recreate the sensations I had felt and to contemporize it to suit current taste and dietary needs.

My modified recipe for Xinghua fried bee hoon:

300g Xinghua bee hoon, rehydrated
120g Clams, whole, medium size
30g Oysters, shucked, medium size
30g River shrimps, shelled, small size
30g Pork fillet, cut into strips, marinate
20g Shiitake mushrooms, cut into 3-cm strips
20g Asparagus spears, cut into 3-cm strips
15g Carrots, cut into 3-cm strips
15g Enoki mushrooms, cut into 3-cm strips
20g Baby corns, cut into 3-cm strips
5g Garlic, finely minced
5g Ginger, finely minced
1/2T Rice wine
200ml Superior chicken stock
Salt
White pepper
Corn starch
Shallot oil
Vegetable cooking oil

1. Pan fry bee hoon on high heat till fragrant and slightly burnt. Remove to allow oil to drain.
2. Sauté minced garlic and ginger. Add all the vegetables to it and stir fry quickly.
3. Drizzle wine followed by adding the chicken stock. Bring to a boil.
4. Add clams, oysters, shrimps and pork fillet. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer till the shells of the clams open up.
5. Season with salt to taste and a dash of white pepper.
6. Remove clams, oysters and shrimps with 1/5 of the stock and set aside.
7. Add the pan-fried bee hoon to the remaining stock and vegetables. Simmer and turn bee hoon gently till it absorbs all the stock.
8. Drizzle with shallot oil and toss to coat bee hoon evenly. Remove to plate.
9. Bring remaining clams, oysters, shrimps and stock to a boil again and thicken with corn starch.
10. Spoon sauce evenly on top of bee hoon ensuring that the ingredients are well distributed. Serve hot.


The dish is a tapestry of white bee hoon embroidered with ingredients of different colors, moist and slightly glossy. It retains the hallmark whiteness of the original Xinghua bee hoon to help it stay connected to the regional origin of the dish. This is achieved by avoiding the use of dark-colored seasonings eg. soya sauce.

The flavor of the dish has been accentuated through pan-frying the bee hoon to introduce a light smoky flavor which adds a touch of complexity to the dish and through the use of shallot oil. The flavor is also slightly more robust, a good contrast to the original dish, through the use of superior chicken stock which is allowed to be absorbed into the bee hoon to additionally provide the moist appearance while at the same time still bearing the delicate taste derived from the shellfishes – that sensation of “sweet meatiness”. The result is a more refined dish that suits local taste buds as they are accustomed to stronger flavors.

The use of ingredients found in rivers and estuaries e.g. clams, oysters, and river shrimps attempts to reinforce the regional origin of the dish once again as they are the treasures from the network of rivers running through the region and the estuaries at the coast. These ingredients would be expected to feature dominantly in its local cuisines. Freshness of these ingredients is of paramount importance as they will help to elevate the value of the dish. As such, dried prawns and other low-value dried goods are not used. The use of more vegetables, vegetable oil, and the omission of belly pork would help to address the health concerns of today’s diners.

One of the secrets of success in the preparation of this dish lies in the preparation of the clams. Usually, clams contain some sand in them and give an unpleasant gritty feeling in the mouth. Ridding them of sand is so important that it can make or break the dish. In addition, there are a wide variety of clams available. Knowing how to use them to advantage would also be important.

So, how to rid clams of sand? And, what are the varieties of clams available and their uses?

I would appreciate these nuggets of knowledge. Why don’t you share them with me?

2-in-1 Chili!

This chilli was spotted in the garden by chance. It has one side that is red and the other side green. How amazing!

I wonder what triggers it to ripen. I am sure it is enzyme mediated but it still doesn’t explain why the ripening is one-sided as the enzymes would be found throughout the chili. Well, unless it also depends upon activation by sunlight – maybe it only received sunlight on one side and not the other. But, this is quite unlikely because the other chilies on the same plant are ripening evenly.

Perhaps it is a genetic mutation: enzymes are only produced on one side and not the other?

Well, in this age of modern convenience, even chilies come in two colors.

What’s next??!!

molecular gastronomy, anyone?

CS: Hey, bro! What’s up?
RM: You heard of this thing call mm mollar and gg romy?
CS: Oh, you mean the latest talk of the town – molecular gastronomy?
RM: Yup, som’ like that. Heard that a restaurant serving this type of cuisine.
CS: Ya, a very unique experience – you get to sit in wheel chairs in front of the operating table for your meals. And, they serve you “caviar” made right in front of your eyes! Also, they made ice cream using liquid nitrogen right in front of you. I went there and it was quite a memorable dining experience.
RM: WAH, that is magical! How can they make caviar? I thought it is a natural product from a fish?
CS: Well, it is not real caviar that you get from the sturgeon fish. But something that looks like it. Because it is custom made, you can give it the color and flavor that you want.
RM: That means you can actually have orange flavored or mint flavored caviar in different colors. How amazing!
CS: It is actually made from dripping drops of these flavored and colored liquids, which contain alginate, into a solution containing calcium ions. Upon contact, the alginate on the outer surface of the drops reacts with the calcium ions and traps whatever molecules that are around it to form a network. This network becomes the gel-like structure that entraps the liquid that is inside. So the liquid droplet becomes something that looks like caviar - a membrane enclosing some liquid inside. But all these happen very quickly, just a matter of seconds.
RM: So, it is something like making cement – if you add water to cement, it will harden to a solid after some time. So if you have a cement ball and you spray water on the outside, the outside layer will harden after some time while the inside is still in the powder form. How ingenious!
CS: Yes, I must say it is quite innovative. Alginates are commonly used in many products in the food industry as a stabilizer. But to use it the way that they have used it in the kitchen is quite refreshing. In my opinion, molecular gastronomy is actually the application of food science knowledge in the kitchen.
RM: So, this is actually not that new. It is actually using ingredients that are novel to the traditional kitchen to create a different cuisine.
CS: Well, I am not sure whether it is a new cuisine ‘coz a cuisine takes time to attain a certain recognizable identity and this is influenced by many factors such as the history, culture, tradition, people, religion, etc… and even the ingredients and cooking methods.
RM: Sounds exciting… it is like we are in the process of creating history – culinary history. A hundred years from now, I will be remembered for having contributed to the rise of a new cuisine!
CS: Like real! You have not even tried it and you are talking big! Day dreaming as usual, lah!
RM: Aiya, what's so difficult, I just bring my friends there, loh! Go there a few more times and I would have significant contribution to culinary history.
CS: Maybe, maybe not. I personally would not go there too frequently. I go there because of the novelty which is great for entertaining my clients - another talking point besides just talking business, you know? I am very much a steak and potato person and I want value for money if I am dining out myself. It cost quite a bomb but I am ok ‘coz my company is paying for it. In addition, I wouldn’t want to eat all those food additives so often, you know I got allergies. I would prefer the real caviar, man.
RM: I think we can grow this molecular gastronomy thingy. Instead of serving pure molecular gastronomy dishes on the restaurant menu, we can introduce some of these dishes into mainstream cuisines: first Western, then Chinese. It can be in the form of appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, etc. That means you still can have your steak and potato, ok? This would make it affordable and available to the general consumers. Its novelty and innovativeness would eventually make it accepted and be part of culinary culture!
CS: Agree, but it is a dream and too much work needed. Anyway, I won’t call them molecular gastronomy dishes, ‘coz El Bulli doesn’t call his this anymore. Now it is just a tool to him, not a cuisine. People look for creativeness, dining experience, value, etc, but they don’t care what technique you use to achieve that. It is like saying: “Hey, I do food safety in my restaurant.” People expect you to do that, it is taken for granted, and they don’t care how you do it. So similarly, they expect you to be innovative or to surprise them with your food, but do they care which technique you use? You can tell them you use Montessori and it wouldn’t make a diff, man!
RM: You always throw cold water on me. Well, that kind of work is for a dreamer like me. Must dream big!!
CS: Well, you continue with your 春秋大梦, I’m taking off. Need to go back to office to finish some memos.
RM: OK, lah, buddy. Catch up with you some other time.
CS: Oh, ya, next Saturday is my birthday. Bring a nice champagne, ok?
RM: Ha? Champagne, my foot! You are the one dreaming, man!
CS: Ha, Ha, OK, lah. Bye!

诗礼银杏 Shili Gingko Nuts

诗礼银杏 or Shili Gingko Nuts is a well-known dish in Kongfu cuisine (孔府菜) and is made with gingko nuts that are exquisitely prepared. It is bright red in color, has a soft and chewy texture, sweetened by honey, and perfumed by the thick and sweet fragrance of osmanthus flowers (桂花).

The dish takes its name from Shili Hall (诗礼堂) which was originally built by Confucius to teach his son about Shi and Li. During the Song dynasty, two gingko trees were planted in front of the hall. It was said that the chefs who originally created this dish used the gingko nuts from these trees. And hence the dish was named after the hall. Surprisngly, the trees are still flourishing today.

The gingko tree is best known as a living fossil and dates back 270 million years. It belongs to the family Ginkgoaceae, and is a deciduous tree with distinctive, fan-shaped leaves. Individual trees are either male or female and are very beautiful in autumn when the leaves turn a bright yellow. But, the fruits are foul-smelling.

I remember back during my university days there were rows of gingko trees on campus and it was a wonderful sight in autumn. But when the fruits dropped on the ground and were stepped on, the smell was terrible. Somebody could mistaken that it was dog poo. Occasionally I would see an Asian grandmother picking up the fruits. I suppose not many people knew it was edible.

The foul smell comes from the flesh that covers the seed and is attributed to butanoic acid (C4H8O2) which is what rancid butter smells like. I guess this is a way to prevent the seeds from being eaten and to ensure the survival of the species. But unfortnately it does not seem to be effective against some humans!

Gingko nuts are usually sold with the shell on but nowadays there are also canned ones. The shoot that is in the nut need to be removed otherwise it would taste bitter. Gingko nuts can be found in many Chinese dishes, both savory and sweet. The nut is quite bland in taste but has a distinctive flavor that is unmistakenly "gingko nut". In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that gingko nuts are good for its drying and shrinking effects on the lungs due to its bitter and astringent properties. It is often prescribed for coughs and asthmas.

Traditional Recipe for Shili Gingko Nuts 诗礼银杏

750 g gingko nuts, shell removed
265 g sugar
100 g hot water
50 g honey
2.5 g osmanthus paste

boil gingko nuts in salted water and remove papery skin covering seeds

boil gingko nuts again and let them sit covered for a while

blanch with hot water (these 2 steps are to remove the bitterness)

heat wok and cook 15 g of the sugar till reddish brown

add the hot water, honey, remaining sugar, osmanthus paste, and cook till dissolved

add gingko nuts, simmer till syrup is thick

add a little lard and garnish with red and green shreds

serve in shallow soup dish

This dish has been around for ages. Does it still suit today's taste? How can it be made more contemporary? Here's my two-cents worth:

Option A:

continue cooking until the syrup reaches the hard ball stage (if you have a thermometer, the temperature should be about 125C)

remove gingko nuts and drain quickly

sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and toss rapidly to evenly coated the gingko nuts

allow gingko nuts to cool so that the exterior turns hard (keep them away from each other to prevent them from sticking to each other)

serve as a snack

Option B:

remove gingko nuts from syrup and allow to drain

while draining, melt some chocolate in double boiler or microwave (caution: temperature should not exceed 45C)

add gingko nuts to melted chocolate, stir to ensure that they are evenly coated

remove gingko nuts and allow chocolate to drain and harden

sprinkle finely cut gold leaves on the surface

chill in refrigerator

serve as dessert

What about you - any innovative ideas to transform this dish to something modern?

之 乎 者 也 (2)

之 乎 者 也 are words commonly seen in Chinese classical literature and belong to an arcade literary style very much unused in today's modern language. Whenever I see these words, Confucius comes to mind.

Confucius is widely recognized as a teacher and a philosopher. He lived about 2,500 years ago and was born in Qufu, a province in Shangdong, China, during the Spring and Autumn Period. He worked for the State of Lu for many years but was later dissapointed with the government and started travelling to other kingdoms to espouse his political beliefs. He returned home during his last years and spent his time teaching his disciples.

His teachings accorded particular importance to the behaviors and rituals between individuals of different relationships such as that between parents and their children, husbands and their wives, rulers and their subjects, etc. It was based on the moral concepts of Li, Yi, and Ren (礼,仪,仁), and its essence can be summed up as not doing to others what one do not wish to be done to oneself and grant to others what one recognizes as desirable for oneself.

His teachings were embraced by the rulers, nobility, scholars and common people throughout the dynasties that follow and have become an integral part of Chinese life and culture today.

It is interesting to note that even as Confucius espoused his lofty philosophies of the state and the people, the preparation and consumption of food did not escape his scutiny. The Analects captures his views:

食不厭精、膾不厭細。食饐而餲魚餒而肉敗、不食。色惡不食、臭惡不食。失飪不食、不時不食。割不正不食、不得其醬不食。肉雖多、不使勝食氣、唯酒無量、不及亂。沽酒、市脯、不食。不撤薑食。不多食。


Over the centuries, a new type of cuisine that embodies his views on the preparation and consumption of food as well as the practices of Li and Yi has gradually evolved into what is known as Kongfu cuisine (孔府菜) which reached its peak during the Ming and Ching Dynasties. Classical Kongfu cuisine can be divided into two broad categories:

1. Internal cuisine - this was for the daily fare of the household members.

2. External cuisine - this was for emperors, kings, nobility and government officials to commemorate Confucius, birthdays, weddings, among other occasions. It places special emphasis on refinement, nutrition, grandness, and the protocols of Li and Yi. The grand banquets had themes that centered on bird nest, shark's fin, sea cucumber, etc. as well as ManHan grand banquet (满汉全席), and whole goat banquet (全羊宴). There were different menus for officials of different ranks.

However, irrespective of the types of cuisine, attention to the freshness of ingredients, their seasonality, and matching with the appropriate sauce is of great importance.

Some notable dishes from Kongfu cuisine are:

• 孔府一品锅
• 八仙过海
• 御笔猴头
• 诗礼银杏

In 1947, the 77th generation of Confucius left the ancestral residence. The kitchens stopped operating and Kongfu cuisine entered into its last chapter in the book of culinary history.

Or, did it?

Are Confucius's views still relevant in today's fast food culture? Does 食不厭精 still apply to our cuisines today?

之 乎 者 也 (1)

子曰:
知之为知之
不知为不知
是知也

罗大佑:
http://www.stsky.com/play/6029.htm

Graduation 2007

It was a great day for my students who were graduating. Most of them were jubilant, some nervous, and some relieved. They looked splendid in their dark grey graduation gowns with a bold cardinal red strip running down the front. They were shaking hands and chatting politely, and they looked so mature and professional. I could still remember their innocent teenager look three years ago when they first came in. My goodness, how did they mature and change so much in the last few weeks that I did not see them?

It was also a great day for me to witness their graduation. If they were plantlets when they first came in, they are now fully grown plants flourishing in full bloom. Looking at them, one wonders what had gone into their lifes in the last three years to make these transformations possible. Educators might liken themselves to the sunlight, water, air or soil that nourish these plantlets to their full potential. But, I dare not lay claim to such noble contributions. At least, not individually. I like to think it is the collective effort of both teachers and students teaching and learning from each other, and the environment and society at large that provides the support and results in these transformations.

Even as the names of the students who were graduating were read aloud with measured care, and the students walked forward with enthusiasm to collect their diplomas accompanied by applause from parents and peers, I was painfully aware of those students who could be among these graduands but were not. And, I would never ever be able to see them graduate as they have left us for another world, never coming back. And I wondered how their parents must be feeling ... and, the meaning of life ...