Cooking

I had the most unusual craving the other night for my mother's homemade banana ice-cream. Reminiscing about my childhood, my mouth started salivating when I came across a particular flashback. It must've been at least 15 years ago, where hot... Continue reading Kem Chuoi (Vietnamese banana ice-cream) »

The concept of leverage is all about achieving ever more with ever less. I've been reading a lot about it lately as I'm learning to systemise more areas of my businesses. As everything in my life relates back to food,... Continue reading Banoffee Pie recipe for the lazy cook »

It's only spring but we're already getting our first taste of summer - juicy golden pineapples, luscious mangoes and sweet and tangy passionfruits. A recipe which combines all of these summer flavours is this irresistible Hummingbird Cake. Penguin Books sent... Continue reading Summer tastes like Hummingbird Cakes »

I have a love/hate relationship with my microwave. I've gotten to stage in my culinary life where I barely touch it, yet I really appreciate it on the rare occasion when I'm able to give life to leftovers with a... Continue reading Tupperware Microsteamer - product review »

A dish which I never fail to order at yum cha is the tofu dessert (豆腐花, pronounced as dòufu huā). It is essentially a sweet beancurd pudding/jelly that is irresistibly silky soft. The syrup that goes with this varies across... Continue reading Homemade Tofu Fa »

My mother was making nem chua (pronounced: nem joo) last week so I quickly took the opportunity to document the process of making this much loved snack. For those who aren't familiar with nem chua, it is finely ground pork... Continue reading Nem chua - Vietnamese fermented pork rolls »

Once a month, when possible, some of my friends and I get together to expand our culinary skills. During these cooking challenges, we'd pick a theme and everybody would be required to cook up one dish that somehow relates to... Continue reading Homemade Pizza Pockets (and other delicious comebacks) »

As much as I miss the luscious sweetness of summer fruits - lychees, mangoes, passionfruit and peaches - I always welcome the autumn and winter months with open arms. It's a time for warm and nourishing foods such as stews,... Continue reading Baked pear dumplings »

A few nights ago, I was having dinner with Zen at one of our local pubs, 3 Weeds. After a succulent steak sandwich and the comfort of a bowl of chips, my mind was set on dessert. Oh, how I... Continue reading Chinese sweet potato & ginger dessert soup »

Also commonly referred to as "p'ng (rice) kueh" or "Teochew red kueh", the Teochew Peach-shaped Kueh is traditionally known as "红桃粿", pronounced as "ung toh kway" in Teochew (a dialect of Chinese) which means "red peach snack/cake/pudding/dumpling". Essentially, this Teochew... Continue reading Teochew Peach-shaped Kueh (红桃粿) »

Rice-cooker cakes are an ingenious creation by college students in Asia. As the dormitories didn't have ovens, students who craved freshly baked cakes turned to the humble rice-cooker. In fact, in addition to an oven, I hear they also use... Continue reading It's true! You can bake a cake in a rice cooker! »

This year, I'll be embracing my cultural roots. Since moving out of home, I've been craving a lot of different Asian dishes. Some are my parents' specialty and others are simply dishes I've become obsessed with ordering. I'm hoping to... Continue reading Shandong Chicken (Twice-cooked Chicken with Black Vinegar Dressing) »

I've blabbed on about matcha this and matcha that in my recent Japan blog posts but how many of you really know what matcha is? Matcha (抹茶) is basically finely-milled Japanese green tea. Traditionally used in the Japanese tea ceremony,... Continue reading Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) Pound Cake Muffins »

It has now been four months since I moved out of home. I've been cooking most nights, but one thing I haven't really cooked much of is Chinese cuisine. I know Zen loves his Fujian fried rice (pronounced fook kin... Continue reading Fujian Fried Rice & Dreamfarm's Supoon »

No other cuisine frightens me more in the kitchen than Indian food. Don't get me wrong, I love eating it, but preparing it from scratch is a whole other thing! So, I've been putting off the idea of cooking Indian... Continue reading Review: India Cookbook + 3 tried and tested recipes »

Mangoes are one of summer's greatest delights so it was only natural that it became the focus of a recent cooking challenge I took part in at a friend's place. Similar to the way Iron Chef works, we each had... Continue reading Mango, white chocolate and almond cigars »

I love my kitchen appliances as much as I love my shoes! My recent move has given me the perfect excuse to furnish my new kitchen with the ultimate collection of kitchen appliances. So while I still have my eye... Continue reading Two cauliflower soups and a new cordless handheld blender »

I was faced with the daunting challenge of hosting my little sister's kitchen tea (bridal shower) a few weeks ago. With little prep time available, I planned the menu around all things quick and easy, that would require minimal ingredients.... Continue reading Afternoon Tea Sandwiches »

"I just don't have time!". How often do you hear that phrase? Well, that seems to be my excuse for everything - baking, reading, exercising, replying to emails... everything. So since moving into my new place, I have been determined... Continue reading Instant Dessert: Maple Apple Tarte Tatin »

I attended a Lebanese cooking class last week, expecting to just learn the secrets behind one of my favourite cuisines, which I did... But on top of that, I also met an inspirational woman, who has allowed me to share... Continue reading Norma's Lebanese Cooking Class and her delicious kafta recipe »

I thought I would interrupt my series of Japanese blog posts with a short and sweet recipe which I've just cooked and adored. I know that all lovers of shellfish will be delighted with this gratin as not only does... Continue reading Mussel and Clam Gratin »

Located in northern Italy, Lombardy stretches up towards Lake Como and down to Milan. The region is home to many rich, regal dishes such as golden risotto alla Milanese, rice cooked with saffron; ossobuco, a marrow-filled knuckle of veal; and... Continue reading A culinary journey through Lombardy at Casa Barilla Cooking School »

They say you should never stop learning and growing, whether it is upgrading your skill at work or picking up new knowledge for a hobby. When Brasserie Bread invited me to attend their Home Baker workshop, I was thrilled I'd... Continue reading Home Baker Workshop at Brasserie Bread »

Those who subscribe to SBS Food's e-newsletter will have seen that I am their latest Featured Foodie! What a honour it is to be able to share my culinary journey with such a respected publication. In a sequence of interview... Continue reading Featured Foodie on SBS plus a cherished family recipe - Xiu Mai (Vietnamese meatballs) »

This is my attempt to deal with my post-holiday blues. As I mentioned in the May e-newsletter (you can subscribe to this over on the right), this time, last year, I was taking my dream holiday in Europe. One of... Continue reading Razor clams and chorizo stew »

Although EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) is one of the most common pantry items in kitchens across the world, I'll admit that I didn't really know much about it at the time I received an invitation from Media Moguls to... Continue reading Cobram Estate's Extra-Virgin Olive Oil »

Just because it's getting cold, it doesn't mean you need to stop eating salads. Yes, soups warm you up instantly and are nice with a crusty piece of bread but salads are lively, crunchy and full of colour. Here is... Continue reading Autumn salad of pomegranate, duck and beetroot »

Along with several other bloggers, I was recently treated by Lindt to a Gold Class screening of Alice in Wonderland. It was a meet and greet with the marketing team and their advertising and PR agencies and being such marvelous... Continue reading Chocolate & Peanut Butter Lava Cakes »

Green was once used only to describe those in envy but nowadays, when you say you are green, it is instantly associated with being environmentally conscious. I'll admit that I don't go to extraordinary lengths to minimize my food-related carbon... Continue reading Test driving a Bessemer with a Chicken Pot Roast »

This 'Indulgence on a Budget' idea is my most favourite. I've lived in Sydney all my life but it wasn't until recently that I stumbled upon Sydney's best kept secret: Wendy's Secret Garden. Wendy is the widow of late artist... Continue reading Wendy's Secret Garden »

Childhood memories of Chinese New Year have always featured elaborate homemade banquets on the eve of the New Year followed by a day witnessing the roaring of firecrackers and drums as the lion dance parades through masses of crowds in... Continue reading Chinese New Year 2010 and our suckling pig »

With Australia Day coming up and the end of summer approaching, I thought I would share my special chicken wing marinade recipe which is always a winner at BBQs. I'm already dreading the upcoming shorter days (without daylight saving) so... Continue reading Something for the barbie: A killer chicken wing marinade »

Sandwiches are the ultimate picnic food as they're portable and thousands of variations can be made to suit all tastes. For example, you could easily replace the usual white sandwich bread for tortillas, flatbreads, sourdough or a crusty baguette for... Continue reading Picnic Sandwiches »

While I'm not religious, my family and I have always celebrated Christmas as a time to be together, share food, and give love and appreciation. Part of the fun is of course within the preparation and cooking stages which gives... Continue reading A Galaxy of Gingerbread Stars »

Dehydrating fruit with a food dehydrator I am a bargain hunter. There's nothing more exciting than buying something you love with a discounted price tag. One of my latest buys is a food dehydrator which is available at David Jones... Continue reading A new obsession with dehydrating fruit »

Last week, I had the pleasure of not only meeting Jason Roberts, but also cooking with him, thanks to IGA, Stellar* Concepts and City Public Relations. Many of you will remember Jason from his time at Channel Nine's cooking program... Continue reading Introducing Jason Roberts as IGA Food 4 Life brand ambassador »

Rice and pasta are kitchen staples I can't live without. And now, thanks to Blu and the team at Haystac, I can add Pearl Couscous (also known as Israeli couscous) to my list of must-have versatile ingredients. You can win... Continue reading Cooking with pearl couscous »

Vietnamese-style coconut and pandan waffles I grew up on these waffles. I remember sitting on the kitchen bench on many after school afternoons, eagerly waiting for my parents to pour batches of batter onto our Black and Decker Sweet Hearts... Continue reading Coconut and pandan waffles »

With a name like this, how can anyone not like them? Smiling doughnuts are also commonly known as smiling mouth cookies, happy mouth cookie balls, deep-fried sesame cookie balls or from it's direct Cantonese translation, 笑口枣 means smiling mouth dates.... Continue reading Smiling Doughnuts (笑口枣) »

The Aussie in me has never experienced a cold wintery Christmas. I'm used to the barbecues, the fresh seafood, chilled fruity drinks and spending the morning watching a repeat of Christmas cartoons followed by a balmy afternoon at the beach.... Continue reading Baking for Christmas In July afternoon tea »

Welcome back! I hope ya'll had many delicious moments during the break. To kick off a new year of blogging, I thought it would only make sense to firstly conclude 2008 with my family Christmas dinner. It was a little... Continue reading Christmas at home »

Earth Day was Lidcombe Public School's theme for the 2007 fair. The weeks leading up to this, Bryan (my baby bro) was singing "3 is a magic number, yes it is, it's a magic number... reduce, reuse, recycle...". To continue his excitement, I agreed to bake a batch of cupcakes and brownies for the food stall. Continue reading i like to bake »

Merry Christmas! Last night, I was put in charge of our family's Christmas dinner. So instead of last year's roast, fresh prawns and lobster mornay, I decided to stock up on some oysters, scallops and green king prawns. I also did the gingerbread baking a day in advance! Continue reading Christmas dinner @ home »