An Angel for an angel

My newborn niece the Lord had given, and we have only well wishes for her - 乐, 恩

For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.

In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:11-12

Poh Heng 916 Baby Anklet (22K-916 $72.50/gm)

$7 for Singapore Laksa?

Laksa Goreng ($7.50)

Lemongrass Tea ($2.80 x2)

How's this for lunch?

I believe Singaporean craves their Laksa. We do!

Singapore Laksa ($6.50)

I couldn't resist it when the steamy bowl of Laksa was seducing me effortlessly - it seems ages for Ric to finish the photo shots before we could dig in. I AM salivating!

Dry fried Laksa and soupy Laksa, we were having the best of both worlds, as planned. Today's our repeat visit at Laksania at NEX.

Dried Figs from Turkey

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was a fig tree!? Read here for more mention of fig tree in the Bible.

If you were in Israel or Turkey for a short trip, you MUST bring back some of these largest dried fig fruits i've ever seen! 3 pieces overloaded my palm; they were not dry but heavily moist and filled with crunchy seeds within. Lovely.

Wasn't gifted a huge quantity of this. And so am nibbling it sparingly ;)

海皇, Netune HK Dim Sum

Fresh Shrimps Chee Cheong Fun ($2.80)

Streamed Shrimps Dumpling, 3s ($2.60)

We didn't have to think very far when we needed some 'confirmed good' Hong Kong Dim Sum. Alas, being absent here for the longest time (4 years ago!), we hoped the stall in Marine Parade Food Centre maintain its standard.

Hakka Yong Tau Fu ($2.60)

Black Bean Chicken Feet ($2.60)

Lo Mai Gai, Glutinous Rice in Lotus Leaf ($2.80)

Century Egg & Pork Congee ($2)

They still do!

And we never have to stuff ourselves silly going for dim sum buffets, we just come here. For their meticulous cooking that made our palates, tummies and wallet, happy.

Little Nyonya Express

Fish Head Assam Pedas, small ($18)

Couldn't resist an offer for good fish head, albeit the trouble of going a little off track to the remotely sited Little Nyonya Express; perfect for a cozy lunch or dinner though.

In the coolness of air-conditioned and clean ventilated air (these days were really sunny), we took our time with the searing hot claypot of fresh fish head in tangy tamarind sauce. It is good.

Grilled Squids in Nyonya Sauce ($18)

Probably the promotional price we paid at MadaboutDeal, we couldn't help noting the smaller serving of squids? The Nyonya sauce tasted sweet rather than spicy. Else with Richard Marx playing on 90.5FM which the cafe puts on, it's been an easy lunch date.

MadAboutDeal Promotion Set  @ $14.90 nett

Nature's Wonders Nuts

Tai Sun Fruits & Nuts Fusion, 320g ($6.80)

Tai Sun The Royal Mix, 240g ($8.90)

I had thought old Tai Sun was over the hill. Studying the air tight packaging of Nature's Wonder, it is a surprise to have Tai Sun's name behind these best quality dried fruits and nuts. Now our favorite Camel has a worthy opponent.

The tough packaging preserves its content perfectly while i could smell only naturalness and freshness from these nuts, none any tints of chemical bleaching or sweeteners! It is safe assurance we were consuming.

Accustomed to their Fruits & Nuts Fusion, the Royal Mix re-introduced me to Macadamia, Walnuts and dried Cranberries which i had previously shunned. To the designer who put together these clever mixes - you made eating healthy, attractive.

Shanghai Night Teochew Porridge

Pig's Liver, Braised Cabbage, Steamed Squids, Fish Cake ($9.20)

A bowl of hot porridge + some of the simplest Teochew dishes, calm the weary souls - as plain as it seemed; that's how good Teochew porridge's to be, simple yet utterly satisfying.

That may be the very reason for its mass appeal, especially among taxis drivers; long meal queue ensued everyday, got worse during the weekends. Then you might not get a table.

A meal of our standard order, of all our favorites. The pork's liver forever entices my palate and i fell in love with the braised cabbage (Chap Chye) all over again today.

Steamed Squid with Kumquat dip sauce

Teochew Fish Cake

Pig's Liver with Ginger Strips in Oyster Sauce

Address: Blk 116, Bukit Merah View

ieatishootipost Cheng Teng

Cheng Teng, cold ($1.50)

A little stall in Blk 69, Bedok South that has no signboard and was recommended in ieatishootipost, so let's name it thus.

I agree with Doc Tay's review on the Cheng Tng - real value for money; all decent ingredients that should be present are present, in good bite size! The dried Longan, White Fungus, Pearl Barley, Seed of Sterculia (膨大海), Gingko Nut, Sweet potato, candied Melon cubes and dried Persimmon strips.

Yes, business is good.

Nanyang Old Coffee - a meal of Curry Chicken + Coffee

Curry Chicken, with rice ($5.50)

I appreciate the modesty of traditional Nanyang coffee than enterprising Espresso; Nanyang coffee has that fond familiar sweetness we loved as a child while the Espresso reminded our maturing in the polished world.

The Hainanese is known to serve Singapore's best Nanyang coffee and Curry Chicken; Nanyang Old Coffee in Parco Millenia Walk where we are today is one of them.

A luxurious way to savour the curry is to sponge up the rich stew with lightly toasted bread - i promise you will enjoy the mixed savory. And as you do so, remember to feed yourselves generous spoonfuls of the curry.

Ice blended Milk Tea, Ice Blended Coffee ($2 each)

A pity, the hot sun kept us away from our favourite hot cuppa. In return, we were well rewarded with an iced milk tea that tasted the exact of bubble milk tea and a glass of concentrated Nanyang coffee ;)

Our $4 deal today.

Basil Pesto Sauce

Trimmed my overgrown Basil plant but was not planning for any cooking today! Can't throw all these fresh Basil away? So i tried making a pesto that could be refrigerated for the weekend.

As i do not have the traditional ingredients for Italian Pesto, i'm replacing some of them.

INGREDIENTS:
2 good handfuls of Basil leaves
A handful of Sweet Peanuts, from NTUC pack (instead of Pine nuts)
3 cloves of Garlic

1 tbsp Margarine (instead of Parmesan Cheese) 

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Equipment: Food Processor or Pestle & Mortar

STEPS:
1. Break down the Nuts, Garlic and Basil leaves, adding them in sequence to the food processor/ pestle & mortar.
2. Turn the mixture into a bowl, add Margarine and Olive oil. Stir gently to bind the sauce.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep adding the Margarine, Oil, salt, pepper until you are happy with the taste and consistency.
4. Refrigerate in airtight container. Place it in freezer if you intend to use it after many weeks time.

Served with Pasta, spread over toasted Baguette bread or over baked Potatoes!

SIGMA 30mm F2.8 EX DN

Sigma 30mm f/2.8 lenses ($299)

Making my wish (to improve photos quality) known to Ric, he had researched and bought the SIGMA prime lens to replace our current Sony NEX-3 kit lenses of 18-55mm, F3.5-5.6.

A lower F-factor, meant an aperture that allows more light into shots - helps in low light environment and paints a livelier photograph. Let's see how this goes from now.

老两, Lao Liang Chilled Pig Trotters Jelly + Shark Meat

白牙沙鱼, Chilled White Shark Meat ($5)

A good Teochew friend would surely, and definitely introduce you to their traditional delicacy - Chilled White Shark and Pork Trotters Jello! I was, when courted by a Teochew and grew to like the dishes as well as the man.

猪脚冻, Chilled Pork Trotters Jelly ($5)

Can't explain how the plain tasting fare (the Shark - naturally sweet. the Pork Jelly - unseasoned) caught on and won my devotion; to choose preference for either of them is unreasonable, i need both!

The sweet plum sauce with peanuts goes with Sharkie while the sourish chili sauce teamed Jelly apparently but mixing them up is equally delightful. Teochew or not, this is a food culture worth experiencing.

Feed on these collagen food today, while the rare trade still operates from Jalan Berseh Food Centre. You know any other stalls available? Please let me know.

黑白, Black & White Fish Soup

Back and white colored decor, heart-shaped dangling labels and a fixed large clock that informs you their absurd starting hours at 11:12am - all screams "gimmicky".  But they are the only stall with a queue in Jalan Berseh Food Centre, and we were sold.

Fish Soup Set, large ($7) + Rice ($0.50)

The stall doesn't provide takeaway and charges separately for their sugared chili sauce that's good enough to be drank on it's own. And if you like something piquant, don't mind oiliness and loves MSG in the supposedly healthy fish soup, this stall should keep you coming back, like many of their regulars. 

I almost did.

But we don't tolerate MSG. While it does add much flavor to the soup, it's unimaginable to be panicking for water sources - the entire afternoon. I guess the fried fish pieces could be an accomplice as it too tasted salty.

Boiled fish slices and prawns were great but they don't accept a sale of just it. So we can't be back here.

Rosaceae (the rose famiily)

Rosa spp.

As i arrived home, my morning flower had blossomed beautifully with a hint of pink at its heart! And is smelling ever so sweet and fresh.

Earlier this year, i planned to restart keeping my favourite rose plant after giving them up previously and this pot was from Ric before the Chinese New Year. We had wanted the champagne rose but mistakenly took this white rose for it - a rosy mistake; the white has its charming trait too.

Scallion Chicken from Mouth Restaurant

姜葱鸡, Mouth's Scallion Sakura Chicken ($26.80++)

My earlier impression with dining in these traditional Hong Kong restaurant was that of superior arrogance and hasty service; comfy and relaxed dining is more appealing to us. So it's a long while since we had something from Mouth's.

Food standards at these self-proud restaurant was seldom an issue, i therefore leap onto their promotion; choosing to pay extra for a takeaway.

With a good credibility of being a low-fat chicken, their Sakura Chicken has visibly no fats under its skin (and therefore no trace of 'chicken smell') yet is tender like a young chick. The dish was welcomed hungrily by Nic and his wife as they dipped into the greenish ginger paste generously.

"How many coupons you purchased? Why not buy more? Next time buy more?" Nic asked while still busy digging in. Okay :)

Ice Skating... those were the days

While ice skating was as common as learning to ride a bike in Winter countries, it is a novelty for Singapore's kids.

My first and only experience with ice skating went back to the days of Fuji Ice Palace (if you are old enough to know the place?), at the former Rex cinema building - it was then Singapore's only ice rink. After a day of thrilling skate, i had spend the night overcoming unnerving thoughts of possible mishaps that might had happened with falling over and cuts with the sharp blades! Left physically drained and emotionally intimidated, i saw the end of ice skating - now that's a scaredy cat for you.

Today, the well-architecture JCube surely provides our brave youngsters a hell of a ride as they glide under the tall skies of the Olympic sized rink! I was impressed with the spaciousness of the mall as I ascended upon the openness of level 3, facing frosty glasses of the wide skating rink. An air of youthful excitement will urged you to the viewing gallery at level 4!

Viewing gallery at level 4

It is wonderful to see a vibrant ice-skating scene in the making as we now have 3 ice-skating rinks in Singapore (charges varies). If you are a first timer on the rink, remember to put on some thick socks and bring a pair of gloves. Happy Memories.

The Rink JCube, 1800m2

Kallang Ice World, 975m2

Marina Bay Sands Skating Rink, 600m2