Putting together a Festive Hamper

So I love to make my own original hampers for the festive season.

This year, I have chosen a Mediterranean theme. Using Ottolenghi and Tamimi's cookbook titled Jerusalem as a centerpiece, I chose Middle Eastern, Mediterranean & North African ingredients to the mix. After all, this is probably more "christmasy" then snowflakes and santa claus.

I know, you'll say why bother? Well, we've ordered store bought hampers in the past and we feel we're not getting good value items. To fit the budget, many stores give small packaging of nuts, etc. I wanted to give something more substantial than a hamper with some wine, and substandard bag of nuts. 

Here are some tips to putting together an original hamper: 

1/ Try and find a theme. Mine was Middle Eastern Christmas. (What can be more christmas than Jerusalem)?

2/ Try and co-ordinate the colors. I was thrilled to find this gorgeous gold green olive bottle (Kalamata PDO) from world market, which complemented the Moroccan Mint tea packaging. I added the tri-colored couscous, which also worked with the gold and green look. Just add a gold ribbon to the basket. 

3/ Add interesting ingredients: The spice packs from World Market were great little items to throw into the basket. I chose sumac (my fave spice), za'atar and aleppo pepper (all of these spices are used in the Jerusalem cookbook). I also found the Moroccan preserved lemons (better still, make your own home-made version for a personal touch) 

4/ I abstained from using cellophane plastic to wrap the hamper. It's not necessary. There's too much plastic in our oceans already!

5/ As a rule of thumb, fill with 2 or 3 big ticket items and then add smaller items as fillers. Some good big ticket items to put in your hamper: wine, chocolate, olive oil, recipe books, wine gadget,

6/ Some good fillers: small wine apparatus, coasters, spice, honey,

7/ Best to make a theme so your hamper looks "put together" Here are some other ideas for themes: 

- Californian wine hamper (Californian wine, Mcevvoy ranch has a good range of tapenades, olive oil and even salt scrubs, Californian cheese from Cowgirl Creamery) 
- Breakfast hamper (big ticket items like a coffee press, add granolas, jam, honey and coffee powder)
- Italian hamper (gourmet pastas, Italian cheese, ravioli makers, interesting pasta measurers) 
- French dessert hamper (French remekins, champagne, get goodies from Frenchery.com)

So give it a try, make your own original hamper. message me on facebook if you have any questions!

Why diversifying your kids palate is a good idea

My first kid started as a picky eater and I've tried very hard to change that. My take has always been to encourage kids to be adventurous in eating. And there's many ways of doing so.

1/ Keep diversifying their tastebuds and introduce them to something new each week (sushi / indian food / chinese) It's one thing to blend their vegetables and hide it in the food but I think they should be exposed to eating different textures.

2/ Always keep the attitude positive. For example, on spicy food, never panic and say "Oh No its spicy!" instead, try a challenge "this is big people's food, when you are ready, you can try it." or you can use some imagination "It makes the mouth hot like a dragon! Too bad it only stays for awhile"

3/ Encourage wonderful food experiences in restaurants. growing up as a Singaporean kid, eating was our culture and we were exposed to a lot of different styles of eating: Dim Sum, South Indian food, Seafood, etc.

If your kids move from picky to adventurous eaters, you will be able to enjoy food adventures together as a family and not have to say "I can't go to xxx restaurant, Johnny can't eat xxx. It will also open the kids to different cultures and a wealth of life experiences.

Diversity won't hurt you, in fact I am a firm believer that it would benefit and sustain you.  

Natural Indian Snacks for School Lunchbox

My friend brought me to Madras Supermarket in Sunnyvale, California. I was impressed at the diversity of grains and spices in this supermarket. In the Western diet, we have grown so used to eating wheat that we forget that there is such a diversity of ingredients out there. Take flour for example...most Westerners are familiar with wheat flour and maybe they may have two or three other different flours in their pantry. The Indian diet incorporates so much different varieties of flour: sorghum, moong dal, chick pea, rice, soya bean, buckwheat, millet and the list goes on...

It has added oomph into my kid's snack box. Here are some ingredients that you can buy from your local Indian supermarket:

Pani Puri (Left of lunchbox)
Made of semolina, flour, salt, oil and water, this crisp puffy snack is perfect for schoolkids. Apart from a little salt, there's no other preservatives. I  serve it with a little tub of yoghurt of cream cheese on the side. This is my little one's favourite. (he can't get enough of it)

Namak Para (bottom right of lunch box)
Primarily made of wheat flour, this makes a great nibble for the kids

Boondi (top right of lunch box)
These salted fried chickpea flour puffs are nice to pick and snack on (the version I bought contains a little peanut but I'm sure if you try hard enough, you can find non-peanut versions)

Sesame Chikki (centre of lunch box)
It comes in a slab. It's like sesame brittle. Break it up with your fingers. It goes well with coffee (or in your child's snack box) Nice crunchy sticky texture and it's a good substitute to all those snacks with artificial colors.

Incidentally, my kids loved the box of Indian snacks I put together for them. The older one loved Boondi and the younger one loved Pani Puri.

Keep trying.

How to host a fabulous Winter Raclette party

There's nothing like melty cheese to warm the cockles of your heart in winter.  Most people are familiar with fondue but I think I also like the lesser known cousin...raclette.

Raclette is a semi-hard cheese that originates from Valais, Switzerland. Is is said that Swiss cow herders used to take Raclette cheese with them when they are out and about with their herd. Then they would light a fire and roast the cheese. These days, the cheese is warmed on a pan and scraped onto boiled potatoes. In Switzerland and the French Alps, it's a popular dish after a hard day's work of skiing.

I was hosted by my French friend recently; She threw a wonderful raclette party for 12. I realize that it's actually a nice fuss free way of entertaining. Your guests cook their own food and they're having so much fun in the process.

So here's three easy steps to get started with your raclette party: 

1/ Get one of these cool raclette grills. You basically melt the raclette cheese with your individual pans, that can be slotted into the grill. You can grill vegetables on top or cook crepe on the top of the raclette grill, but that's for another party! You can get one of these raclette grills on Amazon. 

(6 person raclette grill) 

2/ Besides the raclette cheese, you can put together a charcuterie plate of saucisson, cuts of meat like parma ham and bowls of olives and cornichons on the side.

If you're in the Bay area, you can order your raclette and a variety of dried cured meats from an artisan shop or Frenchery.com. Serve with a bowl of boiled baby potatoes and maybe even a salad. 

Easy. 

By the way, my French friend adds that you should be enjoying raclette with white wine. And end the meal with herbal tea. 

3/ Don't forget to create an atmosphere - a winter lodge or swiss chalet feel. You don't have to do much to your table setting, as your ingredients will be the star of the table. Light a fire in the fireplace, put on some cool music and you're all set. 

Bon Apetit!  

  

What shall I cook today: Miso Eggplant, Leek and Mushroom Noodles and Vegetable Sticks with Miso Dip

So with the new year, I've resolved to prepare more vegetables for my family. It's a sustainable meal and also much more healthy. Twice a week, I try to preparing vegetarian. I needed new recipes. Also, I just bought a huge tub of miso so I was looking for additional miso recipes.

LEEK AND MUSHROOM NOODLES
(Serves 2)
This meal is inspired with the leftover leek in my fridge.

2 cloves Garlic, sliced
1 Leek
Dried Mushrooms / Fresh Mushrooms
Spinach or Thinly sliced Swiss Chard or any other leafy greens
1 oz butter
Ramen or Egg Noodles
2 Tbsp Light Soya Sauce
1 Tbsp Mirin
1 Tbsp Sesame seeds
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1/ Thinly Slice veges
2/ Slice white part of leek thinly
2/ If using dried mushrooms, soak them in hot water
3/ Melt butter in wok. Add garlic
4/ Add leek, mushrooms and greens
5/ Add Soya sauce and mirin
(At this point you can set the veges aside and cook later)
When you're ready to eat,
6/ Boil noodles until al dente
7/ Add noodles to vegetables and stir fry for a short while until sauce is absorbed
8/ Sprinkle with sesame seeds

MISO GLAZED EGGPLANT
I found this recipe on Pickled Plum. I've adapted the recipe by omitting sugar.

4 Small eggplants or cut a large eggplant into 4 segments
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp Red Miso
2 Tbsp Light Miso
2 Tbsp Mirin
1 Tbsp Sake
1 tsp sugar or omit

1/ Cut a criss cross pattern on the inside of the eggplant.
2/ Put oil in a pan or wok on high heat. Put eggplant with the criss cross pattern downside first. Sear until brown.
3/ Turn the eggplants and put on a lid. Cook for further 3-4 minutes
4/ Combine all other ingredients to make the marinade sauce.
5/ Put eggplants on aluminium foil on top of a tray
6/ Glaze eggplants with marinade
7/ Put under broiler
8/ Sprinkle with sesame seeds

EASY VEGETABLE STICKS WITH MISO DIP
I always love this appetizer they serve in yakitori restaurants. The japanese always cook with color in mind and I also try and make vegetables appetizing for the family.

Crunchy Vegetables like carrots, daikon, cucumbers cut into similar sized sticks
Cabbage and Cos Lettuce would also be good
Light Miso 3-4 Tbsp
Lemon Juice (from 1/2 lemon)
Mirin (1 Tbsp)

1/ Prepare vegetables
2/ prepare sauce by combining the remaining ingredients. The lemon juice cuts the saltiness of the miso and add a touch of mirin.

Old Singapore - shophouses, coffeeshops and takeaway culture

Singapore is changing fast. Every time I visit this island, a new project is underway. This time round it was the National Art Gallery and the MCE tunnel (Marina Coastal Expressway). 

The latest wave of change in Singapore includes a host of artisan eateries and coffee shops.  Located in Jalan Besar, an industrial part of Singapore, Chye Seng Huat Hardware store is an unassuming shop front that hides a cool industrial cafe. Sipping on the gourmet coffees, one would think that coffee is a new introduction to the Singapore scene. 

However, Singapore's coffee and tea culture goes way back.

And every time I return to this island nation, I am drawn to the old Peranakan neighborhood of Katong where I grew up. I suppose beyond the confectionary colored shophouses and the food, I love Katong because there are still bastions that have stood the test of time...like Chin Mee Chin confectionary. 

With its 1950s decor still intact, Chin Mee Chin has stood the test of time. The confectionary is loved for it's 1950s style cakes and kaya toast. 

Prior to Starbucks, Singapore's take-away cups were in the form of these simple plastic bags. I remember drinking fanta and sprite on these at my school's tuck shop at recess. 

Another nostalgic takeaway cup with the takeaway tin. 

Local coffee can be enjoyed around the island at an affordable price. Coffee is still being brewed in pots with what locals popularly call the 'sock filter'. Muslin filter sieves out the ground coffee.  

Chin Mee Chin Coffee Shop
204 East Coast Road

Destination Yucatan

As a travel destination, Yucatan has it all. A range of hotels to fit every need (from luxury to budget, large scale to small scale); a range of activities (beach, cenotes, caves, jungle, Mayan ruins) and a lot of good food. Here's my recommendations for Yucatan.

Accommodation

Luxury All-Inclusive

If you have young kids and want to take advantage of the kids clubs, you can choose to  stay in an all-inclusive. For all-inclusives, the general rule of thumb applies - you pay for what you get. $600-1000 gets you a room at Finest Playa Mujeres, a luxury resort North of Cancun. It's newly built in 2015 and the furnishings are all good quality. (Hansgrohe taps, rain shower, jacuzzi bath in your balcony, etc) This was the view from our room. The resort was big enough to occupy you for at least a week. Added to that, everything from the landscaping to the  service was wonderful. They had 12 restaurants with decent food. We tried the Spanish Tapas and French restaurant and were not disappointed.  

More Affordable all-inclusives

There are more affordable all-inclusives. I took note of Secrets, a new all-inclusive resort located on beautiful Akumal Beach (Turtle Beach) We stayed at Sirens Riviera Maya, which had slightly dated rooms and facilities plus mass-market appeal. However, if you can overlook that, there are some nice things like their beach, their rooftop bar, where you can watch the sunset over the mangroves and the lazy 'river' where kids can sit on tubes and float around. I would not be going back to Sirens Riviera, mainly because the large-scale mass market hotels don't quite suit me. 

Boutique Hotels

Head down to Tulum for a more intimate experience. Boutique hotels dot the coastline of Tulum. Hotels like El Pez, Zebra Club, Mezzanine, Alaya are smack on the beach and have nice atmosphere. 

Beaches and Cenotes

Warm tropical azure blue waters, teeming with life. This is one of the reasons we chose have our vacation in Yucatan. The beach off Sirens Maya Riviera was great. They had a beautiful cove where fish would be swept in by the waves. You can stand a few meters from the shore and see schools of fish swimming around you. 

Tourists flock to Akumal Beach to swim amongst giant loggerhead and green turtles. I saw at least 10 giant turtles grazing on seagrass and I could almost touch them. There's hardly any waves on this stretch of beach so it's great for the kids. One downside is that it is super crowded so watch your valuables! 

Akumal Beach

My favorite beach hands down is Paradise Beach in Tulum. The sand was powder fine, the water was a beautiful blue and not too crowded! Extra bonus: lifeguards! 

Paradise Beach

When you're tired of the beaches, you can head to one of the many cenotes (underground sinkhole watering holes) Cenotes were considered by the Mayans to be sacred wells. These caves and underground rivers were created thousands of years ago. Gran cenote has something for everyone. For kids and snorkelers, they can explore the freshwater pools outside the caves and see fish and turtles. Serious divers can explore the surreal subterranean caves and admire the stalactites and stalagmites. Another cenote worth exploring is Yal Ku, a lagoon off Akumal (where fresh water meets salt water) and it's a great environment for kids to snorkel without waves. 

Entering Gran Cenote

Restaurants

There was no shortage of good eating places. There are many affordable seafood options in Akumal. 

We ate lunch at Lol Ha, a beachside restaurant with a big seafood menu. The deep fried grouper was fresh and crunchy, soft on the inside. Also at Akumal, Cueva Pescador is a great place to go local and enjoy Mexican food and seafood! We enjoyed a generous plate of ceviche for USD7.  

Mezzanine dishes up delicious Mexican breakfasts. The Chichen Itza breakfast consists of runny eggs on beans, roast potatoes and sausage crumble. You may not be a bean fan but this dish will win you over. For lunches and dinners. Mezzanine serves Thai dishes.

One of the upside of staying in small hotels is that you are more likely to explore local digs. We loved this small grocery filled with festive pinatas for the christmas celebration.

Downtown Tulum has a number of good restaurants too. La Estancia Jujena serves Argentinian meat and has a nice courtyard atmosphere.  

If you can your act together and reserve a table at Hartwood a month in advance, Tulum's farm to table restaurant, you certainly won't regret it. The restaurant recommends that you email them for reservations. An open-air restaurant helmed by New York expats, Hartwood specializes in seafood and food cooked over a woodfire. 

Unfortunately, we were not as organized this trip (the waiting list was 3 months in the Christmas season) So we opted for Kitchen Table and we had no regrets. As the name suggests, the 'Kitchen Table' is the center of activity in this small and excellent restaurant. The whole restaurant has a rustic 'open air' appeal to it. With a menu of 5 or 6 mains, your choice might be limited but be assured that all the dishes are excellent. We had the roasted octopus which was cooked to perfection, with slurpy gravy. And the pork ribs were delicious to the bone.   

Singapore Chilli Crab

It's the start of the dungeness crab season in the Bay Area. Last year, the dungeness crab season was closed due to domoic acid levels. This year, it's been given the go-ahead by the California Department of Public Health* (The dungeness crab season starts Nov 5, 2016 and ends July 30, 2017)

So I made my first crab dinner of the season. Listed number 35 on the World's 50 most delicious foods (compiled by CNN), Singapore Chilli Crab is a quintessential Singapore dish. As a girl,  I remember going to seafood restaurants by the beach, housed in bungalows, sitting in the garden enjoying the sea breeze and wonderful dishes like chilli crab, satay and black pepper crab.

In Singapore, Sri Lankan crab is used and it is a bigger and meatier version of its Dungeness cousin. The crabs are cooked with garlic and ginger, and simmered in a chilli tomato sauce. The sauce is so good as the juice of the crab gives the gravy its 'umami' flavor.  It is usually served with deep fried buns, to mop up the gravy.

Most Singaporeans don't make this dish as all they have to do is go to one of the many seafood restaurants in Singapore and order the dish. (Jumbo, Red House, No Signboard Seafood) but living in the Bay Area, one has to attempt the chilli crab dish at least once or twice during the crab season.

My Chilli Crab recipe is adapted from Christopher Tan's cookbook: Singapore Cooking 

6 Ibs Dungeness Crab
5 tsp oil
2-3 shallots, thinly sliced
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tbsp minced ginger
5 Tbsp Siracha garlic chilli sauce
7 Tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1.5 cups water
3-4 eggs, beaten

1/ Cut the crab into quarters. (be sure to remove all the fibrous tissues) Crack the claws lightly with a pestle
2/ Heat oil over high heat in a large wok. Stir fry the onions until soft and transparent. Add garlic and ginger and fry until fragrant (be sure not to burn). Add crabs and stir fry until they turn bright red. This may be tricky with a lot of crabs and you may have to place a lid on top to cook the crab faster. Omit cooking the crab viscera (located at the head of the crab)*
3/ Add all the other ingredients except the eggs and cook for another 2-4 minutes. Make sure the crab is cooked. The meat should be opaque, not translucent and the shell should be red.
4/ At the end, stir the beaten eggs into the gravy so that it thickens and serve with buns to mop up the gravy.

* Note that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) advises that consumers not eat the viscera (internal organs, also known as butter or guts) of crabs caught north of Point Reyes. So if your fishmonger can't tell you where the crabs were caught, it's better to be safe and omit the viscera during cooking. CDPH Shellfish Biotoxin Information Line (800) 553-4133 for updated crab consumption advisories.

Japanese restaurants in the Peninsula

As I have grown up in Asia and have been exposed to Japanese restaurants in Tokyo, I'm picky. My husband proposed to me in Japan so it holds special memories. Tokyo is teeming with foodie gems (restaurants, street eateries and food stores) I'll bet that anyone who's been to Tokyo has a "Tokyo Food Story" - a food experience so good, they were blown away.

I have many Tokyo food stories but one of my memorable ones is in Sogo food hall, Shibuya. We were captivated by this fishmonger carving out a huge tuna head. (Some of the best cuts of sashimi comes from the head). We ordered the sashimi and the fishmonger was really nice, he gave us a complimentary 'butcher's cut' slice of fish that he usually consumes for himself. I am struck by the generosity and perfectionist culture in Japan.

What's your Tokyo food story? Leave me a comment! I'd love to hear from you... 

So I have been delaying this but here is my list of Japanese restaurants in the Peninsula SF.

Sushi Kuni (Sushi)
10211 S De Anza Boulevard, open tues-sat, 11:30-2pm, 5-9:30pm
The chefs at sushi kuni are serious about their craft and that's why I am a fan. You can tell that they source their ingredients carefully (their latest offering is an octopus sourced from Tsukiji market, Tokyo). Be sure to sit at the bar and watch the sushi master Kunio put together the sushi. And I would recommend the Omakase (your dishes will be selected by the chef). It's worth it.

Sushi Tomi (Sushi)
635 W Dana St, Mountain View, open daily, 11:30-2pm, 5-9pm
This is my go to Japanese restaurant off Castro Street. It is very popular but the tables turn-around fast. They have all the standard favorites and they do it well.

Sumika Grill (Yakitori)
236 Central Plaza, Los Altos, open daily except monday
This is hands down my favorite Japanese yakitori in the bay area. It's perfect for a casual date or a girl's night out. Tucked away in a car park in Los Altos central, it reminds me so much of the small hole in the wall restaurants in Japan that I love so much. The most popular dish seems to be the pork belly yakitori. Don't forget to check out the seasonal menu, filled with inventive dishes - melt-in-the-mouth eggplant tofu and deep fried octopus are clear winners. Just pick a few dishes to go with you sake and you're in for a great night out.

Ramen Dojo (Ramen)
805 South B Street San Mateo, Open daily except tuesday, 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-9pm
Ramen Dojo is the smaller sister restaurant of Santa Ramen. It was clear from the concise menu that the focus of the dining place was ramen - spicy ramen, to be precise. The restaurant opens at 11:30am and there will be a queue of at least 25 people waiting to get in. Not to worry, tables move quickly. It is known for its spicy ramen. I ordered the garlic pork ramen (tonkatsu soup broth) It is topped with a delicious roasted black garlic sauce. At $8.95 for a basic bowl, it was worth the wait.

Taka Ramen (Ramen)
2219 The Aladmeda Santa Clara
Their thin taka ramen features thin ramen noodles (which I prefer) and their broth is not overly salty. Looking forward to trying the Tsukamen (dipping ramen) They are family friendly, automatically dishing out cute dishes cutlery cups and even a little scissors for the kids to cut their ramen. But get there early. Like all good ramen restaurants, there's a strong following and it's popular.

Shabuway (Shabu Shabu)
Various stores in San Francisco, San Mateo, Mountain View and San Jose http://www.shabuway.com/
Shabu Shabu is a Japanese hotpot of thinly sliced meat and vegetables. It's interesting to note that Wikipedia mentions that Shabu Shabu is an onomatopoeia, referring to the sound emitted when ingredients are stirred in the cooking pot. Shabuway uses good quality meat (like prime angus beef from Meyer ranch, premium lamb from Niman ranch) and the broth is MSG free.

Watch this space as my list grows.
Remember, not all restaurants with queues guarantee good food. Sometimes, it is just hype.

8 things I discovered while cooking in a Mexican home-kitchen

1/ Tajin rules! Tajin is a wonderful spice mix made out of chilli peppers, lime and salt. The sour piquant taste is perfect  to flavor bland vegetables.  For example, Jicama! grate away the tough outside layer of the Jicama and slice it the same way you would slice carrot sticks. Sprinkle Tajin liberally on Jicama and I promise you, you won't stop eating Jicama! You can purchase Tajin at most supermarkets.

2/ Chipotle is not just the name of a food chain, it is a wonderful smoky hot sauce. For those that like it spicy, Chipotles is a smokey chilli sauce that would make a great accompaniment for your dishes.

3/ We discovered different vegetables and they were beautiful. We prepared Tomatillos for our enchilada sauce. Go out, bring a new vegetable home, and try them out.

4) Ceviche is easy to make and makes a good starter! It originated in Peru but it is popular in Mexico. We prepared Ceviche de pescado (fish ceviche) Use a firm white fleshed fish (never use an oily fish). We blanched ling cod in water with bay leaves, peppers, cloves, garlic, onions and salt. Remember not to cook too long as the fish flesh needs to be firm. We marinated the ceviche with lime juice, olive oil, diced onions in the fridge for 20 min to an hour and added vegetables at the end (avocado, tomato, cilantro and green olives or capers) 

We sprinkled tajin on our pescado

Serve in small glass cups for a nice touch

5/ Use orange juice to flavor your shrimp cocktail (Coctel de camaron)

Costco sells fresh ready-cooked shrimps to shorten your cooking process. Our shrimp cocktail was flavored with 1 cup fresh orange juice and 1/2 cup tomato ketchup (600g shrimp). Yes it does sound strange, but it was delicious! Mix with chopped tomatoes, avocados, cilantro, drizzle with olive oil and squeeze lime juice to taste.

6/ A good dose of Tequilla makes the cooking experience fun. Jose Cuervo Tequilla makes a great gift and beautiful pop artwork as well.

7/ It's easy and a fun activity to make empanadas at home with friends. Note: Not all empanada makers are equal. It's not so easy to shape the damn empanadas! Our empanadas were filled with chicken mole (shredded chicken cooked in mole sauce) 

Empanada filling: 

- Get ready-made mole sauce at Mexican supermarket (see bottom)

- Cook chicken breast in water, shred chicken meat

- Reserve chicken stock and combine with ready-made mole paste. Add shredded chicken 

Tip: Don't be greedy, put a smaller amount of filling for each pastry. But don't worry, they come out looking fine in the end. 

Trader Joe's makes great puff pastry that you can roll out and use for the empanadas. 

Brush with egg batter, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake empanadas in an oven @420F

The empanadas were filled with chicken cooked in mole sauce. Mole sauce can be bought pre-prepared in Mexican supermarkets. Make sure your mole sauce is not watery. It should be nice and thick. 

8/ And when life gives you Trump, you make ceviche and coctel de cameron. 

God Bless America!

You can get your Mexican products at Mi Pueblo Food center (Mexican Supermarket): 40 S Rengstorff Ave, Mountain View, CA 94040