Sardines with Tapioca Shoots

Star Q

i.  The Best Present for a Teacher

ii.  A Day to Prove Their Worth

Ramadan is the month when your taste buds get all finicky and haywire and nothing seems to whet your appetite.  You visit the bazaar where the huge array of delicious food seem to have no impact on your waning desire to eat and you begin to recall all the dishes your mom used to cook.

Durian #3 - Marble Durian Mini-Cakes

Star Q

i.  The Best Present for a Teacher

ii.  A Day To Prove Their Worth

This would be my last entry involving durians; at least for this durian season.  I made this mini-cake one afternoon when my five-year-old neighbour popped over (as usual)  When I took the cakes out of the oven, she smugly (albeit childishly)  claimed that she didn't like durian cakes!  The only cake she did like was cheese cake.  I rolled my eyes heavenwards and proceeded to offer a small slice, nonetheless.

Cellophane Noodles Kerabu #2

Star Q

i.  The Best Present for a Teacher

ii.  A Day To Prove Their Worth

You can never have too much of a good thing, and cellophane noodles (in what ever dish) is something my children can never have enough of!  I consider this a blessing in disguise, because I know how difficult it is to get children to eat their vegetables.  And if they like their vegetables in the form of this kerabu, then so be it; not matter how tedious it is to prepare!

Egg Noodle Soup ala Vietnamese

Star Q

i.  The Best Present For A Teacher

ii.  Another Form 6 Cook Off

One off my favourite cooking programme on telly is Taste Takes Off on Channel 703.  It is more of a documentary programme which takes the viewers to specific places, mainly in Australia, and introducing certain dishes from those places.  

Durian #2 - Raden Galoh Durian

Star Q

i.  The Best Present For A Teacher

ii.  Another Form 6 Cook Off!

Durian season is still going on strong over here, and as previously, my better half and I, literally raced against each other to prepare desserts that used durian as the main ingredient.  This dessert (which, honestly, was made a week ago!!!) can also be prepared for Iftaar.

Smoked Catfish with Fingerling Aubergines

Star Q

i.  Another Form 6 Cook Off!

ii.  One For All

It is during the fasting month of Ramadhan that the appetite usually becomes very choosy.  It either wants all the food that the eyes see or it becomes so choosy that it is difficult to please.  And since the body cannot replenish it's energy through food during the day, whether you like it or not, one has to eat something during the night to have energy during the day!

Strawberry Bread Pudding with Strawberry-Cinnamon Compote

Star Q

i.  One For All!

ii.  Another Form 6 Cook Off!

It's a good thing that the first day of Ramadhan fell on a Saturday; a school weekend!  Not only could I relax from the hectic schedule of school activities (for those not in the teaching field, get a grip!), I was also able to prepare this simple dessert for Iftaar.

Marhaban Ya Ramadhan

Star Q

i.  Such Greedy Brutes!

ii.  Kejohanan Olahraga 2012

Image sourced from Google 

As usual I'm late again.  This time in wishing everyone Marhaban Ya Ramadhan.  We are already into the fourth day of fasting, and I have just now found some time to make this entry.  Excuses, excuses!

But, on the plus side, the first two days of fasting were a flurry of activities because all my children were at home.  It is always a much livelier environment when the kids are around, amidst their sibling bickering that sometimes can get on my nerves!

Flash Fry Puffs

Star Q

i.  Such Greedy Brutes!

ii.  Kejohanan Olahraga 2012

The Lazy Syndrome struck again last Sunday as this dish my attest.  I never imagined myself frying curry puffs made from puff pastry.  All this while I had always baked them!  But since I was too lazy to use the oven and I needed to eat breakfast fast due to my hunger pangs, I fried the puffs.  

Fiery Crunchy Chicky

Star Q

i.  Such Greedy Brutes

ii.  Kejohanan Olahraga 2012

Children generally, just love chicken; and my youngest daughter is no exception.  My better half always gets frustrated when everything she cooks is met with a cold stare by the girl!  She would refuse to eat those dishes, and would even swallow down the rice with a few squirts of soy sauce.  I know that is her way of being stubborn and rebelling. 

Durian #1 - Apam Durian

Star Q

i.  Such Greedy Brutes

ii.  Hari Koperasi 2012

It's another durian season over here, but this time the prices are a bit steep considering the abundance of the fruit, especially in this neck of the woods.  My son had been asking me to buy some durians, so in order not to disappoint anyone, I bought about six kilos worth.  

Strawberry and Apple Crumble

Star Q

i.  A Little Courtesy, Please!

ii.  Hari Koperasi 2012

Way back in 1996, was my first experience in making Crumble.  It was a winter's night and all of us had decided to have a small potluck-cum-dinner gathering.  Mary Morris was all quite then because the locals (including the French, Italians etc) had gone to the pubs to warm themselves up.  So we had the kitchen on the second floor to ourselves.

Stingray Sambal with Starfruit

Star Q

i.  A Little Courtesy, Please!

ii.  Perjumpaan Tiga Penjuru

Sometimes the simplest dish can whet a person's appetite, especially when he is really hungry.  No!  I'm not making excuses for the entry of this simple recipe, but I really did enjoy it.  I usually use ordinary mackerel or spanish mackerel for this dish and never with starfruit to provide the sour note.  But the change was a pleasant one.  The proof was the two plates of rice that I finished off at one seating!

Brown Rice Salad

Star Q

i.  A Little Courtesy, Please!

ii.  Perjumpaan Tiga Penjuru

This spell of gout I've been having has limited my choice of daily food.  Then again, I have never really fancied seafood (except fish) or meat (except white meat!)  But I do love beans and legumes.  These are foods that people with gout are not supposed to eat.