ARROW ROOT WATER CHESTNUTS BARLEY SOUP

A throat soothing and body cooling soup which is nourishing to the lungs.  It helps to remove excess moisture from the body.

Arrow root is rich in calcium and barley a good source of fiber which gives your intestinal health a boost.

1 arrow root without skin, 3 tablespoons barley, 5 water chestnuts - peeled and mashed and 1 sweet date

I did not add in any meat as the ingredients bring out their own sweetness after prolong boiling.  Add salt to season

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL CAKE

With my grown up kids leaves taken need not always be coincide with the children school holidays.  Leaves are taken at my own leisure to enjoy the quietness and solitude at home while the children are away at school and at work.

By late morning cakes or pastries are being made to be savored at teatime.  The oven is humming  and emitting delicious aromas while the housework is being done.  A light lunch of either a sandwich or salad is served after.
 

A moment to enjoy a piece of blueberry streusel cake with sour plum tea

Soft buttery cake with crispy toppings

Blueberries balance the sweetness - butter, flour, brown sugar, sour cream, eggs and blueberries

Brown sugar for the toppings enhances the flavor of the cake

Time passes quickly and getting ready to prepare dinner.  Back to work again!

POTATOE, TOMATO & EGG PLANT SALAD

Tomatoes and egg plant mix with onions, spring onions and chillies, together with mayonnaise is substantial as main dish - light and refreshing without much calories.

PLUM PIE

Bake a pie from fresh ripe juicy plums but cheated due to laziness by using store bought puff pastry.

Roll out the pastry and line the dough over pie pan.  Prick holes over pie with fork and blind bake with beans on top till the base is slightly cooked.  Fill pie with sliced plums and sprinkle lightly with fine sugar and bake again till pie is brown. 

Juicy fragrant plum slices

FIGS - 無 花 果

First time I see figs being sold in NTUC and is not cheap.  For a packet of 4 globs it costs $5.49, which is about a dollar for 1 fruit.

The fruit is best eaten fresh rather than for baking and make into jam as it is expensive.

An alluring color of the flesh evokes a sweet fruit, not necessary

KALEIDOSCOPE

Life is a kaleidoscope which gives out colorful lights but do not last.  Sometimes you have to create some color to our life.  

家 常 飯 - 三 菜 一 湯

A simple and nutritious meal, what we usually have, 3 dishes plus a soup.   We normally do not eat out during public holidays or festive seasons as prices charge are double or triple.  Moreover most of the eating places are crowded and finding a parking lot is a headache.

These dishes do not take up alot of time preparing.  The liver sausages are already precooked, all you need is to just put over the boiled rice and steam.

Radish Cuttlefish Soup  - Soup is a must for every meal

Stir-fry marrow with dried shrimp. 

Fried onion omelette - a dish my children love

DANG GUI SOUP - 當歸湯

Once a month I will serve this soup to relief tiredness and improve health.  This soup is suitable for the whole family as our jobs involve working with computers, and the kids who are still schooling need to use the computer frequently, our eyes are most affected - tire and dry eyes.  My oldest child who is in health service, who is in need of rest and sleep, needs to consume the soup more often.

Ingredients:
angelica sinensis (當歸), polygibatum odoratum (玉竹), astragalus membranaceus (北旗),  boxthorn fruit (杞子), ligusticum wallichii (川芎), dates (大 棗), lotus seeds (蓮子),  & dried longan (桂圓)

Double boil all the ingredients together with black chicken for 3 hrs and add in salt before serving.

ASTON

Aston has open another outlet at Changi Airport Terminal I.  It is on 2nd level near to the viewing gallery.  This place is convenient than the one in East Coast Road in terms of parking, and the place is much bigger and spacious in sitting arrangement.

Rib eye medium rare with pasta and mashed potatoes.  The beef is succulent and not chewy.  The pasta and potatoes are good fill

Salmon steak with saffron rice in white herbal sauce

A compliment of steam vegetables of broccoli and carrots

Lamb chops in mint jelly.  Not a good choice as the chops come in small pieces, dry and tough

Grill potatoes in salad cream

Fresh vegetable salad, icy and fresh

EAT ALONE

To cook for one is always simple as to make use of whatever in the fridge.  I always have a pack of instant mee pok in the pantry to tide me over when I am eating alone.

Besides the instant pack of seasoning, I will add in oyster sauce, sesame oil, tomatoe sauce, light soya and XO sauces.  Plus szechuan vegetables and lots of spring onions. 

Boil the noodles till soft and mix in to the sauce mixtures

A substantial and delicious meal!

TEA DINNER BREAKFAST

Tea time - rich luscious devil chocolate cake to start off

Spent a day eating ... from WheelLock Place to Ion Orchard

Wow, what a thick layer of fudge

Carrot cake - how to resist creamy cheesy nutty cake

Full Japanese Set Dinner

Fresh sashimi

Sushi varieties

Silky soft tofu pair well with fried onions and tomatoes

Scallops chawanmushi

Crispy cold salad

Salmon roe chawanmushi

Lime sherbet pair with mangoes - palate cleansing

Breakfast from Bread Society - Berries bread

Blueberries reservoir puff