Lately, we have been exploring new food in Singapore, especially bakeries and coffees. This time we decide to visit this anticipating bakery which is formerly a home-based business – MADU The Bakery. Now it has opened its physical store along Race Course Road in early May.
As we stepped into the bakery cafe, the first thing that hit me was the aroma of garlic. Next, the only thought we had was how this place looks right out of a furniture catalogue or a Pinterest board — the beige-woody interior was so aesthetically pleasing and strangely calming.
We headed straight for the glass display case where their seasonal bakes were laid out for customers to choose from. These aren’t on the menu though, so you’ll have to go over to see what’s available! Their selection of savoury sandwiches isn’t out on display as well, since they are all made to order.
We decided to go for the Umami Mushroom Bun ($6) that came blanketed in a generous amount of bonito flakes. Encased in the bun was a mix of Shimeji and Shiitake mushrooms and Wakame which gave each bite a burst of savoury notes. The brioche bun was coated in a crust of nori and a sprinkle of furikake which added a nice crunch. This stuffed bun would make for a satisfying light meal but if you’re looking to dig into the plethora of bakes on offer, we would suggest sharing this with a friend or two.
Other than bakes from the shelves they also have sandwiches from the shelves and we choose Nori Jambon ($14.9). You can choose between Cisbatta and brioche for your choice of bread for the sandwiches and we have brioche for ours. The star of this sandwich is the nori butter which is so flavourful that completes the dish.
Besides gobbling down the delectable spread of bakes, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there thanks to the friendly staff. You can take my word when we say we will definitely be back again for more!
Madu The Bakery Address: 421 Race Course Road Operating Hours: 10 am – 8 pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Mondays.
We’re having a craving for summer and some beach vibes for too long now, so we’re super happy to finally be in the beach again. Until now there wasn’t any real summer feeling at home as it is always raining and feeling wet.
When we thought of beach, the sea and the sand came into our mind, and we always crave for some pizza when we are heading over there.
Yes, it’s true, even I get tired of cooking sometimes and will opt out with a good piece of brioche toast. Sometimes it is as easy as mashed avocado and furikake, or sliced heirloom tomatoes with olive oil, basil and dukkah, but lately, it has been this simple recipe for Mushroom Brioche which feels more like a meal and less like a snack because it’s warm, comforting and full of umami flavour.
Mushrooms on toast is a hearty savoury dish that can be made quickly. Using ordinary cultivated mushrooms, it’s cheap and delicious, and ideal for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a late snack. The amount of mushrooms needed for two servings is one pound. It is important to use a variety of mushrooms for the best texture and flavour. For this recipe, we use Maitake, Beech and Oyster mushrooms available at the market.
Types of Mushroom
It is best to use a variety of mushrooms for the best flavour and texture. For this recipe, we use Maitake, Beech, and Oyster mushrooms that are available in markets.
Maitake Mushroom; the Grifola Frondosa species is also known as “hen-of-the-woods,” “ram’s head,” and “sheep’s head.” Popular for centuries in Japanese and Chinese cuisine, the maitake generally grows at the base of oak trees.
Beech Mushrooms; this variety of mushrooms (also called Clamshell or Shimeji) grows in clumps and boasts quarter-size caps and a crunchy texture. They boast an umami flavour and must be cooked to be enjoyed – when they are raw they are tough and bitter. To cook trim away the bottom and break into individual stems.
Oyster Mushroom; Available in either the thin, petal-like white form or the “king oyster” variety with long, broad stems and brown heads, these mushrooms have a delicate, sweet flavour that goes well with stir-frys.
You could also use more varieties of mushrooms or replace them with other mushrooms you find.
How to make Creamy Mushrooms?
To sear mushrooms, pan-fry them in batches over medium heat (in batches to prevent them from steaming). Adding garlic, chilli flakes, herbs of your choice, and butter will enhance the flavour. Season with lemon, salt, and pepper and stir well
The cream can be added at this point, but we find that butter makes the mushrooms nice and creamy. To spice up the dish we also like to add in some white cooking wine and steam it for a while before serving.
Spoon the creamy mushrooms onto toasted bread smeared with cream cheese (optional) and serve.
What is brioche?
Brioche bread is French bread and a cross between a pastry and bread. This is because the bread is enriched with butter and eggs. It belongs to the family of viennoiseries (think croissants, Danish pastries, sweet rolls etc.). It’s a very buttery, soft and delicious bread and can be made into sweet brioche or savoury brioche.
We got our hands on a loaf of brioche from our local bakery, Mother Dough one of the best bakeries in Singapore. The brioche is so soft and buttery, perfect to eat with the creamy mushroom. Heat the bread on your toaster or the oven till it is slightly crispy on the skin before serving it with your mushroom.
Tips on making Mushroom Toast
Never wash your mushrooms as this can make them very water. We like to clean mine with a damp paper towel to wipe any dirt off
When sautéing the mushrooms, never add any salt until the mushrooms are fully cooked and browned. Mushrooms release a lot of water, and adding salt speeds this up and can make them watery
Cooking the mushrooms on high heat is also recommended to make sure they are nicely browned and sautéed
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to tag @leplaincanvas and share your Creamy Mushroom Brioche photo on Instagram so I can share the love
Did everyone set up a cafe this year and decided they were either going to be along East Coast or Jalan Besar? These two locations seem to have a genuine buzz lately, as new-wave coffeehouses have set up shop in other corners of these popular areas.
And one of them is Asylum Coffeehouse; with its blue and red heritage shophouse set along Jalan Besar (near Petain Road), Asylum Coffeehouse has the typical white and woody (well, MUJI-like) interior, with natural light streaming in.
The Beauty of a Simple Menu
The Jalan Besar cafe doesn’t have a wide menu, with typical drinks such as Black ($4), White ($5-5.50), Pour Overs ($6), Mocha ($6) and Hot Chocolate ($5.5). They also have oat and macadamia options for those who do not take dairy. We ordered ourselves a cup of pour-overs each, each of the cups has interesting flavours where it may be too intense for us but it sure woke us up.
While we didn’t get any food but you can expect sandwiches from the popular burger hawker, Hambaobao. They have a Turfoieken ($19), which consists of Turkey, Foie Gras and Chicken in sourdough with homemade Aioli and Apple Chutney. The other sandwich is the Cubano ($16), a Mojo pulled pork ciabatta sandwich with gherkins, swiss cheese and mustard.
Asylum is definitely one of those places we might think of when we are craving a good cup of tea. There are already many Coffee Snobs Singapore members heading over to try their weekly speciality beans, making the place a hot favourite.
With a cosy environment, great coffee and pastries, and friendly staff, it checks off most of our requirements. Despite the short time we spent in the cafe, the interior was welcoming and facilitates communication between baristas and staff. There’s probably a crowd near the counter that’s directly in front of the door that the cafe must manage.
And come nightfall, this minimalist café ditches its simple aesthetics to unveil a secret identity – as an entrance to multi-sensory dinner experience Restaurant Absurdities, dreamed up by local theatre company Andsoforth.
Asylum Coffeehouse 311 Jln Besar, Singapore 208970 Mon-Sun, 8am-4.30pm
Nowadays, radiant and intense shades aren’t very common. It’s difficult to find a space where this type of aesthetic can be used well. Keep in mind that these shades stand out on their own and attract the eye in a more direct and forceful way. We’re all guilty of following conservative decor procedures that create less risk, but deep down can be boring in the long run. Therefore, it’s time to make a change and find other ways to modify the appearance of our homes.
Lemon Yellow – This color is among the vibrant and strident warms. Let’s be clear if we use this as the main color in our decor, it’s not always pleasant. In fact, it can become overwhelming and draw too much attention. As a result, we should use this color sparingly or for an objective purpose.
The Chinese-style Spicy King Oyster Mushroom Salad is a delicious, refreshing cold appetizer. There’s only a little prep involved, and it’s sure to satisfy. If you’re like me, you’ve already incorporated king oyster mushrooms into your regular mealtime rotation because they’re so easy to prepare and versatile! With Sichuan chilli and red & green chilies, we’re making a spicy salad filled with gingery, garlicky goodness.
In the summer, people like to make cold salads 凉拌菜 (liángbàn cài) with whatever they have on hand to minimize cooking and heat. In fact, the concept is similar to making salad, but lettuce is not the main ingredient. We’re using king oyster mushrooms in this recipe, but you can use any vegetables you prefer: carrots, celery, zucchini, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, peppers, or string beans. There are also some traditional Chinese ingredients you can add, such as tofu, seitan, five-spiced tofu, bean threads, seaweed, wood ears, noodles, and so on.
King Oyster Mushroom
King oyster mushrooms have a lovely name in Chinese called “leg mushrooms,” describing their lovely shape, similar to chicken legs, as well as their special texture. Similar to chicken, it has a lovely flavour and texture. Kung pao mushrooms and deep-fried mushrooms can also be made with it.
Is it better to steam or boil?
For this salad, steaming is the best way to avoid the mushrooms absorbing too much water during cooking. When mixing with the seasonings, wait for a while until all the flavours are well blended, then mix in green onions and peanuts.
How to prepare it?
The king oyster mushroom should be slightly washed and any dirt on its surface should be removed. Then halved. Place in steamer and steam for 10 minutes until softened. Steaming can avoid the mushrooms from absorbing extra water in the mushroom and thus can present a stronger flavour from the seasonings. Let the mushroom cool down before tearing them into smaller strip.
Seasoning is Key
To complete this dish the seasoning is key and you may need a bit time to prepare them. What you need are;
Fresh chilli; we use both green and red chilli for the colours and bit of heat
Toasted peanuts; you could get the ready toasted peanuts from the supermarket to save time. For us we get the raw peanuts from the wet market and toast it in the oven for 20 minutes at 200C.
Minced garlic and ginger; this both are the basic yet key to making chinese food, it added frangant to the salad. Do not minced them too fine as we still want a bite of them
Spring Onion/ Corriander; the key to preparing them is make sure they are dry well before chopping into diced as you want chruncy vegatable
Seasoning; oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt and sugar, sichun chilli powder helps to elevate the dish
The sequece of combining them is imporant, start with add fresh chilli, sichun chilli, spring onion, garlic and ginger. Then drizzle hot oil on surface to work up the aroma. Try to spread the aromatics. Add oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, light soy sauce and toasted peanuts, mix well. Set aside for 5 minutes. Let the sauce and the mushrooms combine well.
The spice and juiciness of the mushroom taste exactly like what we have in the Hotpot store Hai Di Lao, we always have been craving for it when we wanted something vegan and spicy. Now it can be easily made at home.
Steaming Slightly wash the king oyster mushroom and remove any dirty on surface. Then halved. Place in steamer and steam for 10 minutes until softened.
Shredding Transfer out, slightly cooled and then shreds by hands.
Drizzling hot oil Add salt, sugar, dried peppers, fresh pepper circle, pepper powder, garlic and ginger. Then drizzle hot oil on surface to work up the aroma.
Other seasonings Add oyster sauce, sesame seeds, sesame oil, light soy sauce, mix well. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Presenting Mix in chopped spring onion and coriander. Transfer to serving plate and decorate with chopped spring onion on top .
We recently compiled a list of cafes to visit in Singapore based on area. Everton Park, which had lately been transformed into a hipster hotspot, took us several weeks to find out. One of the places to go this weekend is O Happi Place, a cafe with a delightful mid-century modern décor that serves a variety of ice cream sandwiches, gelato flavours, and more. We were surprised at how well made this place is, from renovation to the food.
First of all the menu, we were impressed by the wide variety of flavours to choose from. From classics like Dark Chocolate and Matcha to local flavours like Kopi C and Ondeh Ondeh, O Happi Place has it all. We ordered a scoop of Bergamot Orange ($6.70) and Waffles with Pistachio ($9.90). While the Pistachio is not as good as our favourite gelato store Apairy, the Bergamot Orange do amaze us with its flavour. The refreshen of the orange is just a hint on our taste buds.
Other than gelato they also offer a few choices of drinks, and we had Ice Lemon Tea ($4.50) and Blue Pea Tea ($4).
Located in a mature estate, which usually has a higher population of elderly residents, this considerate design welcomes families to have a gathering here with both the young and old. The cafe is designed to be spacious, with a wide entrance and a large door to allow easy access for wheelchairs or prams.
O Happi Place Address: 5 Everton Park, #01-22 Operating Hours:
Housed in a historic Art Deco tower, The Robey might be exactly what you’d expect from a design-centric landmark hotel in a hip neighborhood—but that doesn’t make it any less appealing. Its 69 guest rooms are decorated with a minimalist blend of mid-century modern and industrial furnishings; the color scheme is an Edward Hopper-inspired palette of dark gray, burgundy, and cream; and the sparse, white bathrooms boast Le Labo products and denim bathrobes.
The common spaces include a French-American café on the second floor, a rooftop cocktail bar, and a soon-to-open Cabana Club with a terrace pool. At The Hollander, which is billed as a high-end hostel, the aesthetic is similar—albeit somewhat sparser—and there’s an airy coffee shop on the ground floor.
Baked Potato with Prosciutto in an exceedingly pan is flat-out, it’s one of my all-time favourite potato dishes. we often prepare them, and they’re excellent for occasions where you wish a fast, simple, but incredibly delicious entremots.
This hot potato salad is amazingly simple and loaded with flavour. We make it often after we have a lazy day because it’s simple to create but so tasty. This dish can even be made before time and reheated easily either during a pan or maybe within the microwave – just what you wish if you’re making a variety of side dishes.
The Best Types of Baking Potatoes
Nothing really compares to our love of potatoes. Potatoes are our comfort and celebration food. We cook them in every possible way, from an easy baked to a layered gratin, to a stretchy aligoté. And as a cook, we’ve come to understand a number of the subtle differences between the assorted forms of potatoes. Our three go-to potatoes are Russet, Red, and Yukon Gold. We love all equally and for very different applications. And for this case we like us use Russet for baking.
Due to their thick exterior and fluffy, starchy interior, russet potatoes make the tastiest baked potatoes (once baked, of course). The waxy potatoes should only be cut in half and roasted with some rosemary. While you have good potatoes now, some steps are needed to make sure the potatoes are used well.
Scrub the skin well: Those Russets you’re about to eat came from the ground and are probably still covered in a considerable amount of dirt. Give ’em a rinse, people!
The key to crispy skin: is to have dry skin before baking, and you definitely want to eat the skin. It’s got all the flavour. After you give the potatoes a good scrub, make sure to dry them thoroughly with a clean dish towel. Moisture will result in soggy sadness.
Season it well: You’ll also want to coat them with olive oil. Not only does it help the skin crisp up even more but it makes it taste better. Rub the potatoes all over before baking, then season generously. Without enough salt, they’ll taste boring and plain.
Bake it at high temperature: And high heat makes all the difference in the world. We’re talking 220°C high. Any lower than that, and you’ll likely be tucking into leathery, crinkly skin.
What you’ll need
The wonderful thing about this easy potato side dish is that most of the ingredients are in the title – aka relatively few – and few ingredients often equals easy to make, just like this recipe. Other than potatoes here are the other few ingredients that you need.
Prosciutto: the thin prosciutto becomes super crunchy and adds a great contrast to those soft potatoes. You could swap this for bacon or pancetta, even ham.
Red Cheddar Cheese: This bold flavour is perfectly balanced by the light creamy flesh of the potatoes
Chive: this is the perfect herb to go with cheese. It just adds a light fresh touch.
Oil and sea salt flakes round out the ingredients list.
Spicy & Sour Mayonnaise
Roasted white and black sesame for crunch
Spicy & Sour Mayonnaise
The highlight of this dish is the sauce, while sour cream is the perfect match for potato, this spicy & sour mayonnaise spices up your summer. All you need is mayonnaise, hot sauce (we use Cholula, you can use sriracha as a replacement too) and juice of a lime. The ratio to the ingredients is 4:2:1, mix them well in a bowl. When the sauce is done you can serve it together on the potatoes or you can scoop the sauce into the piping bag as we did.
How to make them
Lay the clean and cut potatoes on the baking tray, drizzle them with plenty of olive oil and season them with season and pepper. Bake it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, till soft.
Insert the thin prosciutto in between the potatoes and sprinkle as much cheese as you like to cover the potatoes. Bring it back to the oven and bake for another 8 – 10 minutes till the thin prosciutto turns crispy and the cheese melts. Switch the oven to broiler mode and bake for another 3 minutes for the cheese to turn golden brown.
Drizzle the prepared sauce over and sprinkle the sesame seeds and chive. Tattda now you are done!!
If you’re after a delicious but quick and easy side dish, these perfectly cooked One Pan Baked Potato with Prosciutto are just what you need. This potato dish is especially great for gatherings where you want a quick and easy but insanely tasty side dish recipe.
Lay the clean and cut potatoes on the baking tray, drizzle them with plenty of olive oil and season them with season and pepper. Bake it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, till soft.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine mayonnaise, Cholula hot sauce and lime juice, mix it well. When the sauce is done you can serve it together on the potatoes or you can scoop the sauce into the piping bag as we did.
Insert the thin prosciutto in between the potatoes and sprinkle as much cheese as you like to cover the potatoes. Bring it back to the oven and bake for another 8 – 10 minutes till the thin prosciutto turns crispy and the cheese melts. Switch the oven to broiler mode and bake for another 3 minutes for the cheese to turn golden brown.
Drizzle the prepared sauce over and sprinkle the sesame seeds and chive. Enjoy!
After a two-year hiatus, i Light Singapore is back to the city. We are back to immerse in the creative artworks of professional and student artists that hope to raise awareness of sustainability and inspire environmentally-friendly habits.
Each edition of the i Light Singapore festival starting this year will be anchored on colour from the visible light spectrum. For 2022, the chosen colour is violet. Violet is the colour which has the shortest wavelength with the most powerful electromagnetic energy in the visible light spectrum. Violet is also a colour that signifies the awakening of the senses, akin to the spark of an idea in one’s mind.
The artworks showcased at i Light this year are created by local and international artists who showcase their creative interpretations of topics that aim to encourage conversations about our lifestyles and consumption behaviour to build a more sustainable future. Below is some of out favourite shots from the event.
This approach is evident in a serene Brooklyn apartment that is a part-time residence for a couple with a blended family. They admire what the wife calls Mellone’s “fairly restrained palette” and his sense of proportion—an important skill, given the apartment’s eleven-and-a-half-foot ceilings—and they were intrigued by the shelves of old National Geographic magazines in his own New York apartment, “a great idea for our young grandchildren,” who live nearby, the husband notes. (Mellone had previously designed the interiors of a house on Lake George, in New York State, for the husband.)
The apartment is filled with modernist design. At the apartment’s entry, a wood console designed by Mellone stands next to a Pierre Jeanneret chair and a rug by Marion Dorn. In the living room, Mellone established a “center” with a grouping of three cubelike 1960s armchairs (and a solid component) by Bernard Govin. Two sofas, designed by Mellone, mingle with chairs designed by modernist masters like Maxime Old and Poul Kjaerholm, tables by Ico Parisi, a 1930s tea cart by Alvar Aalto, and a bookcase designed by Mellone to hold the couple’s own collection of National Geographic magazines. On the far side of a large structural column that is wrapped in a vintage French pine screen, the dining area has a Pierre Chapo table and Jeanneret chairs. Mellone installed Venetian blinds to disguise the fact that the windows don’t go all the way to the ceiling. Works by contemporary artists including William Kentridge and Françoise Grossen are part of a diverse collection assembled by the wife.
Designed by the people behind ANDSOFORTH and Warehouse16, Haus217 is a brand new venue in Singapore that takes on the Japanese lifestyle concept of Wabi Sabi, which is to embrace imperfection. Haus217 is located within a 60-year-old shophouse, and its interiors feature meticulously-crafted stained wood accents, reminiscent of European travel homes.
On random days of the month when there are no bookings for their event venue, HAUS217 will be transformed into a cafe with art installations. In late May, we got our chance to make a visit before it went into hiatus for reformation. For this current pop-up concept, we booked tickets where they are priced at $8 per person, with $8 credits given to spend (technically free to enter).
Stepping inside, the interior is decked in the Japanese lifestyle Wabi-Sabi which is to embrace and appreciate the beauty in imperfection. Stones, crafted stained woods and the deliberate unfinished surface of the walls are used to create a natural habitat, and the extensive use of textured glass allows natural sunlight to enter the space. With a single art installation in the centre of the room, furniture pieces are arranged around it to recreate the vibe of an art class in school.
Seasonal bakes are sourced and available on different days and timings, specially curated to bring something new for diners. There was Rose Lychee Cake ($8), Hojicha Roll Cake ($8) and Red Velvet Cake ($8.50) during our visit. As we have a full meal previously thus we only order the Rose Lychee Cake and some drinks along. On the other hand, a limited savoury menu is available such as Bolognese ($16), Fennel Meatballs ($18) and Salad ($12), and takes quite a while to prepare.
Slowly sip the coffee and enjoy the art installation right before our eyes, and enjoy the natural habitat created in the house (HAUS).
HAUS217 Address: 217 Lavender Street, Singapore 338772 Opening Hours: 10 am – 4 pm, only by reservation (Currently on hiatus)
It’s the time of the year to celebrate the little joys of Summer. After spending hours looking at various photos of pale sandy beaches and crashing ocean waves, we started noticing the beauty of certain pigments. So, this Monday we wanted to dedicate the Slowdown to two timeless colors that continually catch our eye: BLUE AND BEIGE.
“Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with its many chords. The artist is the hand that, by touching this or that key, sets the soul vibrating automatically.” ― Vasily Kandinsky
Lately, the rising of the temperature makes you feel flushed and burning all the time. Wondering what to drink to stop the thirst through the hot summer? Below you will see our top favourite fruits to be used in the summer, assorted citrus (orange, lemon, lime), peach, and strawberry. You could also see our favourite ways of using soda water and sparkling water for the drinks. So here are our Top 10 Refreshing Summer Drinks that we always like to rotate the drinks for the summer!
Peaches are one of the fruits we love to have during the summer, not only does it taste good, the colour of the peach in the drink just made our day. Peaches add sweet, mellow roundness to traditional lemonade for a refreshing summertime beverage.
For this Cajun Peach Lemonade recipe, you can make the peach syrup ahead and store them in the fridge. When you are ready to enjoy them, simply rim the glass with some cajun spice and it’s inevitably going to sprinkle down into your drink, giving it the perfect amount of spiciness. Stir in white rum or bourbon for the grown-ups!
Limequats Sparkling Water with Honey will be the instant cure for your dry throat and immediately reduce your body heat. While many don’t know actually limequat helps to quench our thirst when we are thirsty and hot for the summer. Unlike drinking harmful artificial drinks to quenches our thirst, the summer drink can help you make your best choice, even though scorching temperatures.
Matcha has always been our favourite ingredient to be used in food and even drinks. Not that it tastes nice it also have good benefits for our body. You can make use of matcha to spruce up your soda or sparkling water – Sparkling Matcha Green Tea. It’s made with matcha tea powder and soda or sparkling water for a bubbly and refreshing drink. You only need a few minutes to create this drink and it’s absolutely perfect for warm days when you don’t feel like sipping hot matcha tea.
The weather is really bad during this time of the year. It is hot and humid and gets rains from time to time in Singapore. We always have this traditional Chinese home remedy for cough relief as this Summer Fruits Drink is inspired by it.
Steamed or boiled pear with rock sugar is a delightful dessert very easy to prepare. This time we added in our favourite fruit making it more flavourful. Usually, all you need is a pear, but we added apple, lemon, dates and rosemary for more flavour. The original recipe is to serve the drink warm, but you can leave it cold in the fridge for this summer too.
You can never think of making Thai Mango Sticky Rice into a drink, but surprisingly it works well. Thai Mango Sticky Rice is a sweet snack that combines the richness of sticky rice, the sweetness of ripe mangoes and the creaminess of coconut milk. However, rather than eating them, we will be enjoying them as a drink. Turning the sweet dessert into a refreshing drink for the summer. It consists of mango white tea, topped with coconut cream, sticky rice ball, vanilla ice cream and mango. It is refreshing and tasty at the same time.
The Osmanthus is good to have during this hot and wet season, it is the best natural remedy to keep at home. It is a well-known herb that can improve skin, detoxify the body, reduce thick saliva in the throat and boost lung health. It is great for all seasons, Osmanthus tea is often consumed when one suffers from dry skin or hoarseness.
Thus this Sweet Osmanthus Soda will be the prettiest and simple beverage to serve during this humid weather or the hot Summer. All you need is the homemade Osmanthus Sugar (aka Honey Syrup)and you can make this glass of sweet osmanthus soda in the least 5 minutes.
Not many are a fan of all kinds of fruits, for us, kiwi and pineapple are a no-no, as they always left a tangy feel on our tongue. However, kiwi is a delicious fruit with a unique taste. The green kiwi juice has a tangy taste that is great for making a refreshing Kiwi Soda. For a deeper taste experience, we pair it with lime and mint. Green kiwi juice can be very sour and you need to balance the sour taste with some sort of sweetness. We use soda compared to the usual sparkling water.
Food is like an art, there is no 100% of procedure to follow. Coffee is like a cocktail, a good mix you will get a glass of magic. While lately, we realised coffee and fruit juice share the cup in a most refreshing twist – you will be in love with this Green Citrus Coffee. Ready yet, to embrace the joy of mixology.
What could be finer than this summery Strawberry Gin Smash? This wonderful recipe comes from my favourite the Kitchn with its brilliant ideas. According to to the Kitchn a ‘smash’ is a ‘thing’. It is a cocktail involving herbs, sugar, fruit, and booze – which ones seem to be up to you. This pretty drink speaks for itself, with its super tasty mixture of lime, sugar, strawberries, gin, and a fashionable mint sprig garnish.
Lemon is one of those juice that just goes down so easily, especially on a hot day with friends. So why not use lemon as a base for punch? That’s exactly what we have done with this number. Think mildly boozy, bubbly adult lemonade with a soft earl grey undertone. Since this is a punch, you can use an ice ring to freeze a large block of ice; otherwise standard cubes work, too (We like to freeze fruit and herb in the ice). This is a good drink for a party in the summer.
Here are our top 10 favourite refreshing drinks for the summer. We hope you enjoy them like we enjoy our summer.
Sandwiches and sammies seem to be all the rage these days. Korio at Telok Ayer might not be well known unless you work there. It was considered far down the rabbit hole until you got curious and dug it up. Located in the middle of Far East Square, at the end of Amoy St., This may not interest you if you are not a morning person, as they only operate for six hours.
I’m glad that Joe decide to get up early for me to get a taste of Korio, they served artisanal doughnuts, sammies & coffee. We have the Grilled Cheese ($14) which was paired with a tangy sourdough, complemented with a jammy, slightly tart, and acted as a counterbalance to the decadent melty cheese. You should also order the Breakfast Sammy ($14) sees an entirely new set of ingredients. Eggy, fluffy brioche slices, with a creamy egg mayo slathered on, and a slice of savoury luncheon meat snuggled between—a classic flavour with nothing to complain about.
Their doughnuts are also one of the signatures in their stores, it looks so fluffy. The choice of brioche seems to give the doughnuts a fuller flavour, as well as a softer texture. Can’t wait to try them all on our next visit. Please make sure to visit them early as it closes as early as 2 pm.
Now built-ins (as with many midcentury elements), whether beds, benches or dining room tables, are popping up everywhere in new builds and renovations. They’re particularly good for creating effective storage or adding useful elements in tight spaces. Not only so, but it is also a good way to customise some unique pieces that only can bring out your characteristic to your house.
At this apartment 116 located in Shanghai, China uses 3 main elements, white, wood and stainless steel to bring out the characteristic of the house. We especially like the customise shelves from this apartment, the combination of wood and stainless steel works really well here.
Ler us know in the comment below what do you think?
There are more than 101 ways to cook eggs. Each method is different from the other. Some of these methods require skill and experience, and even special tools, while a handful can easily be done by anyone. Cooking eggs is probably the first thing that you learned when you started to learn how to cook. In fact, the egg is one of the easiest ingredients to work with in the kitchen. It is one of our staple ingredients.
We got interested in cooking at a young age. Back then, we started to learn basic things; one of them is frying eggs for breakfast. Frying an egg might sound simple, but it can be challenging if you are doing it for the first time. After practising which resulted in something like a dozen burnt eggs, we got the hang of it. I became aware of the many ways to cook eggs and this time we are going to share with you our top 4 ways of having our eggs cooked – fried, soft boiled, hard boiled and scrambled.
You can enjoy these eggs alone, however, to have a complete breakfast we like enjoying them with these waffles – crisp on the outside, and fluffy on the inside.
How to make Waffles?
When we made these Easy Waffles from Martha Stewart, consider this our new, go-to waffle recipe when we want to start our day off with it. No fussy steps or unexpected ingredients are required here, which means we can whip these up whenever your cravings hit.
We love our waffles “fresh-off-the-iron waffles”, although it may take more time by preparing the ingredients, on our good day it takes less than 15 minutes! You must be wondering if you can make the batter ahead to save time in the morning. We would not make all the batter in advance as a batter with baking soda needs to be cooked shortly after mixing.
However, a solution to this is you could also make the waffles ahead and freeze them. To reheat, microwave them for about 15-20 seconds just until they’re no longer frozen. Then pop them in the toaster or toaster oven until they’re hot throughout and crispy!
How to Cook an Egg (4 Ways)!
Sunny-side up
This type of fried egg gets its name because the bright yellow yolk shines brightly on top. It’s briefly cooked over a moderate flame to gently set the whites and is covered the entire time. This cooking method traps the steam, which cooks the top of the egg without flipping over. The process takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
If you don’t have a lid for the pan, just cover it with the bottom of a larger pan or use a lid from another pot. You can also fry the egg over medium-heat uncovered, reduce the heat to low after a few minutes, and baste it with extra fat like butter to finish cooking the albumin proteins on the surface.
Scrambled Egg
Scrambled eggs are one of our favourite ways of cooking an egg. The perfect scrambled egg should be all the egg pushes into a pile and stays together, indicating it’s cooked ie. there’s no raw, runny egg leaking around the edges, and also the surface is shiny so you can tell it’s still custardy and moist. Compare to the other 3 methods, scrambled egg is one that we took a long time to perfect.
Gordon Ramsay has the best recipe for making scrambled eggs, all you need is your trusted pot and spatula. Start by putting all the ingredients (other than seasoning) in a cold pot. Start mixing all the ingredients and whisk it well on high heat. After 30 seconds, also start gently folding the eggs over (ie scoop and gently flip). Keep pushing/folding for 60 seconds total cook time or until raw runny egg no longer spreads out onto the pan and you have a pile of the soft, custardy egg.
Tips: If you are unsure about the doneness, remove it from heat while mixing. Remember only to season them when your eggs are only going to be done.
Hard-boiled Egg
A hard-boiled egg is a result of boiling an egg for a long period of time. First, boil the eggs. Place them in a pot and cover them with cold water by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Then, let them sit in the hot water. As soon as the water begins to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Leave the eggs in the hot water for anywhere from 8 to10 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. The 6-minute eggs will have vibrant, creamy yolks, while the 10-minute yolks will be paler and opaque, with a chalkier texture.
Soft-boiled Egg
Soft boiled is the opposite of hard-boiled. Using the same boiling method, eggs are placed in boiling water and cooked for a short period of time. The egg white is slightly cooked leaving some parts liquid. It will also produce liquid egg yolks. First, heat the water. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, so the water maintains a gentle boil. Then, add the eggs. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower the eggs into the simmering water. Set a timer for 7 minutes.
For both hard and soft-boiled eggs. While the eggs cook, prepare the ice bath. Fill a large bowl with cold water, and add a handful of ice. When the timer goes off, remove the eggs from the hot water, and immediately add them to the ice bath. Allow them to chill for at least 3 minutes to stop the cooking process. Then finally, peel the eggs!
Perfect Tips for Cooking Eggs
Buy the eggs in advance. If I’m cooking sunny side up eggs, fresh eggs will yield the best results every time. But if I’m hard boiling them, the opposite is true! Boiled farm-fresh eggs are more difficult to peel than older eggs. If you want to make perfect hard boiled eggs, it pays to buy them in advance and cook them after a few days in the fridge.
Store the eggs upside down. This tip comes from Jack’s mom, who makes the BEST deviled eggs for family gatherings. In order for the yolks to land right in the centre of the hard boiled eggs, she recommends storing the raw eggs upside down before you cook them.
Hoe you have all your ingredients ready, assemble them and enjoy them with a cup of tea for your breakfast. To spice it up we enjoy them with our favourite avocado, but you can have them with tomatoes, vegetables and even bacon.
Crisp on the outside, and fluffy on the inside, these waffles are delicious topped with your choice of eggs. The perfect start to any weekend morning!
Ingredients
Butter Waffles
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Methods
Butter Waffles
Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk milk and eggs; pour over flour mixture, and whisk gently to combine (don’t overmix). Gently whisk in butter.
Following the manufacturer’s instructions, cook waffles until deep brown and crisp. (For a standard waffle iron, pour a generous 1/2 cup of batter into the centre, spreading to within 1/2 inch of the edges, and close; the waffle will cook in 2 to 3 minutes.) Serve with your choice of eggs.
Matcha has always been our favourite ingredient to be used in food and even drinks. Not that it tastes nice it also have good benefits for our body. While we are still new to matcha we only use it to make Matcha Latte and desserts. However when we are getting better at using this ingredient we tried making more variations like Matcha Pumpkin Nut Milk, Matcha Espresso, Coconut Matcha Pines and more.
This time we decided to make use of it to spruce up your soda or sparkling water – Sparkling Matcha. It’s made with matcha tea powder and soda or sparkling water for a bubbly and refreshing drink. You only need a few minutes to create this drink and it’s absolutely perfect for warm days when you don’t feel like sipping hot matcha tea.
About Matcha
If you’re not familiar with matcha, you can read more over at this post. The trick to a good matcha drink is matcha powder. Matcha powder is one of those ingredients that you should spend a little bit extra on and get a high-quality brand because it can vary hugely in quality. Generally, the lighter-coloured matcha powders are of better quality and always choose an organic brand so you’re getting the cleanest matcha and the best taste.
A little note about making a good match is that you might want a matcha whisk. For those who are using matcha power and make matcha often, we recommend investing in a bamboo whisk called a chasen. Its special design breaks up clumps and creates a frothy layer of foam on top of the tea. If you don’t have one, use a regular whisk or an electric milk frother instead. Whisking or stirring with a fork or spoon will not work here.
Which Sparkling Water did we use?
Sparkling water, often sold as sparkling mineral water, is a product that comes naturally carbonated. The carbonation comes from a natural spring or well. Sparkling water also contains calcium, sodium, and magnesium. These minerals could be an excellent addition to your dietary plan.
For this case, we use S’ PELLEGRINO Sparkling Natural Mineral Water which comes with a unique blend of minerals, fine bubbles and subtle nuances that we like. There are times when we replace the sparkling water with tonic water too, adding a little bitterness to the drink.
Creating the Layers
To make this an Instagram-able drink, creating the layers is an important step here. After many trials and errors, one tip that you need to know is to use A LOT of ice!! Also, the cold helps. Start by making the matcha before the layering starts. The order of the ingredients also makes a big change here. First, pour the maple syrup, then the ice. Then, slowly pour the sparkling water. The slower you pour, the more distinct the layers will be! Then, pour the cooled matcha over the top!
We love discovering and sharing simple recipes that you can make at home. They make for a healthier option than store-bought products. Not that you can save money but also the environment.
This term refers to the dominant furnishings of the mid-20th century—simple, functional wooden pieces made from teak and curved designs reigned supreme. We have always been a fan of mid-century furniture and recently the modern mid-century. This time we came across this kitchen at Santa Monica with a hint of mid-century modern sensibility in it.
Some highlight that we like about this kitchen is how the white oak cabinets are painted “Blanc,” from Le Corbusier’s Polychromie Architecturale line by Drikolor. A custom white oak butcher-block island and cork flooring add warmth to the space. The handles are inspired by Charlotte Perriand’s. They did our own version of her vertical cabinet pulls. A mix of metals— stainless steel on the countertops and along the side of the island; a copper backsplash and vent hood, unsealed to allow for oxidation—plays nicely.
One of our highlights in May is a stopover at this pop-up – Monde D’Hermes Kiosk by Hermés at Marina Bay Sand. Inspired by newsstands that are peppered throughout Paris, the kiosk has been swathed in the house’s unmistakable, quintessential orange hue.
The pop-up is centred around the latest edition of the French house’s bi-annual magazine, Le Monde d’Hermes, which is usually dished out to customers and VIPs. Head over to the kiosk to get your hands on a complimentary copy, which features witty and refreshing content surrounding the Spring/Summer 2022 collection.
We got a chance to meet the various characters that are stationed at the kiosk. ‘Mr Kiosk’ – the host of the pop-up who will gladly share just about everything there is to know about Le Monde d’Hermès with us is one of our favourites. Plant fanatics like us met ‘The Gardener’ who were on-site to attend to an array of mini potted plants (we took basil, mint and more) and to mete out gardening advice, all for free.
Looking up online there are even ‘The Portraitist’ who will create lovely portraits of attendees, ‘The Poet’ who will personalise a haiku just for guests or even ‘The Sculptor’ for his balloon creations. Sadly we didn’t get to meet any of them.
It is one of the perfect Instagram shots against the picturesque Marina Bay skyline we have during May. Comment below are tell us what is some other even we should visit?
Grid patterns and crisp lines are softened by an earthy color palette in this hotel interior in Chengdu, China, by local firm Archetype Design Organization. Located in a building from 2002 that was previously used as shops and offices, the 3,209-square-metre Buda Hotel is sandwiched between the city’s busy Yizhou Avenue and a quiet community neighborhood.
The exterior of the hotel is clad in a charcoal-colored calcium silicate board. An entranceway clad in walnut paneling and rectangular mustard yellow tiles guides travelers inside. The mustard tiles continue inside the hotel’s lobby where they stretch across an arched ceiling that the architects said was installed to evoke a homely atmosphere.
The jump in colours is to define the relaxation and cuteness of the hotel, and we chose yellow to keep the visual temperature of the hotel. The choice of mustard yellow tiles is to increase the meticulous experience while ensuring the durability of the hotel. It also forms a strong contrast between the hotel and the surroundings
Tomatoes, brie and bread are something you will see in our kitchen, they may consider a staple to us. Thus we decided to grab all these ingredients and create a toast for a lazy afternoon. So you see, it’s clear we all need this toast in our lives today. We are hoping that you all have these ingredients on hand so that you can make this toast for lunch, as a snack or even for dinner.
Personally, as mentioned we always have a wheel of brie and a loaf of bread on hand. And the heirloom tomatoes, well we never let those dwindle down to even one before restocking my pantry. We just have to eat them while we can!
Having the right ingredients
One of the beauties of this recipe is how simple it is to make with just four ingredients!
French baguette – Store-bought baguettes can range widely in taste and texture. Choose one that is of the heartier size. You only need a flute-size loaf, so make good use of the rest if you buy a full-size baguette. You can also use another hearty bread or a mini cocktail loaf. Sourdough is another alternative you can use for this recipe.
Heirloom tomato: Choose tomatoes that feel heavy, full of juice and that give ever so slightly. Heirloom tomato varieties can come in so many beautiful colours and shapes but only go for the ones with smooth, taut skin — not wrinkly.
Brie/ Camembert: Surprisingly, Brie cheese is becoming more and more affordable these days. The small wheels tend to be very handy but note that there is a larger proportion of rind in a small wheel as opposed to buying a larger wedge. If you don’t love the rind, you’ll need to trim it off, reducing the amount of usable cheese. A larger wedge may be a better deal for you than a small wheel.
Nuts: We use what we can grab in our pantry which is almond and sunflower seeds. In most of the time we prefer walnut, however, you can grab nuts that you like for a little crunch for the toast.
Brie vs Camembert
If you love creamy, earthy French cheese with a bloomy rind, you’re probably familiar with Brie and Camembert. Spread over a piece of crusty baguette these fragrant cheeses are delicious in the funkiest of ways (which is what we doing here).
The flavour profiles of Brie and Camembert are quite similar. Both are typically described as tasting earthy, nutty, fruity, grassy, and even mushroomy. The variations in taste are subtle, but Brie is milder with a creamy, buttery taste, while Camembert has a deeper, more earthy and intense flavour and aroma.
While both Brie and Camembert are cow’s milk cheeses, though one has a higher fat content. As cream is added to Brie (though not to Camembert), giving it a higher milk fat content, and a creamier texture. So which of these are you a fan of?
How do you make this toast?
You can turn this into a full tomato sandwich, but we love leaving them open-faced. We line slices of brie on sliced bread then drizzle with a little olive oil and thyme leaves. After some time under the broiler, the bread toasts and the brie melts into the bread.
While this happens, get the tomatoes ready. My best tip for tomatoes is to season them. In fact, I love adding a sprinkle of salt to the slices and leaving them for at least 5 minutes. The salt draws out excess water and makes them taste better.
After it is done sprinkle the toast with nuts (almond and sunflower seeds) and drizzle with honey. Add the sliced tomatoes and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Now you can enjoy them!
Enjoy the toast as soon as you are done. We hope you will enjoy this simple Brie and Rainbow Tomato Toast for a quick lunch.
Place the bread on a baking sheet and rub each slice with a little butter (or you can use olive oil). Place in the oven and toast for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and evenly divide the brie among the toast. Add the thyme. Place back in the oven and cook another 5 minutes or until the brie is melted. During the last minute, turn the oven to broil and broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the oven.
Sprinkle the toast with nuts (almond and sunflower seeds) and drizzle with honey. Add the sliced tomatoes and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
You may just walk past Double Up Coffee at Jalan Klapa, considered quite a hole-in-the-wall. That what’s almost happened to us. As there isn’t a shop name located anywhere, with just a big logo welcoming us, we almost doubt ourselves if we are at the right place.
It is located right opposite Kumoya known for its character cafes. Both cafes are the opposite ends in styles anyway – one known for cutesy cartoon-themed food; the other coffee focused.
There are two halves of Double Up Coffee. Outside, you would spot three chairs of solid colours of red, yellow and blue, along with a table repurposed from a skateboard. It suggests funkiness and young vibes. Walking in, the mood changes with light grey cement coffee counter, light wooden chairs, but most customers were sitting back facing the wall on a row of concrete seats.
Placing their focus on their coffee-related offerings, Double Up Coffee serves up specialty coffee using blends roasted by local micro-roaster and cafe, Bearded Bella, whilst also offering a small menu of non-coffee items and bakes as well. We had ourselves a Double Up ($7) and a filtered coffee ($6), which both tasted really good.
A spot that puts in the effort in serving their patrons the very best, Double Up Coffee is a space with potential; yet another one of those spots to keep a lookout for, and somewhere which we would most certainly make our visit again. We wish the folks behind Double Up Coffee all the best in what is to come!
Double Up Coffee Address: 7 Jalan Klapa, Singapore 199319 Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues
We have a wall piece of glass wall in our house now which were here ever since we were born. However, in many minds of almost everyone who grew up in the ’80s, glass block is synonymous with Bad Architecture. It was part of a sort of late-wave shopping-mall-and-office-park Brutalism and has suffered from the association ever since. Many say it is a symbol of bad design and I guess this is the reason why Angela seel the wall up during our last renovation as she doesn’t like it.
However, I have been seeing this glass block wall trend being brought back and uses in their house. However, the glass block uses now is much more simple unlike the flower engraved one we have in our house. I never would’ve thought I’d describe glass block as “breathtaking,” and yet, here we are. The glass wall doesn’t only act as a partition, it also can be seen as an art piece of the house. What do you think?
Whenever we’re talking about chilli oil, we always refer to homemade chilli oil. It tastes ten times better than the store-bought product, lasts just as long if you store it in the fridge, and does not contain additives or MSG. There is this fresh aromatic nuttiness that bottled chilli oil never delivers. We love making chilli oil at home for many reasons. One of them is that it is delicious and easy to make. chilli oil is an indispensable condiment in Chinese cuisine.
Years ago we have made a recipe for making chilli oil, however as time passes our method of making chilli evolved. And thus we decided to make a new post on our latest recipe for making chilli oil. We have compiled two different types of chilli oil into one recipe for you. One we have is the chilli oil infused method where we mainly use the oil of the chilli oil. On the other hand, we have the chilli flakes version where we will also enjoy the chilli flakes in the chilli oil in our food.
Chilli Matters
Depending on what chilli you use will massively affect the outcome of your chilli oil. There are hundreds and hundreds of different chilli pepper varieties – and I’m not an expert. However, there are a few that I do know of that can work excellently for this infused oil.
We think it’s essential to begin by stating that the best chilli for you depends on the type of heat that you want from the oil. For example, we recently heard about the Chinese málà (麻辣) flavour. This refers to a numbing, spicy oil that combined Sichuan peppercorns with pepper flakes. While some may love that tongue-numbing effect, we know many others won’t – so variety is the spice of life.
Hot red pepper flakes can be found in most stores and are an excellent option for those that want moderate heat levels. Meanwhile, Sichuan pepper chilli flakes are also modest in heat (it’s the peppercorns that bring out the heat) and can provide a lovely red oil colour.
Dried red chilli can be found easily in the dried goods stores, this kind of chilli taste as mild as the Sichuan pepper chilli flakes that we preferred, however, it does work well too. Breaks it into smaller pieces by blending them in a blender. (We like using this kind of chilli when we only want the infused oil of the chilli oil.)
Korean pepper flakes (gochugaru) provide a subtle smokiness to the oil with a relatively hot and slightly sweet flavour and can be found in many Asian supermarkets.
Choosing herbs to boost the flavour
While the chilli oil already tastes good with just two ingredients – chilli flakes and oil. However, this base can undoubtedly handle some add-ins to boost flavour and texture in various ways. But if you start adding too many additional ingredients, then the next thing you know, you have a chilli sauce, rather than infused oil.
At a minimum, you’ll need these spices:
5-star anise
1 cinnamon stick (preferably cassia cinnamon; note that cassia cinnamon comes in larger rolls, so you really just need about a 3×1-inch piece)
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
If you want more flavour, add these spices:
2 black cardamom pods
4 nuggets of sand ginger (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons cloves
2 stalks of spring onion
How to make Chilli Oil?
First, gather up the following ingredients:
1 cup canola oil – or any neutral oil such as peanut oil
chilli flakes
your choice of herb
Dash of salt if desired
Next, add the oil and herbs to a small pot and stir. Heat to medium-low heat and often stir for about 5 minutes. Do not allow the oil to smoke. If it smokes, remove it from the heat to reduce the temperature. The goal is not to boil the oil but to slowly simmer it, allowing the flavours of the peppers to infuse it.
After 5 minutes, remove from heat and pour the infused oil into your bowl of chilli flakes and salt over a drainer.
Allow the chilli oil to cool before storing it in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Always use a clean utensil when handling to prevent spoilage. It can last for up to 6 months if handled in this way.
Wait for at least 12 hours before using the chilli oil to allow all the flavours to combine. Chilli flakes and sesame seeds tend to stay at the bottom of the container after a while. Use a clean spoon to stir before serving. If your dish (eg. Mouth-watering Chicken) requires pure chilli oil, use a sieve to filter out the chilli flakes and sesame seeds. Here is a list of recipes that call for Chinese chilli oil:
And that’s it! Below, you’ll find our printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients. The instructions within the post itself have the most detail, while the instructions in the recipe card can serve as a quicker reference.
4 nuggets of dried sand ginger (optional – about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons cloves (optional)
3 cloves garlic (optional – crushed)
1-2 shallots (optional – halved)
2 stalks of spring onion (optional)
¾-1 1/4 cup Sichuan chilli flakes (65-110g)
1 – 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
Methods
Gather all the aromatics you plan to use. Place oil and selected aromatics into a pot with at least two inches of clearance between the oil and the rim of the pot. If using minimum aromatics, 1 ½ cups of oil should do it. If using all the aromatics, you can add up to 3 cups of oil.
Set it over medium heat to start, then progressively lower it to medium low or low heat as the oil comes to temperature. The oil should be at about 225-250° F / 110-120° C and causing small bubbles to slowly rise from the aromatics. If you notice the spices sizzling more vigorously than that or turning dark too quickly, reduce the heat to cool it down. If you are not achieving small bubbles, slowly increase the heat. Hovering around 200-225° F is the safest way to prevent burning. Infuse the aromatics this way for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour for best results.
While the oil is infusing, prepare your Sichuan chilli flakes by placing them in a heatproof bowl. If you used 1½ cups of oil, ¾ cup of chilli flakes is best. For 3 cups of oil, use 1¼ cups of chilli flakes.
Carefully pour the hot oil through a strainer onto the chilli flakes. Stir to evenly distribute the heat of the oil. You’ll know you’ve gotten it right when you smell a “popcorn”-like smell that is not at all burnt-smelling.
Stir in the salt, and allow the chilli oil to cool. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Always use a clean utensil when handling to prevent spoilage. It can last for up to 6 months if handled in this way.
On hot, humid days when we just don’t feel like cooking or eating anything heavy, we make this iced black sesame latte for breakfast or an afternoon snack to hold us over until dinner.
This sesame latte is better described as a black sesame latte or a toasted sesame latte. It’s a gently sweet, nutty, creamy drink that’s well-suited for when you need something cosy. This particular coffee drink combines the nutty flavour of sesame with deliciously bitter espresso. It’s a relatively simple drink where you can prepare the sesame cream and combine all the elements.
Creamy, Nutty-Sesame Cream
The main role of this drink is the sesame cream, which consists of cream, condensed milk and sesame powder. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until the ingredients combine and thicken. Do not make this super thick. You do not want whipped cream. Instead, you want to whisk just enough so the mixture stays separated from the coffee and milk to create layers in your cup.
Replacing sesame powder with homemade sesame paste
While sesame seeds are commonly found in the market, not all places have sesame powder. We head down to Phoon Huat for ours, thus as a replacement, you can make your own sesame paste instead. Combine black sesame seeds with honey and blend into a fine, thick paste. You do not want any seeds remaining. While the flavour was delicious, the texture was not very pleasant. On a side note, when shopping for black sesame seeds, make sure to buy the unhulled variety. You can buy hulled black sesame, but it removes all the good nutrients and makes the seeds more bitter.
How do I make this Latte?
First of all, what is a latte? A latte refers to a coffee drink made with espresso, steamed milk and foam. However, this time we decided to spice things up and replace the foam with delicious sesame cream.
Choosing your milk; while you can just grab any milk, there are times we like to use oat milk or soy milk as it is also a great alternative in terms of health benefits or taste too.
Top it with the delicious sesame cream we mentioned above, you can prepare it ahead and store it in a mason jar and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For this particular recipe, we used our espresso machine – Essenza Mini that we have. It is sleek and light for a small kitchen like us and easy to operate. We use our favourite blend from Starbucks.
Now that you have your 3 elements ready, you can assemble them together. Start with adding ice to the glass, then add milk, followed by topping it with the black sesame cream mixture. Finally, gently pour the prepared espresso over the ice to create a layered effect.
Benefits of Sesame
Sesame seeds are a good source of healthy fats, protein, B vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants, and other beneficial plant compounds. Regularly eating substantial portions of these seeds — not just an occasional sprinkling on a burger bun — may aid blood sugar control, combat arthritis pain, and lower cholesterol. To optimize your nutrient intake, you can eat sesame seeds soaked, roasted, or sprouted. And this time you can use it in your drink!
Give this recipe a try and don’t forget to tag us on Instagram as @leplaincanvas and use the #byplaincanvas hashtag. We love seeing your takes on our recipes!
Combine all the ingredients for sesame cream in a bowl and whisk until the ingredients combine and thicken.
Add ice to the glass. Then add milk. Pour in black sesame cream mixture. Finally, gently pour the prepared espresso over the ice to create a layered effect.
Popular in the 1950 & 60’s built-in furniture seems to be making a strong comeback. There’s a lot to love about built-in furniture — for one, it’s custom, which means if done correctly and customized to your own very specific needs it should end up looking perfectly ideal for your space.
While many customize their wardrobe, kitchen, and cardboard, we rarely find one customizing its sofa. You don’t have to go running around for new furniture or worry about its upkeep as much, so concrete or wood built-ins are quite functional and practical in that regard, too. Add slipcovered cushions and all that’s needed is washing and replacing every few years if they get a lot of wear and tear — but still more affordable than a new piece of furniture.
As you know we have been trying to improve our diet for the past year by introducing healthier options such as vegan, replacing our refined with grain, choosing a healthier cooking method and more. In the past year, my knowledge of vegan food is minimal, I always thought they are plain. However, as time passes when we learn more about it, there are days we could replace them with our meat. This time we pick up another new ingredient – the tempeh.
Wondering what tempeh is and how to cook it? We’ve got you covered with this simple guide! We’re covering everything from what tempeh is made of, how to prep tempeh with one of our favourite recipie.
What is Tempeh?
Tempeh is a fermented soybean-based protein source. It kind of looks like someone mashed together a bunch of beans and then baked it into a cake. The texture is firm enough to be sliced or crumbled easily. Tempeh has a very mild flavour and is almost flavourless when it is uncooked. Nevertheless, it absorbs marinades and flavours well, and if prepared properly, tastes amazing!
Tempeh vs Tofu
Initially, we thought tempeh and tofu were the same things when we started eating less meat and exploring vegetarian protein options. Both sources of protein are derived from soy, but they’re quite different.
Tofu is made from fermented soy milk, but tempeh is made from fermented soybeans that are pressed tightly into a compacted bar. Store-bought tempeh is typically made with three main ingredients: soybeans, water, and brown rice.
Easy Homemade Korean Barbeque Marination
As we mentioned, tempeh has a nutty-mushroom flavour as opposed to tofu. Using spices to create marinades that have strong flavours is the key. This Korean BBQ marinade is sweet, salty, and full of Asian flavours. To make the marinade, whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl. You can also use a mason jar and shake up all the ingredients together.
How to cook the Tempeh?
The tempeh can be cooked in many different ways. The most popular way to prepare it is to pan-fry it, but the recipes below offer a few different methods including frying, baking, and even air-frying it. Cooking Tempeh is very simple and requires little prep work.
First, you’ll want to cut the tempeh. There’s really no right or wrong way to do this and the only difference that it will make is in the cooking time. This time we cut them into triangles, however, you can also cube or crumble them.
Tempeh Marination. Marinating tempeh isn’t always necessary. We prefer marinating it first if we are cooking it on its own with little or no sauce. However, if we are mixing it into a sauce, soup, or something with many flavours, we don’t always bother. This time we made a Korean barbeque sauce for marination (refer to the recipe below)
We’ve marinated tempeh for 10 minutes, 30 minutes and overnight. They all work but obviously, the longer you let it marinade the more flavourful the tempeh will be. Do know to marinate them overnight if you don’t want them to be too salty.
Cook the tempeh. To pan-fry tempeh add a little oil to a skillet and set over medium heat. Once hot, add in the tempeh and cook until browned on all sides. About 10-12 minutes total. You can also bake tempeh, place the tempeh on a lined or greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. The bake time will depend largely on the size that you cut the tempeh.
If you recreate any of theseKorean Marinate Tempeh with Rice let us know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging us on Instagram, we love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
Prepare the tempeh by cutting it into cubes, triangles, or thin slices.
Add all the ingredients into a bowl and stir until combined. Alternatively, add all the ingredients into an airtight jar and shake until combined. You can either store the marinade in the refrigerator or freezer as is or marinate the tempeh.
Add marinade over tempeh in a freezer-safe container or bag and toss until tempeh is fully coated in the marinade. Each marinade is enough for one package of tempeh. Refrigerate and let the tempeh marinate for at least 30 minutes.
To pan-fry tempeh add a little oil to a skillet and set over medium heat. Once hot, add in the tempeh and cook until browned on all sides. About 10-12 minutes total.
When it is done, served it over the rice and garnish it with scallion and sesame seeds. You can drizzle over more sauce if you like.
As artists ourselves we love to visit flea markets, book fairs and many more events that showcase artists like us, especially those which showcase younger artists. Int these fairs, we are able to flip through creations like zines, catalogues and books packed with vivid photography, art and design. Not only does it bring joy to us, but we are also able to learn the different arts that are been used by the artists to express themselves. We came across this eventSingapore Art Book Fair 2022 held at the SAM located at the Tanjong Pagar District Park that we last visited. We are lucky that we make it there on the last day of the event.
Been a while since we visited an event like this and it amazed us to see so many talented independent artists, designers, distributors, small presses, institutions, galleries, zine-makers and printmakers all gathering in one place. Not only do we see talents from locals, but many of them also came from oversea like Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and many more.
Getting even a piece of artwork meant a lot to the artists (at least that’s how we felt) thus we grab some of our favourite pieces and ended up getting quite a few as we really like them a lot. Here are a few of the artists that we like and want to share with you.
Thee are so much more of it, there is even one we do live portraits drawing during the event. Visiting the event indeed bring out my inner creativities making me want to create more interesting work like these artists.
As it is not our first time here, we have more experience in grabbing some amazing shots at “shipyards” from another point of view compare to the previous time. We are overwhelmed by this event and we can’t wait to visit more. Are you a fan of events like this? Let us know by commenting in the comment box below.
Warm hues have definitely found center stage recently. We will be honest and admit that we didn’t think we liked warm hues. But as we sat with it more and more, we like the reminders they provide. From handmade tiles to sunshine on our skin; the raw earth ground to natural interiors. We plan to explore more with these colors in my color palette with the hope that it will create the connections we want to feel in my work.
Tеrrасоttа is аlѕо knоwn аѕ ‘bаkеd earth’ – thе natural сlау givеѕ the tеrrасоttа itѕ characteristic оrаngе-brоwn оr reddish-brown color which is hard to resist, especially when the Autumn comes.
Nowadays tеrrасоttа has been re-engineered and mоdеrnizеd. Many реорlе mixed it with powder рink, dove grеу, brаѕѕ, and stone fоr ‘improved’ соlоr. It’ѕ being rеvivеd аѕ a nеw/оld interiors соlоr, аnd material in mоdеrn hоmеѕ. Visiting a few fairs this year and observing the trends I can say terracotta ѕееmѕ to bе the trendiest соlоr fоr interiors, would you agree?
I feel like upon speaking about Vietnamese food and rice noodles, everyone would mention ‘phở’. But the world of Vietnamese culinary culture offers us so much more ways of devouring many types of different noodles. Here we learn a new way to enjoy them.
If ‘phở’ is known for a bowl of flat rice noodles with beef or chicken broth, ‘bún chả’ is round rice noodles served with a bowl of dipping sauce with grilled pork, and greens. This is exactly the recipe you need to recreate one of the most iconic street food dishes in Hanoi. These famous caramelised pork meatballs from the stress of Hanoi. Traditional Vietnamese food, made at home! This is an easy Vietnamese recipe that anyone can make that’s full of flavour.
Making of the Meat Ball
Instead of breadcrumbs, we use rice “flour” here, making this meatball gluten-free. The rice flour plays an important role here as it helps to bind the ingredients together to form a meatball like the use of a breadcrumb. What if I can’t find rice flour? If you do not have rice flour you can simply grind rice from your pantry. Each cup of rice will give you around 1 1/3 cup of rice flour. You can blend it straight with your machine, but we like to give a little toast to it before grinding them.
Usually, pork belly is used in the meatball, however, to make it simple for making them at home we use minced meat that contains 50% of fats and lean meat. This portion of minced meat allows the meatball to stay juicy. When you are ready with all the ingredients, mix them well in a bowl or a blender. Leave it aside allowing it to be marinated before forming into the shape of balls. The more you marinate, the more flavorful they will end up.
Heat just a little oil over medium-high heat and sear the patties till they get brown all over. Since they are small and flat, they just take 2-3 minutes per side to get golden brown all over. Cook the pork belly till it gets brown all over. This also happens pretty fast. Plate them out.
Choosing your noodles
As mentioned previously there are all kinds of noodles in Vietnamese food, from the phó (flat rice noodle) that we know to the hủ tiếu (tapioca rice stick) and bún (round rice noodle) that we use for this recipe. While it may seem hard to get the noodle in the supermarket, however, if I tell you bún is also the thick bee hoon we have in the Chinese fish noodle. Where it is available in all supermarkets and wet markets. How to cook them? Simply soak in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then drain.
Having the Right Greens
Fresh vegetables and herbs are an essential part of Vietnamese food, and you’ll get large bowls served alongside almost every meal. Sweet basil, mint and coriander/cilantro are the most common, as well as pickled vegetables.
But this is the sort of recipe that’s terrifically versatile that will work well with many types of vegetables. Shredded cabbage or lettuce, or other leafy greens. Finely sliced cucumber, green beans, red radish, cherry tomatoes, and even asparagus. Most fresh vegetables will work great in this!
The Soul of Bun Cha – Nuoc Cham
Bun Cha Hanoi’s dipping sauce has a slightly sweeter taste. Because of the mild version, the grilled meats sit in the sauce in Bun Cha Hanoi, and the sauce is often referred to as broth. You will often see granules of delicious fat floating on top of the broth. I have many times picked up the bowl and slurped the meaty, sweet, sour, spicy goodness of the broth.
How do you enjoy Bún Chá?
Bun Cha Hanoi is served with grilled pork meatballs, vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs and lettuce and dipping sauce. The dipping sauce usually contains thinly sliced carrots and green papaya to provide more crunch. You can also add bird’s eye chilli to the dipping sauce for some heat. The grilled pork meatballs are put directly in the lime fish sauce dipping (nuoc cham) when served. From this point, there are two ways to eat it.
The first way to enjoy this dish, also the way most Hanoians eat it, is to use chopsticks to pick up some noodles and dip them into the sauce, then eat with meatballs and herbs.
The second way is to add vermicelli noodles, lettuce and herbs to a serving bowl, spoon over the dipping sauce with meatballs into the bowl, and then eat.
Regardless of the way you choose to eat it, one bite will bring so many flavours, aromas and textures to your tastebuds. We hope you enjoy this recipe as we do.
A handful of coriander/cilantro sprigs, mint and basil leaves
Sliced red chilli, lime wedges (optional)
Wedged Limes
Methods
Sauce: Mix ingredients. Set aside 10 minutes+.
Noodles: Pour over boiling water and soak per packet directions. Drain, set aside.
Meatballs
Mix all ingredients except oil until combined.
Shape into 6 mini hamburger patties with your hands.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook for 2 1/2 minutes or until golden. Flip, cook 2 minutes then remove.
Assemble Bowl
Place noodles in a bowl. Top with a handful of your choice of greens. Place meatballs on top. Spoon over a generous amount of sauce (it’s supposed to be like a soup broth) or you can enjoy the sauce in a dipping bowl, eat and be happy!
It’s weird for us to post it, but who doesn’t have a lazy kind of day? We were still enjoying the long weekend until yesterday. It is a luxury to have such a long break. However, it is also challenging to find activities to do every day, so we just relax at home with coffee and snacks (also Netflix). Let us walk you through a lazy day at home. Both of us, usually kick-start the day with a cleansing routine. Angela will also begin with a 45-minute indoor cycle. We believed that face and body should be cleaned regularly, especially with plain water.
As sister, we are different in general, thus whenever we have breakfast/brunch together we will like to plan ahead, it is important to have a good breakfast. Here are some of our all-time favourite breakfast recipes.
In the past, Angela preferred tea over coffee, but now she appreciates coffee too. Lately, both of us appreciate coffee in this new way – filter. We used to talk a lot about tea but ever since we drink coffee, we did some study on it.
We are now aware of the properties of coffee and the positive effects of caffeine on our bodies. To name just a few:
Creates energy, stimulates intelligence and fosters concentration
It is a source of natural antioxidants
It helps to withstand physical efforts
It can help reduce the risk of some diseases
It can help eliminate fat
However, there are other benefits too. While not directly related to coffee, these rewards include a positive atmosphere of interaction and socialization that is created during the “coffee break” whether it’s at a coffee shop or at a vending machine. However, since we are at home, a cup of drip coffee of our favourite blend is always a good idea.
At times we also like to enjoy it with some of our favourite snacks, here we have a kind of Korean steamed rice cake, which is easy to heat when we are making our dripped coffee, and our coffee break is ready in no fuss.
When you’ve been working from home for a long time – or if it’s become part of your “new normal” since the COVID-19 pandemic began – working remotely can come with some unique changes. We usually have snack time after screen time to relieve our tired eyes. For those who don’t like filter coffee, here are some of our favourite break-time snacks and drinks.
Modern trends have tended toward flat, blank walls and a focus on color to bring a room together, but adding a unique wall texture to a room, or even to a single accent wall, can bring a personality to your home that a color choice simply cannot.
Texturing can even help hide architectural errors, saving you costly repairs by allowing an uneven wall or ceiling to simply fade into an attractive textured pattern.
It’s always rare to get fresh seafood in the wet market, but when we do we surely pick up some and make something comfortable for our lunch. Though the weather is getting hotter officially, there are times when it rains heavily and is still cool where we are. This Tomato Seafood Stew seems the perfect meal to help bridge the gap.
Caramelized onion adds a subtle sweetness, fresh tomatoes add tanginess, while citrus rocket pesto (which is optional) kicks up the flavour by adding the perfect amount of heat and heartiness. Serve this with crusty bread to mop up all the juices, this is the perfect dinner. If opting for gluten-free, try adding cannellini beans for a little extra heartiness instead of the bread.
Citrus Rocket Pesto
Pesto is one of my favourite ways to bring bags of flavour to a dish with minimal effort, and this Rocket Pesto is the latest addition to my pesto recipe collection. The fast and easy pesto is packed with the fresh herby taste of rocket (arugula) with a little zing of orange.
As we mentioned, the pesto is completely optional but really adds a note of citrus freshness that goes so well with the onion and spicy notes of the stew. You can also use it on the bread. But if you are like me that appreciate contrast and texture in your foods, this pesto is for you! Compare to many of our pestos where we use basil, and parsley as the base we use rockets here where it has a spicy note added to the dishes.
What seafood to use?
Again, we like being flexible in our recipe, you can add or remove the seafood to your preferences. In order case, we use prawns, clam and mussels. However, we highly encourage you to add seafood like scallops, fish or even chorizo if you want to add more spice to it.
If you are working with frozen seafood where we do at times, you need to thaw everything before making this seafood stew, because you don’t want the extra liquid. we will submerge frozen scallops and shrimps in very hot tap water for several minutes, then discard the water and squeeze them with a paper towel (we do it even in the same bowl) to remove the excess. Then we season with salt or whatever seasoning I’ll be using that day.
The condiments play an important role here
Tomato Paste: Since this stew has a tomato-based sauce, we highly recommend using a high-quality tomato sauce. We used Leggo’s tomato sauce, it’s the tomato sauce we’ve been using for many years to cook any tomato-based dish! It’s super fresh, thick and made 100% from pure tomatoes. If you love food you probably know this brand and its quality by now, and if you haven’t heard of it by now you really need to cook with it and taste by yourself!
White Wine: If you can’t find a good Lisbonita wine, you can use another white wine with similar notes such as a Sauvignon Blanc. A good bottle of wine does make a difference, especially in seafood. In the past, we uses cooking white wine, and it tastes salty only and had no natural aroma of the white wine.
To take note of a delicious pot of stew
This is an amazing technique to build depth and flavour and can be used in many other dishes. Add the tomato paste to the hot pan and stir constantly, sauteing on high heat for a few minutes. It will begin to darken. Cooking or frying the tomato paste-like this really adds deep umami flavour.
Then add the white wine, let reduce, add stock, fresh tomatoes and browned chorizo. When I don’t have time to make a good fish stock, I use chicken stock and add a teaspoon of fish sauce. This seems to do the trick. Let simmer for a few minutes. Taste for salt…as all stocks and also chorizo vary in saltiness. Add fresh cracked pepper. When I make this recipe, using these exact ingredients, (using flavorful chicken stock, fish sauce, chorizo, sauteing the tomato paste) I don’t need to add salt. After the stew has simmered for a few minutes….add the fresh seafood.
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container for up to two days and reheat in a small casserole over medium heat. You can add some water or chicken stock and a drizzle of olive oil to refresh the sauce.
Summer Seafood Stew in a light and flavorful tomato broth with smoky citrus pesto. Serve with Crusty Bread to mop up all the flavorful juices! For a Gluten-free option, instead of bread add cannellini beans!
Ingredients
3 garlic cloves, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
½ tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1½ cups seafood stock or vegetable broth
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 baguette, sliced and toasted
1 pound littleneck clams, soaked in water for 1 hour
½ pound medium tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined
Chips are the last healthy food on earth. Even so, since the world is trying to eat healthier there are many fruit chip options on the shelves. However, they are also very expensive too. Good news, did you know you could make your own fruit chips at home without a dehydrator?
While there are a variety of fruit choices on the list, our favourite way to make our own fruit chips is by using apples and pears. This is the easiest way to get started!
5 Easy steps to making fruit chips
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
Prepare 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a mandolin, slice the apples and pears ¼ inch thick. Line each sheet with apples and pears.
Bake for 1½ hours, then turn over and bake for another hour or until golden brown and crispy.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!
Tips on making tasty fruits chip
Use unblemished, slightly underripe fruit to make these chips. They can be stored in airtight containers between layers of parchment paper for up to three days.
The secret to making these fruit chips is to make very thin and uniform slices. We used a mandoline to do this and if you have it on we highly suggest you use it. However, a knife is good enough if you do not have one.
The timing may be different depending on the thickness of your slices. The first time we made these I sliced them thicker and it took 2 hours. Just check them every once in a while to make sure they don’t burn.
Nutritional Benefits
A serving of organic dried apples or pears provides nearly 20 per cent of the daily value for dietary fibre. Apples are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre helps control blood sugar levels and may lower LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, while insoluble fibre promotes a healthy digestive system.
My family really liked these oven-baked pear chips and they were so easy we’ve made them a few times this week. We hope you give them a try and enjoy them as much as we did.
While I am still stuck in Singapore, one of the fun for me is to scroll through my Instagram feed of people traveling. This time I came across this minimalist and retro place, I immediately want to know where it is. It is named a hotel but yet looks like an airport. After much research, I found out where is it, and now it is in my bucket lits.
We’ll meet you at the airport” – not the most exciting (or popular) phrase you’ve heard, until now. When JFK airport announced it was restoring and transforming the historic TWA terminal into an onsite Mid Century Modern boutique hotel. The rooms are sleek and dapper, combining the best of Mid Century Modern design with today’s amenities like the soundproof windows because of airplanes. And finally, the newest and possibly most exciting part of the hotel is The Pool Bar: an outdoor infinity pool surrounded by a large observation deck and bar.
Ever since our visit to Lucali BYGB for a birthday celebration, we were surprised with a Rice Krispie treats as a birthday cake. We are amazed with it as it is crispy and not overly sweet compared to those we have before. Years back we gave it a try and is a total failure, with this successful example we decided to give it a challenge again.
After a few try we got the “perfect” recipe for the Rice Krispie treats. The ratio of cereal to marshmallow makes or breaks a rice krispie treat– literally! For extra gooey and buttery rice krispie treats, use this recipe. Adding a little extra butter and marshmallow, plus a splash of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt makes all the difference.
5 ingredients is all you need
You only need 5 simple ingredients for these no-bake squares.
Butter: Like all good desserts, the base of great rice krispie treats is butter! You will need 4 tbsp of butter.
Marshmallows: These krispie treats are extra marshmallow-y without falling apart. You need 4 cups of mini marshmallows.
Vanilla Extract: This is an easy addition that turns a good rice krispie treat into a great rice krispie treat. You only need 1 teaspoon, but what a difference it makes!
Salt: Salt is another little addition I add to my rice krispie treats. Like vanilla extract, salt is a super convenient ingredient and you don’t need much of it. Just a pinch adds a depth of flavor otherwise absent from crispy rice treats.
Rice Krispies Cereal: What’s a crispy treat without rice krispies cereal? We uses 2 boxes for this recipe. The best!
How do we make it?
Melt the butter and marshmallows in a big pot on the stove, then remove from heat and gently stir in the remaining ingredients.
Quickly add in your krispie rice into the marshmallow mixture and mix it well. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula (greasing it lightly helps), gently spread mixture to fit the pan. Lightly grease the back of a flat spatula and very gently press the mixture down into the pan. Do not pack it down with force, just lightly press down so it’s secure in the pan.
While everyone stops here and allow treats to set for at least 1 hour at room temperature and up to 1 day. Cover tightly if leaving out for more than a few hours. We added rainbow rice on top of the treats to spice it up a little. Do it as soon as you pack the Krispie rice treats as you will want them to stick well.
The new way to make a birthday cake
Does this remind you of the Confetti Birthday cake? We added rainbow rice on top of the treats to spice it up a little. Do it as soon as you pack the Krispie rice treats as you will want them to stick well. After it is all cool down, cut it into smaller block and top it with a candle and now you will have the unqiue birthday “cake” !
Rice Krispie Treats are eaten very quickly by our family but here are some guidelines for storing them. They will last 2-3 days at room temperature in an air-tight container before they start to get stale. You can extend that timeline a few days if you store them in the refrigerator and then take them out about 30 minutes before you eat them.
two 10 ounce bags (11 heaping cups) mini marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch salt
9 cups (270g) crispy rice cereal
Methods
Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment. I always use a very light mist of nonstick spray. Set aside.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a very large pot. Once melted, add the marshmallows. Stir the mixture until the marshmallows are completely melted.
Remove from heat, then immediately stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Finally, fold in the cereal. Make sure each piece of cereal is coated with the marshmallow mixture.
Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula (greasing it lightly helps), gently spread mixture to fit the pan. Lightly grease the back of a flat spatula and very gently press the mixture down into the pan. Do not pack it down with force, just lightly press down so it’s secure in the pan.
Allow treats to set for at least 1 hour at room temperature and up to 1 day. Cover tightly if leaving out for more than a few hours.
Lift the rice krispie treats as a whole out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares.
Cover and store leftover treats at room temperature for up to 3 days. To store, place in layers between sheets of parchment or wax paper.
Talking about where hidden gems where “birds don’t lay eggs”, Chū and Co. may rank somewhere on the list.
Nestled within the private residential estate of Serangoon Garden, Chū and Co. is a dual-concept space featuring its bakery café arm (Chu Bakery) in the daytime and gelato lab (Chulato) at night.
It is located at Lichfield road, one of the small roads leading into the usual bustling area of Serangoon Garden circus. We love its space for the laidback vibes – like what we usually experience from overseas outskirts.
There aren’t any blaring signs signalling the cafe’s existence, just an industrial chic exterior littered with luscious plants and lovely garden furniture. There isn’t your usual normal seating available, open up the camping chair and table provided.
There are various bakery and an all day menu for us to choose from, and we ordered the Porkie Sammie ($15), Honey Ohili Salami ($6) and the two bakery that cost $5 to $7 each. Every one the bakery is a good one portion, and we feel so filling after the meal.
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For those we have a little sweet tooth, don’t give their gelato a miss. Complete with a variety of unique gelato offerings, Chulato is best known for the Sake Milk, Smoked Whisky, Strawberry Pistachio, Mandarin Basil and EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) ice cream flavours.
Chu & Co just oozes rustic vibes and slightly throwsback to the atmosphere at Kampong Lorong Buangkok, the last Kampong in Singapore.
Truly a rare find nowadays, in the modernised concrete jungle that is Singapore.
Skinny tiles are a modern trend for home decor – bathrooms, kitchens, and other spaces, they are perfect for mid-century modern, contemporary, and minimalist spaces. We’ve already shared some ideas to clad your kitchen backsplash with skinny tiles and now it’s time to take a look at bathrooms. Skinny tiles in bathrooms can be used anywhere – in the sink, bathtub, and shower zones, on the walls and floors, and can be paired with other types of tiles, too.
Here we pick out examples of our two favorite color combinations, pink and green. I always get compliments when I match pink and green on what I wear and I found it good on the tiles too. What do you think?
In my humble opinion, curry is one of the greatest dishes this world has ever seen – with varieties so wildly different you could eat a new one every day and never sample them all. This vegan coconut “curry” is one to add to the ‘must eat’ list.
A lot of recipes get tried and tested for this website, and many get discarded or fall by the wayside in favour of something bigger, bolder, or generally more exciting. Taste alone isn’t always enough to guarantee a spot on the site (although it really helps) – a recipe needs to stand out in other ways.
A key feature of Asian cuisine for thousands of years, tofu is so much more than just a 21st-century health fad. While it quite rightly takes its place in the pantheon of “fit foods” – bean curd remains the only animal-friendly protein source that contains nine essential amino acids. Soybean curd is a wonderfully versatile ingredient.
What makes this vegan coconut “curry” so special?
This recipe came as a surprise as it isn’t what we planned to make. The joy of this recipe is its simplicity. So rarely have we had to do so little cooking to get such a great result. After a little prepping at the beginning, the ingredients hit the frying pan – and that’s it! They’ll fry along happily while the sauce pretty much cooks itself. It doesn’t get any easier when it comes to effort vs quality ratio.
This recipe isn’t a traditional curry as only curry powder is added for a little spice. Therefore it is more like a creamy coconut sauce with a little mild taste of curry.
How to make this Tofu with Creamy Coconut Sauce?
These are those recipes that we like as they only required a pot and this time our trusty cast iron is been used. Start by pan-frying the bean curd in your oiled pan till golden brown then set it aside for later use.
To make the mushroom sauce, sauté onions and garlic until the onions start to caramelize. Browning the onions will add extra flavour and natural sweetness to the sauce. Then, add the mushrooms and sauté until cooked, about 5 minutes. Once mushrooms are cooked, deglaze the skillet with soy sauce to add umami. Finally, for richness and creaminess, pour in full-fat coconut cream. I chose to dilute the coconut milk with water, otherwise, I found the coconut to be overpowering. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of ground black pepper and some chopped cilantro, and it’s ready to serve!
The nutty flavour of tofu goes so well with the umami-packed mushroom sauce. Serve this tempeh over a bed of rice, or with noodles for a filling and cosy dinner! Let us know if you like this recipe in the comment box below.
Heat your oiled pan, add in the tofu and pan-fry all the sides till golden brown. Remove it and set it aside for later use.
Heat the tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and fry until golden brown. Next, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until mushrooms are cooked and start to brown.
Deglaze the skillet with the soy sauce. Add the curry powder, maple syrup, ground black pepper, salt, coconut milk, and water. Stir to combine and cook for another 5 minutes. If you want to thicken the sauce, add the diluted cornstarch.
Add the sautéed tofu to the skillet and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve on top of rice or noodles and top with chopped coriander!
It won’t be hard to visualise a typical visit to the famous ArtScience Museum – just think projector art and IG-worthy installations. But that’s not the only place in Singapore where you can find immersive art. We are lucky enough to find some time for the exhibition before it comes to an end. Let’s dive into the world of Nam June Paik: The Future Is Now.
If you haven’t heard of Nam June Paik, here’s a quick introduction. The South Korean artist can be considered the OG founder of video art, creating many works over a span of 50 years before his passing in 2006.
More than that, we also find a wide variety of artworks that bring to life Paik’s take on technology and culture including plenty of works based on the old-school telly.
The exhibition also explores Paik’s collaborations with fellow avant-gardists such as Fluxus founder George Maciunas, artist Joseph Beuys, and musicians John Cage and David Bowie. One of the exhibition’s 11 sections is devoted entirely to Paik’s 30-year collaboration with cellist Charlotte Moorman, who performed in different stages of undress.
Throughout the whole exhibition, we get to learn how Nam June Paik grows in his arts. We are also surprised by how people express idealogy as a form of expression arts/performance than what we do now.
Here, we also find exhibits that would make you reach for your camera. 180 installations are spread out over multiple zones, with the most eye-catching being the Sistine Chapel. The star of the show features overlapping digital projections flashed across the walls of the museum, casting shadows as you pass.
While the exhibition for Nam June Paik has already ended, feel free to head down National Gallery for a walk. There are many more permeant exhibitions being held there, not to mention having a walk.
Now National Gallery was once a former supreme court and city hall in the 30s to 00s. The structure of the building is one of the best ‘old’ architecture in Singapore (at least for me).
National Gallery Singapore Address: 1 St Andrew’s Road Operating Hours: 10 am – 7 pm
See, it is a simple corner of the home. You may own the same one. For each tea lover, you deserved a tea room. When searching for a good corner to set up a tea corner or just to seat down for a cup of tea, we are looking for corners with natural light.
A tea corner includes much more than coffee. It should also include the necessary components to make the perfect cup of joe. Including pitchers, sugars and sweeteners, brewers, milk and creamers, stirrers, spoons, and more. All of these tools can quickly become a disorganized mess if left unattended—which makes it that much harder for your employees to find what they need and get back to work.
Also, a stylish, clean, and the organized station is a reflection of your overall workspace, making it a good long-term design investment for your office.
For a long time, we have followed this lifestyle’s YouTuber – Belinda Chen. We simply love how she embraces her every day, spending time cooking food while we order takeaway. She has this reel on Instagram about making an Azuki An Toast that looks really easy to make, as well as tasty and mouthwatering.
This Azuki An Toast consists of crispy toast, savoury butter and sweet homemade azuki red bean paste. This snack is inspired by the Japanese Ogura Toast (小倉トースト), which you can get with toasted bread topped with red bean paste, butter, and fresh whipped cream.
What do you need for Azuki An Toast?
This simple dish is comprised of 3 ingredients (bread, Anko and butter).
Bread: There are many kinds of bread, which in this case we use a thicker white bread. It’s thick, fluffy, and slightly sweet white bread, also often called milk bread in the West. When you toast the bread, the crisp top makes it perfect for spreading toppings, while the inside remains moist, fluffy, and soft. It’s literally heaven in bread form.
Anko: Anko is sweet azuki (red bean) paste. You can use Anko that is creamy and smooth or one that is a little more chunky depending on your preference. We use our homemade version for this recipe but you could also get one from the store.
Butter: Use good quality salted butter, it does make a difference.
There are mainly two types of red bean paste in Chinese cuisine – mashed and smooth. The key difference is whether it contains the bean husk or not.
Type of Red Bean Paste
There are mainly two types of red bean paste – mashed and smooth. The key difference is whether it contains the bean husk or not.
The mashed red bean paste is the most common for home cooking and is the one I include in the recipe below. You only need to boil the azuki beans with sugar until very soft, then smash them to the texture you prefer. The finished paste will have a consistent thick texture that is easy to shape and contains some whole and broken beans.
The smooth red bean paste is a bit of a hassle to make and normally can just be purchased from a Chinese or Japanese market. For the smooth paste, the azuki beans are boiled and mashed without adding sugar. The mashed beans are diluted into a slurry and then strained to remove the husk. To make the texture of bean paste smooth and gooey, a substantial amount of sugar and lard (or vegetable oil) will be blended into the paste. This is the reason you find that supermarket red bean paste has a better mouthfeel than the homemade kind.
The result is a slightly sweet, flavorful breakfast. It’s not too heavy and there are tons of health benefits associated with azuki, like fibre to improve digestion and high mineral content.
Toast the bread to your preference. Spread the Anko onto one side of the toast, while on the other lay your butter slice. Enjoy immediately, we like to half it.
“I once was lost, but now I’m found”. A modern-day market for unique fashion, The Editor’s Market has opened their flagship outlet at Orchard Road within Ngee Ann City.
In the corner of the flagship store of The Editors Market in Ngee Ann City, lies Cafe FOUND, a minimalistic and aesthetically-pleasing cafe. When we first entered, the wide variety of bakes and desserts on display caught my attention. Serving warm pastries, cakes, and more, Cafe FOUND has something for everyone.
Furniture pieces are in various shades of black and white, to showcase the simple yet refined outlook. The raw concrete feel is complete with the use of metals here, from the mini coffee tables to the legs of the chairs and the trays used to display the assortment of pastries at the counter.
A good mix of savoury and sweet pastries are all displayed on the counter, sourced from various cafes on a weekly rotational basis. We got a Perne Shroom ($6.50), a flaky croissant with mushrooms. While we are disappointed that the shroom chip as topping has already softened and feels chewy, we love the flavour of the croissant.
There is also a wide range of drinks available in this store, we ordered the Matcha Latte ($6.00) and a Filtered coffee ($7.50) from Nomad. While it is not the best we had but overall it is a place to stop by after all the shopping.
Cafe FOUND Address: 391 Orchard Rd, #B1-16 to 24 Takashimaya S.C., Ngee Ann City, Singapore 238872 Operating Hours:10a m–9:30 pm (Daily)
Overall, we like that their menu and coffee selection change regularly so that there are new items to look forward to every once in a while. Cafe FOUND is definitely a great place to kick back and relax with some pastries and cakes if you are in the area.
