汤的功效

排骨汤- 抗衰老，含有蛋白质，脂肪，维生素，还大量磷酸钙。骨胶原，骨粘蛋白。

鸡汤- 抗感冒，又补虚功效，温补作用（有炎症的人要少喝）

鱼汤-健脾开胃，止咳平喘，减轻水中，能缓解压力，睡眠不足等，精神因素导致的皱纹有很好的帮助。

猪蹄汤-养血气，性平味甘，入脾胃，肾经，能强健腰腿， 填肾益精。

要多喝汤哦！！

Mushroom spaghetti

I have watched a Japanese cooking show on TV yesterday. And to my surprise, it was easy to cooking Italian Mushroom spaghetti.  Before i forget, i need to jot in down.

Ingredient:

Olive oil
3-4 types of mushrooms
Spaghetti - cook al-dente
salt a pinch
butter - 2 spoon
flour - 2 spoon
2 pcs of garlic
2 pcs of chili padi/chili

In a flat pan, pour oilve oil. When is it warm, drop in the garlic, turn down the heat when it starts to bubbling, removee garlic when its turning golden brown. Drop in the chili padi. let it 'boil" for a while. Remove. This way, the olive oil is "stain' with the fragrant of the garlic n chili.

Throw in the mushrooms and add a litttle salt. Keep stirring. The mushroom will starts to sweat.
Stir for about 3-5 mins depend on the amount of mushrooms in the pan.

In another pan, melt the butter. Till the side turns to golden crispy. Add in  the mushrooms and spaghetti.Toss evenly so each strand of Spaghetti is coated with the butter. Then add in little olive oil and flour. Keep tossing till the flour has changed into cream sauce.

Serve and add some cheese.

The nushrooms can be added to a plate of garden salad. Just top it over the greens, add some olive oil and serve.

Photos at Bali Indonesia- Oct 2010

Counting down to holiday in Oct 18th....

Finally, I got my leave approved for a short holiday. We have decided to go Bali, Indonesia again for a short vacation. Bali is just a wonderful place for relax. I simply love the beach, the sea, the good food, the air..... the list can go on and on. I missed the sea and the sun most. I have just learn surfing during the first time there.And it was simply fun with the nice waves. That time, we stayed at Hard Rock Hotel in Kuta Area. The Kuta the heart of Bali is always busy.

Will post Pics when i get back from Bali.. :) holidays....Here's i come!!

National Day's Birthday cake- 20kg jumbo

National day jumbo cake weigh 20kg and need 4 pax to carry( of cos, worried it will smashed so 4 pax is safer..

Many parents and student and also include our Staffs took photo with this Jumbo cake. This was the first time they seen such a big cake. Well, taking pics is nice, eating it is nice too. But cutting it is NOT NICE!! I had backache and my chef helped me to cut it as well. It feed about 600 pax.
Big Cutting Project!!

Yummy food in Batan - I Hotel

Add caption

Francis lazily on the couch at the lobby while waiting for Wadi to arrive. Wadi- our friend's wife, a local.

The coffee at the resturant- Cinnmon - served with a cookie, not bad for a late night drink.

Mee Soto- I order for myself cos i just missed something soupy. This is just nice for me. I love the soup and the egg. But just alittle salty for my bud..

The view from our hotel room 612. Facing the swimming pool. Will return to this hotel cos it has good location, a sauna,  a steam , gym, live band lounge and near to the shopping mall. Of course the spa there is more pricy then the ones near to the shopping mall. We love to go to the sap in front of the Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall- Everyday. Good service and cheap. We had 2 hours body massage which cost one of us about SGD$19.00
We tried another one called ESKA(sometime like rr) Price slightly more expensive but have more choice which include hairdressing, manicure.pericure,body massages and facial. Will try their facial another time. Overall, not that bad. :)

Centre piece -Fruit 2

清甜养颜汤：黄豆芽清汤

材料：豆腐1块
            干贝2颗
           干蚝5 只
             红萝卜1根
            江鱼仔2汤匙
            新鲜白菇1束
            大黄豆芽 20条

做法：煮2公升水至滚，放入干蚝，干贝，江鱼仔和红萝卜， 煮20分钟。加入豆腐，新鲜白菇，大黄豆芽，再煮15分钟。加入适量盐和酱油调味。

豆腐：含贴，镁，对骨骼和牙齿生长有帮助， 镁可保护心肌适合冠心病患者使用。

干贝：具滋阴；补肾功能；常吃可降血压，降胆固醇，补益健身。

干蚝；可补阳，若和生蚝一起煮则可达到滋阴补阴的效果。

江鱼仔：含丰富钙，铁，磷，可增强骨骼，牙齿和增强心肌。

白菇：含丰富的蛋白质和氨基酸，可增强人体免疫力。

1st Mass dinner - may 2010

The layout and the fruit platter

The western food

Grilled Chicken Chop with Baked Potato - Aston - AMK Centre

I like the presentation of this western grill especially the burnt mark on the meat. Nice too:) but abit expensive....

The centre piece for VIP lunch 2

This is one of my "last minute" fruit decoration for the VIP lunch.

Centre Piece for my VIP lunch today

Well, I just tried my luck today and it turns out well. And it was welcome and impressed the guests today. Instead of the regular flower piece that my staffs displayed, i changed it to a basket of fresh fruit surrounded by Cinnamon and star anise. Of cos, it was a last minute change so it wasnt prepare in advance. This include tomato(red), oranage( of cos, orange color!) , apple( pale red), and black grapes and green grapes( eaten by my guests) ..LOL.. It was a pretty centre piece and was after lunch dessert!!

I will check on more on other type of centre piece instead of regular flowers.. kinda boring....

About Fine Dining...:(

I have clueless about fine dining as I have only one experience dining in a French resturant. It was almost 10 years ago. That time i was working for a boutique and my boss was a spainish.That was my first encounter with fine cuisine and fine dining. I remembered there was so much silverware and GosH! it was rather complicated. Currently, i was post to another outlet, and this outlet require me to working on fine dining. Haiz... I have been searching online for more information, like how to serve fine dining- right to left, left to right or criss-cross.. Serve the hoster or the guests?... serving food on the right or left? collect soiled plates on right or left? What about the menu? Tons of questions yet to resolve... and i have to led my team for this. It is gonna a "big" project especially when my company is "stingy" to send us for training. :(

My dear friends/reader, please advise if you have any encounter with fine dining. Or perhaps drop me me questions so I can work on it.

Thanks & Love,
Ginger

My Soup of the day- Herbal Chicken Soup 1

There are many varities of herbal soup- mix and match of different herbals. So you gotta find and try out the soup to suit your taste buds. Of course, herbal soup are usually drunk for building and improve one's health. For me, i drink for improving my mental alertness and general health. Herbal soup can be too heaty if wrong herbs being used.

Here's on recipe for general health;-

Ginseng ( 人参）- 5 gm
Astragalia （黑芪)- 4 gm
Fructus Lycil( 枸杞子）-4g
Radix Tang Shan（党参）- 2pcs
Chinese Yam（淮山）- 2-3 pcs
Polygonathum（玉竹）- 5gm
Salt to taste
Chicken 2 pcs appro 500gm

1. Blanch the chicken, Wash the herbs and place in a claypot. Add 800ml water. Bring to a boil with chicken and all the herbs. Turn down heat. Stimmer for appro 45mins - 1hrs. Taste and adjust the taste with salt.
2. Serve hot with White rice.

Nagoya Day 2

Our breakfast was at a nearby local kopitiam. We had roti prathra, mee kia ta(dry noodle with minced meat) and Chicken porridge plus our regular drink - coffee with less sugar. Roti prathra was delicious and the roti kosong was large compare to Singapore's stardard. I ordered two Kosong and I had hard time finish it. So I had it shared with my hubby and I had the chance to taste the porridge and one big spoonful of mee.

We want to try the But Kut Tetut it wasn't ready when we were there. So we went back again in the afternoon after our shopping at Nagoya Shopping mall. Well, the But Kut teh IS A MUST TRY!! The soup is clear from oil and fats, is clear fragrant with herbs but not overpowering. Best of all, its served with a bowl of You tiao.The pork ribs are not oil and tender to bite/chew. In Simple- best of all i have ever taste!!

And best of it, it so much cheaper than whatever is sold in Singapore!!

After that, we have to leave Nagoya centre heart and check in into our KTM Resort. Here's some pics. The resort was beautiful but don not expect much. Poor management and poor facility. They didn't make good use of the good points. You may want to refer to the feedback I posted on Tripadvisor. (still on pending ;( )
Here's some photos taken on the first day.

 

Photos of my short getaway to Indonesia - Batam- Nagoya

Hey, Im back for a 3 days getaway to a nearby little island which is 35 minuntes from Singapore. It wasn't that funtastic but it was definately a good break from work. This time round we had a local friend bringing us around.

We planned to leave to leave earlier cos i was working and there wasn't much things on Sunday. And furthermore, we have not booked the tickets hence we can leave anytime. We drove motorbike to Harbourfront to take ferry to Ngoya- Harbour bay. It is cheaper to park your vechile at Seah Im carpark, was told car rate was $4 per day.

The first night, we spend the night at a cheapand simple hotel. Nothing much to mention, But i will share with you my meals. It was rather cheap. i didn't took pics cos we had the dinner with another two guys whom we didn't know. But we had steamed Blue crabs, Bullfrog in Kong bao Style, Deep fried chicken, brinjal in chili, Deep fried Pomfet and Butter Crayfish. The location is at Komp. Bukit Mas Nagoya Batam, Kepulauan Riau Indonesia - A1 Food centre. Just opposite the Billard Centre. The seafood were reasonable. I cant say it is cheap(of cos it was la) but I cant said cos different people different value stardard. Hhahaha...

After that meal, it was almost 12mid-night and we got back to our local, simple hotel. We couldn't fall asleep and we chatted till it was almost 1.30am. My hubby then asked me if i want to eat anything. Cos his friend told him that the maggie mee was very nice. I tot what??!! I took leave to enjoy not come here to eat maggi mee!!. He told me to give it a try. OK then! He went out and packed two pack and one packet of deep fried chicken.

I took a mouthful with doubts but to my surprise, it taste good! No doubt it is maggie mee but it was so fragrant. Luckily, my smart darling packed two pack if not not enough.. Hahha...

He also pack deep fried chicken.. i guess why we love the chicken so much. I believe the chicken is free-range chicken. It is tender and does not have thick skin with fats. Its simply finger-licking good!

Today's menu for dinner

My darling have to work while im at home surfing net and watching TV. He like to eat when he gets home and will heat up the food again.

So when he is at work, i was thinking what im suppose to cook so by the time or any time when he gets home, there's hot dinner ready.

So, i tried to cook- Cabbage rice. This was my favourite rice when i was kid, Both my brother and I will fight over who is going for more. Usually, my mum will cook addition more for this dish. She knows we won't have enough. LOL....

It's easy too.

Ingredient:
1 head cabbage
2 cups of rice- rinsed
150gm chicken-diced
1/2 cup of chopped carrot
5-8 pcs of garlic- minced
(optional)
5-7 pcs of prawn
500ml of chicken stock
some dried shrimp(washed)
some dried mushroom( soak and chopped)

Methods:
1. Wash and rinse rice. Place in rice cooker. Fill it only half volume of the necessary water for cooking rice.(Half of the normal volume of cooking rice).
2. Set aside. Heat wok and add oil. Stir fried the garlic, dried shrimp, mushroom till slightly brown, put in diced chicken, carrot.  Add in cabbage. Stir fried for awhile till it soften, Add pinch of salt and some chicken stock.( you can choose to all water, but add more salt to taste.) Let it stimmer alittle- it don't need to be full cooked coz u goin to put it in the rice cooker to cook again. Once done, throw in the prawn.
3. Scope and transfer it to the rice cooker. Layer the cabbage on top of the rice. DO NO STIR IN!.. very important!
4. Add chicken stock.( have to take note if it has too much liquid, you won't want the rice to turn soggy or even into porridge)
5. Press the button for cooking rice. It will be ready when the button jump up.
6. Season with pepper and serve with some spring onion.

Basic Ingredient 1- Ginger

Why Ginger first? because I love ginger! And my online nick is also ginger.
Most people will know ginger are often used in most cooking and expel wind out from the body. Pure essential ginger can be used in health product such as soap and body massage. But trust me, ginger can do more then just expel wind.

Ginger:-
Mature ginger roots are fibrous and nearly dry, often used as spice in different cuisine especially in seafood, lamb and curries.
Young Ginger often are prickled in vinegar or sherry, crystallized to make ginger candy.
Powdered ginger are used to make ginger bread, baking or add spices to some dishes.

The value of the ginger as an herbal medication lies in its pungent and warming properties - which are essential to treat a lot of conditions. The herbal remedies made from the ginger have a very stimulating effect on the functioning of the heart and the circulation of blood in the body.

Uses:-

1. Improve body circulation
One of the main benefits of the herbal ginger remedy is its ability to stimulate the circulatory system. The herb also helps in bringing an increased flow of blood to the surface of the skin; this singular property makes the ginger a very important herbal remedy for the treatment of conditions such as chilblains and to treat impaired circulation along the hands and feet of patients. The herb also effectively helps in controlling elevated or high blood pressure as it directly affects the circulation of blood. Perspiration in the body is increased by remedies made from the ginger and at the same time, the herb helps in bringing about a reduction in elevated body temperature during fevers

2. Traditional medicines
In Chinese remedies, fresh ginger and dry ginger has two distinct and different uses. Fresh ginger are use in treating fevers, to treat headache and to alleviate the pain and discomfort of aching muscles in the body. As for the dry powdered ginger/ dry ginger are used in cooking/infusion tea to treat internal colds, and to improve physical symptoms such as cold and clammy hands/limb.

3. Heat Compress
 Hot ginger compress are used to treat muscular aches and pains, to ease joint stiffness. Medicine heat pad- one component is dry ginger- used to ease abdominal cramps, stiffness of neck or any part of the body.

4. Ease Nausea and Vomitting
Ginger is able to alleviate nausea and vomiting. It's help in setttling the stomach;aids in soothing the symptoms associated with indigestion. Its helps in calming wind and flatulence. Ginger also helps in relieving griping induced by the presence of diarrhea due to infection.

5. Easing Stomach problem
The antiseptic qualities of the ginger endow it with great and extremely beneficial effects to deal with all manners of gastrointestinal infections; the remedy can effectively treat certain types of food poisoning as well.

6. Encourage sweating/ decongestion
 Perspiration in the body is promoted by drinking the hot ginger tea, this tea also helps in reducing elevated temperatures during a fever and it helps in clearing away catarrh in the body. The remedies made from the ginger have a stimulating effect and affect an expectorant action inside the lungs, this result in the clearing of phlegm and helps relieve catarrh coughs and related chest infections in different patients.

7. In women's problem
 Menstruation is promoted by ginger, and the remedy is also useful in dealing with various other disorders affecting the uterus, the ginger remedy is also very effective in alleviating delayed or scanty periods as well as blood clots associated with the menstrual cycle. In women, remedies made from the ginger can be used to help relax the muscular spasms and in relieving the pain present during ovulation and during menstrual periods. Remedies made from the ginger are recommended as an herbal tonic to invigorate the reproductive system as a whole by many herbalists. The clotting and thinning of blood is also inhibited by remedies made from the ginger.

8.For blood pressure
The ginger remedies also help in lowering the elevated blood pressure and can help individuals with high cholesterol problems. Ginger remedies have a tendency to heat up the body and due to this effect, herbalist suggest that individuals who do not tolerate heat well, such as people with gastritis or peptic ulcers avoid the remedies made from ginger.


SIDE EFFECTS AND CAUTIONS
Side effects of ginger are rarely felt. This may not be true for all individuals, and some individuals may be very sensitive to the taste of the herb or they may experience symptoms such as heartburn when using the ginger. This information is for reading and enriching knowledges and does not replace doctor's instruction. Any medical issue, please visit your doctor.

Recipes:
Hot Ginger Tea
Ingredient:
1 pcs of ginger
500ml of hot water
honey

Methods:
Wash ginger under running water till water runs clear. You may want to scape away the skin. I do boiled ginger with its skin. Sliced it or slap it with the blade of a chopper.
Throw the cracked ginger in the boiling water. Boil for 5 mins. If you prefer less mild, turn of the heat. Just infuse the ginger. Stir in honey to suit your taste.

Sparkling Ginger mint tea - Mocktail
ingredient:
300ml - 500ml  can sprite/ 7-up
300ml of ginger tea(refer to ginger tea recipe as above)
1-2 teaspoon of grated ginger
some mint leaves- chopped finely
2 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of lemon rind
Honey- if needed to taste

Methods:
Mix grated ginger and mint leaves, lemon juice and lemon rind together.Seperate into two martini glassess or any glasses. Slowly pour in ginger tea and top up with sprite. Decorate with a sprig of mint leaves.

You can add volka to make it a cocktail.Or ever replace sprite with ginger ale for a try.
Have fun!

Learning cooking..part 1

After working some many years in catering line, I have turn to a noob cooker. After doing menu planning with chefs, i have learnt not only Chinese cuisine, Indian but more....Or i can say fusion cuisine.. I often mix n match some basic ingredient and wow...the result seem pretty good.. LOL...

Well, back to the topic, basic cooking- steaming, stir-fried, sauteing, baking, poaching etc...need a certain level of skills, of course, it need alot of practise. My chef told the first basic thing in working in a kitchen is to learn how to cut. They have been learning to chop, cut, mincing and often cut by knife. Ouch!..Yes, before they even can touch the wok! And often they have to be kitchen helper for few years before they are taught the basic cooking. It is tough work!

And often, people don't think well about working in kitchen- often as a "dirty" job,"No standard" kinda of job. But God damn it!, It a holy respectful job, alright? Think! Who cooks when u really need food? They are responsible for people whom aren't able to cook for himself. And often, Chinese cuisine is always appearing to be lowest standard compare to other cuisine. Usually, Chinese cuisine as to put everything into one wok and serve all mixed together!!

But does it occur that even though the ingredients are mixed up but they are having that particular taste/smell that short of one ingredient might not be the same.Its the chemistry between the basic ingredient. And that applies to most of the cuisine - Thai, Indian, Nonya, Cantonese and of course Korean, Japanese as well.

Not just have to master the basic cooking, one successful dish need to have the basic four element- attitude, smell, taste and color(visual). Not only it need to be palatable and way of presentation means alot too.Demand is getting more.

As for as I know, I have been creating more strange recipe(my own) for my own self to try. I wouldn't dare to share yet. But I have cooked at home and my only consumer will be my darling- Francis. Poor man! LOL..

However, he is very supportive and he is a well verse in cooking too. I will start studying on basic ingredient first. Look out for more on each ingredient, Cya!! b

The sad moment- my friend issue

My friend was online n told me he had just resigned. Now he left with nothing, as a EHS adviser, it's not diffcult to find a job. I have no idea what had happened to him. But I'm feeling sad.. I guess nowadays it seem working adults have a lot of problems.. Money, housing , kids, parents etc.. The list goes on n on.. Life for me seem to b quite alright. But me n darling are both working so money is not much but still passable.. For me,life has been too busy with work.. Luckily, we are go for a short break! Hope my friend can get thru this.

Wah....finally..having a longer break...

Finally.....I have been waiting for today...looking for my holiday.. a short getaway to Indonesia, Batam.. Of course, this is not the first time going to Batam but this time round...we are visiting there with a local friend. He will bring us around for a more local visit.

Will share the pics when i get back....

My Birthday....

OK...Im gettin one year old...N maybe a year wiser? LOL....Times seems to flies too fast where some precious moments cant be captured. Now i think back....what i had done for the past one year? ...................................................................

arh......... hmm...............ar.....eh.............like...nothing leh... My life has been working, sleeping, eating, travelling....etc...seems very common just like anyone of us right here in Singapore.. It's just few mins to my birthday..and of cos,there are some bday wishes... what im wishing for this year is to have a healthy baby.. I have been trying and trying..but in vain...

Anyone can advise? LOL....of cos not, the "bed" part... We know how, alright? Thanks.. LOL... Just tell me how to improve the chances to conceive...food to eat......anything ...just drop on my comment...

Thanks for being around even tot i do not know u.  Perhaps we can get to know each other :) Cheers!!

Wish me a happy bday!

Thing i learn today...

Things i learnt is that do not trust anyone so easily. Perhaps it is regarding about work or any other issue. I had entrusted a coordination work for a major event at my new outlet. I was disappointed that my colleague actually didn't inform me about the shortage of soup bowl set. My expected guests was about 500pax. But the set which has arrived was only 300++. I didn't realized that till the day we were serving the mushroom. My chef then told me that bowl was not enough!!..

Luckily, the turned up guest didn't hit 400...Phew!! i was damn luckily. And thanks to all my colleagues whom they came over to help me after their outlet has ease their operation.  It was my first and major event in my new outlet. Mine first major event was few years back and that was to MoXXXX CEO.

So the lesson that I had learnt is not to totally trust anyone in the world...perhaps maybe 70%.....
U know some ppl just simply cant be trustful.... I have cheated many times...and always believe that if i dun harm ppl, ppl wont harm you. Very Naive right? In the working society , ppl is out to neglect feeling just to climb to the top. Just like my this colleague, he can be apple-polishing to my bosses. And we knew that he is just an empty vessel.

Of course, for my case, I can't totally blame. I should have check thru all the equipment for stuffs that I had for my event. So i learnt from my lesson.  Thanks to you! I have gain more knowledge in this society.

My Holiday Trip to Sabah, Malaysia

Actually, I wanted to post the photos long before. But I was too tied up with work and business. Hence i was too tired to come online. Well, i had redrawed out from the business that I had invested. This let me to have more time at home doing something i always want to. And also to concentrate on my work. There's room to grow. Even though, my dear had asked me to quit if I really feel too tired.

Let's cut short! Here's the pics.;)

I always want to go a natural country,with natural view, trails , sea etc.....  This is the first time we travel to a "mountain" country. LOL...we had great fun..BTW, it is the first time we swam with jelly fish. OK, i was afraid cos always tot that jellyfish is dangerous. :P well..that's not true. OK? i was told by the scuba master at the seaside. Thus, we went to the beach and snorkelled..My dear came on land with itchiness all over the body.Luckily, the people pour vinegar over his body which neutrelize it. Overall it was fun.

My photo at Turi Beach Resort- Short Getaway