Still eating

The eating has not slowed down.

The friend had us over for yet another round of home-cooked gourmet dinner.


Then we headed to our favourite trattoria for some serious carbo-loading.


At this rate, I will never be model thin again. But I have decided I will not deny myself good food and company for the sake of thinness. Yes!

Hainanese Chicken Rice in Singapore

Chicken Rice

A Singapore national dish. The Singapore Hainanese Chicken rice is special because this version is not originally found in Hainan, China. The unique appeal lies in the passion behind its creation. The grains are firstly fried in flavoured oils and garlic before boiling in chicken stock. The chilli sauce must have a spicy and zingy tang to it and the fowl must be stock boiled for flavour and immediately ice dunked for texture. This technique firms the skin, locks the juices and oils and keeps the flesh moist and soft.

Excerpt from Annex A: Orchard Road Carpark Stalls
app.stb.gov.sg

This dish is readily available at food courts, hawker centres, coffee shops and hotel F&B outlets. My long-time favourite place for Chicken Rice is at:

Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
Stall 01-15, Blk 120
Bukit Merah Lane 1
Alexandra Village Hawker Centre
S. 150120

Closed on Sundays and public holidays

My favourite pizza

The absolute best thin-crust pizza to be had is at the Trattoria in Seminyak, Bali. Since it is not exactly in the neighbourhood that I can pop in whenever the craving grabs me, the next best thing is to make it myself.

I have tried different combination of flour mixes to come up with a crust that has that wonderful quality of crisp chewiness. This recipe comes closest to what I am striving for:

2 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1.5 cups warm water
400 g bread flour
200 g plain flour
3 Tbs olive oil

1. In small bowl mix dry yeast and sugar in half cup warm water and wait till mixture bubbles.
2. Mix salt, bread flour and plan flour in large mixing bowl.
3. Make a well in flour and pour in yeast mixture, remaining warm water and olive oil.
4. Knead until the mixture comes together in a ball.
5. Transfer to a well oiled bowl. Let dough rise in a warm place till it is twice the original size (takes about an hour).
6.Punch down the risen dough and separate into 6 balls.
7. Roll the dough out into 24cm rounds (or stretch it by tossing in the air several times).

It is still not quite what Trattoria puts out, but I think this is a worthy close second.

They've only just begun

We've only just begun to live

White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we've on our way
We've only just begun

The lady in red is now Mrs. B. The friends share their happiness today and all the years ahead.

Well done, you guys.

Golden Zills

I love Suhaila Salimpour's choreography of Golden Zills:



This performance by Team Korea is reputedly adapted from Suhaila Salimpour's choreography.



Sometimes, I am not so sure that it is a good thing to be credited for one's work.

Anyway, the reason for bringing up Suhaila Salimpour is that she will be in Singapore in mid-April.

I am excited!

Space cadet

me: I am calling about the fax I sent you yesterday.

she: Oh, sorry hor. It not yet received. Maybe I receive it tomollo then I can call you can?

If it is of any consolation, she and the office are not of Singapore origin. But I will feel a whole lot better if she and the office are from another planet altogether.

LING-GER-REE

She came up to me, all smiles and sweetness, and cheerily asked, "Hi, can I help you? Looking for ling-ger-ree for yourself?"

I generally overlook mispronunciation. It is a lost cause after all. Yes, pronunciation can be a matter of regional influence. And I am no expert in linguistics.

But ling-ger-ree?

I suppose she thinks Ero (as in the brand name Ero Lingerie) is singular for Eros?

Sigh. Yes, thank you miss. I am looking for ling-ger-ree for myself. And you can help me.

Thanks. Bye. Delete.

Ok. I understand. Sorry I have disturbed u both with my problem. Thanks. Bye

I have read and re-read the sms countless times since receiving it some 3 months ago. I cannot decide if there is resignation or resentment in those words.

We met in Bali. She was the resident belly dancer in a restaurant and we struck up what I thought was a friendship. We kept in touch by sms and email. And some time over the next year or so, she left Bali for Jakarta. Her villa in Bali was put up for holiday rental.

Then I got email and sms from her saying that she was in desperate financial trouble. That she was putting the villa in Bali up for sale. That she could not get a loan from any bank. That she desperately needed to borrow USD20,000 from me to tie her over the next 3 months.

Alarm bells went off in my head. Was it reasonable to ask to borrow money from someone one met on vacation? Why was she not asking to borrow from her friends and relatives in Jakarta? Was this whole scenario for real? Was she for real?

After mulling over the situation for a full day and night, I sms'ed to her:

I am in no position to lend you any sum of money.

Her reply:

Ok. I understand. Sorry I have disturbed u both with my problem. Thanks. Bye

I cannot decide if there was resignation or resentment in those words. It bothered me for reasons I am not able to articulate.

I looked up her villa in Bali online. It is still hers; it is still being put up for holiday rental.

I know I will never hear from her again.

I understand now that the"friendship" was pegged at USD20,000. And so, with equal parts resignation and resentment, I deleted her from my contact list.

ClubSingapura, Southern California

Yes, I was a member of Club Singapura the entire time I lived in California.

Yes, I tried to make it to as many of the events as I could in the year. Click on Events and take a peek at the pictures :)

Yes, all we ever do is meet to eat.

Yes, we are so Singaporean like that, no matter where we live.

Yes, the club still has relevance after all these years.

The good life

When we cook...

When many friends cook...

Among the many good memories of last year was that we ate well.