Tempura

Tempura sounds very difficult to make, probably, but actually if you know the temperature of oil and how to fry, it is not so difficult.

This is Renkon(Lotus roots), Carrots, Thin Asparagus and prawns.  You make a light batter with normal flour and cold water.  Just dip vegetables and prawns and sliding into the oil.  The oil should be around 180 degrees Celsius.

You can eat with tempura sauce to dip in.  I like to sprinkle a very good salt such as Guerande salt.

Bolognese Sauce

There are so many kinds of Bolognese recipes.  I sometimes follow the someone's recipe or make my own with what I have in my fridge.

This is a very traditional Bolognese sauce from my grand father.  He was a really good cook and very modern guy.  He tried a lot of western dishes.  He taught to my mom and she told me how to make this.

The recipe is used minced beef, but I mixed with minced pork and thin sliced beef.  I chopped thin sliced beef so it has a great texture.

Salad

I love vegetables and I love Salad.

This is the salad I had for lunch at David Jones.
You can choose 4 kinds of salad out of 10 kinds for a plate.  I chose this salad.  Wow, it was amazing.  So delicious.  One of them was Moroccan style salad.  Very nice!

I wish Singapore had a shop like this.

Perth, Australia II

The restaurant we went the last night of our stay was really trendy and nice by the river.
This is the view from the restaurant.

The atmosphere was great!  That day's special, sea food platter.

I had barramundi with macadamia sauce which was delicious!

I am not a big fan of sweets, but my family love all kind sweets.  They ordered this!

I had a shot of sambuca with a few coffee beans.  It's my favourite after-dinner drinks:)

Perth, Australia

We were on holiday in Perth.  I've been to Sydney before, but it was a first time to trip to Perth.
The sky was so clear, blue and beautiful and of course, Australian wines are excellent.

I had a lot of nice wine from Margaret River and some really delicious food.

This is appetizer, soufflé with goat cheese sauce with pears.

Main dish was prosciutto and cheese rolled by chicken on corn risotto.

I forgot to take the desert photo.  It was very tasty.

Inside Out Roll Sushi

This is not a really popular sushi in Japan, but I read and heard that it is a popular sushi in US.  I guess because it looks bright and only a bit seaweed inside.

I wanted to put crab meat, but couldn't find a fresh one so instead of that I put salmon, avocado and shiso/ooba(Japanese mint leaves).

Maitake Miso Soup

Miso soup has a lot of variations.  I like simple one like this.  It's Shiitake Mushroom and Maitake Mushroom.  Maitake is popular in Japan, it's white colour and woodsy aroma and meat texture.  It also contains Vitamin B and calcium and magnesium.  It is good for diet.

Jelly Ponzu

Ponzu is a citrus based sauce used in Japanese cuisine.  We use for Shabushabu, salad, sashimi etc.

I found following ponzu the other day in a Japanese Super Market.  I haven't gone back to Japan so long and sometimes I am very behind for trendy items in Japan.  I looked at back side of the package and I was interested in this ponzu called "Nokkeru Jule Yuzu Soy Sauce Ponzu"(place on top jelly, citrus soy sauce flavor ponzu).

I put this ponzu on a small piece of Tofu and serve for appetiser.  It's too easy, but delicious!

Chinese New Year

In Singapore, Chinese New Year is a big celebration.  In Chinatown, it's very nice decoration now. In 2012, the Chinese New Year days are 23, 24 of January.  I am Japanese so I celebrate more on January 1st which is a New Year's Day for us, but I like to do something for Chinese New Year in Singapore as well.

Since few years ago, I have been decorating this willows at home.  Known as Yin Lou in Cantonese.  I heard from my friend that having this willows at home during Chinese New year represents having abundant luck and prosperity.  I have a very nice vase which is from my parents in law for the willows so every year, I decorate like this photo.

This vase also good for lilies like the photo.

Ramen(Japanese Noodle with soup)

Ramen is originated from China.  In Chinese restaurants, there are many kind of noodle dishes.  Ramen is created by Japanese and I believe most Japanese people like Ramen.  Ramen is very popular in Japan and you can find so many kind of Ramen shops and tastes everywhere in Japan.

We can find a lot of Ramen shops in Singapore.  Now a days, it's much more Ramen shops than a few years ago.  I can name some good Ramen shops in here, but my family like to eat at home.  I can buy Ramen noodle at a Japanese super market so what I have to do is boiling noodle and soup.  It's not so difficult, but I have to make one by one and serve.  I personally like al dente so as I am the one who is cooking and busy in the kitchen, it's almost impossible to get al dente ramen for myself after I serve my family so I prefer to go to the shop to eat delicious one:)

One of my favourite Ramen shop is "Santoka".  It's from Hokkaido.

Ramen Santoka
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#02-76 The Central
Tel: 6224-0668

Breakfast

We eat usually different breakfast during weekdays.  My husband eats bread with cheese or jam with a cup of coffee.  My kids eat cereal with milk and some fruits on busy weekdays as their school bus comes 7:00am.  I eat breakfast like this photo after kids leave for school.  I put salsa on a slice of bread and ham, then sprinkle cheese and toast.  When I have this kind of breakfast, I can work more better than the morning I only have a small bowl of cereal.

During weekends, we have a big breakfast.  I will update sometime later.

Green Peas Crostini

I had a friend last night from US and he loves my Sushi.  Every time he came to Singapore, he asked my Sushi and I told him that I could cook something else, but he likes to have my Sushi.  So I make a lot of appetizers whenever he comes to see us then he won't get tired of sushi:)

This is Green Peas Crostini.  Just mix with Peas, Garlic, Parmesan Cheese and Olive Oil.  Toast baguette and spread this pesto.  Wow!  It is so easy and delicious!!

Salmon Canape

This is what I made on New Year's Eve.  Mascarpone cheese with sour cream and capers.  Salmon on top.

Happy New Year! (Akemashite Omedetogozaimasu)

This is a New Year's Day meal.  When I was living in Japan, we had much more food as my mother made.  Since I have lived in abroad, I do only few dishes, but nicely.