Saturday, September 29, 2007

A last minute dish

Alvin and i decided to go grocery shopping on friday instead of saturday this week!
i was thinking should i cook now or when i come back? at about 315pm i decided i shld cook now cuz later i will be tired or lazy...so erm yeah suffer now enjoy later...i made chicken pulao, a different variation this time and before 4 i was done! ;)last minute dish eh! It was raining the entire day and the wind was so strong and chilly... a meaty spicy dish seemed appropriate!


So right after work he picked me up and we went down to Maxi with our shopping list!
I wanted to get baking stuff but was disappointed at the "variety" available. I only managed to get a round baking tin at 99kr and bittersweet chocolate, corn flour and plain flour which actually was a mistake i took the wheat flour instead! hmm now i am left wondering what to use it in..i wanted to try banana bread but the recipe suggests using all purpose flour so what do i do? any idea anyone? can i replace the all purpose with wheat? will the consistency n texture be the same? will the taste be compromised?

well so here's wat we bought:
baking tin
corn flour
bitter sweet choc
chicken fillet
chicken drumsticks
some tulip seeds (will be planting very soon!)
butter
margarine
bananas
grapes
strawberry
wheat flour
eggs
vanilla essence (they come in small packets!!)
2 tropicana orange juices
and u wont beliee how much this cost us?
618Kr-- Can u believe it?? about singapore 150bucks!



anyway the strawberries were so delicious and the grapes the sweetest i have had ;)

Laksa

Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup from Peranakan culture, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay elements found in Malaysia and Singapore. The name may originate from the Sanskrit word laksha (लक्ष), meaning "many" and referring to the soup's many ingredients. Curry laksa is a coconut-based curry soup.


I tried a very simple recipe and well though it cldnt be compared to laksa it sure was yummy!

Love thy neighbours+ Share Tiramisu

Love they neighbours! I have very good reasons to!!! I have some really sweet neighbours! two, who live above me and one who lives in the apartment opposite ours. We try new baking recipes and exchange them. Almost every weekend for the past 2, i have been over indulging myself... muffins, agar agar, choc cakes, Tiramisu. So far i've only done a chocolate cake but this week i decided to try Tiramisu myself cuz i couldnt get enough of it... surprisingly for such a delicious dish, its really little work... My neighbour from the next aparment was so sweet she even got most of the ingredients for me ;) Thanking wont be good enuf so the biggest portion of the tiramisu goes to her!!!

I always tot Tiramisu was from Japan..doesnt it sound very Jap? Well it actually is an Italian dessert!The Italian name tiramisù means "pick-me-up" (metaphorically, "make me happy,"), i guess the chocolate and caffein content do just that!





Here is how it goes:

INGREDIENTS
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/8 cups mascarpone cheese
24 ladyfingers (cake like biscuit, the size n length of a finger)
1 1/2 cups brewed coffee
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS
1.In a medium bowl, beat yolks with sugar and vanilla until smooth and light yellow. 2.Fold mascarpone into yolk mixture. Set aside.
3.Dip ladyfingers briefly in coffee and arrange 12 of them in the serving plate. 4.Spread half the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Repeat with remaining cookies and mascarpone.
5.Cover and chill 1-24 hours. Sprinkle with cocoa just before serving.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Organized? Perfectionist?

Recently i have become a sucker for cleanliness...I love being tidy n neat and now its growing a little too much...even when i get off the bed int he morning i like it to be all made up though i will return to sleep on it as soon as hubby leaves for work... I hate seeing dishes in the sink so as soon as i am done with dining i make it a point to wash n wipe dishes and store them where they belong. lol and no matter how sleepy i am i never leave dishes in the sink overnight! perfectionist? erm i hope not but i luv being organised when i cook. Get all ingredients ready place them well and just use as directed on recipes... it makes life so much easier.

This weeks specials

Since i had a migraine last week, i havent left home for a week now! ?Last week grocery shopping was done by Alvin and i didnt ask for too much...so by mid week we were out of ingredients after making. So after that i had to make chicken for the rest of the week! So to make it a little interesting, i tried different variations Chicken kadahi, Chicken mughalai, Indian Mee goreng and also dalcha one one of the days...

Aloo Gobhi


Breakfast for My Hubby


Chicken Mughalai + Briyani rice
(Mughalai cuz it had curd, milk, cashew and lotsa masalas so very Rich!! and fattening but a little indulgence is fine once in a while)


Indian Mee Goreng (looks good eh?)


Kadhai Chicken + Mushroom Pilau

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Life of a Migraineur

I'm always complaining about migraines but I dun think many of you know what i go thru each time i get an attack...so here a short description, take time to read thru ok!!!

There are 4 phases to every attack i get

The prodrome, which occurs hours or days before the headache.
The aura, which immediately precedes the headache.
The pain phase, also known as headache phase. (Throbbing of a nerve & Vomitting)
The postdrome.(light headedness, faintness)

Prodrome phase
This phase may consist of altered mood, irritability, depression or euphoria, fatigue, yawning, excessive sleepiness, craving for certain food (e.g., chocolate), stiff muscles (especially in the neck), constipation or diarrhea, increased urination, and other vegetative symptoms. These symptoms usually precede the headache phase of the migraine attack by several hours or days.
(For me its stiffness in the neck and back pains)


Aura phase
This aura comprises focal neurological phenomena that precede or accompany the attack. They appear gradually over 5 to 20 minutes and generally last fewer than 60 minutes. The headache phase of the migraine attack usually begins within 60 minutes of the end of the aura phase.
Visual aura is the most common of the neurological events. There is a disturbance of vision consisting usually of unformed flashes of white and/or black or rarely of multicolored lights (photopsia) or forma­tions of dazzling zigzag lines

Pain phase
The typical migraine headache is unilateral, throbbing, moderate to severe and can be aggravated by physical activity. The pain peaks and then subsides, and usually lasts between 4 and 72 hours in adults.

The frequency of attacks is extremely variable, from a few in a lifetime to several times a week, and the average migraineur experiences from one to three headaches a month. The head pain varies greatly in intensity. The pain of migraine is invariably accompanied by other features.

Nausea occurs in almost 90 percent of patients, while vomiting occurs in about one third of patients. Many patients experience sensory hyperexcitability manifested by photophobia, phonophobia, osmophobia and seek a dark and quiet room. Lightheadedness, rather than true vertigo and a feeling of faintness may occur. The extremities tend to be cold and moist.


Postdrome phase
The patient may feel tired, "washed out", irritable, or listless and may have impaired concentration, scalp tenderness or mood changes. Some people feel unusually refreshed or euphoric after an attack, whereas others note depression and malaise.

Triggers
A migraine trigger is any factor that, on exposure or withdrawal, leads to the development of an acute migraine headache. Triggers may be categorized as behavioral, environmental, infectious, dietary, chemical, or hormonal.

Migraine attacks may be triggered by:

Bright lights, loud noises, and certain odors or perfumes
Physical or emotional stress
Changes in sleep patterns
Smoking or exposure to smoke
Skipping meals
Alcohol or caffeine
Menstrual cycle fluctuations
Foods containing tyramine (red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and some beans), monosodium glutamate (MSG), or nitrates (like bacon, hot dogs, and salami)
Other foods such as chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, avocado, banana, citrus, onions, dairy products, and fermented or pickled foods.
Changes in Climate/Temperatures

So well I'm pretty prone to attacks basically cuz of the above listed...Anyone and everyone of them can trigger an attack :(

So you see why I'm sucha sicko...who is alwyas down with a migraine at least one a month? Too manhy triggers for a poor little gal like me... hmm so u can imagine how much i look forward to my chiropractic appointments...They help a great deal!

Cant wait for next saturday hopefully i can get an appointment with Essemi Joensen, Chiropractitioner in Karlshamn.which is approx an hours drive away...i do hope she is able to speak english! else it is gonna be pretty tough! for both of us ;)
So now u guys shld know every little detail of what i go theu during each attack... frankly previously the pain used to be unbearable but after the hundreds of attacks i have had, i believe i have grown a little receptive

Weekend Special

This wasnt a very good weekend for me...was down with a migraine on friday and wasnt able to attend the Midautumn fesitval with Alvin...poor thing had to go alone
Luckily i didnt commit to cooking the chicken cuz i wouldnt have been able to pull it off.Thank god alvin's collegue managed to whip up a good chicken curry dish in place for me.

Head was still throbbing prety badly this morning so my husband had to go grocery shopping alone too... i did manage to cook baked macaroni on thursday and a different recipe of chiken pilau today... not too great looking though didnt have the mood to garnish further...but filled our stomachs well

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The special week!

This was a very meaningful week for Alvin and myself. September 11 will be a date many remember due to the twin towers but its a date i remember cuz we first met on that day 4 years ago! 19th September is the day we went on and look at how far we've come together. From dating in 2003 to our Rom in 2005 and our wedding in 2007... we progressed at the same rate as the Goverment incresed the GST! And since it was this day we decided to be in each others life and everythin else had a domino effect, its a day worth celebrating

Happy Anniversary luv! There is this one decision i have always been proud i made... the decision of being with you! thank u love for being with me thru all odds! I just want you to know baby that I love you!! Blessed to have you in my life!

I baked a heart shaped cake which erm doesnt look too fantastic but hey everyone who had them(kimberly, Serene and Favyier) all only had good comments about it! And the person whom it was baked for liked it too..I also cooked Nasi lemak today, last weekend i bought tau kwa, peanuts and pandan leaves for it! so finally it all got used..check out the dish and some pics we guys took! ;)

I realised one thing since i got here... you dont have to be a good cook to prepare nice dishes...so long you put in effort, ur heart and alot of love, the dish always turns out well ;) try it gals! I was a noob when it came to cooking but look at me now... not only my parents, not only my husband but i've surprised myself as well!
Cindy says i have magical hands but i guess its the love that makes a difference ;) aint i getting all mushy LOL aiight pics ahead!

Works in Progress

So the works are finally complete! The results are great! Now the house finally feels like a home ;) no seriously there were too many holes all over the wallpapers and the colours were pretty disgusting! Imagine green n yellow? *lmao* I chose to use lighter cool tones and taking into consideration the white build in wardrobes and kitchen cabinets, i think i made the right choice!
;) i had a hard time sweeping, vacumning and mopping the entire place all by myself and imagine i even moved the big bulky furniture all by myself despite the terrible backache i have been suffering from for the past week.

So proud of myself! and my hubby was so surprised too that he didnt have to lift a finger!

Some of the before during and after pics(cindy, thanx for the idea babe!):



BEDROOM





AISLEWAY

Monday, September 17, 2007

Reno works

We have been having some minor renovations in our home... basically new wall papers and a coat of paint for the ceilings. The house is getting all dusty and messy but i am impatiently waiting for the end results.The workers here are pretty efficient and neat i must say. They take the trouble of laying the foundations right...they use rolls of brown paper and tape it to the ground and even trim off the excess. workmanship is great!
Will post the before during and after soon...hopefully by next weekend!
;)cheers

Chicken do pyaza

"Do pyaza" denotes presence of double the quantity of onions. Do=two, Pyaz=onions. A do pyaza dish simply has double the usual amount of onions, roughly same amount as meat, which are added twice. It is a popular dish in Indian restaurants. It is gently spiced and has little or no gravy

I had to make mine with more gravy as i was serving it with rice.I didnt have chicken thighs this time round so used the drumsticks instead :)this is the second time i am trying out this dish.First time round the camera was still unpacked ;)

I was trying this out cuz i gotta cook for the mid autumn festival and this time its for a whole lot of people...approx 30pax i guess..so the trial went well and i am hoping the finals go as smoothly too... to cook for that number of people!? is a totally different ball game.

Mee Hoon with a twist

This bee hoon recipe didnt require any paste of sorts. It was made purely of light soy sauce, tomato sauce and chicken stock. the taste was pretty appealing

Bee Hoon
Chicken stock diluted in 1 cup of water
Onions chopped
Garlic chopped
Prawns deveined and deshelled
Mushrooms chopped
Chillies chopped
Chicken pieces marinated in soy sauce and chilli powder
Bean sprouts
Dried soya cake
Carrots shredded

Light soya sauce
Salt to taste
Chilli sauce
chilli sambal(dried chilli blended with ginger n garlic

1. Rehydrate the dried beehoon according to instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large wok (preferably non-stick), heat the oil and fry the sliced onions and garlic, till they turn golden brown.

3. Add the Prawns and chicken pieces.Fry til almost cooked.Stir constantly so that they brown evenly. Take care not to let them burn.

4. Add mushrooms stir for a minute.

5. Add the sauces, chilli sambal and a little water bring to boil.Add salt to taste

6. Add in the cup of chicken stock. Add the bee hoon, fold in so that they are coated evenly.Let it soak up the gravy

7.When the liquid has evaporated, add the bean sprouts. stir-fry till the bean sprouts are half-cooked.

8. Push beehoon to side, add in eggs and cook til almost set, stir in the bee hoon and ensure its mixed well.Remove from wok.

9. Garnish the fried beehoon and serve.

Vegetarian Briyani

We've incorporated meat in almost every dish since we came here so i decided to make something vegetarian today. Vegetarian briyani...with what ever veggies i could locate in my fridge. Frankly there is a very small quantity of vege available here..ulike in singapore where we are spoilt for choice. So this one is a self made recipe consisting of frozen vegetables, cauliflower florets and spices. A fairly simple and easy dish which only requires 30mins ;)

Friday, September 07, 2007

Chicken Pilau

A very simple recipe i got off the net...took me 45 minutes to cook and do the preps! ;)
worth a try..will post link soon

Siam of Thailand

Mee Siam was originally a Thai dish ...i guess it was pretty obvious with the "SIAM" but well i always thought it was a malaysian dish...maybe i was just ignorant and if u didnt know as well...now u do..courtesy of Channu!...So this dish is of noodles made from vermicelli and served in a light gravy made from tamarind juice and dried shrimp, and served with toppings such as fresh calamansi, tiny cubes of dried beancurd, chives and slices of boiled egg.

Sadly i didnt have much toppings..had run out of eggs...no calamasi either.so doesnt look too appealing but i managed to get salted soya beans from the malmo bus that comes loaded with asian food from thailand..also got dried beancurd ;)

Puffy poorie

The poori n aloo ghobi was good...the poori actually was a success..it bloated just like how mum alwyas does it... :) i'm feeling uber proud ;) of myself

However i managed to squeeze in 12 poories and tried my best to get them in shape but heck it so long it tastes good! :)

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Mee Soto Ayam

Alvin requested for something soupy today since his throat is a little sore so i decided to look up the internet and got the recipe for Mee Soto Ayam which wasnt too hard to prepare but though it didnt taste too bad,it didnt taste much like mee soto..lol.

The soup is yellow in color due to the use of turmeric as one of its ingredients.The recipe is fairly simple. Turmeric, ginger, lemon grass, shallots, cloves, cardamons and star anise are all aromatics, contributing to the fragrance of the Soto Ayam.

Then at 9pm i was back n the kitchen cooking for Alvin's lunch box for the next day
I made some pasta-macaroni with the normal sauces, shredded chicken,sausages and mushrooms and all topped with mozerella cheeze!

Tomorrow i'll be trying Poorie and Aloo Ghobi...first attempt at poories...
the results will be published soon! ;)

pic of my mee soto!

Changing Seasons

"Winter is long and summer is short, but intense", as the saying goes...By way of compensation for a long, dark winter northern Sweden is graced with sunlight round the clock during the height of the summer. Since i got here, i've experienced lengthy times with light.Initially the sun only went down at 10 plus in the night... and rose as early as 4plus in the morning!!! but as time passes, the setting of the sun is at 8plus and rising a little later...

Autumn is here now and temperatures have started dipping and the occassional rain doesnt really help in keeping me warm either ;) The wind is very chilly and to keep warm,i gotta shut my windows n doors most of the time...


The exodus of birds out of Scandinavia each autumn is one of nature's great spectacles. Migration of thousands of birds... there probably is no better place to witness it than southern Sweden

I'm really looking forward to experiencing snow...but i wonder if i will be able to stand the winter.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Presenting- Seat Ibiza Cupra

We've been looking for a car to buy here since its pretty hard to live without one...
Its kinda hard since shops are quite a distance away and most importantly Karlsham..I have to go Karlsham which is an hours drive away at least once a month- for chiropractic treatments..not sure if Karlskrona has one but my doc recommended the one in Karlsham. So after viewing many cars and visiting almost every car dealer here my dear husband is interested in one- Seat Ibiza Cupra.Its a 2 Litre car and pretty sporty, 2 door hatch back car!!!Bright yellow and max performance.

shares its chassis and mechanicals with the Volks­wagen Polo and Skoda Fabia.Its a smooth and speedy ride.Takes corners very steadily and mostly good reviews about it
Something we cant afford in singapore so hmm keen on this one...

check out the car we might most likely get...same registration plate exact car!

Monday, September 03, 2007

Dinner with Mr Minister

We had a dinner with Minister of Defence Teo Chee Hean! we went to a museum- karlskrona's MarinMuseum which is listed amongst the top in the UNESCO world heritage list! :) its on an island by its own and is connected to mainland via a bridge... beautiful place and great artefacts...

Masak apa?

As the title suggests, i'm gonna talk about whats been cooking! So here goes, the lastest recipe i tried was that of the Hainanese Chicken Rice.Got the recipe off some website and it turned out pretty well...



I've tried cooking the following local dishes:
-Mee Goreng
-Nasi Lemak
-Fishball noodles
-Chicken rice
and Mee siam is next on the list.My darling husband sure is a lucky chap! ;) no frankly for a first timer i'm surprising myself pretty much. will try to upload more pics of what i cook....