Basket Case

Went to Din Tai Fung with mel and a couple of friends yesterday, and Din Tai Fung is famous for it's steamed delights. As you enter the restaurant, the sight of towering steaming baskets greets you. It's almost like you're watching a food sauna from behind a glass window. They cleverly let you see what's going on in the kitchen, and personally, I could stand there for days just watching them make everything.

For their famous Xiao Long Bao (trans: little dragon bun) they weight out every aspect of it - from the dough to the meat, ensuring a perfect result everytime.

Another group of chefs carefully wrap it, producing a minimum of 18 folds on each dainty dumpling.

After peeling it carefully off the steaming cloth, each delicate mound is dipped lightly in vinegar and popped into one's mouth. Upon biting into it, savoury soup bursts forth from the paper thin skin and reveals a luscious heart of meat filling. Every bite is just perfect.

We also had Xian Rou Bao (trans: fresh meat bun) and it was alright. Nothing as ethereal or divine as the Xiao Long Bao, but still tasty nonetheless.

I also ordered the Dan Dan Mian (erm, Dan Dan noodles?) which had hand made noodles and a thick peanut-y sauce. The crunchy crushed peanuts and the smooth creamy sauce provided a mix of textures that I was really happy with.

Om nom nom indeed.

Chomp Chomp

Chomp Chomp Hawker Centre is one of the places that I absolutely have to visit when I come back to Singapore. This bustling eatery is just bursting with all sorts of sinful pleasures. The moment I hit the pavement just outside the centre, it hooks it's fragrant fingers around me and just draw me in like a moth to a flame.

The barbequed stingray (see above) is my favourite, with hot sambal and tangy chinchalok to accompany soft white flesh. If I had to give up all else, this is one thing that I would not be able (or willing to) let go.

At $1 each, these chicken wings are an absolute steal. They are first marinated, then slowly cooked over smoking charcoal. A squeeze of lime gives it a tangy exterior and the chilli packs such a punch that it hits you like a two tonne truck. Heaven.

The fried prawn noodles is another local favourite. A mixture of noodles is fried with a variety of seafood, and served with lime and chilli (not to be confused with the chilli that goes with other dishes). Soft noodles are so full of flavour, and everything just works together to give you an explosion in your mouth.

And satay. As it should be. The meat is marinated in a mixture of spices, including tumeric, and it is served with a peanut sauce on the side. And how to tell that it's a good sauce? Pineapple pulp sitting smack in the centre, waiting to be stirred in with the peanut sauce. Skewers of chicken, pork or mutton sit merrily on the same plate, waiting to be devoured. Pork's a personal favourite of mine, but if you're lard conscious you might want to try the chicken instead.

I so need to get there again soon.

Of Cabbages and Kims!

I went to a Kimchi making class! Courtesy of Mel, since she couldn't make it and I got to go in her place!

Here is our lovely teacher teaching us about dealing with the cabbage. 

There's such technique to making the kimchi, even after you have the sauce ready. Speaking of which, it has like, a million ingredients!

But you can do heaps with kimchi, including a really yummy kimchi soup!!!

I'll put up a later post detailing a recipe for kimchi. =) But meanwhile, here's my take-home from the class!

It looks scary, I know. But it's so yummy!!!

I love pickling.

Happy munching!