Vegan Pumpkin and Broccolli Curry

I made an amazing pumpkin and broccoli curry from scratch for dinner last night and have to share it here. This recipe is gluten-free,vegan and vegetarian friendly. The curry is so creamy and sweet because of the pumpkin. I know a lot of people who doesn't like eating pumpkin because they find it incredibly bland and boring. I personally love pumpkins as they are nutritious, cheap and you can store it in the pantry for a very long time plus it is very versatile.

Ingredients:

Half a pumpkin (about 1kg or a little more), skinned and cubed
1 large head of broccoli
1 large Spanish onion
A stalk of curry leaves (optional)
400ml can of coconut milk
Cooking oil
Salt
Pepper


For the curry paste:

1 large red onion, cubed
2 stalks of lemongrass stem roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 large red chillies
2 cm of turmeric or 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
4 kaffir lime leaves (optional)

1. In a blender, blitz together all the ingredients for the curry paste. It doesn't have to be very fine but fine enough so that you don't bite into chunks of lemongrass.

2. Set aside the curry paste and heat about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a saucepan or wok.

3. Fry the curry paste  and curry leaves until fragrant and and then add in the cubed pumpkins and onions. Stir fry for until they become semi soft and add coconut milk.

4.Add in broccoli and let it simmer for a 2 minutes. Season to taste.

I don't like my broccolis too soft. If you feel the same you can leave it out until the very end too.
Serve with brown rice or indian roti if you can find them in Asian stores.

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Eating in Kuala Lumpur, Stuttgart ,Hong Kong, Copenhagen

This is a very overdue post when I finished my long exhaustive trip in May but there's just too many good food memories not to post so here it is. After hours scouring through hundreds, if not thousands of holiday photos, I have picked out some to share. Be warned that this post is picture heavy!!

First stop was Kuala Lumpur to eat like there's no tomorrow visit family and friends.Like many other Asian cities, you can't walk around Kuala Lumpur without succumbing to food temptations. My favourite haunts are usually in the old style restaurants where you get genuinely good food and not just fancy decor and menus. A good friend took me to Petaling Street aka Chinatown for dinner and it was one of the best food I have eaten during my stay in Kuala Lumpur.

                                 Claypot Loh Shee Fun (rice noodles shaped like mouse tails)

'Siu Yok' (Roasted Pork)Noodles. In true Malaysian style, all noodles are to be accompanied by fresh bird's eye chillies and sambal belacan. Heavenly combination!

Smorgasbord of delicious Malay food

My all time favorite Nasi Lemak

Nasi Padang feast

I don't know how I survived eating so much gorgeous food in my two weeks stay in Kuala Lumpur but I did, which is amazing. These photos represents only a fraction of what I ate. The rest of the time I am too engrossed in eating that I forgot to take photos until it's all gone.

A healthy breakfast of rolled oats with abundance of tropical fruits. Eating a rainbow of goodness - dragonfruit, mangoes,goji berries and almonds.

Sotong Kangkong - Cuttlefish salad with water convolvulus and crushed peanuts.

Yong Tauhu -stuffed vegetables with fish mince on broth

These are the frogs in the fish tank before they were fished out to be cooked.

Hong Kong

I've lost track of how many trips that I have made to Hong Kong and the food has always been the most rewarding part and I keep going back for the food, and the shopping. One of the must try dish in Hong Kong is Wonton Noodles. It's quintessentially Hong Kong cuisine and my favourite is from Tsim Tsai Kee in Wan Chai. Each element: broth, noodles and wontons are just perfect. They have been awarded one Michelin star for their effort.

Ginger Milk Pudding so ridiculously soft you'd think that you're eating clouds.

Charcoal grilled pork neck cheese noodles -quirky and tasty

Dinner @Yung Kee Restaurant. This is one of the most esteemed food establishment in Hong Kong and it's well-knowned for their roasted goose. It was my sis' shout and we got greedy and ordered a whole goose for 4.

Street food galore...

Huge mango dessert ordered by sis to share

Pig trotters cooked with preserved plums in Wanchai

 My all time favourite tea time food Hong Kong - freshly baked Bolo buns from Kam Wah in Mongkok 

I can't remember what these were but I think they were pig offals that my sis ate. I ate some too. I know you shouldn't really eat anything that you don't know but that's part of the fun when you travel in Asia.

After I left Hong Kong, I stayed a few days in Germany with my husband's family and then traveled to Copenhagen for 3 days and had the most fantastic time there visiting an old friend and just sucking in all the beauty of this city. The buildings, designs and people. I would love to come back soon during summer time. 

I started this post with the intention of fitting all my food photos but I realise it's getting a bit too long. I will write another post of my foodie experience in New York and San Francisco.

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Oven Fried Panko Chicken Recipe

Sorry for the long hiatus from my blog. The last two months has been crazily busy for me with work and also with my personal life. I have been too caught up with my Crossfit training and it takes a hell out of me. But I am back now !

I am sharing a recipe that I have concocted a few months back I absolutely adore it from the very first try because it's delicious, healthier than fried chicken and tastes like the real deal! I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and altered it to my preference / what I have in my fridge and it turned out great. The recipe called for mayo for marinating the chicken but I don't stock mayo at home but I had full fat yogurt. Greek yogurt is going to work too. Feel free to add more cayenne pepper or black pepper if you like your fried chicken a little peppery.

Japanese panko crumbs are heavenly to work with because of the texture and dryness compared to breadcrumbs which gives the chicken a nice crunch. I served it to S and he didn't have a clue that it was not deep-fried. You can find Japanese panko crumbs in most supermarkets these days but if you can't, you definitely find them in an Asian supermarket. If you like your chicken to have more crumbs, just spoon a little more into the resealable bags

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken free-range drumstick (around 8-9 pieces)
1 cup japanese panko crumbs (loosely stacked)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 cup full fat yogurt/ Greek yogurt

Instructions:
1.Preheat oven to 175 degrees C

2. Mix together the bread crumbs, cayenne pepper,thyme,salt, pepper, thyme and paprika in a big size resealable plastic bag.

3. Wash and towel dry the chicken drumsticks. Coat the drumsticks with yogurt and place  into the  resealable bag with panko crumbs mixture and coat/shake until well coated. Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch  or similar sized baking tray with wire rack and bake for 40-45 minutes or until juices run clear. 

I made a simple coleslaw with red cabbage, cabbage, carrots, sweet corn kernels and crushed almonds to go with the chicken drumsticks and it was marvellous! 

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Review: Blue Breeze Inn, Ponsonby Central

If you have been a fan of Moochowchow, you will love the new Blue Breeze Inn that has recently opened in Ponsonby Central. I found out about the latest brainchild from the geniuses who brought Moochowchow via The Denizen and was excited to try it out. Moochowchow is one of my favourite place to eat in Auckland (strangely enough I have never posted anything about them) and I am eager to let them take my taste buds on another culinary adventure.

We got off to a late start on a very disgusting Saturday with non-stop tropical like rain. I was adamant not to let the weather to dampen my Saturday mood so I decided on a little perk me up and go to Blue Breeze Inn. Actually, it's more like I thought there will be better chance of getting a table on a day like this. So we traipse in and found a table for two immediately. We were greeted by the friendly owner of Moochowchow and he remembered my hubby and then took us to a nice table for two at the end of the restaurant. Since we arrive in between lunch and dinner service, only a limited selection from the menu is available. Fine by me because the waitress has warned me when I rang but decided not to book a table because I was told we could easily have a seat at the bar. I like being unorganised on weekends. We ordered Dandan Noodles, Bang Bang Chicken and some steamed asian greens. The food here is a fusion of Chinese cooking with Pacifican ingredients  but I find it leans more more towards Chinese flavours.

Dandan noodles($26) came with a braised beef shin brothe with generous amount of mushrooms and tender beef shin. It's not the typical Dandan noodles that is lrepared with sichuan peppers to numb your tongue. It was rather mild with a sweet undernote of black glutinous rice vinegar and a hint of star anise and other spices. The broth is honest,luscious and truly nousirshing on a cold and wet day. I do find it a tad too sweet, just a tad. The noodles were delicious.

Bang Bang Chicken- how could you not order a dish with a name like that? I think half of the people ordered it just because it sounds fun. The flavours are really nicely balanced with a good hint of soy sauce, chilli oil, sesame oil and coriander but I find the price of $18 for a small snack of the size a little steep. It looks like a lot on the photo but it really wasn't that much. It's a lovely dish but not a must order.

The service and decor are fantastic although I felt a little claustrophobic being squished in a tiny corner but you get used to it after 10 minutes. Not an ideal place for large group because the space is tiny. Do check out the bathroom. The door swings open, just missing the sink by a fraction of a centimetre,impressive! There is bar seating where you can watch chef Che Barrington and his team of young and energetic staff working away in the kitchen. It's awesome. 

I will be back for sure to try out their full menu before deciding if I like this place as much as Moochowchow. The atmosphere is great with some lovely Hawaiian tunes and you forget that you are in the middle of winter for a while. The next time I will make sure I get a seat at the bar and marvel at all the ingredients and cooking that goes on. 

Blue Breeze Inn

146 Ponsonby Road

09-3600303

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My week in NYC- Eating pork buns at Momofuku

One of the most important tasks that I had on my recent trip was to have a meal at David Chang's Momofuku for its uber famous Pork Bao which has generated a cult following. I was dreaming day and night and told all my friends that I must eat at a Pork Bao at Momofuku. And so I did. It was a rainy Monday afternoon in NYC as we headed into East Village for the much anticipated meal. Maybe it's the rain, we got in just before 12pm and got 2 seats right away in a cozy corner. You can imagine how excited I was being there. Kids get excited in Disneyland, I get excited in a noodle bar! My parents will be so proud of me.

We ordered 2 sets of pork buns with hoisin sauce, scallions and cucumber, a noodle and salad to share with hopes of squeezing in some dessert later. When the buns arrived at the table, I held them tight as if they were my first born. The buns were so light and fluffy; it's like no other buns I have ever eaten before and the chunky pieces of  pork are thick and juicy with the gelatinous pork fat melting in your mouth with each bite. The meat was tender and flavourful but I could really do with a little more hoi sin sauce.

As you can see the buns are not very big but after 2 pieces I was half full. Disappointing. I would have liked to eat some desserts .

Before going to NYC, I have read some negative reviews about the noodle at Momofuku. I thought I should give it a try and have my own opinion about it. I have to agree that the Spicy Miso Ramen is nothing to write home about. There is no spicyness in the soup which was bordering on bland but I did like the textures of all the elements particularly the noodles which was al dente.

Fava bean -freekeh salad with feta cheese was refreshing and pleasant but not something that I would reorder.

The decor is very simplistic but cosy and you don't feel cramped in. Probably not a child-friendly place but that's a noodle bar for you. It's meant to be a quick bite for lunch or a quick catch up after work.

After our meals, I was too full to stomach the dessert although I really really wanted to give it a try.
Was it worth the effort to track this place down? Yes. The pork buns are phenomenal and if you have a company of four or more, you can try to go to try out the famous fried chicken and peking duck from Momofuku Ssam Bar which requires at least 4 people with healthy appetites.
Anyway if you are into the new craze of Asian fusion food, you may want to give this place a try. The prices are very reasonable for its status, service and quality.

Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 first ave
btwn 10 and 11th street
New York 10003

If you are in the US, it helps to have the Yelp app. It takes the guesswork out of finding the next meal and most of the time you will know what you are getting yourself into. We have had some incredible meals with the help of Yelp.

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Why I wasn't blogging ?

I had a tremendous surprise coming back from my holiday when I found out that I had a surge of visits to my blog! It's a bit of a relief because I have been writing this blog for a couple of years now and I do enjoy sharing my own experience and learning from others and it would be a shame if no one wants to read it any more!

So, why I wasn't blogging for more than a month? I have been travelling to Asia, Europe and North America and I had the best intention to do so but I only had my ipad with me during this trip and the blogger app is a real pain to blog and to top it off, I was getting very flaky wifi. I will remember to update my twitter instead next time. If you are on twitter, please say hi.

Just a quick update , here are some photos of my food adventure in Kuala Lumpur. I have tons of photos that needs uploading but please be patient with me until I post more about my recent trip.

Claypot Loh Shee Fun in Petaling Street 

 Frog legs 

 Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng

 Roasted Pork Braised Egg Noodles aka Siu Yok Mee in Petaling Street - best dish I have eaten in Kuala Lumpur

Live turtle and eels. I didn't eat the turtles.

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Review: Ortolana Restaurant Britomart

I had a really lovely weekend eating wonderful meals with friends and family. A friend suggested Ortolana and I can't resist. We got there for Sunday brunch and was surprised that it wasn't heaving. There were a few tables around that are available and we found ourselves in a cosy nook. Ortolana is the latest instalment from the Hip Group that runs The Store, Cafe on Kohi, Takapuna Beach Cafe and St Heliers Bay Cafe.

As with all the other cafes by the Hip Group, Ortolana is well-staffed and you don't have to try hard to get any service. Everything on their menu sounds interesting and after scanning through their menu for a good five minutes I ordered a crayfish, apple, cucumber, lemoncream salad ($22). I didn't expect much crayfish for $22 but wasn't disappointed when it arrived at the table. In fact I was pleasantly surprised how generous they were. I love the abundance of fresh herbs and romaine lettuce in my salad and the lemoncream is divine. I can imagine Manu saying "The sauce..it ties the dish together...but I would like more sauce". The lettuce were so crunchy and sweet. Maybe it's because they claim that they grow their own vegetables. Anyhow, I enjoyed my light and healthy choice.

S ordered beetroot, feta, cumin, hazelnut lasagnotte ($19) and I had food envy when I saw it. I actually like his dish more than mine. All the components went well and the lasagnotte was so smooth and al dente. I love all the different textures in the dish and the toasted hazelnuts adds a nice sweet crunchiness to the dish. S was in love with his choice of dish and wasn't very happy that I keep nibbling on his food. I would definitely come back soon for this dish.

I didn't order an appetiser because I wanted to save some room for dessert without feeling sick afterwards. When I saw our neighbour eating a mini bombe alaska I couldn't resist. It was lovely. I  really liked the luscious italian meringue. 

When we finished our meals, I asked the waitress about Milse, which is a small dessert kitchen right behind Ortolana. Currently it supplies the desserts to Ortolana but they will be available for 'fine dining desserts'. Oh my! My heart skipped a beat when I heard that. Three courses of desserts would be insane. Good sugary insanity. 

After our brunch, we hopped over to The Store to get some ice-cream because they are just too good. We will definitely be back soon to try out their breakfast and to check out Milse when it open its doors. Happy days.

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