Debt and Lifestyle - Cut cloth according to means

Most things have a good and a bad side, it all depends on the individual circumstances. For instance, an apple is healthy but for someone who have bad front teeth, it can damaging. Debt is not all bad, it can be a good debt if it is spent on something that can transform life completely for the long term, such as mortgage and student loan; bad debt is usually taken out to spend on objects to fulfil an acquisitive desire, where the individual does not have the financial ability to meet the repayments.

 

An annual holiday abroad, latest gadgets, designer fashions etc are 'luxury', items that are 'nice to have' but not a 'must have'. According to the BBC, 9 million Britons are in 'serious debt problems'. Perhaps in some cases it is not of their own doing but plain unfortunate, but it is a well-known fact that the developed Western societies do not have a habit of saving and for decades,  the West have been building their economy primarily on consumerism.

 

This could be a wake up call to the masses that we should learn how to live within means and understand saving is a virtue. Of course we all deserve a nice treat now and then but again, the bottom line is no matter what you choose to spend that hard-earned money on, cut cloth according to means. It may not be the latest iPhone but be proud of having the ability to own something outright instead of having the latest but constantly being in the red and worry about the next repayment date.

Chinese Roasted Pork Belly (燒肉)

Mmmmm.... a piece of well seasoned and crispy roasted pork belly is a fantastic treat. Ok, it is not the leanest cut of meat (hence it is a treat!), but meat with layered of fat is often more succulent and flavoursome.

This recipe is very simple and when it is crackling away in the oven, your kitchen will soon be filled with the delicious smell of the marinate.

Serves 2

500g pork belly
1 tbsp Chinese 5 Spice
1 tsp ground ginger
3 tbsp salt
1 tsp Shaoxing wine
pinch of ground white pepper

1. In a bowl, mixed in all the spices and wine.

2. Pat dried the pork belly with kitchen towel (especially the skin if you fancy some crispy crackling)  and rub the marinade all over.

3. Leave the meat to absorb the marinade overnight.

4. Next day, heat the oven up to 220 degree. Ensure any excess moisture is dried up before putting the meat into the oven.

5. After been in the oven for 20 minuets at 220 degree, reduce the temperature to 200 degree and carry on cooking for a further 40 minutes.

And voilà! Best to serve it with some chilli dipping sauce or Hoi Sin sauce.

One Pot Sausage Casserole

Sausage casserole is one of my favourite winter dish. Simple and economical to make, perfect to share with friends and family, as well as some leftover to take to work the next day! A sandwich van visit my work each morning and I must say they do amazingly nice sandwiches, pastries, cake etc but in this temperature, nothing beat a hearty hot meal at lunch time!

Instead of using Blythburgh's free range sausages, debbie & andrew's Perfect Pork sausages was used in this recipe. I was rather surprised to find how pricey processed meat costs at supermarkets, even their own brand 'finest' sausages were over £3 per pack! Of course it is all about the meat content but that is more expensive than free range ones from the butcher! Since debbie & andrew's was on special I thought why not give these a go? 

As mentioned, % of meat is very important in sausages. Anything less than 80% meat  content really is not worth purchasing as you can imagine they are bulked up with all sorts of substances other than meat. These Perfect Pork sausages contain 40% pork shoulder and 40% pork belly - interesting. Never through of stuffing pork belly into a sausage casing, what a great idea as the fat should make it more juicy! Let's get cracking with this casserole. 

 

Serves 2

6 pork sausages

1 onion, roughly sliced
2 dried whole chillies 

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

3 garlic gloves, crushed

1 tin of chopped tomatoes 

100g pearl barley 

350ml chicken or vegetable stock

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 bay leaves 

Salt & pepper, to season  

1.  Heat some oil in a cast iron casserole dish, brown the sausages. Remove to cool on a plate.

2. In the same casserole dish, stir in the crushed garlic,  dried chillies, onion, celery and carrot. Cook for 10 minutes or until soft. 

3. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, stock, pearl barley & bay leaves. Bring to boil. Mix in the tomato puree and sausages, leave to simmer for an hour or until the barley is soft. Keep an eye on the liquid level, add more boiling water if needed.

4. Season to taste.

I did not serve it with anything else but casserole on its own as it has the protein, fiber and carbohydrate altogether!

Enjoy.

The Bury Black Pudding Company - Chilli Black Pudding

Black pudding is often consumed as part of a traditional full English breakfast or in a battered deep-fried form from some chip shops. I often have it as a hot snack when I fancy something warm and flavoursome. OK, some might think the idea of eating a 'blood sausage' is gross but really, it does not resemble the taste of blood at all.

I was given this chilli black pudding made by The Bury Black Pudding Company the other day - did not realise there are flavoured black pudding out there! You definitely learn something new everyday. Must give these bad boys a taste ASAP so I pan fried a few slices (5 minutes on each side, just to be sure!) straightaway...

They looked like ordinary black pudding but goodness, they were SPICY and I can usually take my spicy food pretty well! The chilli was so overpowering that you can barely taste the black pudding itself which was rather disappointing. Nonetheless, the good thing about these is it contains only 3% of fat and I must say it really did not release as much oil as other black pudding I have tried.

It is good to try new things out but I think I will stick with original flavoured black pudding from my local butcher.

Moroccan Aubergine Tagine with cous cous

Aubergine, as known as eggplant, is one of my favourite fruit for cooking (Yes, it really is a fruit NOT a vegetable! Oxford Dictionary will tell you so). There are a number of varieties of different size and colour, some are white, yellow and stripy; these are becoming widely available in most supermarket.

It has a rather meaty texture which makes a good substitute to meat and therefore, it is particularly popular in vegan and vegetarian dishes. The fruit is also fantastic in absorbing flavour of the cooking sauce, especially tasty in a delicious tomato sauce or spicy curry and this recipe demonstrates this quality very well.

Serves 4

2 red onions, sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 red chilies, deseed and sliced (or 2 dried chilies, left whole)

2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and crushed with mortar and pestle

2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed with mortar and pestle

2 tsp of sugar

3 aubergines, quartered lenghways

2 tins of chopped tomatoes

Bunch of fresh mint (leaves only), roughly chopped

Bunch of fresh coriander (leaves only), roughly chopped

Plain cous cous

1. Heat the oil in a tagine, add the garlic and onions and saute until brown.

2. Add the chilies, coriander and cumins seeds and the sugar. When the air is filled with the aroma of the spices, add in the aubergines and stir well.

3. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, bring it to boil and simmer gently for about an hour or until the aubergines are tender.

4. Season to taste with freshly grounded salt and pepper, add in the fresh mint and fresh coriander, cover to simmer for another 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cook the cous cous in accordance to the packet instruction. Tip: Fork is the best instrument to fluff up cous cous. Anything else will turn it into a mushy texture.

And there we are!

Thai Green Turkey Curry Noodles

Thai is one of my favorite cuisine. Spicy and flavorsome, what's not to like? Most supermarkets nowadays stock all the essential ingredients such as lemongrass, fish sauce, shrimp paste and coconut milk. And of course for those who have less time on their hands then ready made Thai red or green curry paste is also available.

Turkey in a Thai curry may sounds rather uncommon, but the result is  absolutely delectable and may I emphasised with the help of a food chopper/processor, it is definitely worth it to make your own curry paste.

  

Serves 4

500g turkey minced

Enough rice noodles for 4 people

Ground white pepper

A splash of sesame oil

A splash of Soy sauce

A splash of Shaoxing wine

1 tsp of corn flour

400ml coconut milk

0.5L vegetable stock

Seasonal vegetables

For the curry paste:

1 stalk of Lemongrass

2 cloves of garlic

A thumb of ginger

4 stalks of spring onion

A bunch of fresh coriander

Splash of fish sauce

1 tsp of shrimp paste

2 tsp of sugar

Juice and zest of 1 lime

2 tsp of Thai chili paste (or a few dried chili)

1 tbsp of oil

Few kaffir lime leaves

1. Put all the curry paste ingredients into a food chopper/ processor and blitzed till refine enough.

2. Marinate the turkey minced with ground white pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Mix in the corn flour to help the mixture to bind.

3. Using cleaned hands to shape turkey mixture into small balls and fry in an oiled pan until they are golden. Place on a plate to rest.

4. In the same frying pan, cook the curry paste or 5 minutes. Add in the coconut milk, vegetable  stock and the turkey balls, bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, prepare noodles as per packet instruction.

6. Cook the seasonal vegetables (I used cabbage and carrots) in the curry broth and mix in the noodles just before serving. 

Labskaus - A German regional speciality

German cuisine perhaps is not the most refined in comparison to the French, but its national dishes are definitely just as famous as boeuf bourguignon and confit de canard: Schweinshaxe, Eisbein, Sauerkraut and of course a huge variety of wurst. Bratwurst, Currywurst, Fränkische Bratwurst to name but a few.

Labskaus, a Northern speciality delicacy and is especially common in Hamburg, probably is a lesser known dish in the European culinary scene. I first came across this dish when watching Rick Stein's German Bite on BBC 2 back in August, in which he showcased a number of less renown Germanic dishes and Labskaus was one of them (4 minutes or so into the video below):

At first I did not know what to make of this rather gloopy looking dish but curiosity took the better of me and I have decided to make and taste it to form my own opinion on this dish.

Serves 2

Knob of butter

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

Medium onion, chopped

A tin of corned beef

A pack of ready-to-eat cooked beetroot, chopped

Reserve the beetroot juice from the packet

2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed

300ml beef stock

Handful of gherkins, chopped

2 free range eggs

Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water, drained, mashed and season to taste.

2.  Heat the butter in a large frying pan and cook the crushed garlic and chopped onion until soft.

3. Stir in the corned beef and chopped beetroot, cook for 10 minutes.

4. Mix in the potato mash and slowly pour in the beef stock and the reserved beetroot juice. Fold the mixture well and cook for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, use a smaller frying pan, heat some oil and pan-fried the eggs.

6. Serve the Labskaus with a sprinkle of chopped gherkins and fried eggs on top.

It is incredibly easy to make and to my surprise, I thought it was rather nice if you can overcome the baby-food like consistency. Perhaps just think of it as a really think soup.....

Enjoy!

Simple Midweek Supper - Pasta with broccoli, anchovies, mushroom & chili

A quick, delicious and filling midweek supper dish with most of the ingredients should be readily available from the cupboard, apart from the broccoli perhaps.... oh whilst you're in the shop for broccoli, might as well check out the wine section to see if a nice bottle of red is on offer (I did!).

I tend not to give an exact quantity in most recipes, as cooking really should be a joyous experiment, 'add and taste' is the key. More importantly, each individual has a slight different preference on the same dish: some prefer more garlic and some might prefer very little mushrooms. So long the key ingredients are present then it is entirely up to you how much or how little you want to use each ingredient.

Serves 2

Tin of anchovies in olive oil

A broccoli

Onion, finely chopped

Fresh red chili, finely chopped (or a pinch of dried chili flakes)

Punnet of mushrooms, sliced

Fresh cloves of garlic, crushed

Juice of half a lemon

Enough pasta for 2 people, cook in accordance to pack instructions

1. Cook the broccoli in salted boiling water until soft. Note: Be sure not to over cooked the broccoli, it should have some crunch to it still. Drained the broccoli but save the water for cooking the pasta. Leave it to one side to cool.

2. Pour the broccoli water back into the saucepan, bring back to boil and cook the pasta (I used whole-wheat) in accordance to the pack instructions.

3. Meanwhile, cut the cooked broccoli into small florets.

4. Heat the anchovies infused oil in a large frying pan and cook the crushed garlic and  onion until brown.

5. Stir in the fresh red chili and mushroom, cook until the mushrooms are soft but not wet.

6. Add in the anchovies, cook for a minute or so then stir in the drained pasta, toss everything together and not to forget the lemon juice.

Serve with a (large) pinch or two of parmesan.

Bon Appetit! I hope you will enjoy this dish?

Gadget Show Live @ Christmas, Earls Court London

Whether you like it or not, gadgets have become a necessity and an essential part of our daily life in the last decade, and most of us would have developed a little daily ritual i.e. staying connect with the (virtual) world through social media or other channels (Apps) using our Smartphones or tablets. The habit of checking Facebook News Feed, the latest tweet on Twitter, uploading the latest selfie on Instagram etc has become so automatic that these actions are comparable to brushing our teeth twice a day.

My brother and I like our gadgets, but it does not necessarily mean we have to possess the latest as soon as it is released. In another word no, we did not queue outside our nearest Apple store overnight so we can be the first to acquired an Apple iPad Air. What we did do recently was to pay the Gadget Show Live @ Christams a visit at Earls Court in London.

A lot of exhibitors were there with some are household names and some are lesser-known. There were a couple of gadgets which we were particularly impressed with:

1. Sony Zperia ZR Smartphone. Gadgets usually don't mix well with water and sometimes the smallest amount of liquid is enough to put your expensive gadget to its early grave.  We were pretty impressed with Sony's latest waterproof Smartphone, and thought it was rather advanced that it is still functional when underwater - OK the touchscreen does not work if it is wet but still!
Having a man in his wetsuit and full diving gear curled up in a water tank taking picture of passer-by was a pretty cool way to promote the phone, although I did fear for his hands getting all wrinkly at the end of the day!

2. Philips PicoPix PPX3610. I recently received a letter from the TV Licensing reminding me no valid TV licence is covering my flat at the moment, and that 95% of UK households pay for TV licence. Well, I am proud to admit that I am the other 5% of the population who does not own a television or watch live TV. Who needs a TV when there is iPlayer, On Demand available on computers, Smartphones or tablets? Much more convenient to watch the programmes I like whenever I want and more importantly, I made a saving on the TV licence fee.
Projector often reoresents office equipment and I never thought I would be interested in learning more about the 'latest' projector, but this Philips PicoPix has completely changed my perception on projectors.

This hand size compact projector has built-in Android operating system which allows user to connect to the internet whever available. Could this be the furture of television watching, just a projector, internet and a plain wall?

Trick or Treat?

Halloween never meant a lot to me as a child and when I was at boarding school, we were not allowed to go trick or treating, so in another word, I have never 'celebrated' it properly. The same attitude stayed now I am well into adulthood and this year I have prepared nothing for this occasion, not even a big bag of sweets or a carved pumpkin outside my front door (apparently trick or treaters only knock on doors of those who 'advertised' i.e. with obvious Halloween decoration by the front door). Nonetheless, I must applause to my neighbor who did a brilliant job in decorating the house. It is the BEST I have seen, ever!

No special effect was used to enhance this photograph whatsoever! They have actually projected spooky green light to the outer wall and put fake flames by the windows and door! To begin with I thought they were having a party there but it turns out they just wanted to decorate for the occasion. 102% for the effort and I bet the trick or treaters in the neighborhood loved it. 

So the above picture showed somebody who is really into the whole Halloween idea, and you bet somebody somewhere must be the polar opposite (I am one of those who isn't fuss either way...!). On my way home from a friend's I came across the notice below which I thought it was rather amusing:

Seriously, was it really necessarily to broadcast ones lack of enthusiasm so openly?

Aqua Kyoto, Soho

Catching up with friends in London for the day is one of my favourite outings. I was there last week to catch up with friend who moved to the Middle East but is home for holiday. Having spent 9 months in a country where no pork product is allowed, she really craved for pork pies, bacon, sausage rolls........ and alcoholic beverages!

After a coffee and a quick bite (contained bacon, of course) at Costa just off Regent Street, we moved on to the next venue in Soho - Aqua Kyoto, sandwiched between Regent Street and Argyll Street. Suited on 5th floor, we sat on the terrace to enjoy the glorious London skyline whilst enjoying a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Telegraph described it as one of London's best rooftop bars. From the ground floor entrance to the actual restaurant/bar entrance, the decor was minimal and in black, presents a chic and mysterious ambiance. Since it was only early in the afternoon and we have much to catch up on, a bottle of wine seems like the best choice. Considering 12% service charge is automatically added onto the bill in most London hospitality establishments, I did expect somebody to carry our wine bucket and glasses to the terrace but no body offered a helping hand. Poor effort in terms of service.

Behind the bar is a huge dining area with a sashimi/ sushi counter in the middle. At the time of our visit there was no diners but I wouldn't mind a revisit to sample their food menu. It is a shame I was too immersed in our conversations that I forgot to capture the London skyline and the venue, never mind!


  

Warwick Castle

Probably one of the most famous castle in the UK, Warwick Castle has been on my 'to visit' list for quite some time. Since watching he BBC One history drama 'The White Queen' (base on a Phillipa Gregory novel) a few months ago, I am even more fascinated by its rich history and managed to cajole the other half to spend a short weekend there. 

It takes 3 hour to get there by car so we decided to travel the night before and stayed at an Old English Inns (https://www.oldenglishinns.co.uk/), suited just outside Stratford-Upon-Avon. At first I was dubious of the standard as this is just another hotel chain (owned by Greene King Brewery), but to my surprise, it was tastefully decorated, comfortable room/bed and they served up a great English breakfast! We really could not fault a thing.

Tips: We purposely left our booking till rather last minute to see if we could get a better price.  Of course there is an element of risk if the choice of accommodation is limited in the area you're planning to stay. For us there were plenty of options and well worth the risk as the price was dropped by half!

It was raining like cats and dogs all day but luckily by the time we got to Stratford-Upon-Avon it finally stopped. After much contemplation we have decided to take a stroll to Stratford town instead of having pub grubs at the B&B. Most importantly it would be rude not to pay a visit to Shakespeare's hometown! Like most small English towns, Sunday is usually a day of rest and since we didn't get there till 6 p.m., all the shops were shut. Nonetheless, it has a good vibe and projects a classic Tudor charm, would love to see it in daylight, when it is full of live. We strolled around town and found all the nice eateries (and open on Sunday evening!) are on Sheep Street, not far from the River Avon. By nearly 8 p.m. we've finally agreed to dine at Lambs on Sheep Street (http://www.lambsrestaurant.co.uk/) - I thought it was rather fitting! 

The building itself dates back to 16th Century, with original wood work proudly displayed amongst the modern decor. Along with the dim lighting, this establishment projects a chic but warm ambiance.    

We both went for the set menu in the end and both had the Deep-fried Plaice Goujons with watercress & tartare sauce as starter. I love plaice, the battered was light enough and the tartare sauce was creamy with a subtle sharpness from the capers and gherkins. I would say it is one of the best tartare sauce I have tasted! Must try to recreate it at some point.

As for main course, I opted for the Smoked Haddock Fishcake with poached egg, wilted spinach, wholegrain mustard sauce. The fishcake was packed with smoked haddock, unlike some who tries to bulk it up with a silly amount of potatoes; poached egg has a perfectly runny yoke but under season; the sauce compliment the dish very nicely, as sometimes wholegrain mustard can be a little overpowering.

The overall experience was good and would probably visit again if we visit Stratford in the future. 

After a lovely night rest and a filling English Breakfast, we drove to Warwick Castle which was only 20 minutes away. We visited The Castle Dungeon first.

Opened in 2009, an alleged truly horrific dungeon that made 15 visitors faint in the first month of its opening. Apparently it has since toned down to accommodate thrill-seekers who may not have the most robust nerves. The whole tour took about 50 minutes and there were a couple of occasions where I got spooked, but the overall experience was only so-so. We would love to  have experienced the original setting if we could. This is a dungeon that suppose to recreate the medieval torture scenes and witchcraft, so we expected it to be brutal and bloody, but instead we felt it was trying too hard to cater for family-of-all-ages instead.

It took us about another 2 and a half hour to finish going round the castle, listened to talk on battlefield weapons etc The best bit was the Chapel, Great Hall and State Rooms. 

Wax figures to demonstrate visitors what the fair maidens' life were like in preparation for war.

Earl of Warwick's armor and weapons collection exhibited in the Great Hall.

A close-up of this exquisite table/ cabinet that was exhibited in The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace in the 19th Century. The craftsmanship was exceptional. 

Castle view from the Caesar's Tower.

'Britain's Ultimate Castle' is Merlin Entertainments' tag line for Warwick Castle and it would have been perhaps the ultimate castle if it is not being made into half theme park half stately home. I love visiting all the grand stately home, palaces and castles across the country because of the rich history, grand architect, and elaborate artifacts. This theme park-historic houses crossover really did not floats my boat, as I came away didn't particularly learn anything new about this great castle; and did not experienced the full theme park treatment either. Perhaps it is a great place to inspire children to learn about history and good day out for the family a as a while, but for historic houses fanatic like myself, this was a disappointment. The 8th Earl of Warwick sold his ancestral castle to the Tussauds Group in the 70s and caused an uproar. One cannot denied the restoration work both Tussauds Group and Merlin Entertainments have carried out has indeed saved the castle from being ruined,  but what they were not able to restored was the glory of an ancient English castle. 

Bamboo Steamed Pearl Balls (珍珠球)

Although this is a 'traditional' dim sum dish, but I must confess I have never came across them at any of the dim sum restaurants I've visited in the past (or I was just too busy crunching spring rolls...!) I first found out about these delicious bad boys from an article in a free Chinese newspaper I picked up from a  Chinese supermarket in my area.

These dainty Pearl Balls are rather effortless to make and are perfect size for starters or party nibbles.  There are so many variations of Pearl Balls' recipe out there, it is hard to pin down one that is the most 'authentic' (if there is one?). Each cook has his/her own twist and so long the two key ingredients are there then all is well. As a true believer of 'you are what you eat', I always use free range or organic meat in all my recipes. The price of free range and organic produce has come down in recent years. It may come as a surprise, but I found local butchers offer a more competitive price than supermarket chains.  It is definitely worth spending the extra pound or two if possible, as these meat is definitely more flavorsome and of better texture than the battery farmed meat. One of the butcher I use stock up free range pork from Blythburgh, Suffolk (http://www.freerangepork.co.uk/). All their pigs and piglets spend their lives living outdoor, breathing in fresh air and only take shelter when they need it. Because these piggies spent their lives roaming around outdoor, there is much less fat from the meat in comparison to their battery farmed counterparts. For 500g of free range pork shoulder minced, it was approximately £3.50; a middle price range supermarket chain offers 500g lean pork minced at £3, not a huge difference in price but definitely a huge difference in quality.

Makes about 2 dozen

150g glutinous rice, soaked overnight in cold water and drained

500g minced pork (preferably free range)

3 dried Shiitake mushrooms, soaked overnight in cold water, finely diced

Handful of dried shrimps, finely diced

2 stalks of spring onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Thumb size fresh ginger, finely chopped

Splash of light soy sauce

Splash of Shaosing rice wine

Splash of sesame oil

Pinch of Chinese 5 spice

Pinch of ground white pepper

Salt to taste

1. Drained the soaked glutinous rice and Shiitake mushrooms.

2. Finely chopped and diced all the ingredients and mix them with the minced pork along with the seasoning and spices.

3. Layer the bamboo steamer with a sheet of greaseproof paper.

4. Use hands to roll the pork mixture into ping-pong ball sized ball, then roll the meatballs in the bed of glutinous rice until it is evenly coated with rice.

5. Place the balls in the prepared bamboo steamer. Ensure there is enough space between them so they do not touch each other.

6. Fill the wok with enough cold water and place the bamboo steamer on top (with the lid on).

7. Have the hob on high heat for 20 - 25 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Do check the water level periodically to ensure the water has not evaporated.

And here we have some mouth watering Pearl Balls!

Parks London

Earlier this year, I have decided it was time to have my own bachelorette pad at long last. After months of searching, I finally found the perfect flat in the same neighborhood. Some said it is rather snobbish of me only wanting to live in houses within this one particular postcode. Well, I did branch out to other areas but they just did not have the same vibe!

The flat is furnished with modern and unique retro furniture, and is fragranced with my favorite Parks London diffusers & candles (http://www.parkscandles.com/). I have been a loyal customers for many years because the company uses 100% natural wax in their candles; Organic natural alcohol with high levels of essential essential oils used in diffusers - perfect of those who would prefer more natural products. Let's be honest, there is nothing more unappetising than walk into a house that is filled with cheap, synthetic aroma.

I recently purchased a deluxe gift set, as I've decided to give myrth a go (definitely not to do with religious reason!). It is a rather woody, earthy smell which suits whatever mood one is in. Burn time is rather long for these tiny little candles (approximately 8 hour each), just enough to have one in each room to maximise the fragrance around the flat. The diffuser alone is already very aromatic and I only light candles at night to enhance the overall ambiance, so that leave the room spray! I must admit I seldom use it but it does come in handy, especially if I am inviting guests over for dinner and it is fantastic to quickly master the smell of cooking. A couple of squirt will do the job nicely!

Chinese Sausage and Dried Shiitake Mushroom Rice (臘腸飯)

Rice has always been a comfort food for me, especially when I am feeling tired and grumpy. Contrary to popular belief, rice is actually very easy and quick to cook, which makes a perfect mid-week supper. My parents always use a rice steamer when cooking rice, and yes it is very convenient especially if there are quite a number of people around for dinner. Nonetheless, cooking rice in just a saucepan is equally simple, if you know how. Nothing tastes more disgusting than pre-steamed rice that comes in a sachet, not only are they not sticky like proper steamed rice, they also taste like plastic. I know this because I had the privilege of sampling this kind of product when I was at boarding school, where the boarders have no facilities to cook (apart from using the microwave, which was allowed) and were desperate for some comfort food.

And there is the good ol' Boil in the Bag rice. This type of product is sold to consumers as 'convenient' and 'great for portion control'. I mean, how challenging could it be to measure a portion of rice really? Will Boil in the Bag pasta be available on the market next? OK, enough ranting and perhaps it's time to talk about this comforting rice dish instead.... There are quite a few Chinese sausage varieties, and the most common and popular ones are Lap Chang (臘腸) and Run Chang (膶腸). Both of these sausages are dried and hard, look similar to chorizos, but look can be deceptive.

I used Wing Wah Lap Chang in this dish and for those who are not familiar with Wing Wah, it is a famous Hong Kong-based food manufacture, with quality guaranteed.

Serves 2

A handful of dried Shiitake mushrooms, soaked with lukewarm water till soft then sliced

2 Lap Chang, halves

Leek, thinly sliced

Basmati rice, enough for 2 (tip: 1 ramekin full per person)

Light soy sauce, to taste

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

To garnish: chopped spring onion

1. Put the rice on in accordance to rice cooker's instruction. 

2. Place Lap Chang and Shiitake mushrooms into the rice cooker when the rice is half cooked.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and pan fry the leeks until soft. Take it off the heat.

4. Once the rice is cooked, take the Lap Chang out have the, thinly sliced.

5. Season the rice with light soy sauce and mix in the Lap Chang.

6. Serve on a plate (or bowl) with leek and garnish with spring onion.

Enjoy!

Harvey Nichols - Sugo Con Ricotta Forte

As the title suggests, I will indeed be giving my verdict on this tomato passata with ricotta forte pasta sauce. When it is cold and grey outside, all one really wants (and needs!) is some comfort food, and I tend to consume an awful lot more carbohydrates-heavy food in the winter months: potato, bread, chocolate (with nuts only), pasta..... etc.and tonight I really fancy a hot bowl of spaghetti for dinner.

Dave didn't feel the spaghetti love so I took the liberty to make a pasta dish using this sauce and it contains some basic mix of ingredients:

3 rashes of smoked bacon
1/2 a courgette, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Sugo Con Ricotta Forte pasta sauce
Salt and pepper to season
A healthy shaving of Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 serving of spaghetti (some for tomorrow lunch)

I purchased this sauce when I was putting together Christmas food hampers for friends and family with shops-bought and homemade goodies. There are only 6 ingredients in this sauce (tomato, onion, extra virgin olive oil, ricotta forte, basil, salt) with no preservative. If tasting the sauce on its own it was actually quite acidic, but mixing it thoroughly with the Parmigiano-Reggiano has helped to reduce some of its acidity.
It is true to say that sometimes less is more. This simple dish has satisfied the winter comfort which I was after and there's even some for tomorrow lunch, win win!

Heartwarming Supper - Beef Cheeks Casserole

Despite the bad weather, the road isn't actually too bad and I've finally ventured out to the supermarket. Apart from restocking on the kitchen basic, I haven't really thought about what's on the evening menu, until I made a new discovery when walking pass the butcher section in Waitrose - beef cheeks!! It was very reasonably priced, if I remember correctly it was about £6.80 per kg. I bought 2 cheeks and that came just over 1 kg, and that's enough to serve 6.

I have only ever tasted beef cheeks once back in December last year at Pinocchio's, where Dave ordered 'Slow Cooked Cheek of Beef' for his main course. It was a rich and flavorsome dish, the meat was tender and it melt in the mouth. The only downside of this dish was that there was a huge quantity of pancetta, which made the sauce rather salty and overpowered the beef a little.

You guessed it! Beef Cheeks Casserole was on the dinner menu that night:-

Serves 6

1.2 kg beef cheeks
Splash of rapeseed oil
Sprinkle of plain flour
200g pancetta
2 stalks of celery, halves
1 carrot, ditto
2 cloves of garlic, ditto
2 medium onions, chopped quarterly
1 leek, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 dozen of black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
1 star anise
1/2 dozen of juniper berries
1/2 tbsp of dried thyme
1/2 tbsp of dried rosemary
1/2 bottle of good quality red wine
250ml organic beef stock, or organic beef stock cubes
250g button mushrooms
Salt and pepper, to taste

To Serve:
Golden mixed potato mash (sweet potato & potato), peas and broccoli

1. Cut each cheek into 6 portions and prepare all the vegetables 
2. Mix the flour with a pinch of salt and pepper, then sprinkle the meat with the mixture.
3. Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof casserole dish (i.e. Le Creuset cast iron) then brown the meat on both sides and set aside.
4. Heat a little more oil in the casserole dish, add the vegetables (apart from the mushrooms) and cook gently until soften.
5. Return the meat into casserole dish, add in all the herbs, spices, peppercorns, and berries.
6. Pour in the wine and stock, bring it to boil and turn down the heat to simmer for an hour.
7. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 190C/ 370F
8. Season with salt and pepper, mix in the mushrooms then place the casserole dish into the oven for a further hour. To avoid the meat drying out, check the liquid level and turn the meat from time to time.
9. Now, prepare the vegetable of your choice and the make the mash.
10. Take the casserole dish out after if has been into the oven for an hour. Keep it cooking on the stove with low heat. 
11. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat (and any vegetable in there) from the casserole dish. Discard the spices, peppercorns, berries and bay leaves 

Turn up the heat and reduce the liquid by 1/3.

Serve the meat, mash and vegetables evenly for each portion, pour the reduced sauce over.

The verdict and feedback from Dave was that my version was much tastier than Pinocchio's, as it was seasoned just right, the meat was tender and can really taste the beef. If I had more preparation time I would have marinated the beef with spices and red wine over night for a more in depth flavour. Overall, I thought this was pretty good effort as first attempt :p

Rituals...

I am a proper beauty product junkie who loves to experiment with new brands and products, as well as stocking up on all sorts of goodies, regardless I may already have a dozen of unused body lotion stashed away for rainy days... as they say, 'It is better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it'!! I first came across this Dutch beauty brand 'Rituals...' a decade ago when I was visiting family in The Netherlands. The shopfront was minimalistic and modern on a busy Amsterdam high street. All their products are inspired by Eastern rituals and there are 5 different rituals, each has its own benefits and properties - Ayurveda, Hammam, Sakura, Tao & Tatsu. The products are made of organic and natural ingredients where possible and safe alternatives are introduced where nature cannot provide. Most importantly, the company does not believe in animal testing but instead, products are tested by volunteers - I'd love to be one! Base on the brand's concepts and ethos, I suppose one can say this is the Dutch version of The Body Shop with a more chic image, marketing towards 20-something onward who shops at certain places, instead of  targeting towards the wider high street audience.

I honestly cannot remembered what were the products I tried on a decade ago, but I do remember my first purchase from 'Rituals...', which was the 'Rice Milk Hand Cream'. The quality was incredible. Lightly scented with a silky smooth texture, only a small amount is enough to rehydrate my hands - not that they were ever awfully dry. It was a 75ml tube size back then, perfect for the handbag (THE most essential item in my handbag after lip balm) and if I remember correctly, it was only €7, very economical for what it was.

'Rituals...' has since spread across the globe, and there are a few shops in the UK, primarily in big cities, and quite a number of counters within big department stores. They used to have a store in Cambridge few years ago and I introduced a friend to the products who has since become a follower of its products. As I have probably vaguely mentioned in a previous post, I visited The Netherlands in early January this year and indeed I did stock up some goodies from its home country. It is true I could have made a purchase in the UK but to me, it feels a little extra special to have bought these from The Netherlands.

From left to right: Infinity Hand Lotion, Mild Eye make-up Remober, Wai Wang Body Exfoliating Cream, Sereni-Tea Foaming Shower Gel and Lip Treat.

This ultra rich hand lotion is scented with refreshing Sweet Orange & Japanese Mint, which is a winter must-have, to protect the hands from the bitterly cold Arctic wind. It has a silky texture so and can be quickly absorbed by the skin, great for those who uses their hands a lot to avoid  leaving grease mark behind on objects or surfaces.

I have used a variety of 2-phase formula eye make-up remover before, and some of them are actually rather greasy and leaves a shine on the eye lids. This eye make-up remover is great, only need a tiny amount to remove eye shadow and eyeliner. I don't wear a lot of make up in general and seldom wear mascara, so I have yet to test this product to the max.

I have used the Wai Wang Body Cream a while ago and I absolutely adore the smell. It is a rich exfoliating cream but when massaging around the body, it feels as light as feather and skin immediately feels smoother (I am quite lazy when it comes to body exfoliation!). It also leaves the skin hydrated enough so I don't necessary feel the need of applying body lotion on after showering.

I have yet started on the shower gel or the lip treat yet, saving them for another time. Nonetheless, I must recommend its other lip treatment - Eve's Kiss. I was given a personalised Rituals... gift set last year and this lip balm was part of it. I carry this wonderful little tube of lip balm everywhere with me, perhaps I should buy one for each of my handbags... The reason why I love this product so much is because it smells (taste!) great (apple and karite), it also works as a lip gloss. It stays on for quite a while and a little amount can go a long way. One stone keeps two birds and a less product having to carry around :)

Ritual... currently have stores in these locations within the UK: Bluewater, Belfast, Brighton, Bromley, Canterbury and Gatwick. It also offers online shopping service for those who doesn't live near these areas, or check and see if there's a counter within your local major department stores.

Winter Wonder - Veggie Chili

Temperature has plummeted to sub zero since Tuesday and it looks like the freezing old weather (literally!) will linger around till next week! Mega effort was required each morning to drag oneself out of the warm and cosy duvet. Concentration level is low as all I could think about at work is 'What shall I have for dinner?' or more like 'What's Dave planning to cook for me tonight?'

I suppose I'm rather blessed to have a boyfriend who enjoys cooking and very good at it! What's better than coming home to a delicious home cooked dinner in the winter (or anytime of the year!)?

Since the beginning of 2013, Dave and I have made a lifestyle choice to actively eat less meat (especially processed meat), and have more vegetable orientated dishes. It hasn't been easy as a lot of the common vegetarian recipes use a lot of dairy product (Dave is lactose-intolerant), and I am OBSESSED with cheese - having recently attended a cheese tasting session when I was on holiday in Amsterdam! (blog to follow). I personally prefer Asian vegetarian dishes, as they use a lot of tofu product as substitute, and the texture (and taste!) and the taste of the dishes could easily rival meat dishes!

With a little bit of imagination and using the correct spices and herbs, Dave has rustle up this flavorsome veggie curry the other night. This recipe is easy to make and uses a lot of ingredients you may already have in the pantry, with a few staple vegetables. The flavor would greater enhance if cooked the night before serving.

Serves 4

Splash of rapeseed oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 stalk of celery, finely chopped

1 tin of black eyed beans, rinsed with water and drained

1 tin of chickpeas, ditto

1 tin of red kidney beans, ditto

2 tins of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tbsp paprika
1 fresh red chili
Yellow and red peppers, roasted
Dash of red wine
250ml of bouillon
1 tbsp of tomato purée
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper, season to taste

1. Prepare all the vegetable and heat a splash of oil in a casserole dish.

2. Brown the garlic, fresh red chili and onion

3. Soften the celery and carrot. Add in the spices.

4. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and add a dash of red wine. Bring it to simmer.

5. Add the beans and bay leaf. Pour in enough bouillon until the beans are covered, season with salt and pepper. Bring it to boil then simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Add the roasted peppers and the tomato puree then leave to simmer for a further 30 minutes or until the beans are cooked through.

7. Serve with boiled basmati rice or tortillas

Depending what kind of beans are available at the time, different type of beans would work just as well (apart from Heinz's baked beans!). Also, depending on how tolerable you are with heat and the type of chili that is being used, some may find one chili is not enough. Nonetheless, lesson has been learned that it is always wise to put a small quantity of chili at the beginning and gradually add a bit more later if it is preferred.

It was a very heartwarming dish and I sprinkle some grated Cheddar with mine serving :)

The beginning

After weeks of contemplation, I have finally decided to go ahead with writing a blog. Having an opinionated personality means I like to share my view on social media, touching on subjects such as politics, fashion, lifestyle, travel and most importantly, food.
No, I don't dine out all the time but I do cook and experiment with ingredients quite often. Well, I should really use the term 'we' as I often cook with my boyfriend, who is also a food enthusiast and a brilliant cook.
Dave (the boyfriend) wasn't convinced that writing a blog was a good idea but I have decided to go ahead anyway. At least he was helpful enough to come up with a catchy name for the blog!! I have been keeping a photographic cooking portfolio and collecting various recipes a few years now and would like to organise and put these collection in order on a social media platform, and share them with the like minded people out there in the virtual community. 
We love food, good quality food I should say. We spend a lot of our time eating, cooking, watching cooking programme, experimenting, hunting out for new eateries to visit etc yes, we spend half our lives orbit round food and love it!!