BTO: Deliciously healthy

Business Times - 23 May 2009

GUEST CHEF SPECIAL
Deliciously healthy

From vegetarians who seriously believe soy cheese tastes just like the real thing, to depressed dieters poking at their raw greens, eating for health or weight control are not the most enjoyable pastimes. Two health gurus and a celebrity chef show how clean eating can cross the threshold from sterile to haute cuisine

 

Valentine Laperle and Sigrid Grobys
An Apple A Day
www.anappleaday.com.sg

 

AS THE saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But depending on what ails you, a bit of salmon or some walnuts could do the trick too, say fettle fixers Valentine Laperle and Sigrid Grobys.

 

The Singapore-based Canadian duo is behind the six-month-old gourmet-food-and-healthy-living solutions provider, An Apple A Day which - not quite as its name suggests - works to offer more than just that fruit to diners. The company's main service, the $1,700 Healthy Living package, comprises three consultations with Grobys, who is a qualified award-winning naturopath, as well as appropriate meals for a month from chef Laperle, who draws experience from working alongside fruit and veg guru Alain Passard at the three-Michelin-star restaurant L'Arpege in Paris, among other stints.

 

Far from being ensconced in a cocoon of dried husks, Grobys and Laperle are aware that healthy eating isn't the most tempting of notions. 'People think of healthy eating as what they do when they're sick,' says Grobys. 'They need to know that it's possible to make something at home that is easy to prepare and good to eat. It's not just prevention but people will find that they feel better - the effect that food can have over our body symptoms is quite powerful.'

 

Skin problems such as acne and eczema, for instance, can be cured by cutting out dairy, red meat, soy products and nuts from one's diet, she explains. That's because when the single-cell-thick membrane that separates the intestine from the bloodstream gets damaged and becomes porous (as it usually does when people eat junk food), these foods enter the bloodstream in particles. 'The cells recognise them as invaders and cause the body to react against them, which results in skin problems,' says Grobys. 'Staying away from these foods for about six months to a year gives the membrane time to heal.'

 

Similarly, abstaining from simple carbohydrates such as white rice and pasta will help prevent diabetes and obesity as they are 'just sugars and are absorbed very fast into our bodies, contributing towards those conditions'.

 

To circumvent the various complications when it comes to preparing meals for her clients, An Apple A Day's Laperle uses substitutes such as quinoa, a grain-like South American crop, instead of pasta.

 

She also travels to all corners of Singapore to source her ingredients (for someone who's been here for less than two years, she's a veritable encyclopaedia on where to get good produce). There is 'great basil' from boutique producer Cynthia Wee-Hoefer and more veg from the biodynamic organic eco-farm Green Circle. A wet market in Bedok, meanwhile, is good for wild-caught prawns. Then there's the Australian company The Fishmonger for fish, and Swiss Butchery for meat.

 

And the chef cannot get enough of Sakura chicken from FairPrice, about which she gushes: 'It's hormone and antibiotic-free and it's fresh. Organic chicken here is always frozen and, in my experience, not always that great. The Sakura chicken, on the other hand, is not certified organic but it's as close as you can get!'

 

The final step is, of course, coaxing the best out of all those carefully selected ingredients. 'You have to play around with different combinations, think out of the box a bit to make the food interesting,' says Laperle. Which means a succulent salmon fillet cooked at low temperature is drizzled with a zingy orange sauce and served with fresh salad topped with orange wedges, and carrot sticks come with a creamy chickpea dip that the chef calls a 'flavour helper'.

 

In place of deep-fried foods, there are crisp pumpkin seeds, while scallops are lightly browned a la plancha instead of being pan-seared 'because that requires tons of oil'. And as an alternative to French fries, Laperle roasts slices of potatoes sprinkled with olive oil and salt in the oven.

 

The food, considering how healthy it is, makes quite an impression on the palate. But it will have an even greater effect on the body - no sugar cravings, an improved complexion - when taken over at least three months, promise the An Apple A Day owners. 'It's not just an investment in your future but it will make your present that much more enjoyable,' says Grobys.

 

Orange-glazed New Zealand king salmon, mixed greens and pumpkin seeds
Serves 4

This recipe combines salmon fillets with both pumpkin and flax seeds, all of which are rich in healthy omega-3 fats. Although these are crucial for the proper function of our brain, skin and for their protective effects on the cardiovascular system, they are often difficult to include in our standard diet. The fresh oranges and mixed greens add the final touch to make this recipe a truly healthy delight.

 

Ingredients

4 150g New Zealand king salmon fillets, skinned and deboned
1 cup orange juice (freshly pressed or from Tropicana or Florida's Natural)
2 tbsp honey
1 pinch togarashi or any spicy dried chilli (optional)
4 navel oranges
100g raw pumpkin seeds
4 tbsp ground flax seeds
The juice of a lemon
4 tbsp olive oil for the orange dressing
+ 1 tbsp for searing the salmon
Organic mixed greens, washed
Salt and pepper to taste

 

For the orange segments

 

1. Cut the ends off the oranges just far enough to expose the flesh.

 

2. Place orange, cut-end down, and cut away as little as possible of the peel, following the orange's shape.

 

3. Using a sharp knife, cut along the inside of the membranes that separate the orange segments. Continue around the entire orange, cutting out each section and leaving out the membrane. Once done, press the membranes with your hands to extract all the good juice left in them, and set it aside for the dressing.

 

For the orange dressing

 

1. Mix the orange juice obtained from cutting the segments with the lemon juice, 4 tbsp of olive oil and ground flax seeds. Season with salt and pepper.

 

For the salmon

 

1. Preheat a non-stick pan on medium-low heat (don't let it become too hot).

 

2. Season the fish with salt.

 

3. Pour 1 tbsp of olive oil into the pan, and place the salmon in it.

 

4. Sear the salmon on each side for approximately 3 to 4 minutes, keeping the pan temperature quite low so as not to destroy the omega-3 or overcook the fish. Once cooked to the desired degree, remove from the pan and plate.

 

For the orange glaze

 

1. In a clean pan, bring the orange juice and honey to a boil and reduce to obtain a syrupy consistency. Add the chilli if desired, then spoon the glaze on top of each salmon fillet.

 

For the salad

 

1. On each plate, assemble a heap of mixed greens and top with the orange segments, pumpkin seeds and orange dressing. Season to taste and serve.

BTO: Traditional values

Business Times - 23 May 2009

Traditional values

Foodies who want a break from molecular gastronomy will be more than happy to check out the menus of these restaurants which serve up well-executed, time-honoured classics

 

Tung Lok Classics
#03-00 Chinese Swimming Club
21 Amber Road
Tel 6348-0188

 

IN ITS heyday, the Chinese Swimming Club was the go-to place for grooming future swimming champions a la Ang Peng Siong and Pat Chan. It was also the precursor of country club-style exclusiveness - a hangout for well-to-do Chinese families to network and monitor their children's free-style prowess.

 

The club celebrates its centennial this year with a brand new Arrival Pavilion at its Amber Road premises, at the same time resuscitating an old dining memory that was formerly known as the Grand Pavilion restaurant. The Tung Lok stalwart fed clubmembers from 1988 to 2002 and has now been reborn as, appropriately, Tung Lok Classics.

 

'The Chinese Swimming Club has a long history with the Chinese community,' says Tung Lok chief Andrew Tjioe. 'To celebrate tradition and the club's 100-year history we wanted to offer time-honoured dishes most representative of China's culinary excellence through the centuries.'

 

Despite its traditional leanings, the restaurant itself is not - its sleek brown-and-white decor is unfussy and modern, overlooking the club's monster swimming pool on the ground level.

 

The menu is designed to incorporate the traditional dishes from various regions in China, although there remains a large proportion of familiar favourites like dim sum and home-style cooking. While the kitchen is helmed by senior Tung Lok hands, a Shanghainese chef has been brought in to raise the level of authenticity.

 

The recipes have no doubt been gentrified to meet the restaurant's criteria in terms of presentation and local tastes, so there is no excess of oil, heavy sauces or chilli-laden garnishes. But that means you get the best of both worlds - regional cooking that retains enough authenticity while not abusing your palate.

 

The familiar Buddha-Jumps-Over-The-Wall luxury gets a different spin here with Tung Lok Classics' Beijing influenced version. Instead of being served in a familiar brown claypot, this mild-mannered version features braised fresh shark's fin with sea cucumber, abalone, fish maw and deer tendon in a lightly thickened brown sauce. The delicious collagen-infused tendon gives it that pleasing lip-smacking gumminess and the absence of heavy herbs makes it less rich and cloying than most other variations.

 

For a taste of old-new Shanghai, the Shanghainese chef acquits himself with specialties like Yan Du Xian - a rich stock served with chunks of pork belly, beancurd strips tied into knots and bamboo shoots. Beancurd sheets also figure in another Shanghainese dish - this time, a tangle of shredded strips sit in a tasty broth flavoured with dried flattened shrimp and crunchy glassy prawns in a fuss-free combination.

 

Some heat is generated with the braised fish head or pomfret with pickled lantern chillies - which are really skinless red peppers braised to tender perfection while adding striking colour to a palate-tingling fish broth flavoured with pickled chillies that give it a special piquant touch.

A Shanghai-style braised mee sua in a milky broth offset with intriguing fish puffs that look just like tofu puffs but are made from beating fish meat into a fluffy consistency is another comforting winner.

 

With sweetmeats like deliciously chewy red dates stuffed with glutinous rice, you want to take the restaurant's word that these are truly traditional dishes plucked from the old cookbooks from the motherland. But even if not, there's nothing like creating a few new traditions of its own.

 

Capricci
27 Tanjong Pagar Road
Tel: 6221-6761
www.capricci.com.sg

 

MASSIMO Aquaro and Roberto Gagliardi, the owners of a new Italian restaurant in Tanjong Pagar called Capricci, have aligned it to the modern casual dining category, although their version of casual still involves an element of fine-dining - with starched white tablecloths, well-dressed waiters and an unmistakably elegant dining environment, including the obligatory Italian opera music.

 

Capricci is distinct from, say, family-style establishments that specialise in grandma's recipes while dishing out a taste of the home country, but it does make a conscious effort to tone down - in these downbeat times - on the five-star excess. The result is cuisine that falls somewhere between two extremes - a moderated, modulated approach to Italian cooking.

 

Gagliardi hails from a fine-dining background, having worked with the well-respected Bice chain in the US. He also spent some time in Miami - which might explain his permanent tan - working in restaurants owned by the likes of Robert de Niro and Madonna, before making his way to Singapore, where he was a consultant for the slick Supperclub at Odeon Towers.

 

'Restaurant people can run clubs but club people can't run restaurants,' says Gagliardi. He met Aquaro, then a brand manager at Thumper, and the pair decided to team up to create Capricci, where 'we are hoping to achieve impeccable service and decent food,' he says.

 

Aquaro ran a popular bakery in Rome for 10 years before selling out and moving to Singapore, where his brother has a store selling European antique furniture. 'In Italy, bread is like a religion,' he says. 'But it was also hard work - compared to that, running this restaurant is like a vacation.'

 

The menu at Capricci is a blend of the modern with the conventional. Some dishes, such as capellini with fresh sardines ($20), are typical of southern Italy while others, such as a seafood salad with tropical fruits ($22), are possibly more recent creations.

 

The menu promises 'guaranteed freshness and excellence in taste' and although it doesn't quite deliver fully, there is enough evidence to warrant a repeat visit. For example, a first attempt at ficattole - Italian-style fried dough fritters served with parma ham and mozzarella di buffalo ($20) - were declared by Aquaro to be slightly undercooked, and he returned with a more suitable example later on. However, the pastas, including the aforementioned capellini with sardines and tagliatelle with a spicy octopus ragout ($18), were tasty and perfectly cooked.

 

The house specialty is seafood, says Aquaro, and there are ample dishes on the menu to sample, including a salmon and snapper carpaccio ($20), seafood spaghetti ($18) and sauteed king prawns ($36). Carnivores can select from dishes such as tagliata di manzo (grilled tenderloin - $38).

 

Desserts ($10) included a stodgy custard-and-pumpkin concoction and a fruit-based tiramisu that looked and tasted like English trifle in disguise. 'Some dishes are modified, and some are very traditional,' says Aquaro. It's a combination that makes Capricci a useful addition to Singapore's Italian food scene.

 

L'Entrepot Bistrot
3E River Valley Road
#01-02 Clarke Quay
Tel: 6337-5585

 

AN ENTREPOT, according to Wikipedia, is a port where duty-free trade takes place. And certainly, L'Entrepot is where Sufian Zain has traded his old position as head chef of fine-dining institution Iggy's for a similar post at the more casual French bistro owned by the Esmirada group, which opened earlier this month.

 

The chef, who was known for his modern European style of cooking at Iggy's, says he moved because the opportunity offered him fresh challenges. 'I look forward to exploring different styles of presenting French cuisine,' he adds.

 

What that means is that Zain has swapped the likes of tomato jellies and truffle sabayons for a more earthy, classic repertoire at L'Entrepot, which serves everything a French country bistro would, and then some. There are escargots, French onion soup, pig trotters, bouillabaisse and the like, along with a couple of pastas and lighter dishes such as cod baked in parchment paper, and pan-fried Norwegian salmon in a balsamic dressing.

 

The food is decently executed and authentic for the most part, although to cater to local palates the kitchen holds back a bit on the butter and cream (if not the salt). What's particularly good are a sensitively cooked poached egg on a slippery-chewy medley of cep, shimeiji and shiitake mushrooms ($12) dressed in olive oil and chicken jus, and a crispy-on-the-outside, creamy inside pan-fried foie gras in port wine reduction ($22), served with a thickly-sliced ring of caramelised apple.

 

The robust lobster bisque ($15), imbibed with brandy and baked in the oven under a golden beret of puff pastry, is also pretty yummy, as is the tender beef bourguignon ($28) braised in Bordeaux wine.

 

Of course, a French meal is incomplete without any tipple, and L'Entrepot has a 90-strong list of wines with which you can wash down your grub. About half of the labels are from France. There's also a fairly comprehensive range of alcoholic beverages because the bistro plans to catch the drinking crowds by opening until the wee hours of the morning from Wednesday through to the weekend.

 

In truth, it's quite a nice place to have a glass or six and pretend you're in Paris - if the weather's not too muggy, that is. L'Entrepot has a very well air-conditioned indoor dining area, but quite naturally for a modern-day establishment halfway across the world, its interiors struggle to present a picture of rustic France - even if it is fitted out with vintage-style posters, quaint glass lamps and twirly-legged tables. So the better spot for a game of pretend is on its al fresco terrace, which fronts the Singapore River and has more seats (52) than the indoor area (40).

 

If you're keen for a taste of Zain's new - or old, more accurately - France, go in the evenings because the bistro is only open for dinner for now. Lunch service begins on June 1.

STI: The perfect cookie

May 21, 2009

Eat to live

The perfect cookie

SYLVIA TAN spends an afternoon creating a guiltless cookie - with not too much fat or empty carbohydrates

 

A healthy cookie?

 

Yes, there is such a thing and it need not be one of those chewy biscuits chock-full of wholegrains and dried fruit.

 

I spent an afternoon experimenting with recipes for a healthy yet moist cookie and came up with one that was delicious and nutty.

 

It was a most fulfilling time as I was in the company of an expert baker. Aside from rapping over how long the baking should be (depends on the size of the cookie and the oven itself) and gleaning tips (silicone sheet or bake wrap paper so there is no need to butter the baking sheet), it was a wonderful exercise in togetherness. Try baking with a favourite person.

 

Together, we tried out the recipe three times to get it perfect.

 

The first time, it was too dry - too much rolled oats. The second time, we drastically cut down on the starch in the recipe and used the drop cookie method - that is, you drop the batter on the baking sheet using spoons. Great taste, but it did not crisp - it called for a longer baking time.

 

Finally, we got it perfect and it is the kind of cookie which children can snack on without worry of too much fat or empty carbohydrates in it.

 

This cookie recipe is an exercise in healthy substitution. I did not want to use artery-clogging butter, allergenic peanut butter nor too much refined wheat flour in the mix.

 

Instead I opted for healthy substitutes. The more common peanut butter was replaced with more healthful nut butters such as those made from soya nuts (actually soya beans), hazel nuts or almonds. You can buy these from a health store.

 

Canola oil or olive oil butter was used instead of butter (just read the label to make sure there are no trans fats). For those still unaware of trans fat, it comes from adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation.

 

It helps prevent food from spoilage but also increases cholesterol levels in the body. Watch out for partially hydrogenated oil on the label.

 

Finally, fibre-rich oats made up the bulk of the recipe instead of wheat flour.

 

The result is a nutty cookie, with a bite that some may mistake as that from coconut. Wrong, it comes from more healthful rolled oats.

 

These are oats that have been crushed into flakes and then steamed to soften them, making it easier for digestion. And, of course, oats are an excellent source of iron, dietary fibre and thiamin. They also contain antioxidants that are believed to protect the circulatory system from diseases such as arteriosclerosis.

 

The recipe is no fuss at all - mixing up the batter takes all of 15 minutes and baking itself just 20 minutes or so.

 

wdspice@singnet.com.sg

 

Sylvia Tan is a freelance writer

 

Ms Tan would like to thank readers for alerting her that the leaves shown in the picture in last week's recipe, Dried Peas With Tender Tamarind Leaves, were roselle leaves, a hibiscus variety, and not tamarind leaves which are available only occasionally at the market. Roselle leaves, also sour, are often used as a substitute.

 

RECIPE

NUT BUTTER OAT COOKIES

(Makes 20-30)

1 cup olive oil butter (or any nut butter, except for peanut, found in health food stores)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 cups instant oatmeal

1 cup self-raising flour

 

Method

 

Heat oven to 180 deg C.

 

Using a handheld beater or a whisk, if you want some upper arm exercise, beat the olive oil butter and sugar till it turns white and fluffy.

 

Add the liquids: the water, egg and vanilla essence.

 

Finally, mix in the oats and flour.

 

Place silicone sheet or baking paper on a baking tray and, using two spoons, drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the sheet. Make sure they are well spaced as the cookies will expand.

 

Bake 20 minutes or till edges are golden. Have a couple with a cup of tea. Truly comforting.

STI: Steady Han in kitchen

May 17, 2009

Steady Han in kitchen

Michael Han has a successful restaurant and renowned chefs as his pals - not bad for someone with no culinary training

By Fiona Low 

 

Chef Michael Han might have a master's degree in law, but by the time he was halfway through the first year of law studies at Bristol University in England, he already knew he did not want a legal career.

 

'It was okay, but sitting in a cubicle from nine to five wasn't something I wanted to do,' he explains.

 

The Singaporean now runs a modern European restaurant, FiftyThree, in Armenian Street.

 

The restaurant is a joint venture between him and the Les Amis restaurant group. Despite opening its doors only last January, it has already garnered rave reviews for its food.

 

The turning point for the 31-year-old chef came when he first dined at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant, The Fat Duck, in England during his university days.

 

'I was blown away by the meal and it was a life-changing experience,' he says. 'Once I was exposed to the wonderful world of gastronomy, I was immediately consumed by it.'

 

That meal in 2000 left such a big impression on him that he e-mailed the owner, Heston Blumenthal, for a job several years later.

 

A four-month stint there in 2006 was the beginning of a life in the culinary arts for Han, who has since worked in other renowned restaurants including Michelin-starred restaurants Mugaritz in Spain and Noma in Denmark, among several others.

 

Despite having no formal training at a culinary school, he believes that this was something he was meant to do.

 

'Formal training gives you the theories, but ultimately being a chef is about the practical work,' he says. 'If you have it, you have it.'

 

The soft-spoken chef says he has been interested in food and cooking since he was 10.

 

'We had a domestic helper from Penang and I used to help her in the kitchen with tasks such as picking the roots of beansprouts and cutting chilli,' he says.

 

However, the younger son of a banker father and an administrator mother faced harsh opposition from his parents when he told them he wanted to carve a career as a chef.

 

'They said I could do whatever I wanted, anything but cook,' he says, adding that they did not think it was fitting for a university graduate to work in a kitchen.

 

These days, however, with a successful restaurant under his belt, his retiree parents seem to have warmed up a little more to the notion. 'They see now that it's more than a pipe dream and they've relented.'

 

Some people would say that you had an easy journey to helming your own restaurant. You have no formal training but managed to find backers to open your own place. What do you say to them?

 

Having a restaurant is far more challenging than most people can imagine. It might seem fun and the 'in' thing to do, but this is not the case for me.

 

FiftyThree has taken me a year to set up, sourcing for everything from the right ingredients to the furniture.

 

I have been fortunate to have a supportive partner in the Les Amis Group. But this is just the beginning of a very long journey and an undoubtedly difficult one.

 

What are some of the challenges chefs in Singapore face?

 

It is every chef's dream to be able to cook with quality produce but it is very difficult to get that in Singapore. The draconian import regulations and the lack of an agriculture industry worsen the situation.

 

What inspires you to constantly come up with new creations?

 

It can be anything. Nature, eating, being in the kitchen and cooking, discovering new ingredients, flavours and textures all inspire me.

 

You have an interesting team backing you in the kitchen. How critical are they to the success of the restaurant?

 

Each person is highly valued and without each of them, the restaurant would not have its character and personality.

 

I worked with some of the chefs when I was in Europe and we became friends. Chefs Sam Fahey-Burke and Leandros Stagogiannis worked with me at The Fat Duck, while I met Chef Cory Campbell in Noma.

 

They have moved here to help me achieve my dream, as well as to experience Asia for themselves and I am very fortunate to have them here.

 

Do you make an effort to tailor your cuisine style to suit the Singaporean palate?

 

Yes and no. Singaporeans enjoy eating pasta. This is not common in restaurants in Europe with the exception of Italian ones. But at FiftyThree, we occasionally add pasta to the menu to satisfy this demand.

 

Having said that, there are principles we don't want to break. The dishes we serve reflect what we as a team think is good food and would like our guests to try.

 

What is your favourite local dish?

 

I have two - Hainanese chicken rice and wonton noodles.

 

I like Tian Tian Chicken Rice in Maxwell Road but I rarely eat there because I don't have the time.

 

I also like the wonton noodles at a stall called Fei Fei in Joo Chiat. I've been eating there since I was a child and I like that the noodles are very chewy. The chilli is good too.

 

What is always in your refrigerator?

 

Orange juice and soy milk.

 

What is the most memorable meal you have ever had?

 

That would either have to be my first meal at The Fat Duck or a meal I had in Vietnam.

 

During my first meal at The Fat Duck, I had crab biscuits, sweetbreads with hay and bacon and egg ice cream. The great food there made it very memorable.

 

Also, eating by the roadside amid all the fumes in Ho Chi Minh City last year was memorable not just for the food but also the company I had.

 

I was eating with my girlfriend at that time and we had banh xeo, a Vietnamese pancake stuffed with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts.

 

What is your signature dish?

 

I believe that it is our guests who decide what our signature dishes are and that can change over time.

 

At this point of time, one of our more popular dishes would be our Potatoes And Duckweed With Coffee And Parmesan (above).

 

The inspiration behind this dish is nature itself. The potatoes are completely infused with an earthy roasted flavour. The taste aims to evoke a walk through the forest.

 

fionalow@sph.com.sg

 

WHAT WILL YOUR LAST MEAL BE?

 

Anything cooked by my family's maid, who was with us from the time I was one until I was 28. She was a great cook and I loved her Penang laksa and braised chicken stuffed with cabbage. She also made great otah and soy milk, both from scratch.

STI: Beat your chiffon with care

May 17, 2009

Beat your chiffon with care

Many of you have written in recently about baking egg foam cakes such as chiffon and sponge cake.

 

Cookbook authors often have the same problem with recipes as doctors have with prescriptions and advice - namely, compliance.

 

Baking is a discipline that requires precision, and so the first thing to ensure is that you follow the recipe to the letter. In a well-formulated recipe, every ingredient, ratio and method step should have a specific reason for being there.

 

Check that your oven reaches the right temperatures, that your ingredients are fresh and measured correctly and that your cake pans are the right ones.

 

For example, you cannot willy-nilly bake a chiffon cake batter in a non-chiffon pan, or a loaf pound cake formula in a shallow round tin, or batter for a 20cm cake in a 28cm cake tin, and expect it to come out right. Similarly, you can't substitute ingredients at will without flavour and texture repercussions.

 

If you've followed a recipe strictly and the results still bomb, ditch it in favour of a more detailed one with troubleshooting tips or explanations of the ingredients and method. Search out authors known for demystifying baking recipes, such as Sherry Yard, Rose Levy Beranbaum and Alice Medrich.

 

For many sponge cakes, you need to beat whole eggs or egg yolks until they are 'ribboning'. This means that the egg foam should be so thick that when you lift the whisk out of it, it leaves a ribbon-like trail which keeps its shape for several seconds on the foam's surface. Whether you're beating by hand or machine, it always seems to take a bit longer than you think to reach the ribbon stage, so just keep at it. It helps to set the mixing bowl over a pan of hot water to warm up the eggs a little before you start beating.

 

Probably the single most common chiffon cake mistake is overbeating the egg whites. Stop beating as soon as the whisk leaves behind a peak when you lift it - slowly - out of the bowl. If the peak tip curves slightly, that is fine. The beaten whites should still look glossy and moist. Beating them as stiff as a socialite's hairdo will cause them to weep liquid and deflate when you then fold them into the batter.

 

When folding ingredients together, always fold the lighter mixture into the heavier. Sweep your spatula right to the bottom of the bowl. A large but thin-edged spatula and a large, wide mixing bowl make this easier.

 

Lastly, virtually all cakes naturally sink or contract slightly as they cool. Cake tops should settle down into flatness or slight domes.

 

If made properly, no cake should sink and form a crater, apart from the few species of chocolate cakes and souffle cakes that are engineered specifically to do that.

 

It is perfectly fine to let cakes cool completely in their pans, as long as you have lined them to make removal easier. Or even if you haven't, in the specific case of chiffon cakes, which are so riddled with air holes they must 'hang' from their inverted, unlined, ungreased pans while cooling, in order to set their fluffy structure.

STI: Better belly

May 17, 2009

Better belly

By Chris Tan 

 

Q I have a recipe for 'kow yoke' (steamed yam with pork belly) which calls for red fermented beancurd or 'nam yu'. However, I can't find it in supermarkets. Is it the same as fermented soya beans? What can I substitute it with? Is it necessary to deep-fry the sliced yam and pork? Can I just steam them?

 

Olivia Wong Phaik Leng

 

A Nam yu melds pungently beany notes with a sweet, aromatic, almost wine-like funkiness - a unique character nearly impossible to mimic with other ingredients. The closest substitute would be taucheo (salted fermented soybeans), red miso or barley miso, spiked with a little sugar and some good rice wine.

 

Fortunately, you can buy nam yu from most wet market Chinese dry goods stalls, and supermarkets well-stocked with Asian condiments, such as Sheng Siong. It is typically packed in small square glass jars or ceramic crocks and keeps indefinitely in the fridge if you're careful to scoop it out with only clean spoons.

 

In the orthodox recipe method for kow yoke, the pork belly is first par-boiled, has its skin pricked all over and marinated with soy sauce. Next, pork and yam are deep-fried before being steamed together.

 

The deep-frying serves several purposes: It blisters the pork skin, which helps it to soak up sauce and flavour during the steaming; it browns both ingredients, adding colour and caramelised flavour notes; and it forms a thin crust on the yam slices so they hold their shape better during steaming.

 

Instead of deep frying, you can sit the marinated pork on a rack in a roasting tin and blast it in a very hot oven (200 to 220 deg C) until it browns and the skin blisters. Less oil and less hands-on work but your oven will likely need a cleaning after. As for the yam, you can pan fry it in just a little oil until it browns. Skipping the browning step entirely for either ingredient would result in a paler, more insipid dish.

STI: Eater's Digest

May 17, 2009

Eater's Digest

By Serene Luo 

 

Barbecues sound about right at this hot time of the year. Here are books that might inspire you to throw more than chicken wings and hot dogs on the barbie.

 

THE ASIAN BARBECUE BOOK

By Alex Skaria

Periplus Editions/2009/ Hardcover/

176 pages/ $48.15/All major bookstores

 

I enjoyed reading the introduction about basic barbecuing techniques and tools. I never knew there is so much science in the art of barbecuing.

 

For instance, it explains that an inch-thick steak should be placed on a grill two inches above the embers, while a 2-inch-thick steak should be on a grill about 3 to 4 inches above the embers. This is so that your food will get cooked all the way through, without the outer layer being reduced to ash.

 

There are also pictures of different grill systems and fuel, though most people are likely to settle for the most common fire pit and charcoal.

 

I was also impressed by the details. The book has diagrams of where the different cuts of meat are found on the animal and describes how long each is needed to be cooked and at what temperature.

 

The recipes are quite different and exotic from regular barbecue fare. I decided to make chicken yakitori (Japanese skewer grill) and teriyaki tofu skewers.

 

The tofu barbecue dish was a pleasant surprise. It turned out sweet, savoury and light, compared to the heavier meats one usually grills. I did not try the desserts but they look scrumptious and boast an exotic twist. For instance, fruit skewers are basted with a mint and ginger mixture, while a honeydew melon is grilled and drizzled with a lavender-infused honey.

 

A few brickbats, though. The photographer used a lens with such a shallow depth of field that readers may feel that some pictures are a little out of focus. Also, the quantity of sauces or marinades are not enough to cover the meats. My advice: Double the quantities.

 

SENSATIONAL BARBECUES

By Amanda Bishop (editor)

Bay Books/2008/ Paperback/

112 pages/ $5.95/Borders

 

I always thought of the barbecue as an American or Australian hobby and the recipes in this book seem to echo that.

 

There are a lot fewer Asian- type flavours compared to the first book, so it is ideal for people hankering after good ol' fashioned fare.

 

I liked that every recipe has a photograph and some come with smaller, explanatory pictures. The editor also tells us that every dish is tried out in its test kitchen and it shows.

 

For example, when I tried the Thai Marinated Fish, there was a line that told readers to watch out for how the fish skin may stick to the flatplate's surface during cooking. It described what to do in case that happened. Sure enough, it did happen and I was grateful for the heads-up.

 

Recipes in this book also call for a lot of marinating and I like the fact that it says upfront how many hours the food would need to be marinated, instead of leaving it to the reader's whim.

 

Flavour-wise, my family found the fish, which was stuffed with coriander and scallions, quite different from the heavy taste normally associated with this method of cooking. The skin and meat had a delightfully smoky taste, while the stuffing was deliciously spicy.

 

Many of the recipes also make use of fruit, such as the Ginger-Orange Pork Steaks and the Lamb Burger made with mango.

 

While the book includes side dishes, such as pasta salad and a flan dessert, they are not cooked on the grill, which just is not as fun for a party.

 

A side note: I love it that the book cost me just $5.95. So when when my greasy, charcoal-dusted fingers stained the pages, I did not cringe.

 

KING OF THE Q'S BLUE PLATE BBQ

By Ted Reader

Penguin Group/2007/ Paperback/

272 pages/ $44.95/Borders

 

I read the entire book in one sitting because, not only does Ted Reader make barbecuing fun with his personal, bubbly tone, he is also extremely witty and funny.

 

You can sense the enthusiasm of the chef, cookbook author and TV host, who writes a personal statement about every dish, be it about 'ludicrous' burgers that once fetched $1,500 at a charity cook-off or how some of his sandwiches are often so crammed full of ingredients, they 'overflow'.

 

He also has some kooky ideas. For instance, he opens a can of beer and stuffs it into the bottom of a chicken, which he then sticks on a closed grill. It gives the chicken a wonderful 'boozy' flavour as the beer seeps into the meat, he says. He uses the same technique with soda pop and Red Bull too. Sounds like great party tricks, albeit a little too experimental for my tastes.

 

I made his Grilled Oyster Mushrooms, which was easy to prepare. I was a little doubtful about balsamic vinegar in the marinade but it gave the mushrooms an interesting twang.

 

Still, his simple writing style is deceptive. Some recipes involve a lot of work. Almost every recipe requires one of his dry rubs, pastes or marinades, which requires an average of eight to 10 ingredients that may not be so easy to get on short notice.

 

The good news is that some of his rubs, such as his Bonedust Seasoning Rub or Better Butter Burger Seasoning Rub, can be stored and are used in many of the recipes. I would, however, go easy on the chilli and paprika powder - he seems to have a thing for spicy food.

 

This book concentrates mostly on the food, not the type of grill or techniques needed.

 

He assumes you can get a fire going on your own and so does not delve into the details.

 

serl@sph.com.sg

STI: True flavours

May 17, 2009

True flavours

Owners of restaurant brands imported from overseas say they stick to the original taste

By Huang Lijie 

 

Elation gave way to hesitation when Ms Lauren Tan, 25, a postgraduate student, heard that popular French bakery Le Grenier a Pain had opened here.

 

She says: 'I tried its baguettes on a holiday in Paris and they were very good, so I was extremely excited about it opening in Singapore.

 

'But there was a 'question mark' at the back of my mind as to whether the breads would taste as authentic as the ones in France.'

 

Her fears, however, were unfounded and she is glad that its baguettes retain their characteristic chewiness even though the market here prefers a softer version that is commonly sold in local bakeries.

 

While foreign food and beverage (F&B) brands are fast popping up on the dining scene here, the question on foodies' minds is: Will the food be just like what they have tasted on their travels?

 

The 18 eateries LifeStyle spoke to say they have not, and do not plan to, drastically modify the food or menu to win over Singaporeans. Their selling point, after all, lies in offering a gourmet experience similar to that in their countries of origin.

 

For purist foodies, this is cause for cheer. Yet some are irked by this strict adherence to maintaining the food's original flavour.

 

Administrative executive Candy Heng, 32, for example, feels that foreign restaurant imports should consider local taste preferences since 'the customer picks what he likes most, whether or not it's true to the original taste'.

 

Still, Mr Minoru Shionoiri, 52, president of the Japanese izakaya (gastrobar) chain Tsubohachi, which is opening in Iluma this month, says: 'The menu offerings and the taste of the food at our Singapore outlet will be exactly the same as our shops in Japan because we want to introduce authentic Japanese cuisine to Singapore.'

 

Likewise, American steakhouse Morton's of Chicago, which has an outlet at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, insists on preserving the original taste of its food.

 

Its general manager, Mr Zyron Schoniwitz, says: 'If we were any other restaurant, we might feel the need to adapt to Singapore, but we are such an established American steakhouse that people pay what they do to have the same experience here. And the taste of the food plays a big part in this.'

 

A spokesman for the Indonesian doughnut chain J.CO, with shops in Raffles City Shopping Centre and Bugis Junction, adds: 'We're an international brand with 61 stores worldwide so we develop our products such that they can be accepted in many countries and not just by consumers of a specific market.'

 

Diners such as lawyer Axel Chan, 55, who is a fan of Paulaner Brauhaus' German sausages and pork knuckle, appreciate the authenticity.

 

He says: 'Singaporeans travel a lot so it would be insulting if the restaurants amended their food to local taste.'

 

To preserve the integrity of the taste of the food, many foreign F&B brands here use ingredients from the same source as the original eateries.

 

Italian confectionery specialist, Cova, founded in Milan, imports the bulk of the ingredients for its cakes and pastries, such as chocolate and nuts, from Italy.

 

Coffee chain Trung Nguyen with an outlet in Liang Court, prides itself on using the same coffee beans - grown in Vietnam's coffee capital of Buon Ma Thuot city - as its shops in Vietnam.

 

The cooks who helm international F&B brands in Singapore also receive training from their headquarters on how to cook an authentic-tasting meal.

 

Kitchen Language, the F&B arm of Far East Organization, which brought in American sandwich chain Quiznos to Far East Square, sent two of its managers to the United States to train at an outlet for three weeks.

 

There, they learnt the detailed method of making the chain's sandwiches, from slicing the meat to a particular thickness to achieving perfectly toasted sandwiches by heating them at a certain temperature and duration.

 

Others, such as Indian chain eatery Murugan Idli, maintain a consistent taste by sending experienced chefs from its outlets in India to cook at the shop in Syed Alwi Road.

 

Despite these efforts, however, the taste of the food and drinks at these eateries do not always hit the mark.

 

Mr Liang Tian Yong, 29, a systems engineer who is a big fan of Trung Nguyen, believes its coffee in Vietnam tastes and smells 'better' and more 'refined' than what is served here.

 

On such complaints, Mr Kenichi Takahashi, 52, executive chairman and chief executive officer of Japan Foods Holding, which imports Japanese F&B brands such as Ajisen ramen, says: 'The climate tends to confuse people's tastebuds and it may make people think that similarly flavoured foods taste different in different places.'

 

The 18 eateries LifeStyle interviewed agree on the importance of offering an authentic gastronomic experience but also acknowledge that local taste preferences cannot be completely ignored.

 

Mr Eric Yang, 24, the second-generation owner of Chinese restaurant Duo Le with three outlets in China's Shaanxi province, is opening an outlet at Orchard Central next month.

 

He says: 'We will not specially change the flavour of our food just because we hope to penetrate the Singapore market. If a dish is meant to have a slightly stronger taste, we will not purposely make it mild to suit Singaporeans. It's important for us to stay true to the style of food Duo Le represents.

 

'But we will definitely reduce the amount of salt and oil in the food here, because our cooking in Shaanxi is just too salty and oily. Nobody here can take it. Even if we opened in another city in China, we would have to reduce the salt and oil as well.'

Mr Takahashi of Japan Foods Holding, which brought the Aoba ramen chain from Japan to Tampines 1, shares the sentiment.

 

He says: 'We stuck to the original taste and did not dramatically change it, but the portion of lard in Aoba's ramen is halved in Singapore.

 

'That is because the original amount of lard in the recipe was meant for ramen eaten in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, where the store was founded, and it is extremely cold there.'

 

Clearly, these restaurant brand imports realise that to woo diners here, a happy marriage needs to exist between serving an authentic cuisine and having it appeal to local tastebuds.

 

Japanese bistro bar chain A971 Cafe in Merchant Road, which is brought in by the F&B company Select Group, expanded its 40-item food menu - the one used in Japan - to one with 120 dishes. Its beefed-up menu, based on customer requests for more variety, was created together with its Japanese partners to ensure that the new items fit well with the original dishes.

 

Embracing this change is Mr Ling Wee Seng, 49, a telecommunications business development director and repeat customer at A971 Cafe.

 

He says: 'I like how its menu has grown to include more choices such as a yakitori selection. The food, which is not strictly traditional Japanese, makes it unique as well.'

 

Japanese restaurant chain Ootoya, which is opening in Orchard Central next month, similarly plans to serve authentic homestyle Japanese cooking when it launches, and to make changes where necessary along the way, based on diners' feedback, says its project coordinator, Mr Philip Cheong.

 

These restaurants' push to stay as faithful as possible to their original creations is appreciated by diners here.

 

Housewife Carla Gastel Brooks, 33, who grew up with Cova in Milan, says of its outlet here: 'The food and coffee here tastes exactly the same as in Milan. They have been very good at keeping the taste real and making Singaporeans like it.'

 

Striving to stay real

 

Foodies can save themselves a plane ticket by dining at the following overseas eateries that have opened recently or will be opening here soon.

 

A971 CAFE

Where: 30 Merchant Road, 01-04, Riverside Point, tel: 6221-9711

Open: 5pm to midnight, Sundays to Thursdays, 5pm to 3am, Fridays and Saturdays

What: This Japanese bistro bar chain expanded its menu here to include more varieties while still maintaining an authentic taste, with the help of its chef who is from the Japan outlet. Its signature items include fried prawn ($8.71) and seafood pasta ($14.71).

 

AOBA

Where: 10 Tampines Central 1, 03-16, Tampines 1, Manpuku Japanese Gourmet Town, tel: 6789-6810

Open: 11.30am to 10pm daily

What: This ramen specialist shop from Hokkaido, Japan, may use half the amount of lard in its noodles here, but strives to replicate the original taste. A popular item is its shoyu tontoro ramen (soya sauce with pork belly noodles, above, $14.80).

 

DUO LE

Where: 181 Orchard Road, 08-09/10, Orchard Central, opening next month

What: Expect authentic Chinese food such as home-made pig's knuckles with chilli and vinegar ($12.80) and spicy pork tenderloin with shao bing, a type of Chinese flatbread ($16.80 for the pork dish and $2.50 for each flatbread) from this Shaanxi province chain.

 

OOTOYA

Where: 181 Orchard Road, 08-12, Orchard Central, opening next month

What: Known for its homestyle cooking, this Japanese restaurant with 235 outlets in Japan, as well as stores in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand, will stick to the authentic taste of its food when it launches. Signature items include its Ootoya set, which comprises fried chicken with a sunny-side-up egg, beef croquette, vegetable salad, soup and rice.

 

TOKU TOKU

Where: 10 Tampines Central 1, 03-16, Tampines 1, Manpuku Japanese Gourmet Town, tel: 6789-6810

Open: 11.30am to 10pm daily

What: This udon specialist from Japan where it has more than 100 shops offers tempting noodles such as its cold kakiage udon ($8.80).

 

TSUBOHACHI

Where: 201 Victoria Street, 04-08, Iluma, Ebisboshi Shotengai, tel: 6835-7056

Open: 11am to 10.30pm, weekdays, 11am to 11.30pm, weekends, from May 29

What: This Japanese izakaya chain restaurant with more than 400 outlets in Japan will maintain the authenticity of its food by importing its ingredients, such as fish for its sushi and sashimi, from Japan. Highlights on the menu include grilled arabesque green ling ($11.80) and bluefin tuna sashimi ($9.80).

 

QUIZNOS

Where: 49 Pekin Street, 01-01, Far East Square, tel: 6557-2270

Open: 8am to 8pm, weekdays, 8am to 3pm, Saturdays, closed on Sundays

Open: 11.30am to 10pm daily

What: This American sandwich chain with over 5,000 outlets worldwide imports its sauces and artisan breads from the United States for an authentic taste. Must-tries include its Zesty Steak sandwich and Honey Mustard Chicken sandwich (both $6.20 for 6-inch).

 

LE GRENIER A PAIN

Where: 604 Sembawang Road, 01-01, Sembawang Shopping Centre, tel: 6752-7627

Open: 10am to 10pm daily

What: Crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside are how its traditional French baguettes ($3) are made. Those who are fiercely loyal to their kaya toast, however, will be happy to know that it also sells a kaya butter baguette toast ($2).

STI: I scream for gelato

May 17, 2009

I scream for gelato

By Tan Hsueh Yun 

 

You would think demolishing goodly amounts of dimsum and drinking glasses of mega strong Hong Kong-style ice milk tea would satisfy a person.

 

But no. After a huge brunch at a down-home dimsum joint at Sunshine Plaza recently, I felt I needed a little something more.

 

Walking around the mall, I chanced upon a gelato shop called O'Divino and decided to sample its wares.

 

The shop, which opened in June last year, is run by Mr Lim Sim Whee, 32, who also has a business dealing in used forklifts, and his friend, Mr Cole Khoo, 29, who sells chicken rice in Tanjong Pagar Complex.

 

The friends decided to team up for the love of frozen desserts and, it would seem, creative gelato names. Among the flavours available are The Dark Lord (dark chocolate), Cookie In The Goo (cookies and melted marshmallows) and DyManSion, described as a 'mango and passionfruit infusion'.

 

I chose from the flavours available that day and was soon digging into cups of pastel-coloured gelato ($3 a scoop).

 

The pale green Cool Peppermint looked underwhelming but turned out to be the best flavour I tried. It really hit the spot after that heavy meal and should be recommended therapy for those who eat too much.

 

I also liked the Forbidden Fruit, a pink grapefruit gelato, despite the fact that it did not have the usual bitterness in the fruit that I like so much.

 

Suitably refreshed, I moved on to more adventurous flavours and was not disappointed either. Berry Cheese, a strawberry cheesecake-inspired gelato made fresh that day, was milky and not too rich.

 

I also liked the intense coffee-flavoured gelato, especially when mixed on a cold stone with bits of Ferrero Rocher chocolate (70 cents per add-on).

 

Before I left, I could not resist a taste of Fragrant Milk Tea gelato.

 

It did not pack as strong a punch as the liquid version in the dimsum place but it made me think I might go back soon to try the other flavours.

 

O'DIVINO

01-54 Sunshine Plaza, 91 Bencoolen Street, tel: 6337-7148

Open: 11am to 8.30pm daily

Rating: ***