Beer Braised Pork Belly With Apples

Being Chinese, we are used to eating braised pork belly done by our mums and grandmums over the years, and it is indeed one of those classic family dishes that will evoke your earliest childhood food memories.

Yet, for all its tradition and history, I have never been entirely satisfied with the way it is made. And I was seeking how to improve this dish using some of the modern cooking techniques out there.

Singapore Fake Food - Plastic Food Models

Take a look at this picture, and it sure looks like a delectable bowl of local wanton mee, and you will be hard pressed to think it is fake.

But it is, for this entire bowl is made of pvc and plastic, and it is totally inedible. Yet, it looks incredibly realistic and utterly yummy. It is, in fact, a prime example of Singapore food models.

Hai Sheng Fried Carrot Cake at Bedok North

Here is the first of two posts on fried carrot cake. And for me, fried carrot cake is something I simply adore as an outside snack, and also something I don't do at home.

The combination of daikon, carrot, egg and spring onion has a simplicity that can always still impress any palate. Yet, good hawker stalls that service this dish is still a rarity here.

Classic Spaghetti Bolognese

It is unfortunately sad but true that most pasta places you find in Singapore serve pretty much mediocre pasta, and nothing gets worse than a plate of watery and sour Bolognese.

I will not name names, but the popular cafes here just do not take the effort to make a good sauce for this classic dish, and hence, make a mess out of it. It is amazing still, that most younger folks who patronize such outlets think they are eating real Spaghetti Bolognese.

Hougang 6 Miles Famous Muah Chee at Bedok

Muah Chee is one of those evergreen local desserts that seems to be increasingly fading away to obscurity. I remember I used to take it for granted when I was a young boy, but as the years passed, it became harder to find.

It is only now that I realise how much I miss this simple but tasty local treat. And when I was brought to this somewhat obscure location in Bedok by a friend, I was delighted to be reunited with an old "friend".

Ratatouille - The Actual Dish From the Pixar Movie

Ratatouille remains one of all my all-time favorite films, and not just because it features food as a theme, but Brad Bird's film is simply perfect from start to finish.

It is also an animated feature that is equally meant for adults as it is for children. The final speech given my the food critic, Anton Ego is simply one of the best endings to a film ever.

Mao Shan Wang Mooncakes From Prima Deli

When it comes to mooncakes, in recent years, I have become somewhat jaded with what has been on offer. One one hand, you have the hotels who is bent on coming up with even more insane flavors and variations of this simple dessert.

On the other hand, you have 80 or 100 year old shops touting how mooncakes that are handmade are still the best, and to be perfectly honest, I have never subscribed to either faction. That is why, this year, I have decided to write about something in-between.

Butter Basil Rice With Salted Egg Yolk Prawns

Last weekend, I was asking Pauline what she would like to have that we have not cooked at home before, and the first thing she came up with was salted egg yolk pork ribs, a dish which she enjoyed at Mellben.

Well, I was fine with the salted egg yolk portion, but did not like the pork rib as much as I always felt it was not a great combination. She suggested prawns instead and I agreed without hesitation.