mushroom sauce

Any steak dish is always incomplete without some sauce, be it mustard sauce or even an olive oil dressing. (By the way, steak and mustard is oh-so-good!) It definitely brings your steak to a whole new dimension, so next time you have steak at a restaurant, always get a sauce to go with your steak.

Here's my attempt on one of the more popular sauces - mushroom sauce. It's as easy as 1-2-3!

Mushroom Sauce

roughly 50g mushroom ( about 4 medium/10 small mushrooms), finely sliced

50g butter

1 garlic clove, finely diced

1 tbsp cream

25ml white wine

parsley

1. melt butter in saucepan, slightly brown the garlic then sauté the mushrooms.

2. set mushrooms aside but retain the fats on the pan. add the wine and simmer, reduce it slightly before adding cream and parsley.

3. add the mushrooms back, cook for another minute then keep warm till ready to serve.

--

p/s: other recipes suggest adding wine to mushrooms, allowing alcohol to cook for a minute, and maybe you can add beef/veal glaze, simmer for another minute before removing mushrooms. following this, strain the liquid into another pan and reduce slightly before adding cream.

fennel

How many of you ever had this vegetable? So far, I've only had it in salads, but I thought there could be more that I can do with it. Fennel goes really well with seafood, it has a sharp, crisp taste. However,I wanted to experiment with the flavours so I decided to try this combination: Fennel and Beef! It is a little like beef and potato mash with a twist, give it a go and leave a comment!

Seared Beef with Fennel and Potato puree

200g porterhouse steak ( you can experiment with different cuts of beef)
1 medium sized potatp
1 bulb fennel (roughly same amount as potato)
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp cheese (mascarpone recommended but i used parmesan)
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken stock
approx 1/4 cabbage

1. Fennel and potato puree: Half the fennel lengthwise and cut into thin pieces of 1/4 inch thickness (be sure to trim the fennel of their stalks and bottom root/middle bulb). Peel the potato, halve and thinly slice. Place the fennel, potatoes, garlic, milk and chicken stock into a heavy pot over medium heat. If needed, add enough water to just cover the fennel. Bring the mixture to a simmer and continue until the fennel and potato are soft, roughly 30 minutes.

2. Drain the fennel mixture. Place the fennel into a food processor and puree. Add some of the mixture into the food processor (for more watery effect) and pulse to puree, gradually adding more mixture till the desired consistency is achieved. Add the cheese, mix, and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Consider adding mint)

3. Beef: Ensure meat is at room temperature ( definitely let it 'warm' up if taken directly from the fridge). Season with salt and pepper, then rub with some olive oil using your hands (optional). For medium rare, cook on each side for 2 minutes, then repeat for both sides (total 8 mins). Let meat to rest for half the cooking time before serving.

4. Cabbage: Blanch in hot, salted water for 1 min. Drain, then toss in pan to heat with some butter; add salt and pepper to taste.

carbonara

Finally back after a loooooooong hiatus. I've done heaps of recipes but havn't got time to post them here. If you enjoy cooking, you should check out Masterchef Australia - this has been my main source of learning and inspiration. Here's a traditional style carbonara (no cream!) to impress your next guest!

Spaghetti alla carbonara

2 egg, separated

20g bacon (approx 2 large piece of middle-cut bacon. the exact amount depends on how much flavour you want)

spaghetti (enough for 2)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

cheese (cheddar/parmigiano-reggano)

1. To cook spaghetti, bring a pot of water to boil (remember to add salt). cook spaghetti till al dente, reserve 1/4 of water and drain the rest.

2. Combine oil and bacon into a pan set over medium heat, and cook the bacon till it has rendered its fat and is crispy and golden. Remove from heat and set aside (do not remove fat)

3. add reserved pasta water to the pan with the bacon, then add in the pasta and heat, shaking the pan, for 1 minute.

4. Remove from heat, add grated cheese, egg white, and pepper to taste, and toss until thoroughly mixed.

*in the above dish, I served the pasta with chicken cooked with parsley butter

cake madness

After 4 hours of madness, 3 pairs of hands, some disappointment but lots of learning, I present you my first ever "complete" display cake. More to come ( and hopefully less mishaps).

White Chocolate Cake with Strawberries

Recipe from my book "Cooking with Chocolate and Coffee"

prawn risotto v1.0

If it doesn't work out right, it's just version 1.0

Been trying some new recipes on top of my head recently. I've always wanted to make prawn the dominant flavour ( something like prawn-noodle-style stock but used with a non-asian dish). Hopefully this will evolve into something really bistro. Comments are welcome!

Prawn Risotto v1.0

4 medium-sized prawn, centre shell removed ( I used banana prawn)
1 chilli
garlic
4 cherry tomatoes (halved)
30g baby spinach (washed)
white wine (I used chardonnay)
1/2 cup arborio rice
30g butter
about 700 ml of prawn stock

Prawn stock
skin/shell of 20 prawns
1 small carrot
1 medium sized onion
celery (about same amount of carrot)

*The above vegetables, used together in ratio of carrot:celery:onion=1:1:2 is called mire poix, normally used in making most stocks.

1. To make prawn stock, heat up some olive oil in a pot and cook the prawn shells lightly till they change colour. Then, lightly brown the carrot, celery and onion, then add about 1 litre of boiled water (speeds things up). Bring the mixture to boil, then lower heat to medium. Season with pepper, and minimal salt. Check the stock after 20 minutes as it might overcook and taste bitter instead.

2. When stock is almost done, heat up some olive oil in another pan and cook chopped chilli and garlic till fragrant. Then, cook the prawns but be careful not to overcook. Once done, remove and set aside.

3. In the same pan, add about 30g butter to the garlic and chilli. Once melted, add the arborio rice and coat the rice with butter. Then, add a splash of white wine and cook till wine is absorbed by rice. Following this, add the stock till just covering the rice. Note: pour stock around the sides of the rice, not at the centre. Keep repeating this process till risotto is cooked al dente.

4. Once done, stir in tomatoes and spinach and cook for another 1 minute. Serve the risotto with prawns cooked previously.

abundance

generous. abundant.
the above two words were commonly used by Masterchef Australia judge Matt Preston, an internationally acclaimed food critic, to describe some of the contestant's food.

and i'd like to think we achieved that tonight. we had nikujaga(homestyle japanese beef stew), vietnamese vermicelii rolls, kimchi, stirfry bokchoy with mushroom, and lemonade with mint, finished with egg castella.

when you have food that is abundant, it makes it look really appetizing.
when you have great friends to share (and to help finish the food), life's good.

YES!

Broccoli with Beurre Blanc, Roast Beef and Kimchi

It was an unhappy day today, so me and my mate decided to channel our energies from worrying to cooking! I tried making a beurre blanc sauce, something that I always wanted to learn to make, while my friend tries something new with beef.

Beurre Blanc Sauce
*recipe by Manu Feidel

100g chopped eschallots (about 3)
5 black peppercorns
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
150ml white wine
50ml white wine vinegar
50ml pouring cream
250g cold unsalted butter, diced

1. Combine eschallots, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf, white wine and vinegar in a saucepan and simmer, until 95% reduced (or until all liquid is almost evaporated).
2. Add cream, bring to boil. Reduce heat to very low.
3 Slowly add butter, whisking continuously (otherwise mixture will split), a little at a time until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a jug, cover and keep in a warm place. Makes 1/3 cup.

*I omitted the bay leaf and thyme and it still tastes alright. I used Chardonnay as the choice of white wine.

Beef with Kimchi, Shallot, and Rosemary

Sliced beef ( long flat pieces)
Rosemary ( dried or fresh is ok)
Finely chopped onion/shallots
Kimchi of choice

First, season beef with pepper (didn't use much salt). Then place kimchi in the middle and roll up the beef slice like temaki sushi.
In the meantime, sautee shallots with olive oil and rosemary.
Once fragrant, collect the onions into a bunch, then place beef on top of bunch so that the aroma/smoke slightly cooks the beef.
Finally, sear the beef on the surface of the pan for a short period of time ( depends if you want it rare, medium or well done).
Serve with the sauteed shallots and some fresh chopped shallot.

Chicken Cubes in Black Bean Sauce

This is another dish that I'm trying to perfect. A popular dish at most Chinese restaurants, it packs a punch and is a wholesome all-in-one dish.

300g chicken breast, cubed
1/2 tbsp sliced garlic, 5 slices ginger
2 tbsp fermented black bean, soaked, chopped ( or use black bean paste as alternative)
1 green capsicum, sliced
1 onion, sliced; 1 red chilli, sliced

Marinade:
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp corn flour

Seasoning:
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp light soya sauce
1 tsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp shaoxing wine
1 tsp cornflour, mixed with 2 tbsp water, for thickening

1. Combine chicken with marinade and season for 30 minutes.
2. Heat up oil and saute garlic and ginger till fragrant. Add in black bean and stir fry till fragrant.
3. Next, add the following in order: chilli, onion, green capsicum. Then, add the chicken and fry together with other ingredients till almost cooked.
4. Finally, add seasoning and cook till sauce thickens.

*you may use chicken thigh or thinly sliced pork belly to substitute chicken breast.

Simple Cooking - Fish Fillet with Ginger and Spring Onion

After a long hiatus, I'm finally back into blogging action. Well, I've been busy trying new recipes and this is one of those can be modified easily into many others. Simple and delicious! Great as an individual dish with rice or best to be shared with friends and loved ones.
Fish Fillet with Ginger and Spring Onion

300g fish fillet, sliced
50g sliced ginger
3 stalks spring onion, cut into 3cm lengths

Marinade:
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp light soya sauce
dash of pepper and sesame oil
1 tsp corn flour

Seasoning:
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tsp light soya sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp corn flour water for thickening
Mix all the ingredients and set aside for later use

1. Mix fish fillet with marinade and season for 30 minutes. Corn flour is used here to help the fillet hold its shape. Alternatively, you can add more corn flour and deep fry the fillets first before doing the next step.
2. Saute ginger until fragrant. Add in fish fillet and spring onion and pan-fry the fillets till they are almost cooked.
3. Add the seasoning and cook till sauce thickens.

3*.If you want to make this like "wa tan hor", just crack an egg into the pan with the sauce while it is still cooking. Then keep stirring to break up the egg into thinner shreds.

Great dish for a quick meal. I used basa fillet for this recipe but you may use garoupa, ikan kurau or any big fish.

december delights

"Ham Yu Fa Lam Pou" - pork belly cooked with salted fish and dried chilli in claypot. Taken at Overseas Restaurant, Jalan Imbi.



The main highlight - "Yin Yong Kai Lan". The stem of the kailan is blanced and lightly stir-fried, while the leaves are cut thinly then deep-fried. Superb! My favourite has to be the one at Beng Kee Restaurant, along Ulu Klang Road.I vote this the BEST Laksa in all of KL. Situated at the end of Jalan Alor (nearest to KFC and Sungei Wang), this joint has been there before I was born, and ever so good. I've not finished a full bowl of laksa including the soup for a long long time...

Treats from Imbi

If Malaysia was a treasure chest of many delicious food, then the Imbi area in KL is certainly a secret compartment in this treasure chest. Managed to wake up in time for breakfast today to revisit Imbi Market, one of my favourite breakfast spots of all time. Food is good and service is fast, the 2 most crucial criterion for any place to be considered a great breakfast place.

Everytime I go with my family, the coffeeshop staff (actually, the owner) knows exactly what we need and brings us our usual morning meal without us having to say anything. Usual means kaya toast, half-boiled egg, iced coffee for dad, hot barley drink for mum. As for myself, I had Milo today. To top off the basic meal, we shared dried wonton noodles, popiah and chee cheong fun. The popiah here is fantastic! the skin is not too thick, and some of the contents are still crunchy.

At night, after a fantastic dinner at Kampachi with my friends from Mauritius and Malaysia, I went to satisfy my craving for Fried Hokkien Mee at Ming Hing, a corner shop at the end of Jalan Imbi. It was heavenly! It started to rain halfway as I was eating with my family. Funny thing was, instead of going indoors for shelter, we started eating faster and faster, trying to finish before the rain gets heavier. I thought it was hilarious. One thing for sure was we left for home contented, full, and happy.

Pictures(from top): popiah, dried wonton noodle, fried Hokkien mee

the truffle adventure

Had a 'shotgun' potluck last week, where we just suddenly decided we didn't want to have Mexican dinner in hall. Since I havn't had much practice with savoury stuff, I thought I'd just do desserts (again).

Didn't want to do my normal fare, so decided to pick a recipe from my Choc & Coffee book - Truffles! First attempt at being a chocolatier - Kokoblack here I come!

Kahlua Truffles (makes approx 25)
200g dark(bittersweet) choc, chopped
150ml double (heavy) cream
45ml Kahlua
115g icing (confectioner's) sugar
cocoa powder, for coating

1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth then cool slightly
2. Using a whisk, whip the cream with the kahlua in a bowl until thick enough to hold its shape.
3. Stir in melted chocolate and icing sugare . Leave to firm up a little
4. Dust your hands with cocoa powder and shape the mixture into bite-size balls. Coat in cocoa powder and pack into pretty boxes. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days if necessary

I tried 2 batches of these - one batch with just kahlua, another with kahlua and Glenfiddich (single malt whisky)

Good luck!

GONG HEI FATT CHOY!!

Happy Chinese New Year 2008! (Year of the Rat)

I'm back in Canberra for a few days now. It IS really quiet with only a handful of students back in Bruce Hall, but hey, the serene campus and peaceful surroundings make a great setting for getting new inspiration!

CNY was not as loud and large a celebration like the ones i have at home. Probably will be working with dad in bakery till the very last minute of chinese new year, but it's special :)

This year is going to be my 2nd time missing CNY at home, and I've chosen to spend it with my brothers and sisters from OCF. I was the youngest there amongst a group of working adults. My friend Michael had kindly offered his house as a gathering place, and what more, he cooked all the food himself!!! We even had yu sheng, which he ordered from the one and only place that makes yu sheng in Canberra - our very own Mamak corner (run by Malaysian). This 'Aussie' version of yu sheng had beetroot and Japanese pickled ginger in it. Other than that, we had roast pork, hainanese chicken, chicken cooked with potato and mushroom ( ju lynn loves those potatoes.. it's her recipe anyway), hakka vegetarian dish (my fav!), and vege soup followed by red bean soup for dessert. Wonderful wonderful meal.

On a side note, just felt like highlighting some of the works of my dad, who is also my baking instructor. That was a cake made using icing-sugar topping.

enjoy you meal :)

life's journey is like...

baking bread.

first, to bake a specific bread, we need a recipe. it's like laying down the steps to achieve a desired outcome. plan.

we then follow the recipe step by step, and especially in baking, mistakes in measurement or timing will lead to unwanted outcomes - dough too soft, proof for too long, bread doesn't rise, burnt? it is not a definite thing that what you are trying to make turns out to be a failure, as you might accidently discover a new technique or perhaps an entirely different product! the rules are set, breaking them might cause you regret, but if you don't try you don't know what you'll get!

assuming you are a super careful person, does everything right from start, then now you leave your dough to proof ( for it to rise... let the yeast work its way through the dough). one tiny mistake, like accidentally knocking it, might puncture the dough and the bread collapses. all the careful effort now ends up wasted. you might be able to get something else, but really, it's not what you wanted. this is like life's 'testing' period. you do all that you could to protect things that are precious to you - treasured items, treasured relationships. yet sometimes, it is sad that the slightest mistake per say can make a mess of things. and such external factors are beyond our control - or perhaps they are?

we only have one life. fragile... that's why it is so precious. Lead a life of no regrets.

The less of routine, the more to life.

* this is a special dedication to Lee Nian Ning, who went home to be with God this morning. She was a an aspiring doctor, baker, and most importantly a great friend. May you rest in peace. We will meet again.

A Foodie's Tour of Japan [ part 3 ]

Day 8: Tokyo - Tokyo Bay, Akihabara
- dinner: Izakaya @ Hana no Mai, Akihabara. Dinner hosted ala Japanese style by Kazuhito - he taught us a few Japanese customs with regards to serving sake and also hosting guests at dinner. Also met Aik's friend Henry at the restaurant. Anyway, had the chance to try some really interesting food. pic#1: kujira (whale) sushi. was surprised that the meat is red in colour, thought it'd be white. pic#2: fried chicken cartilage. This is a really addictive snack. the cartilage is chopped into small bite size pieces and it is really nice to chew and crunchy and... really good snack to go with some beer or sake! pic#3: busashi... it is actually horse meat (oops). not the most tender of meats, but supposedly a delicacy in japan. yes, i know it's a bit bizarre, but it's all in the name of experience!

Day 9: Tokyo - Tsukiji, Ginza, Harajuku, Roppongi + Midtown
- brunch: Edomae sushi @ Tsukiji Sushi sen. Went for 'sushi-pilgrimage' to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market - a must-go for all ye lovers of sushi and sashimi! After which, time to fill our stomach with some edomae sushi. Bumped into this restaurant which is quite popular (luckily they have english menu too... the variety of sushi on offer is just too many!) I had my favourite tamago(egg), which is a specialty in this sushi region. then, i also tried the 'otoro maguro' (most fatty part of tuna), which costs 500yen a piece. it is the top row, 3rd piece from the left. compare it with the standard maguro sushi (top row, far right). Notice the difference? yes, the former has way more fish oil than the latter. every piece is craftfully made - equal length and thickness, with a hint of wasabi and the right proportion of rice. perfect size for one bite, but it's so good you'd want to slowly nibble on the food. the cost of those 8 pieces? make a guess :)

- afternoon tea: pastries @ Fortuna Mason, Ginza. Walked into the floor with all the food in Mitsukoshi and found this pastry shop. tried the one on the right - something like puff pastry with atzuki bean filling, topped off with icing sugar and green tea powder. such food (breads, pastry, confectionery) are quite popular in japan; i wonder if it is because of the influence of Yakitate! Japan.

- dinner: Ramen @ Roppongi. Sorry..Too hungry to take pictures.

Day 10: Tokyo Disneysea
- simple meals at Disneysea park. Was rushing from one attraction to another such that we didn't really concern ourselves too much with food today. Celebrated New Year countdown at Shinjuku. Here's Kirin and Sapporo to usher in a great 2008! Kampai!
Day 11: Tokyo - Asakusa
- lunch: Unaju @ restaurant near Asakusa Jinja (Asakusa temple). Unaju refers to another method of preparation of unagi(Eel), this one just lightly grilled with less sweet sauce compared to the unagi we eat in malaysia/singapore. It is served with a bottle of mixed 5-spice for you to sprinkle over the unaju. New experience of eating eel but tasty nonetheless. and 1600yen for that huge piece of eel? Definitely worth it.

- snack: New Year mochi @ Nakamise dori. Mochi with red bean filling - looks kawaii (cute), tastes yummy.

- dinner: fried rice @ Ameyayokocho (or ameyoko). Once again.. was too hungry. anyway, there is quite a lot of chinese influence especially in fast food like fried rice, ramen.. we even had ma pou tofu.

Day 12: Tokyo - Ueno, Imperial Palace, Shibuya
- breakfast: Yakisoba pan. Aik bought it off a kombini (convenience store). never thought you'd mix your noodles with bread? try maggi next time, or mi goreng.

- lunch: suteki (steak) @ Kuishinbo, Shibuya. Beef patty, chicken and pork... all for 800yen. the beef patty is really tender - in fact the best i've ever had; melts in your mouth.


- dinner: yakitori (again!) @ Yakitori Kushisuke, Shibuya. Tried chicken Hatsu (heart); tastes a bit like the liver.. a hint of saltiness, but more tender in terms of texture. the standard chicken yakitori is also prepared differently here. in ichiban yakitori, they lightly season with salt, pepper and grill it.. cutting away the charred parts before serving. here, they grill it with yakitori sauce till it is tender but still juicy, then dip into yakitori sauce again before serving. charred parts remain. this goes to show that each yakitori bar has its own special way of preparing yummy yakitori. oishii desu ne!

- Post-dinner: New York Bar, Park Hyatt Hotel @ Shinjuku. This place made popular by the show 'Lost in Translation'. Really nice and posh place on 46th floor...perfect location to enjoy a night view of Tokyo and listen to some jazz. Tried L.I.T, a cocktail made from Sake and Sakura Liqueur and one other ingredient.

Day 13: Tokyo - Tokyo Dome, Akihabara, Azabu-Juban
- breakfast: dorayaki. Bought this from kombini too. cost about 130yen only. This snack is made famous from the cartoon Doraemon. Pancake like top and bottom layer, with sweet red bean filling in the middle.

- lunch: Maguro Ryuku Don @ Akihabara. Sliced tuna dressed with a dash sesame oil, sesame seeds, green onion and one egg yolk in the middle. Each piece of tuna sliced till equal length and thickness.. truly amazing. surely the skill of a sushi guru. First took notice of this when saori had it during our outing to asakusa jinja. no regrets for trying it myself. the wasabi is very fresh too.. most probably made by the shop themselves and not those prepackaged ones we get back home.

- dinner: Yakiniku @ Hana Ju Ban, Azabu Juban. Finally... the chance to grill my own meat on metal wire. We paid for some really nice pieces of beef, which was marinated with seasoning, salt, pepper, then it's up to us to do the cooking. Since it was such good beef, i cooked my meat till medium, retaining some of its juicyness. since the meat has streaks of fats in it, when put to the grill it melts and kind of cooks the meat itself. I'll never forget that melt-in-your-mouth feeling. and also never to buy Suntory beer. their spirits are much better.

Day 14: Tokyo - Shinjuku
- lunch: Kare Raisu @ Shinjuku Subway Station. Curry rice is a popular and cheap fastfood in Japan. My meal cost only 600yen, and i get free flow water and pickles (the two containers in front of me). Japanese curry tends to be sweeter than most curries that you find in the rest of asia. and it is really thick too. Try it to see if you like it.

- dinner: Monjya-yaki @ Shinjuku. Monjya-yaki is a variant of the more popular okonomiyaki. the starch solution to make the batter is more watery, and you don't really get that 'solid' pancake part ( from flour or noodle) in okonomiyaki. the restaurant is a D.I.Y restaurant so kazu had the honour to cook it for us. arigato gozaimasu!

Day 15: Osaka
- breakfast: Mr Donut. Japan's response to Dunkin' Donuts and J.Co and Big Apple in Malaysia. Mr Donut has ALL of the ranges of donuts offered by the 3 different donut shops. And the stuff they sell taste DAMN GOOD. No wonder Japan is suffering donut fever too (According to saori).

- lunch: Udon. Had this udon in a fast food restaurant specialising only on udon. Here, they even print out a set of procedures telling you how things are done there. First, grab a tray. Along the queue, there will be small plates available for you to pick up whatever 'add-ons' you want to have together with your meal ( here, i had one kara-age). same goes with drinks. as you proceed down the queue, you will reach the kitchen, and there you place an order for your choice of udon. finally, the cashier will be waiting for you at the end of the queue, just next to the kitchen. this meal also roughly 650yen, and mind you, that was a Large size bowl of udon, served with a half-cooked egg and special udon sauce.

There you go. 15 days of food tourism in japan. I must admit most breakfasts were just a packet of milk and either a piece of nikuman (meat bun..pau), or yakitori, but for other meals I think we splurged quite a bit. Even after eating Japanese food for almost every meal, I still opted for japanese food on my flight SQ620 back to singapore...some things you just can't get enough.

I really miss the hospitality that was extended to us everywhere we go. the experience of hearing staff greet you "irashaimasse" as we enter, then saying "itadaikimasu" before starting our meals and "gochizosama desu ta" after we are done, then as we proceed to pay and then leave, being thanked with "arigato gozaismasu ta".

All these memories just makes me want to go there again.

A Foodie's Tour of Japan [ part 2 ]

Day 4: Kyoto
- lunch: street food @ Kitano Tenmangu Ji (the nearby market fair)
- #1: 'Chicken skin'(kawa) yakitori - Fattening it may seem, but it's taste is fantastic... crispy skin with teriyaki sauce.

- #2: taiyaki - Fish shaped pancake with sweet red bean filling. sounds simple, but tastes great.

- #3: oden - some sort of 'steamboat' food... radish, konyaku, beef, fishcake (you can choose what you want) boiled in a special broth and then served on a plate with mustard. perfect winter dish.


- mid-day - went into a shop that sells wagashi, Japanese candy that is craftfully made into artistic masterpieces. Costs a bomb but well worth the money.


- dinner: Tonkatsu @ The Cube, Level 11, Kyoto Station. Tonkatsu normally refers to fried pork fillet in bread crumb batter (well, i think it's bread crumb). Havn't had such tender tonkatsu, ever. crispy on the outside, not too dry on the inside. The interesting part is that we have to make the sauce ourselves..pounding the sesame then adding our preferred amount of sweet sauce. this makes the meal more interactive and overall a very pleasant experience.

Day 5: Kyoto
-breakfast : korokke @ Nishiki Market. Korokke (croquette) is something like 'fried mashed potato', probably of Western origin. However, this snack is quite popular in Japan these days. It has a fried bread-crumb exterior but soft and melts-in-your-mouth interior. It has a variety of fillings these days, eg. cheese.


- lunch : tempura moriawase @__ . Tempura refers to food that is fried with a light and crispy batter. Not easy to get it to the correct texture. Here, we had Tempura set for just 1000yen.Rare find in Japan. and the braised pumpkin in the top right corner tastes mild but nice.


- dinner: Kaiseki dining @ Kyoto Station 11th floor. Japanese meals that are served using really nice presentation. See the set meal Aik had - it was 'charcoal udon' in the bowl on the left, and the big container on the right opens up to a variety of delicacies!

- snacks: Check out the green tea Kit Kat! Tastes like white chocolate with matcha flavour.








Day 6: Kobe, Himeji
-lunch: shabu shabu @ Kobe. Japanese steamboat. But with premium beef. There was miso paste provided which I 'assumed' is to be added to the broth, or made into D.I.Y miso soup, whichever suits your fancy. We were also served a bowl of (chopped) radish that enhances the sweetness of the meat/vege when eaten together.

-dinner: Yakitori @ Ichiban Yakitori, Kyoto. THIS PLACE IS VOTED MY #1 FAVOURITE for the entire Ja-Plan trip. I really miss the food and the atmosphere there - inside this small yakitori bar you see the boss cum main chef taking a puff in between grilling the pieces of meat (or occasional vege), then as you take a sip of Asahi beer you watch the chef skillfully prepare your food, and the moment it is served to you directly from the counter, then taking a bite... a taste of heaven. [2nd pic: grilled chicken(mi: boneless leg meat part), pork (butabara). 3rd pic: grilled onigiri(riceball) served with pickles, 4th pic: grilled sparrow (suzume). Not in pic: gyurosu(sirloin) and aigamo(duck)]

Day 7: Nara
- lunch: Oyako-don @ Za-Don ("The" Don). Simple food joint that specialises in nothing but donburi (rice with topping served in a bowl). I still remember Koji and the other Jap exchange students making this dish for the ISD Hawker's Night back in October '07, so I thought I'd just try it right here in Japan! Oyako means "father son", in other words it means something like 'family'. Most popular dish at the restaurant, and it is very easy to make. Chicken cubes cooked in a sauce made from mirin, soy sauce and dashi, then cooked together with cabbage and egg. *slurp

- dinner: Omuraisu @ Kyoto Station, Lower Ground Fl. Isetan. 'Omuraisu', or omelette rice, is interesting in that the rice is actually wrapped inside the thin omelette layer. The omuraisu I had came with crab meat sauce and a piece of korokke. My friend, Piro actually brought us to try omuraisu after many many attempts at suggesting something to eat that me & Aik have not tried(Japanese specialties, of course). To think that we've gunned down most of the famous eats in 7 days is very impressive I think! [inset: omuraisu cut open to reveal the treasure within!]