Work finally!

Since leaving Brisbane, I have been neglecting my blog. It's not that I do not want to keep writing. But having no chance to cook or bake I need new writing materials! I thought about doing something like Eat, Pray, Love. Obviously I can't write a whole novel. Perhaps something like a Hong Kong girl in Singapore? Anyway I will have to publish more often or I will end up giving the blog up, which I do not want....

Anyway I finally started work this week! Hurray!!! Surprisingly I was not nervous or anxious or excited at all. I think I was at the point where I just needed to do something. Anything. So when I got the OK from the hospital I was just so ready to jump right in. They started me off with the basic tasks, of course. I have been tech-ing all week and it has not been too difficult. I make harmless mistakes every now and then but everyone has been really helpful and kind to help me. My supervisor is really friendly and laughs all the time. People have been inviting me to lunch to make sure I do not have to sit by myself. Everyday someone will come up to me and introduce themselves. I am surprised at how many pharmacists who only just joined CGH within the last 6 months. It is a really nice environment to work in and there is a good work dynamics within the department.

Tonight we had the pharmacy end-of-year party at a buffet restaurant. I bumped into other colleagues as I was on my way there so I did not have to go alone. Then I sat with the in-patient pharmacists who I have been working with these few days. I had a great time talking to them and participating in the games. I even won the 2nd prize of the lucky draw! And I am one of those people who never win anything! It was great to see everyone outside of the hospital and have a great time. I probably ate too much though, just like everyone else~

I don't want to make this comment too early because I don't want to disappoint myself later. But I have to say that I really enjoying working at CGH. I hope this will be a good start for the next three years :)

The wait is over! My stuff has arrived!

Today I was genuinely happy. My boxes have finally arrived and they all came in perfect condition. Nothing was broken. Even the clothes were not all that creased or wrinkled. I almost forgot most many clothes I have! It's nice to have more than 1 pair of shorts to choose from.

And I have good news from AHPRA. They are sending my certificate over within the next seven days, which means I am one step closer to start working and getting my employment pass.

I am trying to work things out one by one and it has not been easy. But I am grateful that there are people who are always giving me support. And I always seem to be lucky enough to meet some really nice people who help me through difficult times. Maybe I worry too much but I can't help it. But I will try to make good use of the free time I have now and explore more of the city.

Singapore

It has been exactly one week since my arrival in Singapore. This has not been the easiest time for me. Firstly I found out that I needed a lot of paperwork for the application to the Singapore Pharmacy Council. Then I kept being told that I needed a proper employment before I can get any mobile phone or broadband contract or set up a bank account. These were the things I was planning to do as soon as I flew in. It has been really frustrating and depressing. On top of that I had to go apartment hunting and get used to everything from food and transportation to the language

So far I have not seen much in the city that has wowed me yet. Everything seems to fall between the standards of Hong Kong and Brisbane. I guess it will take a while before I can say I like living here.

Last Saturday I decided I would go and be a total tourist and actually had a good day. I was out in the city, and I was exhausted by the end of the day, and I felt more energetic. I ended up in the Little India district in the morning and visited the Masjid Abdul Gafoor. A volunteer gave us a group tour of the mosque and did a good job explaining. It was interesting and bizarre at the same time that the mosque has incorporated designs from the famous Roman churches. Then I went to the Bugis Street market, which totally reminded me of 旺中, only a little less chaotic and crowded. After that I managed to find two churches in the city area, St. Joseph's Church and the Church of Sts Peter and Paul. Both were built in the second half of the 19th centuary and are really pretty architecturally. The Church of Sts Peter and Paul was the only one open at the time so I got to go inside and prayed for a bit. The inside however was lacking maintenance and could use some renovation.

My next stop, also the last one of the day, was the National Museum of Singapore, where a random guy asked whether he could join me for the visit. He was originally from 廣洲 in China and was stopping in Singapore for a few days before flying to Australia. After getting the tickets, we started from the history gallery. Instead of the traditional information board, they give you a portable device that show or read out information when you put in the corresponding number. We split up as soon as we entered the gallery and I began from the very beginning. After about 15 minutes the guy came back and was surprised to find me still in the initial section, whereas he has already finished the entire floor. He was hoping to see the more modern history of Singapore so I suggested him to go to the other parts of the museum first while I continue in the history gallery. After about an hour, he came to look for me again when I was in the Second World War session (still have another 30-40 years to cover!). He did not find what he wanted in the other galleries either and wanted to go out to the shops. And he actually wanted me to go with him!? I, however, wanted to see the rest of the museum so ended up staying. It was probably a good thing that he did not wait for me because I did not finish until 7pm~ I did not expect to enjoy the museum this much but I'm glad that I went. It gave me a better idea of the history and the background of Singapore. The life galleries for food and fashion were especially interesting.

Yesterday was a huge day. I moved into this apartment in Simei that is across the road from the hospital. The owners are a couple in early 30's who also live with the wife's mother. So far they seem nice and my room is nice and spacious. It is quite well furnished and also air-conditioned. I hope it will be a nice home. I went found the church last evening. Of course I had to go off to the wrong direction and an 10-min walk turned into 45-min!!! The Church of Holy Trinity in Tampines is quite a big church, much like St Andrew's Parish at church. It seems quite new and modern. They have a good group of altar servers and a decent choir. It felt nice to attend mass again. It felt normal. And I felt that I belonged there, even though I did not know any of the songs.

There are still a lot of things I need to get used to and a lot more problems to encounter. I hope I can stay strong and take one step at a time.

My last day in Brisbane

So here we are. 26th October 2010. After tonight I will not be back to Brisbane for a while. I do feel bad about leaving in such a haste. I feel like I have not had enough time to properly say goodbye to people I care about and everyone seem to have a million questions I have not had the opportunity to answer.

The first reaction from most people after hearing the news is "why?" I do not have a very convincing reason, other than "why not?" You only live once and life is too short. I want to make mine an adventure; and I want to see the world. As lovely a city as it is, Brisbane never really feels like home and I feel like it is time to move on. The opportunity came along, and I grasped it.

I do not know what is awaiting in Singapore and to be honest I am a bit scared. But if we let fear control our decisions, we would never get anywhere. Marc Jacobs once said that people often confuse excitement with fear (or something like that). So instead of being scared, I am determined to be 'cited about this!

And it is not about the money. Soooooooooooo not about the money. I think I am in the wrong profession if I want to get rich. And there are so many things in life that takes priority over wealth - God, family, friendship, life experience, happiness, health... As long as I can feed myself and can afford buying Vogue and chocolates (among other more practical things like rent and the bills) I am happy~

So many incredible things in my life seem to start with me doing something unexpected. I do hope moving to Singapore will be one of them. And if it turns out to be a terrible mistake, at least it is something that I have done for myself and I can look back and say "hey, at least I've tried!!"

Thank you guys for being such amazing people and being in my life. The past eight years in Brisbane have been such an incredible experience and I would not trade anything for it. Nothing will be the same without any of you guys. Thank you for all the wonderful memories you have given me, which will always remain in my heart and I will cherish forever.

Take care, until we meet again.

My name is Zita Chan and I am a chocoholic

There is KoKo Black in Melbourne, Lindt Chocolat Café in Sydney. And finally, Max Brenner in Brisbane.
As a chocolate/dessert cafe, it has quite a decent sized menu. Chocolate drinks are served in 8-9 different styles, all available in dark, milk and white chocolates. There are a large variety of desserts, from the fondue, waffles, mousse to the more unexpected Choc-Banana pizza. Coffee and tea are also included in the menu for those who prefer something less sweet - although I think that would defeat the whole purpose of going to a chocolate cafe! I ordered dark chocolate suckao, which is pretty much a fun way to serve hot chocolate. Warm milk is continuously heated in a small metal cup suspended over a candle. Chocolate chips are served on the side and stirred through the warm milk as you sip the hot chocolate through a metal straw. The drink is rich and thick and is kept warm the whole time, which is what hot chocolate should be!!!
For anyone who wants to bring home a piece of Max Brenner, there is a shop attached to the cafe, selling all sorts of chocolate, giftboxes and a chocolate cookbook.

Chocolate to die for: my favourite shop to get chocolate in Brisbane! Their chocolates smell and taste AMAZING and are so special. The owner is apparently selling the shop at the end of the month though. Hopefully the new ownership will not change the quality of the chocolate!

"God gave the angels wings; and he gave humans chocolate." - Anonymous

Things I will miss about Brisbane...

Not in any particular order

1) Picture-perfect weather
2) Gelatissimo
3) Sourdough bread
4) Gallery of Modern Art
5) Free yoga class at Lululemon
6) UQ (which I have missed for the past 2 years) and Stuartholme (6 years!)
7) A "real" oven
8) Boost Juice
9) Jalna yoghurt
10) Vintage shopping in Paddington
11) Cappuccino at Hudson Coffee
12) Le Bon Choix
13) Vogue Australia
14) St Stephen's Cathedral
15) Looking for the Southern Cross on a starry night

To be continued...

Strawberry Wholemeal Bread Loaf

Strawberry season is so exciting! Trays of ripe and beautiful strawberries in various shades of bright red can be found everywhere in open-air markets, green groceries and supermarkets. The fresh and sweet fragrance hits you in the face as you walk past them.
I've had this recipe for a while and I finally had the chance to test it out. It is such an easy-to-follow recipe it only took me 15 minutes of preparation time before it was ready for the oven.
The cake loaf does not rise much and is quite filling. I have more than halved the amount of sugar from the original recipe and found the sweetness is just right. The lightness and the freshness of the strawberries really stand out and help balance out the sugar.

Strawberry Wholemeal Bread Loaf

1 punnet of 250g fresh strawberries
1 1/2 cup wholemeal plain flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup olive oil
2 eggs, well beaten

1) Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
2) Dice strawberries into small chunks. Place in a bowl and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Set aside.
3) Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and baking soda in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Blend oil and eggs and combine with the strawberries. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the strawberry mixture. Blend until dry ingredients are just moistened. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
4) Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Leave in pan for about ten minutes. Turn the loaf out and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Serves 8

Nutritional value per serve:
Calories 191.1
Total fat 8.6g
Saturated fat 1.4g
Polyunsaturated fat 1.0g
Monounsaturated fat 5.5g
Carbohydrate 25.5g
Dietary fibre 3.8g
Sugars 8.1g
Protein 4.9g

PS Nutritional value is calculated using the recipe calculator by SparkRecipe

Chocolate Pomogranate Cake

It is amazing how much can happen within two weeks' time. The coming few weeks are probably going to be BIG. And these special times call for more special cakes. To farewell my lovely colleague, I have made a Chocolate Pomegranate Cake.
I first thought that the idea of using pomegranate juice in a chocolate cake was a bit weird. In my mind chocolate and fruit juice are not something that go together very often. But again don't we add lemon juice and orange juice to teacakes and muffins all the time? I could not find the POM pomegranate juice so I used Blackford instead. The flavour of pomegranate does not really stand out but the juice helps keep the cake soft and light. The cake is delicious, rich in chocolate flavour without being too heavy at all.
This is probably the first time ever when I thought adding chocolate chips to the recipe is completely necessary. The cake itself is so soft and fluffy that adding any other texture seems to ruin it. I think a chocolate icing or thinly shaved chocolate would have worked better.
The original recipe was for a bundt cake. Since I do not own a bundt tin, I made it in a bread loaf tin, which worked just as well. As an experiment I have also baked some cupcakes using muffin tins. They won't fill up your moulds at the beginning but the cake would raise quite a bit, almost double in size.

Chocolate Pomegranate Cake

2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup pure pomegranate juice
dark chocolate chips

1) Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and slightly grease.
2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
3) In a medium sized bowl, whisk cocoa powder with butter until smooth. One at a time, incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract. Add chocolate mixture, pomegranate juice into the flour mixture and stir until batter is well combined. Do not over-mix. Pour into the prepared tin and sprinkle the top with chocolate chips.
4) Bake for about 40 minutes, until until a tester inserted into the centre comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
5) Leave the cake in the tin for 5-10 minutes before turning out to wire rack to cool completely.

For cupcakes, reduce cooking time to approx 20-25 minutes

I found these babies at a vintage store yesterday...

I'm in love with them!

Decision. Decision. Decision.

Stir Fried Chicken with Zucchini

I have made this dish quite a few times and it has now become part of my usual repertoire. I often bring left-overs to work and I like to keep the vegetables crunchy so I tend to keep the cooking time short. The zucchini should just start to soften before you turn the heat off. This way they will keep the texture even after re-heating.
In Australia (and a lot of Western countries) most people prefer cooking with chicken breast than chicken thigh, probably because it is healthier (less fat, more protein, etc). But I have never been converted to use breast because thigh is just so much tastier and more tender! But feel free to use the fillet of your choice. Just make sure you marinate the breast fillet for long enough.

Stir fried chicken with zucchini

400g chicken thigh fillet
4 medium-sized zucchini
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Marinate: 2 tsp raw sugar, cracked pepper, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp corn starch
Sauce: 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp corn starch and 2 tbsp cold water

1) Cut the chicken fillets into 1-cm strips. Combine with the marinate and leave for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2) Chop the zucchini into 2-cm sections. Finely dice the garlic. Roast the sesame seeds if desired.
3) Heat 1 tbsp olive oil on a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add in the chicken fillet and cook until browned on both sides. Push the fillet to the side of the pan and add the garlic in the centre of the pan. When the garlic start to become fragrant, stir in the zucchini. Add about 1/4 cup of water and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the zucchini start to soften.
4) When the zucchini are cooking, prepare the sauce in a small bowl. Pour over the stir-fry when it is ready. Stir well to distribute the sauce. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds on the top. Serve with rice.

Cranberry & Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

I have been so sleep deprived this week. Having worked six days in a row did not do much good to my energy level either. I wish I am one of those people who can sleep in for as many hours as they want. I was craving some sweet treats so I ended up making these cookies.
I love oatmeal cookies for their chewiness. These have dried fruits in them, giving them a lighter and fruity sweetness. I suspect they would taste really good with choc chips in them too~

Cranberry and Raisin Oatmeal Cookies, adopted from Baking Bites

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wholemeal plain flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/4 cup rolled oats

1) Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2) In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Stir in vanilla extract.
3) In a separate bowl, mix together flour, wheat germ, baking soda and baking powder. Add in dried fruits.
4) Slowly incorporate the dry mixture into the butter mixture. Add in the rolled oats and stir well.
5) Drop 2.5cm balls on the lined baking sheet, about 2cm apart. Slightly flatten the balls. Baking for approx 11-12 minutes or until the edges start to turn brown. Leave cookies on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before putting them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Valentino Retrospective: Past/Present/Future

The Gallery of Modern Art is officially one of my favourite places in Brisbane. Out of all the capital cities in Australia, Brisbane gets to host the "Valentino, Retrospective: Past/Present/Future" exhibition at the GoMA! I went to see the gallery last Saturday with Karen and it was the best exhibition I have ever seen (Yes, it trumps the Pixar 20th Anniversary exhibition in Melbourne in 2008).
The exhibition is really well laid-out. It starts with what Valentino does the best - an evening gown in his signature "Valentino red" from his very first collection in 1965. It then opens up to the first gallery, where garments are grouped according to textile (eg feathers, leather and fur), prints (eg floral and animal prints), colours, silhouetts and techniques. When I walked into this hall, it literally took my breath away I had to gasp. The enormous space is filled with so many different colours, patterns and shapes it is like couture heaven. The second section is a display of documentory videos, fashion magazines from different decades and a huge picture board presenting the history of the Valentino house. The second gallery is arranged mainly by colours; white, black and red. One section is dedicated to pieces from his last collection while the exhibition finishes with the 2009 collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli.
Unlike the Les Arts exhibition in Paris, all the garments are displayed in the open space (on specially made-to-measure mannequins belonging to Mr Valentino himself, of course). I felt like I was having an intimate experience with the couture gowns. You can see every stitch, every sequin, every inch of the fabric. The craftsmanship and the details are so amazing. Looking the clothes from a distance (or on style.com on a computer screen) simply does not do them justice. For the whole four hours that I was there I was just bombarded by beauty and colours. The combination of colours and the juxtaposition of fabrics are so creative. I think I saw a few colours that I did not even know existed ?! Each garment has their own unique character. His designs are so classic, so elegant, so feminine and so timeless. There are pieces from his 60's or 70's collections that are completely wearable today.
I am surprised that Alessandra Facchinetti was not even mentioned at all in the exhibition. Personally I love the few collections that she has done. I thought they were romantic, light, young and elegant. I guess that can be the exact reason that got her dismissed. Too approaching for a couture house maybe?
The new duo definitely have a different direction from the traditional Valentino. They are tougher and more modern. When compared to the collections designed by Valentino himself, their garments seem to be lacking femininity, class and delicacy. Whether they can uphold the Valentino legend is still questionable. But one thing is certain; Mr Valentino is an absolute legend and we will always love his talent!

Chocolate & Walnut Birthday Cake

This week has been so crazy. My brain is literally on fire and I feel like my thoughts are spewed out everywhere. I want it to slow down but it won't. I haven't been sleeping well and I am exhausted. Even after only 4 days of work.
So in between all this craziness I managed to find time to bake a birthday cake. I did not have time to search for a recipe online so I used one from the Easy Baking book. When it just came out from the oven, I thought it had to be the saddest-looking cake ever existed! It did not rise as much as I expected and I probably over-baked it a little, making the surface look dry and rough. For the first time in my life I actually iced it too - otherwise it would have been too unpresentable. I was even worried about how it would taste because I could not cut out a small for tasting. But when everyone ate it at dinner, they all liked it and it was delicious. It was rich in chocolate, packed with nuts and not too sweet. The cake actually had a good height as well. And most importantly the birthday boy loved it so that's all that matters :)

Chocolate & walnut cake

4 eggs
100g brown sugar
75g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), broken into pieces
125g plain flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp butter, melted
115g walnuts, finely chopped

icing:
50g dark chocolate
80g butter
125 icing sugar
2 tbsp milk

1) Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C. Grease a 18cm deep round cake tin and line with baking paper.2) Place the eggs and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk with an electric whisk for 10 minutes, or until foamy and a trail is left when the whisk is dragged across the surface. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water until melted.
3) Sift the flour and cocoa together and fold into the egg and sugar mixture with a spatula. Fold in the melted butter, melted chocolate and walnut pieces. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until springy to the touch.
4) Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
5) To make the icing, melt the chocolate as above and leave to cool slightly. Beat together the butter, icing sugar and milk until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Whisk in the melted chocolate.
6) Spread the icing over the top of the cake.

Smoked salmon, leek and mushroom quiche

This year I haven't had much luck with Australian Post. Firstly they lost the postcard that my parents sent me from overseas. And then they directed my RSVP to my friend's wedding back to my address, without a single note or word of explanation! I thought that we are long past the era when people have to worry about losing ther mail. Apparently not!

Enough ranting and back to cooking. After making fried rice with smoked salmon yesterday I still have some fish left from the packet. Not wanting to keep it in the fridge for too long, I made a smoked salmon, leek and mushroom quiche today.

Smoked salmon, leek and mushroom quiche

100g smoked salmon, cut into small pieces
2 trimmed leeks (or buy a whole leek, cut away the green section and the root)
250g sliced mushrooms
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup plain flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1) Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Lightly grease a baking tray.
2) Heat olive oil in a frying pan over moderately high heat. Chop the leeks into thin rings and add them to the pan. Stir for about one minute then add the sliced mushrooms. Cook until both vegetables are softened and excess moisture is evaporated. Set aside and allow them to cool down slightly.
3) In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, baking powder and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the cooked vegetables and the smoked salmon and stir well.
4) Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the eggs are set. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle extra cheese on top if desired.

Punpkin, Spinach & Yoghurt Pasta Bake

I finally got over my week-long viral thing and had the energy to do some proper baking and cooking. I made a trail-mix banana bread yesterday and tried a new dinner recipe today. It is adopted from the Almost Cheeseless Pasta Casserole from 101 Cook Books. I really like this website because the recipes are really creative and healthy. It has got a very wide range of recipes from salad and soup to sweets and drinks. Sometimes it does come up with funky recipe like "the tofu burger" but overall the dishes are quite do-able. The photography is amazing and the recipes are easy to follow.
I have made pasta bake before but this is quite different. The white sauce is based on yoghurt, instead of cream, so the whole dish is infused with the sourness and the milky taste of the yoghurt. I found it quite clever to sprinkle lemon zest on the baking tray. If it was directly incorporated into the sauce the flavour would probably be too strong. The olives, almonds and cheese give this dish a lot of different texture and flavours.
I have reduced the quantity of the pasta by a massive degree but still ended up with a HUGE dish. It is originally suggested as a side dish but I had it as a main meal (and now I am stuffed!!!)

Pumpkin, Spinach & Yoghurt Pasta Bake

zest of a large lemon
300g dried wholemeal penne
1.5 cup butternut pumpkin, chopped into 2.5cm cubes
80g frozen spinach
1 cup plain natural yoghurt
1 egg
3 cloves garlic, chopped
pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup silvered almond
1/3 cup olives, torn into pieces
1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1) Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Grease a baking dish (which I forgot to do!). Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.
2) Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente. In the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the pumpkin cubes into the pasta water. In the last minute, add the frozen spinach and separate with a fork. Quickly and carefully drain away the pasta water. Run cold water over the pasta, pumpkin and spinach to stop them from cooking. Shake off any excess water and set aside.
3) While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the yoghurt, the egg, garlic and salt and set aside. Once cooked and drained, mix together the pasta-pumpkin-spinach mixture with the yoghurt mixture. Stir in half of the almonds until evenly distributed. Scoop everything into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with olives and ricotta cheese. Baking for 30 minutes
4) Remove from oven. Sprinkle with the remaining almonds and season with salt. Enjoy!

Serves 6 as a main

Pasta bake

Banana bread

Pintxo

I did not bake this weekend and I am using my having a cold as an excuse. I worked through Thursday and Friday with a splitting headache and a slight fever. I still had to talk to people even though my throat was burning and my nose was running. I could not take time off because another staff was already on sick leave. Plus I was testing Barney's theory on being sick; I kept telling myself to stop being sick and be awesome instead, which, by the way, did not really work!
But after sleeping for 9+ hours every night for the past few days I feel like I am slowly recovering. Nose is still running, my throat is still sore. I still feel really tired all the time and I am still coughing at night. But at least the headache has subsided. Let's hope I will not die from exhaustion from work this week.

A few days ago I went to Pintxo, a Spanish restaurant in New Farm specialising in tapas. The place is split into two areas, one of which is the normal sitting area and the other half is set up as a "tapas train". Basically like a sushi train. Except they serve tapas, instead of sushi. I actually like this set-up because you get to see all the dishes that they are serving and it made the dining experience more fun. It made the restaurant look bigger than it was too (plus the mirror covering the entire wall on one side).
The menu is set out quite nicely and the descriptions of the dishes are very clear. For people who are not familiar with Spanish food, like us, it was not hard to identify what tapas were on the conveyor. They were mostly cold tapas, eg bread slices with various toppings and skewers. There were also hot ones that are made to order. We avoided most of the pickles and olives tapas but really enjoyed everything else. There were a few funky stuff like blue cheese mousse, quince paste and pickled garlic but they were actually quite tasty! I ordered a Red Sangria, which was delicious. The dessert menu was not huge but what was there seemed pretty good. We wanted to try the Crème Caramel but was too full !! We went on a Tuesday when the 2-4-1 deal was on so we only paid for the cheaper half of the tapas, which was a really good discount. The waiters and waitresses were helpful and friendly. They approached us a few times to make sure we were happy with everything. After around 9pm the waitress did start trying to make us leave - clearing our plates, sending us the dessert menu, giving us the bill etc. But she still kept refilling our glass and was not pushy at all. The restaurant had good music and a nice relaxing atmosphere.
Overall I enjoyed the food and had a really nice time. Everything was delicious and the service was excellent. I probably would not revisit so soon as I have tried pretty much everything I wanted to on the tapas train menu. If the menu gets updated then it is definitely worth going back again - probably on another Tuesday!

The West End Market

Out of all the outdoor markets in Brisbane, the West End Market is probably the most talked of. From so many people I have heard of how good the stalls are. It's not just the local residents who live in the south or around the CBD who go there regularly. People from the north seem to think it is worth the travelling to go there every Saturday morning as well. So I did have high hopes when I went there today for the first time.
And I did enjoy it a lot. It's got a real mixed variety of stalls eg fruits and veggies, flowers, seafood, hand-made jeweleries, vintage clothes, preserves and jams, sweets, fresh coffee, food stalls etc. Despite the mix-up with the buses etc I had a nice time!

Funny-looking cinnamon rolls

Spinach & cheese puff pastries,
a very delicious Hungarian dish that is cooked with an iron!!

Inception

You know how there are films that just absolutely blows your mind and makes you wonder "where on earth did they come up with this idea from"? Inception is one of those. I went to see it today with Winnie and it is no doubt one of the most intriguing movies I have ever seen. I do not think my brain has had to work this hard to understand a film for a long time!
Its inspiration cannot be any simpler: dreams, the projection of the subconscious. Except it takes the concept sooooooo much further. Based on the assumption that technologies have been developed to allow entry to other people's dreams to manipulate the events that happen in the dreams, the movie tells the story of Cobb (DiCaprio) and his team who invade other people's minds and steal top secret ideas. Except this time, the job offer was not an "extraction". It was an "inception"; they were to plant an idea in the target's subconscious.
This amazing storyline is delivered by an exceptional cast. DiCaprio is amazing, as usual. He is so convincing and just has the ability to draw you in deeper. Marion Cortillard is flawless in her delivery and is one of my favourite actresses. And I'm surprised by the performance of Joseph Gorden-Livett and Ellen Page. He is so different from he was in 500 Days of Summer!
The music is beautifully written. The photography is beautiful. The setting of the movie goes from a beautiful beach and the New York city to a snowy mountain. Besides its emphasis on the emotional journey of Cobb, it is also action-packed, which actually reminds me of the Matrix. The plot is so intense I think I forgot to breathe at a few occasions.
All in all Inception is such an original, intelligent and well-delivered movie. There was not one moment when I did not enjoy it. Despite of the complexity of the plot, it does not contradict itself in any way that I can think of. It challenges your mind and makes you want to watch it again just so you can fully appreciate the experience.
Not a movie to be missed!

Wholemeal oatmeal muffins with mixed dried fruits

After making all those sugary cakes and sweets I feel like baking something healthy. Something I can snack on during the week and not feel bad about it. Something that can help me through a eight-hour day and stop me from reaching for more jelly beans.
These muffins are exactly what I need. They are made with mainly wholemeal flour and rolled oats so they are really filling. They are quite light in texture but have a lot of bite in them. The muffins themselves are not sweet at all but the dried fruits make them really flavoursome. I used raisins, dried cranberries and dried goji berries but any other dried fruits, chopped toasted nuts and seeds should work well too.

Wholemeal oatmeal muffins with mixed dried fruits
(from Baking Bites)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup pack brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda pinch salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup mixture of raisins, dried cranberries and dried goji berry
1 cup rolled oats, slightly chopped
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup water

1) Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Line a muffin tin with baking cups.
2) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir in dried fruits and oats. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and water.
3) Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredient and pour in the milk mixture. Stir until just combined. Let stand for 20 minutes.
4) Spoon batter into prepared tins using a 1/4 C measuring cup.
5) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until muffins are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed.

These muffins smell absolutely amazing !!

According to my dad and many websites, goji berries are meant to be packed with antioxidants and really good for you. They are a bit dry and hard to bite into so probably not the best thing as snacks on their own. But they are great with porridge or muesli.
Plus they have an orangey-red colour that is so pretty!

PS As suggested by the original recipe, I divided the batter into halves and store one half in the fridge. It has kept very well over an entire week. It is still very moist and lumpy and easy to scoop out. And the muffins turned out to be equally delicious. I ended up adding three more minutes to cooking time.

燉蛋

If I were to name my five favourite desserts, this one would DEFINITELY make it to the list. I was actually a bit surprised by the simplicity of the recipe when I first found it. But to me cooking should be like this; simple ingredients, easy recipe, yummy food.

燉蛋
(from Christine's Recipes)

125mL milk
1 egg
1 tsp sugar (adjust to taste)

1) In a big stockpot, bring enough water to boil for steaming. (or use a steamer)
2) In a small bowl, beat the egg well. Heat the milk until slightly warm. It has to be hot enough to dissolve the sugar but not too hot that it can cook the egg. Add sugar to the milk.
3) Pour the warm milk into the bowl with the egg and stir to combine. Remove any bubbles on the surface.
4) Cover the bowl with foil and seal the edges. Steam the egg mixture above boiling water on a low heat for 10 minutes. Lift up the lid half way to let the steam escape then replace the lid. The egg mixture should firm up when done.

YUMMMMM!

Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge

I am not sure if people like getting home-made baked goods for presents, but I sure like giving them away. (And how often do you know if people like their presents anyway? Most of us just smile polite and act excited regardless of what we get.) Browsing recipes and picking what to bake is always less stressful and definitely more fun than looking for a present at the stores. You do not have to worry whether they already have something similar, if they would like and end up using it. All you need to know is any food allergies or intolerance that they have and avoid them. If you are ever unsure about their taste buds, you can NEVER go wrong with a recipe with chocolate in it. And what's the worst that can happen? They do not like what you make and distribute it to their family and friends - it will never be wasted or end up being donated to St Vinnie's, which, frankly, we have all done to some of the gifts we got.
This was exactly what I had in mind when I was going to a friend's birthday party last night, especially when the invitation said "no present". (And most people still brought presents anyway. Oh well they were being nice I guess) This recipe originates from Nigella Express, so is naturally foolproof. The original recipe is double the quantity and uses a 23cm square baking pan.

Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge

175g dark chocolate, broken up into pieces
1/2 can of 397g sweet condensed milk
15g butter
80g hazelnut, roasted and chopped

1) Put the condensed milk, butter and dark chocolate into a small saucepan on a low heat. Stir to melt. Remove from heat once all combined.
2) Add the nuts to the melted chocolate mixture. Stir to mix.
3) Pour and spatch the mixture into a baking tin / foil tray of 23cm x 9cm (I used my silicon bread loaf tin). Smooth the top.
4) Allow the fudge to cool. Refrigerate until set. Cut into small pieces.
5) Once cut, keep in freezer. No need to thaw when served.


They might not have come out looking perfect. But they are so delicious and smooth. The chocolate richness richness is incredibly deep and simply saturates your mouth as it melts away.

Hazelnut, apple and lemon yoghurt cake loaf

Lately I have been neglecting my blog more than I would like. This is probably the longest I have gone without uploading a new entry! It's not that I have not been cooking. But I have been lacking the effort to pick up my camera and to spend a few moments to put down a few thoughts into words. I guess that is what work can do to you sometimes.
I have dedicated today as an absolute day off (well, almost absolute day off anyway), ie not going to shopping, not doing meeting up with anyone, not reading Australia Pharmacist trying to get a few lousy CPD points. I went to a new hairdresser to have my hair cut. I wonder why most gay men make better hairdressers and make up artists than straight women? It must be quite an interesting job to be a hairdresser. It is almost like part of their job descriptions to gather gossip and chit chat with the clients. I used to feel so devastated to have my hair cut short because I had such difficulties growing it. Today I must have had about 25cm of my hair cut off and I feel great (my mum would be proud - she's all for short hair). Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to get a bob :P
I used the yoghurt cake loaf recipe again. I really like how moist and dense the cake is. Only this time I've halved the recipe so I ended up with a flat loaf.

Hazelnut, apple and lemon yoghurt cake loaf


1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wholemeal plain flour
1/8 cup wheat germ
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup plain natural yoghurt
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar
1 extra-large egg
grated lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped and roasted hazelnuts
1 small apple
Freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

1) Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
2) Sift together the flour, baking powder and wheat germ. Peel the apple and chop one half into small cubes. Mix the chopped nuts and apples into the flour mixture.
3) Whisk together yoghurt, 1/3C sugar, egg, lemon zest, vanilla extract and oil. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and whisk in the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
4) Pour batter into the prepared tin. Core the remaining half of the apple and cut into thin slices. Arrange the apple slices on top of the batter and bake for 40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
5) Heat up the lemon juice, ground cinnamon and 1tbsp sugar until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
6) When the cake is cooked through, allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack. Use a chopstick or toothpick to create holes on the surface of the cake. While still warm, pour the syrup over the cake and allow to soak in.

The Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

I went to watch Toy Story 3 with a friend last weekend and thought I would make something special (ie something really unhealthy and full of butter and sugar) to share. I remember this recipe from Nigella Express. These cookies are an absolute form indulgence. Really rich and moist and loaded with chocolate richness in every bite. They've got melted dark chocolate, cocoa powder AND dark chocolate chips. So rich it would literally make your stomach sick.

The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie

125g dark chocolate
150g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
100g butter, at room temperature
60g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, cold from the fridge
110g dark chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Melt the 125g dark chocolate in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water.
2) Combine the flour, cocoa, soda and salt into a mixing bowl.
3) Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl. Add the melted chocolate and mix together.
4) Beat in the vanilla and cold egg. Then mix in the dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.
5) Place tablespoonfuls of batter on a lined baking sheet. Do not flatten.
6) Bake for approx. 15 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with batter. The cookies will not set completely as they will harden while cooling.
7) Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Hazelnut & orange yoghurt cake with orange syrup

I think I am slowly steering myself away from bakegoods that are loaded with choc chips. Not that there is anything wrong with them. In fact I have a theory that adding choc chips can always make a cake taste better. But I also love the crunchiness and flavour that are so unique to nuts and seeds. I have never used hazelnuts in baking before (in fact I have never eaten hazelnuts on its own before today) so I decided to give it a try. It is, after all, the magic ingredient of the heavenly Ferrero Rocher and the creamy Nutella. Instead of lemon as in the original recipe, I have used orange zest and juice for its mellow acidity. A simple orange syrup is poured onto the cake at the end to further intensify the orange flavour and keep the cake moist.

Hazelnut & orange yoghurt cake loaf with orange syrup


1/2 cup white all-purpose flour
1 cup wholemeal plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup pack brown sugar
100g hazelnuts
zest of a whole orange
3 eggs
1 cup plain natural yoghurt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 vanilla extract

For the orange syrup: juice from a whole orange + 1 tbsp brown sugar

1) Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Line a loaf tin.
2) To toast the hazelnuts, pour them in a microwavable container and heat on high setting for thirty seconds. Shake the container to move the nuts around and heat for another thirty seconds. Repeat until the nuts are lightly toasted. Place them in a freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin until they reach the desired size.
3) In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and hazelnuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, eggs, orange zest, vanilla and oil. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently mix just until all ingredients are well combined and there is no sign of flour.
4) Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in pan for ten minutes.
5) Meanwhile make the orange syrup. In a small saucepan, heat the orange juice and the sugar until all sugar is dissolved. Set aside. Transfer the loaf to the cooling rack and poke the surface of the cake with a chopsticks to make small holes. Pour over the orange syrup while the cake is still warm. Serve after the juice has soaked into the cake.

When the cake is still dry with no syrup

Roasted punpkin with Brazil nuts and feta

I use the oven mostly for baking cakes, cookies and slices, rather than cooking actual dishes because roasting and baking are really not part of Chinese cooking. But oven itself is a real time saver when it comes to cooking. You prep all the ingredients, pop everything on the tray, leave it in the oven, come back after a while - VOILA!!! A beautiful meal is finished.
What I made today is a good side dish. Pumpkin cubes simply roasted until soft and intensely sweet, which is contrasted with the crunchy Brazil nuts and the salty and tangy cheese. Super easy to make, hardly any cooking involved, but so delicious.

Roasted pumpkin with Brazil nuts and feta

900g pumpkin (either kent or butternut is fine)
100g Brazil nuts
120g feta cheese

1) Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees C.
2) Deseed the pumpkin and chop into 2.5 cm cubes. (Don't bother with the peeling - the skin will soften in the oven) Lay them on a baking tray. Drizzle some olive oil on top and sprinkle with some cracked pepper and dried mixed herbs. Use your hands to mix evenly so each piece of pumpkin is coated with oil and seasoning.
3) Put in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft and cooked through.
4) Put the nuts in a freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin to yield broken bits of different sizes. Sprinkle over the cooked pumpkin. Break up the feta cheese into small pieces and sprinkle on top. Serve hot as a side dish.

Prawn & pepper spaghetti

One of the things that I like about Brisbane is its outdoor markets. They sell everything from big punnets of strawberries, different types of honey and freshly made pasta to sourdough bread, mini dutch pancakes and handmade chocolate fudge. All the vegetables and fruits are fresh and so much cheaper than getting them from the supermarket. But if you are hoping to get the best quality produce, it is always best to go early as most of these markets open at around 6 o'clock in the morning and finish before noon. And getting out of bed early is not the easiest thing to do in the weekend in winter!
So these are the prawns that I got in the market near where I live. I seldom have the chance to go there because of yoga class and church etc but I really should go more often. (I think I bought the most delicious apples I have ever tasted there!!) They did have the unpeeled ones but I was too lazy to do all the peeling, deveining etc. These prawns are so sweet, crunchy and tasty there really is not much you can do to ruin them, except over-cooking them. They are what makes this simple pasta dish so delicious :)
Prawn & pepper spaghetti

300g wholemeal spaghetti
1 red and 1 green capsicums, deseeded and sliced
1 red chili, finely chopped
300g button mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1) Bring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. When cooked, reserve one cup of pasta water. Drain spaghetti and set aside.
2) In a pan, heat about 1/2 tbsp olive oil above medium-high heat. Add chili and garlic and cook until fragrant. Add mushrooms and allow to cook for a few minutes. Add the prawns and cook until they just turn pink. Stir in the capsicums.
3) Add the cooked spaghetti into the pan and toss all ingredients so they are well combined. Add a bit of pasta water if it looks too dry. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately.