From Market to Kitchen

After going to two groceries - Fair Price and Cold Storage, it's quite traumatic experiencing high Singapore food prices so we had to make our way to the wet market.  On-board our now favored mode of transportation - the wheelchair operated by the 20-horse power hubby, we reached the market via long route but figured out the shortcut after that.  Whatever the route, it's always pleasant because the jungle-forest-tropical-paradise is woven into the urban fabric.  

Jason did most of the purchasing and concluded that the stall vendor outside was more honest than the ones inside.  We loaded the back of the wheelchair with fresh produce before heading for lunch.    

As the early riser, I'm the one always cooking breakfast and have done toasted wheat bread with eggs, fried rice and recently a series with garlic rice paired with luncheon meat one morning and salted fish and tomatoes the next day.

For lunch and dinner, Jason and I alternate every two meals.  For his turn, he did our much-missed hotpot with majiang (peanut sauce) but we still have yet to find where to get super thinly slice lamb like in northern China.  Next, he did a deliciously healthy fish soup.

For my turn, I did an Asian meal of steamed shrimp and stir fried vegetables, mushroom and tofu and followed that up with a Western meal of basil mustard chicken wings, buttered carrots and asparagus with cheddar pasta.  These kitchen forays taught me a whole lot of lessons:

1.  Don't over-steam the veggies or else they'll be too soggy when you stir fry.  It was my fault because I left the kitchen to go on the internet while the broccoli and carrots were in the steamer.  Of course, I lingered a few minutes too long.

2.  Don't be afraid to use the oven.  I've always been afraid to use the oven but from today onwards will be braver.  I burned the walnuts and chicken skin but the insides weren't cooked in the pan so had no choice but put them into the oven.  The marinade worked its magic and the wings tasted good but I couldn't save the walnuts.

3.  Anything from an oven must be handled with extra care.  Folded cloth is not enough.  A burned finger should always remind me.

4.  Figure out how to do the pasta sauce texture right or else pity your family who eats your experiment!

Jason did another healthy yummy soup for his following turn.  He used ginseng and this magical worm from Tibet that's supposed to work wonders for one's body.  I didn't like the way it tasted like a twig but the soup was wonderful and hopefully the worm's nutrients have been absorbed.  He also did our favorite "tudou si" which are thin potato strips in a vinegary concoction well-loved in homes across Jason's part of China.  

I've noticed that Jason truly just loves food exclusively coming from Northern China while food from elsewhere pales in comparison and he doesn't eat as heartily when it's another type of cuisine.  So when my turn came up, although I love doing western dishes like the salmon with herb buttered rice and cheddar-asparagus noodles, I did a typical Chinese dish of cucumber and scrambled eggs.

I'm so happy to get the chicken wings baked with much improvement because I popped them into the oven without fear or hesitation.  Skin got burned but next time, I know what to do so this doesn't happen.  Jason, Joshua and I were happy with the rich flavor plus I did a spicy version especially for dear hubby. The pasta sauce texture also came out better by cooking it separately instead of folding it over the noodles as it mixes.

The stir-fry vegetables is still hard to master.  I can't get them to not be soggy although the flavor is okay.  It's a matter of experience, timing and with more and more trials in our domesticated Singapore life, I'll get it right one of these days!