Author Archives: chayohome2020

Family Traditions: Garlic Butter

By Andrea Pavee As a little girl, Garlic Bread was a family treat for special occasions. A favourite family restaurant, Fujiya (long since closed) served them wrapped, piping hot, in red-checked napkins, placed in dark brown wicker bread baskets. We loved biting down on the warm slices, oozing buttery goodness, straight from the oven. InContinue reading “Family Traditions: Garlic Butter”

The Two Kuihs and a Bouquet of Flowers

The word “kuih” will usually bring a smile to a child’s face in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, because it refers to goodies like snacks and desserts. (In Indonesia, the word is Kue) But the truth is that kuihs also bring joy to adults, especially those with a sweet tooth or those who like to snack.Continue reading “The Two Kuihs and a Bouquet of Flowers”

The Banana in Coconut Milk Story Unravelled

By Siri Preamble: In Thai, Kluay Buad Chee literally means “Banana in the nunhood”. I was so perplexed with the name in my childhood. How bananas can become nuns?!! Finally, it dawned upon me that the dessert is basically bananas covered in white coconut milk as if robed in white (cloth) like a Buddhist nun!Continue reading “The Banana in Coconut Milk Story Unravelled”

The Lemongrass, Garlic, Pepper and Coca-Cola Wow Dish

I was thinking of what to cook for Mother’s Day when my mother came to the rescue by telling me about a recipe she saw on Facebook. She insisted that I had to take down the recipe: 1kg of pork belly 3 heads of garlic 3 stalks of lemongrass Pepper corn Salt Fish sauce DarkContinue reading “The Lemongrass, Garlic, Pepper and Coca-Cola Wow Dish”

The Joy of Cooking Precedes the Joy of Eating

This article is a tribute to joyful cooks. Angelica is one of them. I needed something to feature in this week’s post, but I had not managed to try out a new recipe (saku sai moo – steamed sago dumplings with minced pork, peanuts and garlic, served with lettuce) in time. Besides, there was noContinue reading “The Joy of Cooking Precedes the Joy of Eating”

Christmas Comes, But Once A Month?

By Andrea Pavee The familiar roar of the grass cutting machine always brings smiles of glee to my face since it heralds a “Christmas-time” for my garden. Bags and bags of fresh cut grass means a good feeding for my plants. Even better, this fertilizer is abundant and free – who could ask for more?Continue reading “Christmas Comes, But Once A Month?”

The Refreshingly Cool Chicken in Shaoxing Wine

If you need a refreshing change for a Sunday meal, try drunken chicken. It’s amazingly simple to cook. I bought a chicken (already chopped) from the supermarket. As usual, I have had a busy week and needed a simple Sunday meal. I have been wanting to cook drunken chicken for a while, so I steamedContinue reading “The Refreshingly Cool Chicken in Shaoxing Wine”

What is so Amazing about Val’s Egg and Fish Cutlet Sandwiches?

The amazing thing is that Val baked the Japanese milk bread (shokupan) herself! Most people barely have time to pack lunch, let alone make a packed lunch from scratch. Val makes sure that her packed lunches are healthy and beautifully presented. On the subject of healthy meals, P’Pew sent a photo of P’Pad’s favourite dish:Continue reading “What is so Amazing about Val’s Egg and Fish Cutlet Sandwiches?”

Family Traditions: Bread and Butter Pudding

By Andrea Pavee Having discovered a new brand of delicious beef burgers, I overbought hamburger buns last week. Not wanting to waste the buns which were nearing their expiry date, a lightning strike of an idea occurred, and I decided to make bread and butter pudding instead. When I was a child, Mum’s bread andContinue reading “Family Traditions: Bread and Butter Pudding”