We were both watching the episode of ‘Hey Chef!’, 《大厨你在家吗?!》some time in December last year. The celebrity chef, Ku Keung, was making silken egg tofu from scratch usiing the unsweetened Nutrisoy Soya Milk, a brand of soy milk product for which he was a spokesperson. We were both amazed by the result of this simple yet healthy recipe – nicely formed tofu blocks which looked silken soft and without bubbles. How was this possible?
I fondly recall my favourite stall at the canteen during the period of time when I was attending secondary school. I can’t remember what the main dishes were that were sold at the stall; what I do remember is that every Friday, the stall would dish out a favourite of most students there – plates of yam rice that are extremely tasty and addictive. The stream of people queuing up in front of this stall was always constant during the recess times on Fridays. That was one of the reasons why my classmates and I always looked forward to Friday afternoons, albeit the boring lessons that dulled most of our appetite for the day.
Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the day before the first day of Lent (or Ash Wednesday) – exactly forty-seven days in February or March before Easter Sunday arrives. This is the day when many Christians indulge in rich and fatty food that are sacrificed for the season of Lent before heading into it to reflect on their past behaviours or repent on their wrongdoings. The French term ‘Madi Gras‘, meaning ‘Fat Tuesday‘, refers specifically to this indulgent practice before religious fasting begins on Ash Wednesday.
Risotto is a common staple in Italy. It is a rice dish cooked till a creamy consistency in a broth using the specific Arborio short rice grains. If I could be allowed to make this comparison, it is the equivalent of the Asian rice porridge where rice is boiled in water for an extended time to make for a delicate soupy consistency. The difference is that for risotto, broth and wine are gradually added to the rice, followed by butter and cheese to ‘cream’ it at the end of the cooking. Asian porridge, on the other hand, traditionally uses long grain rice and plain water to create a more watery and less sticky texture; the flavours of the Asian porridge come from either the additional ingredients added to it or the side dishes served alongside the plain rice dish.
