My mother is a fan of the popular book ‘Japanese Women Don’t Get Old — Or Fat Either’. Although I have yet to read it, I would think it’s quite an interesting read mostly because I consume quite a lot of Japanese food and I absolutely adore the cuisine. As most of you already know, I hardly have time to cook or bake of late due to an office job (which seems to be sapping more and more of my life energy and murdering my precious brain cells second by second) which I am highly unaccustomed to. Sitting around all day at a desk is really soul-sapping and too inactive a lifestyle!

Today, sitting at a desk without a LAN point (meaning zero internet connection and therefore zero access to research), without any assignments — I was at my lowest point. Not to mention, my tummy wasn’t feeling too well and I felt awfully lethargic and confined. In other words, I was in a lot of pain. Thankfully, I was able to leave 2 hours earlier than usual to come back to the comforts of home and to the smell of mum’s cooking. Despite not having anything to do all day, I was still strangely knackered when I stepped through the front door so it was a great joy to be able to have homecooked food prepared by none other than my own mother.

I’ve been in Singapore for about 3 weeks now and have been plagued by discomfort in the tummy quite a bit. After discussing this with Mum and Abby, it seems it boiled down to my inability to adapt to the type of milk found here. And since I take quite a lot of diary products daily, my body can’t seem to adjust as quick as it should or recover quick enough. I am currently now off diary for about a week. It seems quite a difficult task — no cereal with milk in the mornings, no milk in tea or coffee, no cheese on crackers, no yoghurts. It’s going to be very tough!

It is now a mind over matter type of situation. I am gutted; but I desperately want to get well soon so I can get back on track with my yoghurts and cheeses and milk with cereal! I can’t do without them for long. I suspect withdrawal symptoms will start to show if I stay away from them for too long.

Anyway, Mum’s solution to my upset tummy was the Japanese Power Breakfast from the book I mentioned above. Ironic I know. But it was quite the dinner. I could hardly finish everything in my bowl and it did ease the bubbly tummy a little. The meal was followed by my sister Abby’s Amazing Ginger Tea which also did make everything so much better. I feel so much more relaxed and albeit, in a lot less pain.

I don’t know exactly the recipe for the 2 dishes in this post but they’re pretty simple to get the hang of I reckon. Abby’s Ginger Tea requires a handful of fresh pandan leaves, weaved and secured together; some maple syrup; about 5 strips of fresh ginger, thinly sliced; a teaspoon of vanilla essence and about 700ml of water. Place everything in a heavy-based saucepan and bring it to a boil, then simmer and adjust ingredients to taste. This will delight the senses with its wonderful aroma. The ginger is beautiful in clearing the system of excess gas and detoxing in general.

Mum’s version of the Power Breakfast is tofu, beans, boiled egg, cherry tomatoes and spring onions on rice with Japanese sweet potatoes in miso soup. It is quite like a watery Teochew porridge which I really love because I prefer having a bite to the rice in my porridge rather than the creamy thick congee you usually find in Cantonese restaurants and eateries. Prepare all the ingredients in a large rice bowl and ladle hot soup over it till all the rice is covered.

It’s a simple, beautiful dish. The egg and miso come together quite well and the vegetables make the whole dish taste so crisp and clean, non-greasy and easy on the stomach. Full of the ‘good stuff’ and in no way lacking in taste, this bowl of awesome deliciousness has left me craving for more and hoping to replicate this some time soon by myself — for myself!

Yet again, despite my awful pictures (taken in the evening when I’m absolutely shattered with hands shakey from hunger and tiredness), Mum has beaten me in her culinary creations. I am determined to make something mind-blowing this weekend. We’ll see how that goes. Hopefully, my stomach’s settled down for good by then too.

I haven’t been posting much lately because I’m enjoying the comforts of a mother’s cooking. I get to flash my culinary tricks only on the weekends or when someone’s got an itch in their sweet tooth and that’s pretty seldom now that I’m home (the land of Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen Dazs). The weekend ended well with a BBQ on Sunday — Lemon Cajun & Honey marinated (honey, lemon juice, cajun spices and Worcestershire sauce) striploin steaks, Cheese & Red Wine and Tomato & Basil sausages from Esprito Santo butchers; not to forget vegetable kebabs and it was a kickass way to prepare myself for the boring desk job the following day.

Indeed Diva is now stuck behind a desk on the weekdays. Soon enough, once her attachment ends, she’s hoping to get hired next month by The Flaming Queen which is a luxury candle shop at the Palais Renaissance hotel (I think it’s a hotel? with a fancy shopping pallasade on the bottom and basement floors?). No matter the amount of blogging and online shopping and foodblog surfing she does, Diva prefers to communicate face to face with living breathing humans than overheating noisy computers.

I’ve realized how soul-sapping a desk job is. And oftentimes, I have to find ways to slow myself down so I don’t complete my assignments too quick and leave myself with spaces of non-activity (which further aid in killing the rest of my pathetic brain cells). And you say Coke is cancer-causing. Work is life depletion at its most effective. Alright. I joke. I jest. I complain and act like a spoilt brat. So sue me. However, I’ve discovered a way to brighten up my “desk-life”. A box of PG tips, a tube of Hobnobs, a packet of Mint Crisp M&Ms (that gorgeous green is so attractive) and a packet of Forest Fruit Gums makes the world all better. Also, it seems I’ve already bought 2 pairs of 4inch heels ever since I started work. I know — that means Death By Heels but no matter. I feel awesome.

These meatballs are inspired by the way Ben Brown makes his meatballs — fuss-free, meaty, greasy, gia-normous and delicious. The best thing to do here is use fresh mozzarella and you literally get molten cheese flowing all around your meatballs when you serve them out of the baking dish. I couldn’t get any of this at such a time so grated mozzarella was used. Nothing like the real thing but this was awesome despite it. Didn’t think too much about presentation either. You really don’t need it. Pile the meatballs into the dish. Pour in all the leftover sauce from the frying pan. Spread them out quick and easy. Top with salami and mozzarella and whack into the oven to complete the cooking process and get the salami to crisp up and release its flavours into the sauce. Of course, with the ultimate moment of having the mozzarella melt, then turn a slight crispy golden brown.

The sad outcome of my meatballs was their salt content. I accidentally popped 2 cubes of strong beef stock into the pan without thinking or tasting. Thankfully, the pasta was served pretty much plain and so it kind of evened itself out. People with salt-conscious tastebuds might want to be warned ahead and adjust the salt content to suit your tastes.

This recipe is perfect for 5, with a tiny bit of meatball leftovers which were wiped out in give or take another 5minutes after the plates were wiped clean. There you have it. Evidence of the Romance of the Meatballs.

Diva-Style Meatballs with Pasta
Ingredients

For the meatballs:
800g minced beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 large white onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
2 tsp dried Italian herbs
1/2 tsp paprika
handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
olive oil, for frying
freshly milled sea salt & black pepper, for seasoning

For the sauce:
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 - 2 beef stock cubes (depends on the type you are using; if it’s a strong one, you may want to reduce this to 1 cube)
1 tbs tomato purée (and a little water if need to dilute)
5 good shakes of Tobasco sauce
2 enormous handfuls of grated mozzarella (preferably use fresh mozzarella sliced into rings if available)
10-15 large strips of salami

For the pasta:
500g fusilli pasta
1 1/2 good glug of extra virgin olive oil
sprinkling of paprika
handful of fresh basil leaves
freshly milled black pepper

Place all the ingredients for the meatballs and 1/4 of prepared chopped onions in a large bowl and mix together. Form into golf-sized or slightly smaller meatballs.

In a large, preferably deep, frying pan, sautée the chopped onions with garlic in olive oil. Place the meatballs gently one by one into the hot pan. Let it cook till the surfaces of the meatballs are cooked and slightly browned. Add the ingredients for the sauce into the pan and let it come to a boil. Add 1/4 cup of water if the mixture is to thick then let it simmer and reduce to desired sauce consistency.

Preheat oven to 180d Celsius.
Once the meatballs and its sauce has reduced, pour into a large deep rectangle baking or casserole dish. Layer the salami over the top, followed by the cheese. Place into oven for about 10-15 minutes.

For the pasta, boil till al dente. Drain away the water. Add the extra virgin olive oil, ground pepper, paprika and basil. Then give it a good stir. Place into pasta plates. Remove meatballs from oven and bring it out onto the dinner table. Have glasses of ice cold drinks ready and a serving spoon for the meatballs.
Spoon over onto plates of pasta in generous amounts. Do not forget to spoon out the lovely sauce and meatball juices at the bottom of the baking dish onto the pasta. Serve with more basil leaves and drops of Tobasco for crazy heat.

Procrastinate.

That’s one word that fits me to a TEE. And so apologies to Deeba for delaying the reply to her tag from a million lightyears ago.

Tags are fun and perfect for linking foodblogs together, and thereafter making foodie friends. Deeba from Passionate About Baking tagged me for a MEME, which is one interesting, slightly egotistic (but ah I love!) tag. It involves answering 30 questions (about yourself).

Awesome! Kinda makes me feel a little like a star being interviewed for a cheesy magazine. I can dream.

1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATRE?
The Incredible Hulk

2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?
Written On The Body by Jeanette Winterson; there are many others on my shelf lined up to be read (bad habit of going on a book spree just so I remember to read them and keep up with up and rising authors but the rate of reading is slower than the rate of purchase)

3) FAVOURITE BOARD GAME?
Monopoly

4) FAVOURITE MAGAZINE?
VOGUE

5) FAVOURITE SMELLS?
Melting chocolate and cooking garlic, not together of course.

6) FAVOURITE SOUNDS?
Electric guitar; drum & bass; Hansie’s voice.

7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
Hangover. I think it’s a whole lot worse than heartbreak.

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?
Food.

9) FAVOURITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
I don’t eat fast food.

10) FUTURE CHILD’S NAME?
Sloane; Sage; really don’t know about boys but they’ll have to begin with J. Haven’t thought about middle names but then again, I DON’T LIKE CHILDREN. So I’ll think about it later.

11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D’
Invest a part of it, and use the rest to open my dream brasserie/bar/restaurant; when the investment brings better returns, I’ll use that to work on my novel. O yea, and give some to the parents of course.

12) DO U DRIVE FAST?
I have yet to go for driving lessons but yes, I do like speed.

13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
One at the bottom of my bed and a stuffed spider under the covers. They’re really there because I can’t be bothered to put them away.

14) STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?
They’re f-ing A!

15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
Not there yet, but I’ll start with a lil Peugot city car.

16) FAVOURITE DRINK?
If it’s non-alcoholic, water.

17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…
Sort my life out.

18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Course I do! It’s the best bit. Crunchy as hell.

19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
I’ve done purple, red, blue and ginger bits in it before. So that leaves me with shocking pink??? Maybe green???

20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Singapore; Oxford; Reading; Fleet; Birmingham; Johor Bahru. The jungle. I’m a poor chick, I don’t go anywhere.

21) FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Rugby/Gymnastics

22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
She’s a baking genius. I could marry her.

23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?
Giant suitcases, loads of bags and my favourite paper bags that I’ve saved from some designer shops. I’m sad I know.

24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??
One go at Life is enough for me, otherwise it wouldn’t mean as much the second time round. But yea, definitely, I wouldn’t wanna be anyone else.

25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Night owl. Mornings are evil.

26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Well that’s tough. I can’t decide. As long as it’s cooked, whack it on my plate I’m not bothered.

27) FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX?
By the sea. Or on someone’s lap with my hair being brushed.

28) FAVOURITE PIE?
Banofee pie! HA, TAKE THAT!

29) FAVOURITE ICECREAM FLAVOUR?
This is a very difficult one since I can’t live without ice cream and I’m a sucker for all flavours. But always always, PISTACHIO.

30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
Don’t know really.
Again, I’m not bothered with such a question.

I’m not very sure about what this MEME tag entails thereafter but I’m assuming I forward the tag to another 5 foodbloggers. The owners of these 5 blogs endure my harrassment (through comments) and are an utter joy and inspiration to read.

1. Ann of Velvet Lava

2. Farida of AZ Cookbook

3. Sharon of Culinary Adventures of a New Wife

4. Toontz of Okara Mountain

5. Dee of Choos and Chews

Hopefully, they won’t be annoyed with my tag harrassment and I can’t wait to read the answers to these MEME questions. Oh what fun.

P/S. TASTESPOTTING is back. JOY!

Summer is SWEET.

Get out your kaftans, maxi dresses, flip flops, tank tops, shades and straw hats. You know the drill.
Look sweet and feel sweet.

Once you’ve done that — focus on the real thing; the thing you can actually taste. It’s time for sugar, sweet and everything nice now that university term has come to its close. It really isn’t as if I’ve been staying off it to be honest and it’s not like there is never a time or reason to avoid sweets but I figured the blog has lacked a little sugary-ness for a while now so it’s only apt to post something that actually would relate to the title of the blog itself.

Besides, a little sweetness in preparation for some serious office work, more research for my dissertation and time spent on my novel-in-construction wouldn’t hurt. Instead, it should give me a boost of courage to take on the summer holidays. Don’t ask me why but I always feel oddly nervous when I’m not at uni. Not wanting to use up all my energy today (since it’s been sapped up by this oppressive equator heat) on some fancy sweet, I went back to my all-time favourite Marmorkuchen recipe.

I insisted on using matcha so that recipe had to be put aside for something that didn’t use extra virgin olive oil (wouldn’t that be too clashing with matcha?) — something that went further back to basics: the most basic of basics of marble cake recipes.

This was awesome. Smelt so great and it just filled up the kitchen with this matcha-ey perfume and it was wonderful with vanilla. There’s something fantastic about the smell of eggs cooking with sugar as well. So homey and comforting.

Just a while ago, I was told Mum went to a posh bakery and purchased a 550g Matcha Loaf. Being all posh and unique, it was sort of soaked and coated in a matcha glaze and the whole loaf was a gorgeous green with an apparently pretty sugar crust. Not one to really pay attention to price tags I reckon, Mum by some misconception of sorts thought she’d paid S$5.50 for that beautiful loaf cake (which wasn’t very large at all and produced 4 humble slices for the 4 family members — this happened when I was still up in England). She must’ve also thought ‘What a buy!’ and eagerly driven home to share it with the family. It was only later that Abz thought to enlighten Mum (after further study of the cake wrapper) as to the true price of the cake — S$12. We had a good laugh about that at the dinner table yesterday and I was reticent about my baking plans for the next day, thinking that I could surprise and blow my Mum away with this matcha cake of mine. You know…daughter makes mother proud…daughter shines brighter than the stars and both strong women bond over a bloody cake in the kitchen.

I can safely tell you that fantasy of mine was shot to hell. All bollocks.

Although I’m impressed with the flavour of this loaf cake, Mum (even though she gobbled up half a slice in 2 bites) insists it’s nothing like her posh loaf. I suppose that is true enough but oh did it ruffle a few of my feathers. Abz was quick to smooth down these feathers, insisting that it’s different but still good.

Oh what a laugh. All I want now is to have a taste of that dastard posh loaf!

This recipe has been adapted from a basic Marble Cake recipe off the BBC Goodfood website. It yields one regular-sized loaf cake.

Matcha Marble Cake
Ingredients

225g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup golden caster sugar
1 3/4 cup self-raising flour, sifted
4 eggs
3 tbs semi-skimmed milk
1/2 tbs vanilla essence
1 1/2 tsp matcha powder

Preheat oven to 180d Celsius.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in the flour, milk and vanilla till smooth.

Split the batter into two bowls (either 2/3 and 1/3 for the matcha batter or 1/2 and 1/2 depending on what you want the outcome to look like). In one bowl designated for the matcha batter, add the matcha 1/2 tsp by 1/2 tsp. Mix carefully with a wooden spoon.

This batter is less runny than that of my Marmorkuchen recipe. Hence, spoon in the vanilla batter as the bottom layer in a greased loaf pan. Follow this with a layer of matcha batter and alternate it till you end with vanilla batter. You can smooth the tops with a spatula and be careful to fill any holes on the surface, especially in the corners of the pan.
Lightly tap the work surface that the pan is sat on to get rid of any air pockets within the batter.

As this batter is more firm, it is recommended to swirl the batters together with a skewer to achieve a marble effect.

*Note: this recipe will produce a cake with a browned outer surface so do not worry too much about the marble effect on the outside.