Lunch

[buds]

As a busy mom of four, I look to quick fix meals or one-dish meals for the family. While the cooking may be quick, it does not mean that the taste is compromised. So, in the spirit of encouraging other fellow moms to enjoy cooking for their family and for their family to enjoy home-cooked food, I will try to share some of my family's favourite quick fix meals with all other moms... and dads too! Enjoy!


PS. If you have tried any of them, do leave your feedback for the rest of us, yeah? :please:

One of our latest favourite is the Butter Rice with Baked Fish Meal pictured below. Compliments to an acquaintance of mine, \"R\" for generously sharing this recipe. :love:

http://i45.tinypic.com/207nd5u.jpg\">

This is the Basmati Rice i use for cooking savory-type rice like nasi lemak, butter rice, tomato rice and even for the occasional simple briyani-like rice.

http://i49.tinypic.com/2prxu1z.jpg\">

The rice grains are longer and they smell heavenly fragrant even when cooked/served as plain rice. The trick to cooking with basmati rice is to soak it first. Yup.. about 15 minutes. But if you have only 5-10 minutes still ok. As long as it gets some soak-time.

To make the butter rice you just need garlic and butter. Yup, just garlic and butter. I used this brand.

http://i46.tinypic.com/6syo95.jpg\">

$4.75 from Prime Supermarket or $5.15 from Cold Storage.

DD2 bought this (butter) on her way back home one of the days this week; asking for the encore of my successful first try on the Butter Rice sometime back.

I used this much (butter) for the rice. The small portion on the right. So about a one-third portion yah? I cooked about 3 cups of rice this time.

http://i46.tinypic.com/9av0bl.jpg\">

The remainder i used to massage the fish.

Heat a small pan. Add the portioned butter with blended garlic. If you don't have blended ones, i suppose no problem with chopped garlic or even sliced ones. When the rich aromatic smell of melted butter (like you are baking cookies comes up) and before the garlic turns brown, add hot water and turn off the fire. Pour into the rice pot with the basmati rice that was already soaked for btwn 5 to 15 minutes and washed. Since i used 3 cups of rice, the water level for my old rice cooker was put to about the number 5 mark. Slightly more water to cook basmati rice. So for new pots that can cook on the dot you + 1.5 for water... and for old rice cookers like mine + 2 for water over the number of cups of rice.

If you'd like some veg or some colour in your butter rice, pour some mixed veggies slightly before you turn off the fire when melting your butter in the pan... just enough to melt the ice. Yes, no need to thaw the veggies in advance. If you prefer to thaw then just add into the pot when the melted butter is done. No need to cook it. We like this brand as it has the cut long beans in them.

http://i47.tinypic.com/29z8r3n.jpg\">

As this butter i used was already the 'salted' one, it's not necessary to add more salt. But if you prefer to add according to your taste, by all means go ahead. Use a small spoon to sample your melted butter+garlic+water portion in the rice cooker and consider if more salt is needed/wanted for your rice as to how you and your family likes it done. Add in the salt before you press the cook button.

It should smell super-dee fragrant as heck while it is cooking and would look like this once it is cooked.

http://i50.tinypic.com/11qpzz4.jpg\">

The butter rice should be soft and delicious smelling and the veggies softly cooked as well; not mashed up.

I'll follow up with the Baked Fish next...

http://i47.tinypic.com/dr6lnk.jpg\">

But a bit later as the boys are already up.

[Jennifer]

buds:

Jennifer:

I find the local small bananas not always available in the mkt, why ah?

Issit? When i was in the west, i normally go Limbang market or Yew Tee market, normally have leh.. In Bt Timah Plaza Finest won't have but alternative is the Pele (or issit Pete) Bananas that they sell in a small plastic but costly for bananas and very few in a bunch/plastic. Like not worth it.

The big Del Monte types won't be as sweet. Can sprinkle more sugar over them when making the banana dessert if really cannot find.

I get the feeling that that plastic bag of bananas (sold at NTUC) is not naturally ripened- sometimes not sweet at all although the skin has black dots.

I hv not eaten a Del Monte banana for years liao, really dun like them.

My favourite is pisang raja - also hard to find n very expensive. The fruits stall seller told me these are supplied to the goreng pisang stalls.

[buds]

Yah, actually i have same feeling abt those in-plastic bag bananas as well. *gulp* Thought it was just me. I had the feeling that they were the unnatural type too. Del Monte on the bitter-ish kind. I don't quite fancy either although they are nice and big.


Now you talking pisang raja.. make me wanna fry some bananas for tea sia. :faint: The best bananas i bought from Bedok Corner the King of Pisang stall. The auntie does a mean Pisang Tandok woh. :drool: Plus the children's request for extra extra crumbs were never turned down. Best eaten hot and super crispy. Beware of scalding. You've been warned arh..

[Jennifer]

Funz:

How do you all maintain you weight while eating like that? Lamb chops, nasi lemak, Shepherd's pie, sayur lodeh. :drool: Plus dessert summore.


I am damn envious. I run almost daily, not a big carbo fan, but yet weight keeps climbing. Haiz.

My weight also climbs. I cant wear sleeveless anymore - bulky arms.

Ice cream - just have a serving of rum raisins and a serving of summer berries and cream

I was at NTUC earlier, saw a new ice cream flavour - salted caramel :please:

I dun like to run. Did that a few times in Jan on Sat morning, to be precise only 4 Sat mornings. Then came the rainy season, now conveniently excuses myself :rotflmao:

I notice K-pop females dance a lot, swinging their hips left and right or pushing their hips front and back, have great looking legs and tiny waist.

I tried to imitate the actions. Boy, I was surprised it is not effortless. Tried a few times each day, over a few days, I noticed my tummy is less protuding and can see a tiny bit outline of the abs muscles. U try this approach, maybe will help?

[Jennifer]

buds:

Now you talking pisang raja.. make me wanna fry some bananas for tea sia. :faint: The best bananas i bought from Bedok Corner the King of Pisang stall. The auntie does a mean Pisang Tandok woh. :drool: Plus the children's request for extra extra crumbs were never turned down. Best eaten hot and super crispy. Beware of scalding. You've been warned arh..

AH!!!!!

on a serious note, I find some goreng pisang stalls disappointing - does not use the real raja.

Luckily I do not know this Bedok Corner King of Pisang stall whereabout :imcool: U dun post the address here, else :spank:

[Jennifer]

buds:

This is the Basmati Rice i use for cooking savory-type rice like nasi lemak, butter rice, tomato rice and even for the occasional simple briyani-like rice.


http://i49.tinypic.com/2prxu1z.jpg\">

Buds, where do you buy this brand of basmati rice?

The one we get in Cold Storage does not measure up to hubby's expectation while the boys hate it. I am now left with so much.

[buds]

You can find them in Sheng Siong and in neighbourhood markets - either the indian shops or some malay shops. Some Chinese provision shops that sells those dried food like variation of dried shrimps and ikan bilis, may have as well.

[buds]

I am not giving you the address but not sure if they will tell you the address here. Just a quick google for Goreng Pisang King will lead you places. This macik stall featured sooo many places wor... but hey don't take our word for it. :evil: You have to try to believe it. :imanangel:


http://www.eatingcorner.com/2012/06/top-10-halal-food-in-singapore-we-cant.html

http://www.camemberu.com/2008/07/roti-jala-at-bedok-corner.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AArsQlHHOCU

[Harlequin]

Jennifer:

Funz:

How do you all maintain you weight while eating like that? Lamb chops, nasi lemak, Shepherd's pie, sayur lodeh. :drool: Plus dessert summore.


I am damn envious. I run almost daily, not a big carbo fan, but yet weight keeps climbing. Haiz.

My weight also climbs. I cant wear sleeveless anymore - bulky arms.

Ice cream - just have a serving of rum raisins and a serving of summer berries and cream

I was at NTUC earlier, saw a new ice cream flavour - salted caramel :please:

I dun like to run. Did that a few times in Jan on Sat morning, to be precise only 4 Sat mornings. Then came the rainy season, now conveniently excuses myself :rotflmao:

I notice K-pop females dance a lot, swinging their hips left and right or pushing their hips front and back, have great looking legs and tiny waist.

I tried to imitate the actions. Boy, I was surprised it is not effortless. Tried a few times each day, over a few days, I noticed my tummy is less protuding and can see a tiny bit outline of the abs muscles. U try this approach, maybe will help?

:offtopic:
Talking about slimming tummy, allow me to share a sure-work exercise... but hor, don't stone me if your tummy ache till you can't even let out a sneeze...

Lay diagonally on bed, position your buttock at the edge of the L shape corner of your bed.
Legs on the floor, straighten your legs and then lift up your perfectly straighten legs, as slooooooowly as you could take, try to tahan the slow lifting for 10mins till your legs level with your lying-flat body.
Take a rest for 2 mins.

Now do the other way round, still laying on the L edge of the bed, level your legs to your body, this time slooooooowly put down your straighten legs, tahan 10 mins till your legs touched the floor.

It works if you do it 3x per week! In 3 months time you'll have flat and tone tummy and thighs.

Be warn that your legs, tummy even your chest would be sore for a few days, I couldn't even sneeze the first 2 days :slapshead:

[Jennifer]

Harlequin:

Talking about slimming tummy, allow me to share a sure-work exercise... but hor, don't stone me if your tummy ache till you can't even let out a sneeze...

:thankyou: :thankyou:

now we can eat more