Indochine Kitchen » Eggplant with Chili, Sambal Terong

Holy Macaroni!! The pictures on this page got me salivating at midnight - NOT GOOD.

Indochine Kitchen » Eggplant with Chili, Sambal Terong

...but, but, but, it looks so totally amazing.

*note to try out asap!*

Kick Ass Beef Goulash

Feeds 4 adults.

Ingredients:
1 kg of beef cubes (or the original recipe asks for horse meat *gulp*)
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp of paprika (or more if you like it hot!)
1 tbsp of cummin seeds
1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
2 tbsp of tomato puree
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1.5 litre of water
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube
1 tin of peeled tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, based on personal preference

- Marinate 1 kg of bite-sized beef cubes with 1 tbsp of all purpose flour, 1 tbsp of paprika, 1 tbsp of cummin seeds, some pepper and salt.
- Brown the beef cubes in a heavy based pot (I use my trusty Le Creuset) in 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, for about 8-10 mins. You will find that a sticky brown paste will accumulate in the inside of the pot.
- Add 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar, scrap the brown sticky stuff off for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add 2 tbsp of tomato puree, mix thoroughly for a few minutes.
- Add 1 litre of water and a vegetable or chicken stock cube. Bring to boil, and then reduce heat to simmer for about an hour. Stir occasionally to ensure beef cubes are not burnt, and that there is sufficient water. Add more if not.
- Add a tin of peeled tomatoes (or fresh juicy sweet ones, if you find them. Probably those you can get on vines, but darn they are expensive!)
- Simmer longer if beef cubes are still too hard (they should break/ disintegrate easily). Another 30 minutes should be fab.
- Top with fresh cut onion rings and serve with baguette.

Best eaten the day after! You can batch and freeze for those lazy nights in too!

Iron Cast Goodness in Little India

I love iron cast pots because they look good, come in various delicious colours and retain flavours like nothing else in this world. I know this because after much contemplation, I got myself a 24-inch Le Crueset a few months ago, and I have been using it almost every weekend ever since.

It. is. divine.

And everyone who likes cooking should have one!!!

Thus, I was delighted to hear about the opening of Cocotte at the new Wanderlust boutique hotel (sister to New Majestic and 1929) on Dickson Road, off Jalan Besar in the Little India heritage area. Best way to get onto Dickson Road is via Jalan Besar, and the white heritage building is hard to miss.

The restaurant came across honest and sincere - no elaborate dinner ware or table decorations, but some rather adorable interior design and ornaments. Aside from the usual ala carte menu, there was a well priced lunch menu and specials for the day.

To respect the privacy of the other diners in the restaurant, i did not take a better picture to show the interior, but it was small and intimate, with perhaps about 60-80 seats tops. But i did however took a picture of this very funky ceiling lamp, which reminded me of a spider!

Then there is the quintessential open kitchen, which does not quite work for Chinese restaurants I was told due to the amount of stir frying that is done. The open kitchen wasn't that visible unless you were sitting in one end of the restaurant, and the small window didn't exactly encourage you to stare. But the line of coloured iron cast pots on the shelf did enthrall me endlessly.

And now, yes, i know, the question on your mind is, "how is the food?" and I must say it was quite a delight! I did not hesitate to try the Croque Monsieur (in remembrance of the wonderful days in the land of Liberte, Egalite et Fraternite), but i think it was a tad bit too thick and dry for me.

However, my companions had some amazing fish and steak et frites, and the desserts were pretty awesome. The next time i visit, i'm keen to try some iron cast pot dishes - which i reckon ought to be what they are really good at.

It's such a delight to find a restaurant with character, and located in a culturally rich area!

I need to bring along my better camera to take better food pictures!

New Kid On The Block

There's a new kid on the culinary block! Review to come shortly!

A Very Pretty Lunch

This week, Kathl and I promised to eat healthy and exercise so that we will feel better about ourselves and feel better for our upcoming project. Yesterday, we shared a lunch of smoked salmon and bagel (with cream cheese - yikes!) and chicken quesadilla; and for dinner, i fell victim to some korean beef rice in a hot stone bowl and 2 pieces of pan fried gyoza. *slaps forehead* Good food is my weakness, and I'm currently lacking the self discipline!

Today, i was determined to continue with eating healthy. With Sali and Jsiy, we strolled to Toast (very well kept secret, i tell ya!) and each had a sandwich. Our meal was so colourful, I thought I had to take a picture. They make it easier to eat healthy!



Top Left: Jsiy had a roast chicken sandwich on toasted ciabatta and a caesar salad with chicken (he was a little flabbergasted to find that the roast chicken was shredded and mixed with a ton of mayonnaise...)

Top Right: Sali had egg and watercrest on toasted white bread, and a side of sweet potato salad.

Foreground: That's my Masala Chicken Wrap with Mango and Romaine Lettuce, a side of roasted pumpkin and tofu salad, and a fresh juice concoction of Apple, Carrot and Celery. YUM!

Eating healthy takes effort!!! It would have been cheaper and easier to grab the nasi goreng around the corner.