tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75833737801531055732024-03-16T12:10:24.255+11:00vegan about townstephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.comBlogger663125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-91312990095003001592024-02-26T21:04:00.006+11:002024-02-26T21:04:41.674+11:00Singapore before lunar new year <p><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">After four years of not being able to, I went to Singapore the week before Lunar New Year. I spent the whole time eating, swimming and arting. Here are the highlights: </span></p><div><br /></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><a href="https://greenba.com.sg/">Green BA</a>, Somerset. </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Look, don't be put off by how Green BA is a 'vegetarian dining concept.' It might have a vertical hydroponics wall and some weird aunties and a soundtrack of peking opera, but it is handily located (right next to an MRT entrance) and the food is great. I got a fish curry only because my original choice wasn't available. And this </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">is fish curry was INCREDIBLE. Strong recommend, the curry came out on a bubbling hot flame, it was beautiful. I couldn’t finish it and took the leftovers home for breakfast the next morning. Beans, okra and a lovely mock fish. My only regret is that I didn’t eat it a second time.</span></div></span><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRBaSIodsKdkiuexcPHRB6Yw3TO9nR2NpKytvRsDQBsQGn5erE8Zt8XtotTQEEoqbkh78BqJ5i9ytntD-7RJ0uNHKOOV23YPRDXJizA4i9wsKDocjNI7kbtSvnSoUzgtqSJjgGgrti-vI8u76_YfZTA4l1DfzKyfIeOeaWcSgC4tg-9MZPJjBB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRBaSIodsKdkiuexcPHRB6Yw3TO9nR2NpKytvRsDQBsQGn5erE8Zt8XtotTQEEoqbkh78BqJ5i9ytntD-7RJ0uNHKOOV23YPRDXJizA4i9wsKDocjNI7kbtSvnSoUzgtqSJjgGgrti-vI8u76_YfZTA4l1DfzKyfIeOeaWcSgC4tg-9MZPJjBB=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div></span><br /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><a href="https://www.realfoodgrocer.com/">Real Food</a>, Orchard Central. </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Real Food used to be located in the basement of Clarke Quay Central, and I revisited an old favourite dish here, the wonton dry noodles. It was nice but honestly it was a bit boring, in the years intervening I'd forgotten that the wontons are weirdly healthy and the noodles are not strong in flavour. It was mostly nostalgia that brought me here (and hunger) and given how close Orchard Central is to Somerset, I'm unlikely to return again. Iced coffee was good.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpkVlmofKCoA2bfxGW6xQHlUv41jBlVYhjR5ZIGKgVWbJOFnakfnZ0ON30fImSyViRXDPF2slrUNnCOI7bZz7b-QGukFkdEzmNnC0oD1VuvYQoKVjzczGBF2iK82e4t5xIw8BCnuVsmg0F4vJFT0YUK9w3cB64wuJUy99lqR5s5Q6L3UaPEFgV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpkVlmofKCoA2bfxGW6xQHlUv41jBlVYhjR5ZIGKgVWbJOFnakfnZ0ON30fImSyViRXDPF2slrUNnCOI7bZz7b-QGukFkdEzmNnC0oD1VuvYQoKVjzczGBF2iK82e4t5xIw8BCnuVsmg0F4vJFT0YUK9w3cB64wuJUy99lqR5s5Q6L3UaPEFgV=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><a href="https://www.nomvnom.com/">Nom v Nom</a>, Clarke Quay Central.</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Here’s a repeat story: Nom v Nom used to be in the basement at Clarke Quay Central. Now it has a lovely view of Clarke Quay from the third floor. Again I revisited an old favourite, the ‘temptation satay’, which is a hunk of tempe with a very spicy satay sauce in a soft bun. It was greasy and sweet and very very spicy. And another repeat: honestly it was not as good as I remembered. It was nostalgia that brought me back and I could potentially return again, if I wanted a burger in Singapore. Nom v Nom also does a great iced matcha, and a lot of weird vegan merch.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhT27IWKOu9whQ1SIYSvf0oDGwMEA9CKj2ei1knK2cBDu9pYkgm0_cxV2qJ9Vxyo9TaIqqe5YtgBu-HDgM2QS7KXe3VSVg4PVvy8nkGY47CtOES8r-KScQAiilIESWSMEiOWPwzeyhytl8sMwycWoWkTne9fA9EzZhWXmJY5l9xgNXvPrSebsIH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhT27IWKOu9whQ1SIYSvf0oDGwMEA9CKj2ei1knK2cBDu9pYkgm0_cxV2qJ9Vxyo9TaIqqe5YtgBu-HDgM2QS7KXe3VSVg4PVvy8nkGY47CtOES8r-KScQAiilIESWSMEiOWPwzeyhytl8sMwycWoWkTne9fA9EzZhWXmJY5l9xgNXvPrSebsIH=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><a href="https://www.greendot.sg/food-menu">Green Dot</a>, Raffles Place. </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Green Dot is a chain across Singapore. You can do bainmarie or special dish order, and I went the laksa. It was so so good! Lunch queue is excessive but what can you expect in the CBD. I really enjoy Green Dot. The service is fast and all the non-soup meals come with a herbal soup which is such a Singapore mood. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirl9A5sxg7J-3KbgVxtNksIUAtPWeCk3lT8DBR24GaTkn0lRjEtFE093HuyCHcmA0vBV8PnTmkjSni0r_7pmfDnwON9JyAUDhOPE_J3e61jQWX6y-AhN5FnIzVRe-srkWPEEX3ZZG30iPjhzX-1OpSWRTQytlE4o-UbVum-gAEPlkauugAUGI_" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirl9A5sxg7J-3KbgVxtNksIUAtPWeCk3lT8DBR24GaTkn0lRjEtFE093HuyCHcmA0vBV8PnTmkjSni0r_7pmfDnwON9JyAUDhOPE_J3e61jQWX6y-AhN5FnIzVRe-srkWPEEX3ZZG30iPjhzX-1OpSWRTQytlE4o-UbVum-gAEPlkauugAUGI_=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Haidilao, Somerset 313 </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Haidilao is an international chain, and is one of my favourite hotpot locations. I’ve never been to the Somerset 313 location before (I usually go to Clarke Quay lol), and it was great! Service was good, ingredients were fresh, and the robots were creepy but cute. Took the 2.5 year old and he was well-catered to (kids that small get a free plate of food to cook) The noodle dancer seemed like he was there only under duress. They have two vegan stocks: the mushroom broth and the tomato broth. Remember to check the ingredients on the condiments, and remember that in Singapore, just because something says tofu doesn't mean it's vegetarian ;P </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg590_2Iood1r78xMVeHEvY0PcRPigVIzd_JjSr8hvWqtrH5sCzEYFzozSb7PnfWikE9z-V7BuJRk8DDA0YlUN4OdNViIQxEVKEU4FadS2ij1aJQjhCv9xN4RmVk7oBUXEcGyC-a7XHJepd2M2xaxhhrB_LJzsbCVd9V3D1urywwUiXOwdHednM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg590_2Iood1r78xMVeHEvY0PcRPigVIzd_JjSr8hvWqtrH5sCzEYFzozSb7PnfWikE9z-V7BuJRk8DDA0YlUN4OdNViIQxEVKEU4FadS2ij1aJQjhCv9xN4RmVk7oBUXEcGyC-a7XHJepd2M2xaxhhrB_LJzsbCVd9V3D1urywwUiXOwdHednM=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Taiwanese Thunder Tea Rice, Lau Pa Sat. </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I haven’t had thunder tea rice in years! What a joy! Line was long but the food came out so so fast. I had it with the extra chickpeas and the soup on the side. So brilliant! I have never seen thunder tea rice in Australia so it was good to have this. Thunder tea rice is a Hakka dish, it’s hard to describe but it’s a tea soup on the side (I promise this is good!) serviced with rice and toppings. Just eat it okay. It’s good. Make sure you specify no anchovies or whatever, but the base one is veg. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifh7KCN93521UARtGWcdp6N1W69dFbfDjtapSXBGH2vqNod_GrNj41UYwJgJCw2p6qnlFCMZL14JUnDBvKPPzabdPgmkbZonfKSV-5HvKZSJ8CqalfJ7iD_5rgMoQ6hpGi6Oev4pnvE9A9R9sCvZlu0dTHo0xHC1LcbrgnGJDvzPKhflgsQEex" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifh7KCN93521UARtGWcdp6N1W69dFbfDjtapSXBGH2vqNod_GrNj41UYwJgJCw2p6qnlFCMZL14JUnDBvKPPzabdPgmkbZonfKSV-5HvKZSJ8CqalfJ7iD_5rgMoQ6hpGi6Oev4pnvE9A9R9sCvZlu0dTHo0xHC1LcbrgnGJDvzPKhflgsQEex=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Places at which I drank an iced coffee.</b></span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Long-time non-dairy drink travellers will know that often, when outside Australia, one must go to a Starbucks to get a caffeinated non-dairy beverage. This is particularly true in Asia, where if one asks for soy milk one gets Chinese soy milk. I obviously love fresh Chinese soy milk, but absolutely never in my coffee. For BDS reasons, I’m not currently drinking from Starbucks; fortunately, I was still able to get some iced soy lattes. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mavrk, Great World - This is a little hole in the wall at one of the exits. Coffee was good. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Social Space, Chinatown - I sat down in this cute cafe after a visit to the tooth relic temple. It was nice to sit inside. It’s a social enterprise so it also has some lovely little things for sale. This coffee was fine. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Anyway ILU Singapore, see you next time. </span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /></div>stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-9929562216859165962022-05-27T11:48:00.006+10:002022-05-27T11:53:19.448+10:00a post about getting food delivered <p>My housemate has covid! My other housemate maybe has long covid! I do not (currently) have either of these things, but being the only fully functioning adult in the house is not enjoyable. so we have been getting a food delivery every week or so, and I want to recommend to you the following shortcuts to eating well when you don't have the energy for fully cooking and when you can afford it (I am now cash poor until pay day). </p><p><a href="https://www.fairfeed.com.au/order">Fair feed</a>: Fair feed is a St-Kilda organisation that is trying to bring the community nourishing meals whilst also providing fair employment. During covid, when lots of cooks etc were out of work, they pivoted to this model and it is still going. You order before Monday 6pm for a Wednesday delivery or before Tuesday 4pm for a Thursday delivery. The food can all be frozen, and it comes in 1-2 portions. So far my favourite dishes have been the silky eggplant noods and the 1kg of bolognaise sauce. Yesterday I used a coles-bought flavoured tofu to zhush up the noods. This is $10.50 for delivery. </p><p><a href="https://www.catering.asrc.org.au/">ASRC Catering</a>: ASRC Catering is an offshoot of the ASRC, it is a social enterprise that creates pathways to employment for people seeking asylum. Their delivery slots are often filled up heaps in advance but they are a short drive for me so I have picked up from here once or twice. My favourite dish from here is the spicy Ethiopian berbere lentils. </p><p><a href="https://misterniceguy.orderup.com.au/">Mr Nice Guy's Bakeshop</a>: A regular old vegan bakery in Ascot Vale, you can order before 11:30am for same day delivery and trust me, I do. This is less 'nourishing' and more good old carbs. I am about to eat an apple cinnamon scroll and yesterday's morning snack was a cheesymite scroll. The delivery fee for me is $15 and the minimum order is $20, which with three carb-loving adults in the house is an easy meet. </p><p>We have used <a href="https://www.milk.run/">Milk Run</a> for emergency groceries, which has worked exactly as advertised. Variety is limited but we got everything we needed. </p><p>I haven't used, but have heard good things about <a href="https://www.dinnerladies.com.au/Shop/Menu">the Dinner Ladies</a>. </p><p>Wish me luck not getting covid in my infected house xxx </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAnZHItYpej99N-K-xrPVxf7PPKHLVhiVfLWb4qoUQJ-SM3cihlTBaAsAZjmLvrBlQyDkqwDk_-utVH8V-e2xp7j4S9jHMhDz9xaJSb2VLJ_pKw780IL0yx7AG6iFHtTLGxl3YzMi3DZ8GzLQ37gEzne7RtzX7bWf5RDM8JpIFDwtAiRPS9GLudtm/s3024/561DFC27-EE32-471E-92BE-038C6818FADC.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAnZHItYpej99N-K-xrPVxf7PPKHLVhiVfLWb4qoUQJ-SM3cihlTBaAsAZjmLvrBlQyDkqwDk_-utVH8V-e2xp7j4S9jHMhDz9xaJSb2VLJ_pKw780IL0yx7AG6iFHtTLGxl3YzMi3DZ8GzLQ37gEzne7RtzX7bWf5RDM8JpIFDwtAiRPS9GLudtm/s320/561DFC27-EE32-471E-92BE-038C6818FADC.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-73113132070582922022-02-22T12:59:00.005+11:002022-02-22T13:04:18.479+11:00a post about my friend, catherine<p> Hello! </p><p><a href="http://www.catescates.com.au/">My friend Catherine</a> passed away two weeks ago. Maybe she was your friend, too. She was friends with so many people. Today was her funeral. I wasn't able to attend in person, but there was a live stream and so there I was, sobbing from 3000 kilometres away. </p><p>I met Catherine somewhere between 11 and 13 years ago, in the summer. I was going to the cricket with her brother and, despite having never met me, she made sure I was fully catered for. All I remember was these amazing vegan jellies, and her late arrival because of complications. Veganism 12 years ago was still not mainstream, and I hadn't had jelly lollies in forever and I was so, so blown away by her generosity and thoughtfulness. Savouries, sure. Some fruit? Definitely. But bloody vegan jelly lollies? </p><p>Two other things I have definitely eaten that Catherine made for me were: </p><p>The v<a href="http://www.catescates.com.au/recipe-vegan-cheeseburger-cupcakes/">egan cheeseburger cupcakes</a> that I screamed about to her face - W I L D, so much effort for so little payback! Of course I ate several of them, but I remember telling her that I would have been happy with something so much less intricate and involved. </p><p><a href="http://www.catescates.com.au/show-off-post-wedding-cakes/">Cupcakes at this wedding</a> </p><p>The last thing she made for me were lemon and passionfruit cupcakes, on the Saturday before she died. I was sitting on the train, tired, and I was a bit reluctant to travel all the way to Coburg; but it was lunar new year, and she'd made me a crochet dragon and i DEFINITELY wanted it, and it's always nice to see Catherine. So she decided to make cupcakes. They were still warm when I arrived; they were so fresh out of the oven that they fell apart when she decided to move them by grabbing the tops of them. I took half a dozen away; I didn't want to take that many, but she'd made a flavour that her husband Andrew didn't even like! So I ate two even just waiting for the bus (the bus! the things I have done for you, Catherine). </p><p>I have played with many of Catherine's recipes over the years; she was one of the first omnivorous melbunnies I knew who would so enthusiastically cater to peoples' different dietary needs. </p><p>Reflecting on my life, and having had her in it, as one is wont to do after a funeral, I think I'm going to be cooking some of Catherine's recipes in the near future. I will modify them all, as she would have wanted, and maybe I will tell you about them. Probably I would cook them for you. In fact, today I'm cooking two cheesecakes, recipe testing for a friend - I definitely would have told Catherine about them, I think she would have been interested in them. </p><p>Here are some other words about Catherine: <a href="https://www.lokicarbis.net/in-memoriam-catherine-heloise/">in memoriam</a> by someone who has known her half her life; <a href="https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2022/02/in-loving-memory-of-catherine-heloise">in loving memory</a> from the smart bitches.</p><p>On this day, and every day, may we be generous with our spirits, and our skills, and leave the world a more full, happy place when we waddle off. </p><p>My love to you all </p>stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-23899121966473958282022-01-09T20:31:00.002+11:002022-01-09T20:31:47.400+11:00a cuminy sabzi Sometimes you are making a dal and you are like, I need to eat something green. And you rummage around and you find in your fridge: <div>- 2 very small heads of broccoli </div><div>- half a red capsicum </div><div>- two small white potatoes </div><div><br /></div><div>and you think, I can make a little side dish out of this. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>a very easy cumin and mustard sabzi, to go with your dal</b></div><div><br /></div><div>ingredients</div><div>2 small heads of broccoli, or one regular broccoli </div><div>half a red capsicum, or whatever capsicum you prefer</div><div>2 middling potatoes </div><div>1 tablespoon ground cumin (ish - I was too lazy to get out a spoon) </div><div>Equal amounts of minced ginger and minced garlic </div><div>1 teaspoon mustard seeds </div><div>a stick of curry leaves </div><div>some garam masala (but not much) </div><div><br /></div><div>cook this in a fry pan or a wok, not a pot! </div><div><br /></div><div>dice the potato, the broccoli and capsicum. boil the potato until it is almost cooked in some salty water; add the broccoli for the last three minutes. drain. </div><div><br /></div><div>in a little bit of oil, fry the garlic, ginger, cumin, mustard seeds and curry leaves. (remove the curry leaves from the branch) after about a minute, add all the vegies, and coat them in the spices. add a pinch or two of garam masala. fry this all together until it is starting to look a little dry and concerning, then add a splash or three of water. put a lid on the fry pan. let it steam until all the water is gone and the potato is starting to get a bit mushy. whip off the lid and serve. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-44439401873670845342021-09-30T20:19:00.007+10:002021-09-30T20:21:56.427+10:00burgertory <p>Look, every day as a species we move further back along the wheel, and having a restaurant named Burgatory where the meals are named after archangels and deadly sins is no exception to that movement. But, having cycled (and driven) past a bunch of these places when they were closed, and having had a pretty hectic work day in the hospital mines, I decided a weird new burger was the correct mid-week dinner choice. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_5MQhl17ETTHp8M3vgDYwxQcXg3BndqdDeZgNWu8PAhsaj3z53NCLyCHkv8GiAiuVODVhSVLZwYGu9GUvvHLP8R2rMSgsLYj5I1C-H_6O81-TZojW-Qlf65nOU7BTkX3EiO_Ri12g5o/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_5MQhl17ETTHp8M3vgDYwxQcXg3BndqdDeZgNWu8PAhsaj3z53NCLyCHkv8GiAiuVODVhSVLZwYGu9GUvvHLP8R2rMSgsLYj5I1C-H_6O81-TZojW-Qlf65nOU7BTkX3EiO_Ri12g5o/w320-h320/image.png" width="320" /></a></div>And it was! Featured here is the 'envy', without onion and with a side of chips. The chips were excellent, highly rate. The burger was good but not $24 worth of good. The bun was not at all kale-y (good in my book of burgers) but it was a good texture. <p></p><p>This was a perfectly serviceable fancy burger. On the fancy burger scale it probably rates somewhere above Grill'd but below the Cornish. </p>stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-74808669185315654552020-09-22T17:47:00.005+10:002020-09-22T17:47:19.452+10:00di san xian 地三鲜 / three earth treasures<p>hey quokkas </p><p>inspired by a fairly disappointing 'chinese' meal i had recently delivered, this weekend i made the northern chinese classic disanxian. it was easier than i expected, taking about 45 minutes to prep and cook. traditionally you fry each element seperately in your wok and then wok hei them all together with the sauce at the end. this uses a lot of oil and means your housemates complain about it a bit, so next time i think i'm going to only fry the eggplant and the capsicum and roast the potato separately before wokking them all together, to see how that works. so stay tuned. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWXtMFFbNFUXda4JGcDckNupGePR-2NfCBYEajYQeW0YZ6O56WK4RJNUt2YyJm6JuZebBERYM0azKiCMKUdrfGxXUR0KiBSGsdksFa8Y5fJnlJM9Ke4O5oNUrNabyKDa6yIqnO-lhOp0/s2048/dsx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWXtMFFbNFUXda4JGcDckNupGePR-2NfCBYEajYQeW0YZ6O56WK4RJNUt2YyJm6JuZebBERYM0azKiCMKUdrfGxXUR0KiBSGsdksFa8Y5fJnlJM9Ke4O5oNUrNabyKDa6yIqnO-lhOp0/w209-h279/dsx.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div>can you believe it's been all these years and the blogspot method of embedding photos is still exactly the same, and you can't edit the photo on the page. classic. <div><br /></div><div>di san xian / 地三鲜</div><div><br /></div><div>serves 4</div><div><br /></div><div>ingredients</div><div>1 large western eggplant / 2 asian eggplants (about 450g)</div><div>approx 500g of potato </div><div>1 large capsicum (i forgot to weigh) </div><div>some garlic </div><div>cornstarch </div><div>sugar</div><div>salt</div><div>dark soy sauce</div><div>light soy sauce</div><div>peanut oil (or other light vegetable oil for frying) </div><div><br /></div><div>dice eggplant into bite size pieces. soak in slightly salty water for 20 minutes. mine were bobbing around barely covered. </div><div>meanwhile dice the potato and capsicum into similar sized pieces. </div><div><br /></div><div>drain the eggplant and stir through some cornflour so all the pieces are lightly coated. this will both soak up the excess water so your eggplants don't explode at you in the oil, and make them CRISPY. </div><div><p>pour a lot of oil into your wok. a lot a lot. like, 3cm covering the bottom of your wok. when it is ready to fry, add the potato. fry until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes this was really difficult for me because i've never fried potato from raw before. </p><p>pull the potato out and put aside. now fry the eggplant. this took about 8-10 minutes. when i tested one it literally deliquesced under my spoon which is usually a disgusting image but was so so good. pull out the eggplant, fry the capsicum for about 30 seconds. </p><p>somewhere in here, mix together the sauce ingredients. the only time i ever premix sauce is when it has cornstarch in it, because otherwise it goes glumpy. actually don't tell my mum i added cornstarch to a sauce, she will be like, if you cook it properly you don't need to thicken it with cornstarch. and honestly probably i didn't need it. </p><p>so the sauce: a teaspoon size of minced garlic (fry it if it's fresh, but you can mix into the sauce if it's bottled). equal amounts dark and light soy, and a teaspoon each of salt, sugar and cornstarch. you will also want a few tablespoons of water, but you can add that direct into the wok. so you mix the sauce ingredients together until the bits that can dissolve dissolve. </p><p>so anyway, back to the wok. you've removed the capsicum. remove most of the remaining oil. in fact, just remove all of it, but keep the heat on and don't wipe the wok, so you can use up the oil that just doesn't pour out. </p><p>throw in the sauce and some splashes of water, then all of the veggies you've just fried. swoosh them quickly, and then serve. it is very important that you serve this meal over rice! i recommend you accompany it with a beautiful wok fried gailan with garlic, and maybe some sort of protein. enjoy your meal of fried earthly treasures. </p><p>remember not to pour the oil into the sink! this is BAD FOR EVERYONE, including our sewerage system. if it's not full of vegetable bits, you can save it for tomorrow! if it is full of vegetable bits, pour it into your compost. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-8746559145935260172017-02-11T22:23:00.000+11:002017-02-11T22:41:29.218+11:00fishie curryThis fish curry is so good I both started and ended my CNY with it: I made it for reunion dinner in the hometown with the fam; and I made it today for the last day of CNY with some friends.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaBwBNDemJK5HzuZ6rSXtl5H_MJzayJcOD-FGtzSESxu4SJ0qDEaTrnZSYaiy_npazAzbfLtr1KSjkqJGT7lCCRn84-bLs5PrmgTpyV62_6Bjo0oS-F6komnNBmKSRsIwCNLoLNR21nA/s1600/curry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaBwBNDemJK5HzuZ6rSXtl5H_MJzayJcOD-FGtzSESxu4SJ0qDEaTrnZSYaiy_npazAzbfLtr1KSjkqJGT7lCCRn84-bLs5PrmgTpyV62_6Bjo0oS-F6komnNBmKSRsIwCNLoLNR21nA/s200/curry.jpg" width="200" /></a>This is actually a recipe from a friend's stepparent, and the only modification I've made is to make the fish vegan and add chilli and some lime kaffir leaves because I'm Malaysian, it's a sickness and I have my own tree now.<br />
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Anyway, when I invite you to dinner, definitely feel free to demand I make this curry.<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">200-300 grams vegan fish</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 inch knob ginger (minced finely)</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 - 2 cloves garlic (minced finely)</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1/2 onion, leek, etc, sliced finely</span></div>
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<span class="s1">fish curry powder (a Malaysian curry powder is fine)</span></div>
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<span class="s1">cumin powder</span></div>
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<span class="s1">turmeric powder</span><br />
<span class="s1">whole lot of chilli flakes or oil or something</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1 large ripe tomato (grind, slice, dice as you choose. sometimes I use cherry tomatoes cut in half if I don't have bigger tomatoes)</span></div>
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<span class="s1">3 - 4 curry leaves</span><br />
<span class="s1">2 lime kaffir leaves</span></div>
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<span class="s1">200ml (ish) coconut milk or fresh milk or whichever vegan substitute your soul desires</span></div>
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If you have some snake or french beans you can feel free to chop them into 8cm pieces and add them at a time I will indicate. </div>
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<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Fry onion thing in oil over medium heat until onions are soft and translucent. </span>Add minced garlic and ginger and fry lightly, stirring all the time. Add water, curry powder, turmeric and cumin, curry leaves. Bring to the boil, simmer until gravy thickens and spices have mixed well. Add tomato mix and fish and cook for 5-10 minutes (until fish looks cooked through).</div>
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Add milky product, lime kaffir leaves, and any beans you might be using, bring to the boil and simmer for about five minutes.<br />
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Turn off the heat and go eat it all up.</div>
stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-41767856348262132602016-11-25T14:57:00.000+11:002016-11-25T14:57:18.538+11:00[singapore] Gokul [little india]Gokul is probably my favourite Indian vegetarian restaurant in Singapore. It's got a very handy two locations (one in the Fortune Centre and one in Little India), an excellent menu, and is fast service and I love it.<br />
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It's really hard for me to go to Gokul and not order the chicken rice, mostly because it's always been one of my favourite dishes and it's so hard for me to get a good one in Australia. Gokul's chicken rice comes with fried chicken AND pandan chicken (aaah), a lovely ginger soup, ginger rice, some veggies, and some chili. It's so good. Look at that picture. Imagine angels singing as you eat it. Ahhhh.<br />
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The menu has a variety of bread sets, curry dishes, and local foods like char kway teow and chicken rice. They also have an excellently spicy murtabak and a good dosa, and they don't mind when one of your group brings in a frozen vegan cheezecake to eat for dessert.<br />
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The menu at the Fortune Centre location isn't as extensive as the Little India location, but I go to it more often due to its convenient location, so you can tell that I don't mind.<br />
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<a href="http://gokulvegetarianrestaurant.com/">Gokul Vegetarian Restaurant</a><br />
19 Upper Dickson Road<br />
and<br />
Fortune Centre<br />
190 Middle Road<br />
#01-07<br />
Singapore<br />
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Get there on the MRT, mostly. There's a step to enter the Little India location, and ordering happens at the table; at Fortune Centre, ordering happens at a high counter. Cards are accepted. There's an awkward toilet in the Little India Building; Fortune Centre has a toilet down a twisty hallway.<br />
<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-17295921033677621692016-11-24T22:06:00.000+11:002016-11-24T22:06:33.265+11:00[singapore] nomVnom [clarke quay]I took my sister to nomVnom, and she declared it better than Lord of the Fries. I know. I KNOW.<br />
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Here's the deal. nomVnom is an all-vegan burger joint in the basement at The Central at Clarke Quay. They have a huge roster of 21 burgers and 20 plus sides, and 2 pastas. They make basically everything in house, including these beautiful soft steamed buns of just amazing deliciousness.<br />
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My favourite burger is WITHOUT A DOUBT the Temptation Satay, which is a marinated tempeh patty, housemade satay sauce, lettuce and cucumber. I eat this burger at least once a fortnight, and I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I return to Melbourne next week. Attempt to replicate the burger, for sure. Beg Wai Lek (the owner) to take pity on me and tell me the sauce recipe, probably.<br />
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Others of my favourites are the Dhall Fusion (a crunchy soy-based patty, a thick dhall curry sauce, and sweet corn, to which I like to add cucumber pieces like a monster) and the Nom Nom (soy patty, tartar sauce, tomato, lettuce). The sides are mostly deep fried and delicious, including battered and deep fried mushies and battered and deep fried banana pieces.<br />
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They do a cold matcha and a hot matcha, as well as an amazing passionfruit and lemon tea (see: other things I'll be recreating at home) and an amazing cold cinnamon cocoa drink.<br />
<br />
Look, I love Lord of the Fries, and I'm definitely going to be eating a parma burger within about 48 hours of touchdown in Melbourne, and I'm defo devo that I missed the HSP that ran for two months exactly when I was out of the country. But nomVnom is so good that one of my meat-eating Perth friends ate there twice during three days, and I can't fault that decision.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nomvnom.com/">nomVnom</a><br />
The Central<br />
6 Eu Tong Sen Street<br />
#B1-44<br />
Singapore<br />
<br />
Get there on the MRT (Clarke Quay MRT Station exits directly into the basement) or a zillion buses (there are 3 buses that take me directly from my house to The Central).<br />
<br />
nomVnom accepts a variety of credit cards, including my Visa. Ordering happens at a high counter. The tables are crowded together but well lit, and seating is a combination of stools, chairs and couches.<br />
<br />
<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-9523198989417148242016-10-25T00:56:00.000+11:002016-10-25T00:56:23.580+11:00[singapore] well dressed salad bar [chinatown]I'm in Singapore at the moment, on a three month residency. I've totally been failing at keeping you updated, but I promise I have been eating a lot of amazing vegan food.<br />
<br />
Well Dressed Salad Bar is an all vegetarian, mostly vegan cafe on South Bridge Street, down near Kreta Ayer end. It specialises in salads, of which I've had zero. It is, however, about half an hour walk from where I'm based, so I've been going there a bit.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgLHi3eACX5PbQKCwjs7M4h4pM47SzNCHuEp-IkQb0e-kMvowF-b0PGvq4UPbH7LraHPaYCjZWhbcyBPBDzWdFpc4oj0zWPVh3heGB0gppCfTz8kg8yE7dG2hqYv7PL8zjPrDhofaWSs/s1600/IMG_3685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgLHi3eACX5PbQKCwjs7M4h4pM47SzNCHuEp-IkQb0e-kMvowF-b0PGvq4UPbH7LraHPaYCjZWhbcyBPBDzWdFpc4oj0zWPVh3heGB0gppCfTz8kg8yE7dG2hqYv7PL8zjPrDhofaWSs/s200/IMG_3685.JPG" width="200" /></a>On my first visit, I was all by myself. I chose the curry with rice and 'chips'. The curry was spicy and excellent. The rice was fine (I smushed it all into that bowl of curry). The chips are nori strips coated in what I think is besan, and then fried. I must eat them all, immediately, and plan on making them ASAP (ie, as soon as I get to my kitchen in Australia). I had with this a fresh watermelon juice, and I took home a slice of chocolate brownie cake. They have a window of cakes at the entry, and it's full of terrible temptations that I can never move past.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMslii76V6Yj762Pc2P1ZyMg76Q2BfSxrk_8YlAanJULkLAECnVnfuTfLSZp-EbqRwzL-2mGxQwkQKoFVKHdu-pThslWzl6K91_4cT8k63Egofp_lnSmRhbn0-latSFqSv4f3RlCO-OuU/s1600/noodles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMslii76V6Yj762Pc2P1ZyMg76Q2BfSxrk_8YlAanJULkLAECnVnfuTfLSZp-EbqRwzL-2mGxQwkQKoFVKHdu-pThslWzl6K91_4cT8k63Egofp_lnSmRhbn0-latSFqSv4f3RlCO-OuU/s200/noodles.jpg" width="200" /></a>On my second visit I brought a friend. I was feeling under nourished, mostly due to the large amount of stir fried noodles I tend to eat for breakfast and lunch (more on that in a subsequent post about my love of hawker centres and the fact that Singaporeans don't use their kitchens), so I had the udon noodle bowl. This was a really simple bowl of udon noodles with fresh soy beans, purple cabbage, carrot, lettuce and shredded nori. To go with this I had a juice that contained beetroot. Long time friends (and new friends, in fact), will note that I loathe beetroot, but I talked myself into this juice and it was actually really beautiful, a combination of apple, beetroot, carrot and something else that I can't quite recall at the moment.<br />
<br />
I finished the meal off with this AMAZING avocado, brownie and choc chip ice cream cake, which was served with a chocolate sauce and a few small pieces of fruit. When this ice cream was described to me, I was expecting more of a chocolate thing, and so when it came out I was very worried about it. Whenever I hear about ice cream with avocado in it, I think about that time <a href="http://herestheveg.blogspot.sg/2009/12/december-29-2009-savoury-sundaes.html">Cindy and Michael made avocado ice cream</a> and I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped to . So I was concerned! However it turns out I needn't have worried, as this was delicious and I would DEFINITELY eat it again. My only wish is that there'd been more fruit to go with it.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LuA16jTx6K1vBoTQTF5epzISQBD2vP2A1Dj5lBG-OKcPFwalxvw4PoUzhUQpaUdgE_GWrShX_4c06pfnYX1VgaXm-x399Tcgk-LXCvmNS58syyASuifi08R6yPLWXpJxQ9r5dMun9sI/s1600/icecreamcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LuA16jTx6K1vBoTQTF5epzISQBD2vP2A1Dj5lBG-OKcPFwalxvw4PoUzhUQpaUdgE_GWrShX_4c06pfnYX1VgaXm-x399Tcgk-LXCvmNS58syyASuifi08R6yPLWXpJxQ9r5dMun9sI/s200/icecreamcake.jpg" width="200" /></a>On this occasion I took home a slice of passionfruit cake, which was light and lovely with a tart passionfruit syrup on the top. A++ would eat again.<br />
<br />
On my third visit it was specifically to pick up a box of donuts. Once a month Zenna takes orders (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BL2axalBwyy/?taken-by=welldressedsaladbarsg">over instagram</a>) for donuts. They're six to a box, minimum six for an order, $2 per donut. The flavours vary every month. I went for 2 x dark chocolate almond, 2 x oreo, 1 x blueberry and 1 x dark chocolate cranberry. Every mouthful was a delight! I hope I'm here still for my final order. Because they're mini donuts, it was no trouble for me to polish them all off, and they made up slightly for missing World Vegan Day in Melbourne over the weekend.<br />
<br />
Since I was there anyway, and I'd been tortured by two hours of family time with no actual food I can eat (My Auntie told another vego the popiah were vegetarian; spoilers, he spat it into the bin cos there was prawns IN POPIAH), I paused for dinner. The all day breakfast comes with coconut waffles, housemade sausages (containing rosemary), housemade vegan feta, avocado, tomatoes, AMAZING mushrooms, and totally unnecessary alfalfa. It's accompanied by a juice or soup. Obviously I went with juice, because it's the best, and obviously I chose watermelon, because watermelon juice, freshly squeezed, in Southeast Asia, is one of life's true joys. The waffles were savoury, the feta was pleasantly salty, and the mushrooms were juicy, pan-fried portabellos, and oh how I have missed them. So that was very nice, too.<br />
<br />
Well Dressed is a little pricy by Singapore standards, but the service is fast, everyone is friendly, and there's lots of vegetables served in raw and interesting ways, which is not necessarily how you get vegetables in Singapore. I probably shouldn't eat there twice a week, but it is very nice.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGxDjjVHAbtbCezRGiEBIH2ENdb43OQyCGCU-TMD4NwGwZr0CD4DWoAF8t6IDg7nTZ-4l6z-bdcUhQDVWVVCnedZJEN8dScrBmSbm1JuRVzzAVjfnGu7ulRnRSO9NXSv0XbovWL6pqm4/s1600/IMG_3827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGxDjjVHAbtbCezRGiEBIH2ENdb43OQyCGCU-TMD4NwGwZr0CD4DWoAF8t6IDg7nTZ-4l6z-bdcUhQDVWVVCnedZJEN8dScrBmSbm1JuRVzzAVjfnGu7ulRnRSO9NXSv0XbovWL6pqm4/s200/IMG_3827.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WellDressedSaladBarSg/">Well Dressed Salad Bar</a><br />
282 South Bridge Road<br />
Chinatown (South of Sri Mariamman Temple)<br />
<br />
There are a variety of buses that stop on North Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street, or the Chinatown MRT is about a 7 minute walk. There's a step to enter the shop. The unisex toilet is down the back of the shop but from memory it's accessible. Takes credit card yay.stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-76839112256088880722016-08-07T22:00:00.006+10:002016-08-07T22:04:45.915+10:00[canberra] a bite to eat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOK8HaF-InuGBmAsqVs5A7Yl7u2uI822LmIE9e_Iz7e4hyphenhyphen26UlFxVS6iYExMloWN4IxErurMWQ9el4vJToRLlasySV_6vnfuM-IMb0HxaRzOrhMrBy3DiGRzffXxTh10jTk6we_qPn6M/s1600/IMG_3097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOK8HaF-InuGBmAsqVs5A7Yl7u2uI822LmIE9e_Iz7e4hyphenhyphen26UlFxVS6iYExMloWN4IxErurMWQ9el4vJToRLlasySV_6vnfuM-IMb0HxaRzOrhMrBy3DiGRzffXxTh10jTk6we_qPn6M/s320/IMG_3097.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
I was skeptical about the menu at A Bite To Eat, until I got to the little bit about almost all dishes being able to be made vegan on request, and I decided to take them up on that offer.<br />
<br />
I ordered the Raja, a mild coconut
curry, eggplant, broccoli, sticky
rice, with chilli, coriander and
crispy onion. It comes with poached eggs but I don't remember what they replaced it with, in part because I was so distracted by the rice - it's a crispy sticky rice. It's sticky rice that I think has been compressed and lightly fried, and it is the greatest rice side I have ever experienced, please let me eat it again immediately.<br />
<br />
The hash brown on the side is house made and vegan, which is so unusual and also delightful and delicious.<br />
<br />
The coffee (2 x soy flatties) was smooth and delicious and perfectly warmed (not burnt), and the service was lovely, and my friends enjoyed their meals (meaty, both), and we sat in the winter sun for three hours and didn't get kicked out, and everything was delightful.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.abitetoeat.net.au/">A Bite To Eat</a><br />
Shop 8, Eggleston Crescent, Chifley<br />
Our Nation's Fair Capital<br />
<br />
I was driven there by a friend<br />
Ramp to enter<br />
Eftpos available<br />
I didn't check the toilets<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-86688733448488611002016-08-06T23:02:00.001+10:002016-08-06T23:02:21.088+10:00[Maylands] Little Shop of Plenty This is my first ever entry in Maylands! That's because there's never been really great vego options in the area, though, so I'm super excited that I can make this post!<br />
<br />
This afternoon I met my cousin near his house and we ventured in the rain to the Little Shop of Plenty, this lovely-sized cafe on Railway Parade directly opposite from Maylands station.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1S_VCjA-SJxTsdZXOIDfWcV20J8lk-FPRYNv3Yvc8tAcgVGllH4tQCGMG6xs0kfDmNXMXGe1tzteZ7KC_DKKm76J2rgPlGbwZ1oo4OxFtW9cq8IPIRJ-mdycGY9XL7OlnKzXTmlEHdw/s1600/IMG_3141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1S_VCjA-SJxTsdZXOIDfWcV20J8lk-FPRYNv3Yvc8tAcgVGllH4tQCGMG6xs0kfDmNXMXGe1tzteZ7KC_DKKm76J2rgPlGbwZ1oo4OxFtW9cq8IPIRJ-mdycGY9XL7OlnKzXTmlEHdw/s200/IMG_3141.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
The Little Shop of Plenty is vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free. The menu is very paleo and raw heavy, which is fine but it was raining and the weather made me want something more hearty and warm. So I was excited to discover Huevos Mk II ($18.50) on the menu. This defaults to egg, but the staff told me that the specials are almost always veganisable. So my huevos rancheros featured tempeh (to replace the eggs), spiced corn meal hash, black beans, corn, tomato salsa, avocado cashew cream sauce, fresh chilli, fresh coriander, and it was so delicious I ate all the coriander despite hating coriander. It was so good. SO GOOD. I only wish there was more avocado cream, but I suppose I can't have everything I ever want.<br />
<br />
I also drank a beautiful almond matcha latte ($6.50, I'm in Perth, that's totally reasonable). I don't think they were using a whisk, but it still had a beautiful smooth flavour.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcCt1vLEF3RqZAG5dHJtQe0YUNPboijCsc09TtD1YpQRG1-NQcrYVKsbO9bfp_YoMA3OFvZTnVXoTluAvT2D5eSHWw18FRoqUwiOxLb9yq2r3l074o7UOR4X83QcumTy3OBmICFme2yY/s1600/IMG_3134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcCt1vLEF3RqZAG5dHJtQe0YUNPboijCsc09TtD1YpQRG1-NQcrYVKsbO9bfp_YoMA3OFvZTnVXoTluAvT2D5eSHWw18FRoqUwiOxLb9yq2r3l074o7UOR4X83QcumTy3OBmICFme2yY/s200/IMG_3134.JPG" width="150" /></a>The staff was really lovely and friendly and delightful; the cafe sells metal and glass straws about which I am chuffed; and I will definitely meander back through on my visits to Perth.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.littleshopofplenty.com/">The Little Shop of Plenty</a><br />
217 Railway Parade, Maylands<br />
<br />
Get there on the Midland Line to Maylands Station<br />
Ramp is default entry<br />
Eftpos available<br />
Didn't check the toilets<br />
Well lit (day visit only)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-34889064727213230552016-05-15T11:56:00.001+10:002016-05-15T12:10:09.647+10:00JambalayaI'm a little bit obsessed with this jambalaya that I modded from <a href="http://www.gumbopages.com/">The Gumbo Pages</a>. No photo because it's not attractive, but it's so tasty and not that involved and makes heaps and it's so good. SO GOOD. Being Azn-Australian I dunno how proper/right my version ended up being, but it was really tasty so here's hoping.<br />
<br />
Vegan Jambalaya<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.gumbopages.com/food/veg/veg-jambalaya.html">modified from Creole-style vegetarian jambalaya at The Gumbo Pages</a></span><br />
<br />
Takes just over an hour; serves 8-10 portions.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
half cup olive oil<br />
1 brown onion, diced small<br />
1 red onion, diced small<br />
1 red capsicum, diced small<br />
half butternut pumpkin, peeled, cubed<br />
2 carrots, diced small<br />
2 cups worth of sweet potato, washed but not peeled, cubed<br />
1 zucchini, diced<br />
2 cloves minced garlic<br />
2 tins crushed tomatoes<br />
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />
3 bay leaves<br />
2 tablespoons chilli paste (or MORE if you think your housies won't notice)<br />
some paprika<br />
some salt<br />
half teaspoon dried thyme<br />
half teaspoon oregano<br />
4 cups jasmine rice<br />
several cups vegetable stock (6-8)<br />
half cup tomato paste<br />
300 g soft tofu, cubed<br />
3 vege sausages, chopped<br />
<br />
Method<br />
Heat the oil over medium heat, add onions and garlic and saute for five in SO MUCH OIL; then add capsicum, pumpkin, carrot, potato, zucchini for another five. Then add all the spices and the bayleaves, fry up, then add the tomato paste, followed by a bit of stock to deglaze. Add all the tomatoes, bring to a boil, then add the stock and the rice and the tofu and the vege sausages.<br />
<br />
If you don't have a pot big enough to contain ALL OF THIS DELIGHT, leave the rice out, and just add as much stock as needed to cover what's in the pot. When you're prepping your rice in your rice cooker, add a scoop from your cooking pot to the rice water. This will help carry some of the flavour across.<br />
<br />
Cook the mix for about 35 minutes, without stirring (this is especially important if the rice is in the pot!).<br />
<br />
Remove from the heat and let sit for five minutes before serving.stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-62462859733956835552016-03-06T09:33:00.003+11:002016-03-06T09:42:14.559+11:00kylie kwong's cripsy skin duck (for cny)For the end of the Chinese New Year festivities, I wanted to go fancy and ridiculous, so I veganised Crispy Skin Duck with Blood Plum Sauce from Kylie Kwong's <i>heart and soul</i> book. It was so good. SO GOOD.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d-3HvfNTVWrBAu5nE84r1gKUgbM5I1SYNfQwBzSwE4eLIzfFAS7rToNR-ZyOLUgbJvg6A8EkcreQB8tpUi3dxxs4cu92QfXMyFIoMe1lsJXl4RVvpSv4VdWms-Us07F7X8oMvoYB5vc/s1600/IMG_2139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d-3HvfNTVWrBAu5nE84r1gKUgbM5I1SYNfQwBzSwE4eLIzfFAS7rToNR-ZyOLUgbJvg6A8EkcreQB8tpUi3dxxs4cu92QfXMyFIoMe1lsJXl4RVvpSv4VdWms-Us07F7X8oMvoYB5vc/s320/IMG_2139.JPG" width="320" /></a>I especially wanted to go duck because CNY isn't the same without duck. When I went home for the first night of CNY this year, my fam and all the meat-eating family friends got to eat duck, and I don't want to miss out on that luck! (In CNY symbolism, duck means fidelity, but also duck in Australia is expensive so sometimes it's wealth via showing off)<br />
<br />
I made a bunch of modifications, mostly because a) the shape of vegan cake, and b) I couldn't find blood plums anywhere that day. But I will definitely be making this again and again and again. I want to try it with a bit less liquid and turned into duck pancakes, and I want to eat it on its own, just like this again.<br />
<br />
Also at this party: Cindy and Michael made <a href="http://herestheveg.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/turnip-cake-lo-bak-go.html">lo bak go</a> and <a href="http://herestheveg.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/cny-peanut-cookies.html">peanut cookies</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>ingredients</b><br />
<br />
a vegan duck (i used a 800g one from the cruelty free shop)<br />
1 tablespoon sichuan peppercorns<br />
2 tablespoons salt<br />
a bunch of plain flour<br />
veggie oil<br />
<br />
the sauce!<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 cup white sugar<br />
250g ripe blood plums (I used oranges - kylie says the order is blood plums, blood oranges, oranges)<br />
2/3 cup fish sauce (I use <a href="http://vincentvegetarianfood.com.au/">Vincent's vegan fish sauce</a>) (I would use less of this next time - too liquidy)<br />
6 whole star anise<br />
2 cinnamon quills<br />
juice of 2 squished limes<br />
<br />
<b>what to do</b><br />
<br />
Grind together sichuan peppers and salt until it becomes a 麻辣 salt. Rub the salt into the duck, and leave to marinade in it for a few hours.<br />
<br />
Bring water and sugar to the boil, reduce to simmer for five minutes. After it's reduced a little, add plums/oranges (quartered if plums, eighths if oranges), fish sauce, and spices and simmer for a few more minutes. Kylie says just to simmer for one minute but I wanted to reduce it a little more. Stir through the lime juice and take the whole thing off the heat.<br />
<br />
Slice your duckie into fingers, and toss in flour. Heat vegetable oil in wok until a clean chopstick pressed to the bottom starts to bubble. (This is a family trick to tell if the oil is hot enough) Deep fry a few pieces at a time until they're crispy and looking good, then drain a little. Arrange prettily and spoon the sauce over it. Don't through it over in an ugly mess because you're in a hurry, as I was.<br />
<br />
EAT IT.<br />
<br />
<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-7855627358982839032015-11-26T20:52:00.002+11:002015-11-26T20:52:22.174+11:00[fitzroy] pavlov's duck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1r1CiWy_EHH_Oao5GwcduKoBmlFKHtAx8LYH7U6Mgk9Mo3lj8PuoRmKrg_9IFAErXCfgBRdgwgCj2aKyJzVlHoTfBCbPu0u8fIy7HAJMWYnxnLhPtXIkp19A0mXLaiqkOPx1VSqo5sQg/s1600/IMG_1228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1r1CiWy_EHH_Oao5GwcduKoBmlFKHtAx8LYH7U6Mgk9Mo3lj8PuoRmKrg_9IFAErXCfgBRdgwgCj2aKyJzVlHoTfBCbPu0u8fIy7HAJMWYnxnLhPtXIkp19A0mXLaiqkOPx1VSqo5sQg/s320/IMG_1228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Just a quick one before I mosey on off through to Singapore for family time. Visited Pavlov's Duck for a quick breakfast on Sunday. I'd forgotten that PD does hoppers on weekends and public holidays, so this was a delightful and fairly straightforward order.<br />
<br />
Crisp hoppers (3) with beautiful squishy base, a lovely and slightly spicy dahl, marinated and caramelised onions (chilled). The hoppers are cooked at the front of the cafe, so you pass them as you come in, and how can you resist their charms? (You can't.)<br />
<br />
A delicious addition to my South Asian weekends (dosa at Mukka). All I need now is for someone to make idli and I'll be content.<br />
<br />
Previous visit: <a href="http://veganabouttown.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/fitzroy-pavlovs-duck.html">the pol roti</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://pavlovsduck.com.au/">Pavlov's Duck</a><br />
401 Smith Street<br />
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Entry is via a little step, ordering occurs at a high counter. Eftpos available. We didn't check out the toilets.<br />
Get there on the 86 tram (not an accessible stop), the Rose Street stop.<br />
The website is hard to readstephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-5104061951709262272015-11-06T21:44:00.003+11:002015-11-06T21:51:36.689+11:00[fitzroy] mukka indian restaurant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can't even be reasonable in this review, for tonight I did the thing Australia so often fails to give me:<br />
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Dosa a short walk from house. Look at that beautiful thing. Crispy all the way, a heavy and spiced masala aloo, and a dal sambar that was so good I kept eating after all the dosa was gone - which I never do!<br />
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And the mark of a good dosa is how sad I am when I'm finished it and there's no more, though I'm full to bursting and shouldn't eat anything else. (I was sad indeed)<br />
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Housemates Bella and Alex were first time dosa eaters, and were both very happy with their dosa. Bella had the masala dosa also (listed on the menu as the 'classic'); Alex had the eggplant and pea dosa, which I briefly sampled and had a very mild smokey flavour.<br />
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Our eyes were massive, so I insisted on ordering the vegetable biryani and a dish of momo for sharing also. The biryani was excellent, interestingly minty but very moreish. The momo were also excellent and I will eat them again for sure.<br />
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I also had a mango and pistachio cooler, which is basically a lassi but with almond milk. I chose to have mine with added coconut rum. It was good but it wasted precious tummy space. Maybe on a beautiful summer evening.<br />
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Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free are all clearly labeled on the menu. The staff are really friendly, and as Mukka just opened, they're having a discount until 12 November. I plan to eat there this Sunday lunch time, not cos there's a special but because dosa for lunch is one of the greatest reasons to exist on this planet.<br />
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I just made my mum jealous on the phone by describing to her in loving detail the distance between my house and this dosa. (Always remember that the way to make a Malaysian mother annoyed is to tell her you're having better food than her)<br />
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My only complaint is that I wish the biryani was a little spicier. D:<br />
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<a href="http://mukka.com.au/">Mukka Indian Restaurant</a><br />
365 Brunswick Street<br />
Fitzroy<br />
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Totally failing at remembering if there's a step to get in. Low tables, mixture of stools and chairs with back. Inside is well lit, ordering happens at the table. Payment over a high counter. Toilet is down a dark narrow path. Takes cards and cash.<br />
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Get there on the 96 or the 12 tram. Please don't bring a car into Fitzroy if you can help it, it's so annoying.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MukkaFitzroy/?fref=ts">facebook</a><br />
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<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-65785398613633079382015-11-03T15:06:00.002+11:002015-11-03T15:06:42.950+11:00kering tempe My housemates think I'm levelling up in tempeh, but what's actually happening is that I'm getting more South East Asian in my tempeh prep and cooking. It's so great! Let me tell you how.<br />
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Tempe kering (or kering tempe) is just tempeh that has been shallow fried and deliciously flavoured. The important elements are to slice the tempeh thin, to fry it in heaps of oil at a high temperature, and to add a delicious flavour with it.<br />
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One of my favourite comfort foods is pictured here to the left, a more traditional kering tempe served as part of <a href="http://veganabouttown.blogspot.com.au/2010/04/mee-gorengrambles-about-things.html">comfort food maggi mee</a>. To cook this I started frying the tempe in a whole lot of sunflower oil (which is my favourite vegetable oil at the moment). After I'd done both sides once, I added a paste mixture comprising of grated palm sugar, kecap manis, ginger, garlic, coriander seeds, cumin and chilli. Sometimes I use fresh stuff and pound it together, and sometimes I just use a whole lot of already ground ingredients. I usually guess proportions based on my mood, but about a teaspoon of each and a whole lot of kecap manis to go with about half a pack of tempeh.<br />
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To be totally traditional, this should be fried with peanuts, but I usually don't have peanuts in the house so sad for me. It's still good without!<br />
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To the right is a modification I'm really happy with. I roasted half a butternut pumpkin, skin on. This pumpkin was coated in sunflower oil and maple syrup, before going into the oven for about 35 minutes, turning halfway.<br />
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When the pumpkin was cooked I drained off the marinade and poured it straight into a fry pan, where I proceeded to add some extra oil and then fry the tempeh until it was in crispy sizzle town. I then poured the pumpkin in, fried it all around, and served it as a side dish. It's amazing!<br />
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Fried tempeh is a gift to us all.<br />
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It's important not to use olive oil when you're making kering tempe, because you need very high temperatures to get a beautiful, crispy tempeh. Use a canola, sunflower or peanut oil instead.<br />
<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-40272331181549988362015-09-27T11:52:00.000+10:002015-09-27T11:52:22.122+10:00[wa] community gardening and vegie good timesOn a really quick visit to Perth last week, and the highlight was probably visiting the community garden at my childhood church.<br />
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This used to be a whole lot of junky, empty land out behind the church. Pat, a member of the congregation, went to a <a href="http://livingsmart.org.au/">Living Smart</a> course - a course I used to facilitate (!!!), Living Smart is a series of workshops about living sustainably in your community in WA, and was designed by Earth Carers and is totally excellent. ANYWAY, during the course of the course, they all agreed that 'community gardens' was an essential component of supporting and growing one's community. And Pat was all 'we have this empty land, it could totally hold a garden', and <a href="http://swanviewunitingchurch.com/garden.htm">this community garden</a> was born.<br />
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I love this garden so much! It's maintained in conjunction with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Swan-View-Community-Association-619209984767098/timeline/?ref=stream">Swan View Community Association</a>, and uses this unused space, and builds community. The produce goes to another local church, who have a soup kitchen twice a week (though of course people working in the garden take some bits and pieces home). It has pushed this aging church community out into the wider community, and also brought some of the wider community into the church community. There's also some involvement with the local high school (Swan View Senior High). And it's so adorable, to see these people (and this building) that I've known since I was a wee penguin in a different light.<br />
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This photo to the right is my mum harvesting kale, a vegetable she's never before cooked. On the day I visited, they were having a sustainability fair as a part of Sustainable Open House Day. I'm actually having a word with them, because their sausage sizzle was Classic Bunnings (white bread, cheap meat sausages), and their crochet was Classic Church Fete (crocheted coat hangers and crocheted tissue boxes) and their apple pies were only $3, and I may not believe in their God but they are adorable and I definitely want them to make crochets that the hipsters would want to buy. ANYWAY, way adorable.<br />
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If you're a Perthie in the Greenmount/Swanview/Midland area, you can visit the garden on Tuesday mornings (and the church, Uniting, on Sundays at 9:30, if that's your jam).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMqMng4Gp2swSd2L1VTLj-9F7vLV8QF1duO33-u6k7o-UtF2Lb5qWpj5MRjB1EA3BzDG2Z3Zv2tZ7esMRvt4qtdT6HCYqgYRFh4Un43sEbrkFxT-Ni2H97sptpxVALWBEQaK_XMX2VEo/s1600/IMG_0702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMqMng4Gp2swSd2L1VTLj-9F7vLV8QF1duO33-u6k7o-UtF2Lb5qWpj5MRjB1EA3BzDG2Z3Zv2tZ7esMRvt4qtdT6HCYqgYRFh4Un43sEbrkFxT-Ni2H97sptpxVALWBEQaK_XMX2VEo/s200/IMG_0702.JPG" width="150" /></a>The rest of my trip to Perth was mostly food. Visited Mt Lawley staple Veggie Mama for a delicious plate of curries and salads, and took myself out to breakfast at Swan Valley Cafe. Both are exclusively vegetarian. Swan Valley Cafe has always specialised in teas but has recently branched out to include matcha lattes, and it was a lovely one. My breakfast there was beans on toast - their bread is all gluten free, and really lovely, and the beans were EXCELLENT. There was zucchini and capsicum in them, and they were served on one trillion cherry tomatoes and spinach leaves, with lots of avocado. My only complaint was how quickly it went cold.<br />
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At Veggie Mama I always get the 'Mama's Curry' as one of my curries, with a beautiful creamy potato and fried tofu mix of amazingness, as well as whatever other curries catch my eye. Veggie Mama specialises in fresh juices and fantastic salads, and always has something interesting going on in the sweets department.<br />
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Good Perth times, except for the rain, what is UP with that. (Ans: climate change)<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Veggie-Mama-220797407976602/timeline/">Veggie Mama</a><br />
Cnr Beaufort + Vincent<br />
Mount Lawley<br />
Get there on any bus going along Beaufort Street to the city<br />
There's a seated area that's accessible, but ordering takes place at a counter that's up a half-flight of stairs. Takes CC. Never been there at night but during the day it's so well lit.<br />
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<a href="http://www.swanvalleycafe.com.au/">Swan Valley Vegetarian Cafe</a><br />
990 Great Northern Highway<br />
Millendon<br />
Get there in your automobile, and drink at some wineries on your way out again. Lots of ramp access, both into the restaurant and around to the garden in the back. CC available. Well lit and very quiet. Includes an attached tea shop and nursery.<br />
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<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-15447787928356084022015-09-06T18:02:00.004+10:002015-09-06T18:02:33.745+10:00[fitzroy] cider house<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhd3EJpPsgB09yhyphenhyphenjIlmG_pOeGSLbEZ64LZI6xvcYRjKkY8zI5CYtjZWDyPCg7Mx4yOEv_vFaJOMWO-wvT-GDSlT2sR40jSYwWQA33iOFoTe7A-sb85WOuP534Yh-QyG6lWEaNa_9EHM/s1600/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="very rice-y, vegetable-y nasi goreng" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhd3EJpPsgB09yhyphenhyphenjIlmG_pOeGSLbEZ64LZI6xvcYRjKkY8zI5CYtjZWDyPCg7Mx4yOEv_vFaJOMWO-wvT-GDSlT2sR40jSYwWQA33iOFoTe7A-sb85WOuP534Yh-QyG6lWEaNa_9EHM/s320/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" title="" width="240" /></a>Rolled into The Cider House this arvo, looking for a place to take my out of town friends. I haven't been there in an age and I wanted to try some of the vegan goodness on their menu.<br />
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No regrets, my friends. I had the nasi goreng and it was so good. I never order SEAzn food from "modern Australian" kinds of restaurants, because I'm always disappointed; they're a little too fusion and not enough wok hei as appropriate for my tastes. This was worth it, though. The tempeh was so perfect kering tempeh (and there was a lot of it), there was so much sambal and it was spicy, it was all flavoursome and delicious. I will totally eat it again. It made me very happy. My only sadface was that it was a little toooo saucy (like me).<br />
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I also ordered the sweet potato wedges and though it was an awkward combination, my only regret is that I was too bao le to finish them.<br />
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Cider: Cheeky Rascal Raspberry + Apple<br />
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<a href="http://www.theciderhouse.com.au/">Cider House</a><br />
386 Brunswick Street<br />
Fitzroy<br />
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Get there on the 11 tram, stop Leicester St. I am pretty sure there's a step into the restaurant, lighting is good during the day and poor during the evening. The tables are awkwardly close together and there's a high risk of couches with low tables. CC available.stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-3861938337912945832015-08-30T17:04:00.004+10:002015-08-30T17:04:51.953+10:00damona cheezes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmogx4P3vWKP3rAbLrTW8tzU2SozmBwiZeN8PsWi3DP4kmCMHmVsfVTELBOLQi14hA9ev0TTj08Dyr9LXVJyKGsUSr-2Saev2lPb6YxjuwF043bSJ7e6vhew6aUFiNqG1s-g4cTSbfzPs/s1600/platter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmogx4P3vWKP3rAbLrTW8tzU2SozmBwiZeN8PsWi3DP4kmCMHmVsfVTELBOLQi14hA9ev0TTj08Dyr9LXVJyKGsUSr-2Saev2lPb6YxjuwF043bSJ7e6vhew6aUFiNqG1s-g4cTSbfzPs/s200/platter.jpg" width="150" /></a>I am obsessed with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/damonadivinecow">Damona cheeses</a>, after friend Ju brought the brie to my birthday and I made my first ever cheese platter. IT WAS AMAZING. After you get used to the faint coconut aftertaste (it's a very coconut-based cheese) it's so gooooood. So brie-like, perfect at room temperature and great with some figs on some gluten-free crackers.<br />
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Anyway so I purchased the brie, the mozzarella and the pepperjack because they were onsale this week at the Cruelty Free Shop in Fitzroy. Brie, amazing at room temperature spread on pumpkin sourdough. Highly recommend.<br />
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I used the mozzarella in a tomato-based pasta sauce, added to my bowl after all was done. The mozzarella has sun-dried tomatoes through it, and it was melty but added a bit too much of a coconut aftertaste to my pasta. I won't use it again on my pasta, but I am going to give it a go on pizza soon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhJhgUwy1qZnXXkWj86Xml14MUSNarsa6FBdl-875Xwc3Bb7AOxLxyil80suLNVlt8iEjopoVmkCpYQFSSiU4_3ySGbpiOt55jFNA6wOUcJjDgdXyjcop3ctEYubTc9FvTlMjS2O5m_k/s1600/cheeses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhJhgUwy1qZnXXkWj86Xml14MUSNarsa6FBdl-875Xwc3Bb7AOxLxyil80suLNVlt8iEjopoVmkCpYQFSSiU4_3ySGbpiOt55jFNA6wOUcJjDgdXyjcop3ctEYubTc9FvTlMjS2O5m_k/s200/cheeses.jpg" width="200" /></a>Today I made cheese toasties out of the pepperjack. It's not peppery at all, and melted really beautifully into the sourdough. Again with the coconut aftertaste, but I'm looking forward to making a tomato and cheese toastie in the very near future.<br />
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Overall, I'm a big fan of the Damona cheeses. The brie remains my favourite, but I'm enjoying the pepperjack a whole lot. I remain mixed on the mozzarella.<br />
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Damona cheeses are made in Coburg! What a good, local cheese.stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-57358700307256863262015-08-21T10:43:00.000+10:002015-08-21T10:43:11.618+10:00[fitzroy] pavlov's duckIn easy walking distance of the house is Pavlov's Duck, a cafe "infused" with Sri Lankan flavours. Of course I was going to give it a go.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_UD05GFsnqHCL40kDJz6L_BB0vpOuOd3TyVqHdLu15otQ97IAHeeF1bGU6bUN6F8z3d18uNIJ-Qr1FSRE16N90j_jA4T0kVcxcYFuJ6BeC6e26fHiCNkyf3k9io4uXia9b2Am6Hp6JQ/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_UD05GFsnqHCL40kDJz6L_BB0vpOuOd3TyVqHdLu15otQ97IAHeeF1bGU6bUN6F8z3d18uNIJ-Qr1FSRE16N90j_jA4T0kVcxcYFuJ6BeC6e26fHiCNkyf3k9io4uXia9b2Am6Hp6JQ/s320/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pol Roti</td></tr>
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Miss Bella and I both tried the Pol Roti, a coconut roti with lentils and an onion chutney. It was so good. Not really a roti and more a pancake, it was definitely Sri Lankan in its flavours and was a really lovely and filling start to a Friday morning in a hurry.<br />
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The beverage menu is also quite extensive, with both Bella and myself trying variations matcha: I went a matcha latte, and Bella went the matcha smoothie. Latte was acceptable; turns out I'm not a fan of cold matcha, which I could have guessed but might be your jam.<br />
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The vegan-ness of the menu is not extensive, but I'd return just for the roti and someone to make me matcha that I didn't have to whisk myself.<br />
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It's quiet and easy on a Friday morning, with fast service and an easy atmosphere.<br />
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<a href="http://pavlovsduck.com.au/">Pavlov's Duck</a><br />
401 Smith Street<br />
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Entry is via a little step, ordering occurs at a high counter. Eftpos available. We didn't check out the toilets.<br />
Get there on the 86 tram (not an accessible stop), the Rose Street stop.<br />
The website is hard to readstephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-61467467999470796422015-08-08T19:17:00.001+10:002015-08-08T19:18:05.273+10:00parmageddon at the cornish arms<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcWRt8crXfDHgWMchn0hjYPhFI8LecjVUXSxb9mu_FbjTn3P2xsVHD5vhFCRWwXB7Vw_NyXyMK3-_EGb4WlG3H7zZEOabP_-Rz2B_Lg2dF1_8gVMabz2PeizLjadNp5Y3u1JgZRf1Hew/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcWRt8crXfDHgWMchn0hjYPhFI8LecjVUXSxb9mu_FbjTn3P2xsVHD5vhFCRWwXB7Vw_NyXyMK3-_EGb4WlG3H7zZEOabP_-Rz2B_Lg2dF1_8gVMabz2PeizLjadNp5Y3u1JgZRf1Hew/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a>We're all very familiar with the vegan parma available at the Cornish Arms in Brunswick. Important for your info, though: cheap speciality parmas are available Friday lunch, and Sunday lunch and dinner. These parmas are $14 (maybe $12?), and come in a variety of styles including poutine and something with pesto and pepperoni. AMAZING.<br />
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<span id="goog_319036546"></span><span id="goog_319036547"></span>Featured here is the poutang, a parma topped with facon, chips, cheeze and gravy, on a bed of chips, with a garden salad. ACTUAL PERFECTION. Go there tomorrow - it's Sunday.<br />
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<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-76738358729567136532015-03-20T11:16:00.000+11:002015-03-20T11:31:02.045+11:00lemon myrtle and macadamia nut biscuits<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Housemate Bella has some AMAZING biscuit recipes up her sleeve, and this is one of them. It's one of my favourites because a) LEMON MYRTLE, b) we have a lemon myrtle tree. If you don't have a lemon myrtle tree, you can just buy them ground. No pictures because they didn't really turn out but you must eat these ASAP. I'm eating one right now. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><b>Lemon myrtle and macadamia nut biscuits</b></span><br />
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You will need:</div>
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200g vegan margarine</div>
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100g white sugar</div>
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225g macadamias (chopped)</div>
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225g flour</div>
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some lemon myrtle leaves (fresh or dried)</div>
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If you're not using a blender, chop the macadamias and lemon myrtle leaves first. </div>
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Method:</div>
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Preheat your oven to 200<span style="color: #343435; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 15px;">°C</span></div>
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<span style="color: #343435; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 15px;">Cream margarine and sugar (in a blender or with a whisk). Add your macadamias and mix until all the pieces are blended in. </span><span style="color: #343435; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 15px;">Mix in your lemon myrtle leaves. </span><span style="color: #343435; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">Add your flour. Mixture should be a bit crumbly but stick together well. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #343435; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">Roll into balls roughly the size of a golf ball. </span></span><span style="color: #343435; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">Put them on a tray greased or lined with baking paper.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #343435; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">Bake for 10-15 mins, until they're a little bit brown on top. </span></span><span style="color: #343435; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">Wait until the tray is cool, then put them on a cooling rack.</span></div>
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stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-7208215096438855712014-12-21T16:55:00.001+11:002014-12-21T16:55:36.576+11:00misc christmas party nomsThe flattie (Bella) and I hosted a Christmas party last night! We did minimal catering because we were too busy and I only got home at 1700 and our first guest arrived at 1805 (as per our invites), but I did prepare a few things.<br />
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I made <a href="http://herestheveg.blogspot.com.au/2007/04/april-18-2007-crunchy-chewy-chocolate.html">crunchy chewy clusters</a>, which I've been obsessed with ever since Cindy first introduced me to them (at the same time as I introduced her to If You Are the One, so it was a fair trade). HIGHLY RECOMMEND.<br />
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I basically only sort of use Cindy and Michael's recipe, and what I made last night was so amazing that when I tried to pack the last handful away, Ral scooted up to me and shoved them all in his mouth.<br />
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I melt <b>100g of dark chocolate couverture</b>. While it's melting I combine <b>a cup worth of dried fruit</b>, usually goji berries, white mulberries, and 3 or so dried bananas (note these are like liquorice rather than banana chips), diced small, with a third of a cup of cashews. When the chocolate is melted I add <b>a pinch of salt</b> and a <b>third of a cup of desiccated coconut</b>, then mix the fruit and nuts until they're all covered. Put them on a baking tray that has baking paper on it (important! for non-stick), and then fridge them for an hour. Done. Delicious. So much yum.<br />
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I also made <a href="http://veganabouttown.blogspot.com.au/2009/05/picnic-food-pizza-pinwheels.html">pizza pinwheels</a>, <a href="http://veganabouttown.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/ginger-and-five-spice-biscuits.html">ginger and five spice biscuits</a> cut into sharks and penguins, and gluten free <a href="http://www.vegbitch.com/2007/08/18/swedish-jamfilled-thumbprint-cookies/">Swedish jam thumbprint cookies</a>, and that's a recipe I've been using forever and highly recommend.<br />
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There's no picture of the food, so here's a picture of us in our Christmas party clothes.<br />
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<br />stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583373780153105573.post-28314796272236770962014-09-28T08:48:00.000+10:002014-10-04T09:47:57.866+10:00CANCELLED: VegMel Picnic! <div>
OH NO WE ARE CANCELLING THIS EVENT. Please stand by for rescheduling. Sorry for the short notice! </div>
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!!</div>
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VEGMEL IS FIVE. It happened about two weeks ago, so five and a bit, but birthdays can last for ages.<br />
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To celebrate, as we do every year, we are having a picnic!<br />
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Come for vegan noms, friendly vego faces, and to talk crap. We'll be in Princes Park, up near the bowls club and the pond. Bring a vegan plate and a picnic blanket, or just yourself.<br />
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This event is open to all, not just bloggers. It's always fun! (I promise)<br />
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Sunday, October 5<br />
1pm - 4pm<br />
Princes Park<br />
near the bowls club<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/812456758806010">Facebook event</a>stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751546842854214664noreply@blogger.com1