I've been waiting to blog this entry! Because that means exams are over! You guys might have realise that I haven't been blogging about my modules since the semester started. I wanted to leave everything till the end and give a full overview. This would be more complete isn't it?
It has been a fulfilling semester. Timetable was well-slotted. Had a free weekday when I can catch up on my readings, tutorials and projects. Not to forget that I had a period when I was really free. I actually got ahead in my readings and tutorials! Well, as for projects we seem to be always waiting for others right? It can never go as far as we initially planned.
I'll be rating the modules according to their difficulty, workload, lecture and tutorial/lab. Here are the criteria:
Difficulty - Self explanatory.
Workload - Amount of lesson hours per week, assignments, tutorials, projects, self-study required, etc
Lecture - Enjoyability and understanding
Tutorial/Lab - Enjoyability and understanding
*Note that the ratings are set at an arbitrary scale and the maximum is not necessarily 5 stars.
MA1505 - Mathematics I
(1500+ students)
Difficulty: ★★
Workload: ★★
Lecture: ★★★
Tutorial: ★
*This should be the module with the most intake this semester. There aren't other modules which take up more MPSH halls than this for exams.*
This module is akin to competition against every Year 1 engineering undergraduate. For a F-Maths student this should be a breeze I guess. My lecturer was really amusing and we never fail to laugh at his antics. His jokes were 'pedioric', full of 'old flowers' and BOOM BOOM. I wish he could give lecture us again next semester. Tutorial was a bit boring (since the answers were all available in the tutorial) but I managed to learn new methods which I would never have discovered by myself. And it came in useful for my finals! So proud that I didn't skip any weekly tutorials =). The syllabus is very integration-intensive though - almost every topic requires the use of integration.
The final exam was ok I feel. It can be quite exasperating to discover careless mistakes right after the exam, and when the solution comes to your mind after you can no longer write it down. It's such mental struggle that tires me out after every paper.
This is my most confident subject and I hope this would be my best module among the rest. It just doesn't make sense if any other module scores better.
MLE1101 - Introduction to Material Science and Engineering
(600+ students)
Difficulty: ★★★
Workload: ★
Lecture: ☆
Tutorial: ☆
If MA1505 is a competition against all Engin Year 1, then this should be a competition among Chem Engin students haha. During mid-terms, everyone was heard complaining about the difficulty of the test, however when the results were released, the average appeared to be so high!? This seemed a sign of a coming tough fight in the future...
Boring lectures, hopeless tutorials. Even the monochrome textbook is more interesting than those. The lecture became screwed-up when we were taught an application topic before the basic. Imagine being taught polymers before organic chemistry. The tutor was worse, to the extent that almost everyone went to attend other slots. I'm one of the few 'faithful' ones, don't know if I should praise or reprimand myself. Not only did I not learn anything from his sessions, my IQ dropped after listening to his explanations.
Fortunately Material Science is not my major. Let's hope for better lecturers and tutors in my parent department.
EG1413 - English Critical Thinking and Writing
(300+ students)
Difficulty: ★★
Workload: ★★
Lecture: NA
Tutorial: ★★★
This is so GP-ish to me. There is no lecture for this module so I had to endure 4 grueling hours of tutorial every week. Furthermore the sessions were rather one-sided, as in only the tutor talks and the students listen, without much discussion. The assignments and projects were pretty dry too. Luckily I have good teammates who are able to sustain my motivation. Glad I cleared this module early.
The exam was a disaster as I have little knowledge on the subject discussed. Was practically struggling to make up the length when I ran out of points to write. Actually this topic is frequently debated (it appeared many times in GP too) but I didn't bother to read up further. Haiz...
Would probably score badly for this one. Language is just not my forte.
SC1101E - Making Sense of Society
(900+ students)
Difficulty: ★★
Workload: ★
Lecture: ★★★★
Tutorial: ★★
After reading this module, society does make more sense to me now. Learnt many concepts and theories which can be applied to several social issues. The professor-in-charge was friendly, affirming and fatherly. He mentioned that exams are meant to be enjoyed and they provide a good platform to showcase our knowledge. Indeed, I really did enjoy the exams. Although 3 essay questions within 2 hours can be intimidating, my ideas flowed with ease and I was able to pen down my arguments continuously. Whether the examiners accept my answers is another story. I can only say that I've done my best. Wished I had more time to round up my essays though.
It was my 2nd paper of the day, and I finally understand why people tend to avoid 2 papers a day. Not physically nor intellectually demanding, but mentally exhausting. Took 2 hours to finally get over the disastrous English exam and settle down for Sociology revision.
Every now and then my tutor would send encouraging emails, motivating us and relieving our stress. A really nice person =). However this module only had 5 biweekly tutorials and there wasn't much chance for interaction. Nevertheless this module easily ranks as my favourite this semester! Strongly encouraged!
GEK2022 - Samurai, Geisha, Yakuza as Self/Other
(200+ students)
Difficulty: ★★★
Workload: ★★★
Lecture: ★★
Tutorial: ★★★★
My only level 2000 module. No yakuza haha, though I would like to learn more about them. This module was drier than expected, even with my interest in Japanese language. But it was really informative regarding the history of Japan and how others (especially the West) view Japanese. Compared to lectures, tutorials were far more enjoyable, especially during screening of documentaries. The discussion was fairly active too, but it takes quite a bit of courage to speak up in front of others.
Interestingly my major project has nothing to do with Japan! The theme is on stereotypes and you guys will never guess what I've chosen heh heh.
The exam questions were really creative! It was my first time attempting such questions and I hope my register is acceptable. It was an open book exam and I managed to churn out a sample essay few hours prior. Fortunately my prepared essay was 20% useful as I copied certain parts wholesale onto my script, thus saving lots of time. Sounds like cheating eh? But with only 200+ students, I guess competition will be really tough.
---
And thus, my 1st university semester closes. Time to check and plan Sem 2 schedule! Bidding once again!
One more exam (or rather test) to go before full-holiday mode. Intensive drilling for next 7 days...
Friday, November 28, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
无师自通
累积了多年备考经验，应该早已练出几把应对招数了吧？
最近翻阅旧课本，内容显得好简单。即使叫我当场作考也可取高分。
对，就是类似遇到小学数学题的那种信心。
为何要等到事过境迁才明白它的简单呢？
我们本来就有能力去理解，但总是在最需要时无法发挥。
我相信人类脑筋是无限的，若能趁早开通，其实日后的考试也有变成小学数学题的可能性。
如我社会学的教授所说，考试并不是折磨，而是享受，给我们展示理解的空间。
这应该是我们向往达到的境界吧。
最近翻阅旧课本，内容显得好简单。即使叫我当场作考也可取高分。
对，就是类似遇到小学数学题的那种信心。
为何要等到事过境迁才明白它的简单呢？
我们本来就有能力去理解，但总是在最需要时无法发挥。
我相信人类脑筋是无限的，若能趁早开通，其实日后的考试也有变成小学数学题的可能性。
如我社会学的教授所说，考试并不是折磨，而是享受，给我们展示理解的空间。
这应该是我们向往达到的境界吧。
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Bolts N' Nutz: Bread
Second to rice, bread forms an integral part of my diet. Since young I've been eating bread for breakfast, as snacks, and as supper when I go hungry at night. I think bread is a healthier alternative to maggie mee for breakfast, potato chips for snacks, and fast food for supper. Moreover it's cheap and fills the stomach easily. But if you are always worried about your weight and body figure, bread might not be a good choice of food since it consists of carbohydrates after all, like rice and noodles.
Before plunging into the main subject, I would like to introduce a bread-related anime: Yakitate Japan. Interestingly 'bread' in Japanese is 'pan' (as in 'pun'). The main character of this anime seeks to become a world class bread maker, and often experiments on making different kinds of bread, which he called 'Ja-pan' (Japanese bread). Besides being comedic, this anime is very informative regarding the knowledge of bread. Yup, my recommendations. =)
I wish I could make my own bread...
*pictures from Wiki and Google
Bread Slice
The original form of ‘bread’. A cuboid-ish loaf cut into slices. Used to be my staple breakfast when I was small, but since then I’ve discovered better bread forms beyond these plain white flat slices. My favourite brand is still Gardenia though. Anyone remember its slogan: “So good… you can even eat it on its own”? However I think the statement is not necessary true, as I still find myself coupling kaya, butter or cheese slices with the plain bread. The only kind of bread I could happily eat it on its own is the raisin type (occasionally fruit nuts). Once I bought a Gardenia raisin bread loaf and treated it as both lunch and dinner haha.
Sandwich
This is quite a broad term – as long as some ingredients are inserted in between two bread pieces, it’s considered a sandwich. My initial impression of a sandwich was triangular (often seen in convenient stores), which later extended to a square, then burgers. This is a good example of how I broadened definitions as I matured and learned more. Somehow I don’t really like the crust. I’ll usually bite the surrounding crust off first before attacking the centre (the 先苦后甜 principle). Similarly for hotdog buns, I would munch up the outer bread before the naked hotdog. Fortunately most commercial sandwiches don’t come with crusts.
There’s a recent hype about the mega-sized burgers introduced by McDonalds and Burger King. Heard the meat patty is not as nice. Seen pictures taken by patrons which show the skyscraper burgers on the verge of collapsing. I wonder how you could land the first mouth on it. Even for Carl Jr burgers I had some difficulty taking a proper bite. Ultimately such burgers aren’t very eater-friendly and it’s really easy to make a mess out of it.
French Loaf
Aka ‘Jiam Tao Lo Ti’. Never had a liking for these bread in the first place. Too tough for my teeth. Rather than enjoying the food, I seemed to be spending a great deal of effort trying to chew bits off the stick. Can be very exhausting honestly. Have you ever had ‘numb jaws’ after vigorous chewing? I know there are softer ones, but my mum kept buying the harder ones from Delifrance. Heard it was because these loaves were part of the bakery’s clearance offer… Now we know why.
Croissant
It was only late in my teens when I discovered the beauty of croissants. It feels really good biting through the numerous thin layering of bread. Better if there’s a sausage at the centre! The softness is quite a contrast to French loaves. From Yakitate Japan I learnt that making a croissant from dough is not that easy.
Pizza
I rarely eat those from Pizza Hut or restaurants. Too much a luxury for me. And I find the bread base too thin (like biscuit). Usually I would only eat those cheapskate mini pizzas from neighbourhood bakeries, but some can taste really good too. It’s really annoying to see out-of-shape, non-homogeneous pizzas though. A sign of bad handwork. Cheese, ham, sausage slices, onion, peas, maize seeds, carrot bits, tomato/chilli sauce… yum yum! Looks like an unwrapped popiah to me.
Pie
Apple pie! Pineapple Pie! Chicken Pie (read this aloud in Chinese)! I think the chicken pie from Delifrance is really heavenly. The contents are soft and fresh, compared to those like in Giant – hard and stale. I think this is because my mum usually buys those end-of-day clearance ones. So it’s a trade of quality for price. I love the outer skin of pies, but it often generates lots of crumbs (I would eat the skin crumbs as well haha).
Doughnut
Used to be so popular few years ago. Okay, I think it’s still rather popular now. Wanted to try the famous doughnuts from Raffles City but never got a chance to do so. But recently I received a free one from Central Forum =p. Some doughnuts can really make you feel sinful upon eating it. Last time I used to eat doughnuts with colourful chocolate rice. Colour of food seems to be the main factor that attracts kids (at least to me). But gradually I realized it wasn’t that great after all. There’s a kind of plain doughnut where you’ve to add sugar manually. Wow that’s troublesome.
Bun
I prefer buns with fillings. In some cases I can’t really tell what’s hidden inside, which adds to the mysterious feel. Then I would try to take a bite, and hope to get a surprise. Occasionally disappointment if the filling isn’t something desirable. But sometimes I would chew off almost three-quarters of the bun and realize there’s nothing inside… (cheat my feelings T_T ) However there are some buns which taste just as great without fillings, thanks to their crispy surface or toppings.
Waffle
I usually eat those soft and slightly elastic waffles, which have been left for some time in the open. So my impression wasn’t that good. But recently my friend has introduced me to a stall in The Deck which sells freshly prepared waffles. Finally I got the chance to savour hot fresh crispy waffles! Anyway why do waffles have squarish patterns on it? (Yeah you could play Tetris with it) I think peanut butter goes really well with it. Haven’t tried those with ice cream scoops on the top though.
Muffin
Chocolate muffin’s my favourite! The surface of muffins is really tasty! (but the surface is normally quite small) If the muffin contains any fillings, it’s even better! That will really serve as a pleasant surprise. =) But I don’t quite like to tear off the paper at the bottom as it leaves an ugly mark on its sides. Normally muffins will make you full quickly, similar to cakes.
Actually there is still one more kind of bread I would like to talk about. But I'll wait till the time is ripe. Hehe...
Before plunging into the main subject, I would like to introduce a bread-related anime: Yakitate Japan. Interestingly 'bread' in Japanese is 'pan' (as in 'pun'). The main character of this anime seeks to become a world class bread maker, and often experiments on making different kinds of bread, which he called 'Ja-pan' (Japanese bread). Besides being comedic, this anime is very informative regarding the knowledge of bread. Yup, my recommendations. =)
I wish I could make my own bread...
*pictures from Wiki and Google
Bread Slice
The original form of ‘bread’. A cuboid-ish loaf cut into slices. Used to be my staple breakfast when I was small, but since then I’ve discovered better bread forms beyond these plain white flat slices. My favourite brand is still Gardenia though. Anyone remember its slogan: “So good… you can even eat it on its own”? However I think the statement is not necessary true, as I still find myself coupling kaya, butter or cheese slices with the plain bread. The only kind of bread I could happily eat it on its own is the raisin type (occasionally fruit nuts). Once I bought a Gardenia raisin bread loaf and treated it as both lunch and dinner haha.
Sandwich
This is quite a broad term – as long as some ingredients are inserted in between two bread pieces, it’s considered a sandwich. My initial impression of a sandwich was triangular (often seen in convenient stores), which later extended to a square, then burgers. This is a good example of how I broadened definitions as I matured and learned more. Somehow I don’t really like the crust. I’ll usually bite the surrounding crust off first before attacking the centre (the 先苦后甜 principle). Similarly for hotdog buns, I would munch up the outer bread before the naked hotdog. Fortunately most commercial sandwiches don’t come with crusts.
There’s a recent hype about the mega-sized burgers introduced by McDonalds and Burger King. Heard the meat patty is not as nice. Seen pictures taken by patrons which show the skyscraper burgers on the verge of collapsing. I wonder how you could land the first mouth on it. Even for Carl Jr burgers I had some difficulty taking a proper bite. Ultimately such burgers aren’t very eater-friendly and it’s really easy to make a mess out of it.
French Loaf
Aka ‘Jiam Tao Lo Ti’. Never had a liking for these bread in the first place. Too tough for my teeth. Rather than enjoying the food, I seemed to be spending a great deal of effort trying to chew bits off the stick. Can be very exhausting honestly. Have you ever had ‘numb jaws’ after vigorous chewing? I know there are softer ones, but my mum kept buying the harder ones from Delifrance. Heard it was because these loaves were part of the bakery’s clearance offer… Now we know why.
Croissant
It was only late in my teens when I discovered the beauty of croissants. It feels really good biting through the numerous thin layering of bread. Better if there’s a sausage at the centre! The softness is quite a contrast to French loaves. From Yakitate Japan I learnt that making a croissant from dough is not that easy.
Pizza
I rarely eat those from Pizza Hut or restaurants. Too much a luxury for me. And I find the bread base too thin (like biscuit). Usually I would only eat those cheapskate mini pizzas from neighbourhood bakeries, but some can taste really good too. It’s really annoying to see out-of-shape, non-homogeneous pizzas though. A sign of bad handwork. Cheese, ham, sausage slices, onion, peas, maize seeds, carrot bits, tomato/chilli sauce… yum yum! Looks like an unwrapped popiah to me.
Pie
Apple pie! Pineapple Pie! Chicken Pie (read this aloud in Chinese)! I think the chicken pie from Delifrance is really heavenly. The contents are soft and fresh, compared to those like in Giant – hard and stale. I think this is because my mum usually buys those end-of-day clearance ones. So it’s a trade of quality for price. I love the outer skin of pies, but it often generates lots of crumbs (I would eat the skin crumbs as well haha).
Doughnut
Used to be so popular few years ago. Okay, I think it’s still rather popular now. Wanted to try the famous doughnuts from Raffles City but never got a chance to do so. But recently I received a free one from Central Forum =p. Some doughnuts can really make you feel sinful upon eating it. Last time I used to eat doughnuts with colourful chocolate rice. Colour of food seems to be the main factor that attracts kids (at least to me). But gradually I realized it wasn’t that great after all. There’s a kind of plain doughnut where you’ve to add sugar manually. Wow that’s troublesome.
Bun
I prefer buns with fillings. In some cases I can’t really tell what’s hidden inside, which adds to the mysterious feel. Then I would try to take a bite, and hope to get a surprise. Occasionally disappointment if the filling isn’t something desirable. But sometimes I would chew off almost three-quarters of the bun and realize there’s nothing inside… (cheat my feelings T_T ) However there are some buns which taste just as great without fillings, thanks to their crispy surface or toppings.
Waffle
I usually eat those soft and slightly elastic waffles, which have been left for some time in the open. So my impression wasn’t that good. But recently my friend has introduced me to a stall in The Deck which sells freshly prepared waffles. Finally I got the chance to savour hot fresh crispy waffles! Anyway why do waffles have squarish patterns on it? (Yeah you could play Tetris with it) I think peanut butter goes really well with it. Haven’t tried those with ice cream scoops on the top though.
Muffin
Chocolate muffin’s my favourite! The surface of muffins is really tasty! (but the surface is normally quite small) If the muffin contains any fillings, it’s even better! That will really serve as a pleasant surprise. =) But I don’t quite like to tear off the paper at the bottom as it leaves an ugly mark on its sides. Normally muffins will make you full quickly, similar to cakes.
Actually there is still one more kind of bread I would like to talk about. But I'll wait till the time is ripe. Hehe...
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Bolts N' Nutz: Dim Sum
In this entry I'll be discussing about traditional Chinese snacks, pastries, cakes, and dim sum. These food somehow reminds me of my early childhood, when I started to take a liking to them. Most of you should know what these items are so there is no need for any introduction.
*Pictures taken from Wiki & Google*
Wan Tan(云吞)
Used to like eating wanton noodles, not because of the wanton, but the char siew that is added within. Slowly I began to appreciate the wanton more, its soft slippery skin and the tasty meat fillings. If they are present in soups, I’ll try to fish them out as well haha. The fried crispy skinned wanton is really nice too! As crunchy as keropok. =p
Pau(包)
I’m open to all kinds of buns, never seem to get sick of them. Are you able to tell the fillings inside the bun just by looking at its appearance? My favourite filling used to be char siew (haha I’m a pork-eater) but after some bad experiences in eating those which tasted like wood shavings, I started to prefer chicken meat buns instead, especially the bigger juicer ones. Occasionally red bean buns are fine but I find the skin rather thick and filling too little. The outer skin of yam buns is probably the most outstanding. Rarely eat vegetable buns though. Ever had trouble removing that piece of paper from the bottom? Hate it when it’s either too soft or too hard such that you can’t remove entirely in one swipe. One kind of bun worth mentioning is Westlake’s kong ba pau, but the meat’s rather fatty. Anyway I haven’t got a chance to try the famous xiao long baos in Ding Tai Feng. Buns anyone?
Gao Ding Kueh(九层糕)
This 9-layer kueh lapis originated from the Nonyas, and is common among Malays and Chinese. I always eat it by peeling off layer by layer; it just doesn’t feel right munching through. Have you ever wondered why the topmost layer is always red and the bottom layer is usually thick and tasteless (quite subjective but that’s what I feel)? Of course there are other combinations of layers (some made of rice) but the 9-layer arrangement seems to be the most common and well-liked. Yup, its colourful nature is really attractive to children too.
Siu Mai(烧卖)
It’s a kind of Chinese dumpling but I like this one most among the rest. First of all it’s easy to eat given the compact cylindrical shape. Secondly the meat-to-skin ratio is low. Am I getting too mathematical here? Haha. It’s so delicious that I can gobble a few pieces down at a go! Not really an incredible feat but the rate of $$ consumed can be incredible. Few dollars of food gone in few seconds.
Popiah(薄饼)
It has a range of sizes, from as small as those crunchy shrimp rolls eaten during CNY, to those medium sized crispy oily-looking ones bought from mini stalls or pasar malams, to the bigger sliced thin-skinned ones sold in food courts. The latter is my favourite as it contains the most varied contents, though I usually have problems in preventing the fillings from falling out and the skin from tearing apart. Used to have ‘popiah-making sessions’ at home where we would take a piece of skin and put whatever ingredients we like and wrap it up. Often ended up putting too much and unable to wrap properly, resulting in a out-of-shape open-ended crumbling popiah lol.
Chee Cheong Fun(猪肠粉)
No idea why I liked eating this long time ago when I was small. I don’t have similar cravings for it anymore now. A very sauce-dependent food. Without any sauce, I guess it will taste as plain as white kuay teow noodles. There is some meat added however they do not form the bulk. Its name can be quite misleading to those who are not familiar with the food, thinking that it might contain some pig intestines or something haha.
Lor Mai Kai(糯米鸡)
This was my favourite ‘recess food’ during my primary school years! Firstly it was cheaper than other main courses like chicken rice or fishball noodles. Secondly the queue for the snack stall was usually much shorter. Thirdly no preparation was needed, just tear the cover, flip it over onto a plate and ta-da! Another similar food would be Fun Choy, which contains char siew (again…), but the meat doesn’t really taste very genuine to me. Ultimately I still prefer glutinous rice! The sticky gluey feeling…reminds me of rice dumplings. Nonya Zhang’s my favourite!
Chai Tow Kway(菜头粿)
OR this carrot cake?
Last time there was a show that mentioned about the confusion over the name ‘carrot cake’. (Anyone remembered?) Westerners and Chinese have different interpretation of what a ‘carrot cake’ is. Anyway I don’t usually eat the type of carrot cake as shown in the first picture, but those in larger rectangular slabs commonly found in snack stalls. I was told not to eat so much of the former kind, as it can be quite unhealthy, especially with the ‘black’ one.
Kuey Neng Koh(蛋挞)
Egg tarts make a great afternoon snack, but eating it can be quite a hassle. The outer crust crumbles too easily sometimes, and can be difficult to separate it from the aluminium cup. The soft yellowish centre is really savoury! There is another version of ‘egg tart’ and it’s usually eaten during CNY – in the form of hard dome-shaped cake. Can be addictive too! About 3 more months to go…hehe.
Ang Ku Kueh(红龟粿)
Often used as an offering in prayers to my grandparents, thus I can have the chance to eat this (along with huat kueh) at least a few times every year. I like the peanut fillings and the bean paste, but the skin is a little…too chewy and rubbery. Have you seen any ang ku kueh that’s not red? I think I saw a green one before, and a purple one. Not to be confused with bee kueh, which also has patterns on top, or soon kueh, which contains mainly vegetables I think.
Looking forward to the next dim sum buffet! Pushcart style? Haha.
*Pictures taken from Wiki & Google*
Wan Tan(云吞)
Used to like eating wanton noodles, not because of the wanton, but the char siew that is added within. Slowly I began to appreciate the wanton more, its soft slippery skin and the tasty meat fillings. If they are present in soups, I’ll try to fish them out as well haha. The fried crispy skinned wanton is really nice too! As crunchy as keropok. =p
Pau(包)
I’m open to all kinds of buns, never seem to get sick of them. Are you able to tell the fillings inside the bun just by looking at its appearance? My favourite filling used to be char siew (haha I’m a pork-eater) but after some bad experiences in eating those which tasted like wood shavings, I started to prefer chicken meat buns instead, especially the bigger juicer ones. Occasionally red bean buns are fine but I find the skin rather thick and filling too little. The outer skin of yam buns is probably the most outstanding. Rarely eat vegetable buns though. Ever had trouble removing that piece of paper from the bottom? Hate it when it’s either too soft or too hard such that you can’t remove entirely in one swipe. One kind of bun worth mentioning is Westlake’s kong ba pau, but the meat’s rather fatty. Anyway I haven’t got a chance to try the famous xiao long baos in Ding Tai Feng. Buns anyone?
Gao Ding Kueh(九层糕)
This 9-layer kueh lapis originated from the Nonyas, and is common among Malays and Chinese. I always eat it by peeling off layer by layer; it just doesn’t feel right munching through. Have you ever wondered why the topmost layer is always red and the bottom layer is usually thick and tasteless (quite subjective but that’s what I feel)? Of course there are other combinations of layers (some made of rice) but the 9-layer arrangement seems to be the most common and well-liked. Yup, its colourful nature is really attractive to children too.
Siu Mai(烧卖)
It’s a kind of Chinese dumpling but I like this one most among the rest. First of all it’s easy to eat given the compact cylindrical shape. Secondly the meat-to-skin ratio is low. Am I getting too mathematical here? Haha. It’s so delicious that I can gobble a few pieces down at a go! Not really an incredible feat but the rate of $$ consumed can be incredible. Few dollars of food gone in few seconds.
Popiah(薄饼)
It has a range of sizes, from as small as those crunchy shrimp rolls eaten during CNY, to those medium sized crispy oily-looking ones bought from mini stalls or pasar malams, to the bigger sliced thin-skinned ones sold in food courts. The latter is my favourite as it contains the most varied contents, though I usually have problems in preventing the fillings from falling out and the skin from tearing apart. Used to have ‘popiah-making sessions’ at home where we would take a piece of skin and put whatever ingredients we like and wrap it up. Often ended up putting too much and unable to wrap properly, resulting in a out-of-shape open-ended crumbling popiah lol.
Chee Cheong Fun(猪肠粉)
No idea why I liked eating this long time ago when I was small. I don’t have similar cravings for it anymore now. A very sauce-dependent food. Without any sauce, I guess it will taste as plain as white kuay teow noodles. There is some meat added however they do not form the bulk. Its name can be quite misleading to those who are not familiar with the food, thinking that it might contain some pig intestines or something haha.
Lor Mai Kai(糯米鸡)
This was my favourite ‘recess food’ during my primary school years! Firstly it was cheaper than other main courses like chicken rice or fishball noodles. Secondly the queue for the snack stall was usually much shorter. Thirdly no preparation was needed, just tear the cover, flip it over onto a plate and ta-da! Another similar food would be Fun Choy, which contains char siew (again…), but the meat doesn’t really taste very genuine to me. Ultimately I still prefer glutinous rice! The sticky gluey feeling…reminds me of rice dumplings. Nonya Zhang’s my favourite!
Chai Tow Kway(菜头粿)
OR this carrot cake?
Last time there was a show that mentioned about the confusion over the name ‘carrot cake’. (Anyone remembered?) Westerners and Chinese have different interpretation of what a ‘carrot cake’ is. Anyway I don’t usually eat the type of carrot cake as shown in the first picture, but those in larger rectangular slabs commonly found in snack stalls. I was told not to eat so much of the former kind, as it can be quite unhealthy, especially with the ‘black’ one.
Kuey Neng Koh(蛋挞)
Egg tarts make a great afternoon snack, but eating it can be quite a hassle. The outer crust crumbles too easily sometimes, and can be difficult to separate it from the aluminium cup. The soft yellowish centre is really savoury! There is another version of ‘egg tart’ and it’s usually eaten during CNY – in the form of hard dome-shaped cake. Can be addictive too! About 3 more months to go…hehe.
Ang Ku Kueh(红龟粿)
Often used as an offering in prayers to my grandparents, thus I can have the chance to eat this (along with huat kueh) at least a few times every year. I like the peanut fillings and the bean paste, but the skin is a little…too chewy and rubbery. Have you seen any ang ku kueh that’s not red? I think I saw a green one before, and a purple one. Not to be confused with bee kueh, which also has patterns on top, or soon kueh, which contains mainly vegetables I think.
Looking forward to the next dim sum buffet! Pushcart style? Haha.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Bolts N' Nutz: Japanese Cuisine
This time I'll be talking about food! Yummy. Though I like to eat, I usually settle for cheap and simple food because food is merely a temporary satisfaction. Few mouthfuls and then it's gone. Thus I would prefer more filling food that can sustain my stomach, rather than glorious-looking ones that cannot eliminate my hunger. However occasionally I don't mind savoring costly exquisite food. =)
For this week I'll be covering Japanese cuisines! Maybe 'cuisine' is too big a word haha, but you know what I mean..."Japanese style food". Though they are readily available in restaurants, supermarkets, food courts and mini stalls, they can be quite expensive. So they can be considered as luxury food I guess. It's more worth it to taste these in 'sushi buffets' (ala carte buffets). *Added quotation marks as 'sushi buffet' is technically wrong in most cases.*
The following listed are not necessarily my recommendations, but rather just brief introductions and personal comments for those who are not very familiar with Japanese food. Douzo! (Here you go!)
*Photos taken from Wiki*
Sushi(寿司)
This is probably the first thing that would come to most people’s mind when Japanese food is mentioned. It is also the most common Japanese food we see in stalls and restaurants. There are a few kinds of sushi, namely Makizushi, Nigirizushi and Temaki.
Makizushi (巻き寿司) is one which rice and other ingredients are wrapped with seaweed, then rolled in a cylinder. This is my first impression of a sushi. However it can be quite plain due to the small amount of ingredient which is overwhelmed by the rice. Not encouraged to invest stomach space to makizushi during sushi buffets.
Nigirizushi (握り寿司)is made by placing ingredients, such as fish or seafood, on top of a chunk of rice. That’s where my favourite tamago sushi belongs! Tamago sushi is basically a slip of egg placed on the rice, occasionally secured by a belt of seaweed. The colour scheme of yellow, black and white is partly why tamago sushi is so appealing to me haha.
Temaki (手巻き)is basically a coned shaped Makizushi, like an ice cream cone! (or kachang puteh) Just that the cone is made from rolling a sheet of seaweed. Can be quite hard to eat as the seaweed is too thin and flimsy. Be careful not to let the cone unwrap itself resulting all the contents to drop out.
Sashimi(刺身)
Sashimi is served as fresh raw fish or seafood, usually sliced in thin pieces. Its kanji reminds me of tattoo haha. I don’t really like sashimi much as it is too raw for me. Though dipping it with soy sauce may improve its taste a little, it is still not my liking.
Tempura(天婦羅)
Made from deep fried vegetables or seafood. I like its crunchy flour coating, makes me feel like I’m eating a crispy chicken. Can be dipped into tempura sauce (looks more like a concentrated soup to me), mixed with white radish. My favourite ingredient is Ebi (prawn)! It is normally served in a crunchy stick, with its tail sticking out at one end.
Teriyaki(照り焼き)
Basically grilled meat marinated in sweet soy sauce, commonly found as teriyaki chicken. For me, the best part of teriyaki is its sauce! Is this similar to the sauce used in char siew rice? Like its kanji suggests, the sauce gives shine to the meat, which makes it more appealing. Not to forget the presence of teriyaki burger as well! Feel like eating one now haha.
Tonkatsu(豚カツ)
‘Ton’ means pork while ‘katsu’ is borrowed from cutlet. Originally a western food but the Japanese invented their own version and it became very popular. I remembered having the most generous portion of katsu in Just Acia. That was one of the rare occasions when I went full with meat. The thought of crispy skin over tender meat pieces just makes my mouth water.
Ramen(ラーメン)
Originated from China, derived from 拉面. It is made from thin yellow noodles, not to be confused with instant noodles or Maggie mee haha. Usually served with eggs and a variety of other ingredients. One of the most common main dishes eaten by the Japanese. In Japanese shows you may see small roadside stalls selling ramen, where passers-by or commuters can stop by to have a quick ramen meal. To cater for the busy Japanese, can ramen, which can be easily bought from vending machines, was invented. Do you know there is a ramen museum too? It exhibits the history of ramen as well as various variety of ramen that has been created.
Donburi(丼)
Literally means a ‘bowl’. Usually served in big rice bowls topped with meat, vegetables and other ingredients. I like the idea of having a big bowl as it seems there is a bigger portion. This is the dish that I rarely get to try in Japanese restaurants, probably due to the mentality that a bowl of rice is so common at home. Maybe one day I shall make my own donburi, by stuffing a huge bowl with rice and other dishes during dinner. Definitely filling!
Omu Rice(オムライス)
Yup, it’s the short of omelet rice. Served with fried rice or chicken rice wrapped with a thin sheet of fried egg, topped with chili sauce. Looks like Japanese like to wrap things so much haha, no wonder their packaging is always so attractive. Hope to try this soon. Tearing through the egg wrapping and discovering its contents sounds very fun to me =p.
Chawanmushi(茶碗蒸し)
Another Japanese egg dish! As its kanji explains, it is steamed egg served in a tea cup. Really creative! Within the soft steamed egg usually consists of mushrooms and sliced fish (those white spiral thingy called kamaboko) Normally eaten as an appetizer but I prefer to eat it as a dessert instead. Feels like eating beancurd haha. Yummy!
Miso Soup(味噌汁)
Commonly seen being served in a small black bowl, with a black bowl-shaped lid. Ingredients include tofu, seaweed, mushroom, etc. However due to its salty nature and seasonings added, I would refrain from drinking too much. The solid ingredients and a few spoonful of soup is enough for me. (though traditionally it is supposed to be drunk directly from the bowl) I wonder if Japanese have the habit of rinsing their rice with soup… (as I always do that)
Owari desu! That's it for the week! Are you drooling already? Haha.
For this week I'll be covering Japanese cuisines! Maybe 'cuisine' is too big a word haha, but you know what I mean..."Japanese style food". Though they are readily available in restaurants, supermarkets, food courts and mini stalls, they can be quite expensive. So they can be considered as luxury food I guess. It's more worth it to taste these in 'sushi buffets' (ala carte buffets). *Added quotation marks as 'sushi buffet' is technically wrong in most cases.*
The following listed are not necessarily my recommendations, but rather just brief introductions and personal comments for those who are not very familiar with Japanese food. Douzo! (Here you go!)
*Photos taken from Wiki*
Sushi(寿司)
This is probably the first thing that would come to most people’s mind when Japanese food is mentioned. It is also the most common Japanese food we see in stalls and restaurants. There are a few kinds of sushi, namely Makizushi, Nigirizushi and Temaki.
Makizushi (巻き寿司) is one which rice and other ingredients are wrapped with seaweed, then rolled in a cylinder. This is my first impression of a sushi. However it can be quite plain due to the small amount of ingredient which is overwhelmed by the rice. Not encouraged to invest stomach space to makizushi during sushi buffets.
Nigirizushi (握り寿司)is made by placing ingredients, such as fish or seafood, on top of a chunk of rice. That’s where my favourite tamago sushi belongs! Tamago sushi is basically a slip of egg placed on the rice, occasionally secured by a belt of seaweed. The colour scheme of yellow, black and white is partly why tamago sushi is so appealing to me haha.
Temaki (手巻き)is basically a coned shaped Makizushi, like an ice cream cone! (or kachang puteh) Just that the cone is made from rolling a sheet of seaweed. Can be quite hard to eat as the seaweed is too thin and flimsy. Be careful not to let the cone unwrap itself resulting all the contents to drop out.
Sashimi(刺身)
Sashimi is served as fresh raw fish or seafood, usually sliced in thin pieces. Its kanji reminds me of tattoo haha. I don’t really like sashimi much as it is too raw for me. Though dipping it with soy sauce may improve its taste a little, it is still not my liking.
Tempura(天婦羅)
Made from deep fried vegetables or seafood. I like its crunchy flour coating, makes me feel like I’m eating a crispy chicken. Can be dipped into tempura sauce (looks more like a concentrated soup to me), mixed with white radish. My favourite ingredient is Ebi (prawn)! It is normally served in a crunchy stick, with its tail sticking out at one end.
Teriyaki(照り焼き)
Basically grilled meat marinated in sweet soy sauce, commonly found as teriyaki chicken. For me, the best part of teriyaki is its sauce! Is this similar to the sauce used in char siew rice? Like its kanji suggests, the sauce gives shine to the meat, which makes it more appealing. Not to forget the presence of teriyaki burger as well! Feel like eating one now haha.
Tonkatsu(豚カツ)
‘Ton’ means pork while ‘katsu’ is borrowed from cutlet. Originally a western food but the Japanese invented their own version and it became very popular. I remembered having the most generous portion of katsu in Just Acia. That was one of the rare occasions when I went full with meat. The thought of crispy skin over tender meat pieces just makes my mouth water.
Ramen(ラーメン)
Originated from China, derived from 拉面. It is made from thin yellow noodles, not to be confused with instant noodles or Maggie mee haha. Usually served with eggs and a variety of other ingredients. One of the most common main dishes eaten by the Japanese. In Japanese shows you may see small roadside stalls selling ramen, where passers-by or commuters can stop by to have a quick ramen meal. To cater for the busy Japanese, can ramen, which can be easily bought from vending machines, was invented. Do you know there is a ramen museum too? It exhibits the history of ramen as well as various variety of ramen that has been created.
Donburi(丼)
Literally means a ‘bowl’. Usually served in big rice bowls topped with meat, vegetables and other ingredients. I like the idea of having a big bowl as it seems there is a bigger portion. This is the dish that I rarely get to try in Japanese restaurants, probably due to the mentality that a bowl of rice is so common at home. Maybe one day I shall make my own donburi, by stuffing a huge bowl with rice and other dishes during dinner. Definitely filling!
Omu Rice(オムライス)
Yup, it’s the short of omelet rice. Served with fried rice or chicken rice wrapped with a thin sheet of fried egg, topped with chili sauce. Looks like Japanese like to wrap things so much haha, no wonder their packaging is always so attractive. Hope to try this soon. Tearing through the egg wrapping and discovering its contents sounds very fun to me =p.
Chawanmushi(茶碗蒸し)
Another Japanese egg dish! As its kanji explains, it is steamed egg served in a tea cup. Really creative! Within the soft steamed egg usually consists of mushrooms and sliced fish (those white spiral thingy called kamaboko) Normally eaten as an appetizer but I prefer to eat it as a dessert instead. Feels like eating beancurd haha. Yummy!
Miso Soup(味噌汁)
Commonly seen being served in a small black bowl, with a black bowl-shaped lid. Ingredients include tofu, seaweed, mushroom, etc. However due to its salty nature and seasonings added, I would refrain from drinking too much. The solid ingredients and a few spoonful of soup is enough for me. (though traditionally it is supposed to be drunk directly from the bowl) I wonder if Japanese have the habit of rinsing their rice with soup… (as I always do that)
Owari desu! That's it for the week! Are you drooling already? Haha.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)