Hsin takes on the Japs

After not having Japanese for what seems like forever, I had it 3 times at 3 places within the span of one week.

It was AWESOME.

Only reason we don't do Japanese enough is cos Mitch doesn't agree with anything but chicken katsu and chicken karaage. And it's no fun to eat sashimi and drink umeshu by yourself while your partner looks on from his bowl of battered chicken and rice.

So immediate yes when invitation came to go to Kanta after work. Even though we had to drive from Malaga to Langford and then back home to Perth after. Total hours of driving probably came to about... hour and a half?

But ohhh it was so worth it. It was only my second time there because it's so out of the way for us, especially now. And it being a one-chef show, eating at Kanta requires a lot of time and patience, so it's best to go with a chatty bunch of company. :) Last time it was DDHM, and last week it was with Aunty Matt and co.



But yes, the restaurant. A small, 20-sitter family-run place, very low-profile, and promoted via word-of-mouth. Bookings are absolutely necessary on all nights, and as I've mentioned, be prepared to wait for your food.

You can expect some of the most authentic Japanese food, and the menu extends beyond the typical katsu/bento/tempura fares at most Perth restaurants. We usually order several side dishes to share, and then a main meal each just to fill ourselves up. And as the prices are pretty reasonable, we can afford to try many many dishes at one go.

Highly recommended to try:

1) Gyu tataki - thinly-sliced beef, lightly seared, and served with grated daikon and what tasted like miso dipping sauce.


Tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef slices paired with crispy radish shreds.

2) Sashimi platter


Fresh, succulent slices of fish. No need for wasabi and soy sauce, just a squeeze of lemon and indulge. X-)

And one of my favourites:

3) Grilled squid tentacles


Toasty, delightful morsels, seasoned with sea salt and carefully grilled over a low flame.

xxx

Then there was hot pot udon at Shimizu in Harbourtown.


Best remedy on a cold winter afternoon, especially after a full day of shopping. :)

Despite the commercialization of Shimizu, I reckon this branch does one of the better udons in town. The broth was delectable - strong but not heady, flavourful but not to the extend of overwhelming the taste of the noodles.

It was a very simple assemble: soup, noodles, shiitake mushrooms, seaweed and an egg. The prawn tempura was a plus, but ohhh it was a necessary bonus.

xxx

Lastly, the most fanciest of them all - Satsuki in Subiaco.

I've been meaning to try this restaurant for a while now, and what better time than to celebrate Danson's visit to Perth. My Jap food buddy (who isn't back home in KL or miles away in London), back in town to settle some scores haha.

The prices were a bit more atas than the rest, but not exceedingly so. The ambient was relaxed, casual dining, but with a touch of posh since you know, it is Subiaco after all.

We had sashimi,


Seared miso marinated sashimi tuna, served with light miso sauce and a hint of chilli

Sushi.


2 pieces each of soy marinated Zuke style tuna and seared wagyu beef tataki, on a bed of soft, pillowy seasoned rice.


2 pieces each of lightly-smoked scallops and lemon-scented poached octopus

Grilled perch


Pearl perch marinated with white miso, and then grilled and served with homemade turnip pickles

And simmered pork belly.



Which, to be honest, wasn't that great. Danson loved every sinful bite of it though, so I think my lack of appreciation is due to my inability to eat meat fats. Especially a whole chunk of it, no matter how good it's supposed to be. I had to imagine it was tofu, and then quickly wash it down with several cups of green tea. =.= And the egg just tasted like Chinese tea eggs.

But apart from that slight fatty bump, the meal was excellent. Danson ended his dinner as how he always ends his Japanese meals: with green tea ice-cream. I stole a bite under his scornful stare, but we both agreed Kanta does better matcha ice-cream.

Me, I finally had my umeshu. :)


xx
Hsin

Whisk in hand

After a long hiatus, I'm gonna attempt cupcakes once again.

This time around, I will set my priorities straight: Taste and texture before presentation. Instead of driving myself crazy in attempt to perfect the frosting, I am going to first get the basics straight and then work my way from there on.

Today's practice batch is to experiment with:
a) Light, fluffy chiffon cupcakes
b) Using palm sugar in frosting
c) The cone method (for filling cupcakes)


The Cake



I've always preferred light and fluffy cakes to the heavier, dense ones. I find them less jelak, and therefore not get sick of them after the third cupcake. Angel food cakes are the lightest of them all, as they only consist of egg whites and no fats - as opposed to regular butter-and-whole-eggs concoction. I've attempted angel food cupcakes in the past, but they felt a bit too light (ya I know I'm fussy like that), and in my opinion, did not substantiate as 'cupcakes'.

Chiffon, on the other hand, uses both egg whites and yolks, plus some form of fat (the recipe I used called for vegetable oil), and the result is moist, melt-in-your-mouth sponge cake, delicately flavoured by tiny vanilla bean specks.


Yes, there is nothing I won't add vanilla bean to

Attempting light, airy cupcakes = SUCCESS


The Cone Method
Is used to insert fillings such as fruit puree or cream into cupcakes, as instructed with details here.

It's a great way to jazz up a plain cupcake, or to incorporate a different taste and texture to the existing flavour of the cake. I have plans to attempt matcha cupcakes with red bean filling, but baby steps for now, baby steps. Let us learn how to cone the cupcake first.

Things that can and have gone wrong previously:
- Cutting too deep
- Splitting the cupcake
- Breaking portions off the cupcake

To ensure none of the above happens this time around, I made sure to use a sharp paring knife, and took great care not to stab the knife too far down. We don't want blood tinged cupcakes, despite the aesthetic potential in that.

And because I didn't have any fruits or cream to mess around with, I ended up using some apricot jam that I had lying in the fridge. Just to make sure it works.



And it sure as hell did.

Cone method: SUCCESS.


Palm sugar (gula Melaka) frosting

The idea of infusing childhood flavours into cupcakes is not a new thing, according to well, every other food blogger these days. Anyway I wanted to recreate onde-onde (glutinous rice balls filled with palm sugar and tossed in shredded coconut) just because it came to me one night and also because I found pandan leaves in the Oriental market! So happy can, I never appreciated pandan leaves and banana leaves until I came over here and they are practically nonexistent. :(


My idea of gastronomy: Banana leaf-wrapped Pari Bakar (grilled sting ray) with sambal

Other ingredients greatly missed are freshly grinded coconut milk, agar-agar strips, pisang emas (the tiny flavourful bananas), ikan kembung (according to Google, it is called Indian mackerel), salted fish, dried scallops, calamansi limes, freshly grilled prawn paste, Indian mangoes, cempedak. Half these things can probably be found in Asian groceries if I take the time to scour through every single packed-to-the-brim shelves, walls and floorspace, and I will some day.

Anyway, back to the frosting.

The recipe I used is adapted from this one; I halved the portion (and still had leftover after generously frosting 12 cupcakes) and used palm sugar in place of brown sugar. Actually to be completely honest, I only had a little palm sugar left so I topped it off with dark brown sugar. -.-



The result was sinfully rich and buttery toffee. I added a bit of salt as well since I used unsalted butter, and a dash of instant coffee powder for the extra depth. And it was absolutely divine, even if I do say so myself. I resisted the urge to just retire to the couch, bowl of frosting in hand, and eat my way to sugar ecstasy.

Palm sugar frosting = HELL SUCCESS


And here's the final product:



Next attempt: Souffle cupcakes!


xx
Hsin

Traveling Blues

Oh mai, only less than a month and I'm already reduced to updating once a week. -.-

I'm sorry. It will be more frequent in the upcoming weeks. Have a lot under (in?) my sleeves at the moment, and plans are being put in motion! For now I will not say anything as to not jinx it, but I'm allowing myself to feel just a bit excited. Wish me luck for this mystery endeavour!

In the meantime, I've been kept busy with lots of work and traveling for work. It's good money, but I think I'm starting to feel a little burned out from doing the same thing over and over again, and then there's the petty office politics that I sense myself inevitably getting dragged in. All because some people deem themselves more worthy of getting certain jobs than other lesser beings. =.=

But let's not get into that.

I used to love traveling. I loved every bit of it, even the packing and the long flights and the questionable hotel food. I had no complains about plans spanning out of schedule, or things going awry. I was simply happy being in a different place from home, and everything else was secondary.

For a long time, I could never fathom how grownups could complain about traveling, business or otherwise. Surely they've gotta love the buffet brekkies in the morning, the complementary tea and coffee in the room, the bubble baths, and the incredible beds to jump on without getting into trouble. Then to hear how they never took the opportunity to sight see or buy souvenir fridge magnets - preposterous!

Then there's me in the present, traveling, well, to regional towns in WA, and all I can think about is how much I wish I was home instead. Admittedly, some of these towns were not the greatest, but there were times when I've had the opportunity to visit places where others would have to pay a lot of money for. And... I was simply not all that interested.

If left to my own device, I don't want to go sightseeing. I don't want to take photos. I most definitely do not want to buy little fridge magnet souvenirs. I just want to work, eat, get paid, and leave (although the food bit still excites me a little, depending on where I am).

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate being given the travel opportunities, and I know how some people would do anything short of murder(ing me) to go in my place. I simply do not see the huge fuss in yet another nondescript motel and yet another staple pub food menu.

I think I need a proper holiday. From work and responsibilities and worrying about finances. =/ Any takers?


Moody,
Hsin

Holy smokes

A quickie while waiting for tonight's dinner to defrost.

First off, a big ribs-crushing, breath-arresting hug to my darling Jill who's on her way to London to take over Great Britain; and be one step closer to world domination. If she succeeds, when she succeeds, the royalty of the design world will be shitting themselves with awe in her presence.

All the best now, Jillie-beans! <3 I'll be crossing my fingers and praying hard for you. :)

..

Secondly, congratulations to boss Ryan for totally kicking ass in the Busselton Half-Ironman last weekend.

Was that a plug? I think that was. :D

My appreciation for Ironman and similar racing events is, unfortunately, not great, so I can't honestly say I share the enthusiasm. Sorry Ryan. -.- I do however, admire the commitment and hard work that goes into it. It's something we could all do with, this raw, unbridled passion for something. Makes life a bit more interesting. :)

..

And finally, a little reminder of home today:


Haze clouding the city of Perth


The smell of smoke in the air, the less-than-5km visibility radius, the dull looking sun clouded by dust particles. Throw in the heat and humidity, and you have yourself a second Kuala Lumpur!

Only difference I supposed, is that the haze isn't a result of illegal burnings from neighbouring countries who continue to deny their faults and refuses to apologize. I'm talking about you, Indonesian authorities. And Malaysian authorities, you guys are not any better. Please buck up and enforce some sort of legislation against the bi-annually burn offs please?

Thank you.

Hsin

Hsin can (still) cook

Coming home from work one day, we noticed these 2 strange birds loitering about outside our lawn:


Hello, neighbours.


What are they? They look like a cross between a pelican and a stork.

...

On other news, I am still cooking! Not as gungho as I used to be, which is a bit strange seeing as that I have my own kitchen to meddle with now compared to back then. But once in a while, I launch into my experimenting mode and more often than not, end up pretty successful. And then I'll keep on making the same couple of things over and over again until I get sick of it and look for something new to work on.

Recent efforts include Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Berry Coulis (either blueberries or raspberries, but I discovered that the latter pairs up a lot better with vanilla), Baked Eggs with Spinach and Bacon (great way to make Mitch eat spinach), and one of my current favourites: Chinese-style steamed egg.


Also the only one with an accessible pic.


I am not equipped to do any steaming, so I cook them as I would a creme caramel; i.e. covered with foil and baked in a water bath at about 180 degrees.

The result? Silky smooth savoury egg custard with shiitake mushrooms, mildly flavoured by stock, white pepper and sesame oil. Simple indulgence on a cold, rainy day. :)


xx
Hsin