Prima Taste Delights

One of the ways to cook your own authentic Singaporean food in Australia is to use ready-to-cook premixes. The convenience of using premixes is really really good... especially when the result is very satisfying and gives you a taste of home as you eat.

Other than your usual curry, laksa and chicken rice, there are a lot more different food premixes available. Some are available in big party packs, suitable for hosting parties. Check out their prices here.

I have tried bak kut teh, beef rendang, satay, chicken rice, laksa, singapore curry, chilli crab and last night, I tried mee siam. Yum! The authentic taste of mee siam still lingers in my mouth...

You can purchase these mixes at their online store and you get free shipping to anywhere in Singapore for purchases above S$30. It does cost a little more to buy in Australia, given the current currency exchange rate. However if you were to bring it back from Singapore, certain foods might be rejected by Customs. So far Australian Customs has been quite kind to me. But do note that the variety available outside Singapore might be limited.

Party packs are available at Prima Taste Kitchen, The Centrepoint Shopping Centre and the online store only. They are great for hosting parties of at least 10 people. My suggestion is to make your purchases via the online store. The prices are reasonable and very similar to those you get from supermarkets in Singapore. Get them sent to a Singapore address for free (with S$30 purchase which you can easily clock up) and then pack them into your suitcase to bring to Australia. Please remember to declare all food items to Custom.

Places in Brisbane where you can find Prima Taste mixes:

• Amigas, Wynnum North
• Burlinton Supermarket, Fortitude Valley
• Flavour of Asia, Capabala
• High Fresh, Sunnybank
• Hung's Supermarket, Sunnybank Hills
• Vui's Market, Inala
• Welcome Fresh Foods, Sunnybank
• Welcome Mart @ Robertson
• Yuen's Market, Sunnybank
• Yummy Chow, Morayfield

(See the list of places in the world where you can find Prima Taste mixes)

10 Cheap Foods that Are Good For You

Read the original article here. I expected some foods to make the list but there are a couple of surprises!

The 10 foods are:
1. Broccoli
2. Milk
3. Lentil soup
4. Carrot
5. White potato
6. Tomato juice
7. Banana
8. Beans
9. Yoghurt
10. Orange

Now, it is time to shop and eat wisely!

Massel Stock

I have tried cooking with a couple of brands of stock powder. One day, I was taking part in a survey about the various brands of stock (liquids, powder and cubes). I came across this "Massel" brand which I never heard before. When I saw it on sale at Coles one day, I decided to buy one to try.

I am happy to learn that there is no added msg and 99% fat free in Massel stock products. I was rather impressed when I saw their products on sale at an organic foodstore.

There is no trans fat. The saturated fat content is also kept low. There is usually a very high amount of sodium in such stock powder but surprisingly this does not (which may mean that you need to add your own salt when you cook with this). But hey, you know that this is healthier to cook with :)

Basil Pesto

If you are used to only eating Asian food, pesto will be something new to you. Basil pesto can be found in supermarkets in Asia but at a very expensive price. Over here in Oz, they are rather inexpensive.

I remembered my first encounter with basil pesto is when my friend R, cooked me some basil pesto chicken with pasta when I went to her place. I remembered it was so so yummy. I tried to cook it once for my parents but they found it odd. I think they are not used to it.

Now that I am living in Oz, I can easily make my own basil pesto that is fresh and good. I grew some basil plants in my garden (2-3 is enough to get you around). The leaves themselves could be used directly in cooking. But I choose to make pesto with the most of them. If I don't have enough, my in-laws will have plenty for me.

I made 2 jars for myself last weekend, which is probably enough to keep me through the year until the next summer. I might make another jar or 2 with more leaves from my in-laws or wait for my plants to grow a little more (this is the last of it, since summer is officially over) from this entire week of rain. Even though I have a recipe, I did not follow any this time. I just used my own estimation of the proportions and blend away!

Do not worry if you do not have your own basil plant. You can either grow it in spring time later this year for next summer's harvest (you can grow it easily in a pot too) or buy a big bunch from the supermarket, or ask around who has basil plants to be able to spare you its leaves, or just simply buy basil pesto from the supermarket!


(contributed by kk, from her cookbook "Cooking - a common sense guide")

90g basil leaves
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup (50g) pine nuts
1 cup (100g) grated parmesan
¾ cup (185mL) olive oil
a generous dash of lemon juice*

Firstly put the garlic and pine nuts in a food processor, process until finely ground. Add basil, lemon juice and Parmesan. Add the olive oil slowly with the motor running. Add finely ground sea salt sparingly to taste.

You can substitute cashews (which I did, simply because it is cheaper) or macadamia nuts for an equally delicious pesto. Pesto can be kept in the fridge for 2 weeks. Spoon into a clean, dry jar and cover the sauce with a thin layer of olive oil*.

*A generous dash of lemon juice prevents the leaves from darkening. The layer of olive oil on top of the pesto in the jar is also to preserve the pesto and prevents discolouring of the pesto.

Pesto can be freezed. I have placed 1 jar in the freezer (for future use) and 1 in the fridge :)

(Left) Store-bought pesto (cost A$3+ but S$6-7 in Singapore), (right) homemade pesto

3 ways to use basil pesto:

1. Drizzle enough sauce to coat freshly cooked pasta.
2. Pesto pinwheels: use frozen puff pastry, spread with a thin layer of pesto and sprinkle some tasty or more grated parmesan cheese before rolling.
3. Baked pesto chicken or fish: pesto is great with lean cuts (e.g. chicken breast, firm white fish fillets) because the oil keeps it moist. Pat dry the fillet, cut a few slits into the flesh (but not all the way through), spread with a thin layer of pesto, top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese again and bake in 180°C oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve with a fresh green salad.

Going Italian?

Pasta sauces like these cost about A$3 when they are on sale. So buy a couple to stock up when you meet the sale

When you want to cook pasta, this is one of the quickest and easiest solution - use a pasta sauce that you can just throw in and also add any other ingredients that you have. They could be leftover chicken or can of tuna. I usually cook up some beef mince with mushrooms, carrots, peas and maybe any other veggies that I have. Cook up some spiral pasta at the same time. Mix everything together with pasta bake sauce. Pour everything into an oven-safe dish (I use my trusty Pyrex), sprinkle some grated cheese on top. Bake in oven for about 10 mins or until cheese has browned. You may freeze the leftovers.

Quop and I love pasta bakes... I think it is because of it is different to the usual pasta and sauce. The common brands available are Leggos and Dolmio. It does not bother me which brand I get, so long it is on sale :p I usually also try to look out for things like "no artifical flavours, preservatives", etc. I would compare the sodium levels and buy those that have lower salt content, where possible. On that note, the longer the ingredient list, the more 'processed' the food is and perhaps you might want to think twice about buying it (for health reasons). Flavour enhancer 621 is MSG (and they only list the number and not tell you what it is). I'd try to avoid that where possible. See the list of food additives to avoid.

I have kind of stopped buying pasta sauces, only buying pasta bakes every now and then. The reason is that I realist pasta sauces are really not difficult to cook from scratch and it is healthier too. (I shall enter more recipes in future. Look out for the category on pasta) The new 'friend' I made is Woolies home brand tomato paste. It is cheap (under A$2 for this 500g jar) and versatile. You can use it as a base on pizzas, spread lightly on your bread, use some (plus stock) for your pasta sauce (do not just use this as itself is very salty). This is also an ingredient if you make a beef stew, shepherd's pie, etc. I'd say it is good to stock one in your pantry. But once you open it, you have to keep the jar in the fridge.

Pasta Notes

(Donna Hay Jn/Jul 2009)

Getting to know some pasta that is found in the supermarkets... Specific pasta shapes are designed to complement certain sauces; by general rule of thumb, the thinner the pasta, the lighter the sauce.

1. Rigatoni - large tube with thick grooves. Wide holes are perfect for thicker sauces from cream-based to chunky meat sauces. Could also use penne.

2. Conchiglie - resembles little conch shells. Great for meat and tomato-based sauces and also in a base for soups or cold pasta salads.

3. Conchiglioni - jumbo pasta shells, ideal size for stuffing with meat, veggies or cheese, topping it with sauce and baking in the oven.

4. Macaroni - one of the most versatile pastas. Can be topped with any cauce, baked in the oven or used in soups.

5.  Linguine - long, flat and narrow shaped. Ideally suite to seafood sauces and also served with pesto. Slightly wider than spaghetti.


6. Lasagne - sold fresh or dried, sheets are traditionally used for the dish of the same name. Also good to break into large pieces and serve with a very chunky sauce.

7. Spaghetti - Classically used in Bolognese but can be topped with both cream and meat-based sauces.

8. Caserecci - made from rolled, twisted tubes of pasta designed to trap sauce, particular a chunkier sauce. Could use a similar shape called trofie.

Personally, I love using angel's hair with my meat-based sauces as supposed to spaghetti. Angel's hair is thinner than spaghetti. Angel's hair can also be easily broken up into pieces and use it in soups.

Another type not featured here but is rather common is fusili, which is a short pasta but has twisted shape. I typically use this for pasta bake. There are bigger and smaller sized fusili and sometimes you find different coloured ones in one packet.

Kaya on Toast!

If you are a Singaporean like me and you miss the kaya and butter toast from Kopitiam, go buy this Glory nonya kaya. This is imported from Glory in Singapore and looks exactly the same on its label. Each jar cost around A$3+and you can find this at Asian grocery stores (I bought mine from Yuen's Market Square).

There is another Glory brand kaya but it has honey in it and they named it as the hainanese style. Personally (even though I am a hainanese), I prefer the original kaya. Get some frozen bread out of my freezer, toast it. Spread butter while it is still warm and then spread a layer of kaya on top. That is really nice and kinda melts in your mouth. If your Aussie friends ask, you have to tell them that it is coconut jam because they wouldn't know what is "kaya".

Get your kaya now!

Treacle & Golden Syrups

Tracle and golden syrup can be found in the sugar section of supermarkets.

(From Donna Hay Jun/Jul 2009)
Treacle - sweet and sticky, treacle is a by-product of sugarcane refinement. It is dark golden in colour and has a slightly stronger flavour than golden syrup (but not as strong as molasses), with a hint of bitterness. It is used in baking to add a depth of sweetness and moisture. It is very popular in Britain where it is used in the classic treacle tart.

Golden syrup - this is also obtained from the process of sugarcane refining but is not as intensely flavoured as treacle. It is readily available in the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia but harder to find in the US. You can substitute treacle or dark corn syrup in cooking but not when serving. It is an essential ingredient in biscuits, such as brandy snaps, ANZACS and gingernuts, in puddings or simply drizzled over pancakes or oat porridge.