A Family Picnic to Upper Seletar Reservoir Park, Singapore

This post is long overdue.

I had made up my mind to blog about all the places in Singapore that are worth visiting. Both the popular tourist hotspots as well as the quieter, off-the-beaten-track locations. This post applies to the latter category.

So, last year, a few months before our twins fourth birthday, we bought them their first ever bicycles. They were excited beyond measure! We were in Decathlon for about two hours and ended up emerging from the store with much more than just two bicycles and helmets 😆🙈 It took some convincing to impress upon the girls the necessity of wearing helmets but since the ones they chose were pink (obviously had to match with their bright pink and ultra girly bicycles), they eventually consented. Both bicycles had training wheels and we felt like we should give the girls a reasonable amount of time getting used to the bicycles before taking the training wheels off.

After getting the hang of it a couple of times in one of the deserted visiting car parks within our condo premises, we wanted to take the girls outdoors for a more fun riding experience. The big question was - where? The answer came to us fairly quickly.

One of the best things about Singapore is the abundance of well-maintained parks, park connectors, walkways, cycling tracks and open green spaces where you can take the kids out to play or cycle. It was my husband who suggested Upper Seletar Reservoir Park. Having never been there before, I was keen to visit.

We decided to go on a weekend morning so I put together a hearty picnic brunch to keep the family energized and in good spirits. We crammed the bicycles into the boot of the car and set off on the relatively short drive.

The Seletar Reservoir was built in 1920 and officially opened by HRH, Princess Alexandra in 1969. In 1992, it was renamed as the Upper Seletar Reservoir and went on to become a marked historic site. The 15-hectare park features an iconic rocket-shaped viewing tower i.e. the Seletar Rocket Tower, and is a frequent venue for joggers, walkers and fishing enthusiasts.

Today, the Upper Seletar Reservoir is one of the four reservoirs that borders Singapore's nature reserves. The other reservoirs are the MacRitchie Reservoir, the Lower Peirce Reservoir, and the Upper Peirce Reservoir.

I had no preconceived notions in my mind of how the park was going to be so I was glad to see the road leading away from the hustle and bustle of the city and into more green and peaceful territory. We pulled into the parking lot and were a little surprised to see a mob of long-tailed macaques sauntering about. The girls squealed with delight and if I hadn't restrained them, would have surely made a beeline for the primates.

Recipe of the month: Aloo Soya Ki Subzi (Potato and Soya Chunks Curry)

Presenting the first recipe post of 2019. This recipe is new territory for me and I am pleased that I have kick started the year by going out of my comfort zone 😄

Soya chunks or Soybean protein can be considered a "complete protein" since it provides all of the essential amino acids for human nutrition. Soy chunks are suitable for vegetarians, vegans and lactose-intolerant and hence, popularly used as a substitute for poultry and meat. Surprisingly, soya chunks have been reported to have a protein content higher to that of eggs or meat and contain negligible fat. However, there is considerable debate on the health benefits of soy products (especially the more processed varieties) and I am inclined to err on the side of caution and use it in moderation in my future cooking. 

Soya chunks are dry when you purchase them. They need to be reconstituted in water, which causes them to become spongy. Plain soya chunks do not have much flavor at all, but they absorb sauces, spices and flavorings exceptionally well. Soya chunks are inexpensive and easy to cook with. You can use them in salads, stew, soup, curry, rice dishes and stir-fries. On the downside, I've noticed that not everyone is a fan of this product. Some people do not like the smell and/or texture of soya chunks. 

As a mother, I am always concerned that my kids are not getting enough protein from their diet. It is important to me that they consume a balanced diet and incorporating plant-based protein is something I am consciously trying to do. With my little picky-eaters, I have failed with tofu and I'm terrified to even try tempeh and miso 😆 I'll admit I don't have much experience cooking with soya chunks. For some reason, the husband detests them and hence they rarely made an appearance on our dinner table. As for myself, I have a neutral opinion on soya chunks - don't love them but don't hate them either. I remember thoroughly enjoying a soya chunks pulao years ago at a friend's house but then had a bad tasting experience with a side dish sometime later. I picked up a packet from the supermarket recently and thought I'd make something for the kids and see how they react to it. 

This recipe is adapted from a wonderful blog that I have been following. I have made minor adjustments to the recipe to suit my taste. The resulting semi-dry side dish turned out quite good. We enjoyed them with rotis (even the husband sampled some). The good news is that my kids ate it (they declared it was paneer 😆) and so in future, I will consider occasionally featuring soya chunks in recipes that I make for my kids 😊

Here is the recipe. Hope you like it too.

Chinese New Year Goodies from Poon Confectionery via CNYDelivery.com

Product Review

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Before I start my post, I'd like to wish all my readers a very Happy New Year 2019 😊

I'm happy to starting this year's blog post on a sweet and savoury note! As you all know, Chinese New Year (or CNY for short) is almost around the corner. 

CNY is the most important holiday in Chinese culture. It is a time of celebration, a joyous period for people to come together to celebrate old traditions and look forward to the future. 

Predictably, food is an essential part of CNY celebrations. For many, this is a time when their families would gather around to make delicious snacks and traditional dishes, learn finer cooking skills, and also share recipes. The most important meal of the year is the New Year’s Eve reunion dinner. No matter where they live, all family members must return to their hometown. If they truly can’t, the rest of the family will leave their spot empty and place a spare set of utensils for them. During CNY, a visit to a friend or relative’s house will usually include endless snacking because of which having a plethora of sweet and savoury snacks to offer is a must!

Established in 1971, The Poon Confectionary is one of the oldest makers of homemade tidbits and CNY goodies in the world. They hail from a long line of family bakers, and were famous for Muah Chee and Pineapple Tarts, dating back way before 1971. The Poon Family baked goods from home and sold them at hawker stalls in the streets of Malaysia. In 1971, their first bakery was set up in Pahang, Malaysia, to start retailing. 

In 2018, the Poon Confectionary expanded to Singapore with the help of their partners in Singapore. Keeping in line with the modern trend of buying goods online, they have decided to launch their operations in Singapore on CNYDelivery.com. 

Staying away from automation and machinery to mass produce goods, Poon Confectionery retained the family tradition of painstakingly making each cookie by hand with only light machinery used.

Poon Confectionery uses wholesome, nutritious ingredients to bake their goodies. Every snack is homemade with care and love. All their traditional CNY goodies are freshly baked before being delivered to their customers. Apparently, they are not stored at all.

The company prides themselves on producing a range of goodies that strictly adhere to the following,

• No preservatives
• No added flavouring & MSG
• Every single cookie is homemade

For the purpose of tasting and review, I was sent four of their top-selling products. I received a circular container each of Pineapple Tarts, Almond Cookies, Green Pea Cookies and Pork Floss Rolls. All the snacks were individually and meticulously packed and delivered on time.

Christmas Special: Homemade Apple Pie

It is high time that this dessert featured on my blog and allow me to tell you why.

I was a teenager when I developed a love for cooking. It wasn't as if anyone in particular influenced me. My mum never insisted that I help her in the kitchen nor did I volunteer 😛 Back then, I wasn't even a foodie. I was a scrawny teen who swore by the philosophy "eat to live" (can't say the same now 😝). As a child, I used to be an exasperatingly fussy eater, enjoying only the limited spectrum food that appealed to my taste buds and not being adventurous at all when it came to trying new dishes. As I grew older, I gradually started to appreciate food much more. I didn't (still don't) have much of a sweet tooth. My weaknesses in food & drink included soda (cola exclusively), chocolate, anything containing cheese, deep-fried snacks and those, I'll readily admit, still continue to be to this day.

During those years, I started watching various cookery shows which ignited the fire in me to explore the culinary world. My mum had plenty of cookbooks in her pantry so I began flipping through them. I was curious to know if I could make some of my favourite dishes on my own. As good a cook my mum is, baking is something she never did and so that was one area that piqued my interest in particular.

I remember quite clearly, almost like it was yesterday, some of the dishes I used to make all those years ago. Vegetable fried rice, potato rösti, potato kebabs, fried cheese balls, Chinese noodles, mug cake, fruit trifle and apple pie are some that come to mind off the top of my head.

Among all my mum's cookbooks was a Party Cookbook by noted Indian food writer Tarla Dalal. In that book was a simple recipe for homemade apple pie. It was one of the first desserts I ever attempted. 

Back then, I was a baking novice. I had absolutely no clue about pastry tips and techniques. I had no idea how the variety of apple would influence the final taste and texture of an apple pie. In my small sleepy hometown of Mysore, only one or maybe two varieties of apples were available in the local market and I'd just go pick up whatever I could get my hands on. Our kitchen had a medieval oven with a gas fuelled burner that had to be manually ignited (I was too afraid to do it so I'd ask my mum to). The temperature of our oven wasn't precise so I couldn't trust the settings and I didn't know about the existence of an oven thermometer so I'd just end up taking a gamble on the baking temperature and time. In my naïve mind, as long as the pastry was cooked and the complimentary flavours of apple and cinnamon married together, I had a winning dessert. 

Looking back, I realise that the apple filling I'd make used to turn out mushy every time and although the pastry was cooked through, it wasn't flaky like how it is supposed to be. But we didn't know any better so to us, it tasted delicious and elicited requests from family and friends to make often. It went on to become my signature dish and is the only dessert I so distinctly remember from my childhood. Every time I bite into an apple pie, no matter where I am in the world, it takes me on a trip down memory lane and that is the reason, this dessert holds a special place in my heart. 

An old-fashioned apple pie with a flaky buttery pastry crust and juicy apple filling perfumed with cinnamon is the perfect dessert. When apple pie is served warm topped with good quality vanilla bean ice-cream, it is the ultimate indulgence. I know that apple pie is popular during the fall and frequently graces the tables at Christmas but it really is an all-year dessert. Making an apple pie from scratch does take some time but trust me, it is a fun endeavour and time well spent. I would like to make apple pie "my thing" again hoping that it will be something my kids and future grandkids will remember me by 😊

Okay, so let's get down to business. When it comes to apples, to each their own. You will see hundreds of recipes floating around recommending a particular variety or varieties of apple for "the best apple pie" and it can all get very confusing. You may think that choosing the right apple for a pie is all about flavor, but there's another equally important element: pectin. Pectin is the biological glue that holds together plant cells, giving fruits and vegetables their shape and structure. When apples are cooked, this pectin breaks down, and the apples turn mushy. Pectin breakdown is inhibited by low pH levels (that is, it breaks down less when the environment is acidic). Thus, the tarter the apple, the more likely it is to hold its shape upon baking. That is why a lot of apple pie recipes you see out there would mention Granny Smiths or Royal Gala apples. But then again, tart apples hold up well during cooking but don't offer the best "apple-y" flavor. In contrast, sweet apples provide wonderful flavor but often turn to mush. Based on the availability, I'd suggest using a mixture of apples to strike the right balance between flavour, texture and fragrance. Varieties such as McIntosh, Cortland, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Granny Smith and HoneyCrisp generally seem to be good choices for apple pie.

I stuck to a classic apple pie recipe but modernised it with a lattice crust. I didn't add in a lot of spices because I wanted the apple flavor to shine through. Using a combination of sweet and tart apples made the filling perfectly balanced with the structure of the apples intact as opposed to a gooey mush. The husband likes the apple filling to have a hint of savoury flavour so I've included a little salt in it. This is purely a personal preference. I followed most of the pastry techniques so ended up with a nice and flaky pastry. All in all, it was a delicious dessert and it brought back so many fond memories.

I'm usually very generous with the desserts I make, reserving only a minuscule portion for myself and dividing the rest among my family, domestic helper, friends and sometimes even boss and colleagues. But this time, I kept a lion's share of the pie polishing off the whole thing in a record two days 😄 If only the adage 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' could be extended to include apple pie as well *sigh*

So that is why I said at the beginning of this post that it is high time to feature this recipe on the blog. And although I was aware of it at a subconscious level, I must thank one of my sister-in-laws for pointing out the lack of pie recipes on my blog and motivating me to change that. So, Ramya, this post is dedicated to you 😊 Hoping for more pie exploits in the new year.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone!