Seaweed, Tomato and Loofah(Luffa) Noodle Soup

The only good aspect I can remember of seaweed is its high iodine content. Apparently, not just that. This sea vegetable has superb wealth of mineral elements from the sea - these mineral macro- and micro- nutrients include sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iodine, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, molybdenum, fluoride and manganese.. What a mouthful! But a mouthful of goodness. Seaweed also contains Vitamins B1、B2、B12 and C. Hey, I am having more of this, definitely.

Seaweed (or Nori) is 紫菜 (ZiCai in Mandarin, literally meaning Purple Vegetable) and how appropriate this is since it is classified a red algae. Another seaweed we are familiar with is kelp (or wakame) and classified as a form of brown algae. Wakame is good in soups and so is nori seaweed like this.


A combination of Luffa (Loofah) which also contains group B Vitamins, and Vitamin C; Tomato - another of my favorite ingredient which contains fat-soluble lycopene, a power antioxidant and Seaweed...


makes my entry for Presto Pasta Nights this week for Ruth at Once Upon a Feast. This event welcomes any noodle dish and recipe, so join us.

Noodle Soup with Seaweed, Loofah and Tomato
Ingredients: Marrow Squash (or Luffa, Loofah), peeled and sliced across the length; 1 tomato, cut into bite size; dried seaweed; salt and white pepper to taste; drizzle of sesame oil; cooked somen noodles

Directions: In a pot, add a little sesame oil and fry at low heat to soften the tomatoes. Add in marrow squash and mix well. Add water (soup amount) and allow mixture to simmer till marrow squash just cooks through. Add in seaweed and stir gently. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Before serving, drizzle some sesame oil. Ladle soup over cooked somen noodles and enjoy when warm.


If you enjoy simple comfort, here you are. This dish is suitable for pure vegetarians who cannot eat eggs. Feel like a little more luxury today? Gently stir in a whisked egg to the soup, just before serving. An egg can be a luxury sometimes.

Slurp up the noodles and the soup. It is all goodness.

Noodle Soup With Seaweed, Loofah and Tomato



Tag: seaweed, nori, tomato, soup

Beef Burger, Black Pepper Sauce, and Onions = Prosperity !

Scrolling to the bottom of my front page, I found that it has been "meatless" for the past five to six posts!! Certainly, I have not turned vegetarian and probably never will, as the other one with me needs meat. Here comes...a meat post. ^o^


Weirdly enough, I only have my Mcdonald's fix outside the United States - a case where the non-USA franchisees taste better. Ditto Burger King and Carls Junior. Wendy's just made a comeback to Singapore recently and I don't think I will get a chance to try it. The Singapore media glamored it (overhype, maybe?)  - I have not stepped into any Wendys in the US as far as I can remember.

And because there are really better burgers (St. Johns Bar and Grill right smacked at where I stay in Sunnyvale and In-N-Out Burgers throughout California) in the United States, I don't really crave for Mcdonalds, Burger King and Carls Junior in the States.

To call itself a Prosperity Burger can only be something happening in Asia. The Prosperity Burger is a special menu item currently in Singapore's Mcdonalds, due to the festive season ever since New Year in Jan, and awaiting Chinese New Year in Feb.

It tastes quite ok, something different for once, a change once in a while. The packaging says it all - a burger of beefy goodness and spiced up with black pepper sauce and onions.

Remember? I wrote about Mcdonalds in Taiwan offering Multigrain Burger; and KFC in Taiwan offering Portugese Egg Tarts. I remember Mcdonalds Nasi Lemak and Chicken Congee in Singapore too. You can always check out my "chomp chomp" in Taiwan and Singapore.

What is the most memorable or festive goodie offered by your local Mcdonalds, KFC, Burger King or any popular fast-food chain ?

Tag: burger, mcdonalds

Roasted Cauliflower Tomato-Based Pasta

I seldom roast my vegetables. While roasted peppers is common as a side-dish or as an ingredient in pasta or pasta sauce, I am more in love with roasted cauliflowers, which as a matter of fact, the only vegetable I have roasted. I have made roasted cauliflowers for some time but have not done enough justice by telling you how simple and tasty this is. And recently, I found that adding these roasted cauliflowers to a tomatoey pasta sauce gives an added ray of new flavor to the pasta.


If I want roasted cauliflower, I usually do that in the oven. But since I am having pasta today, I was thinking to "roast" them directly on my pan and retain the flavor remnants, for the pasta sauce I am going to make. Here's how.

Roasted Cauliflower in Tomato-Based Pasta
Ingredients: [Spices for Cauliflower] pinch of cumin, fennel, salt, black pepper; curry powder, turmeric; cauliflower florets, rinsed and blanched;1-2 tomato, cut into wedges; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 2-3 gloves garlic, minced; pinch of cumin, turmeric and curry powder; salt and black pepper to taste; cooked pasta (shell pasta, preferred)

Directions: Place the blanched cauliflowers (excess water completely drained) in a mixing bowl, add the spices, cover the bowl with a flat plate and give it a good shake. This will ensure cauliflowers are coated with the spices. Add a little oil(2-3 drops) in a flat pan and when oil is hot, add the cauliflower and give is a good "roast" in the pan till the sides of the florets are browned. Set the florets aside. Add more oil, add in onions, garlic, cumin, turmeric, curry powder and fry till fragrant. Then add in tomatoes, fry briskly and let it simmer, covered, till gravy/sauce forms. Add in some water, followed by cauliflower, then allow entire mixture to simmer. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in cooked pasta and allow the pasta to further absorb the sauce. Serve warm.


This pasta goes to Chaya of Sweet and Savory this week's host for the wonderful event Presto Pasta Nights created by Ruth from Once Upon a Feast.

Tag: cauliflower, pasta

Marrow Squash equals Luffa equals Loofah - oh, names...

The verdict is out! Some who CAN take raw bean sprouts and some just can't. Some (ME!) who need the "roots" to be (preferably) picked and some who are not as fussy as me. Such is this world where nothing and nobody is to everyone's liking. How about loofah? Do you...

Love ya at an arm's length" ? My feature of today - Luf-fa at an arm's length ? Errmmm...almost an arm.

While I usually call it luffa or loofah, it tags the other name of marrow squash in the supermarkets of Singapore. I have recipes, tips and more easy recipes coming up soon. Well, the only complaint I have is: marrow squash is not a very "economical" vegetable to buy (esp. when sold "by weight") since you need to peel off that tough coat (inedible) to expose the edible "softee" inside. I usually have to buy three arm-length's marrow squash to feed about two. Not worth the penny you pay for the entire vegetable but still not an expensive vegetable I must say.

Hmmm.....pinch of salt, handful of florets, sliced to finger-length, buying arm-length marrow squash. ..anymore? Do you have big concerns over recipes that calls for such description in quantity: since her finger might be longer than your finger; and your handful might be smaller than her handful?:p

Tag: marrow squash, loofah, luffa

Bean Sprouts - stir fry Chinese- or Indian-style? A battle rattles

I am not a big fan of bean sprouts, frankly, as I have incidents of eating raw sprouts; and completely...absolutely...hate that raw taste. Maybe it was due to the unpicked roots? So tell me if you bother to remove the roots.

Nope. You shall not have salted fish to flavor up this dish. When that happens, what will you do?

How about a Chinese stir-try done simply with green onions and ginger?


-OR- a recipe using Indian spices of cumin, turmeric, then finished off with salt and black pepper ? Oh, you can add some firm tofu cubes to add more protein to the dish if you prefer.Or you can try Rasa Malaysia's version - bean sprouts with tofu puffs.


This Indian Spiced Bean Sprouts with Tofu is good with steamed rice.


Salted fish is flavorful I know, but it is not all healthy (so much sodium!). Just do not use it excessively.


Aside from the fact that I am not a fan of bean sprouts, they are rich in digestible energy, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, beneficial enzymes and phytochemicals. This sprout of a legume and tofu made from legume -soy beans, in this Indian Spiced Bean Sprouts with Tofu recipe should fit the vegetarian theme of My Legume Love affair or MLLA - 19 - an event originally created by Susan of  The Well-Seasoned Cook.

Tag: bean sprouts, stir fry

Star Fruit, Carambola - an old wife's remedy ?

You don't call a starfruit (also known as Carambola) STAR fruit for no reason.

The old wife's remedy for an uncomfortable or sore throat is to eat starfruit dipped in some salt. Have you heard that before? It might sound too far-fetched but with this fruit being high in Vitamin C and with salt being sometimes regarded as an antibacterial, I guess all of us can take a leaf from the book and say, old wives tales may not be totally untrue.

Well if this method works to loosen up the phlegm in my throat, I can proudly say "You are my STAR!"


Tag: star fruit, Carambola

Tri-Color Bell Peppers Omelette - rainbow diet or "traffic light'"

If pediatricians recommend a rainbow diet to toddlers and infants, for the wide-ranging colors leading to essential and complete nutrition, adults should look at this with thoughts and action too. Recently, I have been trying to incorporate different colors of nutrition into our diet. Well, vegetables are good. Greens are essential but too boring. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet - colors of the rainbow. I do not have difficulties with the first four colors but can someone give me more options for Blue, Indigo and Violet. Eggplant falls into this category. What else?

If attaining a rainbow diet is too ambitious, why not try the "traffic light" diet as a first step?


The ingredients are pretty basic and colorful as laid out in my "new' kitchen organizer - muffin pan.

Bell Peppers Capsicum Omelette
Ingredients: Bell peppers , rinsed and diced; 1 onion, diced; 2 eggs, whisked; salt to taste; freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Heat some oil in the pan and when pan is hot, add in onions and fry till partially translucent. Then add in peppers, add salt and pepper. And add the whisked egg around the pan. Finish off with more freshly ground black pepper.

And since it is Wholesome Breakfast over at Spice your Life, this tri-color peppers omelette should work well as a sandwich filler for a kid's breakfast or even a packed lunch to school. I know some kids shun away from bell peppers but I hope the colors will entice them and that bell peppers can be incorporated as part of the diet.

Tag: eggs, omelette, bell peppers,capsicum

Fried vermicelli street food is indulgence for me in Singapore?

Hey folks! I have been back visiting in Singapore since Christmas and will be staying for about a month before I return to California. Street and hawker food is usually what I indulge in (yes, a luxurious word for cheap and good hawker fare) when I am in Singapore because they are rare in California. Well, I am quite sure I can NEVER find food packaged THIS WAY! Just so nostalgic and so real!

In California, take-outs  are common but packed in styrofoam boxes like that, and not this...
In Taiwan, take-outs are sometimes packed in paper boxes like that, and not this...

Yes, in that brown paper lined with thin plastic film (package equally unhealthy as styrofoam box) lies really simple foodfare of fried vermicelli paired with chicken wings, "purse"egg (荷包蛋 equivalent to sunny-side up), some spicy long beans and pickled green chili! Yeah! Yes, sinful but tasty! It is not everyday foodfare so it is ok. We call that Economic Bee Hoon (经济 米粉). Weird name but that's how we call it.

Tag: vermicelli, take-out, singapore

Kitchen Tip: Muffin Pan, a great organizer!

My 12-cup muffin pan has been severely under-utilized. I only use the pan to make savories such as mini curry beef and potato pies and mini chicken pies, no more than that. I bake neither muffins nor cupcakes, and do not attempt to line the muffin pan with wonton skins to be baked in the oven to create crispy wonton cups. Then...what is my muffin pan doing right now?


It has become my color palette!
It has become a great organizer for me to put my prepared ingredients just before I do my cooking!



So, what's next?

Tag: muffin pan

Kale Winter Vegetable Soup of the Day - with Salmon and Tofu

A heart-healthy seasonal soup for winter. Best way to use seasonal produce (kale) and concoct the best dish (soup!) to comfort us during winter.

Kale Soup with Salmon and Tofu
Ingredients: Kale (note: best to get organic - classified as one of the Dirty Dozen), rinsed and tear leaves to smaller pieces; 1 garlic, finely minced; 1/2 box soft tofu, cubed; 1 salmon fillet, sliced; salt and white pepper to taste

Directions: Add oil to heated pan. Saute garlic briskly, then add kale and fry till leaves softened. Add water then add tofu and add salt and pepper to taste. When almost ready (kale almost cooked), add in salmon pieces and simmer till salmon is cooked (note: do not overcook salmon). Drizzle 2 drops of sesame oil to flavor up. Serve immediately.


Remember Kale, this winter vegetable? Many ways to cook them. Other than a soup like this, you can also stir fry with garlic. I personally prefer the soup version. This soup made from winter vegetable - kale, goes to Monthly Mingle: Winter Fruits and Vegetables. Monthly Mingle is organized by Meeta from What's for Lunch, Honey? each month.

Try my other Soup of the Day:
Chicken Soup - a natural immunity booster
Watercress Soup - a natural expectorant
Luffah Tomato Soup - a beauty soup

Tag: kale, soup

Lettuce, lettuce stems, celtuce, asparagus lettuce - confused?

I had better luck using a Chinese search engine - Baidu, when I wanted to know what lettuce stem was. Known in Mandarin as 莴笋 (WoSun) or 莴苣 (WoJu), lettuce stem is also known as Celtuce, or Asparagus Lettuce. Looking at its nutritional value, I'm happy to find a wide ranging good minerals and vitamins in this vegetable. And know where I got this pictorial diagram of Lettuce (below)? It was in a toddler's book(made up of flash cards) which introduces a variety of fruits and vegetables as a form of everyday learning. I am amazed!


If you manage to find lettuce stems in your supermarket, try them. They are grown for both its leaves and its stalks. With the stems, you can simply do a stir-fry with green onions, garlic and marinated tofu slices (option); then lightly season with salt, white pepper, and sesame oil.


With the leaves, go ahead with a garlic stir-fry like you would for any green leafy greens.


I can find this vegetable in Ranch 99 (not sure if it is available in Singapore). Good! With kale and chayote, lettuce stem is another newbie to my list of vegetable-to-buy in future. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this vegetable has unique nutritional value - due to the presence of lactucrium, aids digestion and has anti-inflammatory effects; with potassium, the vegetable can help regulate blood pressure, muscle contraction and keep body processes working right. Won't this be a great introduction to Weekend Herb Blogging, with Cook Almost Anything?

Tag: lettuce, stem lettuce, celtuce

Use spices in cooking, reduce the salt!

Food blogging has really put me into more learning and experimenting with ingredients, seasonings and food. In the journey of cooking, I have enjoyed using local and seasonal ingredients, gone natural and organic quite selectively, used simple and the correct cooking techniques. In seasoning and spicing up my food, I am glad to be using more spices and seasonings, than I used to know. Last time, the only seasonings that can be found in my pantry are salt and pepper. Now I have an array of herbs such as dried basil, oregano and rosemary; and spices such as cumin, fennel, coriander, turmeric and red chili pepper flakes. I am trying to use more spices to season the food that I cook; and reduce the salt and bottled sauces (equals to sodium). For example, instead of using the usual quantity of salt, I now pinch the salt (really a pinch) and use spices such as freshly ground black pepper, white pepper and cumin to season my stir-fries, soups and salads, if I have to. Of course, I am still using very basic spices. But I hope one day, I could stock up on more exotic spices and herbs such as spanish paprika and hibiscus leaves. Penderys has really opened my world on spices and chilies.

Shrimps with Green Onions and Ginger, Wok-Fried River Prawns

I left you pondering over the new year - what will be my next shrimp recipe and ...to guess what are lettuce stems. So, I unveil this easy and tasty shrimp recipe here - Wok-Fried Shrimps with Green Onions and Ginger (it is really no-glam affair!) and this will add to the repertoire of seafood recipes I already have.

The gravy is so so good with steamed rice!

A friend of mine taught me this and she said this was a simple home-based recipe (家常菜) shared among many Chinese families. In many parts of China, they name this 姜葱爆河虾 - Wok-Fried (River) Shrimps or Prawns with Green Onions and Ginger, to be exact. Well, I supposed River Prawns is just another variety of shrimps adding to the other Grass, Tiger, White, Spot varieties. She also told me River Shrimps are smaller prawns so the flavors get right into the "heart" (do they have one?) of the shrimps, fast and good; and smaller prawns cook faster so the prawns will remain very succulent after a short cooking duration (logic: when prawns are bigger, you tend to cook them longer, so the longer exposure to heat will render them a higher chance of being over-cooked?)


Wok-Fried Shrimps or Prawns with Green Onions and Ginger (姜葱爆河虾)
Ingredients: 1 lb shrimps, shells and heads-on, de-veined and cleaned; 1 bunch of green onions, rinsed thoroughly and cut into finger-lengths; 1 small knob of ginger, thinly sliced; about 1 cup Chinese cooking wine(note: enough to at least soak the shrimps); 1/2 tsp brown sugar (note: sugar is the secret ingredient to many Shanghainese food) ; 1/2 to 1 tbsp light soy sauce

Directions: [Refer to step-by-step collage above] Marinate(or rather...soak) shrimps in cooking wine, brown sugar, light soy sauce and half the quantity of ginger in a pot for about 15-20 minutes. Heat some oil in wok and when oil is hot, add in green onions and remaining ginger and fry briskly till fragrant. Then add in all the shrimps with the marinate and fry till shrimps turn pink (cooked). Serve immediately.So fast, too good!

Tag: shrimps, prawns

Vegetarian recipes - of lettuce stems, hairy gourd, pumpkin

Happy New Year!

You have over-eaten during the holidays. I give you a marathon remedy of vegetarian dishes. No gluten (fake meat), no excess grease. Oops but there is egg in one dish!

Clockwise from top left: Stir fry leaves of lettuce stems, stir fry pumpkin, stir fry stem of lettuce stems with tofu slices, stir fry hairy gourd (毛瓜, MoGua) slices with eggs and basil.

Oh no no no...ok ok...just what are lettuce stems ? (I saw lettuce stems in Ranch99- an Asian supermarket in the USA). If I have said celtuce, would that have been better? Now I need to do more googling and binging. Or if you already know, drop me your comments.

Tag: lettuce stems, celtuce