Upland Cress and Watercress

Remember the post about "watercress" for salads or even garnish? Recently, I came close encounter with Upland Cress (that the store labels "Watercress"). It looks like the "young" offspring of the more fibrous watercress  西洋菜 widely used in Chinese cooking as soups quite typically. And truth be told to me, today I found that Chinese Watercress (Nasturtium_officinale) and this Upland Cress (Barbarea verna) are quite different. And can someone tell me if Upland Cress is seasonal?

Upland cress

Anyway, I bought this Upland Cress (above) with the intention of making salads. Elegant, tiny leaves, slender and thin stalks!

Appearance-wise, Upland Cress is a tad different from the Chinese watercress (left).

Soup recipes are common for Chinese watercress and the furthest I have gone is in a stir-fry.

Taste-wise, both have a slightly sharp peppery kick.

Nutrition-wise, watercress seems to get rave spotlight for iron, calcium, folic acid, Vitamins A and C. Watercress is also a source of antioxidants and photochemical.

How do you use Watercress or Upland Cress in your cooking?


I am sharing Upland Cress and Watercress with Weekend Herb Blogging #294 hosted by Anh of A Food Lover's Journey.






Tag: upland cress, watercress

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Blueberry Granita

If I keep having salads and quinoa salads, I don't think I will ever use my Ninja Master Prep Professional Blender, Chopper and Ice Crusher More Powerful & 2x Faster this summer. So my Ninja should be given some airtime. A tweak from the usual watermelon granita is this blueberry granita making use of the frozen blueberries that is already in my freezer. It's all about deconstructing and constructing.

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Spicy Tempeh with Green Beans

Is it hard to believe if I told you I have taken a liking for tempeh since young? Yes, when I started to have Malay (Muslim) food in the school canteen. I'm in my comfort zone when it comes to Malay food, at a Malay rice stall to be specific.  It is almost (always) these three items - Potato Cakes (Begedil), Curry Vegetables and Spicy Tempeh.


I have cooked Potato Cakes before, also Curry Vegetables. And I waited after so many years, till today, before attempting to cook Spicy Tempeh.

And do you think I knew the good of tempeh then? NO. I could only recall I like the taste of this dish.

The Spicy Tempeh in the Malay rice stalls are usually cooked with diced green beans, if my memory is with me. I could not find any recipe on Spicy Tempeh with Green Beans. But thanks to Ju (The Little Teochew), I adapted her tempeh recipe (using her combination of red chili, shallots, garlic, soy sauce and sugar), re-created this dish which I enjoyed as a teen and now as adult, still call it Spicy Tempeh with Green Beans, and still enjoying it.

Organic Tempeh from Whole Foods Market

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Arugula, Grapefruit, Radish Salad

Salads eases us into hot summer. Last year, it was smoothie craze. This year, salads.


Which reminded me - I have not even used my Ninja Master Prep Professional Blender, Chopper and Ice Crusher More Powerful & 2x Faster this year!

For today, this salad is made from farm-fresh radish (red, white, pink), juicy grapefruit, peppery arugula, sprinkled with some plump sweet raisins.


Do you like dressing in your salad? Personally I don't. You may start to wonder - how then does the fruits and veggies carry one another as one entity?

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Savory Soy Milk Tofu (咸豆浆豆腐） + "Behind the Scenes" Cooking

No props. No food presentation. Just sharing photo images today, "caught in action".

This is what happens, in preparation for a fuss-free dinner.

... where every dish is steamed to cooked. YES. EVERY DISH. STEAMED.

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Lotus Root (Renkon) Stir-Fry, 清炒莲藕

A widely seen Chinese home-cooked dish utilizing lotus root must be this classic Chinese soup of lotus root with pork/spare ribs. Since I seldom cook pork at home, it also explains why it took me longer than usual to cook lotus root.

As I have said, I was overwhelmed by the sudden urge to buy all the vegetables I could set eyes on after returning from my recent vacation. So I bought some lotus root from the Asian grocery store (a case of not knowing what to do with it - just buy first) and now....need to find more ways with lotus root. How do you usually cook Lotus Root?

To make a refreshing light and flavorsome dish that is vegetarian: a combination of thin slices of celery, carrots and kabocha squash/pumpkin, stir-fried with shallots and garlic, finished off with a little sea salt and white pepper; garnished with finely chopped cilantro and fried shallots.

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Radish, Raisins, Cauliflower Quinoa Salad - make main-course salad

Making salads out of quinoa is a recent discovery for me in terms of utilizing quinoa as the ingredient. Since then, I have been making quinoa salad repeatedly and frequently because it is just so easy to prepare, definitely nutritious and very flavorful. There are some elements I've added to my quinoa salad this time.

Dried fruits such as raisins that add sweetness pop and plump softness.


Thin slices of red radishes adding textural crisp and bite...

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Dumpling Sui Kow Soup, 水饺汤

Give me Wonton(云吞) - the kinda roundish thin-skinned dumpling, Sui Kow (水饺 - below) - the longish thin-skinned dumpling, Jiao Zi （饺子）- elongated thicker-skinned dumpling, Gyoza (锅贴) - pan-fried version of Jiao Zi （饺子); boiled, in soups, fried or pan-fried and I will take them ALL!

Which is your favorite?

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Roasted Artichoke Hearts Salad

A simple salad to prepare if you enjoy artichokes. I do not mind the taste of artichokes - but it's such a chore in terms of preparation.

Do you enjoy artichokes?


Getting by another alternative, let's try artichokes hearts from a can/glass jar!

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Purple Sage Conscious Dining Menu

Half of 2011 is gone! How fast! And it's scary.

Anyway, it is never too early to plan...or maybe think of the major holidays in the second half of the year. To save the trouble of making reservations and eating out, why not consider a catering event at your own home? Don't forget: the $100off Menu Price voucher from Purple Sage is still available. To get a discount with Purple Sage; email: marketing@purplesage.com.sg with your particulars and QUOTE An Escape to Food by tigerfish -OR- 吃出健康 by tigerfish to receive this $100 discount. To find out more about the menu and/or to order, visit Purple Sage or call 6396 6990.

Just part of the Conscious Dining menu, courtesy of http://www.purplesage.com.sg/

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Steamed Clams Capellini with Arugula

I am limited by the size of my kitchen, thus the number of pots and pans, bowls and plates I can own (no storage space!!!), resulting in minimalist fuss-free cooking most of the times.

Do you think you get more clams in the same exact serving bowl (that is used to serve steamed clams, shell-on) if I get the steamed clams out of their shells after I cook them?

Of course, I love love love enjoying clams shell-on, sipping away the last drop of gravy off the shells. This is more rustic and has that "fresh" appeal (I mean, it's shell-on!); while the other (removing steamed clams from the shells) is cleaner, neater, as fresh (since they are bought, shell-on) and probably more substantial from the clams aspect.

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Asparagus, Bell Peppers, Celery, Woodear Mushrooms Stir-Fry

I miss vegetables every time I am out for a vacation, road trip etc. The vegetables I cook at home! Those, I miss and crave! Recently, as soon as I return from a short vacation, I went crazy on the produce aisles...

at Sprouts Farmers Market (for asparagus cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes);
Trader Joes (for organic bell peppers, organic celery, more tomatoes, organic eggs, organic milk, bread);
99 Ranch (for lotus root, winter melon, watercress, Chinese celery); and
Whole Foods Market (for radishes, bittermelon, organic carrots, organic arugula, organic bi-color corn, more tomatoes).

Together with the fruits (cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, white peaches, nectarines, cherries) - I spent almost $60!!! A lot but it's "feel-good" "is-good" spending cos' it means I'll be having more vegetables for the subsequent weeks! Yay!

How much do you spend on groceries, and how much on produce?


Also, I have the luxury to do (many) mixed-veggie stir-fries. I did one with lotus root, Chinese celery, carrots, red bell peppers (plus some leftover shredded duck). Then I also did this one, a vegetarian Four-Veggies Stir Fry

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Rosemary Tomatoes + Soy-Sesame Tomatoes: Tomatoes Two-Ways

Tomatoes two-way ...or more appropriately, tomatoes - cooked two ways.

First, a Raw Tomato Salad - dressed in a little sesame oil, brown sugar, soy sauce and cilantro


Refreshing with raw ripe tomatoes - so rich in Vitamin C! Raw = more Vitamin C!

But the phytonutrients (lycopene) in tomatoes become more concentrated when they are cooked (with a little oil and heat) into a sauce or paste; and become more bio-available when eaten with a little oil.


So here's another easy Roasted Rosemary Tomatoes - cherry tomatoes, rosemary, ground black pepper and pinch of sea salt. Roast at ~350F for about 10 minutes till tomatoes softened, sweetness accentuated!

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Arugula Shaved Cantaloupe Salad

This is a quick and refreshing fruit and veggie salad. I enjoy salads especially when the dressing is minimal. Seriously, this is just in time for hot hot summer!

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Cast-Iron Pan Fried Egg

YESsss! My first fried egg on my first Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned 6-1/2-Inch Skillet cast-iron pan!


I have been toying with the idea of cast-iron pan (to add to my stainless steel collection) for so long, since I have almost abandoned all non-stick cookware in my kitchen. With a cast-iron pan, I do not have to worry about subjecting the pan to high-heat while cooking. Not that I cook with high-heat (e.g. deep-fry)...but...just in case. :p

The Lodge Logic L10SK3 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet comes pre-seasoned and is relatively easy to use and clean. After reading the positive reviews from users, I plunged straight into the purchase.

The only regret - I should have bought the 10-1/4 inch pan as I find the 6-1/2-inch pan rather small. Errrr....it can do...maybe a maximum of TWO fried eggs or ONE pan-fried fish/chicken fillet at one time. Luckily, I am not cooking for a huge family.

Of course, the plus-side of a small-ish pan? The weight is just right for me to handle, while cooking or cleaning. Cast-iron is heavy!!!


Do you currently use a cast-iron pan/pot? What do you usually cook in this pan? I'm thinking gyoza, omelette, frittata, pan-fried fish fillet ....what else? Give me some ideas!


Tag: fried egg, cast-iron pan

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"Easy Chinese Recipes" Cookbook, by Bee Yinn Low

The much-awaited "Easy Chinese Recipes" cookbook from Rasa Malaysia is finally here. As a recipe tester, I tried two recipes (Sui Kow - Dumpling Soup, and Crispy Noodles) from the cookbook; they are indeed easy to follow and rewards with authentic goodness (proof from myself who is a believer and do-er of easy delicious cooking).

This cookbook will be available worldwide and in major online book stores. You can do your pre-order now! It has already hit the bookshelves of Singapore and will follow in other Asia Pacific regions starting June. The cookbook will be released in North America (US and Canada) on Sept. 10, 2011.

For more information, check out RasaMalaysia.com.

Congratulations, Bee Yinn!