What a week! I am glad that it is almost over. It has been a bit of a rough ride with a project launch. I just find it difficult to fall asleep when there are a millions things to do and I’ve this feeling that something may go wrong while I’m in lala land. My eyebags are reaching my chin and I feel 10 years older.
My unwillingness to sleep can also be blamed on the multiple late nights that I stayed awake during the World CUP, Wimbledon and Tour De France. I need to get back into my proper sleeping pattern again. But wait….. the EPL is starting soon!
Mister has been away from most part of the week so I am pretty much home alone. I kept this week’s meal very simple and took whatever that is in an empty refrigerator and made something.
sunflower and pepita tempeh
Ingredients:
- 2 packets of tempeh (Pepita and sunflower)
- 100g of vermicelli, soaked
- 200g of frozen peas (or fresh if you have any)
- 400g of carrots, diced
- 21/2 tbsp of light soy sauce
- 1tbsp of mirin
- 20g of fresh ginger, julienne
- 2 red chillies, finely sliced (optional)
- 150ml of vegetable stock
- Salt for seasoning
Wok noodles
Method:
- Soak the vermicelli in warm water. Allow it to soften. Set aside
- Add ginger and chillies into hot oil. Fry till ginger is lightly brown. Add the tempeh and allow to brown on all sides. Then stir in the carrots. Add 150ml – 200ml of stock. Cover and allow the carrots to soften. Takes about 5 mins
- Uncover and add in the softened vermicelli. Stir it around to loosen. Add the mirin, soy sauce and fresh peas. Combine everything together. Add more liquid if required
- Serve hot with chopped coriander and some sambal on the side if you love the heat!
Marinated tempeh with carrots, peas and vermicelli
I am looking forward to a nice weekend with catching up with my friends that are coming over for steamboat! And also seeing a dear friend that has just returned for a visit. Now, this has actually place a smile back on my face 
What do you cook when you are home alone for the week?
Kappaya
The Kitchen Annex, The Abbotsford Convent
1 St Heliers St, Abbotsford Vic 3067
03 9416 0070
Google map
Kappaya is all about simple organic Japanese soul food. It is quietly tucked away in the convent and just next to Lentils as Anything. The menu is small and simple. The shoebox interior is narrow and dimly lighted. It will probably fit 12 people snugly. The outside will be a much nicer place to be in summer.
Kappaya
I ordered the Japanese breakfast. Gohan is brown rice with a variety of grains and sprouts. It is also served with a hot bowl of white miso soup which is organic soy milk base and a small serve of salad. The white miso soup is my favourite. It was light but with depth and a subtle sweetness.
Japanese breakfast
Mister ordered the chicken bento. No usual bento box in sight but served in on a plate. The chicken pieces were moist and the white sauce gave it the flavour that it needed. The tofu pate was a tad tasteless. Not sure what to think of it. It was just plain tofu? But I guess it is a very healthy version of a chicken bento! And also we are so used to the commercial bento boxes.
Kappaya bento chicken
The Mushipan is like a mini cupcake. It reminded me of the steamed Chinese sponge cake called Ma Lai Go. If there is such a thing as minimal flavour, this is it. It has a subtle sweetness and does not overpower the taste of green tea.
Mushipan
We also ordered Gemmai cha. It is actually green tea with roasted brown rice. We love it. It has a deep and rich nutty but very clean flavour. I could sip on this all day. It was accompanied by 2 pieces of caramel nuts that was absolutely moorish.
Gemmcai
Did I feel any zen-ness after this breakfast? Most likely not. Do I like this cafe? Actually Yes! But it isn’t one that I will visit often. Just occasionally when I need a change from the usual eggs benedict or mee siam.
What does soul food mean to you?
Taste of Melbourne (26th – 29th of August 2010) is definitely one of the food events of the year. It’s held at the beautiful and elegant Royal Exhibition Building. This event showcases some of Melbourne’s best restaurants, producers and great quality food mainly around Victoria. Some of the new things that are happening for Taste this year are Yarra Valley Farmers Market and Bacardi’s presenting “Sensology Art of Cocktail Making”.
Taste of Melbourne
I have 5 double passes of any day tickets to Taste of Melbourne 2010 to be won. All you have to add a comment and tell me which is your favourite restaurant in Melbourne and why. The competition will end at Midnight AEST 17th of August 2010. This competition is open to people in Australia only and you can enter once daily.
Details of session time: Afternoon Session / Evening Session
- Thursday 26 August – 5.30pm – 9.30pm
- Friday 27 August 12.00pm – 4.00pm 5.30pm – 9.30pm
- Saturday 28 August 12.00am – 4.00pm 5.30pm – 9.30pm
- Sunday 29 August 12.00pm – 5.00pm
Here are some of the reviews of Taste of Melbourne 2009 from fellow bloggers:
To find out more about this year’s event, please head over to Taste of Melbourne for more details. Tickets start from $27.50 and can be purchased online from Ticketek, by calling 132 849 or book via the website.
Hope to see you all there!
I wanted pistachios and not flaked almonds or cashew nuts. I said PISTACHIOS. Twice. I guess it was an early Saturday morning and the chick behind the counter was still half asleep. My heart was set on pistachios and it was too late once I got home and realised she has given me salted cashew nuts instead. Bummer! Or is my pronunciation or slang so bad that she could have mistaken pistachios and cashew nuts?
There is no turning back now. I can mix and match nuts and fruits and sweet liquids. It’s just like creating your own jewellery. So many options and it’s all about personal preference and style. It could be as healthy or as naughty as you want it to be. So with my first granola bar, I had to skew toward naughtiness. Naughtiness to me mean chocolate. As much as I love dark chocolate, I have an undeniable love for white.
White chocolate
Ingredients:
- 250g of organic rolled oats
- 100g of flaked almonds
- 100g of sunflower seeds
- 100g of Pepita
- 150ml of maple syrup
- 100g of white chocolate bits
- 150g of dried cranberries
- 40g of butter
- Pinch of salt
Granola ingredients
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180C. Place oats, almond flakes, Pepita and sunflower seeds in a tray and toast them in oven for about 15mins. Stir around half way through so that all ingredients get toasty. Butter another pan for baking the bars in. Reduce oven to 150C
- In the meantime, place the maple syrup and butter into a small pan under a low heat. Stir till all butter has melted. Set aside
- Stir the toasted mixture into the sweet syrup and then pour into the baking tray. Add the dried cranberries and white chocolate bits. Press it down and evenly on the tray
- Place into the oven for about 25mins. Take it out and cool. Cut into bite size bars
White chocolate and dried canberries granola
So easy and so much fun. I will do it all over again in a heart beat. Hmmm…. what is your favourite combination? I might make an Asian inspired granola next! By the way, I found this post in draft from a couple of months ago. Why the hell is it doing in draft? Will I be able to dig out anymore treasures?
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