Home Made Guilinggao

392 days ago

Well, I have to admit not exactly homemade but at least some work is needed to get it into the final product which is the Guiling Gao. Never heard before of...

Well, I have to admit not exactly homemade but at least some work is needed to get it into the final product which is the Guiling Gao. Never heard before of this dessert? Well, for the less informed, it is some sort of black coloured “turtle shell” jelly. It kind of looks like those grass jelly you buy from the hawker centre. In fact, the base of this Guiling Gao is indeed the grass jelly. However one of the ingredients in making this jelly dessert is the powder made from some endangered turtle. Yes, it is highly unlikely that most of the Guiling gao we consume today contains any of this turtle shell powder at all. And I bought this pack of 10 for S$1.15 at Sheng Siong. One little pack can make about 200ml of jelly.

Anyway, I have always enjoy eating Guiling Gao even when I was young. Kind of surprising since in those times, the Guiling Gao were real bitter stuff. Much more bitter than those found in the stores and restaurants today. Nowadays even Guiling Gao are commercialized and they have to appeal to the taste of the masses. Some even come with sweeteners added to the jelly. Justlook how much we have sacrifice for convenience. The taste of Guiling Gao is supposed to be slightly bitter. You add a little honey to balance out the bitterness. And it is very refreshing to eat cold Guiling Gao in the warm afternoons.

Made in China, rather obvious from the packaging.

Wuzhou Kangyu Health Foodstuff Factory. 10g of the powdered mix will make about 200ml of jelly. Inside there are 10 packs. Look at the poor turtle and what looks like an oyster shell. I wonder does Guiling Gao contains oyster shell powder now? Or does it contain the pearl powder?

Back of the pack.

The ingredients are grass jelly (Mesona Chinensis), Smilax Glabra, Dandelion, Lonicera Japonica, Pearl Powder and Golden Coin Turtle Shell. Wow, it does contain both the pearl powder and the turtle shell. Amazing. I had read that the Golden Coin Turtle is supposed to be endangered. Well, who am I to question the manufacturer. Anyway, it could really contain the Golden Coin Turtle Shell powder, but in minute amounts. I guess sometimes when you are doing business, you do have to “cheat” a little to impress you customers. Oh, this is made in China. Makes me a little worried especially considering China’s recent spade of food contamination and unethical practices by some of their manufacturers.

“Tortoise Tufuling Electuary is a Chinese traditional health food, which smells fragrant and taste sweet, little bitter and smooth. It has the effect of tonifying and nourishing yin, invigorating qi and clearing away heat and removing toxic substances. It can make you skin delicate, keep you young and prolong life if you often eat it. Its good for anyone, old or young, to eat it in any seasons. Our plant successfully produces this powder food by making use of the local resources tortoise and Tufuling, etc according to the ancient prescription. It is convenient and enjoyable for the public to have it. ” I just love reading all these English translations. And true to form, they often make their products sound like some sort of miracle medicine. If eating Guiling Gao can prolong life, I would be buying these stuff by the truck full. Anyway, these are not the “directions”. The following are:

“First mix a pack of this powder and two spoons of cold boiled water into paste. Then stir it while pouring the boiling water (about 200ml) into it. When cold it makes Tortoise Tufuling Electuary. Have it with some honey or sugar. We suggest that in the hot seasons you prepare more and keep it in the refrigerator. You can pass summer in a leisurely when it quenches you thirst.” Wuhahaha, more of the English translation.

10 packs of the Guiling Gao powdered. Makes about 10 bowls which you and your family can enjoy.

Pure Nature Food. The pack contains very very fine powder which you are supposed to mix with boiling water. Anyway, my first attempt to make the Guiling Gao failed miserably. The result didn’t solidify and after a few hours all I got was Guiling Sui. Only that at bottom did some jelly form. I believe the reason of this failure is because I added too much cold water initially and after adding the boiling water, it was not hot enough to mix the powder properly. Not only that, I should be stirring the mixture continuously to make sure that the mixture is completely dissolved. I will be making another batch this weekend. Hopefully, it will be more successful.

Kefir Sharing – My Views

395 days ago

Ever since I started making my own Kefir, I have lost count the number of times I have sent out these Kefir grains to interested parties. I am guessing about 100...

Ever since I started making my own Kefir, I have lost count the number of times I have sent out these Kefir grains to interested parties. I am guessing about 100 envelopes or so? It is kind of difficult to keep track since I am juggling work, family, enjoyment and Kefir. I am actually kind of surprised that there are quite a number of Singaporeans who are interested in Kefir and its health benefits.  When I started taking Kefir, I thought I would be the odd one out, especially in conservative little Singapore where we don’t really dare to try out new things. Just check out the most popular fast food restaurants in Singapore – McDonalds, KFC and Burger King. Their quality has significantly dropped yet people flock to their restaurants like bees to honey (or nectar). Singaporeans (or at least those residing in Singapore) are branching out! And most importantly, we are finally taking charge of our own health, instead of letting doctors and their drugs run the show. I am not against doctors or anything, they are extremely important, but we should understand that doctors don’t make us healthy – we have to do it ourselves.

Anyway, several of my readers had asked me why I share my grains(freely). Well, first of all, that is exactly what Kefir is all about – sharing. There is no point in being healthy and not sharing it with others. Yes, I had “bought” the grains from some guy in Germany but with this initial investment, I am estimating about a hundred or more persons have benefited from it. I am no philanthropist or some sort of saint or the like, nor do I wish to be one. It is just that I have gained so much from the Kefir that I feel it is worth it to share it with others. I am also not a rich person – no car, takes the public transport to work and just barely hit outside the no-income-tax bracket. Yes, it does cost me a lot of money to be share the grains -  I did pay for the postage and the envelopes myself. But since I started taking Kefir, I have never been seriously ill and I have not seen a doctor since. Thus, I don’t think the money was “lost” so to speak. I am also hoping that the readers who received the grains from me, would be also willing to share it with their friends and relatives as well. Perhaps one day, Singapore would have a very active Kefir drinking community?

However, the problem with giving out the Kefir grains freely is that we tend not to appreciate things which are “free”. I am sure that a number of those who receive the grains found that it is difficult and time consuming to keep on making Kefir, since you do need to feed the grains daily with milk, strain and clean the equipment. Can be a hassle, even if it takes just 15  minutes at the most. One of my readers suggested that I should charge a small handling fee to prevent such things from happening. Although I admit that I was tempted and it would really help with the postage fees, I decided not to. I don’t want to turn off potential Kefir people away. Hopefully enough of Singaporeans would be able to see and reap the benefits of Kefir to keep on continuing making Kefir. Well, that is my wish anyway. Not sure whether it will come true or not.

Anyway, if you are looking for some Kefir grains and you are living in Singapore, email me. I will send some grains your way. I know that I am asking a lot but please take good care of the grains. And at least try to consume the Kefir for more than a month before giving up. Kefir might be a probiotic beverage with great health benefits but it is not a miracle potion which works with the snap of the fingers.

Kefir – Wonderful Probiotic Drink

397 days ago

Have you guys heard of Kefir? Probably not, since in Singapore milk-based products are not popular unless they are sweetened with tons of sugar like our favourite Yakult or Vitagen. I...

Have you guys heard of Kefir? Probably not, since in Singapore milk-based products are not popular unless they are sweetened with tons of sugar like our favourite Yakult or Vitagen. I have been drinking Milk Kefir for the past 3 years and in that period, I hardly get sick. Sure, sometimes I get little sniffles here and there - hazards of living in a overcrowded city. But nothing too serious. And from a person who used to get seriously sick once every 3 months or so, that is rather impressive. Yes, I have to admit though – I did improve my diet quite considerably. More fruits, more vegetables and less sugar in my diet. In fact, when once I drank like 3 cans of coke or soda drinks per day, I now at most drink equivalent about 2 cans per week. Big change but I still consider Kefir the best part of my diet change.

If you have no idea what Kefir is, I will give you a basic picture of this drink. It is usually made from milk and it is rich in good beneficial bacteria. These are what is termed “probiotics” in the industry. Yes, it means “for life” or something like that. Hahaha, there is indeed a need to use such terms to really get the point across. The Kefir helps populate your gut with these bacteria and in turn they help fight against bad bacteria. This basically becomes a battle between the good and bad bacteria in your body. If you have more good bacteria as a result of  consuming Kefir, surely the good bacteria will take over. And with a healthy gut flora, any bad bacteria attempting to make you sick will have to do a much harder work than before. That is when a good diet and consuming Kefir triumphs. I often tell my readers that if they want to be healthy, not only do they have to take Kefir, they must maintain a relatively healthy diet. It is this combo that is really effective. Of course, other than good probiotics, Kefir is also rich in enzymes, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Your body do need those to be healthy as well.

Anyway, enough of this propaganda. You want to know how Kefir is made? Well, first you have to obtain the Kefir grains. They are small pieces of white slimy feeling spongy things that when you feed them milk, they will produce Kefir. The grains consume the lactose in the milk and convert them to Kefir (semi-liquid white stuff), along with enzymes, various bacteria and yeast and makes whatever nutrients in the milk more digestible to your body. Normally it takes about 24hrs for the milk to become Kefir. Kefir is a bit like yogurt but with lots more good bacteria. And Kefir is usually more viscus than yogurt, which is something which people usually eat. Kefir, we normally drink it.

I drink Kefir everyday. Well, nearly everyday except during my ICT where I have to stay in some jungle out there feeding the mosquitoes.  Can’t be bringing along my kefir grains and start setting up a kefir shop in the middle of the jungle now, can I? Anyway, it has bought me good health, something which even money can’t buy sometimes. Making Kefir is not expensive either – just the grains and milk. Probably about a dollar per cup at most. If you are lactose intolerant like most of us Chinese, you can take Kefir without any problems too. There is very little lactose in the Kefir.

Kinoki Foot Detox Pad

401 days ago

I really don’t know what to make out of this. They call it the Foot Detox Pad. It is supposed to be able to draw out “toxins” from your body via...

I really don’t know what to make out of this. They call it the Foot Detox Pad. It is supposed to be able to draw out “toxins” from your body via the foot through this little pad. It sounds a bit far fetched even for me and I am the kind of would believe any supposedly “natural” cure. Could it be as simple as that? Stick a piece of pad onto your foot at night and by day-time, toxins from your body has already been removed and you are actually “detoxified”? I do believe in miracles, but just not easy ones. Surely it can’t be so simple right? Anyway, I have tried the Red Sun Takara Patch before but that was 4 pads about 15 bucks. A bit too expensive for me. And just 4 pads, which lasted me all but 2 days. Remember 1 pad for each foot. Anyway, Kinoki Foot Detox Pads are a much cheaper alternative than the Red Sun ones. For a pack of 100 pads, I paid only 20 bucks. Not too sure why is it that the stuff we get in Singapore are always way more expensive, even traditional Asian cures like these.

Yes yes, I know it most likely isn’t as great as the health claims on the advertisement says. But seriously, what is? Even those modern medicine makes health claims like able to cure that or cure this, but more often than not, it doesn’t work as advertised. I don’t believe that it will cure whatever ills that I might have like it is a miracle drug but at least I know it isn’t harmful. And unlike those drugs which we have to consume, this is applied externally. If something develops like rash or itchiness, then stop using it. I have tried the Red Sun patch, nothing bad came to me.

The Kinoki Detox Foot Pad. Comes with adhesive and the actual pad. You need the adhesive to stick the pad onto the soles of your feet. Isn’t that fun? I like the way they are individually wrapped so that it looks hygienic.

Hmmm….naturally cleanse….while you sleep! You stick the pad onto your feet just before you sleep and the next day, you take it off. They claim that the toxins in your body would have been drawn out of your body!!! Amazing. With the authentic Kinoki Detox Foot Patch External Cleansing Pad! Japanese medical research has revealed the secrets of bamboo vinegar and its healing and detoxifying properties on the body. Kinoki Foot Pads simply apply to the heel of your foot and while you sleep, harmful toxins are removed from the body. Like magic!!!! Boost you natural energy level by removing toxins, impurities & metals from your outer layer of skin. They are supposed to be completely harmless and safe. To a point I agree though. Unlike something which you have to consume, this should be relatively safe. At most you have wasted a few bucks.

The ingredients list are as follows:  bamboo vinegar, chitosan, dextrin, dokudami, loquat leaf, tourmaline, vegetable fiber, Vitamin C and wood vinegar. Very much similar to the Red Sun’s foot patches.  I am guessing that they are using the same formula with very few changes. They claim that much of the work of detoxifying is due to the wood & bamboo vinegar. It must be some sort of magic sour wine then. And the next morning the pad did turn slightly darkish. That could be just due to the sweat on my feet.

HYH Preserved Mango

402 days ago

One of my favourite fruits – mangoes. I still don’t understand why I love mango so much. Perhaps it is because the flesh is so sweet and juicy? However, there is...

One of my favourite fruits – mangoes. I still don’t understand why I love mango so much. Perhaps it is because the flesh is so sweet and juicy? However, there is a problem – how to get at the flesh. Cutting off the skin is kind of difficult already and once the skin is off, it is rather difficult to hold. So you will have to cut into pieces. There is yet another problem – the seed. Unlike most fruits where the seed can be easily taken out of the flesh, the mango seed adheres to the flesh like glue to paper. You will need to know a little knife cutting skill to rip the seed from the flesh, something which art thou doesn’t have. Sadly, I will usually make a mess of things when I decide to eat a mango. Not to mention the wasted mango flesh (and sticky fingers). And thus, I am left with no other option but to buy pre-cut mangoes and preserved ones. They are easily available at our local supermarkets.

This HYH Preserved Mango I bought from my local provision downstairs. I always try my very best to support the smaller guys – especially when it comes to groceries. I know that it is getting tougher for these little guys due to the competition from the supermarkets which are popping up everywhere, ruining business for the small provision shops and “Econ” minimarts. Just imagine putting in hundreds of thousands of dollars into a provision shop business, only to be destroyed a few years later when Sheng Siong or NTUC opens a supermarket right next door, undercutting the prices and restricting suppliers.

Unlike other preserved mangoes which is dried and then coated with sugar, this is one preserved in salt and critic acid. Hey, premium quality!

Check them out. The preservation methods make the mango pieces firmer and crunchy. I don’t understand how that works as the mango we usually eat are always so fragile and will easily be squashed when pressed. This “preserved” mango retains their shape. And looks very fresh as well. The wonders of preservation right?

Hmm….very simple ingredients – Mango, sugar, salt and critic acid. The reason why I enjoy eating this snack is because it combines both sweetness and sourness. I am guessing the sourness comes from the critic acid. Oh, like most of our snacks we have here in Singapore, this is made in Malaysia

They probably bring truckloads of this in some huge food container and then repack them into smaller packs to sell to us. I love this. Can’t get enough of it. And the best part, not that messy and it doesn’t require much effort like cutting fresh mangoes. Supermarkets usually don’t sell cut fresh mangoes and even if it did, it would not keep well. I used to buy cut mangoes at my neighborhood hawker centre. But I believe that business wasn’t good and it closed now. Now the stall sells the same old noodle that can be found everywhere else. Probably because Singaporeans do not really appreciate fruits and also due to the fact that there is an NTUC nearby. Sucks.

LongJing (Dragon Well) Green Tea Loose Leaves

405 days ago

I have no idea why they call it Dragon Well.  Might be the name came from some Chinese legend or something. That is not important. What is important is the taste...

I have no idea why they call it Dragon Well.  Might be the name came from some Chinese legend or something. That is not important. What is important is the taste of this green tea. I have heard a lot of good things regarding this type of green tea. It is supposed to be the highest grade of green tea available as the taste of the resulting brew is just heavenly. And for someone who have been drinking tea for the past few years, I have to agree – LongJing Green Tea indeed is one of the finest teas I ever tasted. And just after you pour the hot water onto the tea leaves, take but a moment to smell the tea. You will find the wonderful slightly roasted aroma coming out of the tea. I guess for non-drinkers, this might not mean anything. But for us tea drinkers, the aroma coming from the brew adds significantly to the taste of the tea. And that is one of the main reasons why tea is such a popular beverage. Not surprisingly however, tea (green, black, oolong or white) is not a popular beverage in Singapore. Other than the morning cup of that disgusting tea dust or that sugar infused bubble tea, most of us Singaporeans never even touch real tea in our lives. You have no idea what you are missing!

Anyway, I bought this LongJin Green Tea from eBay. If I remembered correctly, it cost about US$10 per 100g pack. All-in-all, it took about 2 weeks to arrive from China. A while back during Chinese New Year I bought some stuff from China, it took about 6 weeks to arrive to Singapore. I guess the shipping service in China isn’t that good. Items I bought from Korea will usually take about 1 week to arrive.

The 100g pack of LongJin Green Tea. 100g. If only picking tea leaves was as glamorous as implicated in the photos, I would be heading to China myself to pick tea leaves.

Check out the tea leaves. Produces a slightly yellowish extremely tasty brew. Surprisingly the leaves will balloon up like 3-4 fold after soaking in the water for a while.  If I am not wrong, this tea is from HangZhou province. One of the reasons why I choose loose leaves is because we can easily shot the quality of the tea. If they are in a tea bag, there is no way for you to see the leaves. So you will not have any idea on the quality.

The big words are “Dragon Well” or LongJing. The rest I have no idea. Must be something not important.

Back of the pack.

Hangzhou LongJing tea, the most celebrated tea among the top ten teas in China. It is well-known for its property :color green,smell fragrant,taste mellow and shape grace, Longjing Tea was famous during the years of Qing Emperor Qianlong, and it was for tribute. It’s flat and tightly-closed in shape like sprout of lotus seed and its light green and glossy in colour similar as brown rice with the hidden down on the sprout. Infused in glass, its dark green but bright in body, dancing up and slowly with it’s green tea leaves. Most of all, it will promise you an orchid-scented aroma, delicate and long-lasting fragrance, sweet and pleasing taste, it’s ideal for family use in trip , or as a gift. Yes, I know but they most likely use a automated translator to do the Mandarin to English translation. Anyway, I have to admit that this tea is pretty nice. It is no wonder some of my tea drinking friends sing praises about LongJing Tea.

The quality is No 1 Grade. If I am not wrong, there are actually 7 grades for this type of tea. The first two grades are Superior and Special. Then it is from 1 to 5. Wow, this means that the grade which I purchased  is actually pretty good. And the price is very reasonable as well. But of course, whether what is printed and what the grade of tea this actually is, we have absolutely no idea.

Anyway, if you are thinking of taking up tea drinking, you should consider starting with green or white tea. They are pretty easy to consume. Yes, it might get a little used to because we have been so influenced by Coke or Bubble Tea or any of those soda drinks, that we can’t stand a little bitterness. My suggestion is to start small, just one cup per day. Then as you slowly progress, start adding more tea to your diet. Not only is it great as a refreshing beverage, tea is also very healthy. Although they do have trace amounts of caffeine, they are still full of antioxidants and minerals.  Furthermore, they hydrate as well as water. So come on, give it a try. It is the world’s most popular beverage. All those people can’t be all wrong, right?

What To Look Out For When Submitting To Paid Web Directories

409 days ago

A good way to get backlinks is by submitting your site to web directories. Backlinks are actually links pointing back to your site. The importance of having backlinks cannot be underestimated,...

A good way to get backlinks is by submitting your site to web directories. Backlinks are actually links pointing back to your site. The importance of having backlinks cannot be underestimated, especially if you are planning to optimize your site for certain keywords to rank well in Search Engines. Basically, the more links the merrier. But it is important to understand that different links do have different value. A link is not just a link. If you have a backlink from a optimized site which Google (or any of the major search engines for that matter) considers important, then that the value of that link is certainly more than that from a link farm (a site without much content, just full of links). Some links are even more or less useless when it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). More often than not, low quality web directories do not have much of a value in terms of SEO. Yes, there might not be any harm in submitting to those directories, but then the time wasted could be put into better use – like writing good content which other webmasters would naturally link to.

I understand the frustration when you spend hours and hours each day submitting your site to web directories and not getting any results. Feels like banging your head continuously on the wall, doesn’t it? Worst of all, you paid good money to supposedly those so-called “high quality” “premium” directories and you got nothing out of it. Why is it so? You might be scratching your head about now. Why are some people so successful in getting backlinks and the results from backlinks but some are so unsuccessful? Well, most likely they didn’t submit to the correct paid directories. Just because a web directory has a sleek design or costs like 100 dollars to list, does not mean that it is good. You will need to do some homework first before you actually submit to all these paid directories. I have listed down a few tips for you to look-out when you are trying to find directories which are suitable for you to pay for submissions.

1. Content – Isn’t it obvious? If a directory does not have content, is isn’t going to be noticed by Search Engines. And if it doesn’t get noticed by Search Engine, then what is the point of submitting your site to it? More often than not, paid web directories owners simply create a web directory and hope that users will just submit to their directory without adding their own content. Would you want to submit to such a directory? Even if they have some content, it will most likely be duplicates since those submitters would probably have submitted to other directories as well.

2. Frequently Updated – A dead directory is just that – a dead directory. There is no point in submitting to such directories because Search Engines do not want to see static directories which have not been updated. In fact, a site which seldom have updates will not be visited by Search Engine bots as frequently as those which have been updated often. And no bots mean no Search Engine ranking. Ensure that there are sites being submitted – at least 3-4 sites per week. And make sure these submitted sites have good descriptions (aka text describing the site) with them. You can check the latest listings of most directories. They should be the first thing you look when you are thinking of submitting to the particular directory.

3. Search Engine Bots – I understand that finding a good web directory is difficult. But there is one tip which you can often use to test the “value” of a directory – how frequently Search Engine bots visit the directory.  Try this, see when is the newest (or close to the newest) site that was submitted to the directory (which can often be obtained in the details page of the site) and visit Google and use the following:

site: domainnameofthedirectory.com newest site name

And check out when the site was cached in Google. It also gives you an idea on how fast your own site will be index by Google once it is being submitted to that directory. A good directory should have their latest submitted site cached pretty quick. Give it about 2-3 days. If longer, then it might not be as frequently visited by Search Engine bots as you would like. You can also check when the main page of the directory has been visited by the bots by using the following:

site: domainnameofthedirectory.com

As mentioned before, the main page of the web directory should be cached pretty frequently.

4. Design – Although not really a good indicator of the quality of the directory in the eyes of Search Engines, it does provide you a rough idea on how well the directory is maintained. Directory owners who spend money and effort to make their look beautiful usually will not stop at just design. Directory owners who take pride in their directory, will usually have a good directory.

5. Price – Stick to a price which you can afford. And just because a directory costs like $100 to get approved does not mean it is a good directory.You should not base your decision to list your site on price alone. You should always check out how many sites are being submitted to the paid directory to the relation of the price of the submission. Furthermore a cheap paid directory might get a lot of submissions, but then it might not be a good web directory since it has (or sooner or later will) become a link farm. Seriously I am kind of surprised that there are still people out there who thinks that just because a web directory is expensive, it is good.

6. Features – A directory with unique features is a good indicator of the quality of the directory. Nowadays with so many web directories out there, it is kind of difficult to differentiate between the good and the not-so-good. Anyone can get a directory script and start a web directory. It is just a matter of paying a small amount, getting a domain name and a web host. But if a web directory has features which are different from the rest of the directories, then it shows that the directory owner is working hard on his or her directory. Of course, in the eyes of the Search Engine, it might not be that important but a  hardworking directory owner would very likely have a better site than the rest of the “fly-by-night” directories. That is a fact.

7. Advertisements – I usually avoid those sites with tons of advertisements, especially on the submission page. Who would want to pay for submission when the entire directory is plastered with advertisements selling male enhancing drugs? In my opinion, these are not worth to submit to, even if they cost like just $1 per listing. You do not need to have your listings among those advertisements either. They do not look to human visitors, neither will they look good to Search Engine bots.

8. Page Rank – A Google algorithm which is supposed to be part of how Google ranks your site. Of course in recent years, this Page Rank has reduced significantly in value. But no matter what, it still has some value when it comes to checking how high quality a web directory is.  A high page rank directory also means that they have lots of good quality links pointing to it. And since it is an actual figure, it is rather easy to use as a gauge.

If you have any more tips or suggestions, or even comments about the above points, please comment below. I would very much like to hear them.

Cassava Republic & Roots Co Cassava Chips Big BBQ Time

412 days ago

Sick of potato chips? No? Of course, it is kind of difficult to get bored with munching on those salty tasty fried potato chips. They are so damn delicious that sometimes...

Sick of potato chips? No? Of course, it is kind of difficult to get bored with munching on those salty tasty fried potato chips. They are so damn delicious that sometimes you can’t even stop yourself once you start eating those potato chips – they are everyone’s favourite snack. It is actually very nice to consume potato chips while you are watching a movie. I would highly recommend everything to enjoy the experience. But come on, don’t you want to eat something different for a change? And we are talking about a snack which tastes a lot like potato chip but slightly meatier and crunchier due to the extra starch. If you have eaten tapioca chips, its texture is very close. The reason why I like having a bigger crunch is that it feels more filling to me, so you won’t over consume, like what we usually would if we were eating potato chip. Oh by the way, Cassava chips are made from the Cassava root.

Check it out – the chips are in a big bag. You think you can’t finish them? It shouldn’t be a problem, since you must have consumed way more potato chips than this. I have chosen the Big BBQ Time flavour. Basically it is just BBQ flavour, which should be the all-time favourite flavour for Singaporeans. We aren’t too terribly adventurous when it comes to food, even if it is snacks. Typical Singaporean behaviour. But it is getting better. We are starting to see more and more Singaporeans moving away from their “comfort” zone and starting to experiment with different food. Good.

0g of Trans Fat and 0g of Cholesterol.  Note that the zero is probably a run-down and is different from having absolutely no Trans Fat and having no Cholesterol. Finally, this is gluten and GM free with no MSG added.

The back of the pack.

What is Cassava? Well, Cassava is a tropical plant grown primarily in Pacific Island, South America, Africa and parts of Asia. As a good source of starch and fibre, the cassava root has been a major food source in the tropic. From what I know, they are often used in South American cuisine. They even have cakes and bread made from Cassava! If I am not wrong, anything that can be made from potatoes, can be easily made from Cassava as well. They are both tubers.

At Cassava Republic & Roots Co, we dedicate ourselves to making tasty snacks from nature roots, fruits and vegetables. We use only the finest ingredients with no added MSG and no artificial preservatives. Cassava Chips are made from the finest cassava roots cultivated on the highlands [of what??]. Every tuber of fresh root is carefully selected, peeled, thinly sliced, cooked and then delicately seasoned for a great flavour. Unlike you ordinary chips, Cassava Chips give a bold, delightful crunch that will leave you asking for more. Well, that is true but not as much as potato chips.

Hey, made in Singapore!!

Check out the nutrition table. Oh, suitable for vegetarians!

The ingredients are Cassava, Pure Palm Oil, Sea Salt, Sugar, Dextrose, Vegetable Powder (Leek), Spices (Coriander, Pepper), Onion, Garlic, Natural Barbecue Flavours, Soya Sauce, Caramel Powder, Whey Powder, Yeast Extract and Critic Acid. Thus it does not contain animal products, so all you plant murderers can enjoy. Their website is kind of bare and does not contain much information. I would have expected them to really do up their website since they are relatively new in the chips business but alas, the site is nothing close to attractive.

Anyway, you should try Cassava Chips for a change. You might even like it.

 

NIPS Chocolate Coated Peanut

415 days ago

Unhealthy? True. Tasty? Yes! I don’t know why but I can’t stop myself when I start eating those little chocolate coated peanuts. Maybe it is because of the thin coating of...

Unhealthy? True. Tasty? Yes! I don’t know why but I can’t stop myself when I start eating those little chocolate coated peanuts. Maybe it is because of the thin coating of sweet and chocolate with that delicious peanut inside. It is like some sort of addiction for me. And since I spend a lot of my time surfing the Internet, this comes really handy. You will not get your hands dirty unlike eating plain chocolate since it doesn’t readily melt in your hands. If I am not wrong, that is the slogan for M&M chocolates – melts in your mouth not in your hands. But the idea really works. You can pop a few NIPs into muth once in a while when you are surfing without any worry.

The reason why I like NIPs better than M&Ms is because of the thinner layer of chocolate. Sure you get less chocolate but I think this is the right combination. Too thick layer of chocolate feels a bit off and you get thirsty faster. When you pop one into your mouth, I love the way the thin layer easily melts away and you get that silky feeling of the peanut underneath.But as expected, the quality of the peanuts for the NIPs aren’t that great. You do get the occasional peanut which isn’t crunchy at all. For M&Ms, seldom do I get the spolit peanut in the pack.

Ya!!!! NIPS chocolate coated peanut. By Jack & Jill, the same group that brought you that lovely BBQ potato chips we all love when we were young.

The back of the pack.

Here we have are the ingredients. Sorry about the quality of the photo. Somehow when you take photo of the black fonts in red background, the image doesn’t come up properly. The ingredients are peanuts, sugar, vegetable fat, wheat flour, milk powder, cocoa powder, carnauba wax, vanillin, permitted coloring substance and food conditioner. Yes, cheap stuff do not contain the best stuff. We often will find many “food conditioners” in such products. Unless you are willing to pay like 3 times the amount, then we have to stick with such ingredients.  Don’t be surprised that most of the processed food in our supermarket contains more or less additives and conditioners.

Made in Malaysia.

Yes, these are the ones which you pop into your mouth. Delicious, cheap and terribly unhealthy. Do not eat too often. I usually buy in small packets and only take out like 1 or 2 packets to eat. Once I finish those, I would try my best to stop. Of course, sometimes it would be very difficult. I have been consuming too much chocolate these few days. A few pimples are starting to form on my face and they don’t seem to go away. Shucks.

HollyFarms Instant Black Sesame Paste Powder

416 days ago

This can be easily found in most of our local supermarkets. And I have tasted many different black sesame seed paste before from the stores, this isn’t really that nice and...

This can be easily found in most of our local supermarkets. And I have tasted many different black sesame seed paste before from the stores, this isn’t really that nice and it is just too sweet. Yes, a lot of us have sweet tooth these days, but not to the point of it being overwhelming. However compared to the other brand of instant black sesame seed paste, this one actually have some of the roasted black sesame taste. Certainly a plus point when we are comparing processed “instant” food. And if you have never tried black sesame paste before, you should have a go at it. Yes, yes, those uncles and aunties love them but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy them as well. The real ones taste superb – the roasted black sesame seed, the thick filling paste with just a hint of sweetness. A bit like dark chocolate actually.

HollyFarms Instant Black Sesame Paste Powder. One box contains3 packs. Not really a lot but it costs like S$1.80 only.

If you like your black sesame paste thick, then 1 sachet hardly makes one bowl. And I think the best way to eat black sesame paste is that it is thick and filling. I don’t really like the watery kind.

Hollyfarm Black Sesame Paste Powder is a delicious & nutritious dessert which is easy to prepare. You will enjoy its great taste. Hey, made in Singapore! I wonder how will it taste if mixed with ice-cream. I once tasted a black sesame ice-cream from Japan which was just wonderful. If I am not wrong, most of the stores selling Japanese ice-cream do sell black sesame ice-cream.

Hmm…the ingredients are black sesame flour, cane sugar & cooking oil. I am betting that most of the ingredients are cane sugar. What does “flour” means? Do they mix the black sesame with corn flour or something to make it seem thicker? Guess that they need to do that to cut down on the cost. But it also reduces the flavour profile from the black sesame.

Very easy to do. Just pour the sachet into a bowl, add boiling water and stir gently until everything is completely dissolved and you can have a tasty dessert.

I am thinking of making my own black sesame paste dessert. Get some roasted black sesame seeds, grind them down with a blender, add a little sugar and some starch and then add boiling water. What do you think? Is the real dessert made this way or is it more complicated than that?