I recently saw a recipe online on how to make mua chee in a rice cooker. Seemed like a lot less effort that dalgona coffee, so… Here we go 😂
Ingredients:
1.5 cups glutinous rice flour
3 tablespoons corn flour
1 cup warm water
Sesame oil to grease your tray
2 types of flour & peanut powder that I bought from the store
Steps:
Combine glutinous rice flour, corn flour & warm water in a bowl, mix well
Grease tray with sesame oil
Pour mixture into greased tray & put into a steamer*
Start steaming & check on it every 3 minutes, giving it a little stir each time^
You’ll know when it’s done when it can roll into a clean goopy ball – mine took about 12 minutes in total
Cut into pieces & toss in a bed of peanut powder
Serve to your excited parents
* Apparently rice cooker also works well ^ I feel like I didn’t need to stir it in the steamer, but all the rice cooker recipes mentioned stirring every 3 minutes
The final result?
I dare say it looks pretty yummy. & tasted great! My parents loved it too…. I’ll definitely make this mua chee again.
I’ve been having the strangest craving for kombucha in recent weeks. So when I chanced upon Teapulse’s Instagram post that they now do island-wide deliveries (thanks, #circuitbreaker), I immediately jumped on it. Each day, they deliver to a different region based on location – makes a lot of sense for their logistics.
They have various options available:
“Pure” probiotics lemonade concentrates (250ml for $16)
“Pure” undiluted kombucha (800ml for $25, or 250ml for $5.20)
“Concoctions” of ready-to-drink kombucha/probiotics drinks (250ml for $5.60)
#1 & #2 come in glass jars/bottles (respectively); these should be mixed in the appropriate ratios before drinking. Fret not, it’s easy to do & your order comes with a detailed instructions sheet to follow.
Helpful instructions
For those who are lazy to mix up a storm, you can opt for #3 – these, however, come in plastic bottles which I’m not a fan of.
I DM-ed them on Instagram to get their order sheet, which they promptly sent over & informed me of what flavours (for #2) were available for the week. I filled it up to make up the minimum $30 for free delivery & sent it back to them on WhatsApp. Paid up by PayNow & they advised me on delivery timing.
Happily received my stash on time, the day of: #1 – Probiotics Brown Lemonade Concentrate #2 – Pure Kombucha (Osmanthus, Green Tea) #3 – Lemongrass Kombucha with Aloe Vera
My Teapulse stash of kombucha & probiotics lemonade concentrate
Immediately drank #3 (left-most one) & shared it with my mum – her first time. She liked it & didn’t find it too acidic/vinegary! As for the rest, I am slowly mixing them & going through my stash.
Pleased with this experience & will order from them again. Teapulse has actually been on my Burpple wishlist for a while, but I hadn’t had time to stop by their store at Phillip Street.
When the time comes & stores are allowed to re-open, I’d like to swing by to show my support. You can also get 1-for-1 drinks here on Burpple Beyond, which gives me even more reason to visit… Hehehe.
There’s always reason to try something new. For me, this is my first time dabao-ing beer in my own container!
Half Off Takeaway Draft Beer???
COVID-19 Circuit Breaker measures in Singapore – a month later, we’ll see 2 distinct groups of people emerge: (1) the Masterchefs, or (2) the Alcoholics Anonymous.
No prizes for guessing which group I belong to. Made my way down to FlagWhite after hearing about their half-off beer on tap promotion. They’d just opened a new keg before the Circuit Breaker measures kicked in place. Of course, I couldn’t let it go to waste!?!
Brought my own tumblers (meant for protein shakes lmao #fitspo) to dabao some beer home to have with dinner. Ended up getting twice the amount I originally planned for -although I think I was limited by the size of my container, so maybe not exactly twice.. But I’m happy to do my part to support my favourite local cafe.
Read for my Fitspo BEER SHAKE (just kidding)
I think we all know & love FlagWhite for their awesome brunch & coffee. I’d never drank anything alcoholic here before, tbh. But now that I know they have beer on tap… Maybe I should just set up a tent here & call this my new home. (After circuit breaker measures are over.)
Please continue to #loveyourlocalsg during this challenging time. Be responsible while you do so – wear a mask if you can, stay a safe distance away from others, & remember to wash your hands regularly (& moisturize!).
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬️ Air-conditioned seats available ☀ Al fresco seats available (just 1 table outside) 📱 Accepts GrabPay 📶 Free WiFi available 🔌 Power sockets available 💦 Water is not chargeable 🙋🏻 No service charge 🚫 No GST
I’m glad I stopped by The M Plot after surfing Shopback GO for boosted cashback deals. They were running a 35% cashback (capped at $12) campaign & I caught it on the last day. Hooray for this unexpected discovery that they serve more than just macarons! They have cool 1-for-1 macaron deals on Burpple Beyond, & also are sometimes referred to as “The M Plot Macarons” in full, hence my confusion.
Started off my meal with a Flat White ($5.00 nett), which was served pretty quickly. It was fragrant with slight acidity to it. Not the best I’ve had, but I would order it again.
Flat White
For my brunch main, I ordered the Organic Eggs Benedict ($18.00 nett), which is served on a single artisan sourdough bread. The 2 eggs were poached to perfection; as I cut into them, the yolks burst open with gusto onto the sautéed spinach & grilled ham underneath.
The grilled ham was unfortunately way too salty for me, coupled with the already-tangy Hollandaise sauce, I felt the flavours were very overpowering. If the saltiness could be tweaked a little, I think this would be a stellar dish. The sourdough bread was easy to cut into, without a struggle – which I appreciate.
Organic Eggs Benedict
I bought some croissants home for my family – a sweet & savoury one. The Stego ($4.50 nett) is a roasted almond x almond paste variant, & the Mammoth ($4.90 nett) is a pork floss one. IMHO these are priced quite steep, but with Shopback GO’s 35% cashback, that eased the pain a little. I bought these as gifts, so I didn’t get to try them… But here are some pictures.
With brunch options, pastries & coffee, I shall return here again for sure. I’d order at the counter on the 1st floor, & head up the stairs to the 2nd floor to chill my morning/afternoon away. While there aren’t many seats in this small space, the floor-to-ceiling windows let in great ambient light to brighten the premises – although unfortunately there isn’t much of a view, looking out towards Clementi Road & the neighbouring overpass.
There even is an easel for kids (& adults, I suppose) to draw on & express their artistic talents. But I’m happy to just sit in a corner, using their free WiFi & listening to their chill music playlist playing softly in the background.
Easels for Diners to Draw On
But for now, during circuit breaker month, everyone stay indoors, safe & healthy. We’ll get through this together!
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats available ☀ Al fresco seats available 🍽 Burpple Beyond partner 🍽 Shopback GO partner 📶 Free WiFi available 💦 Water is not chargeable 🙋🏻♀️ No service charge 🚫 No GST ⬆️ Seats available on 2nd floor
Freehouse turned 4 recently (time flies – congrats!), but Taco Mantra taking over their kitchen was something that happened only recently.
Serving up Indian-Mexican fusion cuisine, their tacos (2 for $12, 3 for $15) are characteristically packed with lots of flavour, with ingredients nestled in a single soft flour taco.
Beef, Chicken & Fish Tacos
I thought the Kerala Beef & Chicken Tikka tacos were ordinary; my favourite was Ma’s Fish! It wasn’t too oily & the fish was tender, flaky & moist inside. The fruit salsa complimented the fried fish well, too.
I liked the Ma’s Fish Tacos best
A 4th variant, the Pulled Karana Jackfruit, was out of stock when we visited.. But it is meant to mimic pulled pork slathered in barbecue sauce. Would be curious to try it after seeing all the veganized food videos on YouTube!
If you & your friends are looking for finger food to go with the plethora of craft beer that Freehouse has on tap, you can consider Taco Mantra’s sharing platters. This one, the Platter for 2 ($60), has ribeye steak, fried pork belly (sio bak), chicken tikka, mantra wings & samosas. All platters are served with slaw, poppadum chips, mint yogurt & house sauce.
Platter for 2
For more manageable portion of snacks, you could opt for the Pachos ($15) – their version of poppadum nachos, or Quail Egg Sambal Fries ($15). The Grilled Cheese Naanwich ($15) isn’t an appetizer, but is quite highly snackable.
Pachos are Poppadum Nachos
Grilled Naanwich
Personally, though, I wasn’t a huge fan of these. I prefer the crunchiness of original nachos (the poppadum quickly became soggy where the sauce hits), & the sambal fries were too peppery for my tastebuds. I did love the bouncy quail eggs though, hehe.
Quail Egg Sambal Fries
Finger food does go well with beer, but as someone who isn’t much of a snacker, I’d rather spend my money on the tacos. Or, even better…
.. THEIR BURGERS. Taco Mantra’s burgers really stood out to me. The crowd favourite was the Spiced Lamb Burger ($20), & that was mine too. The lamb patty had the slight gameyness that I love, yet it’s palatable enough for others as it doesn’t overpower the flavours of the dish. Topped with a cool mint yogurt for good balance. I would order this again in a heartbeat.
The Double Cheeseburger ($24) was also good, with 2 juicy beef patties, cheese, sweet bacon onion jam & tangy dill pickle mayonnaise.Their patties are fairly thick, so IMHO a single patty would suffice. A Single Cheeseburger goes for $20.
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats only 🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope (Freehouse) 📱 FavePay accepted 🍽 Shopback GO partner ⬆️ Located on the 2nd floor
As I entered The Elephant Room, I got seated at the bar I was served a Welcome Drink on the house. It was a clean & refreshing one of gin, green mango & sour plum. It gently woke my taste buds up.. I was ready to explore.
My Welcome Drink – gin, green mango & sour plum
The Elephant Room’s cocktails & nibbles are “inspired by Indian heritage” – cool concept, but I only truly understood this when I flipped through their menu. Reading through each drink’s descriptions & details, I learnt that each one has a story behind it. The stories are centered around Indian culture & childhood experiences, & iconic landmarks/experiences around Little India.
While these stories don’t necessarily resonate with me, I was captivated listening to the bartender tell them. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, this will be quite the novel & special experience for you.
Super unique infusions!
My drink of choice was Mogul’s Sweets ($22++), which alludes to the nostalgic memory of the local childhood sweet shop. I picked this because of the unique use of savoury, nutty ingredients: Salted cashews & roasted chickpeas. They sounded like they would go well with the characteristic spicyness of the Amrut, an Indian single malt whiskey.
& by golly, they did. This was delicious in a buttery-smooth & creamy way. It felt like I was drinking a nutty alcoholic milkshake. Despite the slightly oily notes it had (which I generally am not a fan of), I enjoyed it through & through til the very end.
Mogul’s Sweets ($22++)
If that doesn’t sound like your kind of thing, don’t worry. The Elephant Room has other cocktails like Tekka (Old Monk rum, spiced palm & banana skin), Jothi’s Flower Shop (Jasmine gin, davanam tinture, lime & honey) & Beeda Man (sour mango rum, caraway & jeera goli).
Whilst sipping on my drink, I was introduced to the other Amrut whiskey variants on the shelf. Being very new to Indian whiskey, I listened intently while being schooled about them. Service here was attentive & warm, & the bartenders are friendly & chatty. I did feel a bit bad having to work on my phone from time to time, but I was glad to be left alone when that had to be done. Appreciated 😉
Different types of Amrut Indian single malt whiskey
I ended off my night by sipping some of their Ghee liqueur neat. Honestly, it smells ordinary, but tastes AMAZING. It’s like liquid butterscotch on steroids!!! I don’t like ghee in my food, but I’d happily drink this all day. Totally blew my mind.
Ghee Liqueur – crazy good & smooth
The Elephant Room has sold me on these crazy funky infusions. I am sure it’s not easy to get the perfect balance, but I do hope they continue to reinvent their infusions & cocktails in fresh ways to keep things exciting. They already have these cool ones – ghee liqueur, briyani whiskey, chickpea whiskey!? Daaaamn son. Keep them coming.
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats only 📱 Accepts reservations via Chope
Rabbit Carrot Gun‘s Specialty Cocktails menu had me taking a second glance. They aren’t discounted during Happy Hour… But I still went for these 2. Yes, even without the discount.
Started off with a Smokey Bloody Mary ($21++), which sounds like a match made in heaven. I enjoyed the taste of health from the tomato (hahaha) & also the woody, peatyness from the Old Young’s Oak Smoked Vodka. The cheeky spice that hits you at the back of your throat is what I appreciate in a good Bloody Mary, too. In all, this was very enjoyable.
Smokey Bloody Mary
Felt like I couldn’t stop there, so I ordered another Specialty Cocktail: the Earl Grey Martini ($18++). I appreciated how the subtle flavours of the chilled Earl Grey Tea really came through, despite the strength of the vodka. A dash of sugar syrup sweetened this cocktail just nicely without making it too saccharine sweet.
Earl Grey Martini
Would be back, though probably just for drinks as the food is on the pricey side. Other Specialty Cocktails here include: • Mango & Pepper Gin & Tonic ($19++): House-infused Mango Gin, topped with cracked black pepper • Hugalibre ($18++): Angosutra 1919 Rum, Fresh Lime, Ginger Ale
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats available 🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope ☀ Al fresco seats available 💦 Water is not chargeable
Trapizza is located right by Siloso Beach in Sentosa. Admittedly quite the journey to get here, I persevered because I can’t say no to a good breakfast & also Italian food. If you love alfresco dining, this is the place for you. If not, there’s still a spot for you here – seek refuge in their air-conditioned indoor dining area!
Al Fresco Dining Area
I reckon it’d be perfect outdoors with the cool temperatures lately (of course, provided it isn’t raining cats & dogs). I arrived a Sweaty Betty though, as this was pre-Singaporean-winter days. Quenched my thirst with a bottle of Organic Sparkling Passionfruit & Orange Juice ($12++). Lightly flavoured & slightly fizzy, this did the job. Don’t be a dumb dumb like me & shake the bottle in a disoriented state, though. It IS, after all… Sparkling 😂
Organic Sparkling Passionfruit & Orange Juice
[BREAKFAST MENU] We dove right into the breakfast items from Trapizza’s “Hot from the Pan” menu, starting off with the Wagyu Minute Steak & Eggs ($32++). I don’t eat beef for breakfast regularly, so this was new to me.
I certainly enjoyed it, though 😍 Perfectly poached eggs with runny yolks, & tender slides of beef. The hearty ratatouille with lightly toasted bread on the side tied all the flavours together quite well.
Wagyu Minute Steak & Eggs
I can imagine waltzing here from the nearby Rasa Sentosa Hotel to have a relaxing breakfast by Siloso beach. Don’t come here too late, though – breakfast hours are for a short window only, 9-11AM on weekends!
If poached eggs aren’t your thing, try the Italian Sausage Breakfast Platter ($26++). You don’t just get sausage with this, you also get bacon. The scrambled eggs are cooked fluffy & slightly runny.. & I just realized you can’t see them in this photo, lol. But that just shows how much food you’re getting, quite the bang for your buck.
Love carbs? You will enjoy the chunky oven-roasted potatoes with a pleasant bite to them. It’s great how you get a good variety of carbs, meat & vegetables in this one.
Italian Sausage Breakfast Platter
Should you be looking for something lighter on the palate, try the Organic Homemade Mango Granola ($12++) from the Healthy Selection of the menu.
The sweetness of the mangoes contrasted well with the sourness of the yogurt, & the granola added crunch with every bite. I quite liked everything about this.. It was so addictive. Something you can really keep eating & before you know it, you’ve finished the whole thing.
Organic Homemade Mango Granola
[LUNCH MENU] Trapizza’s pizza menu is extensive, which means there’s bound to be something for everyone. Each pizza is handcrafted & wood-fired, & it’s on a thin-crust base that makes it easy to eat. I’m not a fan of crunchy-thin pizza bases; thankfully this was just the right thickness for me (that’s what she said).
Got my hands grubby with the Pizza Siciliana ($28++), which has a sauce that is tomato-based. They have some cream sauce pizza options as well, which I would be keen to try next time.
I surprisingly enjoyed this pizza despite not being big on salami or sausages. We’re talking about chunks of traditional Sicilian pork sausage – which, like the salami, weren’t too salty for my liking. The vegetables added variety in terms of textures & tastes too: Roasted capsicums, onions, baby spinach.. A yummy dish great for sharing.
Pizza Siciliana
The Risotto di Mare ($29++) is a match made in heaven. Each grain of arborio rice was cooked al dente in a rich lobster bisque, & the plethora of seafood is commendable: Mussels, clams, prawns. My favourite was the prawn as it was super juicy, even at the end of my meal when you’d think it’d be cold & hard? Nope. Shiok ’til the end.
This IS a very rich dish that tastes like the ocean (in a good way), so it may not be for everyone. But it’s a clear winner in my books. The awesome juicy AF tomatoes make an appearance here too. Such a perfect dish that I would order again in a heartbeat.
Risotto di Mare
[DESSERTS] There’s always room for dessert, right? Check out their homemade Tiramisu ($12++) with a cute squidgy of espresso. It squirts nicely in the middle & spreads out, so those who love coffee can dig in there, & those who want less of it can tuck in by the side.
This is a perfectly light & fluffy tiramisu, with the taste of coffee & liqueur not overwhelming on the palate. Despite it being light, I can’t imagine finishing this on my own, so I was glad to have friends to share this with. I mean, this IS a pretty sizeable jar… You’re getting real value for money here.
Tiramisu
For those who aren’t about the creamy life, try the Italian Torta Di Limone ($13++), a lemon tart with strawberry ice cream. In theory this sounds like it’d be hella sour – but no! It was actually quite a balanced dessert.
The lemon flavour was slightly tart (as in, sour) indeed, but the slight sweetness of the tart base & strawberry ice cream made it more pleasant. I recommend having a bit of each on your fork/spoon each mouthful.
For those who work in the area, Tsuruhashi Fugetsu’s affordable weekday lunch specials at $16.80++ are worth checking out. From Mon – Fri, 11:30 – 14:30hrs, choose from a different special of the day, all of which are centered around yakisoba (fried egg noodles):
Mon: Spicy Shoyu Yakisoba
Tue: Mentai Mayo Shio Yakisoba (pictured)
Wed: Omelette Yakisoba
Thu: Negi Mayo Shio Yakisoba
Fri: Cheese Yakisoba
Mentai Mayo Shio Yakisoba
All specials come with rice, teriyaki chicken, & miso soup… Dang y’all be so full after that, rollin’ back to work.
Their Modanyaki ($10.80++ onwards) is their take on a modern okonomiyaki – featuring savoury pancakes with a twist. You get the crispness of fresh cabbage, the chewyness of yakisoba, & flavours of various meat/seafood within.
Modanyaki – A Work of Art
This was fried on both sides before my very eyes, timed to perfection as how the Japanese take pride in their craft. A generous amount of cabbage goes into the modanyaki; the fibre helps to make this dish less oily, which I certainly value.
Fresh ingredients for okonomiyakiOkonomiyaki in the making
Want to get your daily dose of veggies in? Try this. 😝
Tucked in a rather inconspicuous corner of Westgate, I discovered Akimitsu while surfing Burpple. Ordered their Signature Tendon ($14.90++); it comes with a side of miso soup, tiny chawanmushi (which they forgot about until I asked them about it) & free flow pickled radish.
My Tendon arrived teeming with tempura on top, which seems to be the norm no matter where I dine. Finished the rice way before the ingredients, so I had to deal with the carb-less oiliness on its own towards the end.
Oiliness notwithstanding, I liked how fresh the ingredients were & how they weren’t overcooked. In particular, the prawn & the white fish – still moist inside, & didn’t taste like the ocean. The squid wasn’t rubbery, either.
The variety of vegetables you get in this is also impressive: Shiitake mushroom, carrot, french bean, young corn, eggplant, nori, pumpkin, … Dang.
I’d intended to have a simple dinner, but it evolved into this. No regrets, though!
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats only 📶 Free WiFi available (Westgate is a Capitaland mall) 🍽 Earn rebates with JFH membership 💦 Water is not chargeable
Bui Bui Eats 