Durian Forever!

Durian forever! I don't know you guys but this fruit rocks! Durian is nicknamed ''the king of fruits'' for a reason! In addition, it's astonishing that half of worlds population never came across to try this amazing fruit at least once in their lifetime. I can't even detect Durian in official translation books except Wikipedia which is by far the best encyclopedia. 

I went for a Durian feast trip out of Singapore to Malaysia two weeks ago, the trip took us straight to Desaru Fruit Farm in Johor. Thankfully the weather was just right as I hadn't brought my umbrella and despite my fears of being bitten by mosquitoes, I survived the entire and pleasant day tour. The tour guide at the fruit farm was a generous local lady who looked to have helped herself to the farms produce and she spoke really good english. 

We had the opportunity to help ourselves in all you can eat Durian buffet during that special day. Although we didn't get the best type of Durians, it was really nice to have enjoyed the atmosphere together with wife and friends. All in all, a trip to Desaru Fruit farm is worth time and money. 

But this story isn't about my trip now, its sort of introduction of this marvelous fruit that remains unknown to many folks that either aren't living in the tropics or have never seen one. 

Losing your durian virginity is a private moment, so nobody can tell you what works best for you.

However, in general, there are two ways that people choose to do it. You could start off by acquainting yourself with the mildest dose possible of durian scent.

This usually comes in the form of durian-flavored cakes and cookies, wherein the taste and scent of durian can barely be detected, or durian chips which are made from under-ripe durians.

Once you think you can handle it, move up to durian desserts that are closer to the real thing in terms of both the smell and texture, e.g., durian custard, durian ice cream, durian cakes 

This should prepare you well for your first durian encounter.  The majority of durian veterans will tell you, however, that the best approach is to tackle durian head-on. Choose one that is not over-ripe and milder in both flavor and smell. Mon thong and kan yao varieties are two of the top favorites and generally milder than others such as kop or cha ni.

Don’t even consider frozen durians, as freezing changes the texture to the point of ruin.

Go for the best and the freshest possible. After all, you can only have your first durian once, so save yourself for a high-quality durian that is very, very special. So it's a must try, unfortunately it's not available all around the world, you could take a note and try it in your next trip to south east asia! 

 

Craving for Gnocchi with Sage and Butter

Gnocchi is a very simple home made dish that brings a lot of joy to cook it for our loved ones. This Italian dish joins the family of the so called ''cucina povera'' cuisine of the poor due to it's simple and low cost ingredients. Nowadays Grocery stores and middle mens earn gigantic margins on it by simply selling Gnocchi to end consumers. 

During preparation, the Gnocchi's will resemble like dead bodies lying on a plate but don't worry because it taste simple, marvelous and I am very sure that you will be preparing willing to prepare Gnocchi again and again once tasted.

Again, there are plenty Gnocchi varieties and preparation styles existing, I have chosen to follow the style of my ancestors purely out of habit. You can either add more Butter, more Sage.. base it on Salmon, Tuna or add some meat stuff to it. It's really up to your imagination.. but here is how I do it. 

What is actually Gnocchi all about ?  Little dumplings made from potatoes, flour and egg. Not very exciting, you might think, but like real pasta made in the old-fashioned way, Gnocchi have a texture and flavour of their own which can absorb and complement other flavours. This recipe is very simple, served with just butter, sage and Parmesan. Always make the amazing Gnocchi the day you are going to serve them, because they will change in colour if left overnight.

Ingredients

275 gr Potatoes - just about two

95 gr plain flour, sifted, plus a little extra rolling

1 large egg, lightly beaten

salt and milled black pepper

For the sauce

8 fresh sage leaves

50gr of butter

garlic peeled and crushed

How to do it….

First place the potatoes, with their skins on, in a suitably sized saucepan, almost cover with boiling water, add some salt, then put a lid on and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until tender. Then drain well and, holding them in your hand with a tea cloth, quickly pare off the skins using a potato peeler. Then place the potatoes in a large bowl and, using an electric hand whisk on a slow speed, start to break the potatoes up, then increase the speed and gradually whisk until smooth and fluffy. Now let them cool.

Next, add the sifted flour to the potatoes, along with half the beaten egg, season lightly and, using a fork, bring the mixture together. Then, using your hands, knead the mixture lightly to a soft dough – you may need to add a teaspoonful or so more of the egg if it is a little dry. Now transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface, flour your hands and divide it into quarters. Now roll each quarter into a sausage shape approximately ½ inch (1 cm) in diameter, then cut it, on the diagonal, into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces, placing them on a tray or plate as they are cut. Cover with Clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes, but longer won't matter.

After that, using a fork with the prongs facing upwards, press the fork down on to one side of each Gnocchi so that it leaves a row of ridges on each one; at the same time, ease them into crescent shapes. The ridges are there to absorb the sauce effectively. Now cover and chill the Gnocchi again until you are ready to cook them. To cook the Gnocchi, firstly bring a large, shallow pan of approximately 6 pints (3.5 litres) of water to a simmer and put the serving dish in a low oven to warm through. Then drop the Gnocchi into the water and cook for about 3 minutes; they will start to float to the surface after about 2 minutes, but they need 3 altogether.

When they are ready, remove the Gnocchi with a draining spoon and transfer them to the warm serving dish. For the sauce, melt the butter with the garlic over a gentle heat until the garlic turns nut brown in colour – about 1 minute. Next add the sage leaves and allow the butter to froth while the sage leaves turn crisp – about 30 seconds – then spoon the butter mixture over the warm Gnocchi. Sprinkle half the Parmesan over and serve the rest separately.

The Benefits of Manuka Honey Skin Care

It's always amazing to discover that a lot of people don't know what manuka honey is all about, but yet they buy conventional honey believing that there's no difference! Well, I was told that manuka is not only food but also can be used for our skin. My friend told me that not all manuka honeys have the same effect, I then started to read more about it and learned we should pay more attention to issues such as unique manuka factor (UMF) etc. 

Then its also very interesting to know that manuka acts as a anti bacterial agent, which means that it contains a special non-peroxide activity in itself. Also interesting to know is that not all manuka honeys have the same health-giving qualities. Its important to read how many UMF the honey contains and every manuka is quite distinct from the enzyme / peroxide activity that is common to most honeys. 

Manuka honey skin care can be beneficial to the skin in many ways. Some of the ways that you can benefit from when you use honey is to use it as facial. The honey mask hydrated and soothes the skin. The vitamins, enzymes and minerals found in the honey will improve the skin texture and its vitality. It also fights off the antibacterial since it has natural antibacterial properties. Honey mask can be used for any type of skin. 

The plantogen manuka skin oil is the superb product and it is used in fighting off the aging problems. Mask is the best method used to fight off skin aging while it also hydrates the skin. The skin can be improved within 7 days after using Manuka mask. Manuka can be used with other beauty care like spots, zits and acne. It is also used with the hair conditioners. Manuka honey has natural antioxidants which gives the cells enough minerals, amino acids and vitamins. It provides the white blood cells with necessary glucose while it also destroys the bacteria. Healing a wound using manuka honey will improve on the cellular regeneration and it gives the skin smoothness while it improves its skin texture. It also works in promoting the collagen production.

Manuka honey skin care is in different ranges which include cleansers, masks and moisturizers. If you are suffering from any skin irritation problems, then you can look for Manuka skin cream. Its active ingredients are Manuka honey active with 20+ rating. It has powerful antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. It offers a relief for different skin problems. Manuka honey is a wonderful property which makes the skin care products more effective and powerful. It restores the moisture while it also restores the damaged, cracked, dehydrates and dry skin. It makes the skin to look softer, younger and it improves on the skin tone. The Manuka honey also is known to revitalize and to nourish the scalp while maintaining healthy skin and hair.

Spaghetti alle Vongole

In Italy, exact recipes for spaghetti alle vongole vary from region to region and even from market to market place. It's really all about interpretation when we get to prepare this excuisite dish. Everybody believe to master the best Spaghetti Vongole on earth. Well, here is how I see it and I let you do the rest at your home :) Remember that a good cooking will depend on your ingredients and mood! Happiness is to be found along the way and not at the end of the road! So, please enjoy the process of making Spaghetti alle Vongole with your friends and loved ones! 

Some will add chilli, dried or fresh, and occasionally you will see tomatoes added, although I prefer the purist version with no tomatoes and just a hint of dried chilli.

The clams used vary too and can be quite expensive. Always try to use smaller ones that cook quickly and stay tender. You could also use cockles, mussels or razor clams in this dish or canned clams work really well. Look for the Italian brands actually sold as Vongole. Drain and rinse well, then just add them to the softened aromatics and warm through gently.

350-400g dried Spaghetti (My favourite brand is Barilla or Colavita) 

5tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
4 garlic cloves, crushed 
2 large shallots, finely chopped 
1/2tsp dried red chilli 
800g small clams rinsed well in cold running water 
2tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley 
3tbsp dry white wine 
Salt and freshly ground white pepper 
50g unsalted butter

A video of my best personal inspiration and one of the best Spaghetti Vongole makers on earth, Antonio Carluccio has it all! 

Cook the Spaghetti in boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, then drain. While the Spaghetti is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the clams and gently cook the garlic, shallots and chilli for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the clams with the parsley and white wine, season with salt and pepper, turn up the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 4-5 minutes, giving the occasional stir, until all the clams have opened (one or two may not, so don't keep cooking just for them once most have opened). Add the butter and the drained spaghetti to the pan, stir well over a low heat for a minute and serve immediately.

Et voila! Buon appetito a tutti!