Five-Spice Chicken in Rice Paper

Being a working mother that loves to cook, I relish weekends. It is a time where I could get some time to cook for my family.  I want to be able to leave a legacy of food; food that warms the heart and makes my family feel that they are home. I was lucky to have a stay-at-home mum.  I want my kids to have what I used to have eating at home with my family.

Thus, to prevent myself from falling into a cooking rut, I told myself, for every Sunday dinner that I cook, at least one dish must be new. No cheating, not changed or adjusted, something completely new that my family have never tried. It was not difficult with my library of cookbooks and my passion for cooking. The only criteria was that it should be easy and quick.

So last Sunday, I took a recipe from an old issue of Donna Hay and made Five-Spice Chicken in Rice Paper. I have included the original recipe and included my own adjustments for ingredients and amount. And Donna, it was delish!



Ingredients
3 teaspoons of salt
3 teaspoons of Chinese five-spice powder
4 chicken breast fillets, trimmed
16 small Asian rice paper rounds
2 green onions (scallions), sliced
peanut old for shallow frying

Dipping Sauce
 1/4 cup (2 fl oz) hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce

1. To make the dipping sauce, combine the hoisin sauce, lemon juice and soy sauce. Set aside.


2. Combine the salt and Chinese five-spice in a small bowl. Cut the chicken into 4 pieces each and sprinkle with the five-spice salt, coating all sides.


3. Place 1 rice paper round in a bowl of hot water and soak for 10 seconds or until soft.


4. Remove and place on a clean tea towel.


5. Place a piece of chicken one-third of the way from the base of the rice paper and top with some green onion.


6. Fold over the base and sides of the paper to enclose and roll up into a parcel, leaving the top edge unfolded.


7. Repeat with the remaining chicken, green onion and rice paper.


8. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.


9. Cook the parcels in batches for 2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through.


10. Serve with the dipping sauce and the remaining five-spice salt. Serves 4.

Notes:

• I halved both the salt and five-spice powder as I was using half the amount of chicken.


• I bought the rice paper in a big pack of 22cm rounds, I found it too big, resulting in a thicker skin, thus making the rolls less crispy.


• We call 'scallions' spring onions locally, I could not find this in the NTUC I went to so I replaced it with seasoned seaweed, which was in my larder. I keep this as a staple in my larder as it is great on congee and cold cha soba.


• For the hoisin sauce, I found it hard to measure 1/4 cup so I used 4 tablespoons. I did not have lemons but did have a bunch of limes, so I replaced the lemon juice with lime juice.


• Step 2 - I did not bother with using a small bowl. I plonked all the cut chicken in a big mixing bowl and sprinkle in the salt and five-spice to mix.


• Step 4 - I tried to use kitchen paper - the rice paper would stick.  I switched back to the clean tea towel.


• Steps 3 - 6 - My daughter helped me (she is eight plus) and did all the wrapping. Great bonding time!


• Step 6 - It was too finicky trying to leave the top edge unfolded since my daughter was helping. I did it up like a spring roll instead.


• I make an extra dipping sauce with chili padi, lime juice and soy sauce. Delish!


• I garnished it with mint leaves from my own plants!

How NOT to be a perfectionist

Okay admit it. If you are not going to, I am. I am a perfectionist. There I said it.

As a working mother, there simply was no room for anything else. No compromises. The sheets have to be creaseless; the management report free of spelling errors; meals must be nutritious; kids must be dressed nicely; husbands must be kept happy; workmates must be kept impressed; the sales presentation must be professional; it must look effortless when entertaining friends, the house must be spotless and the food absolutely delish; I must look like I am Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey all rolled into one.

Back to earth, I think it is time I cut myself some slack. I can never be perfect, even though I should do my absolute best in everything I do, I can never be perfect.  I am not meant to be perfect, that's why I need God. I am not meant to be perfect, that's why I don't have to be emotionally balanced all of the time.  I am not meant to be perfect, that's why I make mistakes (is that even possible?).

Here are 10 ways how I give myself the permission to NOT be perfect. As I am not perfect, I fall down sometimes, trying to do some of these things.

1. It is okay for the kids clothes not to match up nicely when we go out.


2. It is okay to encounter difficulties managing a project at work; that's what they pay me for.


3. It is okay that the food does not look like the food pictures in Nigella's cookbook.


4. It is okay that the house is not spotless or the laundry is backed up.


5. It is okay to say "No" to another church meeting. God is not counting.


6. It is okay that Martha will never approve of the home made decorations for Christmas that look like roadkill.


7. It is okay that  I forgot about the conference call I was supposed to attend.


8. It is okay that I cannot find what I need because my filing is not up to date.


9. It is okay to freak out once in a while, making sure I don't do it too many times, irritating dear husband.


10. Finally, it is okay not to have alphabetised cans in my larder.

Perhaps you should start writing your own list?  Relax, it does not need to be perfect.

Kids Holiday Planning

Examinations are over and holidays are around the corner.  This is when the mad rush for holiday courses, meet the cartoon characters at the mall, special trips to the Science Centre gets planned out.  God forbid, one of them should mouth the words,"Mum! I am bored!".

Over the years, I have developed a list of websites to check on to see what I can plan for a more interesting and productive holiday for my kids.  This will also expose them to various activities and interests in a bid to find their passion in life.  At a minimum, they can say they have tried it and had fun.

It was all in my head but in the true spirit of decluttering my mind, I will put it in an organised list for everyone.  Please feel free to share in the comments section what your own list so everyone can benefit from it.

Here's my list.  All of the websites I go to research for activities below, most likely have an email subscription service or a Facebook page that you can join.  I do it for the ones that interest my family most so I don't miss out on the interesting stuff. 

1. People's Association
   The People's Association has a wide range of activities and courses for both the young and old.  Lifestyle courses like yoga or cooking appeals to all ages. They also have a section specifically for the kiddies.  Booking can be done online.  Most courses are held in Community Clubs - so you can choose the one nearest to home or where the kids are aka near gramps' place.  The courses are fairly economical so it is a great place to start.  Passion Card members get a discount.


2. SAFRA
   SAFRA works a lot like the PA.  The website is moderately easy to use and booking can also be done online. They have 5 club houses to choose from and some of the courses they offer may not be available in the PA website.  They also have other services like the Interest Clubs which provide additional privileges if you choose to join them.  These clubs are great if your family has a specific interest e.g. movies or travel.  If you are a member, you get discounts as well.


3. National Library Board
   I go to the GoLibrary link on the left navigation bar and search for events.  These include regular story telling sessions, crafts workshops and interesting talks.  Most of these are free so if you are on a budget, the library is a great place to be.  You can book activities and pay (if needed) online easily.  Since libraries are all over the island, more likely than not, you will be able to find activities that are near your place of preference.


4. National Parks Board
   If your family is outdoorsy, this is the website for you.  I am on their email subscription list so I get informed of activities like garden walks and educational talks.  Registration can be done online but payment is either by cash at the location or by mail in cheque prior to the activity.  I have sent my kids on a couple of activities and they enjoyed them.


5. National Heritage Board
   I don't always go to the parent website but to the various museums' websites.  My favourites are Asian Civilisations Museum, National Museum of Singapore and Singapore Art Museum.  Some of the great things are like family days and free entry to museum days.  The annual International Museum Day often brings carnivals, special exhibitions and art installations that are tailored for kids.  Tickets can be bought at SISTIC or at the location itself.


6. SportOnKids
   Set up by the Singapore Sports Council, it is a club that promotes healthy living through sports.  Paying just annual fee of $20, kids would have access to the sport activities that are organised by the club.  Most of these activities are try-one-time sort of format to gauge interest in children.  For example, my kids have done rock climbing, skating, motor-crossing, archery, yoga and even fencing.  Others include kayaking, Frisbee, handball, swimming and football.  As these cost either $5-$10 or nothing for members, it is a great way to expose children to the different sports activities.


7. Places of Interests
   These include the Singapore Zoo, the Jurong Bird Park, the Night Safari and the Science Centre.  These places normally have special exhibits, overnight camps and tours available during the school holidays.  I have done the specials but not tried the overnight camps with the animals yet.  The costs are normally high, but the model of the overnight camps are very interesting and helps in family bonding.  One other place is the Esplanade, which have free open concerts and would have interesting art activities during the different festivals.


8. Enrichment Centres
   These are great places to check out.  On top of their regular classes, they normally would do special courses for the school holidays.  This is also a great way to check the centres and their courses out, to see if they might be suitable for your kids before you shell out the big money for regular courses.  Here are some that I have used before and happy with the results.
   Eduplus Language Centre - Chinese courses
   Genius R Us- Baking and Entrepreneur courses
   Tony Buzan Learning Centre- Mindmapping and Creative Thinking courses
   Legrand School of Dance - Dance courses


9. Shopping Malls
   Go to the various websites of the shopping malls and undoubtedly you will find activities that are designed to attact kids and thus, their parents to the malls.  A lot of these activities are free and often comes with free gifts.  If luck has it that your kids are enamoured with the latest cartoon craze, then these would be fun for them to attend.  Beware of lines and often over zealous parents that may irk you with their 'kiasu' ways.  All in all this is a great option if you also have shopping to do.  Something suitable for the whole family.  Here are some links to start you off.
   CapitaMalls Asia
   AsiaMalls
   Takashimaya

Other than these activities, don't forget the usual favourite family activities like, travelling, swimming, having a meal together, cooking a meal together, visiting a park and catching a movie.  After all, what matters is for the kids to have a fruitful and relaxing holiday break.

10 Things I Love About Me

I started the post with the title "10 Things I Hate About Me", an inspiration to a reality show on BBC Lifestyle Channel, "What I Hate About Me".  Then I thought to myself, there is really too much negativity in the world, why add to it?  Thus, I am going to write about 10 things I love about me. 

Too many times, I hold myself to impossible standards and then, when I cannot achieve my goals, I think very little of myself.  This is a sure fire way of breaking down a person's confidence, self esteem and ego.  I am sure lots of you working mothers out there do the same.  It is difficult to be a super career woman AND a super mum.  Don't beat yourself up too much when things don't go your way.    Think about the things that you do love about yourself.  This will help you to pick up the pieces and move on.

1. I love that I can talk to ANYONE
   When I say ANYONE, I mean ANYONE!  Dear husband is always amaze at how I can be such good friends with the cab driver after a 30 min ride.  I can talk incessantly about the most inconsequential thing.  Annoying sometimes to people around me, but boy, do I melt cold people fast!


2. I love that I know how to use a screwdriver, a spanner and a saw
   During the course of my life, I had to learn to use these tools.  I know some women have never even touch them much less use them!  I am sure if I put my mind to it, I can change a flat tire, change a light bulb and even change my kids' minds that vegetables are the coolest food to eat!  I did set up this blog single handedly!


3. I love that I don't mind making people laugh by being silly
   I don't mind being silly, in fact, sometimes I love it!  This helps me relax and when my friends laugh, it makes me feel good that I contributed to their well being.


4. I love that I can whip up a decent meal with just 5 ingredients in under 20 minutes
   Here's my dear husband's favourite pasta dish - Pesto Pasta

Ingredients
200g long pasta (spaghetti works best)
50g pine nuts
60g bottled pesto sauce (I like Barilla best)
Shaved or grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Salt for cooking pasta

Method
1. Bring to boil salted water in pasta pan or any deep pan.
2. In the meantime, place pine nuts on dry pan on low heat to dry roast, while flipping them ensuring even roasting.
3. Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
4.  Drain pasta, add pesto sauce, Parmesan cheese (the heat will slowly melt the cheese), and the roasted pine nuts.
5. Mix and serve 2 greedy people.

1. I love that I can remember important dates
   Birthdays, anniversaries, tests, coming-back-from-holiday-day - I can remember them all.  Dear husband would look at me in amazement everytime I rattle off the dates.


2. I love that I can cut fruits really quickly and really nicely
   I learnt to cut fruits - even the big old watermelons and honey dews - from the best, my mum!  Even I have to say they are pretty decent and I love to present them attractively on platters when we entertain friends.


3. I love my eyes
   They were God-given and I have received many compliments since as long as I can remember.  Piercingly black, I use them many a times to discipline my brood without a word.


4. I love that I have a soft spot for kids
   Dear husband and I donate money annually to our favourite charities.  Inevitably, the ones I choose are always related to helping children.  I would do anything to protect a child from harm.


5. I love that I am an organizer
   Okay, this may drive some folks around me crazy.  But you have to admit that it is pretty cool to be able to direct someone on the phone directly to a document that is dated 3 years ago on a shelf in the office without being there in person.


6. I love that I have a loud voice
   I have never thought about this as a quality that I love about myself.  This exercise revealed that the volume of my voice is directly related to my vitality and enthusiasm for life.  If you find me quiet, you really should be concerned!

YOUR TURN!

How Technology Changed My Life

When I first started work, I only had a pager.  For those of you who remember, these are small gadgets that one could call with the phone number that you want the owner to call back on.  Often, my dear husband (at that time my dear boyfriend) and I would send each other codes like 9-12-21 to say "I love you".  Basic but it worked.   Other than pre-arranged codes, there was no other way of contacting each other on the road and we all lived that way.

So in came the mobile phones.  My dear husband skipped lunches to save for a mobile phone for me.  It was an Ericsson (Sony has not bought Ericsson yet) and probably twice the size of any average phone now.  All it could do was call out, receive calls - there was no option to do texting or play games, much less surf the web or take pictures.

I cherished that phone.  It was a sign of my dear husband's devotion to my well being.  It lasted for years and was really reliable.  It meant that there were less missed connections and we were able to get each other easily.

Then there was the laptop.  The first laptop I got was a company issued machine that was used by my predecessor.  It was a chunky Toshiba and would hang several times a day, despite my best efforts to keep it in good health.  I assured you that it was sweared at quite a few times a day.  It was really heavy and I would get a sore shoulder carrying it around to my client sites for meetings. 

Every few years, I would get my laptop upgraded (company policy to keep up to date technologically).  I cannot remember all the in-betweens but my latest is a Fujitsu Lifebook, T series - a slick tablet, barely 1.3 kg in weight - not topline but compared to my chunky Toshiba, this is a godsend.

Between my mobile phone and my laptop, and all the fantastic technological advancements, I was able to answer emails, prepare a client presentation, do a conference call with my workmates, update my status on Facebook, chat with my friend via Instant Messaging whom I have not seen in a while online, put in an online order for my son's birthday cake, play some games for relaxation, research on the recipes for Sunday lunch, see if my ebay item has been bought, take pictures of my kids and uploading it on Flickr, text a happy birthday wish to my sister, sync up my Outlook calendar on my mobile phone so that I would not miss my appointments and more.

I could live my whole life like this.  In reality, I could stay at home the whole day and yet still able to do what I did 10 years ago at probably half the time.

How has it changed my life?  Let's talk about the good things first.  I am more productive and efficient.  This gives me the sense of achievement that would be few and far between in the past.  I am able to juggle better as a working mother, knowing that I could pay a bill online rather than having to queue up at the bank.  Information is just a click away so I am better informed and able to make better decisions.  I am better connected to my friends and their lives.  Things move faster with the phone and Instant messaging, thus issues get resolved faster as well.  As my kids belong to the generation of instant gratifications, by being up to date, I am staying relevant as a parent and also able to communicate with them in terms they understand.  I am writing this post, sitting at the bar counter in my kitchen - thanks to wireless technology - and having a cup of coffee at the same time.

There is always 2 sides to a coin.  Being more productive and efficient means that I am expected to do more as a professional.  This means that I am always on and stress levels go up.  Text messages from workmates and clients come around the clock; once they see you online on instant messaging, before you know it, it is 1 am in the morning.  Distraction by technology is also an issue in my life.  I often catch myself or dear husband pouring over Facebook updates and games on a weekend when we really should be spending time with family.  Every text message has to be answered and every email has to be responded to.  My kids are also addicted to surfing the web or watching videos or playing online games.  If they were not allowed to use the computer, the complain I get would be, "But I am bored!  What should I do?".  When did kids start not know what to do with free time?

For the last few weeks, I have been shutting down my laptop and leaving it off for the entire weekend.  It is liberating and on every Monday, there is never anything that is even close to the sky falling down!  I am working on ways to changing my habit to deal with the downside of technology. 

What have you been doing to get back the part of your life that technology has taken away?

PS : I later found in my inbox an article from Simple Marriage on a similar topic, title "Leave Your Work (Mostly) At Work"!  Enjoy!