Staycation at Marina Mandarin Singapore

Last weekend marked our 4th year together as a couple. And as part of the celebration, we checked into Marina Mandarin Singapore for a 3D2N staycation, where we got to spend some memorable moments together.

First surprise of the day: Upgraded room!

We had booked the deluxe room through Agoda and prior to the visit, I had requested for a higher floor room to celebrate our anniversary. We certainly didn't expect the hotel to so kindly upgrade us to the Executive King room. Yeah!

The bed was really comfortable and we spent quite a number of hours lazing in bed over the 3 days.

The room was very spacious for 2, and it came with a huge bathroom and bath tub. The tub was clean but upon closer inspection, we could that it's starting to show its signs of age as we spotted one or two tiny cracks. That, however, didn't bother us a bit. We were more than happy to soak in the tub -- a luxury if you're living in a HDB like me -- and the bath foam provided by the hotel made me a very happy girl!

It was so relaxing to soak in a hot tub at the end of each day.  

Take in the view of Marina Bay Sands from the balcony.

 Splendid view from room

Surprise No. 2: Half an hour after check-in, a hotel staff came by to deliver complimentary red wine and fruits. There was even a card by the Guest Services Team to congratulate us on our anniversary. We were pleasantly surprised by the gesture. Thank you Marina Mandarin Singapore!

All in all, it was a relaxing weekend spent at the hotel. The only thing that I feel can be improved further is the quality of their breakfast buffet. They had a small selection of different cuisines - Japanese, Indian, Western, Chinese - and the usual cereals and salads etc, but none of the taste impressed me in particular. That being said, I'll definitely return to the hotel in future!

Recipe | Minced Pork with Thai Sweet Basil (Pad Krapow Moo)

Thai food is easily one of my favourite cuisines. In particular, I love how the dishes are full of flavours - sour, sweet, salty - yet they meld perfectly and neither flavour is overshadowed. Thai food to me is absolute comfort food.

A beautiful mess

Minced pork with Thai sweet basil is my go-to dish if I'm in the mood for some Thai food at home. It's super easy to cook (takes less than half an hour) and real delicious! The traditional way to eat this is to have it along a fried egg and white rice. Simplicity at its finest!

Minced Pork with Thai Sweet Basil (Pad Krapow Moo)

Serves: 3   Prep time: 10 min   Cook time: 15 min  

Ingredients
3-4 tbsp oil
2 shallots, minced
2 chilli padi, chopped (deseed if you can't take the heat)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
250 g minced pork
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp brown/palm sugar
handful of thai sweet basil leaves (leaves only; about 1/2 cup)

Directions

1. Heat up oil in wok. Saute shallots, chilli padi and garlic and till fragrant.
2. Add in minced pork. Be sure to break them up. Stir-fry for about 3 mins.
3. Add in oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Mix evenly. Stir-fry for another min or so.
4. Lastly, add in the thai sweet basil leaves and stir-fry for about 20 seconds. 

And wala! You're done!

Recipe | Tofu and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers

The haze season in Singapore has started so it was a stay-at-home lunch for us. The dish I'm sharing today is at the bf's request for something less oily yet full of flavour. I think this passes muster :) Plus, it's very healthy. Also, the combination of mozzarella and bell peppers somewhat reminds me of pizza - so it's best of both worlds!

I couldn't stop admiring them when they were out of the oven because they're too pretty to eat.

Tofu and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers

Makes: 4   Prep time: 20 min   Cook time: 50 min  

Ingredients
3-4 tbsp oil
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
50 g button mushroom, roughly chopped
splash of rice wine vinegar
300 g pressed/extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 bell peppers, halved
handful of mozzarella

Directions

1. Heat up oven to 180°C. Meanwhile, cut bell peppers into halves and remove the white membrane and seeds. Lightly brush bell peppers with oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. In a wok, heat up the oil, shallots and garlic to start. When it's aromatic, turn up the heat and add in mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir-fry mushrooms for about 2 mins and deglaze with rice wine vinegar. 
4. Add in tofu and mix well with soy sauce. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes or so for the flavours to be well combined.
5. Scoop the mixture into the bell peppers and bake at 180°C for 30 minutes. 
6. Add in mozzarella and bake for another 15 minutes.

PS: In the background is an awesome plate of thai-style minced pork with basil. Can't wait to share that recipe! Stay tuned!

Recipe | Thai Green Curry

I've been dreaming about a beach holiday to Thailand for some time now, and while that has yet to materialise, this pot of creamy and aromatic Thai green curry has already made its way into my stomach and once again awaken the travel bug in me. 

I need a beach holiday now! 

Thai Green Curry

Serves: 2-3   Prep time: 20 min   Cook time: 20 min  

Ingredients
3 tbsp cooking oil, divided into 2 tbsp and 1 tbsp
5 tsp green curry paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
5-6 lemongrass, white part only
2 Thai green chilli, chopped
2-3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
500g seafood
250 ml chicken stock
270 ml coconut milk
fresh coriander leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the curry paste, stirring to break it up for a min.
2. Increase heat to medium-high, then add garlic, onion, lemongrass & chilli. Stir-fry for 30s till fragrant. 
3. Add in fish sauce, pepper & brown sugar; stir fry for a min. 
4. Add in the remaining oil & seafood; stir-fry for 4 mins. 
5. Pour in chicken stock & coconut milk and bring it to a quick boil. Simmer for 5 mins or until seafood is cooked.
6. Scatter fresh coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Review | What to Do in Taipei: Cooking Class by Ivy from Ivy's Kitchen

I read with much amusement that Chun Cui He 純萃喝,  the Taiwanese brand known for their milk teas, actually flew off the shelves of 7-11 shortly after they landed in Singapore. As I write, many outlets have ran out of stock of this drink. And some guy even tried to sell just the empty bottle alone on Carousell. What?!

I mean, I know we Singaporeans love Taiwan and its food, but this brings it to a new level.

Don't get me wrong - I adore Taiwanese food, but there's certainly more to Taiwan than milk tea. Its people, in my mind, are what makes the place equally appealing as a travel destination. Their sales staff are generally not pesky, and those passers-by are mostly warm and helpful. You get the idea. But if there's one person you have to meet, it's Ivy from Ivy's Kitchen, who runs cooking classes from her home. 

I was initially apprehensive about attending a solo cooking class, but eventually decided to go ahead with it after coming across positive reviews on the internet. I was so glad I made the trip. Ivy sat me down for a quick chat over tea the moment I reached, before we proceeded to her kitchen to prepare the dishes that I had pre-indicated in my emails.

I was really looking forward to a hearty meal!

And together, we made:

Bamboo Skewers with Shrimp

Lychee Pork

Hot and Sour Soup

The food turned out absolutely delicious and I had a memorable night. Ivy came across as someone deeply passionate about local produce - just ask her where to get the freshest Taiwan produce and she'll point you to the right direction. I was very much stoked by her kitchen as well! Though it wasn't big by any standard, I loved its semi-open concept to bits!

All in all, this is a fun activity for families and solo travellers alike to add to your TW itinerary, if you haven't already planned one :) Just make sure you book her calendar in advance, because her schedule is very hectic!

Hello!

Hello there!

Saying hi from Singapore :)

Best,
W