Aside from the usual academic load, foreign students like me usually have to grapple with extra home economics modules: Cooking101 & Laundry101. These are necessary evils, if one wishes to cut living expenses. Especially here in Sydney where a normal sandwich and cappuccino amounts to 8AUD. That's like 11SGD for me. Advantage of taking Cooking101: Makes one appreciate their mother. Sentimentalities aside, theres a lot of sh|t in Cooking101. First you have to plan your weekly grocery trip. Have an idea of what you would like to eat during the week and buy them all together. Time management is essential when you have classes and homework to do as well. For stuff like pasta and rice, cook in bulk and store them in plastic tubs for future use. This can be done over the weekends when you have more time. Here are some of the stuff I cook :
Mash Potatoes
Make a cut around circumference of each potato, throw into boiling water with a tiny bit of salt.
To tell if they're cooked plunge a fork into the potato, if it goes all the way through its toasted!
Take out the cooked potatoes and wash them in cold water. You should be able to peel off the skin easily now. Use a fork and mash them. In a hot pot, melt some butter throw in your mash and add some milk. Stir on low heat. Season with pepper and salt. If you are into cooking bigtime, you can do green apples in the same way add it to the mix. Brown some onions to caramelise them throw in the mash apples n potatoes with butter and some milk. Great with pork chop!
Soba
I like green tea soba. So I tend to cook this a lot. Grab probably 2-3 handfuls(depending on the size of your hand I guess). Throw in boiling water with a tiny bit of salt. Cook till soft , probably around 5-6 minutes. Take out soak in cold water. Pour in soba sauce, which is a mix of soya sauce, mirin and sugar. These are available in ready made bottles too from supermarkets.
Half boiled Egg
Tasty stuff to go with toasted bread and soba as well. Have a pot of boiling water. Throw in an egg. Time around 3minutes +/1 20secs. Take out and crack. The egg white should be semi solid whitish and opaque whilst the yolk is still runny. Great with soya sauce and white pepper. A part of the classic Singapore style breakfast : half-boiled egg + black coffee + toasted bread. Yum!
Teriyaki Cod
Marinate cod in Teriyaki sauce and black pepper. Can be left overnight in chiller. Fry up till golden. Leave the oil, throw in some garlic and onions to brown, add Teriyaki sauce, sugar some water and a tiny bit of corn starch to thicken.
Tuna filling for sandwiches/croissants(recommended with croissants)
Open a can of tuna in oil or brine, drain dry. Use a fork to break up chunks, do this in a bowl.
Add 2-2 1/2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, stir it in good. Squeeze a 1/3 lemon in and sprinkle generously with ground black pepper. We can store this in a tub or Ziploc bag for future use.
Honey Mustard Sauce for salmon and other assorted seafood
Add some water , 4 tablespoons of honey, 2 teaspoon sugar, 1/3 cup of lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of mustard to a pan with some melted butter. Stir till creamy. You can replace butter with cream if you like.
Rosemary with chicken
Take a piece of chicken, make some cuts along the meat. Rub salt, pepper and rosemary.Drizzle with olive oil , let it marinate for at least 4hrs or overnight. Fry up. Taste great with a bit of chili sauce. PS: Remember to use palm oil for frying. Its a more hardy oil with higher BP(boiling point).
Porkchop
Take a few fillets of pork and tenderize them. Meaning u beat them with the back of your knife/chopper. This is to release enzymes that soften the meat Season with salt and white pepper. Break an egg, take the yolk and beat it up on a bowl. Dip pork fillets into egg yolk and coat them with pulverized wheat biscuit crumbs. Fry till golden.
Mini Pizza
Take some left over bagel and slice them diagonally, slap pizza or pasta sauce on them sprinkle with grated mozarella cheese. Add whatever toppings you prefer. You can add some canned mushrooms, toasted capsicum and leftover chicken or beef. Toast in a toaster/oven/microwave!
Mash Potatoes
Make a cut around circumference of each potato, throw into boiling water with a tiny bit of salt.
To tell if they're cooked plunge a fork into the potato, if it goes all the way through its toasted!
Take out the cooked potatoes and wash them in cold water. You should be able to peel off the skin easily now. Use a fork and mash them. In a hot pot, melt some butter throw in your mash and add some milk. Stir on low heat. Season with pepper and salt. If you are into cooking bigtime, you can do green apples in the same way add it to the mix. Brown some onions to caramelise them throw in the mash apples n potatoes with butter and some milk. Great with pork chop!
Soba
I like green tea soba. So I tend to cook this a lot. Grab probably 2-3 handfuls(depending on the size of your hand I guess). Throw in boiling water with a tiny bit of salt. Cook till soft , probably around 5-6 minutes. Take out soak in cold water. Pour in soba sauce, which is a mix of soya sauce, mirin and sugar. These are available in ready made bottles too from supermarkets.
Half boiled Egg
Tasty stuff to go with toasted bread and soba as well. Have a pot of boiling water. Throw in an egg. Time around 3minutes +/1 20secs. Take out and crack. The egg white should be semi solid whitish and opaque whilst the yolk is still runny. Great with soya sauce and white pepper. A part of the classic Singapore style breakfast : half-boiled egg + black coffee + toasted bread. Yum!
Teriyaki Cod
Marinate cod in Teriyaki sauce and black pepper. Can be left overnight in chiller. Fry up till golden. Leave the oil, throw in some garlic and onions to brown, add Teriyaki sauce, sugar some water and a tiny bit of corn starch to thicken.
Tuna filling for sandwiches/croissants(recommended with croissants)
Open a can of tuna in oil or brine, drain dry. Use a fork to break up chunks, do this in a bowl.
Add 2-2 1/2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, stir it in good. Squeeze a 1/3 lemon in and sprinkle generously with ground black pepper. We can store this in a tub or Ziploc bag for future use.
Honey Mustard Sauce for salmon and other assorted seafood
Add some water , 4 tablespoons of honey, 2 teaspoon sugar, 1/3 cup of lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of mustard to a pan with some melted butter. Stir till creamy. You can replace butter with cream if you like.
Rosemary with chicken
Take a piece of chicken, make some cuts along the meat. Rub salt, pepper and rosemary.Drizzle with olive oil , let it marinate for at least 4hrs or overnight. Fry up. Taste great with a bit of chili sauce. PS: Remember to use palm oil for frying. Its a more hardy oil with higher BP(boiling point).
Porkchop
Take a few fillets of pork and tenderize them. Meaning u beat them with the back of your knife/chopper. This is to release enzymes that soften the meat Season with salt and white pepper. Break an egg, take the yolk and beat it up on a bowl. Dip pork fillets into egg yolk and coat them with pulverized wheat biscuit crumbs. Fry till golden.
Mini Pizza
Take some left over bagel and slice them diagonally, slap pizza or pasta sauce on them sprinkle with grated mozarella cheese. Add whatever toppings you prefer. You can add some canned mushrooms, toasted capsicum and leftover chicken or beef. Toast in a toaster/oven/microwave!
