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Showing posts from July, 2017
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Large Old Cucumber | FoodyFlair Finds I was walking around the Supermarket in Singapore and I am always looking for new and interesting fruit and veggies to try. I came across a large brown marbled cucumber and the label read ‘Cucumber Yellow Msia. It was heavy too weighing almost 1 Kg. I had to buy purchase it and see how it was. It turns out the most common name for it is ‘Old Cucumber’. That is simply what it is a mature cucumber. As the cucumber matures it loses its green skin and turns into a brown color. This vegetable is commonly used in soups in the summertime. It is known in herbal Chinese medicine as a ‘yin’ or a cooling agent to counteract the heat in our bodies for those humid summer days here in Singapore. The old cucumber’s taste is bland and bitter allowing it to be flavored in soups. To eat the cucumber cut in half long ways and remove the seeds since they are tough and fibrous. Then cut into slices with leaving the skin on. Add it to y
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Thailand Adventures Day #1 | Foody Travels Hi Everyone! I just returned from a weekend trip from Thailand. It was so much fun filled with FoodyFlair eats which is what I came for. The food scene in Thailand is amazing and I would highly recommend the visit. After you pay for your airfare everything else is very cheap when you arrive. For example 1 USD is 33.5 Baht the Thai currency. Even though the price numbers are high the amount is very low which allowed me to have a culinary field day. We stayed at the Dusit Thani in Bangkok it was a beautiful hotel with lots of amenities and as soon as we arrived they severed us their local drink. It was a juice made from Hibiscus flowers it was refreshing although way too sweet for me. I would have probably liked if it was a less concentrated version of it. After we had a few sips of our drink it was time for lunch.  We decided upon Somtum Der since it was close to the hotel and had a variety of local cuisine. The restauran
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Singapore Ice cream Sandwich | FoodyFlair I was walking around the streets of Singapore there were vendors everywhere selling a nostalgic tasty treat for locals. They reminded me of an ice cream truck from the States when I was little but instead of driving around in tire wheels the were pushing around the wheels of their carts selling ice cream in a sandwich. I am not talking about ice cream between two cookies but an actually sandwich with bread! They cut a block of ice cream and wedge between white bread slightly sweetened and dyed with a green and pink hue. The flavors they are selling are pretty basic vanilla, chocolate, chocolate chip, strawberry, mint and then there is a bit unusual one but a popular flavor here red bean.  Red bean is common here and is served in variety ways including soups and as a snack in sticky rice. It originated from Japan and the paste is derived from the azuki bean that has a starchy sweet taste. I took the flavor the vendor recommended which was cho
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Korean Melon | Fruity Flair At the grocery store I came across a Korean melon or chamoe I have never had one so I decided to try. It is pretty small in size not like your usual honeydew or cantaloupe so it is perfect for a sweet dessert in the evening.  The melon can be eaten whole even the seeds are small enough to consume so no extra work needed. However I was not ready to eat a whole melon since the skin can have a bitter taste so I decided to cut the melon in half scoops out the seeds then slice it. The taste was very refreshing and sweet. It is a cross between a cantaloupe and a cucumber. I would highly recommended this fruit if you came across it in your travels!
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Watermelon Soju I was walking around the streets in Singapore on a Friday night and saw huge platters of watermelon filled with a cocktail. I had to order it! The drink came in a watermelon filled with actual watermelon pieces, ice, and the liquor soju. Soju traditionally comes from Korea and it is was made from rice however today it is distilled from alternative starches including wheat, sweet potatoes and tapioca. Soju has a mild taste similar to vodka with 20-24 alcohol percentage. Soju is not common in the United States where I am originally from but here in Singapore it seems to be the liquor of choice and for good reason. It is clear full bodied alcohol without that acid-tone taste of vodka. It is more mild and sweeter which makes for a fun night out to share a watermelon soju with friends. See below recipe to make your own cocktail for your next party! Lets Get Started –  Cut the top of the watermelon. Scoop out the flesh and you can leave some of the flesh
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Dragon Fruit | Fruity Flair I just moved half across the world from New Jersey to Singapore. It was a long flight with 12 hour time difference. From the moment I landed I became enthralled by all the different exotic and hybrid fruit here. I will start with my favorite fruit I tried here which is the dragon fruit! It is so fleshy and filling that is a great snack filled with antioxidants. So no guilt here for the summer waistline. The taste is not too strong which is why I like as well as the soft texture. The middle part of the fruit is the sweetest. I have found that the dragon fruit with the red purple color inside is sweeter than the white ones so go for that considering the fruit is pretty mild in flavor. How to eat a dragon fruit: Wash the fruit on the outside to move unwanted dirt or pesticides Cut the dragon fruit in half using a cutting board Then with your figures peel back the skin from the flesh. It should peel off pretty easy and leave the fruit intact. Then