Thursday, December 07, 2006

Black pepper crab recipe

* Crab
* Pounded black and white peppercorns (if you want spicier taste, add more white peppercorns, else ratio is 1:1)
* Pounded garlic
* Pounded ginger
* Pounded chilli (optional, add only if you can stand the spiciness)
* Dark soya sauce
* Sugar
* Oyster sauce

  1. Stir fry dry pounded peppercorn till you can smell the choking aroma.
  2. Add cooking oil and fry pounded garlic, ginger and chilli till golden brown.
  3. Add crabs and fry.
  4. Add dark soya sauce, sugar and oyster sauce to taste.
  5. Add water and cover wok. Repeat process thrice to cook the crabs. Stir occasionally.
Enjoy the signature Singaporean dish!

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Feeling the effects of over 30

Signs of men over 30 are showing: Pot-belly, thinner scalp (am thankful that I still have a full crown) and lethargy.

After one month of eating at least three local dishes at one meal and a drink, I had gained 4 kg/ 8.8 lb and a big pot-belly. It was eating like there was no tomorrow. I was actually eating to make up for one year absence since I would not be coming back to Singapore next year. One round way trip costs me at least SGD$2600. Travelling back next year would set my savings back by $5200. I would have to forgo Chinese New Year and my PhD convocation. Come 2007, I would use the time and money to travel to as many states as possible (fyi: 50 states). Yellowstone National Park is on my top list.

With a bigger tummy and lack of exercise, I felt tired more easily. My mind was set on running and swimming, but my body refused to obey. It seemed that I just had to binge and sleep. I am turning into a lazy pig! Friends had commented that I looked bulkier (euphemistic way of saying I am fat).

One of my goals for this coming new year is to reduce my waistline so that I could see my abs again. Haha...