Fish Tales

My life in Singapore. And then some.

Just call me iron chef, Greg-san.

After two weeks on my new ‘get fit’ diet, I haven’t fallen off the wagon. Yet.

Although, I am finding cooking healthy takes a bit more effort than, say, take-out.

Like the chicken teriyaki stir-fry I made tonight. About thirty minutes to make, versus… mmm, zero for take-out.

Anyway…

The recipe only requires 3 teaspoons of oil. So, it’s pretty low fat.

Start by preparing all the ingredients:

Cut two chicken breasts into bit-sizes pieces and marinade with 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce and 1 tbsp sherry cooking wine.

Dice 1 medium sized onion and press 4 cloves garlic and a 1 inch, peeled ginger root.

Slice 1 green pepper, a half carton of mushrooms, several baby carrots and a few pineapple rings (dried with a paper towel).

About 15 minutes to prepare everything

Takes about 15 minutes to prepare everything

Warm 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil on medium heat, until it shimmers.

Put the chicken into the pan. Don’t stir. Let the meat brown on one side. Then use tongs to turn each piece and brown the opposite side.

Brown both sides for extra flavor

Brown both sides for extra flavor

Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside. Rinse the pan.

Warm 1 teaspoon of oil, until shimmering. Then sauté the onion, ginger and carrots in the pan for several minutes, stirring occasionally until brown.

Smells really good, especially the ginger

Smells really good, especially the ginger

Clear the center of the pan and add the garlic. Press flat. Cook until fragrant.

Next, throw in the green peppers and mushrooms. Pour in a bit of water, if things are sticking to the pan.

Fry until the vegetables are cooked.

Add the pineapple and sauté for two minutes.

Lower the heat to medium-low.

Add the chicken and pour ⅓ cup teriyaki sauce into the pan. Stir until all the ingredients are coated with sauce.

Serve with rice.

As Rachael Ray would say... YUMMO!

As Rachael Ray would say... YUMMO!

Expensive. That sums up my grocery shopping experience in Singapore during the last eighteen months.

Especially for cherries.

Why must my favorite fruit cost so much!

Expensive cherries @ Singapore Paragon Marketplace

Expensive cherries @ Singapore Paragon Marketplace

A conversion for those who need it:

1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds.

$47.90 Singapore dollars = $34.03 US dollars

Do the math.

Rainier Cherries cost nearly $15.50 USD a pound!

That’s a lot, especially considering cherries are in-season in Australia right now.

By my calculations, that’s about $13.50 a pound more than I’m used to paying.

That’s the pits.

I’m not sure how many people in Singapore ever heard the iconic Wendy’s campaign tagline, “Where’s the Beef”. But, back in the mid 80’s it took America by storm. Everyone was saying it.

It’s a classic case of older being better, considering their current slogan is, “You know when it’s real”. Blah.

Anyway, this week when the inaugural Wendy’s opened in Singapore, the more famous phrase entered my mind – especially when I stopped by for a snack.

More later on why the doors were open

More later on why the doors were open

It’s been nearly two years since I’ve eaten a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and a chocolate FROSTY!

Too bad I didn’t get either one.

Quarter pounder and mini Frosty

Quarter pounder and mini vanilla Frosty

I left the restaurant thinking of several variations of “Where’s the —-“.

Where’s the chocolate?
How could they run out of chocolate for the Frosty’s? Seriously. That’s the most important item on the menu.

Where’s the rest of the Frosty?
A small really means small. They should just call it a Frosty Shot.

Where’s the spoon?
How can you eat Frosty without a spoon? Not right.

Where’s the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger?
Not on the menu. The best burger Wendy’s makes. Not on the menu.

Where’s’ the dollar menu?
Okay, I get this one. Exchange rates, etc.

Where’s the air conditioning?
Broken A/C. 90 degrees, high humidity, no fans. And heat pouring across the counter from the kitchen. Oh ya, and profusely sweating employees.

A little sweat with your food?

A little sweat with your food?

Where’s Wendy’s? Not in Singapore.

Yep, that famous American Dairy Association ad slogan applies to us, way out here in Singapore.

Just not quite as much.

Why’s that?

Because the milk in Asia just doesn’t taste right. It’s hard to put a finger on it, but to generalize… it’s sour. In the “the expiration date is nearing” kind of sour.

We’ve tried all the brands. Same problem. Even the more expensive Australian imports.

All sour.

So, when I noticed a new brand at the Cold Storage grocery store, I nearly moo’d myself.

California Sunshine Ultrafresh.

Got (California) Milk?

Got (California) Milk?

The name says it all.

What a great branding strategy. No fancy names. No gimmicks. Just let everyone know the milk is from California. That’s enough.

And, the price is about the same as the Indonesian milk down the shelf.

Did I mention they make chocolate milk too? They do. And, it’s fabulous.

I think it all has something to do with the California “Happy Cows”. They do make better milk.

Correct that. The best milk (at least in Singapore).

New apple "juice drink" at my office

New apple "juice drink" at my office

Sugar, water, MILK SOLIDS, conditioners, flavoring, coloring.

What’s all that doing in my juice!?!?

Oh, that’s right. It’s is a “juice drink”.

Silly me.

Since arriving in Singapore, I’ve learned a few things. And one of them is this… if the words “juice drink” appear anywhere on the container, keep shopping. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a watered-down, artificial drink the manufactures attempt to enhance with additives.

Sometimes the words are difficult to see. So, look carefully.

What got me thinking about this? Yesterday, my office switched (hopefully temporarily) juice brands. From a real juice to a “juice drink”. I think I must be getting what I pay for from the pantry refrigerator stocked with free beverages.

Not my kind of juice.

This must not be an isolated occurrence, because the supermarket shelves are overflowing with “juice drinks”. They look so deceiving with their band names. Peel Fresh, Fruit Tree, and even Sunkist. I’m not fooled. They look tasty, but I see those two words.

There's a reason it's only $2.55

There's a reason it's only $2.55

This whole situation makes me miss my all-natural, not-from-concentrate, no-additives, inexpensive Florida orange juice, with pulp. Sure, it’s available here. But, for an arm and a leg.

Great price @ $7.50. Normally $9.10.

Great price @ $7.50. Normally $9.10.

Rolly-poly fish heads. Fish heads, fish heads. Eat them up, yum!

Okay, I don’t personally know about the “yum” part of that famous chorus. But, I do know one thing.

Many Singaporeans enjoy eating fish heads.

This delectable ingredient finds its way into soups, curries and other regional specialties. While this feels completely foreign to me, I’m told it’s quite delicious. And, people who discard the head actually waste the best tasting part of the fish.

I’m not making this up. Reliable sources tell me this.

Reliable sources.

Fish head restaurant near my condo

Fish head restaurant near my condo

Mine... all mine.

Mine... all mine.

I’ve spent fourteen months scouring the island for Cherry Coke. Chasing shadows. Following whispers. Tracking rumors.

All leading to nowhere. You can’t find it.

How can that be? There are five million people here. Does no one prefer Cherry Coke? Seriously, people!

Because of this, I’ve been relegated to the lesser Coke. Just the plain old secret formula. Yawn.

I’ve officially given up searching. The rollercoaster ride is over. I’ve accepted my fate.

I even talked to one of the main Coke distributors here. There’s a reason why I can’t find it. Apparently, Singaporeans think Cherry Coke tastes too much like cough medicine. And, it sits on the store shelves.

Cough medicine?

So, there I have my answer. Either I import it myself, or go without.

Luckily, fortune happened upon me this morning. My manager, visiting from Hong Kong, bestowed a charitable gift upon me. Never has a six-pack of Cherry Coke been so valuable.*

*Apparently, I will be receiving Cherry Coke in lieu of stock options this year.

It’s true, I enjoy McDonald’s. My guilty pleasure. A personal Fast Food Nation and Super Size Me all wrapped into one.

When traveling, checking-out the regional menu is always fun. A few unique discoveries over the years… Samurai Pork Burger in Thailand. Rice & Beans breakfast in Costa Rica, Chicken Maharaja Mac in India. Teriyaki chicken burger in Japan.

And, my all-time favorite: The Kiwi Burger in New Zealand. It comes with an egg and a sliced beet. Yum!

Recently, a window poster advertising a chocolate pie coaxed us to stop at the local Koh Samui, Thailand McDonalds. Just to split a pie.

Tasty chocolate pudding surrounded by flaky crust. Deep fried, not baked. And it was, for sure, the best McDonald’s pie ever.

We regretted our decision to split it…

Koh Samui McD's Chocolate Pie

Koh Samui McDonald's Chocolate Pie

Arrgh! Two heels.

That’s all I found in the bread bag when I decided to make a peanut butter sandwich this afternoon. Not really for me.

But, luckily, I’ve got a convenient solution to this problem… a bread vending machine downstairs near the pool, right next to the soda machine.

That’s right. How easy is that?

Gardenia Bread Vending Machine

Gardenia Bread Vending Machine

Ever get a hankering for Mickey D’s but didn’t want to move your butt off the couch? What to do… what to do? Well, it’s easy (for me). Because, in Singapore, McDonalds provides 24/7 delivery right to my doorstep. Actually, anyone’s doorstep.

After living here for nearly nine months, it was time to try this out. And it couldn’t be easier. Just place an order on their website. Wait 30 minutes. Answer the door. Eat.

i’m lovin’ it (我就喜欢)

i’m lovin’ it (我就喜欢)

http://www.mcdelivery.com.sg

http://www.mcdelivery.com.sg