dear 2013, its not you. its me…

23 Dec

merry christmas

Dear 2013,

I am sorry that I have to write this. But I will be honest and straight up with you – I think it’s time we went our separate ways. Its time for me to let you go. Its not you, its me.

You probably dont believe me but u gotta trust me when I say letting go will be difficult.

Because you have been all kinds of amazing fabulousness. We had some mad times together, from multiple pop-ups across different countries, to writing a cookbook, to supperclubbing, to being on television, to being featured in the newspaper and all kinds of print media we would have never dreamed to be on, to winning awards, to being in HK magazines and finally to launching our (first?) cookbook.

But most memorable of all, you introduced me to a steady endless stream of crazed obsessives – obsessed over food, nostalgia, art, design, food provenance, music, street markets, and all of whom innately sharing a common denominator, whether consciously or sub-consciously, of wanting to make this world a better, more loving, more fun, tastier, happier, sweeter place.

And each of whom has in one way of another, inspired me, kicked me, jabbed at me, nudged me, galvanised me, into wanting to be better and be more creative, and utmost, reminding me to never ever ever to lose that boundless curiosity and wild imagination I had as a kid.

You even brought our family closer than ever before. Doing all that cookbook research made me realise more about my parents and my grandparents which I would never have otherwise known.

But it’s time to part. And we both saw this coming. I have met someone new. She is a lot like you. And she promises all kinds of new adventures and dreams if I can just kick my azz, get my shiz together and get my ideas shiftin’ and movin’. I’ve so much more I want to do.

And we will always, always, have our memories. And bloody hell what incredible kickazz memories those are huh?

love

goz

RAP SONG! plusixfive小牌檔 HKG is BACK THIS SUNDAY! COOKBOOKS, Laksa & Shizzles in Buns!

15 Oct

boredfish

IS THAT YOU? AS A FISH? AT WORK AFTER LONG WKEND? 

WELL HELLLoooooooOOooo BOYS AND GIRLS!!!! BE BORED NO MORE.

Because as eloquently put by a legendary Singapore’s female icon,  BOOMZ!! WE IZ BACK!

plusixfive XPD

Yeap! We be cookin’, poppin’ and awkward dancin’ back from 11am at Island East Markets in Hong Kong (http://hkmarkets.org/) on SUNDAY 20th OCTOBER! TWENTY OCT!

oh-goodie

“THIS Comin’ Sunday?” – YES DEER!

RAP SONG TIME! –

We’re back on the scene for the people’s delight
Bringin’ COOKBOOKS and LAKSA y’all say alright!
We too be bringin’ buns with shizzles in dem
With RENDANG n KONG BAK drippings all over yo hand
 
“BUT I dunno what’s Laksa and dem buns!!!”, you say?
Below are some photos so you dont look sillay
Like Mortal Kombat, we are flawless victor-ay,
So this Sunday, y’all better come out and play!
 
For you, we be cookin’ all thru Saturday night 
But how can we be wrong if it feels so right?
Frying the rempah formation so tight
We’re a delight for yo taste and sight!!!!!
 
spongebob-gif-flawless
 
 
LAKSA PLUSIXFIVEIMG_3925

Oh! And all our buns are  freshly handmade by a seriously ancient dude from my ‘hood in Sheung Wan!

KEEPIN’ IT REAL LIKE A HAPPY MEAL!

AND OF COURSE, THE PLUSIXFIVE COOKBOOK IS FOR SALE IN HONG KONG FINALLY YO!

AND YOU CAN GET THE TEAM TO SIGN AND SLOBBER ALL OVER IT FOR YOU! 

PLUSIXFIVE COOKBOOK: THE COOK BOOK THAT APPEALS TO ALL AGES. *fistbumpin’*

plusixfive kids

plusixfvecookbook adult

And super meticulous blogger Gary Suen will be there too! He whips up some of the most incredibly time consuming and detailed dishes at home so WHO KNOWS what will happen on SUNDAY! WOO HOO!

If you need more convincing… then… then… I dont even want to be your friend anymore. Go away you angry angry sad horrible incorrigible bumface.

***SEE YOU SUNDAY FUNDAY BUNDAY!!***

plusixfive小牌檔 – feeding you cookbooks, laksa and buns better than yo mama!

Spongebob happy

(thanks to Esther Wong and Charmaine for foodie pix, Joshua, Jordan and Mike King for cookbook pix) 

P.S. We sold out pretty early the last time. Mostly because we don’t really make much and the store really is Charmaine’s excuse to bob to Beastie Boys and cheesy 80s rock. So if you come late and miss out, dont whine k?

 
From 11am to whenever Charmaine stops dancing.
Island East Markets is located on Tong Chong Street, TaiKoo Place, Island East, right below the commercial buildings of the Island East complex (Dorset House, PCCW Tower etc.). It’s just across the road, less than 3 minutes walk, from Quarry Bay MTR, Exit A. – See more at: http://hkmarkets.org/?page_id=15#sthash.3rjCYfMe.dpuf
 

#plusixfivecookbook : IT’S FINALLY HERE [at long bloody last]

10 Oct

plusixfive: A Singaporean Supper Club Cookbook

(Or How to Subvert Singaporean Culinary Misconceptions, Avert Stir-Fry Calamities,Make Your Nyonya Grandmother Weep with Joy and Other Badass Kitchen Skills)
plusixfivecookbook cover

so, yeap, it’s finally for sale

After over a year’s worth of bickering emails, ignored smses, cold shoulders, terse calls and broken egos hard work, Goz and ShuHan are proud to present to you the healthy, fat and long overdue plusixfive cookbook – Weighing in at a whopping 818g and at 256 pages.
plusixfive cookbook baby

So. What’s this book about and why should I get it?

I am not sure how to answer this suffice to say that this book should just about appeal to everyone unless you have decided to stop eating food and that reading sucks ass.

So, in no particular order of importance, here’s why you’re gonna LOVE this book. Unconditionally. Like a baby:

(a) It’s more than just a cookbook.

Actually its probably unlike most cookbooks you have seen.

Here’s what the press release said:

Structured like a regular supper-club night, Plusixfive: A Singaporean Supper Club Cookbook is packed with stories about plusixfive’s signature dishes, Goz’s memories of his childhood and Singapore and growing up in London and features over 18 guest recipes from the plusixfive team of Jason, Christine, ShuHan and WenLin, my parents and sis, and the likes of Momofuku Seiōbo head chef Ben Greeno, Dave Pynt of Singapore’s Burnt Ends, Matt Abergel of Hong Kong’s Yardbird, food blogger Lizzie Mabbot, The Straits Times food editor Tan Hsueh Yun and our friends who own Bubbledogs&, Sandia Chang and James Knappett. With passion and irreverence, Goz and his team demystify local hawker favourites like satay and chwee kueh and staples of Peranakan cooking like babi pongteh and ayam buah keluak, teaching you how to cook delicious Singaporean food right out of your own kitchen.

plusixfive sandia chang james knappett

Basically its abso-friggin’-unquestionably-lutely jammed pack with all kinds of different sick phat shizzle awesomeness like a dirty messy bowl of the BEST spicy ramen ever…….

(b) …..But yet it’s homely and heartwarming.

Like a plate of steaming hot white rice and bowl of winter melon soup waiting for you at home when its pouring outside.

I pour my heart out in here,  dig into the inner workings of my mind, peep into my nooby teenage past, spoke to my parents and found out things about my grandparents i never knew, tell you how the supperclub started, teach you how to start your own supperclub, there’re stories of me growing up in London, stories of how I learnt how to cook, memories of Jason’s nan teaching him life skills, stories of ShuHan’s childhood memories of her mom and a musing on the aural moments of cooking, Charmaine and her coolio dad’s foraging expedition in their kitchen, history of Yolanda’s grandma’s secret (now not anymore) vindaloo, musings of WenLin’s family tradition of making their own moonshine...

This isn’t just a cookbook.

It was never meant to be just a collection of recipes. Honestly, who cares about just recipes. Thanks to the internet a plethora of recipes is all there for you at a click of a mouse. What I wanted was a collection of memories and stories which was accompanied by a recipe. I wanted readers to understand why that dish came about, what inspired it, what ensued in its creation, who made it. Eating isn’t all about the food really is it. Its about the stories and the experience that come along with it as well.

That’s what we aimed to achieve with every supperclub.

And through this book. I hope you come away feeling and appreciateing that too.

plusixfive cookbook fish head

If not, and all else fails, it makes a wicked door stop.

(c) It’s made of rainbows, love and unicorns.

Yeah okay, Gordon Ramsay’s books are probably cheaper. So are Jamie Olivers. But like hell did they write it themselves. Or even had a say about a single photo. Reality check please if you think Gordon sits down in front of his computer in between recordings of Hell’s Kitchen wondering if it should be 2 tsp of pepper or 3 tsp.

In here, for the past year, every word written has been thought through by me or the guest chefs, every sentence edited ten times over by Weiling (our lovely editor – who claims she can recite parts by memory by now), every photo curated by ShuHan, taken by us or our friends, each guest chef handdrawn by our talented friend Amanda Lo, even the paper stock was carefully chosen, the layout came out of weeks of bickering between us over Skype, photoshoots and stylings coordinated across oceans (read: ShuHan busting my balls by whatsapp for my lighting/placement/styling) and the recipes tested repeatedly. And to top it all off, my parents volunteered to help out with the distribution.

A lot of rainbow unicorn love has been poured into this and which I hope will keep shining on through like a Carebear on speed.

(d) It’s designed by ShuHan

She honed her craft at Central St Martins, has been named one of the best British food bloggers by The Sunday Times (UK), manages a farmer’s market, runs the fabulously beautiful food blog Mummy, I Can Cook and has also contributed to foodie publications like Cereal, Great British Chefs, Crumbs and Flavour. All by the age of 22. Nuff said.

(e) There’re pretty apocalyptically shiitty doodles in there, dribbles everywhere, and a whole section on the G-spot

See, i told you it wasn’t JUST a cookbook. 

plusixfive cookbook g spot bruce lee

(f) It’s truly Made in Singapore

I am proud to say that this book is authored and designed by Singaporeans, about Singapore and Singaporean food, features buckets of Singaporeans, distributed/edited/published by an indie Singapore publisher, and printed in Singapore by a Singaporean printhouse. You can’t get more Singapore in a single sentence.

(g) It has a photo of what Goz looked like when Goz was a gawky nerdy awkward 14 year old thinking he was the coolest kid in town with the coolest haircut. But alas he wasn’t. (So. Basically nothing’s really changed. Much.)

5_carrotcake

OK! SHUT UP ALREADY! I’M SOLD! TELL ME WHERE CAN I BUY THE BOOK!

The book is available at a variety of places (so you lackadaisical fishfarts have no excuse really unless you are an angry angry person who really really hates us) as follows:

  • All good major bookstores in Singapore like Kinokuniya. If it isn’t available in your local one, boycott it, write to your local MP/Stomp/ to complain and throw thumbtacks at them from behind grassy knolls.
  • At our dear friends’ super lovely award winning much lauded vintage cafe, Carpenter & Cook at 19 Lorong Kilat, #01-06, 598120  Singapore Tel: +65 6463 3648 (whilst stocks last)
  • In Hong Kong, at Island East Markets on 20th October! There will be food too like laksa and things in buns! YAY! Details soooooon! (whilst stocks last)
9_minjiangkueh

Without getting too much into the nitty gritty of book economics, in a nutshell, we couldn’t find a sensible economical way to deliver it outside of Singapore/ Hong Kong/ Malaysia. The book is just too heavy for airmail and using Amazon is akin walking up to a mugger and paying him to mug me. We are still trying figure out a way how to sell it outside of Singapore and Hong Kong and to somehow find its way into your grubby sweaty hands. And evade the tyranny of postage. The UK and Aus options are there on the site but its pretty steep.

But we are really trying – we promise. And we will keep you all updated.

If you have any burning questions, exclamations or generally wanna chin wag and discuss the pains and joys of recipe book writing or discuss stocking the book or secret nefarious methods of muling books to far flung lands, drop us a line at plusixfive@gmail.com. If we have enough interesting ones, we will publish them in the next post and YOU COULD BE FAMOUS! WOW! (and you will help me greatly in writing another blog post) 

[Please be patient with us about the books and the sales. This whole book distribution shenanigan is pretty new to us! We will try to respond to everyone’s emails so bear with us! THANK YOU!]

[Thank you to everyone who has made this book possible. We tried to squeeze all your names in a beautifully rustic (read shiiitty) handdrawn acknowledgements page so I hope we didnt miss anyone. If we did, we promise to correct it in the next print run and you can smack in the face (lightly) when you next see us k?]

plusixfive cookbook back

Questions about delivery and plusixfiveshop

Plusixfive_shop_logo_large
(A) How long will it take and when will the books be shipped to me?

The first tranche of books will be shipped at the end of October. Yes I know what you are thinking SmartyPants you can get it in bookstores earlier but AHAH! you won’t get loving little doodles and goodies which ShuHan and I will be adding to those who order it through the site.

All subsequent  orders will be dispatched on a Monday. So if you ordered on a Tuesday… sorry, son but you just gotta sit tight, watch Spongebob reruns, brutally bite fingernails and eagerly anticipate the book.
The short reason is because the distribution centre in Singapore consists of basically one human being, my awesome mother.

She has volunteered to help (*so be nice to her) send out the books and will lovingly wrap and pack all of them before gently nudging these babies off with a teary goodbye to their lovely new homes.

So yeah, there’s recipes from dad, mom, people’s grandmas, recipes from the plusixfivefamily in there and right down to the postage/ packing, this is a proper old skool family affair.

Keepin’ it real like a happy meal, kids.

(B) How come the postage price is what it is?

We aren’t sneakily trying making any money off the postage. The price takes into account (i) postage by registered mail (we figured this is probably the best way to send it so it doesn’t get lost/ eaten by dog/ stolen by cheapskate neighbours) and (ii) the bubble wrap and envelope.

Because of our magnanimous nature, the sticky tape and ink used to write your address is a freebie – it’s on us, mate. *awwww

PRICING

(A) Waitamin, adding it all up it’s almost the same price as if I bought it in the bookstores, what’s the catch here?

Well done Math Man! Yes, you are absolutely right. It’s the tyranny of non-free postage. You can feel free to go buy it in the bookstores. The book is the same as the one we are selling.

But if you buy through this site:

(i) You won’t have to leave the comfort of your own home to get the book and risk the perils of the journey home (think of all those rampant rabid cookbook snatch thieves).

(ii) You will get copy which ShuHan and I spent a whole afternoon hand doodling, hand finishing and signing. It really doesn’t get better than that. If you are lucky, you might even get one with ShuHan’s big fat kiss in there.

But if you like your book pristine virginal untouched and untainted, go to the bookstores.

(B) Can I get a free book?

No.

Two years and counting: News, liveTV, pop-ups and cookbooking

10 Sep

Time really does fly in supperclub land huh?

YES KIDS! WE ARE TWO AND A HALF (ISH) YEARS OLD NOW!

when-your-favorite-tv-show-comes-back-from-a-break

Aww  thanks J-U!

Kim-Jong-un

So in between catching episodes of Breaking Bad (OMGOMGOMG)… here’s a run down of what happened in the past year and whats coming up next!

*FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!*

(1) Jase fed the High Commissioner of London for an event organised by Contact Singapore and he said the food was AWESOME. YAY!

(2) Shu and Jase did a collaboration event with London “fromstreetfoodtobrickandmortarstall” heroes Yum Bun! Featuring their Rendang Buns and Popiah “I can’t believe its veg” Bun alongside yumbun’s fabulous Pork Buns! You can read ShuHan’s far more readable account of the night here —-> http://www.mummyicancook.com/2013/06/the-night-we-invaded-yum-buns-kitchen.html

yumbun2

yumbun

(photos by http://www.mingtangevans.com/)

*NEWS! NEWS! NEWS!*

(3) Business Times Singapore does an article on how many Singaporean men have the same haircut and wears glasses delved into my deepest darkest childhood memories and finds nothing scandalous save for a story about bulldogs and toast.

ImageImage

 

(4) I moved to Hong Kong. And Hong Kong decided to show us some lovin’ by featuring plusixfive in the national paper. GAH! (thanks e_ting!)

Image

PANELS AND LIVE TV!

(5) Someone probably got me mixed up with some legendary hawker guru and invited me to an Arts House panel to discuss the future of hawker foods which featured some luminaries like the dude from ieatishootipost and a guy who spent 3 years documenting hawker culture in Singapore… and the douche on the left below who clearly did not get the memo on the dress code.

Image

(6) Probably got mistaken (again) for some hawker guru and got invited to LIVE (GAH!) naional tv in Singapore to rant and jabber on about hawker food. *cringe*

Nibbling Nicholas Fang’s head. It was a long programme ok.

Image

FOOD! TACOS! LAKSA! HONG KONG!

(7) Hong Kong got treated to our Laksa, Tacos and Buns at the Island East Market at various events (next one is on 20th Oct…! More details soon!)

plusixfivehongkong IMG_5713

WTF.

(8) We were simultaneously stunned, repulsed and felt all violated at this.

miley-vmas-slapping-ass

WHATS NEXT!?

WHATS NEXT!?

WHATS NEXT!?

WHATS NEXT!?

WHATS NEXT?

WELL…. 

panic

Image

xxooo

goz

[24 AUG] StreetFeast London! Satay Achar Rendang Assam Pork! Bruce Lee! WAH!

23 Aug

Just a quick public service announcement to y’all kiddos out there missing a bit of messy spicy kickazz Singaporean goodness in London!

SH and J will each be cooking up a different kinda storm at two different stalls this weekend at STREETFEAST LONDON!

StreetFeast

In one corner, SH (Shu Han to some/ Shiit Hot to everyone else/ Sexy Humps to… erm… ya know… some cats) of mummyicancook fame/infamy, the blog that brought her all kinds of crazy fame and fortune (and the misfortune of having to art direct the entire plusixfivecookbook – out soon)) will be featuring two things close to her heart: the best of British seasonal produce and Singaporean street food:

FIRST UP! CORNISH LAMB/ PORK BELLY SATAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Cornish freaking lamb ok. If now isnt the best time to eat it, i dunno when is. And if you dont believe me, believe CORNWALL –> click me.

Image(photo credit: http://www.kintarasan.com/)

WAIT THERE’S MORE!

WHATS THAT BRUCIE? WHAT DID YOU SAY?

 

Did you say Aaaaaaaaaaaaaachar?

 

OMFG! NO WAY! YEASH WAY! NO WAY! YEASH WAY!

PICKLE SCHMICKLE! SH WILL BE COOKING UP AN ACHAR STORM! (http://www.mummyicancook.com/2012/08/augusts-nonya-achar.html)

 

Achar

(photo credit: SH)

wah? more bass? more bass?

MORE BASS!

GDMFSOB!

In the other corner we have J (JIBBLYJUBBLY to some! and erm… JASE to all! ) of his relentless feasttotheworld blog! Always around to minus my Chineser points whenever I use a blender (and not a mortar and pestle) and a non-stick wok! He’s the OG old skool cat!

IMAGINE THIS IN A BALL OF RICE. YES. THIS. IN A BALL OR RICE.

beef rendang

(photo credit: J)

He’s gonna be rocking up some RENDANG RICE BALLS AND ASSAM PORK RICE BALLS!

ITSALLLIKELIKELIKEINTERPLANETARYFUSIONYSCHMUSION APANESESTRAITSCHINESEOMFGICANNOTTAKEITANYMORE

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

 

RICE BWAH? BALLS? PUCK YOU! WHAT THE PUCK ARE THEY!

Well, like MCA said – its all top secret and classfied!

So see you this Saturday 24 August at STREET FEAST LONDONDALSTON YARD – HARTWELL ST E83DU!

xxooo

Goz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Launch – “Not for Sale” – possibly the most complete documentation of SG’s streetfood vendors ever archived

16 Jul
Hawkers Evolution Hawker Centre Arts House Singapore ieatishootipost

The dress code for Goz got lost in the post somewhere…

Recently I was invited to the Old Parliament House which is now the Arts House Singapore to join a panel discussion entitled hawkers (R)Evolution: Makanising Past & Present about the future of the hawker scene and how and what we can do to save it.

(yes I know. It’s crazy. I had to do a triple take and make sure they didn’t get the wrong person. Its like inviting Beavis and Butthead to discuss solutions to climate change.)

beavis butthead

On the panel was Leslie Tay of ieatishootipost, Sinma Dashow and yours truly. Despite my publisher being all nerve-wrecked and worried I was going to say something incredibly stupid (“PLEASE PREPARE! AND! WRITE NOTES OK! WRITE NOTES!”), I thought it went well. It was pretty diverse range of views and something I promise I will write up one day if and when I get the last of the cookbook edits out of the way before I run out of lame excuses and my publisher threatens to firebomb my home.

But what really stood out in the panel discussion, wasn’t my ramblings and discourse (and it definitely wasn’t my hot pink hot shorts). It was that dude next to me called Sinma Dashow.

And man, he should be given a national medal or something.

To give some background, hawker centres are a uniquely Singaporean invention. Very briefly and simplistically, sometime in the late 70s, the government decided to take street vendors off the streets for health and hygiene purposes (Officially. Unofficially, my x-files conspiracy theory thinks its to govern, regulate. keep tabs and tax all of them but my publisher/publicist will probably slap me for saying that), build “centres”/ compounds to house all of them, providing them with proper infrastructure, clean water, sanitation and subject them to proper health and safety guidelines. And conveniently for Singaporeans, its become like a one stop shop for all things delicious. It’s a novel concept lauded even by Anthony Bourdain and the Guardian.

But recently, due to rising rents, rising costs of living, rising costs of ingredients and rising expectations of human beings especially the younger generation of kids brought up on a steady diet of air-condition, iPads and Macdonalds, prepping food at 3am in the morning, hawking them in 35 degree midday sun and then possibly not earning very much and smelling like garlic, oil and fermented gym socks at the end of every day, the future of hawker centres seems bleak as it seemed like fewer and fewer people wanted to go anywhere near this trade with a ten foot pole.

Now, most people would just kick back and let time take its toll and then wake up one day in the future and go “EH! WTF! WHY LIKE THAT! WHERE IS MY HAWKER CENTRE! WHY EVERYWHERE NOW ONLY GOT MACDONALDS KNN! WTF!”

Here’s where Sinma comes in.

Out of their own mad initiative and high on passion and heart, he and his dedicated (and yes you need to be bloody dedicated (or mad, or both) to do what he did) two friends spent almost three (!!!!!!) years documenting over 100 hawker centres in Singapore, persuaded and cajoled over 300 hawkers to tell them their life stories, photographed and recorded thousands of hours of interviews, and now, have compiled all of that into one FABULOUS coffee table compendium.

And he could not have chosen a title any more apt to describe a slowly disappearing uniquely Singaporean culture:

Not for Sale

It is possibly the most complete and ambitious documentation of Singapore’s street food vendors ever archived.

So go do yourself a favour and get it. Get it for yourself, your friends, your family.

But most of all, I think…

Get it for your kids, your grandkids, your grandkids’ kids. Show them where and what life used be like in Singapore before the iPads and the air-con and the Maccadees.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS:

And if you need any more convincing, go check out the gorgeous website – www.notforsale.sg

The book launch is this Thursday, 18 July 2013 5pm til late.

If you are in Singapore, you should definitely head down to the Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane. Singapore 179429. And if you can’t make it for the launch, drop them a line to find out how and where you can pick up a copy of this book. 

(photos of hawkers from http://www.notforsale.sg)

*plusixfive* feeds the Singapore High Commissioner (LDN)!

11 Jun

[We have been doing corporate gigs and events for awhile now but if there is one event which takes the kueh – It would be this…

It all started with an email popping up in our mail box from Contact Singapore London, to cater for an event attended by the Singapore High Commissioner himself. Its a small milestone for us because when this whole shindig started, it was a little hobby/ distraction from work ran out of our little home kitchen and living room – never did we ever think we would one day be feeding someone of such stature!

For any events and corporate gigs, get in touch at plusixfive@gmail.com! If its good enough for the Singapore High Commissioner…. ]  

There comes a time when you’ve done something so significant and proud that it takes a while before you grasp the importance of it. And also because the reality hasn’t quite sunk in until weeks later when you think back and suddenly feel a sense of pride and joy like you’ve never done before. And this is how I feel now.
My humble story begin with the decision to start this blog, documenting food I’ve cooked as well as enjoyed. Gradually, this took me into the world of cooking for the public rather than just within the confinement of my own kitchen. My aim was to promote Singaporean and more importantly, Peranakan cuisine. The former is my country and the latter is my heritage. Both are just as important to me. These are the food I grew up with and every dishes played an important roles in establishing my love for food.  For years, I have been disappointed by the lack of true representation of our wonderful cuisine. So thanks to Goz of plusixfive, I have found a platform which allows me to do things that I enjoys the most – cooking, and share it with people who are either curious about our cuisine or with fellow Singaporean who share the same frustrations and longing for our homestyle cooking.
 
Chilli Sardine Puffs  :
 

Ayam Satay with Sambal Kacang (Chicken Satay with satay sauce) :


I have learnt that cooking for a large number is not easy, not especially if you have to juggle a stressful day job while catering to this passion and yearning to feed. However, looking back at all the smiling faces and contented looks on the diners I have had the honour to feed over the past year makes it all worth while.

My proudest moment came a few weeks back when I had the honour of feeding the Singapore High Commissioner in a corporate catering event. This was a big deal as for the first time ever, I had to feed a room full of Singaporean who will be judging the food as most will have no doubt been back home recently and so memories of these dishes will be fresh. Also, it’s the freaking High Commisioner ok???!!  Wah lau, Siao ah?? (My inner Singaporean slipped out a bit there)

Chwee Kueh (Steamed rice cakes with preserved turnip toppings) :

Assam Fish Curry (Tangy Tamarind Fish Curry) :


Sayur Lodeh (Nyonya Vegetable Stew with Coconut Mlik) :


And so with the brief of no red meat and pork, the menu was set as follow:

STARTERS 
 
Chilli sardine puffs – Chilli tomato sardines wrapped in puff pastry
Chicken satay skewers – Satay with peanut sauce
Chwee kueh – Steamed rice cakes with preserved turnip toppings
MAINS 
 
Assam fish curry – Tamarind fish curry
Ayam pongteh – Nyonya braised chicken in soybean sauce
Sayur lodeh – Nyonya vegetable stew with coconut milk
PUDDINGS
 
Apam bolek – Gula Melaka pancakes with banana toffee sauce
Agar agar – Traditional coconut pannacotta/jellies
————————-


Was I nervous on the day? Oh yes I was indeed and who wouldn’t be? So it came as a relief when I got great feedbacks from the man himself and that, to me, is way better than any validation I could have ever hoped for. My nan would be proud!

Ayam Pongteh (Classic Nyonya Chicken Braised in Soy Bean Sauce ) :


Apom Balek (Gula Melaka pancakes with banana toffee sauce) :

Special thanks to my lovely front-of-house, Christine and Stephanie :

xx
Jason

PLUSIXFIVE DOES YUMBUN! #65popup [Happy 2nd Birthday to us!]

18 May

yumbun x plusixfive-03

 

[UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] – BOOKINGS ARE CLOSED BUT WALK-INS ARE ON! SO DROP BY AND GRAB OUR BUNS! (hurhurhur)

Yep. For one night only, to celebrate our 2nd anniversary (yes we are now in our terrible twos),

we’re going to be invading yum bun’s kitchen and serving up ox cheek rendang and popiah in their soft pillowy buns.

They look like this:

Image

Sold?

31 May, Friday, 5-9pm. 

Yum Bun, 31 Featherstone Street, EC1Y (nearest station Old Street)

£12 (TWELVE TINY BRITISH POUNDS) gets YOU THESE AWESOMENESS:

(A) a set of TWO plusixfive sensual buns and ONE classic yumbun pork belly bun

(B) to celebrate our 2nd birthday, grab a FREE FREE FREE beer off the awesome kids at rotary bar

(you can, should, probably would buy more beers from the bar if you want).

So come join us for a drink, chinwag, eating, face-stuffing and all sorts of childish capers.

Walk-in orders are sans beer and subject to availability, so

BOOK HERE NOW NOW NOW:

http://www.edibleexperiences.com/p/9054/65-plusixfive/378002/plusixfive-X-yum-bun

[UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] – BOOKINGS ARE CLOSED BUT WALK-INS ARE ON! SO DROP BY AND GRAB OUR BUNS! (hurhurhur)

[New supper club – 24 Mar] plusixfive goes fishing!

15 Mar

We’ve had a few people whine and nudge and prod us to do something without pork. And we have pretended not to hear for the longest time, because we love our pork belly buns and (sneaky) lard-laced desserts.

BUT.

We like a challenge, so we’ve come up with… not just a non-porky menu but a non-meaty one altogether  that’s going to rock the socks off even all you meat lovers.

PLUSIXFIVE GOES FISHING!!!

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STARTERS

Goz’s Surprise– Yes gozzers is backkkkkkkkk for the week.

Kueh Pie Tee– Incredibly fiddly delicate little deep-fried cups, filled with braised turnip and dried cuttlefish

Sardine Puffs– Chilli sardines wrapped in puff pastry parcels.


MAINS

Fish Head Curry- Yep, ’nuff said.

Sambal Fried Fishballs– Primary school canteen favourite.

Butter Prawns– Deep fried prawns with browned butter and curry leaves.


DESSERT/ PETIT FOURS

Sea Coconut, Sago, Guava Ice – A twist on the ice kacang stall classics

Homemade Pineapple tarts – because… WHO LIVES IN A PINEAPPLE UNDER THE SEA?

AND…We might throw in one or two more items, simply because.

Sunday 24 Mar, 7 pm
£35 suggested minimum donation, BYOB
BOOK HERE NOW!
xxx
Shu Han and Jason

How we celebrated a very plusixfive Chinese New Year

8 Mar

So that was another new year celebration done and dusted at the plusixfive HQ. We  were lucky enough to have a whole bunch of diners joining us for our  celebration. Our guests were first entertained with a New Year’s fortune forecast by the Feng Shui master, Shoba.  We even served our homemade Bak Kwa (BBQ Pork Jerky) just like we would back in Singapore. After watching the eager diners scoff down these we then got on with the traditional  ‘Lou Hei Yu Sheng’ (fish tossed salad). A competition between the two tables of diners ensured that the guests did their best to toss the salad as wildly as possible, attacking it from all angles and leaving behind a welcome mess on the table (so good fortune to everyone this year then).

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The Kong Bak Bao too were well received….soft and moist buns with fatty, tender pork belly…..even the BOH staff couldn’t resist. Just look at us stuffing our faces with these… (please ignore the dribbling of  meat juice down our chins…..Mmmmm)

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But of course, no Chinese New Year feast is ever complete without a duck dish and we were extremely fortunate to be sponsored by the amazing Gressingham – The Remarkable Duck People. We have long been huge fans of them for the quality birds that they sell and the ducks were a perfect platform for our  Teochew Braised Duck. For more info about these awesome guys, click on the link or follow them on twitter @RemarkableDuck

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The Nyonya Ngor Hiang (Crispy five spice meatt-filled rolls) and Chap Chye (Vegetable stew) also graced the tables and as for puddings, the nutty Tang Yuan and as a little treat, we also served the homemade Nyonya Pineapple Tart, a must-have for any discerning Chinese household over  New Year celebration.

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And that’s how we celebrated our CNY this year. Thanks to all our fantastic guests, we’ve never felt more at home. But don’t talk our word for it, just look at our happy guests on the night…

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If all these tickles your taste buds, stay tune as we will be announcing our next supperclub date very soon. See you then folks!

xxx

Jase & Shuhan