Is Singapore Chinese?

An article in Weekend Today reads International school with a Chinese core

It is basically a report about Avondale Grammar School, the latest kid on the private school's block, offering Chinese Language as a core subject. So what is wrong with it. Absolutely nothing! It is great that an Australian international school has decided to embrace the plurality of 21st century existence by introducing a language and culture not of its kind.

What I found rather disturbing though is a comment that a parent, a certain Mrs McLean, made:
"We will be here for a least three years and we want [the children] to learn the language and culture of the country they are living in by the time we leave"

The LANGUAGE and CULTURE? The last I checked, this country is also made up of Malays, Indians, Eurasians and peoples of various cultures and languages. Strangely enough, I am not the least proud to note that someone has equated Singaporean culture and language to that of China's though by race, I am 100% Chinese. I am also a Muslim, married to a Malay man and my son is half-Chinese and half-Malay.

Perhaps I am blowing a fuse too quickly and jumping to conclusion.

Maybe what Mrs McLean wanted to say was:
"We will be here for a least three years and we want [the children] to learn ONE OF THE the languageS and cultureS of the country they are living in by the time we leave".

I wonder if the good reporter noticed that and pointed that out to poor Mrs McLean who is under the illusion that Singapore is a mono-cultural society or one that has brutally disregarded the sensitivities of everyone who has played a part to make it home.

I wonder.

Japanese Cheese Cake

Here's another Cheese Cake recipe:

Ingredients:
Whipping Cream 350 ml
Cream Cheese (KRAFT Philadelphia)
227 g
Butter 125 g
Top Flour 30 g
Corn Flour 25 g
Eggs (seperated) 10 nos.
Sugar 180 g
Cream of Tar Tar 1/2 tsp
Vanilla Essence 1/2 tsp

Steps:
1) Double-boil the cream cheese with whipping cream until warm. Stir in the butter till melted. Filter it.
2) Whip the egg white with sugar and cream of tar tar till stiff.
3) Add in the top flour, corn flour and no.1 mixture. Stir evenly.
4) Add in egg yolks and mix well.
5) Steam bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes and reduce to 150 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.
6) Leave it to cool in cake tin and then refrigerate.

Cheese Cake

Ooohhh... Here's a recipe that I use often back in those indulgent days. Some of you have been asking me for it. Here goes:

CHEESE Cake

Filling
Ingredients:
Cream Cheese 500 g
Caster Sugar 135 g
Plain Yogurt 85 g
Whipping Cream 45 g
Eggs 3 nos
Orange 1 (need zest and juice)

Steps:
1) Cream the cheese with sugar till smooth
2) Slowly add the yogurt and eggs and mix well
3) Finally ad the whipping cream and orange juice together with the zest
4) Pour into the biscuit mould and steam bake it at 150 degrees Celsius for 1 hour

Biscuit Base
Ingredients:
Muesli 180 g
Unsalted butter 80 g (melted)
Biscuit mix/flour 80 g
Sugar 60 g

Steps:
1) Toast the muesli for 5 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius
2) Blend into a coarse texture
3) Put all the ingredients into the bowl and mix well
4) Press the biscuit mix into the mould and pour the cheese filling over and bake

ReCipeS

Did I mention I love food? All kinds of food? In my bid to build a strong foundation for a healthier life for all at home, I think about what delicious and healthy meals I can cook up all the time. My experiments so far have worked with the little one. Pat on the back :D

Here's a recipe that I found on the Internet. Looks healthy but I have yet been able to try it:

Curried Lentils

Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp curry powder
1 small onion
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:
1) Wash lentils and soak in milk for 12 hours
2) Melt butter, slice onion & fry till pale brown, add curry powder, milk, water, seasonings and lentils. Simmer for 2 hours & add lemon juice just before serving.

Hmm, perhaps this is not the healthiest recipe but it sure sounds mouth-watering!

How about some dessert now? This is really healthy. And tasty! Even the family food connoisseur said so!

Gelato

Ingredients:
2 cups cashew butter
1 1/2 cups maple syrup
2/3 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

Steps:
1) Mix cashew butter & maple syrup
2) Fold in chopped almonds.
3) Freeze and serve frozen.

Nut Butter

Ingredients:
2 cups of raw nuts
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice, coconut water or apple juice

Steps:
1) Grind nuts to powder & add liquid.
2) Use as little liquid as possible.
3) Lasts in the fridge for a few days.

Do let me know if you tried any of the two and found it good! :)

The Thick, Red, Rubber Band Me

A little butterfly once asked me if I were to choose an object to represent myself, what would it be. I didn't know what to say then but it hit me suddenly while driving from Woodlands to school: A rubber band. The heavy duty thick red ones.

The very, very tough, very, very elastic kind.