Manhandling a bird

I felt like roast chicken yesterday and headed to the Supermarket for some chicken thighs. Much to my disappointment, I couldn't find any... and so I was left with no choice but to go with one whole chicken.  Not that it is a problem but... I have NEVER handled or cooked a whole chicken before! (ya I know... how difficult can it be right?)

When I finally took out the bird from its plastic wrapper in the kitchen, my heart suddenly came up to my throat the moment I realized the bird was not what I expected it to be.

The chicken feet were still there stuck inside its ass and I had to slowly pull them out to reveal two scrawny, scabby limps with evil-looking claws... yaks!

And just when I thought the worst was over... I turned the bird around and yikes! Don't tell me the head was also stuck inside!

So, again I had to painfully pull out the long dangling neck with its chicken head drooping helplessly at the other end (all this time trying to avoid eye contact with it).

I couldn't wait a second more to remove these unsightly parts immediately with one clean chop when I realized my miserable small Ikea knife could only manage very slow and clumsy "sawing".  At some point, I felt my hands were doing more than the knife by pulling and twisting them apart.

Finally, I could clean out the cavity without the disturbing dangling body parts.  I must have been so paranoid that I spent about twice as long as I would shower myself to wash that bird inside out.

So traumatized I was that I swear never again to buy a whole chicken with the head and feet still intact.

Anyway, it was all worth the effort because we had a yummy satisfying dinner eventually. (Here is the delicious-looking chicken after an afternoon of torture by me... actually the torture was more like both ways...)

It is funny how I started this blog entry with the intention of sharing my simple roast chicken recipe but got carried away about the bird itself :-P

Here goes: 

Roast Chicken with Rosemary & Lemon

• Marinate & massage the chicken with melted butter, few sprigs of fresh rosemary leaves (coarsely chopped), lemon zest, lemon juice and a generous amount of salt & pepper
• Leave in fridge for a few hours
• Pre-heat oven to 220 
• Stuff the marinated chicken with the left-over lemon wedges and few cloves of garlic & red onions
  
• Drizzle the chicken with olive oil 
• Bake chicken at 220 for 45 min
• In the meantime, cook cubes of potatoes in heavily salted water for 10 min
• During the last 3-4 min, add in some cut up french beans 
• Drain and coat the potatoes and beans with salt & pepper
• Add the potatoes & beans around the chicken and mix them well to soak up the oil & juice in the baking tray.
• Continue baking for another 40 min (I reduced the heat to 200 but not sure if it is necessary on hindsight)
• Then Makan!

Apar Ini ?

Each time we drive past these two un-identified objects on our way to Ikea@Tampines, we will be making silly guesses and arguments over what they are.

Until now, it is still inconclusive and our curiosity lingers...

Any smart and well-informed folks out there who can step up and enlighten me? :)

Super Hard Sell

I was just a few steps away from getting onto the Mango store at Vivo City when I was suddenly "hijacked" by this tall "ang mo".  Before I could understand what was going on, he started slapping a herbal smelling shoulder pack over my shoulder and boy was I shocked at the heat it was giving out.  Turned out he was peddling his wares from one of those shopping carts,

The next thing I knew he was stripping on a waist pack for me and letting me sniff this mint pillow that supposedly can clear sinuses.  All this while, rattling away non-stop on how these products when heated in the microwave can relieve pains & aches.  It was one of those situations that you just don't have the slightest opportunity to interrupt (unless you get really rude about it).

ang mo: Ok, so this whole set costs only $165 and I can give you a discount.

I stared with disbelief after hearing the exorbitant price.

ang mo: How about you just get this waist pack first?  It is only $65. (shoving me a basket of the colourful mint pilllows in my face)

Me: What is this?

ang mo: You choose one.  You buy the waist pack and I give you a free mint pillow.

Me: Erm, no thanks.  If I really need these, I will come back again.  (walking away)

ang mo: How about $55?

I shook my head politely again and continued walking away.

ang mo: Ok Ok... how about $40 ?!?

Gosh... that was almost 40% discount in a matter of seconds.  For a brief moment, I thought I was in Chatuchak market in Bangkok :)

The Awkward Bump

I believe like many others, the earlier stages of pregnancy presented a challenge of the bump that is somewhat in an awkward state.  Why awkward?  Suddenly, my once flat abdomen seemed like it was growing an ugly tummy BUT yet neither was it big enough to kill off those doubtful looks with a definite "No, that is not a spare tyre. I am pregnant!"

A couple of weeks ago, I walked pass the security guard and was making small talk.

Security Guard: How come recently so free? No work?

Me: Oh, took long leave to rest at home.  Not feeling too well.

Security Guard: Oh ya, your lips a bit dry. Flu?

Me: Er no...I am pregnant... cannot see meh? (pointing to my awkward bump).

Security Guard: Orrrh... I still thought... nowadays a lot of ladies got tummy mah... last time hoh don't have one leh... don't know why... Oh congrats & take care uh...

Till today, I am still pondering over why he came up with the comment about more women having tummy nowadays compared to last time.  Is it really true? Yikes!

This week, my awkward bump has finally developed into what I term as a very obvious pregnant bump.  So just when I bid farewell to the awkward stage, I received yet another baffling treatment yesterday.

We passed by a showflat and had time to spare.  So we decided to join the queue to view it under the ridiculously hot sun of what might had been 34 degree celsius.  

There were a lot of suffering faces and the person ushering the viewers went to the lady right behind me and said: Pregnant? Come come, you can go in first.

I turned around upon hearing this but what I got was just a smile from the usher before he led the couple behind me into the showflat.

I then exchanged a puzzled look with The Man and we both burst into a laughter that only both of us understood :)

Hawker Centre Paranoia

With all the hype about cleanliness of eating places following the appalling food poisoning event at Geylang Serai temporary hawker centre, I wonder if this will mark an unprecedented improvement of cleanliness standards of Singapore hawker centres.  Or will this just be another futile attempt that stops at raising awareness and fear but no meaningful actions taken.

A friend (who is preggy too) recently commented that she rather pays a bit more these days than to eat at hawker centres, subjecting herself to unnecessary risks of food poisoning.  Actually I believe many of us visit hawker centres not to save on that few pennies but more often than not, it is because of the wider variety of choices available and also for that occasional craving for our favourite fried kway teow or wanton mee.  Some even go to great lengths like queueing forever or crossing the country just to satisfy their desires.

Now I too enjoy hawker food but there are a few things that often bugged me, which always compromised the makan experience.  

Cleaners leaving dirty pails on seats while clearing the tables

One can only imagine where else the pails have gone to... and with whatever that is dripping around it, I feel sorry for the next person sitting on that seat.  And of course I may be one of them who have unknowingly taken one of those seats.  (That is why I never sit on my bed in my outside clothes... only home clothes).

That disgusting piece of cleaning cloth

I am sure everyone knows what I mean when you see that piece of greysish/yellowish fabric goes round the table, spreading the grease and whatever remains around the table rather than getting rid of them (sometimes even dropping a few bits onto your lap).  I often wonder if that makes the table cleaner or even dirtier. And let me take your disgust to the next level... don't you find that sometimes the moment you sit down, you already sense the foul smell that is coming not from the person beside you but from the table in front of you? I am pretty sure it is because of that CLOTH.

Most often than not, I blame it on the previous diners.  Why do people have to spit out all the bones and shells and any indigestable bits all around the table? Why do people have to drip their sauces all over?

It is important for you to understand what I am driving at with the table story. This will help you better appreciate the following two points I have below :-P

Diners leaning their arms on the tables

Friends who know me well will realise that I never do that (good training for biceps... haha... try doing that while eating crabs whole night long).  I often cringe in disgust when I see children laying their arms and whole head (and their once clean hair) down on the tables.  The cleaners should really thank them for helping with their job.   

It is not easy for most people to change their habits as I have observed on numerous occasions that 99% of Singaporeans placed their arms & elbows on the tables while eating.  But hey, after being nagged at for a long time, even my mum is a now convert!

Diners showcasing all their assets on the tables

By assets, I mean WALLETS, HANDPHONES, HANDBAGS etc.  Similarly, close friends find me paranoid every time I chide them off with my disgusted look.

Me: Aiyo, why you put them on the table! Do you know how dirty.....

Friends: Ok... Ok...

Actually the list goes on BUT if I continue rambling, Me being paranoid will be an understatement :)

Halo Again Little One

Yesterday was the day for discovery at the gynae because it was time to answer the most-frequently-asked question in recent weeks.

Before that, let me digress a bit.  I knew I was supposed to do a blood test this checkup so I was mentally prepared to have a needle inserted into me and have a test-tube of blood drawn from me.  So when the nurse placed four (Note. Not 1 but 4) big empty tubes in front of me while preparing the needle insertion, I blinked hard.  That was a first for me man.

"er... why are there so many tubes huh?"

"Oh... we have to test for different things mah... see the different colour coding on the tubes? Red is for testing blah blah blah, green is for blah blah blah blah..."

I wasn't really following as my mind already wandered off, hoping I have enough to fill them up and could still stand up after that :)

So much for blood.  Now back to the scan.

Here is my baby relaxing with hands behind the head and legs up in the air, almost like enjoying in a resort.

My gynae went on to scan my bloated tummy from different angles before he suddenly said in a very as-a matter-of-fact manner.

Gynae: "Looks like you have to prepare a set of army uniform"

Me: "Huh?"

The Man: "Oh!"

Gynae: "Nah, this is the canon and that is the base."

Me: "What? Where?"

The Man: "It's a boy lah!"

Me: "How? Where?"

The above conversation went on for a few minutes in a similar fashion until I finally saw what I was supposed to see and know what I was supposed to know.  I remembered coming up with a lame excuse for myself for being so slow in catching the whole thing.  "Aiya, it takes one to see one mah... that's why I couldn't see at first!"

So below is the tricky scan with the BIG "P" labelled properly for appreciation.  And I am not referring to the pelvis :)

So now it IS offical!  I am having a boy!  

And so I hurried off to buy the very FIRST item for him.  

"Halo Again Little BOY!"

Down to earth shoes

Don't think I have ever seriously owned any flats in my world of high heels (not considering my sloppy flip flops and sports shoes).  Think deep down inside, I do enjoy feeling taller than my actual height :P

Now that all my heels have been relegated for the time being, I have just started my modest collection of flats.

One thing I realised ever since I started to shift my attention from heels to flats (reluctantly) while browsing in the shops - flats are really less exciting than heels and sadly, nice looking flats are few and far between. 

So anyone who knows where to get really cool flats, drop some hints! :)