365days2playFinally visited the Tan Boon Liat Building yesterday to buy some furniture pieces. This building should be known as another famous icon of Singapore, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it before. It’s a slab block about 15 storeys high, and all the corridors face the main road. So from afar, and especially from afar, you are able to see the individual businesses that occupies each level. They certainly don’t make buildings like these anymore. Another interesting fact is that if you take the overhead bridge in front of Tan Boon Liat Building to the opposite site of the road, you will chance upon a huge grave, the size of a hdb flat! Creepy if you were to chance upon it at night. More on my furniture hunting at Tan Boon Liat in another post.
What I want to talk about is this lovely organic and health food store Nature’s Glory that is also located within this building. I love visiting organic and health food stores as there’s so many things I could buy without feeling guilty that they contain pesticides, preservatives and other harmful ingredients. I’ve visited a few such as Super Nature, Zenxin and Brown Rice Paradise. Not everything is expensive, for example the rice and flours are quite affordable. I wasn’t planning on buying anything yesterday, just look see look see you know, but I chanced upon this organic instant Miso soup powder. I’ve been wanting to start cooking more and eating at home and wouldn’t it be great if I could replicate Japanese restaurant dishes easily in my home, starting from the humble soup?
After I got back home, my head was churning with what I should do with this miso powder. And for some reason I just felt that it would be great to do a carrot and turnip miso soup! Got my mother to get those ingredients, plus a bit of pork for flavour, and tofu for protein, and will you believe it, with just 4 ingredients plus the powder, we had dinner all settled for tonight! Feel so proud of myself! Best part is, I didn’t even research any recipe or lift a finger in the cooking. Got the Partner to chop up the vegetables (he’s an expert at that), got him to put them in a pot of simmering water, and hey presto, soup after 1/2 hour, no salt required! (Yes I told the Partner I would cook the soup, but really, it was just an additional step for him to plonk the vegetables into the pot!)
It was a great feeling to be able to prepare a tasty dish, knowing that my body is being nourished by healthy food. Don’t get me wrong though, I do love eating out at nice restaurants, but I like the idea that my body is ”resting” and ”refueling” on days when I don’t have to eat out. With this renewed independence, I can also ensure that I don’t waste money on average food, so that I can spend more on good food! Btw, one tip from me, gone are the days when you have to pay the full price on the menu, with things such as the Entertainer App, Palate Card or CupoNation. Save where you can so you can enjoy life even more, be it on food, travel or shopping!
Oh in case you want the recipe for the amazing carrot and turnip soup..
- 3 large carrots
- 1 large radish/turnip
- 1 packet of tofu cut into small squares
- Piece of pork
- 1 packet of instant miso powder
- Chop up the carrots and radish/turnip and simmer together with the pork in a pot of water for 1/2 hour or longer. The water should cover all the ingredients. The longer you simmer, the more flavourful the broth. Top up water if required.
- Add the tofu and miso powder about 5 minutes before switching off the fire.
- Serves 4!
