Fast Eaters GET FAT (dedicated to Jo)

(Taken from Reader's Digest Feb 2009 issue)

Eating slowly can help you slim down!

A study of more than 3000 Japanese adults published in the British Medical Journal found that those who ate their meals quickly were about twice as likely to be obese as their slow-munching counterparts.

People who ate quickly and who ate until they were full were three times more likely to be obese. The research supports previous evidence that people tend to consume more calories when they eat quickly, but also that eating quickly is linked to obesity regardless of how many calories are eaten.

Dr Elizabeth, an obesity expert from the University of New South Wales says research suggests people can lean to eat more slowly and recognise their internal cues for fullness.

Slowing your rate of eating allow your body to send fullness signals before you've overeaten.

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Kermit: It's true. When I was still in the university I had to feel that I'm FULL then I'll stop eating. That would mean I need a snack e.g. curry puff/ snack after my meal. Not surprising that I was at my heaviest during my university years.

Now I'm older and wiser. I just need to be QUITE FULL, I'll stop eating. As such I won't overeat & I can still nibble when I'm hungry. It's good practice because I won't feel SOOOOO sleepy after meal at work.

My Second Dish with earnings!

Oh my gosh! After looking through my older posts I realized it was only after a long 5 months that I've embarked on my second dish!!! Pai seh pai seh *blush*

The best thing about me is I need to write my recipes down else I'll simply forget how to cook it. Blogging it down is good! :P

I'm certainly more encouraged to cook. My frens says that the rice is good! (Despite the fact that I've forgotten to add salt!!!! Maybe the oyster sauce in the marination is salty enough) Another encouragement is I actually made $15 from cooking the glutinuous rice!!! Heeheehee!!! Looks like this could be one of my hidden talents after all.

One of my dreams is that in future whichever country I go I can survive with a meaningful skill. And as one of my fren says "Cooking will never go out of need because people need & (some) love to eat!!!!"

Glutinuous Rice/ 糯米饭
Why I should cook this:
Simply yummy & easy to prepare. To balance this high carbohydrate dish you can add more chicken & mushroom or even green peas. However don't over eat on this as glutinuous rice takes a longer time to be digested.

Ingredients:

• 0.5kg glutinuous rice

• soyabean oil

• pepper
• five spice powder

• oyster sauce

• shallots, pounded

• garlic, pounded

• chicken slices

• chinese mushrooms

• handful of dried shrimps

Preparation:

1. Soak Chinese mushrooms in water overnight till soften. Cut into small pieces

2. Marinate mushrooms & chicken (separately) with oyster sauce, pepper, sesame oil, five spice powder

3. Add garlic, shallot, dried shrimps & mushroom. Fry until brown.

4. Add glutinuous rice & chicken & fry. Add a little water to prevent rice from sticking to pan.

5. Once all the ingredients are throughly mixed, transfer the rice mixture into a steamer.

6. Steam for 30mins. Thereafer check if glutinuous rice has soften. Else steam for another 10mins.

Note:

1. Do not need to soak glutinuous rice overnight. Just wash the rice clean before use.

2. Add chicken together with the rice else will end up overcooking the meat.

Kermit's Learning:

Dun take five more months to cook the next dish. Heys people remind me!

*Special thanks to "My mother who taught me!"*

Rats & My First Dish

Remy the mouse & the late Auguste Gusteau, France’s greatest all-time culinary genius, is the author of Anyone Can Cook, the cookbook that inspired Remy to dream of becoming a chef.

One of the slogans that etched deep in my memory bank is "Cooking requires bravery, courage, creativity! It is not for the faint-hearted!"

Man! I never see cooking this way before. Anyway after talking about cooking since 21 Aug I've finally cooked my very first dish after last Sunday.

Ma Po Tou Fu / 麻婆豆腐 (Bean Curd with Chili Sauce)

Why I should cook this:

This is an inexpensive dish that is rich in protein, iron & calcium. The small amount of meat stretches the vegetable protein in the tofu, & adds B vitamins. Although the dish is low in kilocalories & relatively low in fat, it’s quite substantial. Add a light, salt-free soup, a small bowl of rice, & a portion of deep green or yellow-orange vegetable, & you have a well-balanced meal.

Ingredients:
• 4 soft soyabean curd squares (tofu)
• 1T soyabean oil
• 0.5T sesame oil
• 4 shallots, pounded
• 4 cloves garlic, pounded
• 1.25cum piece ginger, pounded
• 150g lean beef, minced
• 1T preserved soyabeans (taucheo),rinsed and pounded
• 4 spring onions, cut
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground Szechuan peppercorns
• 1T Chinese rice wine
• 1T tomato puree
• 2T tomato ketchup
• 2.5 tsp ground red chilli
• 1T dark soya sauce
• 0.5C (125ml) chicken stock

• 1T cornflour

Preparation:
1. Dice the bean curd into 1.5cm cubes, place in a colander in the sink, and allow water to drain off for 30mins
2. Heat the oils in a wok over moderate heat; add the pounded shallots, garlic & ginger, & fry for 30secs. Then add the minced beef & fry until it loses its pink colour. Add the preserved soyabeans and spring onions and stir.

3. Add remaining ingredients except the cornflour paste & bring to a boil. Add the cornflour paste & stir-fry until the sauce is thickened & clear.

Kermit's Learning:

1. Dish must not only taste good but also look good. I cut some ingredients too fine such that only see the tofu at the end.

2. Less ketchup (too sweet), more chilli

*Special thanks to "the complete Asian Health & Diet Cookbook"*