Savour Din Tai Fungs Delicious yet Healthy Classics Plus Complimentary Famous Amos Christmas Cookies Gift Set While Stocks Last

As year-end festive season approaching, Din Tai Fung is also one of the favourite dining place for family gathering or celebratory meal. And from 01 November to 31 December 2012, Din Tai Fung diners will receive an exclusive complimentary box of Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies (150g) with a minimum spending of S$98.00, or S$88.00 for Citibank Cardmembers.

This redeemable Famous Amos Cookies come in two different festive packaging such as the "Red Pyramid Gift Box" (shown on the 1st photo) which secured with a golden ribbon (worth S$10.00, while stocks last). Alternatively there is also another endearing square "Bear Tin"(above, worth S$11.50) which would be available only after the red pyramid gift box is fully redeemed.

Beside the cookies promotion, there are about 30% of Din Tai Fung dishes being certified as ‘Healthier Choices’ by the Health Promotion Board. So below are some of the dishes that I would like to share with you from their Healthy Signature Classics which our family love.

First on the list is definitely they well-known Steamed Pork Dumplings which is also known as Xiao Long Bao - 小笼包  (S$6.80 for 6 pieces / S$9.50 for 10 pieces). As we all know their Xiao long Bao is made with flavoursome minced pork which wrapped in delicate dough skin with at least 18 exquisite folds. I love the bites with each mouthful of juicy meat filling and melt-in-your-mouth skin.

Next as a soup lover, their new Truffle Chicken Soup (S$19.80 per serving) taste awesome with aroma of the truffles which is strong but not overpowering making it a bonus point to enhance the taste of the chicken broth. This new dish is available in a limited quantity per day at Din Tai Fung outlets such as Marina Bay Sands, Paragon, 112 Katong and Resorts World Sentosa.

Lastly, if you love the combination of beef and noodles I am assure you would like this Special Braised Beef Noodle Soup With Beef Brisket (S$11.00 per serving). The meat used is of the less fatty portion of the beef and it is also prepared by steaming to retain the flavours of the dish which makes it a healthier choice. I also love the broth which is prepared using fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomato puree which makes it taste better in both flavour and taste.

* All related photos in this post credited to Touch Communications and Din Tai Fung but review of the dishes are on my own preference and thoughts.

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Simple yet decadent fish supper pan fried vendace

Vendace is a wonderful freshwater whitefish that youll find all over the northern continental Europe. The Latin name is Coregonus albula, and although it looks quite similar to the Estonian "national fish" Baltic Herring (räim aka Clupea harengus membras) that belongs to the herring family, then vendace is actually part of the salmonidae family alongside salmon, char, trout, graylings and other freshwater whitefishes.Youre most likely to come across vendace (also called European cisco) in the lakes of Finland, Sweden, Russia and Estonia, as well as some lakes in the UK, Poland and Northern Germany. When I say the lakes of Estonia, I mean Lake Peipus - and must sadly admit that vendace has been scarce in the local waters during the last years.

Imagine my excitement when I saw beautifully fresh vendace at the local farmers market yesterday morning! I immediately bought some hot-smoked vendace for lunch, and almost a kilogram of fresh vendace for dinner. Its such a delicate and excellent fish that doesnt need much messing around. A quick bath in a seasoned rye flour, followed by frying in hot butter or oil - youll find the "recipe" below. I served the fried vendace with a fresh tomato salad, and the meal was enjoyed by all, including the small kids.

A note on vendace roe. The dark orange-coloured vendace roe (rääbisemari/löjrom) is a true delicacy, and Kalix löjrom from  the Swedish Botnia Bay archipelago has even been granted a PDO (protected designation of origin) status by the European Union, just like Prosciutto ham from Tuscany or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese from Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. When the rather excellent roe of common/European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) cost 799 SEK (Swedish crowns) in a supermarket in Stockholm back in early June, then the vendace roe was almost double the price, 1490 SEK:


Sorry for the photo quality - it was a quick snap with my mobile phone.

Names in other languages: rääbis (Estonian), muikku (Finnish), ryapushka (Russian), löj (Swedish), corégone blanc/la petite marène (French), Kleine Maräne (German).

Pan-fried vendace



fresh vendace (calculate about 2-3 fish per person)
rye flour or oatmeal
salt
freshly ground black pepper
fresh dill, finely chopped
oil and butter for frying

Season the flour with salt and pepper, then roll the fish in the flour until evenly covered. Heat some butter and oil (or just one or the other) in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the fish and fry for a few minutes on one side until dark golden brown, then carefully turn over and fry the other side for a few minutes again.

Garnish with a sprinkling of dill and serve with boiled new potatoes or potato mash, and perhaps a dollop of good home-made mayonnaise (be sure to click on the link if you havent seen the cool Nami-Nami video recipe yet).

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