Meals' Inspiration

It's been months since I find the motivation or inspiration to cook nice and proper meals. Most of the time, it's just a one pot one plate dish. I figured out it's because Louisa's been really picky with food (she prefers western food which explains why I cook lots of pasta) so I get discouraged everytime I concort a nice meal (usually Chinese), she'll go 'Oh no! I don't like this.....'. I don't know when she became like that. It was a nightmare getting her to eat when we went back to Singapore. She disliked most of the local food, preferring to eat instead at Delifrance and Pizza Hut. I tried to veer her away from the western food by encouraging her to eat what we eat and I refused to bring her to eat those things all the time. On some occasions, if she didn't want to eat the local food, I let her be. She has to learn that we have to eat a variety of food. I can't give in to her every single time. Afterall, we're Chinese and we can't not eat rice at all.

That chef friend of ours lent me a few recipe books on Singapore Hawker food, Malaysian food and Thai food. I cooked Hor Fun, one of my favourite, last week. To my surprise, Louisa finished everything in her bowl.

Then there's my Lavigne. Eversince the fever, she's not been eating well. Two days ago, I chanced upon this great website on baking. There's also some recipes on simple dishes. So last evening, I got the girls to help me make Onigiri and shaped rice balls (no pictures, we were busy making and eating). They were filled with minced beef and mixed veg, flaked salmon and pork floss before topping with black sesame seeds and furukake. I used the rice moulds bought from Isetan and Daiso. The recipe called for 1.5cups of rice (serves 3). I used 2 cups of rice and it wasn't enough for us. The girls were fighting for more rice to make. Lavigne must have had 5 when she asked for one of her dad's. Louisa, not a seafood lover, didn't like the furukake which had a slight fishy smell. I bought 2 packs from Isetan thinking of using it for her lunchbox meals but I guess I will be the one eating it now. So it's true that when you ask the kiddos to help make the meals, they will be better at eating them!