About

Like other Malaysians and Singaporeans who live abroad, I, too, find it hard to get good, authentic and cheap Malaysian/Singaporean food here, and have to resort to cooking it at home instead. Besides cooking to satisfy my cravings, I also find it less of a hassle to eat at home than to bring the whole family out to dinner, especially with three little people who just can't stay still in their seats. I can count on one hand the number of times we eat out as a family each year (going to a McDonald's drive-thru and eating in the car doesn't count, although I must say this is the best way to do it since the kids are strapped to their seats with nowhere to go).

Recently, the number of  Malaysian/Singaporean restaurants in Sydney have been growing.  In the past, most people only associated Malaysian food with "Chicken Laksa", which still remains popular here, and is also a favourite of mine. These days, the restaurant menus are more "adventurous" in serving up more authentic hawker fare like Rojak, Or Chien (oyster omelette), Yong Tau Foo, Carrot Cake etc. But don't expect to find them at hawker prices though. They cost up to ten times as much as they do back home (after currency conversion). I remember having shelled out (pardon the pun) AUD20 for a plate of Or Chien, which to me was like eating a gold-studded omelette. I have no recollection whatsoever of how it tasted, probably because I was too busy counting the number of oysters we were getting for that price (and if memory serves me right, there were six).

And so, for all these reasons, I started to make cooking and baking a hobby instead of a chore, and it's especially rewarding when I see the food in pictures. I decided that it was probably a good idea to jot down my recipes since I have a tendency to forget the exact ingredients I use when I experiment with new dishes. And that is how this blog came about.

Thanks for visiting and reading my blog. Love your food, enjoy eating and have fun cooking!





18 comments:

Indonesia Eats said...

Thanks for stopping by! Well same here. The same reason why I created my blog to share my passion and archive the Indonesian recipes.

White Toast with Butter said...

I commented on the sweet chili fried chicken - so good - just paged through a few recipes and printed off three of them! I shared your blog with my friends on twitter - are you on twitter? Really enjoy your recipes and blog. Thank you.

Fern @ To Food With Love said...

@Andrew's Mom: That's really nice of you! And thanks for your wonderful comments! Appreciate it :)

Dawn @ Kitchen Lore said...

Wow, another Singaporean food blogger - hello! (There should be a club.) I've been slowing trying my hand at getting Singaporean dishes right, though I'm far more familiar with Western foods. Looking forward to trying your recipes - there's so much stuff I miss.

Santina said...

how do i subscribe to your blog?

jan said...

I found your blog through pinterest, and found your pinterest through your blog :-)
I have a board named 'recipes to try', but I should just link to your pinterest site cause I just want to cook EVERYTHING. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I like to read your blog because the pictures were always so well taken which tempted me to cook. Also the recipes are so easy to follow. I noticed that while some bloggers may call for just plain flour, yours have a combination of rice and corn flour which helps to perfect the dish. I do cook quite a lot when I started to have a helper. I know the difference. Adeline

Jackie B said...

OMG!! Your blog is an inspiration. Have followed you publicly and hungrily....hehehe...and also loving your Pinterest.

Fern @ To Food With Love said...

@Jackie: Thanks for your enthusiastic comments! I'm even more inspired now! Thanks for following! :-)

Chloe and Sarah | Honey & Lulu said...

What a fantastic blog you have here!

We have just started our own blog about food, fashion and lifestyle and if you would be interested in following us that would be fantastic!!! We would love to follow you to support your blog :)

The blog is: http://www.honeyandlulu.blogspot.com.au/

All the best for the blog and we simply can't wait for the next delicious post!

Hope to hear from you,

Chloe & Sarah

Chef and Sommelier said...

Hi Fern! Got referred to your blog from Mel's and I love it. You have a new follower!

Bilgola citizen said...

Your blog makes me feel so hungry. I'm a fellow Malaysian missing the food from home. How do you find the time to cook such beautiful dishes? I'm home with 3 kids just trying to get the food out as quick as possible. I'm very impressed with your food. Good on you! Now I wish that you live close by and will be my friend. Lol :)

Kylie said...

Discovered your blog today...loved the crispy teriyaki salmon... easy with things straight from the pantry! Looking forward to cooking more!

Fern @ To Food With Love said...

Thanks Kylie! Teriyaki salmon is always a favourite at home :)

Lite Home Bake said...

Hi Fern, thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving a comment. I will be missing out a lot of if you hadn't, glad to know another blogger friend :)

Vicky said...

What is thick caramel? Is it same as thick soy sauce?

Fern @ To Food With Love said...

Hi Victoria,
Thick caramel is a thick black soy, but it's not salty. It adds colour and rich flavour to the dish.

Vicky said...

Hi thanks for your reply to my question on thick caramel sauce. I am so excited to have found this blog. Was Singaporean and currently Australian citizen . Migrated ten years ago. Love cooking Singaporean food and sharing with my friends who are also a fan of Singaporean and Malaysian dishes.Miss the authentic dishes. Love your chilli friend chicken recipe. Any recipe for the chilli sambal .