Monday, October 15, 2007

Steamboat for dinner

A mega full day it was for me today. Did quite a lot of things in the morning then sent little one to school. Went to do some grocery shopping and was having a 'headache' what to cook for dinner. I go through that every single day. Decided to buy some ingredients for steamboat but as couldn't carry too many things, only ended up with mostly fishcakes, fishballs etc. I love this set below. It comes with a packet of stock but I don't use that. I prefer to boil my own, although today, I did it with a little help. Haha. Swanson's ready chicken broth. But I also boiled some ikan bilis and soya beans together with it. And also I like to cook some chicken rice to go along with the food. For the instant chicken rice, I used Chng Kee's. It's so easy, just a spoonful of it in the rice to cook. I found this brand of suki sauce which is quite nice, not particularly spicy but rather sourish, to use as a dip. Must be loads of vinegar in it.

My little helpers today...

Here it is, all ready and waiting... I made some wantons too as had some minced pork in the freezer. Unfortunately was just plain meat. Still, they tasted nice. I usually add prawns, water chestnuts, some spring onions but I didn't have them.

I picked a really appropriate day to have this. It rained the entire afternoon and rainy days are the best days for steamboat. So shiok!

23 comments:

trevshanhann said...

looks yummy.. my husband's favorite steamboat.

SIG said...

Is it? Then you do lah, your family more people eat more fun. We three very limited.

Nails...etcetera with Priscilla ! said...

Those 3 little helpers of yours are my secret weapons too. At any one time..I have 3 of a kind in my pantry...I love to overstock..haha!!!
The suki sauce will taste even better if U add more chopped garlic & fresh coriander..for the extra spice...i will add some chilli powder...shiok lor! :)

Ahhh! I see those cute fishcakes again.
The hot pot of soup is calling out to me....!! Slurp!
Got table setting somemore..win liowz! lol!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Little Corner of Mine said...

Looks delicious! And the animal fish cake added the extra cuteness. Yes, for steamboat, more people more fun.

Jori said...

THAT looks incredible! Also looks like WAY more work than what I'd put in to an everday, normal dinner time! You amaze me. When can I come for dinner??

HK Choo said...

good steamy hot pot for rainy wet days...so soothing.

i lagi kenot cook at home, hahah...dh not big fan of chinese soup.

InspiredMumof2 said...

Wow, looks yummy and neat. Almost forgotten about this dish as we usually eat steamboat during chinese new year.

Unknown said...

Wow! Yummy yummy! :O) My family loves steamboat especially on rainy days. I love those cute looking fishcakes. Where did you get them? Oh just realized that this is your 100th post. Congrats to you and keep up the good job.

SIG said...

paw paw - Thanks paw paw. I'm not a fan of coriander but sometimes I add in garlic chilli sauce and it balances out the sourness. It's great to have those little helpers, isn't it? Yes, those little fishcakes are the last of the lot. The piggies are fine but the panda comes in quite a large packet and it takes us a long time to go through them, so steamboat is good, can clear them all off. Oh ya, must have table setting lah, that' how I usually set my table when having steamboat, bowls, scoops, plates all so many so must put them neatly haha. Yes yes help yourself to it.

SIG said...

debra - Oh thanks, yes I do realize this IS the 100th post. My mistake the other time. The fishcakes are from a friend who got them from her market in CCK. I have given my yong tau fu man the empty packet so he can call up the supplier and hopefully bring them in to sell. Whoopee!!

little corner of mine - Yes, agreed right? More people eat can have more variety and thus more fun.

SIG said...

Oh gosh I have to reply 2 at a time. I could have hit myself. I typed out like 5 long replies then went to click on the close this window button and everything disappeared! How dumb.

Jori - Oh thank you. Actually steamboat is not very troublesome except the preparation stage takes up a lot of time. Everybody cooks their own food so it's fun that way. This is a great dish for winter. We usually have the airconditioning on when we have steamboats. You're welcome to have the steamboat. Go book your airticket soon! Hahaha!

hkchoo - Yes, yes. Cold, gloomy, wet days are best for steamboats. Your dh is not Chinese?

SIG said...

inspiremumof2 - Haha, my middle name used to be neat although I have to give up that title now. I really am not neat these days. Yes, we have it sometimes, not just during CNY. But it has been a long time since we last had it at home. It's because little one is having an irritated throat so I thought soup-based foods would be more suitable for her. :)

debra - Oops, I think you probably think I didn't get your comment the first time. Hehe. I got it, just blogger with having problems this morning so I couldn't publish them. It's working now. ;)

HK Choo said...

good question, chinese but don't take chinese food, what do you call that?

SIG said...

hk choo - orang banana. Hahaha.

BoZoGEMOK said...

Wow... yummilicious. I like that cute looking tofu! Yes, indeed good day for steamboat when it's raining cats and dogs outside!

Oh for the love of food! said...

A Steamboat is just the thing I would love to have today, it's a cold spring day today, the winds are howling through my windows! What a lovely spread you have on your table..

daphne said...

so much variety! I use the same chicken rice paste too! hahah. Easy lah! Love the spread man. Bet that dinner must be heart warming!

East Meets West Kitchen said...

Hi! Just hopped over from LCOM and saw your lovely steamboat. I love the looks of those piggy fish cakes.

Cranberry said...

wow I love steamboat, yours look so goody good yeh! I recognised that dancing chef chilli sauce, very yummy, i love that too! *drool*

SIG said...

bozo - Sorry darlin, they are fishcake. Hahaha, not cute tofu.

Thanks Carol. I drooled all over your lovely Thai food too. ;)

daphne - You're back from Syd??? Oh ya, I think Chng Kee's Chicken Rice mix is the best I've tried. :) Actually not very wide variety. Usually I have prawns, chicken or beef, fish etc. But was rather last minute so mostly fishcakes only.

east meets west kitchen - Hello there, thanks for dropping by. :) Oh yes, I love the piggies too.

cranberry - Haha, yes, we do love steamboats and my girl also pestered the day after for another round of steamboat. Ya, so far the Dancing Chef is the only Suki sauce I have seen. I love the Parkway basement steamboat and they sell their chilli only once a year during CNY so I buy and freeze haha.

Karmeleon said...

Where do you get those animal fishcakes.?

SIG said...

the chengs - Hi there, thanks for dropping by. A friend got them for me in Bukit Panjang in one of the markets. I'm trying to find out where.