30 May 10 (Sun) – SoEZ Lesson 5 (Jap)

Signed up for my fifth cooking lesson with the studio and I went back to Japanese Cuisine coz I realized that sis and her family seem to prefer Japanese food. Went for the 3:30pm class for the usual reason and bumped into my secondary school classmate. Was rather surprised and again the class was fun on the whole. We learnt Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancake); Kaisen Chahan (Seafood Fried Rice) and Sukiyaki (Sliced Beef with Vegetables in Soy-based Soup). Cooking the Okonomiyaki was fun coz we all got to flip the pancake like those chefs do on tv. It wasn’t easy coz there’s technique to it.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancake)

Kaisen Chahan (Seafood Fried Rice)

Sukiyaki (Sliced Beef with Vegetables in Soy-based Soup)

26 Mar 10 (Fri) – SoEZ Lesson 4 (Western)

Clearing the last day of my leave and went for the Western Cuisine today at 2:30pm so that after that I could hitch a ride from my BIL to go to his place for the weekend. There were about three of us and the instructor was Chef Judy. She was rather fierce and asked us a lot of questions while teaching. She said it’s better to ask us questions so that we could remember better. Western Cuisine was another one that required a lot of ingredients though the cooking methods were not as complicated as the Paranakan one. Of all the classes, this was one that I didn’t enjoy much.

After lesson, it was only slightly after 5pm. So instead of waiting for BIL till close to 7pm, sis suggested that I made my way to her place myself. So in the end, I had to lug my big bag and my creations all the way from Great World City to Tiong Bahru Plaza where I then take a train to Tampines and then take a shuttle to her condo. My God, by the time I got to her place, it was as good as waiting for my BIL to drive back. Settled down, took photos of my creations and then Ry gobbled up most of the Chicken Cordon Bleu and all of the French Fries before giving them back to me coz he was very hungry after his NPCC activities. My sis and BIL were not a fan of today’s creations and so I ended up eating the rest of the food.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Homemade French Fries and Green Asparagus

Traditional Gratinated French Onion Soup

Classic Caesar Salad

(One of the left is the sauce; One on the right is the salad with the sauce)

22 Feb 10 (Mon) – SoEZ Lesson 3 (Paranakan)

Was on leave today again since last Friday and decided to go for another cooking lesson since I have the time and also I could get more discounts since it’s my birthday month. Since I had gone for Japanese Cuisine last Friday, so today went for the Chinese Paranakan Cuisine instead. Registered for the 2:30pm class and again as it was a weekday afternoon class, there were only four of us, two Caucasian ladies, one Chinese lady and myself. The instructor for the day was Chef Steven Low and he was equally friendly. Though not as humorous as Chef Kent, he was more fatherly type. He guided us through the cooking and we had fun on the whole. Compared to Japanese Cuisine, Paranaka Cuisine was more complicated and required more ingredients. The Chinese lady, named D, was also a foodie and loves to cook. Before the lesson began, she was asking me about how the class was like coz I had been here several times. So chatted with her and she suggested exchanging numbers so that we could go for cooking class together in future. During lesson, she asked Chef Low a lot of questions and even after class, she stayed back for a while to ask more questions.

Udang Masak Nanas (Prawns with Pineapple)

Sayur Lodeh (Vegetables Curry)

Ayam Ponteh (Chicken with Bamboo Shoots)

19 Feb 10 (Fri) – SoEZ Lesson 2 (Jap)

Took leave today for cooking lesson coz I need to clear leave anyway. Went for another Japanese Cuisine course at 3pm so that after lesson, I could meet up with sis and BIL to hitch a ride back to their house to spend the weekend. As it was a weekday afternoon lesson, so there were only three persons in the class, a couple and myself. The instructor was Chef Kent Seah and he remembered me from the previous lesson. Today we were taught Gindara Nitsuke (Poached Cod Fish), Yaki Udon and Teapot Soup. Didn’t bring back the soup coz Chef said it doesn’t taste nice after it cooled. So all of us sat down and sipped our soup after the lesson ended early than the scheduled time. After lesson, took a bus to Raffles Place to meet up with sis and waited for BIL to knock off before going back to his place. Took photos of my creations before letting the rest of them sampled the food.

Gindara Nitsuke - Poached Cod Fish

Yaki Udon

24 Jan 10 (Sun) - SoEZ Lesson 1 (Jap)

It was late December 2009 when I followed my sis and her family to Great World City for a movie that I found out about SoEz Cooking Studio. Took a brochure from the reception counter, asked a few questions about the classes and registration before leaving. After a few weeks, I signed up for today’s Japanese Cuisine lesson. Usually Sunday means rest day and I won’t go out. However, chose today’s 4:30pm class was so that I could eat whatever I had cooked as dinner and whatever was leftover would become my lunch for tomorrow. For most of the afternoon, I was restless coz I kept thinking how the class would be conducted and if the instructor would be fierce.

Got there early, registered my attendance and the receptionist asked if I would like to join as member coz member gets 10% off for subsequent lessons and additional 20% on birthday month. So signed up since I could foresee that I would be going for more lessons. Today’s class consisted of five persons, a couple, a young girl, a Caucasian and myself. The instructor was Chef Kent Seah of Tetsu. It turned out that my worries were unnecessary. He was friendly and chatty. While teaching, he also joked and told us his learning during his younger days in Japan. We learnt three dishes: So Easy Japanese Curry Rice; Famous Tetsu Breaded Pork Loin (Rosu Katsu) and sushi. While making sushi, we were encouraged to use as much ingredients as we want. It was fun throughout the whole lesson.

After lesson was over, collected my goodie bag and headed home straight. Once back, took pictures of my creations before devouring them.

The welcome pack when signed up as SoEZ Cooking Studio member

So Easy Japanese Curry Rice (minus the rice)

Famous Tetsu Breaded Pork Loin, "Rosu Katsu"

(The Japanese Restaurant "Tetsu" signature dish)

California Temaki (Hand Rolls)

California Maki and Small Mak