Chinese Chives and Pork Dumplings (Jiaozi) Recipe

BACKLOG!! Ok, that exclamation has zero relation to this post on Chinese dumplings. With the year drawing to a close, one would expect things to wind down but quite the contrary, I am swamped.

There are many things to settle and close before 2013 is over and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly. As the apt saying goes, 先苦后甜 "bitterness first, sweetness after", I am eagerly anticipating my gush of "sweetness" after all this crazy work is over!

I love Chinese dumplings ever since staying in Beijing for a couple months. There are many flavours available and people eat them as a main. You can dip them in simple black vinegar or mixed with some sesame oil and chilli oil. It's a great dish to make during these rainy months and it's a fun activity for the whole family to just gather around and make dumplings.

Mocha Oreo Cheesecake Recipe

I am on a no-bake cheesecake spree ever since my last trip to Phoon Huat (local baking store). This is a result of buying cream cheese and diary whipping cream in bulk - think 1kg of cream cheese and 1L of whipping cream. To be fair, I couldn't resist the cream cheese. The one I bought comes from Australia in a tubular form and has a light creamy taste which I absolutely adore. I don't like cheese with a strong "cheesey" taste (it's ironic I know) and this affordable option ($12-ish for 1kg) is for those who want to make cheesecakes but find Philadelphia (250g for $5-ish) a tad pricey.