Pursuing the Dream to be Chef
Ube Champorado topped with Salted Egg Fish Skin.
It’s never too late to pursue your dreams.
Living in Singapore has given me the opportunity to taste and experience the melting-pot of cultures and cuisines from across Asia. In 2018 I took my first big step in enrolling at Baker and Cook’s - an artisan bakery which specialized in gourmet patisseries opened by world renowned Dean Brettschneider. Studying in a patisserie ignited my curiosity in discovering what the culinary world has to offer and enabled me to overcome my challenges in baking.
My biggest takeaway from Brettschneider was that learning is a lifelong endeavour and that by broadening my knowledge on ingredients and methods, I can always explore and experiment recipes on my own. Subsequently, I enrolled at Grabaking Academy and Yume Patisseries which allowed me to develop my own taste and confidence in baking.
Arlene with Chef Dean Brettschneider (co-owner and founder of Baker & Cook and Plank Sourdough Pizza in Singapore) and with Chef Jenna White of Brettschneider’s Baking & Cooking School, far right.
Soon after, I planned to gain more exposure to the food industry and attain my dream of opening my own café. I dedicated my time to harness new techniques by enrolling in the culinary arts at Palate Sensations Culinary School. There, I was reunited with my love for cooking where I explored the vast varieties of cuisines worldwide. I began to experiment with fusion food through the well-established platform given to me and the friendly chefs that were always by my side.
During the pandemic, I had the desire of starting a home-based business. In the beginning I planned to focus on homecooked gourmet meals for everyone to enjoy. However, the challenges brought about by the pandemic hindered me from expanding into a pure culinary business. That was when I started to reflect on the training that I have received and skills that I have gained throughout my culinary journey.
The culmination of my skills came in the form of opening my very own home-based delectable mini-cheesecake business, Gourmet Spoon. I started small, testing out recipes and giving out samples to friends and family in Singapore. To my surprise, my cheesecakes were well-received. My big break came in the form of a small two dozen order from my son’s Japanese professor who is a dessert critique and wanted to share my cheesecakes as a farewell gift to her students which lead to even more milestones. I always believe in sharing food that has been made with passion and love.
My fondest memory would have to be cooking and baking for my friend’s son’s first birthday party with over 25 guests. I was excited to be part of a family’s momentous occasion as I did not just get to feature my cheesecakes, but also showcase my cooking skills with catering for the 25 guests. This was when my love of sharing my cheesecakes during special occasions grew and I started to specialize in festivities’ goodies.
Over time I began receiving orders from overseas to send cheesecakes to their loved ones here in Singapore, which I found to be heart-warming. Although orders during festivities left me busy with orders and lack of sleep, the love and support from my family and customers is my greatest source of joy which drive me to give my best every time.
Arlene finally accomplished her dream to become a chef.
Throughout my culinary journey, I always sought to challenge myself with cooking recipes on-the-go for dinner and constantly refine them every step of the way. Since young, I found an interest in making small dishes and started with cooking “champorado” (chocolate rice porridge) for my family. Little did I know that my simple breakfast dish was one of the catalysts for my culinary journey. Just like many of our fellow Filipinos overseas, our longing taste for home-cooked goodness can only be satisfied with our dearly loved cuisine. Although my first iterations with champorado was met with a few challenges such as finding the right quality of ingredients, I came to realize that my experience with fusion-food was the best solution with making champorado from scratch. As such, I want to share with my fellow kababayan readers of fmag.online my take on our classic breakfast dish with a Singaporean twist that you can all enjoy at home! Introducing, Ube Champorado Topped with Irvin’s Salted Egg Fish Skin (Purple Yam Rice Porridge Topped with Irvin’s Salted Egg Fish Skin)!
Ube Champorado Topped with Salted Egg Fish Skin Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup glutinous rice (rinsed)
1/2 cup regular rice (rinsed)
6 cups water
1 cup sugar (Adjust the sugar accordingly. Depending on the sweetness of the ube jam.)
1/2 cup condensed milk
1 cup ube halaya / ube jam
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp ube flavor / ube essence
Evaporated milk for topping
Dried herring or tuyo (optional)
Procedure
1.
Combine rice and water in a deep pot. Let it boil and stir occasionally.
2.
Continue boiling until the rice is fully cooked about 15-20 minutes.
3.
Add sugar and condensed milk. Stir until fully dissolved.
4.
Add ube halaya or ube jam. Stir until full combined.
5.
Add coconut milk and cook for 5 minutes.
6.
Add the ube flavor. Stir and cook until mixture becomes slightly thick.
7.
Transfer to a bowl and top with evaporated milk. It can also be paired with tuyo or dried herring if desired.
Notes
Best served for breakfast or snack.
Yields up to 10 servings.
Left over can be warmed up in the microwave for about 1 minute. Add a small amount of water if mixture becomes too dry.
Ube Jam Recipe
Ingredients
1-pound purple yam - (frozen) - boiled and mashed
1 can (10 fl oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (13.5 fl oz) coconut milk
1 can (12.5 fl oz) evaporated milk
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
Procedure
1.
Melt the butter in a wide, deep pan over medium heat. Add the grated yam and coconut milk. Bring it to a boil while stirring occasionally. Let it cook for 15 minutes. Transfer the yam mixture in a blender or use a stab mixer to turn it into a fine puree.
2.
Return the yam mixture back to the pan and add the remaining ingredients. Turn heat to medium-low and let it simmer while stirring regularly, for another 20-30 minutes or until it turns into a thick, sticky dough and pulls away from the side of the pan when stirring.
3.
Grease 2 -3 llanera (oval pan) generously with butter. Divide the ube halaya into the llanera and let it cool down to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
