Au Revoir, Singapour - Recipe: Steak Au Poivre

Against Singapore's striking skyline, a group of students cheer each other on at the Marina Barrage

When I look back at the year that has been "Sinning in Singapore", I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude. The circumstances that brought me across the causeway to make this country my new home were difficult, the reasons for staying rooted even more so, but I now know that I would not have had it any other way. Over the last twelve months, I've had to take a long, hard look at myself and what I want out of life.  By forcing me to acknowledge the mistakes of my past, I gained the invaluable experience of knowing myself better (the good, the bad and the ugly) and hopefully, with this knowledge, I can learn to be a better daughter, sister, friend, "mother" to Cooper, student. The last year gave me the opportunity to grow intellectually, emotionally and socially (too bad not economically) and to reevaluate my values and the principles that guide me.

Some of the oldest and most beautiful trees in Singapore can be found in Bukit Timah

Before I came here I was told that Singapore was not a nice place to live in - people told me that it would be too materialistic, too scripted, too sterile. I have to acknowledge that there are certainly some elements of truth there, but then again, all societies it would seem suffer from those traits, just in varying degrees. I have come to find Singapore quite charming (if only for the fact that it is refreshing to be in a country where things operate smoothly!). As I move my boxes and bags by the door and the clock ticks closer to this evening that will see me hop onto the plane to Paris, I am thinking about my most memorable moments of the year, inter alia:

• My brother and I struggling with my grocery cart full of wine and cartons of coke and 100 plus at Shop & Save at Westmall, and grunting as we carried our groceries to our shared apartment in the early days.
• My "secret" walks with S at the Botanic Gardens after economics and behind the library during night classes, when we just couldn't concentrate anymore.
• Saturday mornings at the Bukit Timah market, stopping to talk to the mutton, vegetable, and noodle sellers who often wondered whether I was feeding a family of ten.
• Running all around Singapore taking photos and having dim sum with KT and PC in Chinatown.
• Early morning breakfasts and walks with Cooper at the Botanic Gardens.
• The chaos, crowds...oh and hmmm, the food at Little India
• Watching the cars zip by along Dunearn Road with B on Sunday mornings
• Gal time with G - meeting at Robinsons, catching a rom-com at Plaza Sing and lounging by the pool during the weekends
• Having a quiet chat with TM and Z about relationships in a corner of the tree-lined, quaint BTC campus
• Getting my hands utterly smothered with chilly crab at East Coast Parkway
• Enjoying great conversations, facilitated by soggy fries and sauvignon blanc, at the Wine Company
• Driving through Singapore, just like the old days, with dad and mum to look for items for the house, stopping for chicken rice for lunch.
• Looking for the "elephant" of Linden Drive and talking late into the night with S, with Amby and Rover by our side
• Hyperventilating while driving through the narrow streets of Serangoon Gardens
• Watching the ships, tankers and the blinking lights of Sentosa while enjoying a glass (or two) at the Promenade
• Nighttime walks, especially after the rain, at Hillview
• Dancing at a concert at the Esplanade, even though I probably looked like a fool

Nothing says Gong Xi Fa Cai like a steaming hotpot

At the end of the day, life, I suppose,  is not one big thing, one big goal, one big moment, but a million different things all jumbled together. So much of what I associate Singapore with has revolved around the kitchen - having friends over for a dinner party, cooking half a cow for the brother, reuniting with my loved ones for Chinese New Year and Christmas. So, Au Revoir, Singapour - I will miss you.

To symbolize the move, I am presenting below, a recipe for Steak Au Poivre, a classic French sauce that is absolutely exquisite. I am also sharing some tips on cooking steak, a meal that I've always been a little afraid to serve because of how badly it can go. The recipe is per portion, but you can easily double or triple up if you're feeding a crowd.

Ingredients
1 rib eye steak, about 1-1 1/2 inches thick, weighing about 200g each
1 clove garlic, smashed lightly
1 stick of rosemary
Olive oil to drizzle
Fleur de sel and freshly cracked pepper to taste

For the sauce:
2 shallots, minced finely
2 tbsp Cognac
1/4 cup reduced brown stock
2-3 tbsp whipping or thickened cream
Freshly chopped parsley to garnish
Fleur de sel and coarsely cracked pepper to taste

First, prepare your steak. Place your steak in a bowl large enough to accommodate the whole piece. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub salt and some pepper onto the meat. Drizzle olive oil, about 1-2 tbsp over the steak on both sides. Rub the clove of garlic over the meat and give it a light whack or two with your stick of rosemary for extra flavour. Leave aside for about 1 hour - this helps to bring the meat to room temperature.

Heat a non-stick pan over high heat until it begins to smoke slightly. Take it off the heat and add steak to the pan. Sear for 3-4 minutes on one side. Reduce heat to medium-low, turn steak over and cook for another minute or so for rare, or 3-4 minutes for medium. At this stage you can test for doneness by pressing the steak with your thumb. It should feel rubbery and make a slight dent (like putty) if its medium and rather firm (like a just ripe mango) if its well done. When steak is cooked to your liking, remove to a serving plate and tent with aluminum foil.

In the same pan, brown your shallots, scraping the bottom of the pan. When shallots are wilted, add Cognac and let most of it boil away. Add reduced brown stock to the pan, crank up the heat a little and simmer for another 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add cream and a generous handful of coarsely cracked black pepper. Add salt to taste and garnish with parsley. Pour sauce over the steak and serve immediately.