Painting My Plate: Transforming Food Photos into Watercolor Art

I just had to share these with you. After editing some of my food photos using AI, I was completely blown away by the results. They turned out in this gorgeous, soothing watercolor style that looks like authentic canvas paintings.

I’ve put together a few collages so you can compare my original photos side-by-side with the AI-transformed versions and see the difference for yourself. I won't be listing the full recipes in this home cooking post as this is purely a visual showcase, but if you're curious about how I cooked any of these dishes, you can find the full step-by-step details in my YouTube Short videos at each section.

For now, I hope these soft, artistic edits bring a little bit of comfort and inspiration to your screen!

Air-Fried Drumlets/Mid-Wings (not Frozen Chicken)

Air fryer recipes are an absolute lifesaver. Beyond keeping meals healthy, you save so much oil, which is a nice bonus when we all need to be a bit more mindful of our energy and resource consumption! IYKYK.

As a working professional who prefers home-cooked meals over expensive take-outs, I genuinely love the invention of marinade packs. Scanning my pantry, I stumbled upon a packet of McCormick Air Fryer Marinade that had been sitting there for a while. Deciding not to let good food go to waste, I whipped it up, and it effortlessly made a complete meal for the two of us. Quick, delicious, and zero hassle.

Air fryer Timing: 180 deg C for 9 minutes on 1 side, 8 minutes on another after flipping. 

Note: Marinate overnight instead of just 10 minutes. Spray some oil on the chicken before cooking and that includes flipping time. 

Air-fried Soy Garlic Drumlets/Mid-Wings

Air-fried Spicy Korean Drumlets/Mid-Wings

Stir-Fry Udon (not Fried Noodles)

I tried to distract myself by clearing out the fridge because I simply couldn't bring myself to work. My thoughts were so confused and mixed up. I asked myself, Do I need the energy just to cry myself out? Or am I just eating for the sake of eating? I honestly don't know. I also can't eat proper too during that week.

This plate of Fried Udon carries a lot of emotion for me. A few days before my beloved baby tortoise passed away, my dad had given me a pack of udon. On the very day of her cremation, while still deep in grief, I decided to stir-fry for myself the last pack instead of making a soup version.

It was a quiet, heavy meal cooked in the middle of heartache, but looking at it now reminds me of the support around me during those painful moments of loss.

Note: Boil the Udon separately before cooking so that it can take away some Alkaline taste.

Stir-Fry Udon with some greens and protein

Indomie (not Hong Kong Style Instant Noodles Soup - 港式公仔面)

Doesn't this look just like a plate of Hong Kong-style Instant Noodles?

The twist: mine is a dry version, made using a jumbo pack of Indomie! While instant noodles usually get a bad rap, you can easily turn them into a balanced meal by loading up on extra protein and fiber.

If you missed my previous video on how to prep instant noodles without that heavy, waxy feeling, make sure to go back and check it out!

Instant Noodles can be done healthier when added with greens and proteins

Fusilli Soup (not Macaroni Soup)

Can you believe I scored a pack of Fusilli at Japan Home for just $1?

I’ve had a massive craving for classic Macaroni Soup lately (Fried Macaroni would have worked, too!). Since there wasn't any macaroni in stock, I grabbed the fusilli figuring it would do the trick and it definitely did.

Using Mushroom Stock Powder I picked up in Batam, I whipped up a rich, comforting broth in minutes. To make it a complete, satisfying meal, I topped it off with crispy fried eggs and thick slices of luncheon meat. Pure, simple comfort food right at home.

No Macaroni? Fusilli will do the trick.

Mini Scallion Pancakes (not Roti Prata)

I’m back on my mission to clear out the kitchen pantry, and first up on the hit list is half a bag of plain flour! After using it for Hamantash, I decided to try my hand at making Scallion Pancakes for the very first time.

I kept things simple by searching online for a straightforward recipe using basic ingredients I already had at home. One big lesson learned: you definitely cannot make a good scallion pancake in an air fryer. I tested it so you don't have to, and it was a total failure! Good old pan-frying is still the undisputed champ for getting that proper crispy texture.

Pardon my amateur cooking skills. My rolling technique resulted in all sorts of odd shapes! But hey, they still made for a delicious, comforting breakfast.

First Attempt on Mini Scallion Pancakes

Dinner for 2 pax (not Breakfast)

I’m getting my act together. Despite everything that has happened recently, even while feeling at my lowest, I’m forcing myself not to give in to laziness. Starting 1 September 2026, I am officially putting a stop to food delivery apps. Between platform fees and marked-up prices, delivery has gotten unreasonably expensive just because of CONVENIENCE, and letting pantry items sit until they expire is just pure food and money wastage.

From now on, the rule is simple: either cook at home with what’s available or step out of the house for take-outs.

I put this into practice for Sunday dinner. I didn't step out of the house once and whipped up our meal entirely from scratch using only ingredients already sitting in the kitchen. It felt good to take back control, one small home-cooked meal at a time.

Fried Beehoon

Scallion Omelette

Sambal Prawns

Dad's TV-Inspired Creations

Always be daring enough to try, even if the dish doesn't turn out perfect, you still learn from it. That’s a lesson I constantly learn from watching my dad in the kitchen.

He loves getting inspired by cooking or travel TV shows, recreating the dishes he fancies at home using whatever ingredients he can find on hand. He's never afraid to experiment! Now, let me share a few of his latest creations and home-cooked experiments with you.

Homemade Pineapple Jelly

Bitter gourd Omelette 

Laksa Johor Inspired

Sambal Prawn Petai

Fried Porridge

Setting boundaries with my habits is just step one. Cutting out delivery fees and actually using what’s in my pantry feels like a small win I really needed right now. One day, one meal, and one pantry item at a time. Wish me luck as I stick to this pledge!