Happy New Year 2011

Where did 2010 go. How come time flies so fast. Is it because when I reach a certain age, time just from a mild stroll end up with a quick run? Well at least 2010 has a happier ending than 2009. Glad to have found old friends and new friends in 2010. So glad some of them are my angels on earth. Our friendship after 20+ years are still like those teenages days. Thanks to Fb. Technology is a great thing when use with the right motive.

Well I did start a New Year with lots of Bang and bright light. Went for watch night service and waited for the fireworks. But didn't join the BBQ... aged liao got sleepy at 11.45pm and have a hard time staying awake or is it because of the antibiotics? I have no idea.
On thing I do know is that I must no be complacent since the world is constantly changing.
So must I but for better or worse is up to me and which path I choose I must not have regrets.
Life is short. Got to live it to the fullest and healthily.

I can't wait for what 2011 brings me. Be it good or bad, all I can do is learn from it and constantly have a thanksgiving heart. Each year, I am moulded in to a better person and building of a better character by God's grace. God is good all the time. Hallelujah!

My first attempt at pasta baking 11/11/10

Pei Yin posted a picture of her baked Italian pasta and got me salivating for it.
It looks so yummy and a look at the recipe and I am hook.
Vegetables cut, chicken breast marinated, pasta bought. Alarm clock set yesterday!
Oh no! It’s 6.55am, I woke up late…note to self get a louder alarm clock.
Ok boil the pasta with salt.. how much is 3 cups of pasta? How much salt to put?
Nevermind just put the whole 500gm in. Is 1 tbsp of salt enough?

Next brown the chicken with 4tbsp of olive oil, why still not brown yet after 10mins?
How come got more oil come out ??? Er.. better spoon the chicken out.
Ok put the garlic in… next throw the veg (I put 2 tomatoes in cubes, 1 capsicum cut in stripes, Hong Kong spinach & 1 can slice button mushroom) and sprinkle come salt in. Stir fry and let it wallow in the wok while I put garlic butter on the pasta. Note: 3 cups means half a packet. (Hmmm let mom think what to do with the rest of the pasta. Looks like I am having it for dinner and lunch tomorrow.)

Vegs are done, put 2 tbsp of tomato puree and mix. Now spoon the veg into the pasta and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
Eeek! It’s 7.45am! Ok set oven to 230deg celcius and bake till 8am. Need to go to work!

Comments from colleques :- Pasta not enough salt, not enough tomato taste… must google how to put more tomato taste into my pasta. Put cabbage better than put HK spinach.

Seafood in Kuala Selangor 5/11/10

We decided to go to Kuala Selangor for lunch on Deepavali. I have been to Kuala Selangor for more than 10 years and the last time I went, it was rainy season. The weather was great, clear blue skies, sunny and hot. We arrive 5 minutes to 12noon and the parking was limited.
Thankfully the restaurant wasn't that full. The food taste nicer now than our later order.
So id you want tastier food, go early before the lunch crowd.
Restaurant riverview. Brother says it is better than Jeti restaurant. He says weekday have set lunch price at RM23 for 3 person. A good deal.

Opposite is 168. Thier prawn cracker is good. RM6 for 5 packets or RM12 for 10.

The crab statue in front of the restaurant.

Riverview. Nice cool breeze. Total relaxation.

Kill germs anyone?

Local coconut. Not as good and as sweet as Thailand but it's great on a hot day.

Dragon fruit juice with cincau. Good and concentrated.

Garlic, ginger scalop... also nothing spectacular. A bit salty. Good as appetizer and the sauce good with rice.

Oyster egg omelette, the wet type. nothing to shout about till you put their chili sauce. Then it is yummy.

Kungpo mantis prawn. Nice but nothing spectacular.

This is the restaurant speciality. It is appetising and goes great with rice. I added rice just for the sauce. It is call 3 taste fish I think. Got sweet, tangy and spicy.

Fried meehoon with crab. Not recommended. Was really dissapointed with this dish. The meehoon had the overcook smell. I think a little longer we will get burnt smell in the noodle.

Luckily the buttermilk sauce and the sweet, tangy, spicy sauce from the fish save the meehoon.

Buttermilk crab is delicious. Eventhough the crab is small but the flesh is fresh and plentiful. Love the sauce, great with bread and we smoother some on the meehoon too.

Egg yolk fried sotong. Tastewise it's nice but the sotong is overdone so it is chewy. We order this dish much later when there werealot of customer.

This is where I got the fish skin dumpling. They have 2 types, fish filing or pork filling. The pork filling is nicer but both very salty. It cost me RM5.00. tupperware.

It hot, look at the sweat....

Olden shop houses...makes me think of my granny days.

The view on the way back home.

Brother Dessert in Subang Jaya 4/11/10

I wanted something sweet and decide to drag brother dear along for some 'tong sui'.

Opposite Asia Cafe, a new 'tong sui' shop was open and seem to be doing great.

So arm with their offer coupons, I ordered bead curd with mango, red date with aloe vera.

The double boiled milk and their durian pancake came highly recommended.

I find the red dated with aloe vera too sweet for my liking.

The bean curd with mango and pomelo is delicious but brother dear don't like the pomela sac. Not too sweet and brother order it cold. So it is refreshing.

Hmmm now I can go here for the durian pancake instead of tapau from mid valley.

Durian pancake comes in 2 pieces and cost RM8.00. Comes with light airy cream and real durian. Yummylicious

The double boil mik custard is milky, silky and smooth. Just like the ones I had in Shunde. Too bad they don't have the ginger milk custard. The lady says the ginger is not good enough, so they didn't make. Hmmm really got quality control.

Can't believe I spend over RM20 for dessert.

Curry Pork Rice and Satay in Old Town 3/11/10

Oh No, it's 5.30pm and the Federal Highway is sure jam. Little old me hates being stuck in traffice jam even if I am driving an auto car. So I went to AmCorp MAll for a little shopping.. yes AmCorp has book shop that sells really cheap books. I came out after 2 hours and was famished. Decided to go to old town for some yummy curry pork rice. I really miss it. I grew up eating this with curry chicken gravy almost every other Sunday until I shifted house. This is my childhood food. It cost me RM4.00 for the curry pork rice with free curry chicken gravy and soup. That is a good deal.
I found a parking space and got a whiff aromatic satay being grilled. Wanted to eat that too but then the stomach cannot cope so decide to tapau and force brother to eat as supper with me.
The satay is good. Not too oily and well marinated with a hint of lemon grass. Cost of per satay stick is 60 cents which is cheap.

My first attempt at baked salmon 31/10/10

There was a warehouse sale next to my brother's office. Initially I only thought of buying can tuna as the only thing I am good at is making tuna sandwich.
The lady there persuaded me that the frozen salmon is a good buy. At RM27/kg, I guess it is a steal.

Google the recipe and have my first attempt at bake salmon which was quite easy.

Just 2 tablespoon of melted garlic butter, 2 clove of garlic, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper and 1/2 tbsp of dill and 4tbsp of lemon juice and bake at 200 Celcius for 20 minutes

The result was... yummy for my mom and the rest of the family it was ok. Reason being... not enough salt. So the next time I will put 1tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper.

Steamy Affair at Brother Yat 30/10/10

I finally found Brother Yat after 3 weeks of looking for it. It turns we were suppose to turn right at the traffic light before Giant and upon reaching the 3rd road, turn left and Brother Yat Restaurant is there.

I have been wanting to try the sauna prawns and german pork knuckles.

Half a glass of beer and 300gm of prawns and loads of steam later... fresh succulent, sweet prawns. Can be eaten on is own or with the sauce that came with it.

The german knuckle with mongolian sauce, great on its own or as an accompanion with beer or wine. I love it without the sauce. The mongolion sauce is too spicy for me. The pickle vege helps to ease the rich taste of the pork.

The XO taufu accompanied with long bean is yummy. The belacan paku pakis is great with rice too. Total damage is RM90 with the most expensive is the german knuckle.