Quay Po Cooks

We are Women, hear us ROAR!

2012-03-05T10:14:00.000+08:00

With reference to my post titled "Deadly words used by Women", a phrase I have included is "I am Woman, hear me roar". My Quay Lo told me the phrase comes from a song by Australian artist Helen Reddy. Sunday, a week ago, I googled and found this video. Such a beautiful song and a wonderful tribute to women.

While I was watching the video, I received an unexpected phone call. I heard this sweet voice addressing me as Aunty Veronica and introducing herself as Xandria. She said she was with a new radio station (only about four months old) called Capital Fm 88.9 and it is the first radio station in Malaysia that targets a young, urban, female demographic. The video and the phone call at the same time made for an interesting co-incidence.

Xandria explained to me that the station is the only radio station in our country that provides women a voice and a hub to exchange thoughts and opinions. Isn't that fantastic? Then she told me that she heard about my blog and found that the stories posted there would be something that all women could relate to and she would like to invite me to be a guest on her show. Me? Going on the air? Thousands of women hearing my voice? Wow!

Uh oh, wow indeed. After the initial adrenalin rush, I began to feel nervous. I told her my English was not so good. She assured me that it is not a formal interview and was just a very casual chit chat session. She asked me to just be myself and speak like me. Ohkay! LOL! She also told me that the general theme of her programs is “Anything is possible” and is intended to showcase discussions with women who have overcome adversity, or have pursued a dream and I liked that idea! I was so very pleased to hear about the existence of a program like this even though I felt a little apprehension about being a guest on the show. Nevertheless, Xandria was so charming, enthusiastic, and upbeat I could not have resisted. So Wednesday came and I was expected to be in the studio at 5.45pm because the show would start at 6.00pm.

I think all women within broadcast range (which includes access on the station's web site from anywhere on the globe) should be interested. For more info, just click on the picture of Xandria and her co-DeeJay, Liang to get registered. I am WOMAN so I DID!

The Jam Break with DJ Xandria Ooi and Dj Liang

Quay Po with Xandria and Liang

It was the first time I had ever stepped into a radio station’s studio and I was a little nervous, but it did not take me long to feel at home because Xandria and Liang were so warm and friendly. When the show started, we spoke as if we were chatting over tea and we had so much fun, especially when I told them about my “Lucy” moments. Here are links to the recording of the interview if you care to listen. We did only managed to record the first half of the interview. It was a rather long session, totaling around forty minutes so I had to cut the recording up in sections.

Section 1 - Tough time
Section 2 - Bake cake in the toaster?
Section 3 - Quay Po's quote
Section 4 - Aunty Lucy
Section 5 - Lucy Moment and time to say goodbye

Since I knew I was going to the studio and talk about Quay Po Cooks, I thought I might as well bake something for them to try. I brought them a box of kumquat mini cupcakes, a recipe that was adapted from one posted by Wendy of "Table For Two Or More". This is one of the desserts she brought to the Chinese New Year Bloggers Potluck lunch that we had at the home of Sonia of "Nasi Lemak Lover" not long ago. I love these mini cupcakes for their delicous low key flavor. I recommend that you try this.

Kumquat almond mini cupcakes

Adapted from Table for two or more (with slight modification)

Makes 12 pcs 2x2-inch cupcakes

Ingredients:

Mixture (A)
35gm all purpose flour

50gm ground almond

½ tsp baking powder

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60gm butter

50gm caster sugar

2 eggs

60gm kumquat puree (recipe below)

18 pcs poached kumquat halves (recipe below)

1 tsp vanilla extract (I added this)

Method:

Prepare 12, 2x2 inch cupcakes liner. Preheat oven at 150(fan)/170C. Sift flour and baking powder. Mix in ground almond (Mixture A), set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Put in Mixture A in 2 additions, mixing well after each. Mix in kumquat puree. Divide batter equally into prepared cupcake liners and top with a kumquat half. Bake for 10 mins (2x2 inch) or longer for larger cupcake liners.

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Kumquat compote

Ingredients:

20 kumquats

Sugar

Water

Method:

Weigh kumquats and prepare equal amount of water (in weight) and half amount of sugar (ratio: 2:2:1, kumquat:water:sugar, eg : 200gm:200gm:100gm)

Half kumquats and remove seeds. Put cleaned kumquats, sugar and water into a saucepan and cook (on med heat)until the kumquat looks glossy and soft. Remove 12 pcs of halves and puree the rest with some of the syrup.

Keep the balance of the puree to make linzer kumquat cookies which I will be sharing the recipe with you soon.

Haiyah, go bake and cook instead of gossip

2012-03-01T13:28:00.000+08:00

Here is an excerpt from an article by Frank McAndrew, Professor of Psychology at Knox College, saying that, spreading negative gossip could benefit the gossiper but would you do it? I wouldn't!

"I do not deny that gossip is usually perceived to be a negative thing by the person being gossiped about and that it can have destructive effects, but gossip can also have beneficial effects for groups and for individuals who gossip as well. First of all, the presence of social gossip serves as a deterrent, and it keeps people honest. Knowing that your reputation will suffer via gossip may force you to carry your share of the load in a work group and keep you from exploiting people with whom you come into contact. Also, sharing gossip is a sign of trust, and it helps to create social bonds between people and build cohesiveness within groups. You can also become more socially successful by tuning into the gossip network. You can learn the unwritten rules and customs of a group that you are new to and also gain valuable information about others than can be used to get ahead."

The article suggests a positive benefit to the group (and/or the gossiper) even if it is negative gossip. It seems a rational argument, but we know intuitively that the subject of the gossip is often negatively affected to some degree, not least of which is because gossip is often innacurate. Furthermore, gossip, is likely to affect our own appraisal of the subject, driving us to wrong conclusions. A simpler way to say this is that we could be, and often are, dead wrong. Gossip, is notoriously innacurate, especially in the re-telling, which seems to be the sole purpose of gossip. If gossip is not passed along it dies. If it is not passed along, there IS no group. How often does that happen?

There have been many occasions, where I found I had to struggle with deciphering between idle chit chat and gossip. Nevertheless, there is a difference in my view. Idle chit chat is like talking about the weather or the headlines of the day. When the conversation turns to being about someone it often becomes gossip. Gossip can be mild, and not result in injury. It can even be favorable. So when my gut feeling tells me that a conversation has reach a stage where I feel uncomfortable, it is time to excuse myself. I certainly do not want to cross the fine line between chit chat and gossiping. My mum used to say "if you have a daughter, do not gossip about another person's daughter; if you have a son, do not gossip about another person's son". Her point was simply that one can just as easily become the victim of gossip as the source of gossip. In other words, "what goes around comes around".

When a conversation turns into gossip, we will know it immediately. The other day, I was at the salon for a haircut, and I overheard two women talking about one of their common friends. What they were saying was particularly damaging, and involved conjecture. I knew I should mind my own business, but I could not help wondering why they had nothing better to do. I thought of asking them if they would like to spend their time to learn how to make these almond crisps in today's recipe instead. Of course, I held my horses and did not do that. Otherwise, I may have been drawn into an argument and ended up with two tight slaps from those two old cackling hens! AIYOH!! LOL!

You are going to love these treats, especially as they are the easiest thing to make that I have found since I became attracted to cooking and baking. I call it a "no brainer" and I love, love, recipes like this!! Warning: They are super delicious and VERY addictive. Once you start eating them it is nearly impossible to stop. They are far more compelling than the peanuts that Chinese restaurants bring to your table after seating. (We all know how fast we empty that bowl.) I suppose that this is similar to the gossiping I witnessed in the salon. Those poor old aunties could not stop themselves. Gossip is like peanuts.... or worse...like almond crisps. However, the only victim involved will be your waistline so proceed with caution.

Note: The Quay Lo taste test was a resounding success, though I only gave him one small piece. He has since asked me to make another batch and said he wants that to be all his own. Reason being the I finished the first batch all by myself. LOL!

Here are the two methods to make these wonderful crisps. Take your pick. I am lazy to do from scratch, so I used Bienetta mix.

I saw these almond flakes being sold in Tong Kee and a very small packet cost RM11.00. Now that I know how to make it myself, there is no way I will buy it. OOOO... SO expensive! I think with 600gms of Bienetta mix, I can make 10 small packets like those sold in Tong Kee. And if you are not lazy, do it from scratch, your cost will be even cheaper.

Almond Crisps

Using Pre-mix

Get this magic mix called Bienetta. A packet of 600 gms cost RM25.00 (I think). I got mine from Pastry Pro.

Ingredients:

150 gm Bienetta

200 gm almond flakes

Method:

Mix above items thoroughly and spread thin layer on the parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 170 degress C for 13 minutes of till it is golden brown.

From Scratch:

Ingredients:

3 egg whites

1/4 cup or 32gm (all purpose) flour

1/3 cup or 67m sugar

2 tbsp oil

1 1/2 cup or 128gm almond flakes

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celcius (350 Fahrenheit). Spread the above mixture thinly across a silpat or parchment paper.

Bake on mid shelf for 16 minutes. The sides usually turn brown first. Cover the sides with aluminium foil, close the oven door and turn off the heat. Just leave the almond cookie crisps in the oven. Alternatively, you can break off the brown edges or cover it with strips of aluminum paper (shiny side out) and put the rest back into the oven, turn off the oven heat, and leave the almond brittel in the oven.

The brittle should break easily. If not, it is not dry enough.

Tip: My Quay Lo came into the room one evening after the second batch had been made. He had crushed a couple pieces of the brittle and sprinkled it on a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Wow!

Broken glass and empty bottles

2012-02-26T14:14:00.002+08:00

Last week, I took my mum and my god-sister’s former maid to lunch. I call her "Kiew jay". Since she is a vegetarian, we went for vegetarian food in a little restaurant near her home.

Here are what we had:

From left: black pepper udon, sui kow soup, special fried rice

I do not think I want to tell you where this restaurant is because it is one that I will not go back to. Their food is forgettable and it is rather expensive and service was not very good.

Kiew jay is someone I admire for her positive attitude and outlook on life despite adversity. She is a widow. She married rather late at the age of almost 40 but her marriage was short lived. It lasted only ten months. Her husband was a construction worker and he fell to his death from a building. After her husband passed away, she returned to my god-sister’s family to work as a maid again. A few years later, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Fortunately, after she went through a major surgery to remove the tumor, she fullly recovered. After the surgery she quit the maid’s job and started her own business selling vegetarian food. It is amazing for someone who is illiterate and had never done anything other than being a maid in the past. She seemed to be able to support herself and lead a simple life with the income from the business. Although her life has been a challenge and tough in many respects, she said she is at peace and her policy is to live like there is no tomorrow. She said tough times made her a stronger person. That was exactly what my son, Nick said when he shared a piece of short music that he composed and arranged recently. He gave the music the title, “Broken glass and empty bottles”. He explained that this piece was about the tough times in our lives and how we are all challenged to reach inside for endurance and stay strong to get passed it.

Broken glass and empty bottles - composed and arranged by Nick Davis

When I listened to the music I felt some tears swelling in my eye. The music and Nick's comments sent me back in time. It reminded me about the tough time of being a widow and a single mum. I remembered an incident where I came home late at night after a visit with my step brother and his family. Nick was only 3 years old. We were staying on the 4^th floor of a walk-up apartment and there was no lift. My baby was asleep and I could not bring myself to wake him up. So I carried him and walked up the stairs. When I reached the 2^nd floor, I broke down and began to cry silently. I was hurting and angry. I asked no one in particular "why?". Why had someone I loved been taken away from me? Why me? I felt an impulse to scream out loud but instinctually curbed myself from doing so. I did not want to awaken my baby or frighten him. It was a moment of deep self pity. It took me a few minutes to pick up the pieces and continue climbing the stairs. It was tough but those tough times that I have gone through have made me a stronger person. The beautiful thing is, I always got past those moments. Looking back I've learned that we human beings can endure a great deal and can be remarkably adaptable. It seems to suggest that when life throws us a curve ball, don’t duck it but catch it and run with it! We never know just how wonderful it might be at the end of that run.

There is a bestseller book that I have yet to read, called “A Widow's Story", a memoir by Joyce Carol Oates. I am sure I will be able to relate to her story. I will probably need a box or two of tissues beside me when I read it. It has a good review from Ann Hulbert in Sunday Book Review in The New York Times. You can click on the photo if you want to know more.

Grief is something I wish none of us had to experience, but it is an inevitable and universal part of life. None of us will escape its intrusion and when you think about it, grief is among those experiences that define who we are. To all the widows out there, I salute you for your survival and your strength. I hope you may draw some comfort from reading this. It is another beautiful writing by Khalil Gibran.

The Widow and Her Son XXI

Night fell over North Lebanon and snow was covering the villages surrounded by the Kadeesha Valley, giving the fields and prairies the appearance of a great sheet of parchment upon which the furious Nature was recording her many deeds. Men came home from the streets while silence engulfed the night.

In a lone house near those villages lived a woman who sat by her fireside spinning wool, and at her side was her only child, staring now at the fire and then at his mother.

A terrible roar of thunder shook the house and the little boy shook with fright. He threw his arms about his mother, seeking protection from Nature in her affection. She took him to her bosom and kissed him; then she sat him on her lap and said, "Do not fear, my son, for Nature is but comparing her great power to man's weakness. There is a Supreme Being beyond the falling snow and the heavy clouds and the blowing wind, and He knows the needs of the earth, for He made it; and He looks upon the weak with merciful eyes.

"Be brave, my boy. Nature smiles in Spring and laughs in Summer and yawns in Autumn, but now she is weeping; and with her tears she waters life, hidden under the earth.

"Sleep, my dear child; your father is viewing us from Eternity. The snow and thunder bring us closer to him at this time.

"Sleep, my beloved, for this white blanket which makes us cold, keeps the seeds warm, and these war-like things will produce beautiful flowers when Nisan comes.

"Thus, my child, man cannot reap love until after sad and revealing separation, and bitter patience, and desperate hardship. Sleep, my little boy; sweet dreams will find your soul who is unafraid of the terrible darkness of night and the biting frost."

The little boy looked upon his mother with sleep-laden eyes and said, "Mother, my eyes are heavy, but I cannot go to bed without saying my prayer."

The woman looked at his angelic face, her vision blurred by misted eyes, and said, "Repeat with me, my boy - 'God, have mercy on the poor and protect them from the winter; warm their thin-clad bodies with Thy merciful hands; look upon the orphans who are sleeping in wretched houses, suffering from hunger and cold. Hear, oh Lord, the call of widows who are helpless and shivering with fear for their young. Open, oh Lord, the hearts of all humans, that they may see the misery of the weak. Have mercy upon the sufferers who knock on doors, and lead the wayfarers into warm places. Watch, oh Lord, over the little birds and protect the trees and fields from the anger of the storm; for Thou art merciful and full of love.'"

As Slumber captured the boy's spirit, his mother placed him in the bed and kissed his eyes with quivering lips. Then she went back and sat by the hearth, spinning the wool to make him raiment.

My mother gets all of her vegetarian food supplies from Kiew jay. I know it is easy to get vegetarian food from supermarkets but somehow, those we buy from her are of a more superior quality. Shown here are the vegetarian roast goose and vegetarian fish that we bought from her recently. I deep fried the goose and my mum made fried fish in garlic and light soya sauce for dinner last night. Both were VERY DELICIOUS!

Deadly words used by Women

2012-02-23T09:13:00.001+08:00

This is SO, SO TRUE!

Hey ladies, tell me you never use any of the above words!! I got to confess that I have used every single one and the two that I use very often are No.2 and 4! LOL! It will be interesting to know what is yours.

Guys, do you get the drill now? The smart ones who do get it will probably get delicious roast vegetables from their woman (like these below), whereas those who don't, might just get roasted themselves! OUCH!! LOL!
(I am woman, hear me roar!)

Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 green capsicum

1/2 butternut squash, sliced

1 medium sweet potato, wedged

1 medium onion, cut into six portion

1 medium carrot, chunked

1 medium beet root, chunked

1 head garlic

1 sprig of sage

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

Make an aluminium foil paper cup in the center of a roasting pan. Put the green capsicum on it. Place all other vegetables around it and add olive oil cumin, salt and black pepper. mix well. Preheat oven at 220 degrees C or 450 degrees F and roast for 20 - 25 mins. Remove foil paper cup and green capsicum and remove skin and seeds. Slice capsicum and place onto serving plate together with all other roasted vegetables and serve with freshly bake crusty bread.

No Money, no Honey - Slipper guessing game

2012-02-22T23:43:00.000+08:00

Slipper guessing game is now closed.

In my last post, here are your guesses:

Ping of pingspicking - brown

mNhl of An on-line diary to share - beige

Sheoh Yan of Blog with Yan - beige

Carolyn of Lil" Dahling - beige

Adrine of Mainly about Elyssa - gold

Lena of Frozen Wings - gold

Yvonne of From Taiping with love - gold

This is mine

I am sorry there is no winner. However, please email me your address for I have a little surprise for all of you. My email address is quaypocooks@gmail.com

Thanks all for joining in the fun. You guys rock!! Hugs.

No Money No Honey

2012-02-20T13:37:00.003+08:00

There many ways to show someone gratitude and appreciation for what they have done for us. It can be expressed in a simple gesture like sending a small thank you note or a sincere compliment. The sincerity of gratitude is what gives the gesture its dignity and worth. Nowadays, we can express our thanks via social networking like Facebook, Twitter, ecards; or if you have a blog, you can express it there as well. Whatever method is used, the expression of thanks has a profound effect on the receivers when it is given sincerely. My Quay Lo is an expert in expressing gratitude and appreciation in very special ways. Four years ago, he bought air tickets for me and my three best friends to Bangkok for a holiday. He knew all the ladies liked to shop; and in Bangkok, you not only can shop till you drop, but there are so many delicious foods to explore, especially when one is big into spicy food and desserts. In short, it all adds up to a venue for a wonderful "Hen" party.

When we arrived at our apartment in Bangkok, we were greeted with the scent of fresh flowers, a new tea set that Quay Lo had purchased, and a pantry stocked up with tea, biscuits, chocolates and my favorite tid-bits. Some brightly colored cushions had been splashed about. There were equally colorful Thai silk shawls for us each of us to cuddle in when the sometimes difficult to control but needful air conditioning became too chilly. His small, spartain, business apartment had been converted into a well stocked and cosy resort room. There were four envelopes on the dining table, one for each of us. Inside was some shopping money and a hand written "thank you" note. In the notes he expressed his gratitude to the ladies accompanying me, for being there during a hospitalization I had undergone earlier in the year. In my note he thanked me for being me, and urged me to enjoy myself with such wonderful friends. We all were dumb founded! None of us had quite experienced such a heart felt or lavish expression of gratitude before. I don't think it could have been better expressed. I knew that he had wanted to make us smile. We all knew he was sincere in his gratitude, and not just because of his generosity. His personal effort was clear to us.We all did not just smile, but we grinned from ear to ear, exclaimed excitedly, even as we glowed inside.

During our visit we laughed at the signs of the infamous Bangkok night life that were readily apparent. It is often joked that when man gives money to a Thai lady, they will tell him, "I love you long time." However, the joke goes, if a man goes broke, she will say to him, "No money, no Honey." Darling, not to worry, got money, no money, your Honey still love you LONG time! LOL!

Shopping at Chatuchak Market, Bangkok

Showing off the new slippers we bought.

Guess which one is Quay Po's new slippers, I will give you a prize!

All dressed up in our new clothing with new costume jewelery for dinner.

We had dinner at my favorite Thai Restaurant Ban Kuhn Mae.

We had so much fun playing with the wigs

we got at the Platinum mall.

Do we all look different? LOL!

The making of Khao Niaow Ma Muang (Thai mango sticky rice) today, brought back sweet memories of the "all girls" fun trip to Bangkok. When I looked at those photos above, especially the ones in which we played with the wigs we bought at the Platinum mall, I could not help but laugh out loud. My mum commented that if we add the age of the four of us the total is more than 200 years, yet still we behaved like kids! I laughed and said to her;"Why not? Age is only a number." Body old, heart not old ma!" My mum smiled with a nod to concur with me. I guess we should do this again soon but for now, I am looking forward to my trip to Sibu next month. I am eager to meet up with some awesome blogger friends again and meet some new ones. We are going to have a ball and I am counting the days!

My version of Thai mango sticky rice (Khao Niaow Ma Muang)

Ingredients:

1 cup glutinous rice

2 ripe mangos, cut into bite-size pieces

6 Tbsp. gula Melaka (palm sugar)

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups thick coconut milk

1 ½ cup and 1 tbs water

Method:

Soak the rice water for 3 hours. Drain the rice. Simply add 1 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp water, 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1 tbsp. brown sugar and stir this into the rice. Bring to a gentle boil, then partially cover with a lid (leaving some room for steam to escape). Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the coconut-water has been absorbed by the rice. Turn off the heat, and leave the pot on the burner with the lid on tight. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. To To make the sauce, heat (but do not boil) the rest of the coconut milk over medium-low heat (about 5 minutes). Add 6 tbsp. sugar, stirring to dissolve. Taste-test the sauce for sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. (note that it will taste less sweet when added to the rice).

To assemble, place a "mound" of sticky rice in each serving bowl. Top with cubes of the mango, then pour sauce over generouly.

Four was not a crowd

2012-02-16T09:37:00.006+08:00

During the days of the ancient China, it was common for a successful man to have several concubines and four was definitely not a crowd. Why do I suddenly think of concubines? Well, listen to this conversation between me and my Quay Lo and you will understand.

Our conversation this morning:

Quay Po: Darling, I heard from one of my classmates that this Chinese medicine called “concubine” is very effective to relieve discomfort for cancer sufferers.

Quay Lo looked at me with full concentration, paused for a long while before he asked: Honey, is there such a medicine? What is it actually?

Quay Po: "Oh, I forgot what exactly it is but if I remember correctly, it is some kind of stone found in the stomach of the concubine". It is outrageously expensive! A small portion will cost thousands of dollars but then how do we know they are genuine?

At this point, I could see the frown and the puzzled look on my Quay Lo's face.

Quay Lo: What? Did you said "concubine"? What has the stone in the stomach of a dead mistress got to do with cancer?

Quay Po (still not realising what I had said and thinking Quay Lo was being sarcastic): What do you mean by dead mistress?

Quay Lo asked with a chuckle: Honey, you said "concubine".

Quay Po: OH NO!! Did I really?? I mean PORCUPINE lah!!

We both could not stop laughing for a while after that. What a way to start the day!

I wonder if it is just me, and that I had the right word in my head but the wrong word comes out of my mouth. This happens to me very often nowadays. My left became right and vice versa. I sometimes even say things backwards. I can't blame this on Lucy, can I? Oh well, the slip of the tongue is no fault of the mind.

Now, let me tell you why the title of my post is "Four was not a crowd". On Valentine's day, we had our dinner at a new French restaurant called "La Vie En Rose", in Kuala Lumpur. My Quay Lo selected this restaurant because it is owned by the same owner of Cuisine Studio in Tropicana where we had been frequent customers before it was closed. We had good experience with the ambience, the food and the service there.

Our table was the only one that had four of us. It may not be the kind of romantic dinner one would expect on Valentine’s day but I have to say, we enjoyed our time very much with our good friends although we were disappointed with the food and the service at the restaurant. The menu was "pre fixed" meaning there were no choices and the menu was "fixed". Here is what we were served that night.

We were greeted with a nice table setting, roses
and the Valentine's Menu telling us what we would be served. (No price was listed - scary huh?) But as Quay Lo said, "if you have to ask, you are probably in the wrong place".

We started the evening with a toast
to our friendship and our love for each other

multi-grain bread rolls were served - a very flavorful bun but only one pat of butter for four of us seemed stingy. We had to wait for more as staff were all very busy.

Trio of caviar - too bad it was imitation, a surprise given the status
the reastaurant aspires to. Nothing like the real thing!

French Fines de Claires oysters - I'v had better oysters than this elsewhere.
These lacked the pungent flavor that I hope for.

Foie gras - This was perfect and delicious!

Alantic blue lobster - this was slightly overcooked and tough

but the flavor was good and plating was attractive though a bit odd. We were served one plate each for two individuals, meaning we had to pass food back and forth.
Was this for saving time, or did they run out of clean dishes.

Left: Warm Vacherin cheese with truffled honey -
we all did not care for this as it was dry and too sweet.

Center: Grilled artichoke and celeriac mash - good flavor
(but I'd rather have my mashed potato)

Right: salad of lobtster claws in fresh citrus dressing -
dressing was refreshing and delicious.

Italian veal loin cooked in a bed of "hay" was a big disaapointment.

Again they served on a single plate for two people, requiring the passing back and forth.

The meat was tough and veiny, perhaps it would have benefitted from longer, slower cooking as my Quay Lo remarked that it had the consistency of a cheap cut of beef like stew meat.

This is a good Champagne but it was overpriced -

RM375.00 per bottle. I'd rather have the Moet Chandon

we brought with us but the house had a rule against accomodating

bringing our own bottle (in many places a corkage charge is levied).

While they had Moet Dom Perignon on their wine list,

it was a very high markup, so I guess we understand

why they do not want to accomodate BYOB.

Passion fruit and white chocolate red velvet heart -

Looked very fancy, it was delicious but I did not eat mine because

I did not like a non edible cheap ring in it.

I was sceptical about the cleanliness of the ring.

I think the idea is silly, and goes against the convention of pastry making
that all things in a pastry should be edible.

All of the above including the champagne cost us RM 900 per couple. I think it was overpriced or is it me being "Chinsy" again. However, we all agreed that from now on, no more Valentine's day "package" meals. We will have the fine dining dinner at Quay Po Cooks! I guarantee good food and service and also our own champagne and wine are allowed with no corkage fee. LOL!

In all fairness to the restaurant we think it must be difficult to handle a full crowd and certainly the service, though friendly, was frenetic. We had hoped for better. We made up for our disappointment with great company and a determination to enjoy ourselves.

Can you see our happiness radiating through our smiles?

Thank you Darling for planning this Valentine's dinner. Although it did not turn out as you wished, I know where your heart is and appreciate it very much. Fernand and Reena, thank you for joining us. I love you both.

Love hurts

2012-02-14T17:16:00.004+08:00

I have a several lady friends who are young enough to be my daughters. When they faced problems in their relationships with their partners, they have often come to me and poured their hearts out . Perhaps, they felt safe to confide in me because they knew I would not judge them. Very often, I have urged them to read this beautiful poem about love by Kahlil Gibran and try to begin to understand what love is all about. It is one of several poems my Quay Lo has introduced me to. From my first reading of it I felt that if we can gain an understanding of this passage: "love crowns you... so shall he crucify you", perhaps we will not be so surprised when love brings pain. We may even be able to blunt that pain with wisdom, understanding, and when neccessary, forgiveness. I hope you might see what I mean when you read the following.

On Love

(From "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran)

When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you yield to him,

Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him,

Though his voice may shatter your dreams

as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,

So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He sifts you to free you from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips

Today is Valentine’s day, a day which we have always celebrated every year. It is a very SPECIAL day for Quay Lo and I. We declared our love for each other on this day 16 years ago.

To celebrate our love, I started the day by giving my Quay Lo a Valentine’s gift at 1.45 a.m. in the morning. I bought him a new music player for use with the ipod and iphone. Yesterday I was busy loading his complete music library into the ipod. Just before bed time, I turned on the player so that when he walked into the bed room last night he would notice it immediately. He has always loved to have some music on at bedtime and takes great care to prepare elaborate playlists for relaxation. However, a few weeks ago his favorite ear phones quit working.

When it came time to retire for bed he hung back saying he wanted to do a final email check and see the stock prices before retiring. I went ahead upstairs and waited. Almost 30 minutes later I had to go back downstairs to urge him to come to bed. As I had guessed, he was absorbed in his work, but a gentle nudge was all he needed to switch off the lamp and the computer. When we got upstairs it was a BIG SURPRISE for him! He was so pleased and he loved the player. He kept saying it was SO COOL! and WOW!! What a nice feeling for me to hear him say that and see his obvious delight. To my Quay Lo music is the salve that soothes a man's soul. (Well, maybe that and a good meal.)

Today I knew my Quay Lo would not want a heavy lunch because he has plans to take me to a nice romantic dinner at our favorite French restaurant in the city this evening. So, I made a simple brunch for him - home made grilled pork burger, with egg and cheese on ciabatta sandwiches. What do you think?

Heart shape sandwich

Ingredients:

2 pcs ciabatta bread (cut into different size heart shape)

4 pcs of cheddar cheese (cut into different size heart shapes)

lettuce

2 eggs for frying (stir with a fork and fry flat, over medium)

cherry tomatoes

mayonnaise

salt and pepper to taste

pork burger

For the pork burger:

10 ounces hand chopped pork shoulder
2 tbsp duck fat
1 tbspn finely chopped spring onion
1 tbspn finely chopped fresh coriander
2 tbspns finely chopped fennel bulb
1/4 tspn chili powder
1/4 tspn ground carraway seeds
ground black pepper and salt to taste
1 raw egg, stirred with a fork

Mix ingredients in a bowl by hand until all are well distributed throughout, cover bowl with cling wrap, and place in the fridge for thirty minutes.

Remove from fridge and make patties to the desired size.

Heat duck fat in skillet over medium flame and fry until the meat is slightly pink inside. Turn down heat to low and place slices of cheese on each pattie. When cheese just starts to melt remove patties to a plate topped with paper towels to drain. Cover with aluminum foil. Prepare grilled ciabbata bread and assemble sandwiches. Serve with stone ground corn chips, cole slaw, sweet gherkins, and an ice cold beer (tip: place beer glasses in the freezer for 5 minutes before pouring the beer.)
Serves two

Though quite simple to make this is one of my guy's favorites. He literally moans with pleasure as he bites into the sandwich, LOL.

Hope you too will be having a wonderful and memorable Valentine's Day and remember -

"Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love"

I'm submitting for Valentine Hearts: Heart-shaped dishes for Valentine's Day!

Hard Headed Woman

2012-02-12T09:36:00.003+08:00

A man doesn't fall in love with the woman he can live with. A man falls in love with the woman he can't live without. Your man will not necessarily love you for what you do for him. He will not be head over heals for you just because you bend over backwards to please him. Some of the reading I've done suggests that a woman who is willing to sacrifice her wants and needs to please her man isn’t appealing to him, but is just convenient for him to have around, a fact he is likely to take for granted. The reverse is likely to also be true. For an intellligent man, it is the hard-headed woman, one who will stand up for herself and challenges him, that he most appreciates and respects. A good man doesn't want to have a doormat as his woman. He likes to make his woman happy and that in turn will make him happy. I believe we all fall in love with how our partners make us feel. So ladies, remember it is not the things that you do that put your man on top of the world. It is the how you make him feel that turn him into an addict for you.

There is a song called "hard headed woman" by Cat Stevens. This is a great song with awesome lyrics. I was introduced to this song by my Quay Lo during the early years of our marriage, and to be honest, I fall in love with him all over again each time I listen to this song, largely because of what he told me about how he viewed me, and what the song presents so poetically. Why do I feel so lovey dovey? Aah..perhaps love is in the air. Valentine's Day is around the corner. May I wish you all an ENJOYABLE and LOVELY Valentine's day and let's enjoy the song for now!

Hard Headed Woman

I'm looking for a hard headed woman,

One who will take me for myself,

And if I find my hard headed woman,

I will need nobody else, no, no.

I'm looking for a hard headed woman,

One who will make me do my best,

And if I find my hard headed woman

I know the rest of my life will be blessed -- yes, yes, yes.

I know a lot of fancy dancers,

people who can glide you on a floor,

They move so smooth but have no answers.

When you ask "Why'd you come here for?"

"I don't know" "Why?"

I know many fine feathered friends

but their friendliness depends on how you do.

They know many sure fired ways

to find out the one who pays

and how you do.

I'm looking for a hard headed woman,

One who will make me feel so good,

And if I find my hard headed woman,

I know my life will be as it should -- yes, yes, yes.

I'm looking for a hard headed woman,

One who will make me do my best,

And if I find my hard headed woman...

So ladies, are you one hard headed woman? And, guys, how are you going to spend this Valentine's Day with yours?

I could hear the song playing while I was in the kitchen cooking green bean and creamed corn soup for dinner last evening. Very naturally, I found myself singing along and cooking at the same time but when it comes to the part when Cat Stevens sang, "I'm looking for a hard headed woman..", I sang, "I'm looking for a bull headed man.." LOL!

Here is the simple yet delicious soup we had for a one dish meal last evening. I had mine with rice and Quay Lo had his with freshly baked crusty bread. Try it!

Green bean and creamed corn soup

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil

1/2 green onions, chopped

1 can corn

1 can green beans

2 cups chicken broth

½ cup cooking cream

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan at medium heat. Add onions cook till translucent. Stir in corn and and green beans and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

I smelled the food but I lost my way

2012-02-09T15:05:00.007+08:00

I was excited. I always am when our local bloggers plan a get together. While blog sharing in cyberland is what we all love and revolve around, I love the chance to get up, close, and personal with my pals. It is all the more festive & fun if we have a solid excuse to party. What better a reason than the Chinese New Year? Wendy of Table for two and more was the bright light of recognition that we all would be silly to pass up this chance and very kindly organized a Chinese New Year (CNY) lunch for local bloggers. Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover generously opened her beautiful home to host the lunch. I was looking forward to this lunch scheduled for fourteenth day of the traditional CNY celebrations . When the day finally arrived, I woke up early that morning to prepare the cauliflower and potato in chilli tuna salad. I left the house early at 11.15am (though the lunch as set for 12 noon). If a person blessed with a normal sense of direction drove it, they would probably reach Sonia’s house within 20 minutes. It took me 1 hour to reach her house and would have taken longer if not for Sonia’s hubby who was so kind to patiently direct me by phone on how to get there. My Quay Lo said he is very grateful that I can find my way home every night. Oh Darling, how blessed are you!! LOL!

When I arrived at Sonia's home, Lena of Frozen Wings was there already. Sharon of Feats of Feasts arrived shortly followed by Wendy of Table for two or more and Swee San of The Sweet Spot. Although all had arrived, there was still a little last minute cooking and plating for all of us to do before we could sit down and enjoy an array of home cooked delicious food.

LOOK!!

The above photo shows the lovely table setting by Sonia

and below photos show her famous

nasi lemak with peanuts, hard boiled eggs,

boiled kangkung, deep fried anchovies, fried chicken,

sambal prawns and the best sambal belacan I have ever had.

Sonia also made us a special drink that was so yummy and refreshing.

She called it Lychee lime soda

Food by Wendy

beef rendang, kamquat almond mini cake and
Goiabinhas

Food by Quay Po

Cauliflower, potato, romanian lettuce in chilli tuna salad,

Swedish wedding balls and pheasant pate and cheese on mini toasted bread

Food by Lena

Pandan kueh, sweet sour crab and scallop kueh

Food by Sharon

stuffed you tiau with pork and

apple salad/slaw

Food by Swee San

Sicile (top l. & r.) an entremet of pistachio and blackberry cake,

and a Plum frangipane tart (below). Exquisite!

Last year, our CNY Blogger's lunch was at the home of Reese of Reese Kitchen and you can see we had lots of wonderful food then as well. Time flew and one year passed already.

Reese was supposed to join us but she could not make it. Though her plans were changed, it was so thoughtful of her to send the chicken wings that she had marinated through Sharon.

Reese, thank you so much for the delicious chicken wings. We wish you were here with us and we all missed you.

I am sure everyone will agree with me when I said we all felt connected even though some of us were just meeting for the first time. We didn’t seem to have any reservations; instead chatting like old friends. Our lunch lasted for almost four hours because we had so much to share. I am glad I can fit in despite the age difference between me and all the lovely young ladies. Most of them could be my daughters.

Like the saying goes, All good things must come to an end, we took a group photo to remember our fun day.

Back row: Wendy, Lena and Swee San

Seated: Sonia and Quay po with

Wendy's two sweetie pies! (We missed Sharon in the photo as

she had to rush off for another appointment.)!

Just before I left Sonia’s home, I quickly caught hold of Lena and told her that I need to follow her car to go out onto the highway. I know, it was so embarrassing that someone who is not from KL (Kuala Lumpur) had to show me the way out. I had to confess I have no sense of direction and if you blindfold me and turn me around, that would be enough to confuse me where I am. No kidding, I am that hopeless. For being able to return home safely, I had to thank Lena for leading me to the highway from Sonia's house. Having said that, I can proudly announce that I found my way home without much fumble. APPLAUSE!!

I would like to thank you again, Sonia, for being such a fabulous host. I am very grateful for your generosity in opening up your beautiful home to host the lunch for all of us. It was so thoughtful of you too to present me those gifts of ingredients any food blogger would be delighted to have.

Oh Lena, you are so sweet to give me the lovely little ceramic bowl and the pretty apron. I love them! Like how I look with the apron on (below)? I am holding the ceramic bowl you gave me also, I need a bigger one to ask for more of your out-of-this-world delicious sweet and sour crab lah! "lay sik joe lor" (You know what to do). LOL!

A big THANK YOU to all the "kitchen goddesses" who were there, for your delicious food, great company and an enjoyable afternoon. That was a million times better than to have a lunch at a restaurant. You ladies sure can cook and bake! Three cheers to you gals! Keep on cooking, baking, blogging and sharing!

Make the cork stand, HUH??

2012-02-06T10:44:00.014+08:00

I don’t know if I have shared this story with you before. There was one evening, we had dinner with some of our close friends. I have blogged about this loving couple before. She is Singaporean and he is Australian. There were six of us. We invited my sister in law (SIL) and they invited one of their good friends which was an bachelor Englishman. While waiting for the food to be served, my SIL and I were playing with the cork from the bottle of wine we were drinking. It is a game my Quay Lo taught us to play sometime ago and we love it. While we were having fun playing with the cork trying hard to make it stand, we were not aware that the Englishman was watching us. I guessed he finally could not resist his curiousity but asked us what we were doing. He asked, “May I ask what you ladies are doing?” Quick and Easy, I answered him with my Malaysian accent and I said, “I am trying to make the cork stand.” HOLY MOLLY!! His face turned all red and I can see that he felt very uncomfortable on hearing that! GOODNESS GRACIOUS God help Lucy!! She did it AGAIN! My Quay Lo quickly jumped in to explain to him that it was a game we were playing whereby if the cork is dropped at a correct height, it will stand upright and who ever make it stand with the least number of drop will be the winner. He further explained that his wife could not pronounce the "R" very well so it may sound like something else. Lucy, next time, think before you speak, pronounce the words with the “R” properly. You must really ROLL and not LOLL or NOT ROLL your tongue for the "R" sound in the word, so that it will not sound like what it is not suppose to be, especially, when you speak to a proper and polished Englishman. LOL!

Here is the dessert I made for my Quay Lo to thank him for saving my skin. Otherwise, Lucy would have to dig a hole in the ground and stick her head inside.

Banana Crumble

Adapated from Food.com

Ingredients:

4 bananas , sliced (in circles)

rind of one orange

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup rolled oats or 1 cup granola cereal

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter , softened

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Evenly distribute bananas among 4 ramekins, lightly sprayed with Pam. Place all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, add the butter and work mixture with your hands till crumbly. Sprinkle over bananas, crumbling further with your fingers, enough to cover. Bake till crumble get firm and golden in color, about 10-12 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Are you a Blogging Addict?

2012-02-03T09:11:00.001+08:00

Here is a very interesting article that bloggers might be interested to read. I don't know about you but I learned something from it. This is what I don't need in my washroom.

Picture extracted fro the article

http://www.blogohblog.com/are-you-a-blogging-addict/

Do read through the following description (extracted from the article) and see if you fit most of them. Then, you will know if you are a Blogging Addict or not.

You want to blog about every minute of your life, even if it’s just about doing your daily chores.

My Answer: I am not there yet.

If your Internet gets disconnected even for a minute, you become anxious and worried. You start throwing tantrums and blame every single official who is responsible for the downtime.

My Answer : I am not happy but not worried. Unfortunately, I do blame the internet provider for no connection even when I was not a blogger.

You take the comments on your blog far too seriously and irrationally.

My Answer: I take comments seriously but not irrationally. I appreciate the time my readers take to comment but so far, I am very lucky. There was not one mean comment so far.

You feel good and relaxed about the recent article that you posted, but the feeling melts away quite fast as the time for the next article approaches.

My Answer: No, I don’t feel like that. When some thoughts come to my mind, I will jot them down and I only write a post when I feel like it. There is no pressure but pleasure.

The more you write, the more connected and light you feel about opening up your personal life to your readers. The feeling of ‘I am somebody’ spreads over your mind overpowering you of all your real life aspects and bounties.

My Answer: I agree with the first part. Yes, I do feel more connected to my readers as compared to a year ago when I first started my blog but I never once feel I am somebody. In fact, I don't want to be. I want to be me.

You give more priority to your laptop than your girlfriend or boyfriends

My Answer: I can be guilty of that. In this case, not my boyfriend but my Quay Lo. Maybe m Quay Lo should answer this.

You want isolation from the world so that you can be with your computer and blog. Noise annoys you just too much.

My Answer: I don’t think I will ever want isolation. I have so many friends to catch up with. On the other hand, I don't think I can live without my computer. I love my blog and my readers so it is not likely that I will give up blogging either.

People around you and your family complain that you don’t give them enough time; they say you have changed dramatically.

My Answer: So far, so good, no one complains yet. My family felt the change in me but they are happy with the change because I feed them homecooked food instead of store-bought like before I started food blogging.

What do you think, am I a Blogging Addict? I hope am not and I really don’t want to be. A piece of good advice from the article that I will definitely heed. Good advice for all bloggers.

Blogging is fun, only when it is filled with good content that has been written by a healthy and happy blogger. Don’t let blogging take over your life, because you only live once. The need to ‘be somebody’ is prevalent in all humans but that should not let you compromise with your health and everything else that is good in your life. Your spiritual, social, emotional and personal well-being is the real ‘YOU’ in the right context and this defines you more beautifully than a blog.

So for today, I won’t tell you a story of my life or share a recipe. I am taking a break but can I share with you pictures of what we had for lunch? LOL!

Everyone knows how to make biscuit, bacon and eggs with gravy. There you go!

Biscuit, bacon and eggs with gravy

My Quay Lo said the biscuit was a bit dense this time but he still finished it all! Maybe it is Lucy! She might have used the wrong measurement of baking powder and baking soda.

For those who really do not know how to make biscuit and would like to have the recipe, please leave a comment and your email address. I am very happy to email you the recipe that I use. Have a wonderful weekend!

A small town girl from Ipoh

2012-01-31T12:10:00.004+08:00

Even though I have been living in Kuala Lumpur for most of my life, I still remain a small town girl from Ipoh because that is where I came from. I am very proud of my hometown, it is small but people there are usually warm and friendly. The food there is cheap and awesome and it used to be the cleanest town in Malaysia.

We seldom go back to Ipoh ever since my mum came to Kuala Lumpur and stayed with me. The last time I was back there was in 2007. My School, Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, Ipoh celebrated its centenary 100 years of excellence on 7 January 2007.

Many ex-convent students came back from abroad to attend this big and special event. It was so wonderful meeting many old classmates, school mates and teachers.

The lady on my left is Sister Maureen

Ex students of CHIJ, Ipoh

This is my Form 3 , class teacher, Miss Yen. She recognised me the moment I addressed her because she said she remembered me as the fairest girl in her class. (Wiped sweat). Luckily she did not say that she remembered me because I was the naughtiest one.

I remembered her as a gentle and soft spoken person. She was a very dedicated teacher. I like her and I was very happy to see her at the function, looking good and healthy.

Miss Hew was our Disciplinary and Mathematic teacher.

Left: me, center: Miss Hew right: my best friend, Diana

I have a great story to tell about Miss Hew. Well, every Monday we woud have an assembly here.

We had to line up properly, stand up straight, sing the National Anthem and say our prayers. After that, Miss Hew usually had some announcements to make. Everyone was expected to keep very quiet and still and pay attention to her. My classmate, the one that stood behind me, and I were not. Instead we were playing a fool, kicking each other. AIYOH, Miss Hew was sharp, and she caught us misbehaving. After the assembly was over, she called us to see her in her office. OH MY GOD!! We both knew we were in BIG trouble. When we arrived at her office, she gave us a nice scolding for playing a fool at the assembly but that was not enough. She made us kick each other in her office for almost half an hour. Of course, we tried to kick each other gently but then after hearing her saying that if we don’t kick each other harder, we will have to do that in her office the whole day, so we started to kicking hard. Man!! That hurt!! Although the moment we left her office after she released us, we both laughed so hard, that really taught us a lesson. Don’t play, play during assembly. How can I ever forget Miss Hew? LOL!

Each time I return to Ipoh, there is a mission to accomplished. That is to eat all the famous delicious food there which I missed. Before I return home, the wet market is a place I have to visit to buy the "tau nga" (bean sprouts). The "Tau Nga" there is one of its kind and you can never find the same quality elsewhere. For the “Tai Tau Nga” this is how my mum will usually cook it. So simple but so delicious!

Stir fry bean sprouts (tai tau nga) in dark soy sauce

Ingredients:

250 gms bean sprouts

½ cup water

1 tbs dark soya sauce

1 tbs light soya sauce (less if you prefer to be less saltish)

1 tbs chopped garlic

Method:

Remove roots and clean bean sprouts. Heat cooking oil and fry garlic till fragrant. Add bean sprouts and stir fry till properly coated with oil. Add dark soya and light soya sauce. Mix well and add water. Bring the liquid to boil. Let is boil for 2 min or until the stalk of bean sprouts is slightly translucent. Transfer to serving plate and serve.

The largest “Doh”( means Island in Cantonese) in the world

2012-01-28T23:40:00.002+08:00

Have you been asked this question before? In Cantonese, the question sounded like this, “Jui tai ker doh, hai mak yeh doh?” (What is the largest "Doh" (island) in the world? First, it is useless to ask me, it is like “pong wor seong jay saw” (asking a monk for a comb). Why? Because I dropped the subject, Geography altogether when I was in high school. I have no clue at all.

Now coming back to the question. Anyone know the answer? You must be thinking of the names of many famous "Doh"( island) in the world right ? Haiyah, me too, throwing limited names of those islands I knew but they were ALL WRONG! The biggest “doh” in the world is called “Char Doh”. Of course there is no such island in the world lah. “Char Doh” in Cantonese means (got squeezed!) LOL! I believe Cantonese speaking people will have a good laugh out of this joke but I am not sure my Western friends and readers will get it or find this funny. Honestly, sometimes, when my Quay Lo cracked a Quay Lo joke, I don’t get it and vice versa. This also applies to certain things we said to each other. Certain phrases that he used may be normal to him but I find it offensive. For example, I told my Quay Lo, I am going to the store. He would say “Knock yourself out.” What?? Knock myself out?? Or he would say, “I don’t care.” That makes me angry. It sounded rude and dismissive to me but he told me it is perfectly alright to speak like that to the Westerners and they will not be offended. Then, it irritates him to the max when he said something to me and I answered with a big “NO” before I continue what I wanted to say. Usually, that will not offend any of my Asian friends either. I guess that is truly culture difference.

So today I have “KNOCKED MYSELF OUT” and prepared this dessert. I told my Quay Lo, I made this for my neighbor and not for him and I am going to give both the pies to them and know what he said to me? “I don’t care.” GRRRRR!! “Char Doh!!” (Got squeezed) big time!

Banana Pie with Chocolate Ganache
and Salted Caramel Sauce

Inspired by Amanda Hesser's The Essential New York Times Cookbook.

Ingredients:

Pie Crust

Click on the photo to get the recipe
(My goodfriend, Diana learning how to make apple pie)

Ganache Layer:

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate

(about 1/2 cup chocolate chips)

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel (or kosher salt)

For Assembly:

3 medium bananas, cut in thin slices

Make the ganache:

Set the chocolate into a bowl. Heat the heavy cream to boiling point and pour over the chocolate. Let stand a couple of minutes and gently stir until fully incorporated and glossy. It should be the consistency of warmed chocolate syrup. Cool to room temperature. Pour over the cooled pie crust and refrigerate.

Make the caramel sauce:

In a heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat, stir together sugar and water, and bring to a boil. Let boil until amber-colored. Once it starts taking on color, keep a close eye because it will turn quickly. Immediately add butter and stir to incorporate. Remove from heat, add cream and salt (be careful, it will splatter), and mix well. It should be smooth and have a syrup-like consistency. Let cool to room temperature.

To assemble:

Decorate with banana slices. Drizzle some caramel sauce over the banana slices. Chill, and serve within 24 hours.

"Jai" and "Chai"

2012-01-24T10:55:00.001+08:00

On the first day of Chinese New Year, we usually stay home because my step brother and his family will come to my house to “Bai nian” (Friends and relatives will call on each other to exchange greetings and wish another the happiest possible New Year. )

My mum on the other hand will welcome them with vegetarian food. On Chinese New Year's eve, my mum stayed up till almost midnight to cook the family’s all time favorite “jai”, a traditional "must have" dish in most Chinese families on the first day of Chinese New Year. She always cook "jai" one day ahead because it taste better the next day as flavors merge and intensify.

Click on the photo to get the recipe

Early morning yesterday, she was already in the wet kitchen, cooking up another storm. Other vegetarian dishes that she served yesterday were:

deep fried roast duck,
stew vegetarian pig intestines with spices and
sweet sour vegetarian oysters. Reapeat: these were the vegetarian versions of these dishes.

Every year, we will eat vegetarian food only, on the first day of Chinese New Year and according to my mum, it is believed that abstaining from eating meat will not only enhance longevity but also purify and cleanse our body. For her, it is a way to honor a Buddhist tradition that no living things should be killed on this day.

Another Chinese New Year tradition that we still practice in our family, is serving tea to the elders on the first day. This year, our son, Nick served us tea in a different way. Instead of serving us the usual Chinese tea as in the past years, he came to our house yesterday afternoon well prepared, with all required ingredients to make us a tea called “chai” tea. It is actually black tea that is brewed strong with a combination of spices and is diluted with milk and sugar. The spices used can vary from recipe to recipe, but usually consist of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper and ginger. "Chai" tea is traditionally consumed hot and sweet. It was perfectly made with the right amount of spices and sweetness. Not only did it have a perfect taste, the effort put into doing this for us is more than perfect! Thanks Nick, we enjoyed the tea very much and appreciate your thoughtfulness.

My brother and his family, together with the boyfriend of my niece and the girlfriends of my nephews, came “bai nian” yesterday and stayed for an early dinner. We had another round of a hearty vegetarian meal together. Another day of good food, good company and good memories.

My life may not be exactly like I want it to be at all times, but what I thought I wanted may not have let me enjoy the present moment like now. I never know when my present moments will come to a halt, so I have learned to want what I have. If eventually, I am lucky to have had what I wanted, then, it will impact my life with even more joy than now. Whatever the Dragon year will bring upon me seems not so important; what I know is, I had a great start of the year, bonding with my love ones.

Our OLD BONES made it!

2012-01-23T11:54:00.000+08:00

Yesterday Mum and I started cooking for the Reunion Dinner at 10.30am. Mum was in the wet kitchen, Quay Po in the dry kitchen, till 7.30pm. There was a slight change on the Menu. Instead of Deep fried prawns with sesame honey roasted walnut, I cooked butter ginger garlic prawns instead. Before I went into the full swing of cooking, I managed to take some photos of the ingredients we used.

We started the dinner with "Yee Sang" which my sister in law brought. "Low hay ar! Low hay ar!" (Everyone exclaimed). Non Chinese speaking people, don't be confused, "Low hay ar!", the "Low" here does not mean "not tall" but the whole phrase in Cantonese means "go higher".

After that we sat down for the dinner proper and these are the dishes we dined on to welcome the new Year Of The Dragon.

Everyone were stuffed and almost every dish was finished till “Mei yan chew kang” (Beauty looking into the mirror). When a dish is being wiped clean, this is what we will say in Cantonese, literally means the plate is shining clean like a mirror. We were all so stuffed that we had to wait an hour before we can eat our double boiled birds nest dessert soup.

My Quay Lo'ss favorite dish is my Lemon Chicken. My favorite dish of the evening is stewed arrowroots with pork belly. I think Mum did not use pork belly yesterday, she used another cut. She did this specially for my Quay Lo because he does not like meat that is so fatty.

Click on the photos to get the recipe

It was a simple but wonderful reunion dinner at home. The family spent a great time together. What can be happier than spending precious time with the family?

After a good night sleep, our old bones are ready to cook up another storm in the kitchen for the first day of Chinese New Year. Stay tune!

"GONG XI FA CAI!" once again.

GONG XI FAI CHAI 龚席辉柴

2012-01-21T09:57:00.000+08:00

Chinese New Year is all about going home to one's family and enjoying precious time with family and eating all the goodies. Parents especially, are looking forward to see their children and their grand children and to have a reunion dinner together. Usually, the dinner will be held in the house where the parents live. In my case, since my mum is staying with me, my step brother and his family will be coming to my house for the dinner. My mum and I will be cooking up a storm in the kitchen tomorrow.

Here is our Reunion Dinner Menu:

lotus root with dried scallops and pork rib soup

stew abalone, fish maw and mushroom

stew arrowroots with pork belly

stir fry mix vegetables with scallops

lemon chicken

deep fried prawn with honey roasted walnut
and sesame sauce.

double boiled bird’s nest for dessert.

Did the above dishes sounded good to you?

What you are about to read sounded better to me. Our son, Nick tagged us on a video with this message to his Chinese friends:

"No matter how much you think you might hate your parents, know that they are ones that would always be there for you. Because at the end of the day, no matter what happens, they love you just the same. To all my chinese friends, Happy Chinese New Year. Remember to to go back home and tell your family how much you love them. ;)"

I think it is worth sharing the video with you all.

To my Family members, relatives, friends, blogger friends

and readers who celebrate Chinese New Year,

Quay Po and family would like to wish you all

Dragon is a symbol of Power, Fortune,

Strength and Good Luck.

May it brings all these to you and your family

and more in the New Year.

For those of you who are still undecided what to cook for your Reunion dinner, I would like to recommend one of my mum's dishes which was posed in 2010 and it is one that symbolises all goodness for the new year.

Egg Rolls

Click o the photo to get the recipe

The egg roll skin symbolizes fertility.

The skin is yellow and

that color symbolizes

success and gold.

There is chili inside and it is red

which is another

more generalized symbol

of good fortune.

Put a little sugar for rich

and sweetness in life,

and the addition of cornstarch

makes the filling stick together

for family togetherness,

while the layers symbolize

rising abundance,

the sound of prawn

in Cantonese is "ha"

so many prawns inside

becomes "hahahaha" and

there will be lots of laughter too.

(I made that up, haha)

Last but not least,

Chive for garnishing is perfect

because it's sound

in Cantonese is eternity.

Less is More

2012-01-19T08:35:00.002+08:00

There were two special cod dishes I made in November 2010. One was Grilled cod with orange sauce created by me. It was a dish that I was very proud of, because it was featured in Group Recipes, Petite Chef and made it to the Top 9 at Foodbuzz.

Another is Crispy Code Fish with Mango and Sweet Chilli sauce also being featured at Group Recipes and selected for the Top 9 at Foodbuzz. The recipe was adapted from Chef Sam Leong's cookbook.

I suspect that some of my new blogger friends and readers have missed these two posts. These two dishes are an easy way to impress your guests this Chinese New Year because they are visually stunning and taste luscious. I also like the idea of offering a little more healthy and delicious seafood during a time when we tend to overeat red meat, roasted fowl and other more rich and fatty proteins during Christmas. Get ready for lots of compliments, oohs and aahs when serving, to the last delicious bite.

For a long time, I have used the photo of the Grilled Cod with orange sauce photo to be Quay Po Cooks’ blog header and I have received lots of compliments, some said the dish looked like a piece of artwork. I will gladly accept the compliment. Come to think of it, this is a perfect dish for Chinese New Year which is just around the corner. The ingredients used were Bean sprouts shoots, (豆芽; dòu yá, literally "bean sprout/germ" 芽菜; yá cài, literally "sprout vegetable" or 银芽; yín yá, literally "silver sprouts") - 'to your heart's content', positive start into the new year, Orange (柑橘; gānjú) - wealth, good fortune, gold and Fish, the word 魚 (yú), meaning "fish", has the same pronunciation as the word 餘, which is "remain or surplus", i.e.'having surplus money' in a more modern connotation but generally; an increase in prosperity. Have I convinced you to try either of the cod dishes for Chinese New Year reunion dinner? If yes, please click on the photos to get the recipes.

Yesterday, I made another dish with cod but this time an extremely easy-to-do dish, and not quite as fancy. The recipe calls for only a few ingredients but with a little careful attention, you can create a very impressive and tasty dish. The caramelization makes the cod looks gorgeous. It is a slightly braised cod in superior light soya sauce with honey. So simple to do right? Simple is the BEST and SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE. This phrase reminded me of someone extraordinary.

Nick Vujicic has so much less but see how his less is more? As the holiday season starts and the end of the lunar year approaches, it’s a good time to take stock of what we have and count our blessings. When I count my blessings, I count my family, my relatives and friends, my readers, my blogger friends and my pets, TWICE!

Braised Cod in superior light soy sauce
Adapted from Chef Sam Leong’s recipe

Ingredients:
200gm Cod fish fillet

Marinade:
    8 tsp Light soy sauce
    8 tsp water
    4 tsp dark soy sauce
   2 tsp sugar
    2 tsp Maggie seasoning

Egg White Garnish:
    1 tsp cooking oil
    40 ml. chicken stock
   ¼ tsp salt
    a dash of ground white pepper
   1 tsp corn starch mixed with 2 tsp water
    1 egg white

Method:
Combine marinade ingredients. Place cod into the marinade for 30 mins before transferring to baking tray. Bake cod in an preheated oven at 150C or 300F for 10 mins. Reduce to 100C or 200F and bake for another 8 mins. To prepare the egg garnish, heat oil in pan and add chicken stock, salt, ground white pepper and then thicken with corn starch mixture. Pour in egg white and stir until cooked. Serve cod with the egg white garnish.

Stop touchin' my balls

2012-01-16T09:08:00.005+08:00

I saw this picture on my Quay Lo’s Facebook wall few days ago and here is his message:

“Speaking of the year of the Dragon, it looks like the little warrior Goku san from Dragon Ball fame had better watch out this year.”

But my message to him is this when he left a batch of delicious Swedish Wedding Balls that he made, on the kitchen table:

“Better beware of our little terror, Ranger, our cat. Gary San, you better watch out that if you don’t hide your balls, you will lose them!” Haiyah, this doesn’t sound like a polite sentence but do I have any other better way to say it? LOL!

Ranger will touch anything and everything and make a mess just to satisfy his curiosity. Now, I truly understand why there is this phrase, "curiosity kills the cat". He is now four months older since the day we rescued him from the drain. He is the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in our home. Why do I say that? Oh yes, it is confirmed that he has split personality. When he is Dr. Jekyll, he wants all the attention you can give him but when he is Mr. Hyde, he will bite the hand that feeds him. He can make me love him to death one minute and get furious with him the next. Go figure! You will understand why I said that after you see his photos which was taken by me and edited by my Quay Lo.

Added post pub:

Here is Ranger in his more serene "Dr. Jekyl" mood. This was the first time he climbed up to Quay Lo's shoulder using the back of the chair. Quay Lo quickly used the web cam to take a couple of shots just as Ranger started to give him wet "kisses" on his ear. In these moods he is lovable but still very demanding.

So much about our little terror, and I am sure you are now wondering what the delicious balls look like and some might be interested to make them so here is my Mother-in-law's recipe that was passed down to my Quay Lo.

Two of my blogger friends, Small Kucing and his family and Cleffairy and her son have tasted these delicious balls. In fact, her son finished them all before his Daddy had a chance to taste one. Then later, Small Kucing told me that they tasted them and they were delicious. I guess it is worth including these balls in your Chinese New Year’s cookie list. Since these balls have so many different names, how about add one more and we call these "Dragon balls" for the Year of the Dragon? There seems to be an open license to call them whatever we wish, to join labels like:

Mexican (or “Swedish” or“Danish”) Wedding Cookies or sometimes called “cakes” as in "Russian Wedding cake")

A Note from my Quay Lo:

"My Mom called these Swedish Wedding Cookies. I think it all depends on what you heard it called first which determines how you personally label these. Many variations exist. What is clear is that it is a wide spread, basic recipe for an unleavened sweet that keeps well, and accompanies tea and/or coffee very well."

Added post pub: Wikipedia suggests these pastries are related to recipes that appeared as early as the 17th century for a pastry called "Jumble", and were popular for their simplicity, taste, and the ability to store them for up to a year. Originating either in Italy or the Middle East the "cake" called for almonds instead of the pecans introduced in the Northern hemisphere. Other variations called for favoring with aniseed, carraway, rosewater, and other flavoring spices offering a large potential for experimentation. The common element in most of these recipes is the ratio of shortening to flour, the use of nuts and/or nut flours, and the omission of leavening agents. Wikipedia also notes the variety of names under which the various recipes are found, and in particular, their appearance in wedding celebrations.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting hands

1 cup pecans, chopped into very small pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans with a spatula. With floured hands, take out about 1 tablespoon of dough and shape into a crescent or roll in a ball. Continue to dust hands with flour as you make more cookies. Place onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle but still warm, roll in additional confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks

When old, must have 3 "LOWs"

2012-01-14T09:22:00.003+08:00

One of my girl friends once told me that when we grow old, we will be very blessed if we have all 3 “LOWs” (in Cantonese, "LOW" means OLD). The first “LOW” we must have is our “Low Kung” (husband). Our husband is our companion, someone we can pick on when we become old and grumpy! LOL! (Just kidding). Actually, he is our best friend, the one we trust that we can be ourselves. He is the one we can confide in and rely on to take care of us for the rest of our lives. The second “LOW” is “Low boon” (our savings). This is necessary not for ourselves alone but for those who eventually ended up taking care of us. Our "Low boon" help relieve them from any financial difficulty as a result of taking care of us. The third “LOW” is a VERY important because this “LOW” is one that will keep us sane and brings us lots of joy! That is “Low Pang Yau” (Old friends). One biggest fear of growing old is loneliness but if we have lots of “Low Pang Yau” then we will not feel lonely and isolated. Statistic shows that seniors who are isolated and lonely tend to have more health problems and a poorer quality of life than those who have a good social network of friends and family. I think I have that. Just recently, my friends and I celebrated New Year together at a karaoke joint which belongs to one of my girlfriend's vocal teacher. We had a great time eating till we were stuffed, yakking till our jaws dropped, laughing till our stomachs hurt, singing our hearts out and dancing like no one was watching. We had so much fun and we almost brought the roof down! LOL!

Out of 3 "LOWs", I already have two. My Quay Lo and I are still working very hard to have enough of the 3rd "LOW" so that we can both retire in the near future.

My 1^st LOW, my Quay Lo "Low Kung"

Here are some of my second “LOWs”, my wonderful “LOW PANG YAU” (old friends).
We celebrated the New Year with a BANG!

I brought with me some food to share with them and one of them is a pasta salad. The karaoke place was dark and I could not take a nice picture of the salad. I guess I was too excited to go off to have fun and I forgot to take a photo at home too. I have made this salad before with same pasta but different other ingredients. They both tasted pretty much the same. I will share with you the recipe of one I made earlier which I have photos. There you go.

Wheat pasta salad with herb vinaigrette dressing

Ingredients for salad:

2 cups of wheat pasta of your choice

1 can garbanzo beans

1 cup pomegranate seeds

½ cup diced cucumber without seeds removed

2 slices of bacon, fried, and broken
shave parmesan cheese

water with salt

Method:

Bring water with added sea salt to boil and cook pasta for 9 mins till al dante. Drain pasta and set aside. Add in garbanzo beans, diced cucumber and pomegranate seeds. Put in the fridge and chill for 1 hour. Pour herb vinaigrette dressing over and toss to mix well. Serve warm or cold with shave parmesan cheese.

Ingredients for herb vinaigrette dressing:

½ cup white wine vinegar

dash of salt and pepper

½ cup fresh basil

¼ cup rosemary leaves

2 cloves garlic

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:

In a blender add white wine vinegar, dash of salt and pepper, basil and rosemary and blend for 10 to 15 seconds. Add 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil and blend for another 10 to 15 mins.

I LOVE LUCY!

2012-01-12T09:51:00.004+08:00

My Quay Lo made some rum balls and had used them as Christmas gifts for our close friends. They are also one of the desserts we served during Christmas day to friends and family. Everyone love it and there was not one ball left! Yes, they were very delicious and addictive! So, instead of spending a fortune to buy a box of “GODIVA” chocolate as a gift, how about making rum balls yourself and give them as gift to your sweetheart this comingValentine? This will be a more valuable gift because it is something you made with love and money cannot buy. Furthermore, it will only cost you a fraction of what you pay for those outrageously expensive flowers or chocolates sold during Valentine's Day. This reminds me of an incident that happened during the early part of our marriage. My Quay Lo was on a long business trip to Bangkok and in order to break the long time separation, Quay Po a.k.a. Lucy went to join him for the weekend. On the day of her arrival, Quay Lo went and bought flowers to decorate the apartment and a big box of ‘GODIVA” chocolates to welcome her. So here comes Lucy walking into the apartment and she could see flowers everywhere in the apartment and a nicely wrapped gift on the center of the coffee table. That put a big smile on her face. Quay Lo asked her to sit down and relax. He even made her a cup of her favorite English Breakfast tea before handing her the gift that was on the coffee table. He asked her to open the gift and so she did while Quay Lo eagerly waited for a response from her. Are you curious to know what is the first thing that came out of her mouth when she tore off the gift wrap and saw the box of GODIVA Chocolate? Can you guess? I don't think so. LOL! No, not “Honey, how sweet and thoughtful of you, Thank You! MUAX! MUAX!” BUT being CHINESE and being LUCY she said, “Wah!! this chocolate is VERY EXPENSIVE wan!! How much ar?” LOL! OOOPZZZ!! She immediately noticed the “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT” expression on Quay Lo’s face. HAIYAH, DIE! Lucy!!!, you just gave the wrong response and said the wrong thing!!

Usually when a friend gives Lucy a gift, she will not ask for the price but among family members, she would because when she gives gifts to her family members, the price will be the first thing they ask sometimes even before saying thanks. After Quay Lo got over the culture shock, he told her that he almost dropped dead when he was asked for the price of the chocolate instead of the normal response that he was used to. He told Lucy that it is rude to ask for the price of a gift. Westerners will never do that even with family members. (Oh I see, said the blind man).

When Quay Po did something stupid or embarrassing, she would love to blame it on LUCY! I hope I did not confuse you on this story. I am sure my regular readers know that Quay Po is Lucy and Lucy is Quay Po.

I love you, LUCY, please don't cease to exist so I will always have someone to blame. LOL!

Another suggestion. Since Chinese New Year is round the corner, Rum Balls are something different to offer other than the usual traditional Chinese New Year cookies. Look, don't you think they look attractive but don't you dare ask "How much ar?" LOL!

Rum Balls

(My Quay Lo's recipe)

Start with “day old” brownies (I use the Better Crocker brownie mix to make the brownies) that have been allowed to dry. Break apart in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with rum (or bourbon or brandy may also be used) and stir until a clingy dough is formed that is not too wet. (At this point you may add into the mix optional chopped nuts that have been toasted in a frying pan or low temp oven. You could also add finely chopped preserved fruit best of which would be cranberries, cherries, blueberries, or blackberries).

Note: If day-old brownies doesn’t work for you, try this recipe:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)

1/2 cup dark rum

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers

Method:

Mix all of the above together and go to next step.

Place in fridge for at least 35 – 45 minutes. Remove and while still chilled roll spoonful’s in the palm of your hands until the size you want. Roll each ball on toppings of your choice. Chopped nuts (pistachio is excellent here) powdered sugar, decorative sugar, or dip in chocolate.

Place on a silicon padded or wax papered pan. Return to the fridge and allow the formed balls to return to a chill. Place in a covered cookie container and keep cool.

Winners for White Christmas Challenge

2012-01-11T20:02:00.005+08:00

Thank you to all participants of White Christmas Challenge and Congratulations to the 5 Winners. They are:

Jessie of Jessie Cooking-Moments
Naked Plate
The Hedonista
Bubbule in Cucina
Croccanti

One of the winners above is my blogger friend Jessie of Jessie-Cooking Moments who entered the competition via QPC. She won 1st place with her entry: My Magical Gingerbread Boxes! BRAVO!!

A big Thank You to my friends who participated the challenge through QPC. Thanks a million for your support. All your entries are CREATIVE AND FABULOUS!! I love them all! Each of you will still receive the ROSEVELT's Album 17:35 from me eventhough you did not win a prize from Savory Spice Shop. To me, YOU ALL ARE WINNERS IN MY HEART!! Please email your address to quaypocooks@gmail.com so that I can mail the CD to you.

Participants via QPC:
Jessie - My Magical Gingerbread boxes
Elisabeth - Linzer Cookies
Lena - Christmas Tree on Potato and Yeasted Apple Strudel ( Strucla Jablkami )
Shirley - Cute Egg Faces For White Christmas Recipe Challenge
Vivian Pang - Flower Steamed Buns/ Sponge Dough Method and Caramel Oatmeal Brownies
Alice - White Xmas Log Cake and Noel Nut Balls
Ann - Christmas Snowball Cookies
Bee - Christmas Matcha Cookie Tree
Ping - Blizzard Bread

If I a have missed anyone, please email me to let me know. You know how "LUCY" I am, right? LOL!

CHEERS and HUGZZ!!

She feels happy when she feels needed

2012-01-10T10:04:00.002+08:00

One day, I received a phone call from my mum’s ex-customer, now a very close friend to my mum. She is also my niece's future mother in law (MIL). She said, “Please tell your mum to come help my daughter”. The confinement lady that her daughter booked has called her to say that she has to cancel her service. I was appalled at the confinement lady's unreliability. How can she leave someone high and dry by canceling her service at the last minute? So my mum was away from home for one whole month. I was happy for my mum to help her friend because I knew when she feels she is needed, it gives her happiness. My Quay Lo once told me that a person feels happier if he or she feels needed. Here is a good story to illustrate that:

(Extracted from the book, No Excuse! , by Jay Rifenbary)

As a young girl, Mona had been left orphaned and unprotected. She moved sadly through her days. One day, on a lonely walk through a meadow, she saw a butterfly struggling to release itself from a thorn bush. Mona carefully released the butterfly from its captivity. Her freeing touch caused the butterfly to turn into a beautiful fairy.

"In return for your kindness," the good fairy said, "I will grant you any wish." Mona thought for a moment and said softly, "I want to be happy!" The fairy leaned forward, whispered into the girl’s ear, and flew off.

Mona developed into a beautiful woman and eventually grew to be old. She had left the sadness of her childhood in the field where she had met and aided the fairy. After that, Mona’s years were marked by serene happiness. As the end of her life drew near, friends and admirers came to comfort her, and to say good-bye to this remarkable woman.

Mona’s last gift to her friends was the story of her encounter with the fairy. She shared with them the words the fairy had whispered in her ear. As Mona spoke, her eyes shone with the joys of a lifetime of treasuring the fairy’s message: "Everyone, no matter how secure they seem, no matter how old or young, rich or poor, has need of you."

To continue with the story of the new mother and her new born that my mum went to help...
Would you believe that She was “the baby” that my mum took care of during her mum’s confinement 30 years ago? Yes, that is true. Amazing isn't it!! Well, this will not happened if her mum did not keep in touch with my mum all these years. The reason why she did was, she loves her to bits. My mum is a well loved person by her friends and family. She is always quick to offer her love and help. She is also a very thoughtful person and will never view anything as troublesome to do when she felt she is needed. Here is an example of the extra miles she would walk happily for friends and family.
A few days before she left home to go help the new mother, I saw her in the kitchen scrapping off the skin of a few kilos of young ginger. Later I heard pounding sound and she was mincing them in a mortar and pestle. She spent almost the whole day doing that in order to make ginger sauce. After the ginger were done, she continued to sterilize the recycled glass jars to be ready to hold the sauce. At first, I thought she made this for us to eat with the steam chicken we are going to have on the coming Reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year. I was curious why she made such a big quantity this year. I asked her and found out the sauce were not for us. She made them for her best friend and her children. She and her 6 children will get a jar of the sauce each.

Whoever had tasted my mum’s ginger sauce raved about how good it is. I asked her if she mind if I share her recipe on my blog and she gave it to me without hesitation. This sauce is so versatile and can use to compliment a lot of Chinese dishes especially steam chicken. You can also use it to fry rice and it is so healthy and flavorful. According to my mum, ginger has been used for thousands of years in chinese medicine to treat stomach disorders. It can also chase away simple cold and cough. Not only that, it also reduces toxicity in our body, which means it is anti-bacterial. It sounded like a magical ingredient to have! After she finished talking, I told her, "Mum, you are my old ginger!" That puts a big grin on her face. I can see she truly feels happy when she feels needed.

Ginger sauce

Ingredients:

Minced ginger

Sesame oil

Salt

Method:

Scrap off ginger skin and mince them by using mortar and pestle. Heat sesame oil in wok and add minced ginger. Stir fry till fragrant and add salt to taste.

Note: With this sauce handy, you can also make ginger fried rice. Notice there is no measurement? My mum said the measurement is up to individual taste. She said your tastebuds are your measuring tools for this! What a piece of work she is. One can put more salt or oil so it is up to you. She added that the key to a good ginger sauce is not to use the electric blender to mince the ginger but the mortar and pestle.

Click on the photo to get the recipe.

This recipe was featured at Group Recipes

We have served my mum's ginger fried rice to many friends and family members before and all of them give their two thumbs up.

你买我心,我买你心（You buy my heart, I buy yours)

2012-01-08T09:07:00.001+08:00

My mum like to say “You buy my heart, I buy yours” (literally means you make me happy, I make you happy). Before the Chinese celebrates Chinese New Year, they celebrate “Dongzhi” first which falls on the 22^nd of December every year. I remember my mum told me that “Dongzhi” is even more important than Chinese New Year itself. This is a festival celebrated by having a big feast at home together with family members, very much like the Thanksgiving celebration which my Quay Lo is used to. The only difference is that, they have turkey and we have “tang yuan”. I don’t know why but we stopped celebrating “Dongzhi” since my first late husband, Mike passed away. I LOVE tang yuan and since we do not celebrate this festival anymore, my mum had not made this for a long long time and I don’t know how to make them. I did not eat “tang yuan” at home now but when I crave for it, I can get them from the restaurant. I like those at the Chinese Restaurant at the Marriot hotel especially those with black sesame filling. I cannot believe this year, I had them at home on “Dongzhi”. No, we did not celebrate "Donzhi" still and my mum did not make it. My son, Nick’s girlfriend, Lehbin did. She made it at Nick’s home and drove all the way to mine to give me the “tang yuan”. Isn’t that sweet? They tasted far more better than those at the Marriot Hotel!! The sweetness of these “tang yuan” travels from my mouth to my heart! The texture of the “tang yuan” is silky and smooth and they are delicious! Lehbin, the love you put into making this “tang yuan” makes it even more PERFECT!! Thanks my dear, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and thanks for sharing your recipe with me. Love you tons!

If only we all try our best to adhere to this Chinese saying: “You buy my heart, I buy yours”, we will definitely be able to get along better and happier, don't you think?

Allow me to share Lehbin’s “tang yung” recipe with you. This is a good recipe because the texture remained silky and soft and still tasted as good the next day.

Black Sesame "Tang Yuan"
recipe from Lehbin (my son's girlfriend)

Ingredients:

4 oz. glutinous rice (sticky rice) flour

90 ml water

2 tbs lard

2 tbs black sesame seeds

4 tbs sugar

Ginger soup:

2 1/2 cups water

sugar (amount depends on your preference)

2 oz. old ginger (skin peeled and then lightly)

1 pandan leaves (tie them into a knot)

Method:

Lightly toast the black sesame seeds over medium fire until you smell the aroma of the black sesame seeds and ground it. Add ground black sesame into a pan with sugar and lard and stir until paste is formed. formed. Scoop them out into a bowl and let it cool in the fridge for half an hour.

In a big bowl, mix the glutinous rice flour with water until it forms a smooth paste and no longer sticks to your hands. Divide it equally into 8 to 10 small balls Flatten each ball and place a dollop of black sesame in the middle of the the dough. Fold the edge to seal the tong yuan. Roll the dough in both palms, very gently to shape it into a ball. Set aside.

Prepare the ginger soup by boiling the water. Add the ginger and pandan leaves and boil for 10-15 minutes on medium heat. Add sugar and boil for 5 more minutes. Lower heat to simmer and reduce to about 2 cups of water. The sweetness should be according to your preference so add more sugar if you like it sweeter.

Heat up another pot of boiling water. Drop the dumplings into the hot boiling water. As soon as they float to the top, transfer them out and into the ginger syrup. Turn off heat and serve the black sesame dumplings in a bowl immediately.

I almost stand on my head and cluck like a chicken

2012-01-06T10:06:00.004+08:00

Needless to say chicken fajitas was introduced to me by my Quay Lo. The first time I tasted this dish was at TGIF in KL city center. That is the only item on their menu that I would order. The first birthday that our son Nicholas spend with his Quay Lo dad was at TGIF. He was 9 years old. My step-brother’s children were invited to his birthday and if I am not mistaken, it was also their first experience in attending a Western kind of birthday celebration. The kids were thrilled when a group of waiters and waitresses came out with Nick's birthday cake and sang the birthday song to him. I always love to make Nick happy. As parents, we always want to see our kids happy and want to give whatever they want, don't we? But then, I realise I have to be very careful about what I give to him especially in terms of material things. I should try to curb my enthusiasm to give him everything he wants although I am guilty of that. I have to constantly remind myself that over indulging in him is not synonymous with love or me being a good mother. In fact, it may result in making him being unappreciative, unhappy and not able to cope with inevitable ups and downs of life. Having said that, it is always a joy to me to see the kids so happy and excited.

As time goes by, we stopped patronizing TGIF because we prefer to go to Chillis in Bangsar. Also, it is because I like the chicken fajitas there better on top of better service.

When I was at the supermarket a few weeks ago, I saw some tortillas and some ripe avocados which is very hard to come by. Getting one to use the very day in supermarkets near our home is like striking a lottery. There are un-ripen ones all the time but then it is such a pain to wait for them to ripen. So many times I let them gone bad and I had to throw them away because I forgot they were in my fridge. I hated that because they are SO expensive! Maybe next time, I will hang them around my neck. So, when I saw those riped avocados, I had to grab them. I took them home to make chicken fajitas for dinner that very evening. My chicken fajitas did not look as pretty as those served in Chillis but then the chicken meat was tender and the taste was pretty close and good enough. I am extremely happy with it, I almost stand on my head and cluck like a a chicken!!!

Chicken fajitas

(I cannot remember source of this recipe, I forgot to write it down. My bad.)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 avocado, cut into stips
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cut in thin strips

1 medium tomato, remove seeds and chopped
1 tbs fajitas mix
1 medium onion, cut in wedges

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 red capsicum, seeded and cut in strips

4 flour tortilla, warmed

1/4 cup sour cream

guacamole

Method:

Mix chicken in fajitas mix and marinate for 30 minutes. Grill till meat turned white and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and capsicum to the oil in the pan and sauté over high heat until onion is translucent, garlic is fragrant and capsicum is soft. Return the chicken to the pan and mix well with the vegetables until sizzling hot. Serve right away, with warm tortillas, sour cream, guacamole and chopped tomatoes.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

1 avocado

1/2 small tomato, seeded and diced

1 tbs cup onion, peeled and diced

1/2 red chilli, chopped

1 1/2 tbs sour cream

1 tbs cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Mash the avocado with the back of a fork or other mashing utensil. Add in the chilli, onion and cilantro. Fold in sour cream and lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold the diced tomato into the mashed avocado mixture. Serve immediately.

After Christmas

2012-01-04T09:52:00.000+08:00

After such a big feast at Christmas, I don’t want anymore rich Quay Lo food. Please give me something simple. Steam white rice with any simple dish will do. I feel the same every year. After Christmas, I crave for food like steam pork with salted fish (click on the picture to get the recipe) ....

... or stir fry brinjal with taucu sounded so good. A thought came to my mind. Hey, this is the best time to try out the special rice from East Malaysia called the Bario rice. The rice were given to me by my blogger friend Arthur of Still Crazy after all these years. Thanks again Arthur for the thoughtful Christmas gifts. I have yet to use the wine to make a nice dish and brag about it.

The Bario rice tasted different from the fragrant rice from Thailand that we are used to. They got a unique taste but I can't find the word to describe it to you (my vocabulary is limited, I get 2/10 for my English test most of the time). If I am not mistaken, it has attributes of organic rice too. Please correct me if I am wrong. If so, people who are health conscious should consider this type of rice in their diet.

I am sure many of you know how to stir fry brinjal with taucu. But, for the benefit of those who don't, I would like to share my mum's recipe.

Stir fry brinjal in taucu (fermented soy bean paste)

Recipe from my mum

Ingredients:

2 tbs oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 lb eggplant, sliced

3/4 tbs sugar

1 tbs taucu paste
1 tbs water

Method:

Lightly stir fry brinjal with oil and scoop off the wok and set aside. Add oil, garlic and tauchew paste and stir fry till fragrant. Add water and sugar and stir fry till sugar dissolved. Add brinjal and stir fry until softened about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from wok. Serve with steam white rice.

We too, we married a Barbarian

2012-01-01T10:55:00.012+08:00

Would you be disappointed if I told you that Quay Po and Quay Lo are just an ordinary couple like many others out there, who have their trying times? Well I got an email from a reader. She asked me if our love story is true and does that really exist in real life or is it just a fairy tale. She said it is too good to be true! Although I do not owe anyone an explanation, I felt I need to clear her doubts. If she has this thought, I am sure that, there may be other readers of mine that might have them too.

If you want an insight into what life is like to be married to a person of a different culture, you might want to read the book titled "I married a Barbarian." It is a heart-warming true story by a British man, and his wife, a proud Chinese lady. I can relate to their story because there were so many familiar situations and little aggravations that we faced, much like the marriage they write about.

Our marriage, like many others is not a always a bed of roses. If marriage within the same culture needs lots of understanding and patience to stay intact, what do you think a mixed cultural marriage will entail? Trust me, it is a challenge for Quay Lo and Quay Po to stay married for 15 years but that is true of any marriage. There are new challenges everyday and they are on going. It will not stop until one or the other of us expire. Only then, the one remaining can claim the victory for having a lasting marriage if there is a victory to claim. But it is the process, not the destination, that is our reward. So, why didn’t I blog about the challenges of our marriage and why only write about all the beautiful things? Think about this; if you were I, wouldn’t you do the same? Who would want to wash their dirty linen in public and if you are a reader, how long before you would stop coming here to hear my complaints? The truth is that we are more successful at achieving happiness if we never lose sight of the good things in our lives. Research has shown that the happiest people, are people who feel a sense of gratitude. So I will let you decide whether this is a fairy tale or it is real. Just remember, the pursuit of a happy life often revolves around the pursuit of ideals (such as gratitude). Our success is often tied to our own ideas about what those ideals are. Also remember that love is a bond that, like steel, must be tempered. If challenges in our lives make us stronger, then we should draw comfort from knowing that. Our ideals of understanding, forgiveness, respect, and deep abiding love, must be strengthened by challenges if it is to be truly lasting. Quay Lo and I are still on that journey and our love still abides. We are both thankful.

Since I am on this topic, I might as well share with you an article I read in the early stage of our marriage. Obviously it was during one of our trying times when I was searching for answers that I found it. I wished Quay Lo and I had read it before we got married. Knowing these "rules" could definitely help a married couple avoid a lot of conflicts and would have enabled them to handle their cultural differences better.

The author of this article is an American and his wife is Japanese. Unfortunately, I only saved the rules but did not record the name of the author. If I had I would credit him, and furthermore, may have even tried to reach him and thank him.

Rule #1: Don't assume that your interest in your partner's culture will last, or that it will somehow prevent conflicts from occurring.
Never underestimate the depth of the roots of your own upbringing. Sure, it's possible to change (given enough time and enough effort). But no matter how deep you dig, you will always be you. Your beliefs, your emotions, your priorities, in short, your whole approach to life, are shaped by the culture in which you were brought up. This leads to the obvious:

Rule #2: Don't assume that the other person will change significantly just because of the relationship or because of your charming influence.

Some degree of cross-polinization is bound to occur between two people who share an intimate relationship but when you start to expect change, then you start to get into big trouble. The best thing you can do for each other is to acknowledge the fact that conflicts will occur and will often occur for the simplest and most unexpected reasons.

That said, it should be quite obvious that you will want to find out as much as you possibly can about your potential partner and his or her lifestyle. You would be surprised how much is taken for granted in typical marriages, even among partners of the same background. What priority does the extended family play in the couple's life, how are family decisions made, how much free time (time apart from each other) is considered normal for the partners, etc.

Rule #3: Don't assume anything. Make sure you discuss with your partner every aspect of your future life together.
Also, don't assume that when your partner says something is unimportant that it does not have to be discussed. Those areas are often the most important things to discuss. The fact that something is 'not important' may be a signal that one or both of you are making an assumption about the way some aspect of life will turn out based on your own past experience. Well, you might as well toss that 'past experience' right out the window because your partner and you, by definition, do not share the same past or the same experience. And that brings me to the next rule:

Rule #4: If your partner refuses to discuss a subject openly, treat that as a big red flag and find out why.
The beliefs people hold most dear are the ones which they are least likely to want to discuss with someone else. Unless you're prepared to cheerfully accept whatever ideas or beliefs your partner may consider most important, I'd suggest you at least find out what those beliefs are before jumping into a permanent relationship with that person.

And I'm not talking only about religious beliefs (which may be important in their own right) but also beliefs about how life should be lived. Those things which you or your partner might call 'common sense'. Well, the term common sense covers a lot of ground and is often based on those underlying assumptions we have been trying to hard not to look at. The only things that are actually common are things like not standing in front of a speeding truck or not walking into an empty elevator shaft.

For example, if you are very involved in a group which supports a particular cause but your partner sees this as one of your 'hobbies' -- and if he or she has been brought up to believe that when two people marry they will give up the 'hobbies' of their younger days. And if you wait until after you are married to find out that all this is only 'common sense' then you may well find yourself in a difficult situation real fast. Or if you find out that it is considered 'common sense' that you should give up your dream of starting that business and instead work as a corporate grunt in order to provide security for the family because that's the way everyone else from your partner's country behaves -- my friend, you've found out way too late.

Rule #5: Make it a point to talk about some tough topics (like money, raising children, where to live, etc.) before making those wedding arrangements.

Look, the stuff is going to come up sooner or later. Start an argument or two. Find out what it's like to fight by your partner's rules. No amount of love or respect is going to keep your ship from hitting the icebergs of life. You might as well know whether you will be able to work together toward a solution when the inevitable crisis comes up.

Rule #6: Make sure that between the two of you, there is at least one language in which you are both fluent.
This is very important. As a test, try taking some very subtle feeling or belief and explain it to your potential mate. Have him or her explain it back. If there is not a substantial understanding of what you explained, watch out. If either of you are unable to explain the subtle emotions that come up in a relationship without causing some misunderstanding, then you will be in for a very hard, if not impossible, road through life. Wait a while until one or the other of you is able to achieve a good degree of fluency in the other's language.

After all, would you hook up permanently with someone whose face you had never seen? Not many of us would. Then how come we will so readily hook up with a partner whose soul we have never seen?

Rule #7: Examine your own motives.
Is this someone you would hook up with even if you were safe and happy in your own country? If you are the partner who is trying to live in another culture, remember this: Culture shock can do funny things to a normally rational mind. Sure you're lonely, sure there are things about your surroundings that you just can't seem to figure out, sure your partner makes everything seem safe by filling you in on the subtle nuances of his or her culture. That's the formula for a perfect couple, right? Wrong. What you have is a parent or a teacher, not a lover. And it's all too easy to overlook the previous seven rules when it seems so obvious that this is the 'prefect' person for you.

If you see this happening to you, stop. Postpone any comittment. Get yourself comfortable with your surroundings. Disarm the 'conveninece' in the relationship and then see what you think. Learn more about the subtle parts of your partner's culture and then decide if you can tolerate, work with, and actually love that person because they are different and not despite those differences.

Rule #8: Lay the family finances out on the table and plan out your budget for at least your first couple of years together.

Why? Even in single-culture marriages, money seems to be the biggest problem in making decisions together. In my experience, money is even more important in an Asian family. There are enough differences in family finance between Western and Asian cultures that you should really want to know how your betrothed thinks in terms of family finance. And why not get a head start on the inevitable. After all, it's going to be both of you in this together so you might as well start now.

Of course, you can figure that if you make it past the first couple of years (the most intense part of the learning curve when it comes to finding out about all the differences in your ideas and background), you can pretty much go back to planning things by the seats of your respective pants.

Rule #9: Don't underestimate the importance of keeping good relations with your partner's parents.
This is especially true if your partner is the one from an Asian Countries (or some other non-Western culture). It seems that we in the US (and I can hardly speak for any other Western cultures) have developed a great deal of independence from our families. We hardly notice, and sometimes don't even care, what our parents think of our choice in partners. However, the same is not true with the Asian or other non-Western culture. There is still a great deal of synergy between parent and offspring, even well after they have left the nest and formed families of their own.

I have personally seen a well-functioning extended family of a mixed Asian/American couple. I must say, I was more than a little jealous of the warmth and support my friend's parents showed toward her American husband and I began to appreciate how important family contact and support can be when one has already, by virtue of entering an inter-racial relationship, struck out against the tide of social mediocrity.

And the worse thing that can happen is to have your partner's parents (or your own) constantly undermining the relationship, either consciously or not. If you can't get their active support then at least settle for passive acceptance. Anything less should be a sign of trouble ahead.

Rule #10: Be ready to help your partner through the inevitable rough spots.

Well, okay, this is sound advice for any couple. But just remember that you both will be setting out on an adventure -- a full-time first-hand learning experience in the other person's cultural labyrinth. None of us, I am convinced, ever really appreciates how many things we learn about life when we are young and that we take for granted every day. We consider many of these things just plain 'common sense' but they're only common if you and your partner have common backgrounds. Expect the unexpected. Then you won't be disappointed.

Rule #11: Forget about any rules.
If you have come this far and still intend to undertake this major life project, then may your experience be one of constant joy and wonder. And if you happen to be one of those for whom an inter-racial marriage has turned out well, I would certainly love to hear from you. Learning up-close about another person can be simultaneously the greatest adventure of your life and the greatest challenge."

I hope I have answered the question asked about our love story. Though imperfect, it is these imperfections that draw us together, more than tears us apart. In that regard we both feel blessed.

Believe me, cooking a cross cultural dish is way more easy than facing challenges in a cross cultural marriage. Since this is New Year Day, I give myself a break and not cook or bake at all. May I share with you one dish that I did last year? I believe a lot of my new readers might have missed this one. A dish that pleases both the Western and Asian palette.

Sui Kow (Dumplings) with

QPC wasabi mayo red pepper sauce

Click on the photo to get the recipe

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-12-31T10:05:00.001+08:00

We will be entering into 2012 tomorrow, I would like to take a moment to thank my family and friends, my blogger friends and my readers. Quay Po Cooks would not have survived one and half years in the blogging world without your comments, support and encouragement. If I have overlooked a comment or have not replied to any comments you have left on my posts, I apologize. I will try to do better. There were times when I wished to visit your blogs as often as I would like to but could not, please know that I would if I could. I am not good at making a speech to show you my appreciation so I have invited Shakespeare to do it on my behalf.

2011 was good for me because I have derived tremendous joy from blogging, sharing recipes, food photos and the happenings in my life with you. I know 2012 will be even better with your continuous love and support.
Here is one last recipe for the year 2011.

MANGO-BANANA PIE

Ingredient:

1 baked pie shell

Please click on this pic to get the recipe for the pie shell

2 cups mango puree

1 tsp Cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

honey (amount depends on the sweetness of the mango)

1 tbs caramel

t tbs Cornstarch, dissolved in ½ tbs water

5 bananas, sliced (depends on the size of banana)

Whipped cream

Method:

Prepare the pie shell. Make sure your fruit is very ripe. The mangoes should be sweet and orange. Bring mango puree to boil. Add a touch of cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel and honey. Mix well. Add cornstarch mixture to thicken. Remove from heat and cool. Pour mixture into baked pie shell and decorate with sliced bananas. Chill and serve topped with whipped cream.

May 2012 brings you a beautiful dawn to your life each

and every day.

Wishing you and your loved ones a funfilled New Year!!

With Much Love from:

Quay Po and Family

Family is the main ingredient in our life, without it,

we will be under nourished - Quay Po