Family Outing To Raub, Pahang

We are going to Raub, Pahang today to visit mom's cousin brother and cousin sister who have a fruits orchard in Raub. Sis SMS me the night before that they will be waiting for us at the Gombak Toll at 9 am. OMG.... so early ah, I am so scared that I can't wake up cos still blur from drinking with my ci mui. Set two alarm clocks in the morning and woke up at 8 am. Dearie Suki and the kids still sleeping soundly. I quietly sneak out from the room and prepare a quick breakfast - bread spread with butter and kaya and ham for them to tag along in the car.

Almost 8.30 am and its time wake them up. Poor Le-Ann and Ee-Thern changed clothes for them and their eyes still closed. Finally they are awaked and both of them got so excited cos we are going 'Kai Kai' today. Both making so much noises at the car porch while waiting for Daddy to fix the child car seat. Again they saw some big aeroplane in the sky and those must be for the Merdeka Parade.

Started our journey at about 9.30 am and met up with sis at the toll. Reached Raub at about 11.30 am and we visited mom's cousin brother house first. Wah, so much durian and we have durian and banana for breakfast. Both mom's cousins have a fruit orchard in Raub, and they are in the agriculture fields. We had our lunch at mom's cousin sis house. After lunch the kids playing around in the house compound and riding the bicycles under the hot sun.

We adults start to enjoy the durian and look around the plants that they planted in every corner of the house. Life is quite relaxing in a small town like this. No pressure, no stress, no traffic jam, no entertainment, and it is surrounded by orchards. But I don't think so I can survive here. It is just too boring for me. Dearie Suki was telling me, maybe when we retire we can get a piece of land here and stay here for the rest of our life. Ohhh, I tell him no THANK YOU!

Mom's cousins gave us so much fruits. Luckily today we are driving Dearie Suki 4WD if not I don't think so all of it can fit into my sis car. Dearie Suki call is full with fruits. We have durian, cempedak, bananas, dragon fruits, sugar cane, guavas, chilli padi, rambutan, pulasan, manggis, some green vegetables.Wow.... so much of it in Dearie Suki car.

We left Raub at about 4.30pm and while driving half way, Dad called my hp and said we will stop by for tea time in Bentong. Huh... we just had lunch and going to makan again. We have some noodles and sang yue fillets at the restaurant called Yee Fatt. This is my 4th time there and we eat there quite frequently whenever we go to Genting Highlands. Dad ordered, 'Ginger & Spring Onion Sang Yue Fillets', Steamed Sang Yue Fillets With Mee Hoon' and 'Wat Tan Hor'. Total came out is about RM54 for 5 adults and 2 kids. ( Le-Ann & Ee-Thern slept in the car ).

We reached mom's house at almost 6 pm and allocate the fruits. Reach home at about 7 pm and take bath for the kids and didn't have dinner that night cos still full. Both Le-Ann & Ee-Thern was pestering Dearie Suki that they want to go 'Kai Kai' again. Since we got no where to go at night, I suggested to Dearie Suki let's go to Putrajaya to see the fireworks and it is only 15 minutes drives from our house. After 3 hours of sleep in the car, the kids are so energetic and got so excited with the fireworks and we are planning to bring them again to see the fireworks today.

It is a tiring trip but we enjoyed it so much !

Merdeka Gathering

Organized a Merdeka gathering at my place and invited my 'ci mui' to come over for 'makan and minum' feast. Send out emails to all of them and to get confirmation whether they can make it or not. After few emails with them finally we fixed the date for the gathering on the Merdeka Eve since everyone is free but got to omit out Mic cos she is working.

We are having some sort of port luck gathering. Each of them help me to get drinks, dessert and we even have pizza. So, me as the host and organizer, make steamboat cos majority prefer steamboat rather than BBQ. Last year gathering we had BBQ. Prepare the steamboat soup base and make two types of base : Lat Thong and Tom Yam. Not going to elaborate much cos now very sleepy Zzzz. Hope the photos will tell what we are doing on this day. Few more hours to go we are going for a family outing again with mom & dad, sis, BIL and their kids.

Since I am working yesterday, hence some of the foods I prepared one day earlier.

As for the steamboat, we have 2 types of soup base. Either Tom Yum or 'Lat Thong' soup base.

Whip up a quick and fast Moist Choco Cake last night. Let it cool down in the oven and this evening I frost it with choco cream and decorate it with a cute Malaysian flag.

Marinade some chicken wings with the Mccormick Hickory BBQ Buffalo Wings. Marinated this yesterday night and start the baking pocess in the oven yesterday before the party start.

Make some 'Mango Jellies' in the late evening after work.

Fruits Punch added in a can of beer and a can of ice-cream soda. Wah so nice and refreshing.

This is the simple steamboat I make yesterday.

Look at the messy table. I was wondering how all these women eat.

The kids are having their own party too in the house.

All started with appetizer first. The adults having the 'Buffalo Wing' and the kids having their YAKULT.

All of us enjoying the ice-cream at home. My 'ci mui' after makan session, we chit chat and have some wine and keep talking till about 2 am. Wah all ' beh tahab liao'. All blur blur after the whisky and wine.

Will update more photos on our family outing day to RAUB later.

MERDEKA, MERDEKA, MERDEKA !

Bento #5 : Leftover Foods

Dearie Suki didn't come back for dinner 2 days ago. Left so many food and I 'ta pau' to work again. Aik... got so bored with it. At night eat the same food, lunch also eat the same thing again. Really want to throw it away when come to lunch time. But hor... can save a lot of money leh if I didn't go out for lunch. hihihi..... must be frugal a bit.

The front bento box, is fried kembong fish with sambal and onion rings. The back bento, is the fried long beans with egg and stir-fried spinach with anchovies. I use a pink colour grass divider to divide the vegetables.

On the left I packed some grapes and a packet of 'Heong Peang' I bought from Kampar. This is for tea-time.

This Bento Box is so cute. It is so called the 'Clickety Click' .... err its the monkey character I think. Then the English text on the bento box so damn funny leh. With all the "POWDERFUL" English makes me want to laugh if I read the sentence again. Wah ! The Japanese English so damn 'POWDERFUL' !

Crispy Cereal Fish

Last week went out trade visit with my sales colleague, EC. This round I visited those provision sundry shops and some provision sundry wholesalers. What I do actually? Emmm... walk inside the shop, check all the products they have, what competitors products they are selling and off course our company's products. Then KPC a bit with the boss ( usually talking cock ) and 'yam char' or lunch entertainment to dig information from them. It is pretty interesting to visit this category of business as you will find so many interesting food items which you can't get from the hypermarkets or supermarkets. Usually all the small players will sell into all this type of outlets cos no need A&P and listing fees mah!

Saw something interesting again, the MASFOOD Crispy Seasoning Mix. Haven't heard of it nor seen it in any big chain hypermarkets. I got so tempted and bought a packet to try out at home.

This is my 2nd attempt after the first one using Singlong brand which is lousy. For this round instead of prawns I used fish. I have one 'Tilapia Fish' in the fridge and de-boned it and deep fried the fish till golden brown and crispy.

The instruction on the pack stated that we need one egg yolk. What you need to do is, heat 3 tbsp of butter in a pan. Then pour in the egg yolk and give it a quick stir to make into thin strips. Once the butter in the pan bubbled up, add in chilli padi and curry leaves and sautee till fragrant. Add in the fish fillet and pour in the crispy cereal seasoning and black sesame. Mixed well, dish up and serve as easy as 1,2,3.

Hmmmm.... rated this 3 *** better than the first one, Singlong brand. This one not as salty as the first one but this also full with MSG!!! Dearie Suki loves to eat something like this which is ' lai yau' either using prawns, fish, squids or chicken. He just love it maybe is the nice aroma of the butter plus the curry leaves. Looks like I must cook it using original recipe instead of all this instant seasoning mix - MSG - MSG - MSG !

Don't know tonight going to 'gulp, gulp, gulp' how many litres of water again !

Dong Poh Pork

While I was cleaning my bookshelf during the weekend, I came across my old recipe book and flip through and found the recipe for Dong Poh Pork. Whenever me and Dearie Suki dine at Esquire Kitchen, we will never miss the Dong Poh Pork and their steamed Flower Rolls to eat with it.

I still have a big piece of prok belly in the freezer and wanted to clear if off before I forgot about it again. Cook this last week and make some amendment to the recipe and the result is not too bad but with all the fat meat, errrr... I think for the next 1 month I am not going to touch any pork.

Bought a packet of frozen flower rolls, steamed it over high heat and I only ate the hot flower rolls dip with the Dong Poh Pork. I only had 2 pieces of the fatty pork and Dearie Suki was looking at me and ask me ... " How can you eat the fats on the pork " and I answered " Nevermind la, once in a while " but after that I think I am not going to buy any pork for a moment. It is just too fat.

So here is the recipe.

Ingredients :

500gm pork belly, with skin intact

Some hemp-string to tie the pork

6 pcs cloves

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

2 tbsp light soya sauce

Salt and sugar to taste

1 cup of water

Marinade :

1 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp sugar

Some salt and pepper

6 whole garlic pods

Method :
1. Cut the pork in to square, about 6 cm X 3 cm and tie it with a hemp-string.

2. Marinade the pork with the marination ingredients, preferably overnight.

3. Heat a heavy based saucepan and add in the pork. Then add in the rest of the ingredients.

4. Pour in the water and let it simmer for about 1 hour. If the gravy is too thick add in more water to it. Season with salt and sugar to taste. Let it simmer till the meat is tender and dish up.

5. Serve with hot steamed flower rolls.

Hungry Ghost Festival

Today is a hot sunny Sunday morning. Little Ee-Thern woke up at 9 am while Le-Ann woke up as early as 7 am. Me too tired and sleep till Ee-Thern woke me up. Today I planned to bring the kids fo a haircut as I cannot stand Ee-Thern's hair. So long liao. While waiting to go, the kids yelling at me and ask me to go out and see aeroplane and I was wondering why they are so excited. They saw few fighther jet on the air and I think they must be rehearsing for the coming Merdeka Parade. My Ee-Thern boy got so exicited jumping up and down ask me to have a look at it.

After they finished their milk, I get the maid to pack their stuffs and not going to take bath for them until after they cut their hair. I used to bring both to the hair salon in South City Plaza for a hair cut and OMG... per person is RM12. End up I bring them back to Kajang to a hair salon operated from house and only cost RM4 per person. Luckily both of them sit down quietly and let the aunty cut their hair. Done! We head back to Ah Mah's house and we are the earliest. Mom, dad and sis is not back yet.

Both of them play around with Faye Yiyi and then take ther bath. Mom and dad came back at 11 am and 'piling palang' started to cook in the kitchen. I ask mom why cook so many foods and she said today is the Hungry Ghost Festival ( in Chinese Calendar is 14th July ) and we have prayer at Ah Mah's house. As usual mom and dad and Aunty SH will prepare all the stuffs for prayers.

Mom make some Yam Cake back and ask me to try. Once open, oh gosh... Mom's food presentation is real bad. I was complaining to her why can't she cut the yam cake nicely and arrange neatly on a nice container and have some garnishing on top like chopped spring onion and red chilli rather than everything chuck into the container. Then she started to scold me...'If want to eat don't complaint so much'. I kept quiet and eat her yam cake cos in morning didn't take breakfast. So no choice got to eat her yam cake. Actually her yam cake is nice but only bad in presentation. I started to snap some pictures and she ask why I do that. I happily told her I wanted to show the whole world how ugly is her yam cake. Hahaha....I quickly cabut and change topic with her.

Dad wanted to make some fried wantan and Mom prepared the fish paste + minced pork + minced prawn for the filling. I was helping mom to wrap the wantan into triangular shape and I realized mom like to nag so much. Maybe old people is like this. Then here comes my KPC Le-Ann wanted to help PoPo to wrap the wantan.

This is yummy. I love it so much. Keep eating non-stop with chilli sauce.

Today is just like a big 'makan' feast in Ah Mah's house. Dad cook all these for prayers. Clockwise from top left we have Fried Tanghoon ( its my late Ah Kong's favourite), Mixed Vegetables with Prawns ( don't know why whenver we have prayers, dad will cook this boring dish), Black Pepper Pig's Stomach Soup with Mushroom, and Steamed Kampung Chicken.

This fish is nice. Dad said is Ikan Terubuk and its from Sarawak. I don't whether is Uncle HH bought this or Dad. Anyway the flesh is nice but full with small bones. Dad steamed it with tauchoo and added in some chilli padi.

After all lunch, I went back early cos Le-Ann is having her Yamaha Music Kid's concert in the evening. At the concert it is a big dissapointment for me. She 'chicken out' and refuse to go on the stage to perform and sing with other kids. After so many months of bringing her to the music class, all the efforts that I put in on her and this is what I get from her... "Mommy I don't want to go MUSIC School". Sigh. Is she too young for this? I really don't know. Now I understand how a parent felt when your kids tell you this. Same goes to me when I am young, I told my dad I got no interest in PIANO but 'die die' he want me to finish up to Grade 8. Finally I did it just to fulfil his wish but deep inside of me, I got no interest for music. I hope my little Le-Ann will not be like me!

Cutie Le-Ann & Ee-Thern

The whole day I am arranging the kids pictures in my laptop and I think there are more than thousands photos of them which didn't managed to develop. Looking back at their pictures makes me want to laugh at the 2 little cutie monsters. Time flies in just a wink of eyes and now both of them have grown up to a super active kids with their naughty acts.

Both of them so happy. Can't remember why they are so happy!

Mangoesteen and Longan is in season now. Wah, my 2 kids really love local fruits especially Le-Ann. I think she can finish 1kg of mangoesteen by herself.

She will be extremely happy if Daddy buy back the mangoesteen from the night market.

My Ee-Thern, I got worried about him when daddy bought a new bicycle for him cos we have been teaching him how to ride a bicycle for about 2 months. Yet he can't get the rythmn how to peddle to the front. Keep 'gostand' and finally one day in Ah Mah's house he started to peddle to the front. Wah... now just like F1 driver can peddle so fast and 'sau corner'.

Blur, blur Ee-Thern. Just woke up from his afternoon nap and must be still dreaming in his wonderland.

This 2 monster sometimes so good friend can 'wrestling' on the bed and laugh and laugh and leaving mommy over there scratching the head why they laugh.

Daddy came back with a packet of orange juice. I refuse to let her drink unless she finish up her plate of rice. End up keep 'jeling' me when I try to snap photo of her. Arrghh.. 'kek si lang' !

Le-Ann is so happy cos daddy bring her out for supper. Her favourite 'Hokkien Mee'. See how happy is she.

The Paul Frank imitation T-shirt from Phuket. Cute leh!

My chicken floss keropok bought from Phuket. Finished up by Le-Ann within 1/2 an hour. Mommy and daddy didn't get the chance to try out.

Very hot, meh! Keep playing with my GUCCI sunglasses in the car. Going to koyak soon.

Bento #4 : Chiffon Cafe For Breakfast

This morning packed 2 pieces of Chiffon Cake I bought from Giant yesterday. Only RM3.99 for a whole chiffon cake, very cheap. Bought 2 - Pandan Chiffon Cake for us at home and Orange Chiffon Cake for baby sitter.

So today breakfast in a bento box is 2 pieces of Pandan Chiffon Cakes and some grapes. Not packing any lunch to work today cos in the afternoon will be on duty at Mid Valley for My Family Showcase Fair. Thank god, a least a breather for me to get out from the office. Can't wait to go there and have fun with my colleagues. Will come back with more pictures at the fair.

Simple Meals #6

For 3 weeks I haven't been blogging about my simple meals. Now got bento and forgot about it. While I was arranging my folder, saw those food pictures pilling up. Ever since I come back from my holiday, I have been getting lazy to cook nice dish for my Dearie Suki. Nothing new so far and I have been cooking a lot of fried rice and stir-fried green vegetables for dinner cos its easy and no need to think so much.

For a change in menu, I uses Petai to fried with rice. I am just getting bored with Petai. See also 'jelak'.

My dad advised me to blanched the mushroom with hot water before we kept it in the fridge cos according to him all fresh mushroom contains live fungus and it might be poisonous. So to play safe, better blanched with hot water before you store in the fridge.

This is one of my favourite confinement dish. I remember my confinement lady cook this dish for me not using rice wine but only using the hard liquor and Dom. Wah, so syiok! If my mom and sis see this dish I doubt they will be *drooling* for it. Cos we 3 women love this a lot, a lot, a lot.

This is my Dearie Suki favourite. He miss his Fried Siew Yoke at one of the hawker stall in Petaling Street. Nevermind la, my version also the same!