Nien Gao (Sticky Cake)

Nien Gao (pronounce as Neighbour N- Calculation) haha! Chinese New Year Cake. A cake if I'm to choose between western sponge cake and this, I would prefer a sponge cake. However, we don't get to eat Nien Gao everyday, unless you make it.

Lately, I constantly remind myself not to overeat! take lots of greens + fruits , take Quality food (plant refers) and control Quantity! ( ha I m reading phytochemical book now! to brainwash myself a bit) Chinese New Year is looming in probably less than a week! (Argh!)

Nien Gao, overloaded with gula melaka (sugar!) , Flour (starch!!) , oil! ok, I just eat 2 slices to kill my graving ......... I swear I just ate 2 slices.... the other 2 goto my sis's belly! haha

Many ways of eating sticky cake, either u steam it, deep fried with egg, sandwich with taro etc etc.

I actually like my sticky cake pat with corn flour (starch again!) and pan fried it without any oil! Just flour the cake, and put on a hot pan, until the edge started to turn brown or bit of burnt .

I like the smokey flavour of my sticky rice, so yummy. When I made this during my uni time, my housemate gave me an impression of " E yucks" . Hey, That's my favourite. This is the chinese new year snacks that my mum always always make for us since we are very young. IF one day they're not around, this is the food that will make me tears off.

Slice the sticky cake thinly , pat with corn flour and ready to pan fried it without oil.

February 2008 , A Leap year, 29 days

I have " Lost-count " of happiness & good moments , especially in February 08.
(eee I know karen u hate the word Lost-Count ! me too, but in fact that best describes my February, *lol* please bare with me)

1. Chinese New year - Fantastic !

• Ang pao luck = Excellent ! The above are a set of OCBC newly launched ang pao packets, which comes in a picture. I love that, the 2nd ang pao packet I love is Terri's Swarovski's red packets ! very elegant , in fact, I don't mind if u give me a scanty One Ringgit with that red packet or empty packet though.
• Stomach luck = Always good ! but this year I didn't eat a single piece of Nien-Gao ( Chinese Glutinous rice steamed cake) , eventhough It's an Auspicious food, but, somehow I found it's really x healthy at all! considering pounds of sugar added-in.

2. Career Luck - LOW !

• First time I shedded my tears in the office (I'm 11 months in Office, as at Feb 08)! I felt so mental-torturing here. I'm haunted by FIL!!!
• Salary= I'm a coolie . I'm earning pittance. I'm a coolie . I'm earning pittance ( Lyrics of the year)

3. Love Luck - * smiles * my cheeks are glowing .. with sated hormones! (LOLZ)

• still smilling , a blissful smile
• I try to love u more (in honeyed tone)

4. Money Luck - Moderate

• Wallet = full for today, empty by next morning
• other resources = Luckly I have plenty of ang pao to safe my life =p~

hehe, I Like this picture a lot ! Look at this, the Meehoon is being violently rotating by Uncle Tan in the Air !hahahahhahah

went to creamy's Open House with Datuk Lo ( Daphne !! ! he is Eddie !!, remember or not ?) *lolz*

* Creamy, where is my Assets picture ?*

I'm actually eating my Ta-Pao meehoon while Blogging, and while I look back at these pics, eyewww... hahahahhahah

caption: Fingers Cutting Meehoon

Caption : er, dun make me imagine this ! hahahahahhaha

Bu-Tou-Shi , Inanam ( Chinese Temple )

This is my 1st Visit during 1st Day of CNY~ ehhehehehe

when u climbing up the road, u can see lots of black ants (ppl) gather in the temple !!

*Lite-ing up the Joss-sticks on the oil*

Me: I still can smile before I enter the Hall ! Inside was awful ! my eyes are crying!! so much smokes until I barely can open my eyes. and, the most difficult part was when u place ur sticks

on the censer ! I'm just afraid my fingers will get "burnt" by the heat of the falling ashes! ! man!!! I just got it when I'm inside, both my hands & foot!

(sample pic of censer)

Dad's 3 flowers

Auspicious Dish : Fatt Choy Hoe Si Mushroom

When I see this at http://hungerhunger.blogspot.com/2008/01/chin-auntys-fatt-choy-mushrooms.html , I tell myself must COOK THIS!! hahahaha

THis time, I get my mum to cook it! hahahha, something new to our family ! every year, mum only cook sea cucumber with mushroom & some gravy, which I m getting bored of it.

Now, I have Fatt Choy Hoe Si Mushroom with Kailan

Recipe: Pls get it from Terri's page.

We just added some Hoe Si, which We soaked, and deep fried it b4 cook with the rest.

Yum yuM~

verdict : If you like Fatt Choy, then is YUMMYLICIOUS! HAHAhahahhaha

very nice!

1st Day of Chinese New Year

What U doing on 1st day of CNY ?
Photo Shooting

Yeah, Some Chinese will cook " Chai-Choi" ( Mixed Vege) early in the morning & plain rice for Breakfast ! That's a Tradition one. Hahaha!

Ingredients : - ( for 10 persons)

A: Mushrooms (10 ~ 8 pieces, soaked it overnite, to get rid of the Wood smells)

B: Red Dates ( 10 nos)

C: Dried Oyster ( 10 pieces)

D: Fatt Choi ( 1 Handful, soaked & cleaned it)

E: Gingko Nuts ( 10 nos)

F: Red Fermented Beancurd ( 5 cubes)

G: Tong Hong ( 1 Handful, soaked)

H: Fu-Zuk , Beancurd sticks (Deep Fried & soaked it)

I: Dried lily Buds ( 1 Handful, soaked)

J: Wood ear (HAHAHA) Dried Fungus ( 1 Handful, soaked)

K: Chinese cabbages ( Few big leaves, sliced it)

L: CI-GU ( er, what's the english oredi ah?) (10 nos), boiled it b4 cook

Method: (this cooking are for 10 persons )

1. Heat up some oil, Deep fried the Dried Oyster until crisp, push it aside , and throw in some minced red onions

2. Smashed the Fermented Beancurd, and Throw in now, stir well.

3. Throw in ALL the ingredients, except Fatt Choi & Tong Hung.

4. Stir well, Add in 5 T of Light soya , and 1 Large bowl of water

5. Close the wok-lip and cook for 15 minutes, until half of the water dried off.

6. Sprinkle some sugar & some dark soya to darken the sauce ( if u want)

Reunion Dinner

Reunion Dinner, being the most " Meaningful " dinner for me.

In older days, the parents will usually "slaving" at home for the whole day just to prepare for a Good Scrumptious for children & members.

Nowadays, some families will ahead to Restaurant for Reunion Dinner, for more cozy & nice environment..

me ? haha, I lived in the house for 28 yrs! When I start growing up say 12 ? every year of this day, I will start helping mum cutting & chopping in the Kitchen already. I really really enjoy doing it ! That's the moment we get together & "learn" from my mum~ Other reason is also At the same time, when I'm slicing food like Abalone, normally I will pop in 1~2 slices in my mouth without mum's sight! hahahahha...I remember when I was young, mum taught me how to slice a good thin Abalone, and I actually ate it after each cut! and mum was like HEY ! AH TNG!

I must assure that, when the days I have children, I must make this as a practice! Cook like a Slave ! with head of sweats! ahhahahhahahha

I don't why suddenly SENG SENG boy is in the picture!! hahahahah! he just love my mum!

Chicken stock

Home-made seaJelly~

Roast

Yam

Steamed Chicken

Pan Fried Salted Prawns

Mixed vege

hahaha, Aunt Terri's Fatt Choy Hoe Si Mushrooms

Roast Duck

OK, I gained 5KGs from the above

Chinese New Year's Eve 除夕 - Red Bean at 11 night??

Dad got this " Monetary Feng Shui Tips " from Radio.
During CNY Eve 除夕, 9pm all house's windows/doors has to be closed !
Then around 11 pm , The mama of the house has to start boiling the red bean soup using the 1st drop of water from the tap =p~

So morning, we started to soak the red bean =p

Then our house windows & Doors are all shut off at 9 pm~~~!!!! so we all are caged inside the tiny hse.

11pm ~ mum started cooking red bean soup.
then I added some Tang-yuen ( which we bought if from market) with tousa & Peanuts fillings.

hah! hahaha, we all eating these during the mid of the night =p


Dont u think that the red beans soup with Tang Yuen resemble Pai Gow ? ( Chinese Dominoes)


Pomelo Leaves Water ~ Being Holy water for Chinese Beliefs~ =p~ *lol*
Bathe with it ~ Bring U great fortune for the rest of the year