tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13044376909596038702024-03-18T11:02:59.122+08:00A Daily ObsessionTerri's the mom who loves to cook (and eat), Yi is the daughter who eats (and eats), Ming the middle child who cooks while Wey, the youngest, is the ultimate food sniffer and taster- no one can fool this guy. Hub?? Let's just say he eats anything!Terri @ A Daily Obsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00220600890256142215noreply@blogger.comBlogger1074125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-21240529392368957142013-05-25T20:17:00.001+08:002013-05-26T09:18:22.798+08:00A breather<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I get asked by friends why I don't blog anymore. There are so many reasons, but I think the truth is I need a break. I miss baking like crazy but the oven where I'm living now doesn't work. Monitoring the house renovation and shopping for fittings and finishing take up a lot of my time, and I have even stopped my baking classes because I'm tired from running around. Doing a house is very challenging in KK. If I want something more fancy, I'd have to wait about 6 to 8 weeks for it to be shipped in from KL. Right now I'm totally stressed out searching for an oven that is at least triple glazed--or preferably quad--and has pyrolytic cleaning function but there's none here, and there are very few choices even in KL. Brands of ovens are very limited too. If you have a good triple or quad-glazed oven with quick and even heating and pyrolytic cleaning function, please tell me!<br />
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After foreveerrrr, we've reached the stage where we just have to put in the flooring, which is dependent on the window glass being installed which is dependent on a very busy glass & aluminium guy who can't be rushed. Or contacted. I'm at the house everyday--I enjoy going through the process of building a house, but am beginning to hate making decisions--and I am living breathing house renovation, nothing else. Cross my fingers and toes, but I think the house should be ready by June. I'll have a 9 feet by 3.5 feet kitchen island then, and I'll be back with a vengeance. Promise.<br />
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com128tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-15974972307626401572013-04-22T18:06:00.001+08:002013-04-22T20:54:29.930+08:00Vietnamese Long Beans With Thai Basil & Pork Mince<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Vietnamese long beans, basil and pork stir-fry.</i><br />
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Here's a very simple, easy-to-cook but delicious Vietnamese/Thai dish that my new friend from Hong Kong taught me. Amy's Vietnamese long beans with Thai basil and pork mince was totally devoured within 5 minutes on the table. </div>
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This dish is best made with the old-fashioned green long beans. I couldn't find Lee Kum Kee's shrimp paste so I had to use oyster sauce for the <i>xien/umami</i> taste. Adjust the heat level by the amount of chilies (I didn't use bird's eyes chilies) and chili oil. For those who love the flavor of Thai basil (which is stronger than sweet basil) and veggies, this is a great dish to eat with rice. If I had iceberg lettuce, I'd use them as wraps. Kids will find this dish too vegetarian and 'minty' as my son did. Still, cook this and I know you'll like it.</div>
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<b style="text-align: justify;">Vietnamese Long Beans, Basil & Pork Stir-Fry</b><br />
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1 bundle (400 gm) green long beans, cut into 1 cm lengths</div>
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300 gm (or more if like) minced pork, seasoned with 1/2 t castor sugar, 1/2 t salt, 2 t light soy sauce</div>
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1 bundle (200 gm) Thai basil, leaves only</div>
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2 big red chilies, cut into small 1 cm pieces</div>
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2 bird's eyes chilies (optional)</div>
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2 cloves garlic, chopped</div>
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1 small red onion/shallot, chopped</div>
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2 t shrimp paste (Lee Kum Kee brand)<br />
salt to taste.</div>
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3 T chili oil or use veg oil, or a combo of, for a less hot dish</div>
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1. Heat up a wok. Add oil and fry the garlic, onions and long beans, adding a large pinch of salt, under medium heat. Push the beans to the side of the wok, or dish it out. Add the pork (I prefer not to add more oil but you can), stirring well to break up it up, and then add the chilies.</div>
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2. Add the shrimp paste (substitute with chicken stock powder or oyster sauce as last option) and stir well to mix. Continue to stir-fry until all the liquid is gone (the dish tastes better dry). Season with more salt and shrimp paste if necessary.</div>
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3. Turn the heat to high, add the basil leaves, stir through and dish up.</div>
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Serve with hot rice. I like it with crisp iceberg lettuce.</div>
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-62587526371607311402013-04-16T13:30:00.000+08:002013-04-16T13:31:26.986+08:00Tiger Prawns In Rice Wine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here's an easy one but it's oh-so-yummy especially when done with very fresh tiger prawns!<br />
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<b>Tiger Prawns In Rice Wine</b><br />
1.5 kg tiger prawns (or any marine prawns)<br />
1 bottle (1 litre) Chinese yellow rice wine<br />
1 T finely cut fresh ginger strips<br />
salt to taste<br />
1/2 T sesame oil<br />
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1. Devein and trim off the feelers and sharp tips of the prawns, and legs as well if like.<br />
2. Heat up a non-reactive pot (glass or ceramic), add sesame oil and fry the ginger and prawns on both sides until shell is bright red.<br />
3. Add all the wine, cover and let wine come to a boil.<br />
4. Remove cover, add salt to taste and turn heat off. Glass or ceramic pots stay hot for a long time so do not overcook.<br />
5. Serve hot as a soup. Very comforting and nourishing.<br />
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-73578369392652478642013-04-16T13:18:00.002+08:002013-04-16T13:18:46.310+08:00Creativity With Food: Days 21 to 31<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Day 21: My Butter Half<br />
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Day 22: Carnivore Vs Herbivore<br />
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Day 23: Eggplant Circus<br />
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Day 24: LV Mushrooms<br />
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Day 25: Field of (Chili) Tulips<br />
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Day 26: Parliament Is Dissolved<br />
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Day 27: Nasi Lemak KL Skyline<br />
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Day 28: Red Cabbage Marchesa Salad<br />
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Day 29: Goldfish In My Consomme<br />
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Day 30: Tropical Fruits Pufferfish<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJRVcTgGHkf7C9hoTm3fC4NYcErC8TBO3rmaKanB_WJwXcDzCwe2Ar552Pkay44F74P1xymTgZmzczDG1uqTqyl-i2k2ndvy7j_tLKfjsHl4nAYfJ6udwHgzPhnWT0V86ddaVNj25p2B4/s1600/day+31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJRVcTgGHkf7C9hoTm3fC4NYcErC8TBO3rmaKanB_WJwXcDzCwe2Ar552Pkay44F74P1xymTgZmzczDG1uqTqyl-i2k2ndvy7j_tLKfjsHl4nAYfJ6udwHgzPhnWT0V86ddaVNj25p2B4/s320/day+31.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Day 31: Thank You!</div>
terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-16905212492513243912013-04-08T16:49:00.000+08:002013-04-09T09:40:24.180+08:00Fish Head & Taro Claypot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqS9HHVXWVdoQrQCFdkBaZcor5WOB9ZQUR1IwREHskflcpXVJn35gee8B1pauSa-nCcM1wGNINaDKkXGiR4Lzz-TWmdzlhk3J9dHjijbgP8SDIPdPNROcjk1U7BcG6CkOBiylXVVq5NtxB/s1600/DSC_0286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqS9HHVXWVdoQrQCFdkBaZcor5WOB9ZQUR1IwREHskflcpXVJn35gee8B1pauSa-nCcM1wGNINaDKkXGiR4Lzz-TWmdzlhk3J9dHjijbgP8SDIPdPNROcjk1U7BcG6CkOBiylXVVq5NtxB/s640/DSC_0286.JPG" width="640" /></a></div> <i>Delicious claypot of fish, taro and Chinese herbs, blended with milk and chicken stock.</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">I've been busy and lazy--bad combination. It's really hard to cook now that both boys are not home and the rest of my family--me, my mom, Hub and my daughter, who is based between Shanghai and here for this year--is always on a diet, either to loose weight for health or to fit into apparel that are one size too small. I used to be skin and bones, weighing 52 kgs after my third kid was born, and was known (and envied by less lucky friends) for eating huge portions without gaining weight. Now I can't loose weight even when I starve myself. Last week, my daughter forced me into a hip hop class at her regular gym. After 15 minutes and feeling stupid always being a step behind, I caught myself in the mirror rolling my shoulders and shrugging my body and I looked so stupid, I ran out of the class. I'd rather be fat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, did you read recently that a diet big on fish can reduce your chance of a heart attack by a whopping %tage? The more fish I eat, the more uncomfortable I get about eating other meat. Maybe it's time I turn vegetarian, which is not hard because good bacon and beef are hard to find here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://hungerhunger.blogspot.com/2012/08/alu-alu-restaurant.html"><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Alu Alu Restaurant</b></span></a>'s taro fish head claypot is their best dish, in our opinion, but lately while the taste is still awesome, getting a piece of taro is like going on a treasure hunt. Sometimes they even forget to spike the dish with <i>dong gui</i>, a Chinese herb that makes the dish so extraordinary. So, as every decent mom would do, I cloned the dish at home and got it right first time, with the help of my kids who told me that Alu Alu's white sauce is definitely milk, not cream, and that there is plenty of chicken stock powder flavor. Better than Alu Alu's said my daughter at first bite, which prompted her brother to call her an ass-kisser.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I cooked the dish again recently, this time adding the sauce to the fish just before serving so that the fish doesn't break up. I am so pleased with the results. I hope you like it too. If fish head is not to your taste (poor you), you can use fish fillet slices (poor you) with skin on so that the fish won't break up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Fish Head & Taro Claypot</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">400 gm fish head (grouper is good), in chunks, or thick slices of fish fillet skin on</div><div style="text-align: justify;">300 gm taro, in small chunks</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6 to 8 pips of whole garlic, peeled</div><div style="text-align: justify;">10 to 15 dried lily buds, soaked, hard tip removed & tied in a knot</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6 to 8 red dates, soaked and slit once on the side to release flavor</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 to 4 very thin pieces of dried dong gui</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 thin slice of fresh ginger</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 T dried cloud ears, soaked, or 2 pieces dried Chinese mushrooms</div><div style="text-align: justify;">cilantro for garnish</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 tsp chicken stock powder</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3/4 cup fresh milk</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 to 1 1/2 cups water</div><div style="text-align: justify;">salt & white pepper to taste</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1/2 tsp castor sugar (optional)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">veg oil</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 cup potato starch flour</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 egg white</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Massage in the egg white. Put potato starch into a plastic bag and add the fish piece by piece, shaking to coat thoroughly. Shake off excess flour. Deep-fry the garlic pips until golden, remove and then fry the fish until just cooked. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Put the lily buds, red dates, mushroom or cloud's ears, ginger, dong gui and taro into a pot over medium heat (if like, add some oil before adding these items) and add the water and chicken stock. Cover. When sauce boils, lower the fire and season with salt and pepper, and sugar if using. When the taro is tender, add the milk. Season to taste, adding more milk or water or chicken stock if necessary. At the same time, heat up a large claypot until a drop of water sizzles when dripped into the pot. Arrange the fish slices into the claypot and pour the sauce over the fish. Top with the cilantro and serve immediately. Eat with rice. You can also cook everything in the claypot (but the dish won't have a dramatic sizzle) but be careful when turning the fish because it can break up and disintegrate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-27607162904673611552013-03-22T19:45:00.003+08:002013-04-16T13:04:26.728+08:00Creativity With Food: Days 14 to 20<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVV-0JLaBIojsoIxF-LWxWCLPLJkjcn9CSldJsL3GZETvaZ9rJcA2bpWQ7uTWVE6ZxS4i1tI5hLSnjQTufe6E6NonBNxgbr7QA1-WksTL5WUXzE4VacjEccUB8CY5-PeryftC2lrNTnXg/s1600/day+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVV-0JLaBIojsoIxF-LWxWCLPLJkjcn9CSldJsL3GZETvaZ9rJcA2bpWQ7uTWVE6ZxS4i1tI5hLSnjQTufe6E6NonBNxgbr7QA1-WksTL5WUXzE4VacjEccUB8CY5-PeryftC2lrNTnXg/s320/day+14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Day 14: Artic Melting <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNAPX1lyggKppoF8d-bmiwzZe61wpFin_nZp2fSuvg7jlim9EQ1jD0l_DpTPoSj6sMVU2q97PfHMpPgiUbf6lVbALnx9BYOdF0VPg9lAaXBlWtjBfmuVr1GOA_mOhuYxf7moEZ1AGzrql/s1600/day+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNAPX1lyggKppoF8d-bmiwzZe61wpFin_nZp2fSuvg7jlim9EQ1jD0l_DpTPoSj6sMVU2q97PfHMpPgiUbf6lVbALnx9BYOdF0VPg9lAaXBlWtjBfmuVr1GOA_mOhuYxf7moEZ1AGzrql/s320/day+15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Day 15: Guess Who Stays Here?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR63T1Ee5aV6tLL4Dl-psg8d-ATmHDCaq2oxllacSTBWHE-jzpE3_ZVRrrT4zfssDaMP9p-oPB_YpkAUBdJpd9oRAZSJIRIJZMb2C2RgeMfnPz4tjpxrvKk_V4TJcKGBw1m8pgYmvld-3G/s1600/day+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR63T1Ee5aV6tLL4Dl-psg8d-ATmHDCaq2oxllacSTBWHE-jzpE3_ZVRrrT4zfssDaMP9p-oPB_YpkAUBdJpd9oRAZSJIRIJZMb2C2RgeMfnPz4tjpxrvKk_V4TJcKGBw1m8pgYmvld-3G/s320/day+16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Day 16: Three Little Pigs<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfhvfZerMedeNuIqQq0ZZ_rkdSl3itw1uMgXaICYogXFpCoW0pa7E21xWqHcauSh2ric4hRrI2f9uoc5e9dMBKCpUhvsLG5mbdywXlKMkn65E05IKBYTOFdp2piEVH9rDXRcYr1fnVgDh/s1600/day+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfhvfZerMedeNuIqQq0ZZ_rkdSl3itw1uMgXaICYogXFpCoW0pa7E21xWqHcauSh2ric4hRrI2f9uoc5e9dMBKCpUhvsLG5mbdywXlKMkn65E05IKBYTOFdp2piEVH9rDXRcYr1fnVgDh/s320/day+17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Day 17: How The Third Pig Got Away<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd89GkGuR1EDhN3GkWJ-_bUBpsZ4LbijVnq1aLjVodjzUix5N2uV7poG8oDsbIgL9aM7UuV_yRfj7kdKkqaN5vlLwYN0Ldyb8KUXCJgNWAMmqouglVZETYWpfBQEf81y-nCvMdUxXFQSOu/s1600/day+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd89GkGuR1EDhN3GkWJ-_bUBpsZ4LbijVnq1aLjVodjzUix5N2uV7poG8oDsbIgL9aM7UuV_yRfj7kdKkqaN5vlLwYN0Ldyb8KUXCJgNWAMmqouglVZETYWpfBQEf81y-nCvMdUxXFQSOu/s320/day+20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Day 20: Tiny Tutus<br />
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</div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-9208277409816366282013-03-22T14:21:00.002+08:002013-03-22T14:29:00.761+08:00Miri 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Miri is a big town small city about 40 minutes by plane from Kota Kinabalu. Borneo Island looks sort of like the profile of a terrier, with its face towards the right. Miri is just a little bit further south of Brunei, a country famed for its wealth from oil and gas, and for the exciting lifestyles of its rulers. This is my first trip to Miri although 20 years ago I was nearly there when I spent a couple of days in the famous limestone caves of Miri called Mulu Caves. The caves are worth a visit. You can skip the town unless you like hot open spaces, chaotic roads, bad drivers and randomly located buildings.<br />
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Miri looks like it's on a booming roll, with thousands of new houses and super straight wide roads (envy). Other than the oil and gas industry, Miri's economy is fueled also by the presence of 3,500 Curtin University (of Australia) students. Beats me why anyone would want to spend four years seeking knowledge in a place like Miri but then who am I to judge, especially when my own son is enrolled there for foundation studies. I've always advised kids that university life is not just about studying, but also being exposed to different cultures and ideologies.<br />
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I was so looking forward to eating Fuzhou noodles; just love them. From the airport, we went straight to Hong Yung Cafe in Morsjaya, less than 10 minutes away.<br />
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<i>Look at that, only RM4 for a bowl of noodles! </i><br />
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<i>The people sitting at the next table were having this, steamed tofu with pork and salted fish, but it had to be pre-ordered a day before. Darn it, it looked good.</i><br />
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<i>This is baiguogang, fried sticky rice noodles. It was yum. The Shanghainese has a different way of frying these noodles, <a href="http://hungerhunger.blogspot.com/2011/04/shanghai-sticky-rice-sticks.html"><span style="color: #660000;"><b>here</b></span></a>. </i><br />
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<i>This is one of my fave Fuzhou noodles but this bowl of din bian hu was rather bland. It didn't have the deep flavor of pork bones and cuttlefish stock that lady at the Fuzhuo Association building in Kota Kinabalu used to serve.</i><br />
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<i>Again, maybe because I was comparing all these noodle dishes to those I ate at the Fuzhuo Building in KK, I found this rather bland although I did like it because the fish balls were home-made and the sourish jowcai (a preserved veg) was refreshing.</i><br />
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<i>Pork liver and heart soup. I ate a slice of liver; it was tender and tasty.</i><br />
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<i> About 10 years ago, a friend used to bring delicious Sarawak kolo mee back to KK every Friday night. This plate of kolo mee is not as good as my favorite kolo mee in Inanam, KK. </i><br />
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It was an eating spree all day in Miri. We ate pork and taro buns at tea time but I wasn't impressed (the <i>bao</i> was fine and soft but the filling was just a bit of meat with lots of chopped onions held together by thick gravy. The taro filling looked dyed and tasted of cheap margarine) so I didn't bother with photos.<br />
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My son had a good meal at Mei Xiang Cafe (second shop on the right, Jalan Jee Foh Utama, Krokop) a couple of weeks ago and dreamt about eating the pork dishes again.<br />
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<i>Midin is a fern that is to Sarawakians as sayur manis is to Sabahans: very loved and ubiquitous. The midin here was fried in rice wine--utterly delicious.</i><br />
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<i>Another hit, chicken cooked in wine--awesome fragrance and flavor!</i><br />
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<i> My son's fave dish, thin slices of pork belly fried with salted fish served piping hot in a claypot.</i><br />
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<i>Pork belly slices fried with salt (joo rou chao yen). This tasted quite ordinary, like Korean samgyusal and it went well with rice.</i><br />
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<i>House tofu.</i><br />
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<i>A simple dish of bean sprouts with salted fish--crunchy sprouts, tasty sauce and a strong 'wok fire' made this the best dish to me.</i><br />
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The bill came to RM73.40 for 6 of us. No wonder Hub thinks Miri is great. I was not so sure because by the time we got to our car, my stomach was churning. I spent the whole night in discomfort. I couldn't figure out what--the lunch, the tea break or the dinner--caused the runs because only three of us got sick.</div>
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-54171044872776404252013-03-14T16:29:00.000+08:002013-03-15T09:24:52.534+08:00Taro & Pork Ribs Congee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I couldn't find taro in the market or supermarket so I waited for the Donggongon<i> tamu</i> (a local market that is held on Thurdays and Fridays in Donggongon). Look at the stuff I picked up there this morning:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NNF-JC5klyvVptReJrV0Ox3XOwFdnrPuGZEqIkF3uLVptpwDFRhAKAmFgPS_0SNJeCgXabd_X-ju-PFiBAn9mapxJbQ5J1WxIvjBZX4kdy_gdTKjnKf3XpMK5GbTZJfZXeNFloTAHXhL/s1600/DSC_0173a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NNF-JC5klyvVptReJrV0Ox3XOwFdnrPuGZEqIkF3uLVptpwDFRhAKAmFgPS_0SNJeCgXabd_X-ju-PFiBAn9mapxJbQ5J1WxIvjBZX4kdy_gdTKjnKf3XpMK5GbTZJfZXeNFloTAHXhL/s640/DSC_0173a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <i>Baby jicama, RM5 per kg.</i><br />
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When I got home from the market, the congee that Vero cooked was purplish in color. She had added <i>pulut hitam</i> (black glutinous rice) because we had run out of brown rice (we are mostly on brown rice now because my mom's diabetic). It was too wasteful to cook another pot of congee so I went with what Vero had cooked. When we sat down for lunch (congee for lunch in tropical weather is a big mistake), the kids wondered if the congee was savory or sweet.<br />
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Surprisingly, it was good congee. Taro never fails, never.<br />
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<b>Taro & Pork Ribs Congee</b><br />
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400 to 500 g pork ribs, chopped into 3 cm pieces & blanched with boiling water & drained<br />
400 to 500 gm taro, peeled and cut into chunks 3 cm square<br />
1 1/2 cups white or brown rice, washed<br />
2 cloves garlic, 1/4 of a small brown onion and a very small knob of fresh ginger, all smashed and chopped finely<br />
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1. In a heavy-based pot, fry the garlic, onion and ginger in about 1 tablespoon of veg oil until soft and fragrant but not brown. Add the rice and stir, then add water about 15 times the volume of the rice. Cover and simmer, stirring once in a while. Add more water to make the congee thinner if like. Note: Do not add water to ready cooked congee or it will turn watery when cold. Some congee purists (usually HK people) start with the right amount of water and never add anymore, controlling the consistency of the congee by controlling the heat.<br />
2. After one hour, add the spare ribs and simmer again for 30 minutes. Usually, at this point, I like to turn the heat off and let the congee swell. If you are doing that, you can add the taro now. It will cook but if it doesnt go soft enough, go to Step 3.<br />
3. Add the taro and simmer until the taro is tender but not too soft. Season with salt and pepper. Let congee steep for a while before serving.<br />
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</div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-41383701417330359872013-03-14T15:45:00.000+08:002013-03-14T18:45:38.734+08:00Creativity With Food: Day 11, 12 &13 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Day 11: Campbell's Tomato Soup<br />
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Day 12: Giant Squid Attack!</div>
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Day 13: Banksy On My Plate </div>
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-78852046859577522522013-03-10T19:00:00.000+08:002013-03-10T22:29:19.036+08:00Creative Food: Day 10<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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"Dogs in my Oreos"</div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-25311572317903041262013-03-10T18:46:00.000+08:002013-03-14T09:31:48.367+08:00'Honey' Mi Zi Ribs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqwwaz_cTYkROBgWszijDNXn0R_u5tsmrtx9YjXRAkqAKe0lTNF6jl8vjSn-pjoaOJd-YFEZSwyPa7hMcue20Xk8TpPykZ1e6C47UdVprnQ5TCDurW8YiX5xdmnyNJ0DXZNneC5xugoHE/s1600/DSC_0091a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqwwaz_cTYkROBgWszijDNXn0R_u5tsmrtx9YjXRAkqAKe0lTNF6jl8vjSn-pjoaOJd-YFEZSwyPa7hMcue20Xk8TpPykZ1e6C47UdVprnQ5TCDurW8YiX5xdmnyNJ0DXZNneC5xugoHE/s640/DSC_0091a.jpg" width="470" /></a><br />
<i>Mi zi ribs</i><br />
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This recipe is from a Chinese website and I had help from my daughter to translate some crazy sentences such as 'kaiguo sauce', which means turning up the fire to reduce the sauce and "heat the pan, put sugar in the fire glycated open blister", which means heat the sugar until it bubbles. The amount of ingredients were not listed and the step by step photos did not show the addition of honey, but I think you can add some honey at the end to glaze the ribs. I didn't, because there was enough sugar in the ribs. I've added garlic powder to the ribs because I like the flavor and the powder is soon going past the expiry date but you can just use fresh garlic. The ribs turned out superb--sweet, sticky, moist and delicious, "better than the restaurants" (said my son)--so do give it a try, especially when you need that sugar high.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUx811rtE_qHpk4Ue1PfWnCjLm0h9ivYWxZupPGP_P08vfmatw6FQPhuoj231xmCmPXTLTnjMQ-TwF-nal-vwx4SEVQKEHpmz8L8HI7GdVpyXhrs1hVGk2QwcAoSRY3-vITx-mhm7Pi3f9/s1600/DSC_0052a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUx811rtE_qHpk4Ue1PfWnCjLm0h9ivYWxZupPGP_P08vfmatw6FQPhuoj231xmCmPXTLTnjMQ-TwF-nal-vwx4SEVQKEHpmz8L8HI7GdVpyXhrs1hVGk2QwcAoSRY3-vITx-mhm7Pi3f9/s640/DSC_0052a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <i> Similar to my <a href="http://hungerhunger.blogspot.com/2007/04/super-yummy-soy-sauce-duck.html"><span style="color: #660000;">super yummy soy sauce duck</span></a> (you must cook that!), the sugar is melted in the oil. This will give a beautiful, shiny, sticky glaze later.</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCAlmuhs7nxmvgg7LWBv54dKtamuVg2KcnPupe0RJDTikwBpj9pZH8fQo-nEqd3-3SdJ9K2R8WkzW_iqq7ZS520G3ScHi5W0xEP78U4jTncz20oXFknPJvAif3jGv5gk_34zx2DMCSYaE/s1600/DSC_0056a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCAlmuhs7nxmvgg7LWBv54dKtamuVg2KcnPupe0RJDTikwBpj9pZH8fQo-nEqd3-3SdJ9K2R8WkzW_iqq7ZS520G3ScHi5W0xEP78U4jTncz20oXFknPJvAif3jGv5gk_34zx2DMCSYaE/s640/DSC_0056a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <i>Everything's added all at once; super easy recipe.</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvedQcc9pApzZhO6SukNzGTQ6X69nRy32lq57WVpzK3YXHvEcgHv2unPn4hhy3HsQAb1DvgZyp4fgfnZHSqqUv0WQgNGVu46DBs5u_whGJH4NiF3VqlhCM3Zj83-iP1LhyaEIgtSNrULR/s1600/DSC_0057a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvedQcc9pApzZhO6SukNzGTQ6X69nRy32lq57WVpzK3YXHvEcgHv2unPn4hhy3HsQAb1DvgZyp4fgfnZHSqqUv0WQgNGVu46DBs5u_whGJH4NiF3VqlhCM3Zj83-iP1LhyaEIgtSNrULR/s640/DSC_0057a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <i>Water is added to the level of the ribs.</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHHL6d6J8BqkkemVlKTyOLDSjyb73eS4mpgF5s12OzQ9RzzJxXJbg3NtixpezEmDm-N6mjb69hvXqYYV7BjpkpCU1NBWeRD4G3mZcERc0hsGFW0v4q2ehbIwl5uaHGxLSFO1qjzNqVNTi/s1600/DSC_0087a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHHL6d6J8BqkkemVlKTyOLDSjyb73eS4mpgF5s12OzQ9RzzJxXJbg3NtixpezEmDm-N6mjb69hvXqYYV7BjpkpCU1NBWeRD4G3mZcERc0hsGFW0v4q2ehbIwl5uaHGxLSFO1qjzNqVNTi/s640/DSC_0087a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <i> Home-grown cilantro, yum.</i><br />
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'Honey' Mi Zi Ribs<br />
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1 kg pork belly ribs, about 5 cm or longer<br />
1/2 bulb garlic, minced<br />
2 T garlic powder (optional)<br />
two pinches of fine salt<br />
2 1/2 T light soy sauce (or to taste)--I used Lee Kum Kee Selected Light SS<br />
2 1/2 T dark soy sauce (or to taste)<br />
1 T tomato ketchup<br />
3 T veg oil<br />
3 T coarse or fine white sugar (you can reduce this by a tablespoon and add some honey at the end)<br />
1 small piece (size of your thumb) rock sugar<br />
2 T rice wine<br />
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Garnish with: toasted sesame seeds, cilantro & blanched broccoli<br />
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1. Scald the ribs with boiling water & drain well.<br />
2. Marinade ribs with garlic powder, salt and soy sauces for at least 1/2 hour (or overnight like I did).<br />
3. Add the oil and sugar to an unheated pot and turn the heat on at medium. Melt the sugar until it is lightly golden in color. It's ok if the melted sugar hardens (it won't if you use more oil but for health reasons, I used less oil); it will melt again when water is added to it.<br />
4. Add the ribs, including the marinade sauce, and the minced garlic to the pot and stir at high heat until evenly coated with the melted sugar.<br />
5. Add enough water to reach the level of the ribs. Cover and simmer at medium low heat (make sure the sauce bubbles) until ribs are tender (depending on the size of the ribs, about 30 to 45 min) but not too soft because they still need to be cooked for another 15 to 20 minutes to reduce the sauce. You can add more soy sauce (light for taste, dark for color) but remember that the ribs will be saltier and darker when the sauce is reduced.<br />
6. Remove the cover, add the rice wine and turn the heat to the highest, stirring frequently to reduce the sauce.<br />
7. Plate up with a border of blanched broccoli and top with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro leaves. Goes very well with plain rice.</div></div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-24796530826646953172013-03-08T16:37:00.001+08:002013-03-08T16:37:30.689+08:00Creativity With Food: Day 8<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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March 8, 2013 "Dragon In My Dragon Fruit!"</div>
terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-25686993456844009702013-03-07T23:54:00.000+08:002013-03-08T16:38:16.091+08:00Creativity With Food, 1-7 March, 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Since I've not been cooking much (house reno, diets, too busy), I thought I'd keep this blog alive by posting my daughter's project, Creativity With Food, which will run for the whole month of March. Yi will create a picture using food on a white plate and so far, it just gets better and better. I think she should take over my kitchen. If we eat what she creates/cooks, we don't have to worry about gaining weight.<br />
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March 1, 2013 "Watermelon"<br />
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March 2, 2013 "The Scream"</div>
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March 3, 2013 "My Garden"</div>
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March 4, 2013 "Pray for Sabah"</div>
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March 5, 2013 "Sonny, KFC is a bad, bad place"</div>
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March 6, 2013 "All You Need is Love: Wennie & Joshua"</div>
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March 7, 2013 "The Giant Wave At Kanagawa"<br />
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-48179733269274037742013-03-01T00:09:00.000+08:002013-03-02T11:52:49.084+08:00Black Pomfret In Garlic Oil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8gnoWRaa98zHaihKXZneGeUA4toYp9LReA5B0tgxrsoyJ3RY4QzZTGO-_z4gLpIE974pILAjhk-am-ZZ-M8OQJp0pRRCARmJoiVKT0d6XyO4BQeJMcytZvQtARENIdi7QafwHwY4R0_r/s1600/DSC_8912a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8gnoWRaa98zHaihKXZneGeUA4toYp9LReA5B0tgxrsoyJ3RY4QzZTGO-_z4gLpIE974pILAjhk-am-ZZ-M8OQJp0pRRCARmJoiVKT0d6XyO4BQeJMcytZvQtARENIdi7QafwHwY4R0_r/s1600/DSC_8912a.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxCCK8rFeTM0PdbLa5xTrW7D2w8QJ1tyvmGYEoToQY1FbylFRbC-_dqaKM23abjL6y-ADNbiw7HbomlK1H1mmCByH6LP542c0MpdU09UidO0VXofRaEM1-MczaUfzF598xthk-0sI4EW5/s1600/DSC_8929a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxCCK8rFeTM0PdbLa5xTrW7D2w8QJ1tyvmGYEoToQY1FbylFRbC-_dqaKM23abjL6y-ADNbiw7HbomlK1H1mmCByH6LP542c0MpdU09UidO0VXofRaEM1-MczaUfzF598xthk-0sI4EW5/s1600/DSC_8929a.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmk8KCotae7I0X6NOVDNyGX1rLdtQwyw2A6lAZ4xUsi6mm7RhiKPFjHiMwlesf3nbdx1tQef1N631QfL3ERC95Q1o0ciPjQdqRD18Vxrb0iw5gDx-jgZtSsaRbpiMgB1z0WFcj75Gk3HH/s1600/DSC_8932a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmk8KCotae7I0X6NOVDNyGX1rLdtQwyw2A6lAZ4xUsi6mm7RhiKPFjHiMwlesf3nbdx1tQef1N631QfL3ERC95Q1o0ciPjQdqRD18Vxrb0iw5gDx-jgZtSsaRbpiMgB1z0WFcj75Gk3HH/s1600/DSC_8932a.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <i>Fried whole scad, eaten with rice and a chili-lime dip.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whole small oily fishes such as sardines, scads and even anchovies are best eaten fried. We don't get herrings here but I think they are also good fried although right now I crave <a href="http://www.hungerhunger.blogspot.com/search?q=herrings+delft"><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Dutch-style herrings</b></span></a>, eaten raw, whole and coated with raw chopped onions. Oily forage fish or bait fish are very tasty but considered cheap fish compared to white fish. Oily bait fishes have a stronger flavor and sweeter taste than white fish and are a lot more safer to eat than large white fishes because 1) they eat plankton so they are vegetarians compared to bigger predator fish, which should make them more healthy to eat 2) they haven't lived long enough to accumulate massive amounts of heavy metals as big fishes have 3) they don't have a high commercial value so there's less chance of them being preserved with dubious chemicals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Black pomfret are not bait fishes and hardly considered cheap now but they make the best fried fish in my opinion. Black pomfrets with a body (i.e. excluding the tail) the size of my hand are the perfect size for eating. Too small and I feel guilty eating fish that hasn't had a chance to breed. Too big and there's too much meat to skin. The flesh of the black pomfret is soft, fine-textured and sweet but it's the deep-fried toasted flavor of the crispy skin and bones (which are soft enough to eat, especially if the fish is small), and especially the crispy fins (and the head!), that make the black pomfret so delicious. The another reason I love the black pomfret is the bonus in the belly. Nine out of ten black pomfrets will have at least one to two lumps of precious plump roe--get the fish with a swollen belly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">You'd pooh-pooh me for this recipe but sometimes the simplest recipes make the best meals. Fried black pomfret in garlic oil, drizzled with black soy sauce and eaten with plain rice and a chili-calamansi lime dip may be simple but you'd be surprised how delicious it is, especially when washed down with a 'long-boiled' watercress or winter melon soup. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnErRThIlwQJYJt6SZFOpA2F-mAKKK8g5LNuvrWdfByekm68PDNdUlvXdQRruZRXgXiw77voWRDs_Q8UMdI3A6l5x2h_le9KwYHFoPBUO5gJgRuKFylv3m3lUjYZtkMxiKeig62iL7_Nn/s1600/DSC_8949b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnErRThIlwQJYJt6SZFOpA2F-mAKKK8g5LNuvrWdfByekm68PDNdUlvXdQRruZRXgXiw77voWRDs_Q8UMdI3A6l5x2h_le9KwYHFoPBUO5gJgRuKFylv3m3lUjYZtkMxiKeig62iL7_Nn/s1600/DSC_8949b.jpg" /></a></div><i style="text-align: left;"> Black pomfret In Garlic Oil</i><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Crispy Pomfret In Garlic Oil</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 black pomfrets, each about the size of your hand or bigger</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 bulb garlic, smashed and chopped finely</div><div style="text-align: justify;">coriander leaves (cilantro) to garnish</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1/2 cup veg oil</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Clean the pomfrets, removing scales and guts. Keep the roe. Score a couple of slits in the thickest part of the fish and dry the fish and roe with paper towel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Put oil into a heated wok or frying pan. Add the chopped garlic and fry in low heat, stirring all the time until garlic is crisp and golden (not too brown or it'll be bitter). Remove garlic and set aside. Leave the oil in the wok/pan and reheat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. When oil is slightly smoking, add the fish (two fish if wok or pan is big enough). Fry in medium heat, turning the wok or pan every few minutes so that the whole fish is fried crisp. Turn fish only when done on the underside and fry the other side. Do not rush. Add more oil if there's not enough to fry the sides of the fish. The fish must be well-fried until crispy all over. Turn the fire up for the last few minutes of frying to give the fish a crispy toasted flavor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Remove fish onto a serving plate, top with the fried garlic and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon each of dark soy sauce (and light soy sauce if like--I like Maggi soy sauce). Add about one tablespoon of the garlic oil if like (for health reason, I don't). Scatter some coriander leaves over and serve immediately with plain rice and a small saucer of bird's eyes chilies and calamansi limes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-36060708230858667462013-02-24T17:09:00.001+08:002013-03-02T01:35:42.254+08:00CNY 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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All my kids were home for CNY but this year, I didn't bake a single cookie or prawn crackers because my house renovation is still not completed and all my kitchen stuff are either packed or misplaced. My half bro, his daughter and her son came from Guangzhou, China to spend CNY with us. Our house was bursting with people and it was great to be together, sharing stories of my father. Without giving too much information, my half bro and half sister had a hard life with Ah Ni (a term for eldest mother), dad's first wife, in their village in China after my dad had to run away or be killed. Dad was hunted by the Communist Party of China after the Kuomingtang, the democratic Chinese Nationalist Party, where he was an officer, were defeated in 1949. I didn't know until my niece mentioned it that my dad had first fought the Japanese in China and then passed a stringent exam to get into a prestigious military school after which he joined the Kuomingtang. When Dad escaped from China, his son was only 5, his daughter 3. By the time China opened its doors to the world, that son was 48 years old, and that was the second and last time son and father met.</div>
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China got through those hard years of starvation and poverty due very largely to money sent home by overseas Chinese. Nearly every Chinese family here and around the world with relatives in China sent money, food, used goods like clothes, shoes and even TVs and it was this regular, non-stop aid that kept millions of Chinese from starving. Today's young mainland Chinese with their new wealth seem to have forgotten this part of history. I remember growing up resenting my dad's obsession with his other family but blood really is thicker than water because when we stood in front of dad's grave this CNY eve, it was a very moving and special moment of love and togetherness.</div>
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This year's CNY celebration was deliberately more subdued because my mom wasn't too well and I was stressed from the house renovation. We did have lots of food and laughter and I even made my half bro teach me how to make Chinese sausages and <i>la rou</i> (Chinese bacon)! The most important meal of the year for the Chinese is the reunion dinner on the eve of CNY and this year, my half bro, eldest bro, younger bro (youngest bro did not come home from Singapore this year) and I cooked 11 dishes (3 versions of <i>koeyuk</i>) including a soup. We also had a delicious <i>yeesang</i> from Party Play.</div>
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A little late, since CNY celebrations ends today but I wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year!<br />
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p.s. A friend reminded me that today, the 15th day of CNY, is the Chinese Valentine's Day (correction: my daughter said it's not; Chinese Valentine's Day falls in July) and it is traditional for single men and women to throw mandarin oranges into the rivers or sea (in China, that would be the rivers) in the hope of finding a spouse. I must make my daughter throw some oranges today.<br />
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-52576027043015742932013-01-24T11:00:00.000+08:002013-02-24T16:16:08.061+08:00Red's Installation In Her Hometown<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Public holiday, yay! Come by the Marina Club at Sutera Magellan if you have time and are interested to see Red's latest art work, which will be slowly revealed over the next two days, with the media covering it on Saturday, 26th January 2013. This is Red's first installation in her hometown and is even more<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"> special because today is her birthay. I spent the whole night making a pastel layer cake for her (Martha Stewart's) and her crew but am so disappointed because the cake turned out heavy and rubbery. She has never had a store-bought cake for her birthday but this year she will.</span></div>
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-66345196464624003512013-01-20T15:16:00.000+08:002013-02-24T17:50:38.016+08:00Scuba Diving, Borneo Reef World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I went scuba diving last week and didn't meet any sharks. I did, however, snorkel among plastic bottles and baby diapers. Such is the state of the waters at the islands off Kota Kinabalu. Now that the timber is gone, the oil and gas are 'hijacked' and the palm oil prices have dropped, it is more crucial than ever for Sabah to safeguard the last remaining resources--its rainforests, beaches and seas. And yet, a walk along Tanjung Aru Beach is a saddening experience. There's thrash everywhere and the air stinks. Why have the food stalls on that beach? Why can't it be a park?<br />
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Anyway, here are some pics from my first scuba dive. I was too nervous (hate deep blue waters) to really enjoy myself, and I had trouble equalizing the pressure; my ears hurt and I feared that my eardrums would pop. I thought I'd panic and forget how to replace the the oxygen regulator so I cheated by holding on to it all the time. The water wasn't as clear that day because of the rain we've been having, but we did see some colorful fishes (one had colorful dots AND stripes, the full monty!) and corals. It's a different world underwater but I was relieved when I saw the poles and flippers because it meant we were near the surface. I think I'll stick to snorkelling.</div>
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Check Borneo Reef World's website <a href="http://www.borneoreefworld.com.my/en/">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTVmA1OQE6V6bmUTLk7P0SmA-LUSYxb7gGsFA7Z4oX1jl7R8XCR5mWG_v8bVqS4iqfGhqDtmd3VSpDPXUzuZMPEDqQiB0w5F3F0o60C0VYBhTgWL19ayqau0-eRiyYqwHFwSNMur5v2EU/s1600/P1170023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTVmA1OQE6V6bmUTLk7P0SmA-LUSYxb7gGsFA7Z4oX1jl7R8XCR5mWG_v8bVqS4iqfGhqDtmd3VSpDPXUzuZMPEDqQiB0w5F3F0o60C0VYBhTgWL19ayqau0-eRiyYqwHFwSNMur5v2EU/s640/P1170023.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>The boat that took us to the pontoon.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfT2DIu4eJxBK2u-RsJGO8miX_bMgGfxfbWjzhNTvX_Wr52V1va0p6XhUzTFVYxCX3XTJobk1YKCoLlX8N93tDv7Yjblu4yxbf5xgmuvgF3afJrRGTWtfoNiYOQ8Rf7cIJpU_LjEh7Zrr/s1600/scubadiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfT2DIu4eJxBK2u-RsJGO8miX_bMgGfxfbWjzhNTvX_Wr52V1va0p6XhUzTFVYxCX3XTJobk1YKCoLlX8N93tDv7Yjblu4yxbf5xgmuvgF3afJrRGTWtfoNiYOQ8Rf7cIJpU_LjEh7Zrr/s640/scubadiving.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Crash course by the dive master. </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjld6tFvZPBl2zjhSoGuobmeAldUrLEToz5v6m3NpWZ8FsXtFn2Xd8jp5Bx8jh9sqGuAAAkuKJlaw2c7_U_tnUtsIm4sa5E77S_LDKkUteOO_JxT7brgkdJS5m6jnJfpyVVug9S9U4hIDsz/s1600/P1170032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjld6tFvZPBl2zjhSoGuobmeAldUrLEToz5v6m3NpWZ8FsXtFn2Xd8jp5Bx8jh9sqGuAAAkuKJlaw2c7_U_tnUtsIm4sa5E77S_LDKkUteOO_JxT7brgkdJS5m6jnJfpyVVug9S9U4hIDsz/s640/P1170032.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>The pontoon, largest in South East Asia, measures 888 sq meters.</i><br />
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-79424896573883347892013-01-08T23:56:00.000+08:002013-02-24T16:31:41.121+08:00Hangzhou Pian Er Chuan Mian<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Pian Er Chuan Mian</i> (I can't decipher the meaning) is a popular noodle dish in Hangzhou, China and I've always wanted to make it but I couldn't get hold of yellow chives, fresh winter bamboo shoots and fresh straw mushrooms at the same time. With Chinese New Year a month from now, most supermarkets are stocking their shelves with Chinese goods, including veggies. Thai Seng next to Kian Kok School is busy with shoppers and I enjoy going there for Chinese veggies such as lotus roots, sweet pea sprouts and kailan stems. Sometimes they even bring in yellow chives, a very fragile veggie that wilts and sweats almost as soon as it is unpacked from the box. I think yellow chives are grown the same way as white asparagus, that is, without sunlight and so both the green and yellow/white variety are the same specie. Tastewise, yellow chives are sweeter than ordinary green chives and more tender. Chinese chives, btw, are not the same as western chives. Chinese chives are flat-bladed and have a strong garlicky smell, and are even more pungent than green Chinese chives.<br />
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Right. To make this noodle dish, you need the following ingredients:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl5SbIhW8WHbz2-ztG4L21FOwo_nMjMQKmsQTT0QuYPulfh1fMKj3Oo6Yx0QiLv7_iwS-QxKwdvje7uadRTl2FqD7_QbWixvY0IX3GLLcex7oy9iI79z977lbzmPJalAPPcaFSzHCR5oJ/s1600/DSC_8429_1024x678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl5SbIhW8WHbz2-ztG4L21FOwo_nMjMQKmsQTT0QuYPulfh1fMKj3Oo6Yx0QiLv7_iwS-QxKwdvje7uadRTl2FqD7_QbWixvY0IX3GLLcex7oy9iI79z977lbzmPJalAPPcaFSzHCR5oJ/s640/DSC_8429_1024x678.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Upper row, left to right: straw mushrooms, yellow chives, fresh wheat noodles.</i><br />
<i>Lower row, left to right: pork, Chinese ham, xue cai, fresh bamboo shoots.</i><br />
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The noodles are fresh wheat noodles, much like ramen noodles. Do not use Cantonese wonton noodles or local oily wheat noodles. This is one tasty noodles dish, especially with some thick chili oil paste.<br />
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<b>Hangzhou Pian Er Chuan Mian</b> (serves 4 or more)<br />
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500g fresh wheat noodles<br />
300g lean pork, in thin slices<br />
150g fresh straw mushrooms, sliced into two or three slices<br />
150g xue cai ("snow veggie", a preserved veggie)<br />
100g fresh winter bamboo, in thin slices<br />
30g Chinese ham, in thin slices<br />
10 cups chicken or pork stock<br />
2 T lard + 2 T veg oil<br />
salt and white pepper to taste<br />
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1. Marinade the pork with 1 T light soy sauce, 1 t corn starch, 1 T water & 1/2 t sugar for about 1 hour. Fry the pork in 1 T veg oil until just cooked. You can do this ahead.<br />
2. Simmer the stock with the ham in a covered pot for about 1/2 hour. Top up the stock if it is reduced. This can also be done ahead.<br />
3. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the noodles, stirring well to loosen the strands and cook evenly. (While noodles are cooking, keep the soup simmering in another pot.) Check by breaking a strand of noodle with your fingernails. The noodles are cooked when there's no white uncooked dough in the center. Do not overcook. Drain the noodles. <br />
4. Heat up a wok, add the lard and oil and fry the xue cai, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Add the stock and season with 1 T rice wine/ Shaoxin wine and salt and white pepper to taste. Bring to a rolling boil and add the chives. Turn the heat off.<br />
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5. You can serve the noodles in individual bowls or in one big pot, adding the boiling soup to the noodles in the bowls or pot. Serve immediately.</div>
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-14797682823924915322013-01-03T09:06:00.001+08:002013-06-05T11:15:30.523+08:00Season's Fried Chicken<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8238404856/" title="DSC_8090_1024x678 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_8090_1024x678" height="458" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8068/8238404856_3c115c6ff0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8238404576/" title="DSC_8102_1024x678 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_8102_1024x678" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8484/8238404576_12752ce0b4_z.jpg" width="424" /></a><br />
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A new year! Like new clothes, a new year gives new chances to improve, to change and to be different. I wish all readers a best new year of possible impossibles!<br />
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I was craving for something deep fried such as salt and pepper squid a few days ago because I've been dieting and my body was screaming for something, anything, other than veggies and steamed fish. Couldn't get really fresh squid (hate the frozen ones) so I used chicken instead. My favorite part of the chicken is the drumstick and S & P drumstick seemed too bland. What could I season the drumsticks with that's not too spicy yet not too bland? This is not a sponsored post (you'd have noticed that I never do sponsored offers because I want to stay unbiased) for Season's seasoning mix, a product from Hong Kong.<br />
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Although Season's seasoning mix is called 'Spicy Bake Mix', it isn't spicy at all. I think the Chinese words 'salt baked chicken' was lost in translation The seasoning mix smells of Chinese 5-spice powder, a smell that always reminds me of Chinese grocers shops in Canada's Chinatowns. I know there's msg in the stuff, but life's too short to always eat right. The seasoning mix (there are five packets inside one box of mix, I think) is also good rubbed all over and inside a whole chicken (about 1.5 kg) which is then baked at 180 C for an hour and a half. Chop the baked chicken to serve a la Chinese style.<br />
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Although it's just simple Chinese shake and bake chicken, my jaded family was impressed, so I thought maybe you would be too. Great for times when you don't know what to cook when the family has eaten all your dishes too many times.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Season's Fried Chicken</b> </span>(serves 3 to 4)<br />
3 chicken legs<br />
1 1/2 pkts (or more, to taste) Season's 'Spicy Bake Mix'<br />
1/2 t fine salt (optional)<br />
1 1/2 cups plain flour (or an equal mixture of cornstarch and plain flour, or just cornstarch for a crispier and stronger crunch)<br />
veggie oil for deep frying<br />
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1. Trim thick fat off the chicken thigh but try to leave as much skin on as possible. Joint the legs, chop the drumsticks into half if like ( I prefer them whole) and the thighs into 3 parts, making 12 pieces altogether.<br />
2. Season the chicken pieces with 1/2 to 3/4 packet of the seasoning mix and the salt. Add an egg white and massage into the chicken. Cover and leave in fridge for an hour.<br />
3. Put the flour(s) and one packet of seasoning mix into a clean plastic bag and shake to mix well.<br />
4. Put a piece of chicken into the bag of flour and shake well to coat. Coat all the chicken pieces likewise.<br />
5. Deep fry the chicken in 3 to 4 batches in medium-hot oil for about 10 minutes or more until well-cooked. Drain on paper towels. When all the chicken is fried, return them to the hot oil (careful!) in one batch and fry for one to two minutes. Re-frying makes the chicken crispier. Remove with slotted ladle, drain on paper towels and serve immediately. </div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-63133074787476593222012-12-31T23:55:00.000+08:002013-01-02T14:45:33.604+08:00Roasted Pork Belly With Crackling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have posted on roasted pork belly before but I'm posting on it again because this method gives even better results than <a href="http://hungerhunger.blogspot.com/2007/11/crispy-roasted-pork-shaorou.html"><span style="color: #990000;">the previous recipe</span></a>. I think I have finally nailed roasted pork belly, right down to the crackling.<br />
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What I did differently this time was 1) cranked the oven temperature as high as it can go, upto 270 C with the fan on for one hour. It smoked up the house and the oven (hate cleaning greasy ovens so making roasted pork with crackling will be limited to very special occasions) and I advise you not to do it in a very enclosed house or one which is not well-ventilated. According to my butcher, the best crackling is made the traditional way, in an open coal fire built inside a large oil drum set in the open so that the smoke will dissipate easily. Like baking a pizza in a wood fired oven, the heat from an intense coal fire will puff the skin more than in an oven that can only go up to 270 C. 2) removed the rib bones so that the slab of pork can lay flat, thereby making sure that the heat hits the pork skin evenly. 3) used plenty of Maldon sea salt all over the skin. Plenty means the salt is very visible. 4) 'brined' the pork in cider vinegar for about 7 hours before roasting, to tenderize the meat, as taught by my friend Yoland.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ODJp6zsn5fu6hAU919I8GKmyDo9ZgfFHDSrW92aqUjGLkseOZKP93DBkQn02tU-t7a9K1-ADBoQ9Ef1jJCggc3mChCqE_WIaEBJXTEaM3vGennIONeFZtVu7OfoZMKU9qIxGUyKPzmjj/s1600/DSC_8462_1024x678a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ODJp6zsn5fu6hAU919I8GKmyDo9ZgfFHDSrW92aqUjGLkseOZKP93DBkQn02tU-t7a9K1-ADBoQ9Ef1jJCggc3mChCqE_WIaEBJXTEaM3vGennIONeFZtVu7OfoZMKU9qIxGUyKPzmjj/s640/DSC_8462_1024x678a.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Roasted Pork Belly With Crackling</b><br />
4 to 4.5 kg medium lean pork belly, washed, skin shaved, bones removed<br />
Maldon sea salt, plenty<br />
3 T fresh chopped mixed hurbs such as tarragon, oregano, rosemary, sage<br />
freshly ground black or white pepper<br />
Cider vinegar (I used Braggs)<br />
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1. Place the pork belly, meat side up, on a large cutting board and rub salt and white pepper all over. Carefully turn pork over onto a large ceramic plate (the skin side up), then pour the cider vinegar all around the pork. Lift the pork up to let the vinegar seep under the pork so that the meat gets soaked in the vinegar. Pour enough vinegar to soak the pork upto 1 cm all around. Smear cider vinegar (I used the vinegar in the tray) all over the skin.<br />
2. Put the plate of pork into the fridge, uncovered. The idea is to let the skin dry. Not too dry, or the skin will give crispy but hard crackling. I left my 4.5 kg pork belly on the third rack of my fridge for 5 hours, then poured away the vinegar because I didn't want the meat to be sour and returned the pork to the fridge for another 2 hours to dry. In between, dry the pork skin with paper towels if the skin looks wet.<br />
3. Switch oven on, and fan on too (or off. Fan on will distribute the heat n crisp the skin better but it also fans oil all over the oven walls), to at least 250 C or preferably 270 C, about 15 minutes before putting the pork in.<br />
4. Using a sharp knife, or a metal skewer, stab the pork skin all over, the more piercings the better. When done, use paper towels to dab dry the skin. Turn the pork over, and rub the herbs all over. If doing it Chinese way, rub a mixture of 5 spice powder and fermented red bean curd (nam yue) all over the meat.<br />
5. Place the pork directly on an oven rack in the middle of the oven, skinside up and sprinkle lots of sea salt all over the skin, making sure every inch of the skin is covered with salt, salt that is visible. Place a tray at the bottom rack position under the rack of pork and add enough water into the tray upto 1 cm to catch drippings (I didn't do this, I think this will help) and prevent smoking.<br />
6. Roast the pork belly, skin side up, for 1 hour 10 to 15 minutes, with oven fan on. Very carefully, and with kitchen mittens, take the belly out of the oven and using a knife, scrape the top layer of crackling over the kitchen sink to remove the salt and any burnt areas.<br />
7. Cut cooled pork to pieces and serve with apple sauce. Saurkraut is good too, to balance the greasiness of the meat.<br />
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</div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-56706905612733870272012-12-31T23:42:00.000+08:002013-01-01T21:16:16.646+08:00Linzer Cookies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDujyxkF5jM6H5w09ohfppzMZRzJ7wWhcHe9xOxJ0KnEbj185zW6Hm5JDF3u0ZWATxfpettw6bkLAvUh1TRiGNk1wNiISqTBnFeydPHV1e32WP5OPEkrfKJ_KppnR9c5YVAa3o2xE7uKgG/s1600/DSC_8476_1024x678a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDujyxkF5jM6H5w09ohfppzMZRzJ7wWhcHe9xOxJ0KnEbj185zW6Hm5JDF3u0ZWATxfpettw6bkLAvUh1TRiGNk1wNiISqTBnFeydPHV1e32WP5OPEkrfKJ_KppnR9c5YVAa3o2xE7uKgG/s640/DSC_8476_1024x678a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <i> Linzer cookies.</i><br />
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Because my kids were away, I didn't get into the Christmas mood this year. It was good to just relax for once. But on Christmas Eve, I was fretting, wondering what to cook for the dinner I planned for family and friends on Boxing Day when all my three kids would be back. So I found myself baking cakes and Linzer cookies on Christmas Eve, and after all was done, I tasted a hot cookie and it didn't make the earth move and I wondered why I bothered to make cookies when I don't even like them myself, let alone my guests.<br />
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But my efforts were rewarded when many of my friends told me they loved the Linzer cookies. Sure enough, as I chewed on one of the cookies, they tasted a lot better cooled and with raspberry jam. <a href="http://www.ciaculinaryintelligence.com/2012/11/linzer-cookies.html"><span style="color: #990000;">This recipe</span></a>, straight from the Culinary Institute Of America's website, is for those who liked the cookies and asked to bring some home.<br />
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Linzer Cookies<br />
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<div style="background-color: #eeecea; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">Makes about 3 dozen cookies</div><ul style="background-color: #eeecea; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;"><li style="margin: 5px 10px;">3/4 lb (3 sticks/340 g) unsalted butter</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">1 1/4 cups (<b>I used 3/4 cups only</b>) granulated sugar</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Pinch salt</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">2 eggs</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">3 cups cake flour (this made a very soft dough; I added 3/4 cup more)</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">2 cups fine cake crumbs or plain dry bread crumbs (I used bread crumbs)</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">2 tsp baking powder</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">2 1/2 cups ground hazelnuts</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Confectioners’ sugar, as needed, for garnish</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Raspberry jam, as needed, for filling</li>
</ul><ol style="background-color: #eeecea; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;"><li style="margin: 5px 10px;">In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Gradually add the eggs, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Reduce the speed to low.</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Sift the flour, cinnamon, cake crumbs, and baking powder together into a medium bowl. Add to the creamed mixture all at once and mix just until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed.</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Add the hazelnuts and mix just until combined. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes.</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F (175 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut rounds of dough using a fluted circular cookie cutter. Use a smaller cutter to cut a hole in half of the rounds. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. As you are working, reserve the scraps so that they may be rolled again and cut.</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Bake until lightly golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes (I baked for about 20 minutes, so that the cookies are golden and toasted).</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Allow the cookies to cool for a minute on the baking sheets then transfer, using a spatula, to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Sift confectioners’ sugar over the cooled cookies (I only sifted the sugar over the cookies with holes). Pipe or spread a thin layer of jam on the cookies without holes. Top with the remaining cookies and press gently to secure.</li>
<li style="margin: 5px 10px;">Store the cookies in an airtight container.</li>
</ol><span style="background-color: #eeecea; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;">This recipe is from The Culinary Institute of America's </span><em style="background-color: #eeecea; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.ciaprochef.com/fbi/books/CookiesAtHome.html" style="color: #003366;" target="_blank">Cookies at Home</a></em><span style="background-color: #eeecea; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;">.</span><br />
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</div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-60636405482958525682012-12-31T23:30:00.000+08:002013-01-01T00:30:56.363+08:00Christmas 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Christmas dinner this year was on 26th Dec because my kids came home from Shanghai that day. We invited family and close friends but the number swelled to about 50, making it most stressful because I didn't plan to have such a large party and as usual, worried and worried about whether there would be enough food. I wouldn't have been able to pull it off (dinner was very late, nearly 9 pm, partly because of the queue for the oven and also because my daughter was arriving at 10 pm) without the help of many friends. Thanks, ladies!<br />
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I think despite the last minute shopping (I started shopping on 24th Dec and found many things on my list were out of stock), the dinner turned out very well and we all enjoyed ourselves. Love it when friends and family are around!<br />
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<i>The turkey this year was 6.3 kgs only. This was the first time I rested the turkey for 3 hours. It was so much better because all the juice stayed in the bird and it was so much easier to carve a cooled bird.</i><br />
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<i> As usual, it's chestnuts stuffing and this year, I didn't have stale bread and used bread crumbs instead. As you can see, bread crumbs didn't work. There was too much liquid and not enough bulk but the taste was not affected.</i> <br />
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<i>This was my best crispy pork. The crackling was very good, I was told (I didn't get a piece). </i><br />
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<i>A pork and beef meatloaf with lots of chunky cheese. </i> <br />
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<i>Duck breasts with orange sauce, made by Sucy. </i> <br />
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<i>Smoked salmon on crackers. </i><br />
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<i>From the top, clockwise: antipasti of roasted bell peppers, anchovies and truffle oil, fresh yummy salami from Bologna, cotto parma from Bologna (awesome, love it even more than regular parma because it had a fruity fragrance) and parma ham from Milan.</i><br />
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<i>Elaine's awesome bread. I LOVE her bread.</i><br />
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<i>From left: durian pillows, mixed fruits cheese pound cake, a jelly cake, Linzer cookies and Adele's beautiful pavlova Christmas tree.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQ9K98MRmKLx-vEQ8souBRCdtdsOq3bko2d3OdfCGg0oEXNPLSt5JGtwFfHhEZJUKC9f6OSXC_Vx41GTEYgyWqBSG6vjfwsC3cyz2YYe8Ijrf6t5V9Bnnc-2JkZsqrdyQkN-VmsPGJWht/s1600/DSC_8495_509x768a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQ9K98MRmKLx-vEQ8souBRCdtdsOq3bko2d3OdfCGg0oEXNPLSt5JGtwFfHhEZJUKC9f6OSXC_Vx41GTEYgyWqBSG6vjfwsC3cyz2YYe8Ijrf6t5V9Bnnc-2JkZsqrdyQkN-VmsPGJWht/s640/DSC_8495_509x768a.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<i>Apple and pinenuts crumbs cake.</i></div>
terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-22369794891737658452012-12-31T18:28:00.001+08:002012-12-31T20:01:17.891+08:00Milan 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Don't you love this time of the year? Holidays, food and family, and although it is unbearably hot and humid here, the tail end of the cold north wind from China reaches here, just a bit, and the cool breezes in the early evening make me happy I'm alive and all is well. It has been a great year, I travelled many places, ate a lot, learnt a lot, met many new friends and my family and friends are all well. I'd say it's 9.5/10 year.<br />
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Tonight we are eating Japanese at home (wagyu steaks, salmon belly and ume wine), then off to the cinema to watch 'Life Of Pi' after which we'd go to either one of the hotels or Times Square to join the countdown although I think what will happen is, Ming will go off with his friends, Wey too with his, leaving Yi and I wanting to countdown but Hub wanting to sleep. Always been like that.<br />
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I must get on with the remainder of my Italian travel posts, just for my record. When I posted last, we were looking at Varenna, Lake Como. Instead of taking the ferry from Bellagio back to Como, we took the hour ride on the bus which I highly recommend. The ride gives a close view of the houses around the lake, and because the road is so narrow, you can peer right into the houses at the random stops. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261682150/" title="IMG_0427_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0427_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8223/8261682150_128084a04c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261681400/" title="IMG_0446_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0446_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8340/8261681400_5b754d2b37_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261681202/" title="IMG_0455_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0455_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8063/8261681202_67f62b5415_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260611253/" title="IMG_0456_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0456_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8485/8260611253_d013a324e2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>The road was so narrow, at most points there was less than one feet to the drop of the hills. The bus driver was amazing.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261681956/" title="IMG_0433_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0433_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8342/8261681956_824f05601f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261680806/" title="IMG_0463_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0463_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8488/8261680806_0773d71fbb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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We got into Milan about 7 pm and ate at Rossa Pomodoro, a chain restaurant that I scoffed at when I first arrived, choosing trattorie and osterie but after some disappointing meals, I gave in to Yi's insistence that the food's good at Rossa Pomodoro.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261680102/" title="IMG_0508_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0508_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8218/8261680102_63564c6a6b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Not bad at all.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261680342/" title="IMG_0507_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0507_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8344/8261680342_1685380dc6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>The potato gnocchi was yummy!</i><br />
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Passing by the pastry shops, I was sad to leave Milan and all the lovely cakes and pastries.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260610889/" title="IMG_0474_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0474_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8076/8260610889_a8ec8e45d5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260619781/" title="IMG_3869_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3869_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8200/8260619781_72bd2af151_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8329864612/" title="IMG_3873_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3873_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8083/8329864612_d0363e669e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Candied roses, very very fragrant.</i><br />
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<i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8329864424/" title="IMG_3875_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3875_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8078/8329864424_dc8a909ba6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261688712/" title="IMG_3876_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3876_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8488/8261688712_aa780f4bae_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261688464/" title="IMG_3878_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3878_1024x768" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8488/8261688464_8cb736a4b8_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<i>We ate some pretty marzipan covered cakes (yummy) but these choc covered physalis with some liqueur-flavored syrup made us run back for more.</i><br />
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The next day, we were invited for dinner by M, in a nice restaurant in Bierra.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260618671/" title="IMG_3911_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3911_1024x768" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8340/8260618671_c89070ce15_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<i>Instead of mozz, the cheese was fresh ricotta. Very refreshing and delicious too.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261688066/" title="IMG_3914_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3914_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8496/8261688066_79712c6cc5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>M had the pappardelle with white truffles. I had a taste of this, the first time I ate truffles with pasta instead of just shaved truffle as a topping. It was simple but delicious.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260618081/" title="IMG_3916_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3916_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8488/8260618081_1e0fa1e8c3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Yi had the osso buco which she said was good. I was rather full and had a small bite and I think it was okay, not exceptional though.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261687906/" title="IMG_3915_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3915_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8060/8261687906_93a3ec2b39_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>I know Milan isn't anywhere near the sea and it's a risk ordering seafood but I love pasta vongole. This was a bit disappointing because a couple of the clams had a slight crappy flavor and the pasta didn't have that taste that I wanted. </i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260617235/" title="IMG_3920_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3920_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8260617235_f4a25e380c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>M's tiramisu was good.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261687240/" title="IMG_3919_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3919_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8077/8261687240_74e65f21e5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Yi and I shared a slice of white and dark choc cheesecake which I think wasn't as good as the tiramisu.</i><br />
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And that is my final post on my Milan trip. Hop over to hungerhunger on Facebook for a video I'm going to post on a crazy place called we found in Navigli. It's a huge furniture store that is turned into a Christmas decoration store 3 months of the year. It's like the Disneyland of Christmas decorations. </div>
terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-8387929929934832462012-12-21T15:11:00.001+08:002012-12-21T21:44:55.558+08:00Milan 2012: Varenna, Lake Como<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm sorry for the sudden absence. The renovation of my house has come to the point where the electricity has to be cut off for the safety of the workers and I have no idea how to connect my modem to the house next door. My gadget whizz kid, Ming, is in Shanghai, together with his siblings. They are in freezing -2 C Shanghai at the invitation of their sister, who is generously paying for everything, although someone told me she saw a video on FB of Wey begging on a street in Hangzhou. Lucky for them, I can't verify that because I have been having limited access to Facebook, during times when my iPad gets connected through Hub's 3G on his phone. So here I am, in Hub's office, finishing the overdue posts on my trip to Lake Como.<br />
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All the photos on our trip to Lake Como were taken by the iPad. I had forgotten to bring the charger for my camera to the Lake. Nothing unusual, I do that all the time. If it's not the charger, it's the memory card. Anyway, although the iPad photos aren't too shabby, I do wish I had a proper camera instead. Lake Como and the towns around it are gorgeous, with some of the best sceneries I've ever seen. We were lucky to be there in October when the tourists have mostly gone away. I hear that Lake Como is the summer can be unbearably crowded, hot and searingly sunny.<br />
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We bunked in a small hotel in Bellagio and took the ferry (about 4 euros each) to Varenna, one of the prettiest towns on the lake. The ferry stopped along the way, to smaller towns such as Menaggio. Varenna was the fourth stop. All along the way, there were terra cotta houses by the lake and up the hills. The water was mirror calm and crystal clear. I kept thinking how wonderful it would be to live for a couple of weeks in a small house, or just a room, by the lake. I could go for long walks, write <i>that</i> book, read by the balcony, eat at little restaurants or cook my own truffles and pasta. Ah, the ultimate holiday.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261652502/" title="P1012144_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="P1012144_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8261652502_6a2ba0939a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260540357/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="P1012122_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="P1012122_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8342/8260540357_dcb8e69fce_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260540573/" title="P1012119_1024x768 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="P1012119_1024x768" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8339/8260540573_1527f91f09_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>This is Varenna, prettiest town I've seen on Lake Como.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261684350/" title="IMG_0305_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0305_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8345/8261684350_61a9b5e074_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261685012/" title="IMG_0290_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0290_1024x765" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8207/8261685012_5dcf0821da_z.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260615167/" title="IMG_0297_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0297_1024x765" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8221/8260615167_0190987388_z.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260614973/" title="IMG_0299_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0299_1024x765" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8223/8260614973_4a56e8767f_z.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
<i>The buildings are set on the hills, connected by narrow alleys. Through the gaps, you can see the lake, framed by the yellow, brick and red buildings. Each gap gives a different picture.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261685236/" title="IMG_0282_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0282_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8488/8261685236_67be720257_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8261685452/" title="IMG_0280_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0280_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8337/8261685452_d252b46e30_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Up the hill, the roads are narrow and the buildings are set right on the roads.</i><br />
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</i> We explored Varenna for about 3 hours before taking the ferry back to Bellagio. Although Varenna is very small, without the restaurants and shops of Bellagio, it deserves a whole day of exploring. There's an old church, the village square with a few restaurants around it, the small roads up the hills are lined with beautiful houses and villas, and some movie star just might walk out to throw the thrash. Just sit by the lake or fish for pike and trout, as a man and his son were doing, or strum on a mini guitar or even watch the dogs romancing each other. What a life.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8293701944/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_0310 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0310" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8360/8293701944_5b8b15ed91_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8293700700/" title="IMG_3845 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3845" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8362/8293700700_2a8f06e2e7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8292648977/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_0312 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0312" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8218/8292648977_33d9b46d4f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1304437690959603870.post-8331959401048242932012-12-12T00:49:00.001+08:002012-12-12T10:13:11.306+08:00Milan 2012: Day 14, Bellagio<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It was early evening when we got to Bellagio. Albergo Hotel couldn't be any more nearer; it was just 5 minutes up the hill from the ferry point. I had booked our room online and chosen it based on its location. I didn't mind that it was old and homey but after 8 pm, the reception office in another house in front was closed and it was eerie to be the only guests in a house.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8250905693/" title="P1012108_1067x800 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="P1012108_1067x800" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8210/8250905693_cc5b605844_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<i>The hotel reminded me of the old houses behind Spadina--Nassau St, Shannon St--in Toronto. </i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8251975168/" title="P1012103_1067x800 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="P1012103_1067x800" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8200/8251975168_42d2184c54_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>The room was cold but there were 5 layers of sheets, blankets and comforters. It really was like staying at grandma's house, including a crocheted blanket. I wouldn't have minded if only the towels were not musty and damp and the hair dryer hopelessly useless.</i><br />
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We headed for the town straightaway and checked out the many shops that were giving a 'sconti'--sale. Bellagio was so lovely it lifted our mood (we were worried about Yi's flight which Eithad hadn't confirmed). The feeling of being away from the big city and in a beautiful strange little town by a lake was great.<a href="http://hungerhunger.blogspot.com/2010/08/cinque-terre.html"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Cinque Terre</span></b></a> was more rustic and villagey while Lake Como/Bellagio was more, well, refined. If you are young and love hiking, Cinque Terre is better than Lake Como but if you are older, love a slow pace, prefer to dine, stroll, shop and have a bit of moolah to throw away, Lake Como and the towns around it are perfect. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8263636935/" title="IMG_0399_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0399_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8337/8263636935_2be817ce8e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>This the prettiest store I've seen on the trip. All the glass decors are hand made.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8264705796/" title="IMG_0403_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0403_1024x765" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8072/8264705796_b7eb27bbb9_z.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8260616739/" title="IMG_0234_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0234_1024x765" height="478" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8483/8260616739_2a19e6770a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>I chose to have apperitivo because I was really tired of a la carte food that offered the same dishes. This apperitivo was only 10 euros, with a wine that made us quite drunk, and the spread was about 3 times what you see in the picture.</i><br />
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</i> The next morning, we were woken by the town's bells right outside our balcony. I didn't mind the bells; it was rather quaint. In Milan too you'd hear church bells ringing all the time. I liked that.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21996970@N00/8264675426/" title="IMG_0240_1024x765 by hongyi86, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0240_1024x765" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8223/8264675426_72d44dfa2b_z.jpg" width="478" /></a><br />
<i>Bellagio's bell tower to the right of our balcony.</i><br />
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<i>Breakfast was bad! The croissant was cold and burnt, the bread dry and hard.</i><br />
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We took a short walk around Bellagio, then took the ferry to Varenna and then went back to Bellagio for lunch.<br />
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<i>Up this alley were three restaurants, the first, award-winning Far Out, the second one, Princess, a stylish restaurant in black and white which was expensive looking and the third restaurant, a very Italian-style restaurant. Which one should we have lunch in?</i><br />
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<i>I really wanted to try Princess but Yi didn't want to take any chances and wanted to eat at the third restaurant, Ristorante Pizzaria Antico Pozzo, recommended by the friendly waiter the night before at the apperitivo place. Antico Pozzo had the most diners while the other two restaurants were nearly empty, so it seemed to be a good choice.</i><br />
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<i>This pizza stagioni quattro wasn't crispy enough.</i><br />
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<i>Yi's lake rainbow trout was bland. What a disappointment.</i></div>terri@adailyobsessionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18027727551942336449noreply@blogger.com6