Tuesday 22 December 2009

Dearest Grandma - Until we meet again.....

Dear bloggers,
I will be unable to be here for awhile as I am just lose my dearest grandma. It is painful and hurt which no words would describe the feeling. I have difficulty to accept this cruel fate as I love her very much. I knew I need to face this day but I can't. I wonder why?Cruel cruel cruel........

Tuesday 13 October 2009

Love

Love Is ...

Love is the greatest feeling,
Love is like a play,
Love is what I feel for you,
Each and every day,
Love is like a smile,
Love is like a song,
Love is a great emotion,
That keeps us going strong,
I love you with my heart,
My body and my soul,
I love the way I keep loving,
Like a love I can't control,
So remember when your eyes meet mine,
I love you with all my heart,
And I have poured my entire soul into you,
Right from the very start.

- Meghan -



I Will Love You Forever

I love you so deeply,
I love you so much,
I love the sound of your voice
And the way that we touch.
I love your warm smile
And your kind, thoughtful way,
The joy that you bring
To my life every day.
I love you today
As I have from the start,
And I'll love you forever
With all of my heart.

- Amanda Nicole Martinez -



When I'm with you,
eternity is a step away,
my love continues to grow,
with each passing day.

This treasure of love,
I cherish within my soul,
how much I love you...
you'll never really know.

You bring a joy to my heart,
I've never felt before,
with each touch of your hand,
I love you more and more.

Whenever we say goodbye,
whenever we part,
know I hold you dearly,
deep inside my heart.

So these seven words,
I pray you hold true,
"Forever And Always,
I Will Love You."

- Chris Engle



The Meaning

To love is to share life together
to build special plans just for two
to work side by side
and then smile with pride
as one by one, dreams all come true.

To love is to help and encourage
with smiles and sincere words of praise
to take time to share
to listen and care
in tender, affectionate ways.

To love is to have someone special
one who you can always depend
to be there through the years
sharing laughter and tears
as a partner, a lover, a friend.

To love is to make special memories
of moments you love to recall
of all the good things
that sharing life brings
love is the greatest of all.

I've learned the full meaning
of sharing and caring
and having my dreams all come true;
I've learned the full meaning
of being in love
by being and loving with you.

- Kellie Spehn -


Dear bloggers, I will be absence for awhile as my grandmother is ill now. I promise I will update my blog again as I feel better. Please love your family, friends..... before too late. Good Luck everyone.

Wednesday 26 August 2009

My New House

Hi,
I will not update my blog in this month as I'm just move to my new house. Still need lots of things to do, hahha.... and still not so good with my new digitale oven. See you next month.

Friday 3 July 2009

Hainanese Chicken Rice 海南鸡饭



If you are in Malaysia or Singapore, you might see a lots of stalls, shops or food courts will sell this common rice dish. It is not expensive and worth to try once if you haven't eat it before and trust me, you will never forget it again. Homesick.... making this dish for my family cause it is easy, tasty and simple to do. Besides, I want to introduce it to my kids - it is quite pity if a chinese don't know their culture, food and etc. Hope you will likes it too.

Source: Malaysianfood

Ingredients:
Chicken and chicken broth:
1 whole chicken ( I used drumsticks)
5-6 scallion/spring onions
6 ginger slices
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 white peppercorns
salt
Rice:
3 cups rice (wash and drained)
1 tsp garlic
2 tsp salt
21/2 tbsp oil
6 cups chicken broth from above chicken broth
6 pandan leaves
Hainanese Chili Sauce:
1 tbsp lemon juice/lime juice
2 tbsp chicken broth from above
2 tsp sugar
some red chilies (finely chopped)
4 garlics, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped

Method:
1. Put all chicken broth ingredient and enough water into a pot, bring to boil, turn lower heat and simmer till the chicken is done. Don't overcook.
2. Remove chicken and immers in a basin of cold water. Save the chicken broth.
3. In a wok, heat oil, saute garlic till fragnant and put all the rice ingredients, transfer it into rice cooker to cook. Stir throughly before serving and remove pandan leaves.
4. Serve the rice and chicken with some cucumber slices and of course the chilies sauce too. Enjoy!

Notes:
1. The reaon to saok the cooked chicken in a basin of cold water is to create the skin and meat just nice but not overcook and you may find out the skin is crispier.
2. I still have some chicken broth, I served it with rice as soup.

Soy Bean Milk vs Palm sugar Soy Bean Milk 纯豆奶与椰糖豆浆




Soya bean milk is always welcome in our family, weather is too hot. Kids wants some different taste in stead of milk, so I decided to make this soya bean milk by myself as I still have soya bea in my pantry. This time I add some palm sugar in one part of milk, It taste so great --- almost same likes my hometown palm sugar soya bean milk. Worth to try.

Source : Amy Beh

Ingredints:
400g soya beans
1.8 litres water
110g castor sugar
3–4 screwpine leaves (pandan leaves), knotted

Method:
1. Soak soya beans in water overnight. Clean and drain well in a colander. Put the beans with half the amount of water in a food processor. Blend into a watery paste then strain the mixture into a large saucepan. Pour in the remaining water and add the screwpine leaves.
2. Use a ladle to stir the soya bean milk continuously (this is to prevent burning). Cook the soya bean milk over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove the screwpine leaves and pour the soya bean milk through a fine strainer. Add in sugar and stir until it dissolves.

Notes:
1. I didn't use all sugar as I plan to make a part of palm sugar flavour.
2. Nice to serve cool or hot.

Malaysian Mah Lai Koh 马来糕




Malaysian Mah Lai Koh is a bit darker than chinese style mah lai koh. I adapted this recipe from seadragon. It is really worth to try ----- easy, simple and tasty and most important is ------soft yet moist and fluffy. Thanks Seadragon.

Ingredients:
150g (1 cup) plain flour
40g (4 tbsp) custard powder
4 eggs
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
1/3 tsp vanilla extract
40ml (2 tbsp) evaporated milk
20ml (1 tbsp) treacle (molasses), or honey
1 1/3 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
100ml canola oil

Methods:

1. Line the base of a deep 18cm steaming pan with holes (or 20cm bamboo steamer) with a double layer of muslin. Grease and line the sides with baking paper. Sift plain flour and custard powder twice and set aside.
2. Whisk eggs for 1 minute, then gradually add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, and the mixture leaves a trail of ribbon when you lift the beater. Total beating time can be 6 to 10 minutes depending on the power of your beater.
3. Sift the flour mixture in a few batches onto the egg mixture and fold in after sifting in each batch. Mix in vanilla. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside for 1 hour.
4. After the batter has rested for 1 hour, start boiling water in a steamer. Stir treacle into evaporated milk and mix well. Sift baking powder and soda then add to the milk mixture, mix evenly making sure there are no lumps of the raising agents. Pour the mixture into the batter with the oil. Fold in properly until evenly mixed.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and steam over high heat for 45 to 50 minutes, or until cooked. Remember to replenish steamer with hot water whenever it starts to dry up.

Notes:
1. I use 5 medium eggs in stead of 4 large eggs.
2. I used 70g plain flour and 120g custard powder.

Cheese Sponge Cake 乳酪威风蛋糕




I still have cream cheese in my fridge, kids want chiffon cake and I combinethese two ideas. Finely I found out and adapted this recipe from Baking Mum (she bake great!). It taste awesom, fluffy, soft and moist. I bake it in my new non-stick baking tray, so it didn't rice a lots but it is still nice. Next time will used my chiffon mould to bake it.

Source: Baking Mum

Ingredients
A:
60g milk
40g cream cheese
25g butter
B:
65g flour (sifted)
C:
4 egg yolks
D:
4 egg whites
90g sugar
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Method
1. Preheat oven 170˚C.
2. Cook (A) over double-boiler until well blended and thickens. Remove from double-boiler and let it cool down.
3. Add (C) into cooled down cheese mixture and mix until well combined.
4. Fold in (B) and mix until smooth.
5. Beat egg whites until frothy, add cream of tartar and beat till soft peaks. Add salt and sugar and beat till stiff peaks.
6. Fold 1/2 of the egg whites into cheese mixture, gently with a rubber spatula until just blended.
7. Pour cheese mixture (step 6) into the rest of egg whites, fold it gently with rubber spatula until blended.
8. Put batter into a 9-inch chiffon cake pan, bang the pan on a hard surface to release the bubbles and bake for 35 - 40 minutes.
9. When the cake is cooked, invert the cake to cool. Remove the cake from the cake pan when it is completely cool.

Notes:
1. Have a look at here which baking mum bake so nice!!! http://bakingmum.blogspot.com/2008/10/cheese-chiffon-cake.html
2. Don't used non-stick pan.

Donut - Doughnut - 甜甜圈 - 唐纳滋 - 多拿滋



Donuts, a piece sweet deep-fried dough (bread alike) or by baked batter (cake alike). Personally I prefer bread alike donut with just coating by sugar. Donuts may coated by chocolate, icing sugar or etc. Make these donuts for my kids as a treat as they behave very good in the week.

Source: Alan Ooi

Ingredients;
(A)300g high protein flour
200g plain flour
80g sugar
5g salt
20g milk powder
10g yeast
(B) 230ml water
1 medium egg
(C) shortening/oil/butter/margerine
Coating : sugar

Methods:
1. Combine (A), add in (B) and knead into dough. Add in (C) and continue knead until smooth, elastic and shiny dough.
2. Cover the dough and let it proo for 30 minutes (double bulk), Roll out the dough for 1cm thickness.
3. Use doughnut cutter to cut out doughnuts, let it on tray and proof for another 20 minutes (double bulk).
4. Use medium heat to deep-fry the doughnut till golden brown. Remove, place on absorbent paper and dredge with sugar whiles it is still hot.


Notes:
1. I didn't have high protein flour, I used 500g plain flour.

Grilled Char Siew 叉烧



Char Siew, or known as barbequed pork, which famous in every corner of the world. Normally, peoples will used belly pork but we are so scared of fatty meat and we always use lean meat likes tenderloin or good quality back ham cause these parts of lean pork are the beast!

Source : Amy Beh

Ingredients:
Marinade:

1.2kg sugar
55g preserved soybean paste
55g hoisin sauce
20g fermented bean curd (nam yue)
500ml light soya sauce
250ml dark soya sauce
Red dye (optional)
1.5kg belly pork (remove skin)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
2. Mix the marinade ingredients.
3. Divide pork belly into five strips (about 300g each). Marinate pork belly strips for about 3 hours. Carefully pierce the marinated pork belly strips vertically with a skewer.
4. Roast pork belly in the oven for 30 minutes, basting the meat with the marinade every ten
minutes.

Notes:

1. I used lean meat, so I marinated it longer time.
2. I didn't use so much sugar as I don't likes too sweet.

Cajun Style Salmon 火烤法式三文鱼



I bought some salmon strips from market, then only realise why it is cheaper than salmon filets (I always buy one). The reason is it contain a lots of fat on top of salmon strip. What to do? I hated wasting things, so I decided to grill it or pan fry it with using any oil. I won't cook it in japanese teriyaki sauce but I used Cajun mix from supermarket to marinated it for hours than pan fry it without using any oil. Cause as I fry it, it release all the fat, I throw away the fat and fry it till crispy. The result is good, will try it again.

Chinese Spring Onion Pancakes 葱油饼



My mum will making this chinese sylt chapati during my childhood as served it as our snack. Finely, I adapted this recipe from Amy Beh. It is very nice, tasty and simple. Hope you will enjoy it. I will ask my taiwanese friend how to make it and compare the recipes.

Source : Amy Beh

Ingredients
250g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp castor sugar
125ml hot water
30g melted margarine/oil
50ml cold water
1 tbsp lime juice
Green portion of 3 stalks spring onions
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Extra melted margarine
Flour for dusting

Method:

1. Chop spring onions. Combine with salt and sugar for one minute, lightly squeeze out excess liquid and set aside.
2. Sift flour with salt into a deep bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre. Stir in hot water, followed by melted margarine, cold water and lime juice to form a soft dough. (If dough is too stiff, add a little cold water; if it is too soft, add a little flour.)
3. Knead dough for 10 to 15 minutes. Divide into six equal balls and rub each with extra melted margarine. Place balls in an airtight container. Cover and leave aside for two to three hours.
4. Flatten each piece with a rolling pin till paper-thin. Spread 1 tbsp spring onion on top of each. Fold in both sides. Pull up and roll into a rope, then oil dough downwards into a round bun. Flatten with a rolling pin to form a pancake.
5. Sprinkle melted margarine generously on an iron griddle and fry pancake on both sides till golden brown. Serve warm.

Notes:
1. You may deep-freeze it in freezer and pan fry it again before served.

Yam Rice - Taro Rice - 芋头饭




Yam or better known as taro in US, Yam rice is a very common yet famous one bowl meal in chinese culture. I am craving for this meal since a long time. I bought a frozen yam in chinatown supermarket to try out the quality of yam. But, I am too lazy to cook or bake goodies, I used the frozen yam to cook this dish. Yummy, easy and nutritious!!!!!!!! It taste so nice till my kids begging me cook it again next weekend.

Source: Jo from saucing around, Amy Beh

Ingredients:
2 rice cups(300g) of rice, washed and drained
4 shallots, sliced
20g dried shrimps, soaked and chopped
6 mushrooms, soaked and diced
300g yam, diced
4 tbsp oil for frying
Seasoning:
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
Few drops of sesame oil
Dash of pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp concentrated chicken stock
4 rice cups water
1.5 tsp dark soy sauce, for color when necessary
Garnishing:
Chopped spring onions

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients as directed above.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Fry shallots till golden brown.
3. Add dried shrimps and fry till fragrant. Add in yam and mushrooms. Continue to fry till half-cooked.
4. Add rice and seasoning. Stir-fry to incorporate well.
5. Dish out to rice cooker, add water and boil rice as usual.
6. Serve rice hot with chopped spring onions spinkled on top.

Notes:
1. You may add some meat into this dish.
2. You can use pumkin in stead of yam.
3. My grandmom always fry some bacon, dish out and sprinkle on top the yam rice just before serve.

Couscous & Tomatoes Egg Drops Soup 古斯米 与 蛋花汤





This turkish salad or known better as bulgur salad is my family's favourite. My turkish friend teach me how to make it as I love it so much..... being begging her to tech me for a long time. Will post up the recipe soon!!!

Asam Laksa 阿三拉沙

Turkish Delight 土儿其糖

Wake-up and Start to love yourself!!!!!!!!

John Hopkins Update- Good article

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING
TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:
1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.
3 When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.
c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contain s livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of
104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to
drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.
13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Florescence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger,
un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.
1. No plastic containers in micro.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave.
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware , Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to pape r. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is. nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

This is an article that should be shared with anyone important in your life.

Saturday 20 June 2009

God has a positief answer!!!!!!!!!

Dear bloggers,
I received this lovely text from my cousin brother, hope can share with all of you.

在一場船難中,唯一的生存者隨著潮水,
漂流到了一座無人島上。
The only survivor of a shipwreck
was washed up on a small, uninhabited island.

他天天激動地祈禱神救他 能夠早日離開此處,回到 家鄉。
他還每天注視著海上有否可搭救他的人,
但卻是除了汪洋一片,什麼也沒有。
He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him,
and every day he scanned the horizon for help,
but none seemed forthcoming.

後來,他決定用那片帶他到小島的木頭造一個簡陋的小木屋
以保護他在這險惡的環境中生存,並且保存他所有剩下的東西。
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut
out of driftwood to protect him from the elements,
and to store his few possessions.

但有一天,在他捕完食物後,準備回小屋時,
突然發現他的小屋竟然陷在熊熊烈火之中,
大火引起的濃煙不斷向天上竄。
But then one day, after scavenging for food,
he arrived home to find his little hut in flames,
the smoke rolling up to the sky.

最悲慘的是:他所有的一切東西,在這一瞬間,
通通化為烏有了。悲痛的他,氣憤的對天吶喊著:
「神啊!你怎 么可以這樣對待我!」
頓時,眼 淚 從他的眼角中流出。
The worst had happened; everything was lost.
He was stunned with grief and anger.
"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

第二天一早,他被一艘正靠近小島的船隻的鳴笛聲所吵醒。
是的,有人來救他了。
Early the next day, however, he was awakened
by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island.
It had come to rescue him.

到了船上時,他問那些船員 說:「你怎麼知道我在這裡?」
"How did you know I was here?"
asked the weary man of his rescuers.

「因為我們看到了信號般的濃煙。」他們回答 說。
"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

人在碰到困難時,很容易會沮喪。
不過,無論受到折磨或者痛苦,都不用因此失去信心,
因為神一直在我們心裡面做著奇妙的工作。
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad.
But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives,
even in the midst of pain and suffering.

記著:當下一次你的小木屋著火時,
那可能只是神美妙恩典的表 徵而已。
Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground
it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

在所有我們所認為負面的事情,神都是有正面答案的。
For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves,
God has a positive answer.

你說:「我累了。」
神說:「我讓你休息。 」(太11:28-30)
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)



你 說:「沒有人愛我。」
神 說:「我愛你。」 (約 3:16 & 約 3:34)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 3:34)

你說:「我做不下去了。」
神說:「我的恩典 夠你支持下去。」
(林後 12:9 & 詩 91:15)
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

你說:「我想不通。」
神說:「我引領你前行。 」(箴 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)

你說:「我做不到。」
神說:「你什麼都做得到 。」(腓 4:13)
You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)


你說:「我不配。」
神說:「你配。」 (林後 9:8)
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

你說:「這麼做不 值得。」
神說:「做了,你馬上就會覺得 值得了。」 (羅 8:28)
You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)

你說:「我無法原諒自己。」
神說:「我原諒你。」 (約壹 1:9 & 羅 8:1)
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

你說:「我是窮苦的。」
神說:「我供應你一切所需。」 ( 腓 4:19)
You say: "I'm poor"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)

你說:「我害怕。」
神說:「我所賜給你的不是膽怯的心。」 (提後 1:7)
You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)

你說:「我常常在擔憂、受挫。」
神說:「放下你的重擔,我為你承擔。」 ( 彼後 5:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

請轉寄出去,因你不會知道今天有誰需要以上的文章。
PASS THIS ON. YOU NEVER KNOW
WHO MAY BE IN NEED OF THIS TODAY.

Tuesday 2 June 2009

Hokkien RIce Dumpling - Bak Chang & Brown Rice Savoury Dumpling 闽南肉粽 与糙米棕




Bak Chang, Rou Zong, Zhong, Savoury Rice Dumpling is a must for chinese during DragonBoat Festival. I'm in Netherlands, hard to buy this kind of rice dumpling. What I can buy at chinese stores is Cantonese rice dumpling which 'pillow' shaped rice dumpling season with five spice powder, wrapped with some meat, salted egg and nuts. I prefer this type Hokkien rice dumpling as all of my family likes it. The purpose that I wrap it is to let my children know chinese cultures and their food. Luckily they love it and begging me to make another batch again. I used this recipe since 3 years ago from Jo's Deli. Thanks Jo!!!!!!!!

Ingredients

1kg glutinous rice, soaked overnight then washed and drained well
Bamboo leaves and raffia string for wrapping

Filling:
400g belly pork (remove skin) or deboned chicken meat ( I used lean meat)
150g dried mushrooms (soak till soft)
200g dried chestnuts ( soak overnight)
10 salted egg yolks
100g dried prawns (soak till soft)
100g split green peas (soak till soft)
2 tsp chicken stock granules

Seasoning:
2 tbsp Chinese Five Spice powder
3 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp rice wine
3 tsp dark soya sauce
2-3 tbsp oil
3 cloves garlic - chopped finely
6 shallots - sliced thinly

Method:
1. Soak bamboo leaves in boiling water overnight. Clean and wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.
2. Saute shallots and garlic until fragrant add in meat, dried prawns, chestnuts, mushrooms and seasoning. Stir well. Add 1/2 cup water and 2 tsp chicken stock granules. When pork is cooked, switch off fire and dish out filling ingredients.
3. Mix glutinous rice with 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp five spice powder, 1 tbsp dark soya sauce and 1 tsp salt. Stir thoroughly. Heat kuali and stir-fry seasoned glutinous rice till heated through. Remove to a big basin and stir in split green peas. Mix well.
4. Take two bamboo leaves, make them overlap slightly and fold into a conical shape. Put 1 tbsp rice into the funnel base. Add 1 tbsp filling and a piece of salted egg yolk. Cover with some more rice. Fold leaves over rice to form a triangular prism. Tie with raffia string.
5. Boil a large pot of water and add 2-3 tsp salt. Drop the bundles of dumplings in and boil for 1 1/2 - 2 hours over medium slow fire. Top constantly with boiling water to maintain level of water at all times. When cooked, remove the dumplings and hang to dry.

Notes:
1. You may subtituted blak eye peas in stead of splitted mung beans.
2. My dumpling just need 1 hour to cook, it is depend on how big your dumpling is.

Pancakes - Crepe




Crepes, or a thin pancake is always welcomed byt everyone. I made these simple pancake/crepes for my kids during morning for their breakfast. Simple yet tasty.

Source: About.com

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Methods:

1. Mix all in a bowl till smooth batter. Leave aside for 20 minutes.
2. Heat pan, grease the pan with some melted butter, pour some batter and pan-fry it. Serve with some jam, maple syrup or anyelse you likes.

Notes:
1. For sweet crepes, may add some sugar into the batter and serve just likes that.

Mini Cinnamon Rolls



I still have a lots of homemade plum jam in my fridge and also half package of raisin. Thinking how to use them, finally I got an idea. I used it to make a simple version of danish cinnamon rolls.

Source: Alex Goh, some idea of mine.

Ingredients:

1 package of danish dough
Filling:
50g butter
100g sugar
100g chopped walnuts
50g raisins
11/2tbsp cinnamon powder
Some apricot jam (I used my homemade plum jam)

Methods:

1. Mix all the filling ingredients, spread on the danish roll. You may wrap it or just roll it and cut for small size if you prefer minis version.
2. Brush with some egg on top for shiny surface, may omit. Put on a baking paper and bake in preheated oven 190 degree celcious for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes:
1. During baking the butter will melted, dont be afraid. After it is done, all the juices become hard-chewy.
2. My neighbours ate all of them within 15 minutes.

Sweet Potato Angkoo




Angkoo, my little girl's favourites. Kids were in school holiday, no planning and finally, we make angkoo together. It was so funny to see them enjoying to make their own angkoo.

Source: Malaysia Streetfood

Ingredients:

250g glutinous rice flour
100ml coconut milk
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oil
100g yam, steamed and mashed
Filling:
150g splitted mung beans, soaked overnight and drained and steamed till soft
2tbsp oil
150g sugar
100g yam, steamed and mashed

Methods:

1. Filling: Blend cooked splitted mung bean when it is still hot with oil, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Divided the filling into ball shape. Set aside.
2. Skin: Mix all ingredients into soft dough. Divided into small balls.
3. Flatten the skin and wrap in the filling, sealed it and shape it with angkoo mould.
4. Put onto greased banana leaves and steam high heat for about 8 minutes.
5. Remove and brush a bit of oil when it is still hot.

Notes:
1. You may use yam or pumpkin in stead of sweet potatoes.
2. I divided 26g skin for each and 19g for fillings.
3. I floured the angkoo mould before I shape the angkoo to prevent it sticking into mould.
4. I didn't brush oil after it's done cause it might be healthier.
5. Angkoo are still soft for the next day, you may steam it again or pan-fry it on a pan for crispy chewy kueh!

Easy Mah Lai Koh

Mocca Chiffon Cake


Steamed White Sugar Sponge - Pak Thong Koh - Bai Tang Gao





Pak thong Koh is our favourite dim sum and will order it when we are in chinatown restaurant. I tried for a lots of recipe, but this time, it is just the right kuih that I want. Likes to share with you too....

Source: Sashimi, Florence

Ingredients:
(A)
230g Rice Flour
150 ml water
(B)
380 ml water
180 g castor sugar
(C)
1/2 tsp yeast*
2 tbsp water
(D)
1/8 tsp oil
1 drop alkaline water***

Method:
1. Bring (B) to boil then add into (A) mixture. Mix well. Once cool, add (C) in. Let mixture proof for 8 hours**.
2. After 8 hours, add (D), mix well and steam over high heat for 25 mins.

Notes:
1. The key for a succes pak thong koh is the proving time. Please adjust the time. If you see a lots of tiny bubbles and sweety smell on the surface, it is done and can be steam. If it smell sour, it is mean overproof and steam immediately.

Nian Gao



A must have dessert during chinese new year. This is a malaysian version, cause we add coconut milk and palm sugar into batter while a real chinese will add only water and slap sugar or sugar into their nian gao. One more different is we use banana leaves to make this glutinous cake look prettier and taste better. For a softer, moister and chewy texture, I used some wheat starch.

Source: Jo's Deli And Bakery


Ingredients:
(A)
200g palm sugar
100g suagr
250ml water
4 pandan leaves
(B)
200g sifted glutinous flour
100g sifted wheat starch(tung ming fun)
300ml coconut milk
1tbsp oil


Preparation:
1. Cook banana leaves till soft, dry it and grease with some oil. Lined on the mould. Set aside.
2. Cook palm sugar,sugar,water and pandan leaves till dissolved. Remove off heat let it cool completely.
3. Combine all ingredients and blend it till smooth batter.
4. Pour into banana leaves lined moulds and steam over rapid boiling water about 2 hours. Cool Completely before serve.

Notes:
1. Remember cover the lid of steamer with a damp clothes to prevent water dripping.

Rosti - Potatoes Pancakes

Steamed Xi Pan - Steamed Hakka Glutinous Rice Flur Pancakes








Xi Pan in mandarin or hee pan in hakka is 喜粄, a old-fashion kuih which will be made to celebrate wedding. This kuih is pinkish colour, soft and a bit chewy steamed rice bun. You need to taste it once and will know what I mean. Quite interesting, but need to eat on that day, second day might not taste so good as it will be a bit harder and drier. I made these xi pan with my kids and enjoyed it, we are celebrating our new house is finally done, we get the keys!!!

Source: Aunty Yochana, Momster Cuppie Corner

Ingredients:

(A) Sponge
1 tsp yeast
150g flour
125ml water
(B)
150g flour
150g glutinous flour
125g sugar
150ml water
pink colouring

Methods:

1. Mix (A) and cover. Keep it overnight.
2. Mix (A) and (B), prove for another 4 hours or till double bulks.
3. Divided 50g each, rub with some oil and put on a piece greased banana leaf or greased paper. Let it proof for 15 minutes.
4. Steam medium heat for 15 minutes.

Notes:
1. The kuih is a bit sweet to me, please adjust the amount if you don't like sweet.
2. The second proof in the recipe is 15 minutes, but I let it proof for 30 minutes before steam them.

Melting Moment

Wholemeal Buns






Wholemeal buns/bread is our favourite choice for our breakfast or lunch because it is so healthy and tasty. I have teach my kids to eat healthy since they are starting eat solid foods. It is very important to have a good beginning, likes to bake own bread but my skill is not so good, still need lots of practicing. I used this recipe and the result turn out good and my house smelled nice with fresh bread!!!!!!

Source: Alan OOi

Ingredients:
(A)300g high protein flour (I used plain flour)
200g wholemeal flour
40g brown sugar
1tsp salt
3 tsp yeast
(B) 300ml iced water
(C) 40g shortening/butter/margarine
Glazing: 1 beaten egg

Methods:
1. Combine (A) add in (B), knead into dough and add in (C) and knead the dough till smooth, shiny and elastic to touch.
2. Leave the dough in a big bowl covered with damp cloth. Proof in warm place for about 30 minutes or more till it turn double bulk.
3. Divide the dough into 14 portion, each for about 60g. shape into balls. Leave the shaped dough on a baking tray, proof for 45 minutes till double bulk.
4. Glace with egg wash, proof for another 45 minutes.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes at 190 degree celcious.

Notes:
1. I didn't have high protein flour, I used plain flour. I increased the time of proofing as wholemeal flour has less gluten and it takes longer time to proof.

Mui Choy Kao Yuk

Char Siew & Char Siew Buns


Char Siew & Char Siew Buns


Yang Zhou Fried Rice & Penang Lobak