My First Time

Hubby was away in Sandakan for "cheng meng". So, I decided to bring the kids to Brunei to visit my brother since I have not seen him for quite some time.

Well, this is my first time drive down to Brunei by myself. It was an 2 hours plus journey and about 5 hours driving in total. It was a day trip and I was not tired maybe I was too excited.

My brother proposed to stay overnight but I need to be back in the evening as my part time helper was in my house to help with the laundry and ironing. Imagine, I folded 3 full baskets of clothes (for 8 days clothing from my traveling) and I really need her to iron the clothes as soon as possible.

Both kids are excited too. Seem that they're still in their holiday mood!

Welcome Home!

Well, we are back in Miri. Both kids and I arrived last Wednesday morning. We were away for about 2 months since January.

For the past two months, we have been traveling oversea twice, one was in January for a 3 days 2 nights trip to Cambodia. The second one was early this month on a trip to Taiwan for an 8-days tour. Kids and I are equally enjoyed our 2 months long holiday.

I'll upload the pictures taken in Taiwan soon.

Greetings From Kuantan!

I'm typing this post at my mom's office in Kuantan. We were just back from Phnom Penh , Cambodia for a 3 days 2 nights trip.

It was a good trip. We managed to catch up with our friends and met up with some ex-colleagues too. Hubby visited his ex-boss too.

I may not be able to upload the snapshots taken for our trip as I have lost my digital camera at the service apartment we stayed. Well, in Cambodia, if you lost something outside your room, you won't be able to get it back even though it is a well reputation place.


I will try to get my brother to e-mail me some of the photos that he has taken. At least I can upload some and post it here!

Hubby wanted to get the latest Canon DSLR for me but I have turned him down as it cost around RM4100.

Steamed Fish with Japanese Tofu

I steamed the 七星斑 fillet for dinner last week. It was so yummy that the kids eat most of the fish.


Ingredients:-

1) 1 packet of Japanese Tofu

2) Handful of salted vegetable ( 咸菜 )

3) ginger

4) 1 tomato , cut into wedges

5) Bragg liquid amino

6) Dash of sesame oil


Method:-

Very easy. Just look at the pictures below:-

Steam the fish for about 10 minutes and a wholesome dish is ready to be served!

A Wholesome Dish

I had a 七星斑鱼 fillet still sitting in my freezer the other day. It was brought from Sandakan by my aunt who were here last month.

Instead of steam it the usual way (with fried garlic or teow chew style), i steamed it with Japanese tofu, salted vegetable, tomato and ginger.

Check out the full recipe at http://mommy-chef.blogspot.com/

Fish Maw Dessert

Have you eaten dessert made from fish maw? I cooked it last week and it taste good. At least my kids like it very much. It is so chewy that I myself also wolf down a bowl of it.

This is a very nourishing dessert. According to the boss at the Chinese medicine shop, it is especially good for kids as it cures cough.

Tell you, it taste real good and I like the texture of the fresh fish maw (no the fried one), so chewy.

Find out more on http://mommy-chef.blogspot.com/2010/01/fish-maw-dessert.html

Fish Maw Dessert

Apart from its' nourishing ingredients, "yoon" in Cantonese, it cures cough too.

See how I cooked this dessert.





Ingredients:-

1) Fresh fish maw
2) Rock Sugar (I use the brown colour one)
3) A handful of red dates


Method:-

1) Soak the fish maw overnight.

2) Just before you put everything into the slow cooker, make sure you cut the fish maw into small pieces.

3) Then, just put all ingredient into the slow cooker/crock pot. Let is cooked for about 5-6 hours on auto mode.

Salmon Fillet

The salmon fillets taste really good to be fried this way.

Ingredient:-

1) Few Stalks of lemongrass.
2) I clove of garlic
3) Salmon fillets


Method:-

1) Heat up 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok/frying pan.
2) Add in lemongrass stalks (slightly smashed) and garlic.
3) Once you smell the fragrant, put in the fillets to fry.
4) Turn side when see the colour turn golden brown.
5) Squeeze some lemon juice on the fish as final touch while it is still being fried in the pan, then dish up and serve.

Salmon Fillet

I google the recipes on how to cook the salmon fillets. This is what I found. Visit my other blog http://mommy-chef.blogspot.com/2010/01/salmon-fillet.html to find out!

Home Remedy

I read a post from a blogger mommy on the home remedy to cure her chronic cough. But in her post, she mentioned that she uses fresh olives from Hong Kong.

However, it is hard to find fresh olives here and coincident there is a type of "black olives" in Miri. So, I am just try my luck and use it to double boiled with lean pork.

Surprisingly, Jia Jia's cough has been cured after she drank about 4 bowls continuously in two days. I think the fresh black olives work just well as the fresh green olives. At least she does not need to complete the course of singulair prescribed by the doctor.


Very easy to prepare.

Ingredient:-

1) A handful of black olives
2) some lean pork


Method:-

1) Wash all ingredient and put everything into the double boiler.
2) I use Milux double boiler and set the time to 4 hours.





Here's the soup. Taste not bad. Jia Jia drank the soup and I ate all the olives.

What's This

Locals said this is fresh "black olives". I am not sure but it tastes like olives. I used this to boil soup for Jia Jia last week and it did relieved her cough. Locals have a different way to eat this type of olives and I haven't tried yet.

Wanna know about the home remedy, do hop over http://mommy-chef.blogspot.com/2010/01/home-remedy.html

Lacking Behind

I have been super duper busy last week (loads of house chore) and I am really slow in my work as I planned to clear up my kids' old toys and clothing to be sent to the orphanage via Red Crescent Miri. I planned to get all done before Saturday next week. Hopefully, I manage to clear up their wardrobe soonest possible.

Besides, bento-ing was put on hold too. So, I just pack those simple cheese and bread or cakes and pastries bought from the bakery for her to bring to school.

Hubby has been quite busy with his work too and I was told not to prepare dinner for him. So, I brought the kids to eat out quite often last week. For lunch, I would just prepare simple meal for them.

Jia Jia was down with cough and flu last week too and I've tried some home remedy and chinese herbs to cure her sickness without taking the singulair prescribed by the doctor.

Clean Up ..Clean Up

......just like one of the songs in Barney. The part time maid has been "disappeared" again. Do not know what happened to the agency. The lady boss just disappear like that. No one pick up calls even her personal mobile phone. I'd called the maid directly but was told that no one pick them up from the quarters and they don't hear anything from the boss as well. Hopefully, the lady boss is not "run away" like those people who owes a big sum to "Ah Lung".

So, for the past week, I've been doing laundry, cleaning toilets, washing the car poach, ironing clothes etc. A good way to burn off the excess fats.But bad thing is I have only little time for the kids and most of the time, I'll let the TV keep them occupied.

I hope the cleaning service resumes next week as I need to spend time to keep our luggage. We'll be leaving next Sunday for a 2-months long holiday in Cambodia, West Malaysia and Taiwan.

Rain, Rain Go Away..........

It has been raining cats and dogs for the past two days. My clothes are still lining out there and there are more loads to come. I brought the 2 kids out today to drop off my laundry at the self service "kedai dobi" but was told by the owner that there is no machine available. I have to go back tomorrow at 8am if I want to use the clothes dryer. Hahaha.....what to do, gotto load back the 2 big laundry baskets to my car!

I don't feel like cooking too...Maybe because of the weather...(another lazy excuses). Just don't feel like doing anything today.

Since no dinner at home, three of us went to the Hong Kong Restaurant and enjoy our meal. Hubby didn't join us as he was still in his office working OT .

Well, just try to finish another 2 loads and send all together to kedai dobi tomorrow on my way to send my lil Missy for her ballet lesson.

Ai...rain , rain, go away....come again another day.............

See The Way They Eat Fruits!

Just some photos taken on days that they had their fruits the cutest way.








They are having great time" tahn sai kai"! Watching TV and eating at the same time. Noticed what are they having? They prefer green apple more than the red ones. Maybe it is mummy's gen. I always like the sour and sweet taste of the green apples.

Stir Fry Japanese Tofu with Mixed Veggie

It is an easy to cook dish. I normally fry the Japanese tofu before stir fry it with the mixed vegetables. I find that the tofu taste better this way.

You can use any veggie but I personally like to use broccoli and cauliflower because both my kids loves it.

Bento For The Past Week

Shared with you some of the pictures taken on the bento I made for lil' Missy last week.



Friday- Bread and cheese cut out in bunny shape, octodog, baby peas with carrot , served with canned pineapple and longan.



Tuesday - Butter bread with bunny/ bird shape cheese, chocolate cookie as treat, canned longan and pineapple and chicken sausage cut out in flower shape (maybe the cuts are not deep, so, end result is not that nice)




Wednesday-bread rolls with cheese, carrot, cucumber served with cherry tomatoes (her favourite).




Thursday- bread with cheese (mould with a karipap mould), cherry tomatoes, sausage with cheestik and served with a slice of green apple.

Braised Fish Maw with Sea Cucumber

Braised fish maw in sea cucumber, chicken, shitake mushroom and clams

Here is one of my best dish and it is a all time favourite during "big day'. I learnt to cook this from my dad.

Ingredient:-

1) Fish maw. Cooked in a boiled water until soft. Wash and cut into bite size.

2) Shitake mushroom. Soak until soft and cut into halves if the size is big.

3) Cut the chicken thigh into halves. Marinate with pepper powder, oyster sauce and ginger slices.

4) Sea cucumber (optional). I normally buy the ready-to-cook type. Cut into bite size.

Method:

1) Stir fry chicken for about 15 minutes until it is half cooked. Place it nicely in a big pot.

2) Sautee garlic until fragrant. Add in the shitake mushroom. Cook for about 10 minutes. Dish up and place on top of the chicken.

3) In the same wok, add in the cooked fish maw and continue to stir fry. No need to add any oil.
Stir fry for about 8-10 minutes. Dish up and place on the mushroom.

4) Now, bring the pot to add water just enough to cover the fish maw 9which is on the top layer).

5) Bring the pot to boil and slowly add in oyster sauce to taste. Let it simmer on low heat for about 2 hours. Then add in sea cucumber and continue to cook for another 1 hour and then turn off the stove.

6) Clams can be added just before serving. Reheat the pot and add in clams and let it cook for about 8 minutes.

Bento

I was informed by Jia Jia's School Principal that they do not provide snacks/food starting from this year as there are many guidelines to comply with inclusive of hiring a cook specifically cook for the children.

I used to give simple snacks, i.e, bread, cookies etc for her last year as she would take porridge or fried noodle prepared by her preschool.

So, got hubby to drive us to Parkson last night after dinner to get some "gadgets". I am into the journey of "bento-ing"! At least make the whole lunch box more appealing! I got a few simple tools (moulds, container etc) as I planned to buy the real bento kits when I return to West Malaysia end of this month.

This also mean that I need to get up slightly early to prepare the bento. I've planned to make the Octodog tomorrow and see how's her reaction when she sees that.

Last Day of 2009

* back dated post*

Just to note what we did on the last day of year 2009.

Hubby took a long lunch break that day and we went to have dim sum at Han Restaurant, Grand Palace Hotel. We seldom have dim sum during weekdays as it is always lack of time to do so, especially we need to "tahn sar" when having dim sum. After dropped hubby at his office, kids and me went to Bintang Mall to shop as Parkson having Members' Day Sale that day. We reached home at almost 5pm and we all went to take a nap.







forget to snap pictures before putting our chopstick on the dim sum. too hungry




lil missy patiently waits for her chicken porridge





Hubby asked not to cook that night and we had steamboat dinner at Shobu Shobu. Then again after dinner, we went to Parkson again! See, there is not many places you can go in Miri!