Tradition - an art almost lost....

I took the opportunity of a long weekend to make "Bak Chang" last Monday... The festival is coming up... actually it is on 7th June 2008 but since this was the best time, I did it early.

Have always thought that "Bak Chang" was one of the chinese traditions which should be kept and practiced so that future generations will also know how to do it.... Many younger generations now are not bothered to learn and always opt for the easy way of out of just buying from the stores... but then again, even the store ones are made by the older generation.. so what happens when they get too old to make it anymore?

So I was on a quest to preserve the art of tying "Bak Chang"... (the cooking part is not too difficult to learn...) So here was my journey... to make my "Ahma Bak Chang" - fusion of hokkien and nyonya "chang"....

The preparations started on Saturday and continued on to Sunday and some of Monday.. of course it wasnt full 3 days la... just that there was lots of things to prepare.. the ingredients needs to be cut to size, the leaf needs to be boiled and washed, the rice needed to be soaked and fried and the fillings needed to be cooked as well.. so come monday morning... we were ready to tie...

the rice...

the filling....

the leaf...

all tied up and ready for the pot....

in the boiling pot.....

after more than 2 hours... they are out of the pot!!one for testing... ;)
looking good....
yummy!!! All efforts not wasted... it was a success...

Now for the final test, mass distribution.... for all those who have eaten it, please feedback for future improvements... :)

Hope you all liked it!!

After all the hard work, I have decided I will do this biannually... haha!! too much work for an annual event...

Another yummy place...

Once again I had the opportunity to try out a new place on other ppl's expense.. hehe!! so nice.. :)
But once again not to embarass myself I was not able to get a visual representative of what I have eaten...

Where did I eat?



Yup... the place is called REUNION and it is situated in Bangsar Village II on the second floor on the opposite end of MPH.... This place was highly recommended and it has live up and above its recommendation... They served supposely simply home cook style cantonese food but excellently executed... :) Once again I shall attempt to whet your pallete with a written description....

We started of the meal with seaweed soup cooked with seafood and egg flower (direct translation)... this was just nicely done... not too salty or full of Ajinamoto nor was it too fishy tasting coz the seafood was fresh... a refreshing soup to drink.. just like mum's cooking literally.. Next came a platter of "Char Siew & Siew Yok"... This also was particularly good.. the Char Siew was really tasty... Althought some say it is better than the Oversea one but for me I would put them on par which was still good since Oversea Char Siew is most wellknown... The siew yok was without the thick layer of fat which was really good... Next came the Roasted Duck... The skin was crispy but surprising the meat was still tender and succulent... a far cry from the rough and dry meat you usually get when the skin is too crisps from over frying.. Up next was the vegetable.. nothing much to say... all vegetables are about the same but I must say they didnt serve up some super fat and bitter tasting kailan.. theirs were thinner which is to my personal taste... After that, a stir fry beef dish came our way... now this was really tasty and tender.. yum yum.. :) Next came something that was very special.. it is not something you find in a high end restaurant or the larger establishments. We had steam mince pork which is a typical home cook dish which usually you find in the 'chap farn' line up as well... Although a normal dish, it tasted much better than the ones in the coffeeshop... but of course my mum's one is better no doubt.. hehe!!

We then went on to have a seafood claypot which was filled with scallop, fish maw, sea cucumber and broccoli... This was also stewed to perfection.. the fish maw and sea cucumber was not chewy at all (reasons why I dont usually eat them...)... they were tender and to a certain extent have the effect of a melt in your mouth kinda feel coz you didnt need too many chews to swallow... We also had a braised abalone, fish maw and fish stomach dish... once again cook to just the right degree making it easy on your jaw but not losing the original taste inherent of it... Next up we had steam prawns with egg white... the prawns were really fresh... it was a simply dish that showcased the freshness and sweetness of the prawns itself...

Everything was not too overbearing or powerful in taste... I suppose that is why it is supposedly like the home cooked version.. free of Ajinamoto.. hehe!!

I thought we were done since that was all that was ordered... but apparently I was mistaken.. as another 2 dishes were serve... apparently they were ordered later on additionally.. funnily... the first dish was shark's fin soup with crab meat... something that usually comes in the beginning of the meal rather than the end... This is one of my favourite.... It didnt have all those rubbish which restaurants like TT like to put in... it was just simple... sharkfin and crab meat in the broth... and it was delicious... Last dish of the day... salted egg prawn... this has never been my favourite dish coz I dont like the yolk of the salted egg but one bite and I was surprised... there was this thin coating around the prawn which makes it crispy and it wasnt heavily ladden with the salted egg which made it really quite good...

So that was the end of my yummy meal.. I ended it with a bowl of 'gwai leng gou' which was not so great... I am a fan of the "Kwong Woh Tong" version so this one just didnt do it for me.. it was overly bitter... I think they tried to prove the point of 'quality ingredients used' too much in this dish... haha!! it tasted like the black drink that you get when you go to a chinese medicinal shop and tell them you have a sorethroat... haha!!

Oh.. we had wine too.. apparently good wine.. I cant tell how good is good.. but it tasted good... however I think I prefer the one in Nero Teca...

All in all a great meal.. highly recommended... should try....

We each had a fortune cookie at the end and my fortune was aptly timed...

Dont you think so?
Bonus is coming up... heheh!!

How I celebrated my birthday....

Haha!! yup... I feel like dedicating all the postings today to my birthday... :)

Just giving you a glimpse to all my birthday happenings...

Had my first birthday dinner on Friday night... went to Senja at Saujana... no it is not a malay restaurant.. it is an Italian restaurant with malay decor.. haha!! a bit weird huh? But the food was good.. really good... enjoyed myself and the company thoroughly...

So next day was a bit uneventful in the beginning.... went to service my car... then went out shopping with mum and sis... spent a sinful bomb... oops...
Then nite came and I had a little celebration... Benny asked me out to have some drinks with his friends at Sanctuary and since I had nothing lined up so off we went... Wahseh... this friends drink liquor like drink water... I am so scared... finished 2 bottle of VSOP in under an hour and started ordering another bottle... scary... stepped into the ice bar and got challenge to stay in for 20 mins sans the jacket... Brrr... was freezing like hell (erm... not hell per say coz hell is hot but you get what I mean....)but I survived... and the clocked struck midnight and it was officially my birthday!!! Yaay!!! Calls and smses flooded in... So nice of everyone... I was really really happy... :) Thank you all again.... hehe!! So the DJ announced it as well.. good thing no one knew who Ai Chin was so okay ler...hehe!! stayed on for a bit and by then Benny was drunk... so I pulak need to drive him home... hmm... but since he celebrated with me he is forgiven... haha!! Got home by 1 am... my curfew time... see la.. turn 26 and still such a good girl.... where to find? haha!! (I masuk bakul angkat sendiri... dun mind me ya... )

Now on my big day itself....
Had to attend Chew-san's daughter's lunch wedding reception... dragged myself out of bed literally... haha!! got myself there and everyone wished me... so nice... hehhe!! then everything went along as wedding goes.. but after everything ended I had a little surprise... Chew-san asked some of then to sneak out and get me a cake so they got it and after all the guest left except us everyone sang me a birthday song... So sweet... until the point where Chew-san said I could not leave without a drink... uh oh... oh no... out comes a bottle of Martel... Aiyo... I was so worried...and only add water only... no mixer... I was doubly worried..haha!! but after sipping it.. well it aint so bad... so downed the glass and we all went home... Thank you Chew-san... for remembering it was my birthday even though it was your daughter's wedding... :)

After that I went home and found 2 red eggs and a plate of 'mee sua' for me at home... aww... a traditional chinese birthday meal... whallop it all down... eat so much wait fat err.... but since it is my birthday... okay la....hehe!!

Then came dinner... inital plans was to go Hideki.... a Japanese restaurant at One Bangsar but apparently it has already closed down so instead we went to Mizu in Bangsar Village our usual place to go to celebrate birthdays.... The food was superb as usual... highly recommended... As usual I forgot to bring my camera so no food pictures... will try the next time okay? I was so full after that I could hardly walk... but there was still a birthday cake at home... good thing we didnt but a big cake but instead got 4 individual cakes from Bakerzin (aaah... the cakes are really good...)... So sing song, made a wish, blow candle and cut cake... instead of everyone having one slice we cut one cake into 4 and shared... the rest can keep for the next day... really too full liao.... hehe!! but it was a wonderful birthday!!! :)

The whole day my phone was beeping and ringing... hehe!! all with birthday wishes!!! So nice!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!

4 Girls, 1 Myvi and the Highlands of Cameron...

I went on a short roadtrip with my colleague and ex-colleagues to Cameron last weekend... Took Friday off and went up after lunch... Took the Simpang Pulai route to avoid vomitting in the Myvi... hehe!! It was a girls only trip... so much fun... haha!!

Day One...

We arrived about 1800 hrs... went searching for our apartment which we booked earlier... We stayed at Desa Anthurium which is located somewhere between Brinchang and Tanah Rata... Not so great a choice but of well.. it was just for sleeping... but if you pantang looking out the window and seeing a cemetery.. this might not be the best choice...

The living room... a tad shabby....

Dining Room... also shabby... haha!! shall not show the room and bathroom.. just imagine.. even shabbier...

So anyway... we dropped out stuff into the apartment and set out off to have evening tea with scones.. went to a placed called T-Cafe and Tanah Rata... highly recommended by the internet.. hehe!! (what would be do without it nowadays) we sat down and ordered... Cream scones with homemade jam (this was super yum yum), Strawberry Fruity Scones, Strawberry Cheesecake and Apple Pie... All highly recommended by the menu... haha!!

The creams scones were really creamy and tasty... but it kinda crumbled too easily... The fruity scones were not so good.. the texture was a tad hard.... then the cheesecake was not too bad.. would have preferred it if the cake was cheesier though.. the apple pie was fresh... the apples were still crunchy... but this apparently is an acquired taste... crunchy apple pie I mean... everyone else was so used to the soft apples in the pies that this was kinda odd first time tasting.. but since it isnt an alien to me.. I liked it.. hehe!! but scones were definitely tops in this restaurant.. didnt manage the main meals coz we had something else in mind but they did look good when the tables around us were served...

Food is evidently yummy at this place.. Licin all the plates... haha!!

Promoting the place... hehe!! No...we were not bribed... hehe!

After the late tea we headed to Brinchang night market... not much of a night market la.. it was all of 100m long only I think.. they were selling fresh vegetables, fruits and honey.. now the latter is the real interesting bit... we came across this man sitting on a stool cutting the honeycomb off a man-made wooden panel.. he was selling the honeycomb itself.. Rm60/kg.. quite steep actually.. didnt take a picture of him in action.. regret regret.. wasted wasted.. but it was real interesting.. and guess how you eat it? Just like that.. wax and honey.. haha!! but the wax was a bit difficult to swallow so might as well spit it out...

Isnt it just an amazing work of art... Can you believe it.. it just naturally form... perfect little hexagons... so nice...

So after our short walk at the night market... we ended up buying some strawberries and cherry tomatoes... strawberries were sour as usual... Though Cameron is popular for its strawberries... trust me.. it is not that great... sour.. :( I would know.. strawberries are one of my fav fruits...

Oh oh.. I also bought Calla Lilies.. nice... hehe!! didnt take some pictures but they are real pretty...

So after that, it was about 2000 hrs and we went in search of another recommended food destination... charcoal steamboat.. yup.. charcoal... that is what makes it unique.. instead of a gas stove.. they use charcoal as the source of heat... this place was a stone throw away from the night market... Cant remember the name.. sounded like Highland Steamboat or something.. but then again... the food was not great... it was more just the novelty of eating a charcoal steamboat... with the cool weather... the feeling was nice....

Check that funnel out... haha!! it was so tall.... and see!! no gas stove.. it just sits on a paper covered base which is to absorb heat....
Can you see the charcoal right in the funnel?

All ready to eat... Sonia, Rachel and Amy...

Me and Sonia ready to dig in....

Whoa!!! Great balls of fire!!! haha!! it was spewing fire while we were picking out the stuff.. haha!! We ate so so so much.. I had to many fishballs and meatballs I was looking like a ball...

Overall it was a nice thing to experience but foodwise.. not great... so dont expect too much if you go and try it...
So after the steamboat meal we headed over to yet another makan place... haha!! yes.. I just said I was full... but then we had an appointment... haha!! Sonia met a teacher who lives and teaches in Cameron some time back and we called him out for drinks... since by the time we finished steamboat it was already almost 2200 hrs we headed straight over to Suria a mamak in Tanah Rata... We have not stopped eating since we arrived in Cameron.. haha!!

Well... the mamak session was normal... we chit chatted... met a couple of the teacher's frens... one is a farmer who plants tomatoes and the other chillies... cool... but we didnt get a chance to visit.. :( there was one thing interesting in the mamak.. it was called Teh Special...

Why is this so special... Coz it looks special.. that is all..taste like normal tea... haha!!

Finally... after the mamak session..we headed back to the apartment... took our bath and sat down for some mahjong session... haha!! Funny thing is that none of us really knew how to play... a bit here and a bit there... created some rules of our own... mix up the sequence a bit and we were playing... hehe!! finally went to sleep at 0330 hrs..

Day Two...

Well.. my morning didnt start so good.. somewhere middle of the night Sonia stole all the blanket and left me with none.. :( I was warm enough with my PJs and jacket but my feet were so cold... didnt wear socks to sleep... and when I tried pulling the blanket back.. she refuse to let go.. :( so instead I slept senget one side and tucked my feet underneath the blanket on her side... haha!!

So we woke up at 9 plus... got ready... then left bout 1100.... went for breakfast... had some supposedly nice prawn me... it was not great at all that photos and further mention is not required...

After that.. of we went to Sungei Palas Tea Plantation.... but before that we stopped by to buy some corn... oooh... the corn is nice... they are called Pearl Corn... really super sweet and can be eaten raw... yum yum... after our little purchase we went on to the tea plantation... the road was so cute.. had little pockets by the side of the road of vehicles to stop and let the opposite traffic pass as the roads could only accomodate 1 vehicle
at a time.. of course there were some idiots who refused to give way... :P

When we finally got to the parking.. first thing we did? Eat corn.. haha!!

Doesnt tat look yummy....

Hygiene first... must wash.... hehe!! that is the Myvi we took up... Amy's Myvi... it is it's virgin trip outstanding and it did well... hehe!!

Look at that... each succulent juicy kernel...

Me and Sonia enjoying the sweetness of the corn....

Welcome to Sungei Pakas Tea Center...

Now you see me... Now you dont!! heheh!! hiding in the tea bushes...

All four of us on our first roadtrip....

Artistically taken photo... you like? I got skill huh? hehe!!

The tea house perched at the edge of the hill overseeing the plantation... the view is breathtaking....

View from inside...unfortunately we were rushing for time so we didnt get a chance to sit down have some tea and soak in the view... what a waste....

4 of us with the main signage... we were attempting to "Chi pek" = Stick wall... haha!!

One more group photo....One more parting glance of the spectacular view...

And we were off.... down the hills of cameron and headed towards Ipoh... went to have some supposedly damn nice curry mee near Rachel's house in First Garden... well it wasnt too bad but nuthing to shout about... by this time my camera's battery was flat so no more food shots...

After that we rushed back to kl.... needed to be back in KL by 1800 hrs.... I slept like a pig...haha!! oops.. poor Sonia who was driving...

All in all it was a great trip... a very memorable one... only thing was that I wished it lasted longer... should have planned a 2 night's trip instead of one... there was so many things we have not eaten yet... there is a supposedly good german restaurant... and some good breakfast nasi lemak... and not forgetting the tea house at the plantation... definitely will plan another one.... :)

Anyone wanna go?

Up Bukit Tabor once again...7 July 2007

I dun know why but I am alwiz late in blogging my stuff.. think it has to do with using other ppl's camera as well as my own so there is alwiz some missing photos which I wanted to blog with as well so I just wait la... So if news are a bit delayed, bear with me...

Well this is the reason why I did not blog this earlier...

Isnt this photo worth the wait? Breathtaking view and me soaking up everything right at the peak..... here is another shot....

It was actually not right up the peak yet but this was the spot with the fantastic view... It was actually quite precarious for me to sit on top of that rock... I was at the edge of the hill and any wrong move and I would have fallen to my death (or at least major injury).... but check out the view....
Picture was against the light so not that clear but it really was beautiful... and to think this is actually in KL... surprising huh? This is actually the dam somewhere in the Taman Melawati area...

Here is some of those who went up as well... Cool pictures huh?

Wanna know how it looks like right up at the peak? Everything was green and tiny.. the trees were short...plants were a bit dry...must have not rained in quite some time... My previous time up the moss was so so so green.... but it was still a nice climb....

Here are some random photos....

Blue Ferns.. Cool huh?

Me hanging off a cliff... nolar..actually trying to climb over...

Cheese abseiling down with some really untrustworthy rope....

Some yellow flower that got caught in my hair.. Jeez my hair is SO red!!

So back to the climb... there were 10 of us going up but in the end we split into 2... 5 of us including me wanted to be a bit more adventurous and take another route which was not so well marked or used... we nearly got lost when we came to a point which was totally not marked and none of the directions looked as if it has been used before... luckily we had a couple of experienced guys with us who went down each side to check out for a connecting route.. luckily we found one.. :)

Then after coming down somemore, we entered a Durian farm... was so tempted to pluck them and have a small picnic.... haha!! then we came across rambutans.... and cempedak... wah... really hungry already.... by the time we came out, we were wondering which part of the hill was this...

We stopped a car passing by to ask for some directions... we got scolded.. they thought we were students from a college nearby (wah...so nice to think we look so young!! hehe) and apparently some student were lost up the hill before and a search party had to be sent out... he started pecturing us and saying he wanted to look for our Dean and charge us for a guide.. refuse to listen when we said we were not lost.. we had a fantastic navigation unit with us which Cheese brought... Cheese is just so so so well equipped.. Wait till you hear what we did next... haha!!

So we got ourselves back to the foot of the hill where we started our climb.. decided to have a picnic by the river nearby... Cheese actually has a mini gas burner with all utensils equipped ready for us to cook..he even brought pre-pack dried food meant for actual camping.. so we boil some water and cooked our meal.. (which was just adding hot water and waiting for 10 minutes...) how convenient.... brilliant idea of whoever who created that... haha!! Guess what we had? For the main course, we had Chicken Teriyaki with Rice and dessert was blueberry cheesecake with graham crackers I might add... and to end it off, we had some English Tea... talk about a picnic huh? hahah!! So all in all it was a fun outing!!! :D