Mango fish fillet

The mango tree is providing us lots of fruits, eh emm, at my mom's place, and she gave us some, more than we're able to finish it. Since there are plenty, and I like to incorporate fruit into dishes, I created this dish - Mango fish fillet. In this dish we don't use ripe, we want the fruit in half ripe condition with its flesh still hard and crispy in sourly taste. Mango and big onion are shredded coarsely and marinate it with some sugar and vinegar. Sprinkle it on the fried fish fillet in tomato sauce. Eat with rice. But mine really has lots of mango on it. It's appetizing, smell and taste good, with fresh fruit.

Some cookies and rambutan

This is one of my favourite snacks in the morning, afternoon and night, yes, all time favourite in recent. Crispy cranberry cookies. When my husband see it, he says: "Oh these, I like it all these while!" Sorry hubby, I've almost forgotten what your favourite snack is... so sorry. Besides that, I need to have ready munch on healthy snacks for the always hungry growing young teens, as the big boy says every time: I'm starving......!!!...

Rambutan is in season now, it's always cheaper to eat fruits in season. Go get some for yourselves and perhaps I'll share with you how we preserve this fruit in the next posting.

Mango mango

It happened to be the mango season right now and I have plenty of this fruit from my parents' mango tree. Besides from giving away to friends, we have a way to preserve it, to be enjoyed when watching TV or movies. An old doctor friend of mine says this: "Oh, we love mangoes. Especially my daughter. My whole family love mangoes!" And I decided to share this recipe if you want to try it out when you have plenty of this fruit.

This is apple mango 萍果芒 type, you have to skinned it, then sliced into small pieces as I did. Pour over some store bought sour plum powder 酸梅粉 and castor sugar over it. Gently stir and mix the mixture evenly over the mango. Keep in the fridge, eat the next day. You may savor this dessert at your convenient. Refreshing! Loved by old and young!

Happy food

I baked this for my friend Eannee - Walnut Banana Crumble Chocolate Cake.
Good things are meant to be shared, and no GST imposed. Happy food. Cheers!
Happy School Holidays!

Randomness

 Crepe seller in Shanghai, China

 Bloodbean soup in coconut milk and butter. Yum yum...

A gift from a student

Hope you are doing fine. 

A few random pictures of what I managed to take once in a while. 

Happy teacher's day to all my teacher-friends. Oppss... my Teacher's Day bake still not materialize. Maybe due to the high cost after GST, everything must cut cut cut further. Lesser gifts, lesser treats while we are adapting to it : P

With a better camera

Pictures above taken using new Canon EOS. Yes, the images are much much better compare with those taken by Canon Power Shot which I survive with when there's no budget for a better one. The first thing that I captured with the new camera is these cream cheese cupcake which I baked for kids' class party, it makes me hungry and wanted to try on it upon seeing the cupcake pictures, yum...yum...

Cookie jar refilled

I thought I had taken a few pictures from my kitchen, but only these few that able to show people, sigh, bad photography skill. One of my good friend ML came visiting with her baby son and brought over branded gift which I quite couldn't afford. No matter how much I would love to have those renowned brand thing, but I still feel that the buyer that should have it and enjoy it, not me. Maybe I've been used to give instead of receive and it's very inferior to being a receiver, silly me. So now, one of the ori cookies has been eaten up and I'm going to refill the cookie jar with me-made cheesy crunch \('o')/

Hot dog sausages bun

I'm very busy rushing a few more pairs of baju raya for clients for this coming Raya Puasa celebration. Completing one really took many many hours of this new hands. After these batch of sewing, I'll have more time to make others to put them in Etsy. If there is any clothes that you would like to see, feel free to suggest it out, I will be happy to oblige if that's within my mean ; )

My kitchen is now full of hot dog sausages bun which I baked late yesterday nite. The kids immediately asked for some when it was still hot right from the oven. "Mummy, it melt in my mouth this sausage bun..." quipped big R while munching on the bun whilst watching his cartoon show. He is a bread person, that's why I need to bake : ) for them...

Dumpling Festival DuanWuJie

Today is DuanWu Jie - Happy Dumpling Festival!
I've eaten the 3rd mixed-dumplings, counting on since yesterday : P Bought a few from early morning market, but mom too gave me a few that she made out of spices, that could probably last for a few more days as my breakfast, snack and supper. My ex-neighbour too is a big fan of dumplings made by my mom, since she's living in a new home not too far away from mine, this morning I visited and delivered this delicacy to her. Although she's living a distance apart from me, I still held her close to my heart and I'm very pleased for being able to give and share. Maybe this is one of my ways to show that I always think and remember of them especially on this very festival.

Pants for Russ

Mid-term school exam was over, I took some break from the stressful busy schedule of revising my children's school syllabus. It was really stressful man when comparing each subject with every marks. Poor school going kids...and poor mothers that teach. Hence, I do not wish to say further on exam and school, let's talk about this little hobby of mine - to sew... yay...

It's very exciting when you've accomplished something that you'd made, and turn out to be rewarding too. From picking your fabric choice, pattern and the dedication we're putting in making that piece of art, to make for our love ones, every details pays off. I managed to make a soothe pants for Russ. Upon seeing the finished result, big R also requested one himself. I think I'll obliged to this little request by sweet baby. 

Last weekend, my father brought all of his children (five of us and with family) for buffet at E & O Hotel. I found a fun way of consuming this salted-biscuits - simply with some blue cheese (my favourite)! It's a great desserts towards the end of a meal. I think I've eaten ten if not more, and finished the whole disk of blue cheese ... : P That's a record breaking number as though there aren't salted biscuits outside a hotel... LOL...once in a blue mood take my recommendation and try this at home, it's rewarding. surely ^_^

Of pies and ice-cream

I asked my hubby would there be anybody that will bake for me, instead of just eat what I baked all the time, "I think they won't be any..." he answered. Gosh... I'm craving for pies lately, and best if top with dollop of sour cream or ice cream. yum, yum...
Thus, with the instinct from the heart and after following a few of the baking show, I think that should go alright... daa daa... this is my apple pie with fresh and flaky crust just came out right from the oven. Dessert is just so good.

Recently, I get to see my kids draw on piece of drawing paper, this time is not on the floor or their favourite comic strips, it is a bigger picture with their expression of mind and I like that. Formal schooling is just too rigid, and sometimes when I went to school, I saw teacher was scolding all lower grades students about three hundred of them for chatting around. With her wisel keep blowing, I just don't know whether she has the need to do so, or she is just showing and giving the example of shouting and scolding like mad ???
Even with her own children, I don't think she is able to get what she desires of them to be sitted without a single sound. It's a heart broken scene for all of us as parents to see that.
And may I suggest that teachers too should have some enforcement of disciplinary system?

Now, I hope you know why is that dollop of ice-cream is so vital to soothe my broken heart.

Cook with me...

Wanna try out my version of clear and tasty soup, come let's cook this - Watercress fishball soup

You'll need:-
650ml chicken stock
150gm lean meat (thinly sliced, toss with 1tbs corn flour and pinch of pepper powder)
8pcs Sai toh fish ball
1packet fresh young corn
150gm watercress (xi1 yang2 chai4)
pinch of salt &
1tsp of soya sauce

Boil the chicken stock in advanced.
When the stock is ready, adjust the fire to medium, put in the lean meat lightly, boil it for another 3min.
Then, eventually put in the fish ball and young corn. Keep at the same fire.
When you've noticed the soup is mildly boiled, put in pinch of salt and soya sauce or to taste, then quickly put the watercress in the soup for 2min. you can now switch off the fire.
Let rest for another 5min.

Now, this super clear and fresh soup is ready for your weekend lunch/dinner with your love ones ^_^

If you have difficulty in cooking it, drop me a message. I'll be happy to assist you to get your soup cooked ; )

Belacan fried chicken in 3 steps

Today, I would like to share with you my recipe for belacan fried chicken which finished right before I get to take a picture of it ; )
I made this recently and gave some for my parents staying nearby. Mom says they ate that as snack during teabreak which are gone even before dinner.

Ingredients:
10pcs of chicken wings
60gm of belacan in 1tbl spoon of water (to dissolve the belacan paste)
1pc beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tbl spoons tapioca flour
1 cup of cooking oil

note: *tbl means 'table'*

Suggested dipping sauce: - store bought thousand island / chilli sauce / tomato sauce (kids liking)

Directions:
1) Cleaned and chopped the market bought chicken wings into two pieces. (or asked the seller to do so.)
2) Marinate the above for at least an hour in advance before cooking time.
3) Heat up the oil first, then fried the wings till it turned golden brown. Serve immediately...

Go try it out and share with us your fried belacan chicken's experience...

Baked fish

If you're following my blog you will know that I'm a fish person that can't live without fish^_^
There are also many of fish dishes I can cook out be it deep fried, clear steam or cook with other spices and marinates.


Yesterday, I bought a ready made chilli paste and added with extra onion, curry flower and some sugar then baked this local mackerel in the oven. It's extremely delicious to eat with rice. Yum. Yum..


In another note, there's a mega bookfair held at Popular Bookstore and we managed to get a few titles, one of it is a short stories book that suits my little readers and being translated to "A little walkable house" originated from P.R.C. I hope they will read and stay put, because one already get an injured knee and the other with a wounded thumb. They keep play falling off from their bicycles that caused them easily get cut from corners and angles. I'm planning out more activities to keep them entertained in this long holiday.

Holiday stopover

It has been sometime we didn't venture out from the comfort of home. During this school holiday, we went to Cameron Highland.


It was packed with tourists at the hilltop; and everything is about strawberry mostly besides other green produce.


We were all spoilt for choices over the fresh vegetables available. It makes me feel hungry and wanted to munch them right away ; )
We were staying at the hotel, thus no kitchen for me to play with... we were just buy, eat, then off to other market and shop again...


This time around, we never missed the steamboat dinner again. It is satisfying to get something warm to savour at on the chilling night.

Best homemade pizza

We baked mini pizzas over the weekend. I like my pizza with some sprinkles of fresh red chili, whereas my children's with added cheese and raisin for the toppings. Pizza is good, pizza is delicious! the little ones that make these... neither from pizza hut nor domino pizza.


I didn't sew much, most probably filling the stomach comes prior than the rest ; )
and much of readings.

Between coping and making

As I'm helping my son to cope with his new schooling, I'm also having done with more cooking projects in my kitchen. It is of between struggling and adapting, between hardwork and reward...

an extra oven that make most food cook fast and evenly - this one is from Teka.


My adoration towards bottles and jars...

Harvesting is the most rewarding moment after a long wait to savor the taste of your labour...

A scone for breakfast

Do you like scone? It got me hooked by scones offered from Coffee Bean outlet during our visit to the cafe. But, the homemade version is much more addictive than those store bought and it won't burn a big hole from your pocket. You can have your breakfast with scone and coffee too ; )

Cheese tart

I like to make things. It's the satisfaction of being able to share things with love ones that count after a long hard work. Store bought tart is not as delicious as the homemade one, moreover the latter could yield more in quantity and everyone could enjoy as many as they want. I'll post the recipe soon in my home cook food collection.

weekending with pizza...

We shop for grocery during weekends, then explore this homebake pizza...yum...yum...