G'day Mates!

Ok... still not too used to blogging regularly, unlike Suan, Al and Val...

Ohmygawd! Can't believe we have a felon in out midst... Val how's the taxi rides been lately? Think you and your men (Jim B, Jack D and Johnnie W) need some time apart. Tell them, 'it's me, not you'. Take care of yourself nonetheless.

Ok updates... Steph is off to Vietnam for 2 weeks in a few days. Congrats to Esta who got her job in Singapore. And I too am now working full time with the agency i was freelancing with. Wan Chin is planning to visit in June.

Random info... I hear Shauna is moving back to Sydney end of this year. Her bro got married. Oh, I bumped into Ee Kee and her hubby. She looks good. Saw them in Ikea.

Apart from that you guys should catch the new Brit movie, 'Hot Fuzz'. Funny stuff. Not as good as 'Sean of the Dead' (same guys did this new movie), but it's much better than most of the American comedies lately.

Okie... that's all for now. So don't say no blogging came out of Down Under...

Love,
MingS

Char Chee Yok

So. What the happen to all you good for nothings? No blogs AT ALL! Good for nothings.. i swear!!! Lucky I on holiday and I good mood.. I am in such a good mood, I will actually share a recipe with you (Haven't cooked this in AGES and as you know... i am the agak-agak cook). This dish takes quite a bit of work and time lah. It's a traditional Hakka dish (Janice you might know it) and its called "Char-Chee-Yok". It's basically fried pork braised with the black fungus.


First you marinate Pork (must be the 3-layer pork with skin) with eggs, 5-spice powder, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, pepper, chinese rice wine and lots of flour. Must marinate for at least 2 to 3 hours ok?



Then you deep fry the pork until it turns golden brown. (I hate this frying btw..stupid oil pops all over.. !@#$!) Remove pork from oil into a pot. Fill the pot with water until it covers the pork. Add soy sauce to taste and a little dark soy sauce for color. Then turn on fire and let it braise til soft. About 20 minutes before the dish is ready, add black fungus (which comes dry and should be re-hydrated by soaking it in water). After adding fungus, let it braise for another 20 minutes.
VOILA!!!!! Very very bad for you. But Very Very yummy. This is a once a year dish..mostly for CNY only :)

~al

Food Food and more Food..

Going back home is a FOOD Event. Before going back to KL, I usually prepare a list of all the food that needs to be savored. On the top of my list is always Hokkien Mee, Cantonese Mee, Fried Keow Teow and on and on.... Here are some highlights (so far) of my gastronomic delights.

Ok. So I didnt get to eat this big guy. But I did get to eat his much younger brother (suckling pig). The big guy cost RM600 ok!! His younger brother was much more succulent anyway. We bought a pair of suckling pigs for the 8th Day celebration in Petaling Street. Very yummies.

Whats a trip to Petaling Street without buying the famous 4-eye-boy roast duck. The duck-chopper looked vicious with a butchers knife.. and the fact that he never speaks to you.. not even look up at you to acknowledge you... The duck on the other hand was juicy inside and crisp on the outside... soo good.

Nasi Lemak is on my list.. just not very high on the list. I got a chance to eat this with beef rendang and sotong.. and fried egg. The kopi-o-ping was the perfect drink to go with it! Cool and Sweet versus Hot and Spicy.

This is the first on my list.. not just hokkien mee, but THE Hokkien Mee. This was in a shop near what used to be Bulatan Edinburgh in KL. Aiyor.. with extra chee yau chah summore. And the loh-mee was very good oso.. but sadly, thats not on my list. :P