A New Year

Before anything else, late as it is, I would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and harmonious 2009.

Mee, David and Amy were here and gone. Dan and family, Siang and family were here too and left. It had been a hectic end of year to a brand new year but in a very warm and happy way. I got lazy and that is the only reason for the big gap in the blogging. Not that there was any shortage of blogging material, in fact, I was swarmed when I uploaded all the pics from my camera and found almost three weeks worth of events undocumented. Anyway, I do a short cut and try to condense everything into one post... hahaha sounds just like my cooking - lump everything in one pot...    

Mee first taste of chicken rice at Wiya @ Segama, the oldest known chicken rice shop in KK town. She gave it a thumbs up.

Then came the best fried noodle (Little Dave, you would love these), better than the one in Tamparuli and can only be found in Papar. 

Dong Zhi, 'celebration of the arrival of winter' was on 21st Dec. and we had a steamboat dinner over at Chiew's place. I only had eyes for the desserts...

Two days later we had a surprise wedding anniversary party for Mee and David at Tet's place. 

Yes, 30 years and still going strong...we wish you many more happy years together!

 

Christmas eve and night. Ben's house first and then my place... the food was endless. Last year I didn't do any turkey but this year, two in a row and they were soo good. Go to Terri's blog for the recipe. 

Come end of the year and wedding invitations come flooding in, it seems to be the favorite season to get hitched...this year there is one extra special one. Nancy, my niece decided to join the crowd, ended the long courtship and tied the knot with Loong.  Their wedding started off on the 30th December with a mass in St. Simon Church in Likas with a luncheon to follow. Wedding dinner was held on the 6th January. Why? I heard it was because the major hotels in town were booked out every single night for this peak period with wedding and year-end company dinners. So for anyone thinking of a big do for their wedding, book earlier or choose a less busy season like March...

Weddings always bring tears but in a most joyful way.

 This is also the time when family and friends near and far come together to rejoice.

1st January, 2 truckloads of the family went up to Kundasang. Stayed at Zen Garden in a three- room cabin, very spacious (with living room big enough to dance in) and with cooking facility. The mountain view was breathtaking but the temperature was too warm unlike in the Kinabalu National Park.  

Pre-wedding food tasting at Silk Garden, Pacific Sutera Hotel.

See all the pros at play.... attended the opening of Metro, a pool and snooker center in Damai.

and that of course meant more food... the roast pork on the top right was the main attraction.

In addition to all the above, we brought them to all our favorite restaurants like Baba and Nyonya, Welcome Seafood, Gaya Sports (this one has improved tremendously since I last posted on it. Too bad I didn't bring along my camera this time.), pork soup in Dongongon, best Kuching laksa  in town ... endless feast.

And now I am eating boil veggies and brown rice everyday until CNY... 

I have made a resolution to treat my body well and that means early to bed too...so late night blogging is out. 

With no food to speak of and time (as I blog at snail's pace - one post takes me hours in front of the computer and I used to blog when all are asleep and the house quiet) what is to become of this food blog??? 

Tadau Kaamatan @ Sutera Marina

Happy harvest festival to all our Kadazan family and friends! 

We stumbled upon this buffet in Sutera Marina club yesterday. We haven't had a buffet meal for ages as with all buffet we tend to over indulged and lose all sense of control. However, we gave in to this one because the spread look so home cook and featured the mood of the festival. It also offered less choice as compared to normal buffet and we reckoned we could moderate our intake (wishful thinking...).

The pickled bambangan, a must-have for any Kadazan feast but this didn't taste fresh. I suspect this could be last season's as bambangan season for this year is not here yet.

Hinava (pickled fish) another must-have in Kadazan cuisine. This was done very well and I made three trips for this *blush*. 

This terung bakar (bbq eggplant) reminded me of the same dish my late MIL used to cook and with a squeeze of lime...em... pure bliss.

I love this bouquet of ulam, all because of the sambal that went with it. Its fiery kick and aroma of the freshly grilled belacan (shrimp paste) with chili padi and lime created the ultimate salad dressing to accompany these veggies. 

Another favorite dish, rebung masak lemak (bamboo shoot with coconut milk). Made me polished off so much nasi bukit (hill rice)...

Nasi bukit.

The beras bukit was cooked with a subtle hint of santan and salt (almost like nasi lemak but less obvious). It was good even with just the duan raja, sambal belacan and of course, the hinava.

Ayam masak nanas (chicken with pineapple). 

Daging  kicep (Beef with soy sauce). 

These two meat dishes were very well done but for us, they were kinda of eclipsed by the veggies and fish dishes.

 

The only dessert I went for but found the santan (coconut milk) lacking.

K took this shot of the amazing view from the restaurant which we very often take for granted.

Once again, Kotobian Tadau Kaamatan.

Ching Ming Festival 清明節

A view from the Nirvana cemetery near Tuaran

Today is 'Ching ming' (Clear Bright Festival).

It is a day for the Chinese to remember and honour ancestors at grave sites. Ching Ming rituals involve cleaning and weeding of the grave site, and cleaning and touching up the writings of the headstone.

For some food, tea, wine, chopsticks, (joss) paper accessories, are placed in front of the headstone as an offering to the spirits of the deceased.

The burning of incense and imitation paper money are also very important for many as that is beleived to be for the deceased to use in the afterlife.

I remembered my aunties offering a feast with a whole chicken, a slice of steamed or roast pork with crunchy skin attached (shiu yoke), and many varieties of rice cakes, fruits and alcoholic drinks before my grandparents' tombs.

Three sets of chopsticks and three Chinese wine cups are always arranged closest to the headstone (until today, I still have no idea why three sets).

When everything is in place, the eldest of the household usually begins by bowing three times with three sticks of incense in hand in front of the headstone, then stick the incense into a small urn filled with sand.

This procedure is repeated with every member of family present.

Some families will then eat the food together there at the grave site, like having a picnic with their deceased relatives.

We never do that for the simple reason that the day get too warm to stay at the grave sites after completing all the rituals even when we start the preparation at the crack of dawn.

The Chinese Christians will offer flowers and candles.

All these rites are very important.
Most of the families would have preformed this ritual a week or so before the actual Ching Ming day which falls on either 4 or 5 of April each year.

A rather taboo subject but with the growing scarcity of land resources in many countries and with the perception that we human, inevitably must return to the earth, to Mother nature, many are considering less conventional ways regarding burials.

A cemetery in Taipei actually avocate decease's ashes to be placed in biodegradable containers and buried next to a tree in a special tree burial ground.


Another green option- ashes of the dead are cultivated into the ground to give sustenance to flowering plants, shrubs and small trees in the same cemetery.

Burial at sea is also becoming a popular choice.


Sunset at Tanjung Aru Beach

A good friend's husband passed away years ago. She opted for cremation and later scatter the ashes at sea. Come Ching Ming day, wherever she is, she'll take a ride out to sea or to the beach for the remembering and honouring ritual.

All these demonstrate how radically attitudes are changing concerning burials, but hopefully, the true essence of Ching Ming will remain and always be observed, ie a day to remember and honour one's ancestors and departed love ones.

Jo

Fa Cai Fried Rice

I love fried rice, to cook and to eat. Especially at this time when the fridge is packed with so many ingredients to choose from.
This dish was made in between the busy mahjong sessions. Quick and easy but extremely delicious. This is truly a feast in a dish packed with all the festive's essence.
More liau than rice :P


As the exact amount of ingredients in this dish isn't crucial, I do not specify the amount so you are free to experiment - add or omit, entirely up to you.
These are the many goodies I found in my fridge...


Fa Cai Fried Rice
~overnight cooked rice, loosened
~fresh prawns, peeled and diced
~chinese sausage, thinly sliced
~carrots, peeled and diced
~pumpkin, peeled and diced
~dried prawns, soaked and chopped
~leek, sliced
~fresh mushroom (shitake, button or enoki), cleaned and sliced
~yam, peeled, diced and deep fried (I used the 'khew nyuk' leftover yam)
~celery, diced
~red pepper, de-seed and diced
~eggs
~garlic, chopped
~big onions, peeled and diced
~oyster sauce
~light soy sauce
~sesame oil
~oil
~salt and pepper

Heat oil in a hot wok.
Add the chinese sausage, onion and dried prawns then garlic and fry till fragrant.
Add pumpkin, yam, carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes until veggies soften.
Add fresh prawns and leek.
Push these to one side of wok (take out if wok too small), add another 1-2 tablespoons oil and add eggs.
Keep stirring to break up the eggs, add rice and put in the rest of the fried stuffs.
All these are done over very high heat so constant stirring and tossing is essential to avoid burning.
Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
Lastly add the red pepper and celery to give an extra crunch and sweetness to this special fried rice.
Dish out and sprinkle some chopped spring onion to garnish.

Jo

Cheats Vegan

First day of Chinese new year for many (especially the Chinese Buddhists) is a time for vegetarian dishes (zhai cai 齋菜). That makes sense after the sumptuous reunion feast the night before. We also do vegetarian but not strictly, tend to cheat here and there.
This so-called vegetarian dish 'loh han cai' (羅漢齋) is a must on our first day. A myriad of ingredients combined to create a distinct dish fit for the king!
Every household has its own version of this classic dish and most of the time it is not vegetarian because big chunks of siew yuk or some form of meat are added.
Dried mushrooms, ginkgo nuts, dried oysters (non-vegetarian but with great sound 'hau si' means 'auspicious things or events'), sweet bean curd sheets, lily buds, carrot, black fungus, mung bean vermicelli (tang hoon), red dates, Chinese cabbage, fatt choi (black moss), etc.
All these ingredients soaked, drained and saute individually with oyster sauce and then stewed together in a chicken stock broth seasoned with oyster sauce (some add nam yee, red fermented bean curd) over low heat until all the flavors come together in a most delicious yummy mash!

And K made a cashew nuts salad which is also not entirely vegetarian as chicken strips are used but still light and easy on the palate and stomach. Very refreshing.

K's braised shiitake mushrooms. 100% vegan!

Jo

Salmon Yee Sang 鱼生 (raw fish salad)

I think I better get this posted before the chap goh mei (15th day of the lunar new year when the new year celebration officially ends) so that you can also 'lou sang' without having to dig too deeply into your pocket!

Yee sang is a must-have CNY dish for us not only because it is sooo auspicious but it also tastes sooo good. The word yee (fish) means abundance and surplus. Sang means raw or lively. So yee sang literally means “raw fish” and symbolizes abundance, prosperity and vitality. What more can you ask for?

This recipe was adapted from Amy Beh's vegetarian dish featured in the Star newspaper many years ago. Since then, we have been doing it every year and it is a big hit with the whole family.
It requires a little more preparation but it is really well worth the effort.
No coloring, no preservatives, no msg and it is super delicious.

Traditionally, this was eaten on the seventh day of new year when the fishermen in Guangzhou celebrate their new year but nowadays, it is served all through the new year season.

Salmon Yee Sang
~2 cups white radish, shredded and soaked in cold water
~2 cups carrot, shredded and soaked in cold water
~1 cup green mango, shredded
~50g spring onions, shredded and soaked in cold water
~1 red chili, shredded
~2 cups pickled papaya, shredded
~6 pickled leeks, shredded
~2 cups pomelo wedges, peeled and separate the sacs
~4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
~20g young ginger, finely shredded
~1 pair yao char kwai, sliced thinly and deep-fried until crispy (I substituted
this with homemade deep fried crackers made of flour, nam yee, sesame seed, salt and water)
~1 cup sweet potato, finely shredded and deep fried
~1 cup yam (taro), finely shredded and deep fried (not in the original recipe but I added this cos I love yam and it has an auspicious sound 'wu tao' means 'good beginnings' )
~2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
~3 tablespoons roasted peanuts, pounded coarsely
~200g chilled sashimi-grade salmon, thinly sliced
~1/2 lime

Sauce
~100g plum sauce (original recipe - 300g)
~1 tbsp apricot jam
~3 tbsp lime juice
~1 tbsp honey (original recipe - 3T which I found too sweet)
~1 tbsp sesame paste
~1 tsp sesame oil
~1/2 tsp salt or to taste
~1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder, put into a red packet

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmering boil. Leave aside to cool completely before use.

Drain the shredded carrot, radish and spring onion well. Arrange the shredded ingredients attractively on a big, round serving platter. We used a huge 50 cm serving glass plate for the 14 of us!
Squeeze half a lime over the fish slices and arrange them on top of the shredded ingredients.

To serve, pour the sauce over the yee sang and sprinkle with the five-spice powder, the sesame seeds and roasted peanuts.

This is the fun part when we toss the salad together with chopsticks, wishing everyone good fortune, good health and greater success and lift everything higher and higher.

Jo

Khew Yuk (pork with yam)

My first culinary inspiration must have come from my parents because I can still recall my father preparing the famous traditional Hakka dish called 'khew yuk' - a dish which combines pork belly slices with yam (taro).
This dish has a long and tedious process of preparation so it is only worthwhile to do a big batch at one go and share among family and friends.
That's one reason why he only made it during festive seasons.
I have watched him prepare this dish many times before but have never had the inclination to do it myself until last year...
But my dad didn't leave behind any recipes, he just went with his grey cells and taste buds, so I was at a loss as to how go about preparing this dish without him to consult.
Asked a few friends until I hit the jackpot... Mrs. Loh, a fantastic cook for traditional Hakka dishes and a good friend.
The kind soul that she is, came to the house and guided me through the whole process step by step.
Her version is very similar to my Dad's (almost identical except for the candied mandarin orange).
She came over and we did 10 bowls for this cny!
And with her consent I share with you this fantastic recipe:

Hakka's Khew yuk
Makes about 8 big chinese soup bowls

6 kg pork belly (cut into 3 long chunks, go with the grain)
4 kg yam
Oil for deep-frying
300g garlic, chopped
50g shallots, chopped

500 gm nam yee (red fermented bean curd) - get the one packed in this small brown jug

100 gm chit pian (candied mandarin orange), minced
1 - 1 1/2 tablespoon five-spice powder

1-2 star anise, optional
1/2 cup brandy or 'mei kuei lu' (chinese rose wine)*

300g crushed rock sugar, dissolved in 1L hot water

light soy sauce

dark soy sauce

To prepare the yam:
1) Peel and cut into 4 cm x 6 cm and 1 cm thick slices.
2) Rub the pieces lightly with light soy sauce.
3) Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain and keep aside.

To prepare the pork:
1) Blanch pork in boiling water for about 5 minutes and drain.
2) Cut each piece lengthwise about 6 cm wide.
3) Rub light and dark soy sauce all over the pork.
4) Deep fry in hot oil until skin turns brown and crispy. Drain.
5) Soak the fried pork in water until the skin soften.
6) Cut into 1 cm thickness.
7) Marinate pork pieces with a tablespoon of num yee, 4-5 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon shallots, 1/2 T 5-spice powder and 2 T chopped chit pian.
8) Save about 3-4 T each of garlic and chit pian for the final assembly of the dish (to sprinkle on the bottom of each bowl before assembling the meat and yam).

Sauce: (the most crucial stage - either make or break the dish)
1) Heat 5 T oil and fry the remaining garlic and shallots until fragrant and light golden in color.
2) Add nam yee, constantly stirring, smashing it up until it turns fragrant and the oil rises.
3) Add in the rock sugar water, chit pian, the rest of 5-spice powder and soy sauce.
Now taste - it should taste a tad more salty, sweet and intense than the final result you want because the steaming will dilute the sauce a little.
Bring to boil. Let it cool.
Add the brandy.

To assemble:
Ready 8 bowls.

~Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of garlic and a pinch of minced chit pian at the bottom of each bowl.
~Spoon a tablespoon of the sauce into each bowl.
~Dip a piece of pork and yam into the sauce and place them in a bowl side by side with the pork skin facing downwards.
~Repeat until each bowl is filled.
~Place the leftover-odd sizes pork and yam on top of the assembled bowls to form a dome shape.
~Spoon the remaining sauce equally onto each bowl.
~Steam for 2-3 hours (depending on the age of the piggy used :p).

This dish can be made 2 to 3 weeks in advance. When cooled, wrap tightly in foil and plastic, and store in the freezer.

To serve, re-steam for 30 minutes or more. Take an empty same-size or larger bowl, place mouth-to-mouth on top of the bowl of khew yuk, hold the two bowls firmly with both hands and turn over quickly so that the khew yuk now sits in the empty bowl with the pork skin-side up.

Wanted to post this before the lunar year but just didn't manage to get the lengthy instructions done in time. I hope this post is not too late for you to try out the recipe before chap goh meh (15th day of the lunar year).
Good night.

Jo
Edit: *My brother called and corrected me that our dad used the chinese cooking wine called 'mei kuei lu' (rose wine) and not brandy.
I wasn't sure which one is a genuine good quality brand (so many imitation these days) so brandy was a safer option. Do use the rose wine if you can be sure of its quality, more authentic :D

CNY @ Square Table

We will be taking leave from blogging for the cny period. Won't have much time to cook or to post.
The reason being, we will be very busy with our yearly ritual, that is round-the-clock construction of the Great wall of China on the square table :p

Mahjong plays a very big role on this auspicious holiday in this family because this is the only time in the year that we find ourselves together with free time to play this game. In a way, this actually makes the game so much more appealing and eagerly awaited.

Our stake is so meager that it is embarrassing to play with anyone other than the family (can be winning the whole day and still can't earn enough to cover the cost of a decent meal!). Definitely no inflation here. I don't think it is going to be any different this year. It is more a game for the family to gather around to catch up with one another and share the past year's happenings as we don't get to see each other that often during the year.

We always start on new year's eve immediately after the reunion dinner to get re-acquainted as we tend to forget the game after not playing for a year.

So here I am, taking the bricks out to dust and clean, preparing for the opening act.

Hello, familiar faces. Good to see you and so glad to be together again.

With these, let us wish you and your family loads of good health, wealth and harmony
plus all of these...

恭喜發財

Gong Xi Fa Cai (Congratulations and be prosperous )

歲歲平安

Sui Sui Ping An (Peace year after year)

年年有餘

Nian Nian You Yee (surpluses and bountiful harvests yearly)