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Ching Ming 2010

Ching Ming is a special day for the Chinese where we visit the grave of our ancestors. This is an annual event where all the family members gathers to go to the grave. For my case, its my grandparents. Sadly this year, my eldest uncle's family didn't join us as they went the week before cause my cousins had to work the Sunday we went. 
We normally get up very early to the grave so that we can finish before the weather is unbearable. When we arrived, the hill is already filled with people and smoke! Cleaning and filling up the pain for the wording is what we normally do, where the adults will start putting up the food offering and other stuff. 
The coloured papers were spread on top of the grave, I don't really know why. 
Here comes the burn offering, 2 boxes, 1 for my grandpa and 1 for my grandma. 
Small yellow flower. We hire care taker to take care of the grave area. This is planted by them. 

As a Christian, I don't perform any of the rituals involved during Ching Ming. I still go for this as I take it as a family gathering, and also helping out in cleaning and whichever help needed. 

Restoran Uncle Seng, SS15, Subang Jaya

Uncle Seng is one of my sis favourite noodle place located at SS15, she has to visit this place at least once a week to satisfy her 'craving'. I have introduced this place to a few friends and it has also become their favourite noodle place. 

What is unique about this place is their noodles, which are made by themselves. The texture is nice and chewy. 
The noodle looked plain, but don't be deceived by it. The style is a bit like Kolo   Mee of Sarawak.
The portion of a plate of noodle is very big, we have learned to just order a plate of plain noodle to share for 2 and order the side dishes separately.
Curry Chicken, nice and flavourful
Hakka Fried Pork, tasted nice but we figured we won't order it the next time as the potion is quite small.. hahaha..
Fried wanton, my favourite. The filling is very tasty and skin is crispy.
Braised pork knuckle, this is another favourite. The meat is tender and the sauce is tasty.
My friend is distributing the noodle.
This is their homemade chili sauce, I normally add to my noodle and they become red noodles. This is not too spicy for me, but my friend says they are.
3-layered tea, my favourite drink. They make it nicely here. :)
This place is generally crowded, best is to go in the morning. 
 Write up of in a magazine of the place
Address and operating hours. No reservation is allowed, first come first serve!

Oreo Cheesecake (No-bake)


A friend gave me 7 blocks of cream cheese which his uncle gave to him, since he doesn't bake and his mom don't take cheese so he gave them to me. I made Japanese Cotton Cheesecake last weekend which I have forgotten to take any photos of the process or the end product. 

I was contemplating what kind of cheesecake to make as I normally only make the cotton cheesecake and not the no-bake type cheesecake. I have chosen the Oreo Cheesecake which I figure that it can't really go wrong with Oreo. I got the recipe from Happy Home Baking, really cool site with many nice recipes. 


Ingredients:
base:
110g digestive biscuits(about 8 pieces), chopped into fine crumbs
40g melted butter


filling:
300ml whipping cream (chilled, I used Bulla Thickened Cream)
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
3 tablespoon boiling water
10ml lemon juice
250g cream cheese, soften at room temperature
50g icing sugar
45ml fresh milk
1 table spoon vanilla essence
8 pieces of oreo cookies (coarsely chopped, with cream removed)
4 pieces of oreo cookies (finely chopped, with cream removed)(1 piece refers to half of the oreo cookies)


Step 1:
Mix biscuit crumbs & melted butter together and press firmly with the help of a spoon onto the base of a 18cm cake tin. Chill for 30 minutes.

Step 2:
Beat whipping cream with electric mixer until 70% stiff or until mousse-like. Do not over mix. Takes about 2 to 3mins on low speed. Keep in the fridge.

Step 3:
With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese , icing sugar, milk and vanilla essence until smooth & creamy. 
Place gelatin powder, lemon juice & boiling water in a bowl. Heat a pot filled with water until just simmering and place the bowl inside the pot. Dissolve gelatin, lemon juice & boiling water in the bowl. Keep warm. Blend in gelatin solution. 
Blend in whipping cream with a spatula.
Pour half of the cheese mixture into a bowl. Stir in finely chopped oreo cookies. Mix well. Pour the mixture the cake tin. Chill for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle coarsely chopped oreo cookies on top of the first half of cheese mixture which has been chilled. Pour in the remaining half of the cheese mixture. Chill for 3 to 4 hours before serving. Remove from pan and decorate with chocolate shavings or as desired.
Cake turn out to be beautiful and tasty, I added more Oreo crumbs as deco on top. 
Tips:To ensure easy whipping, make sure the cream is chilled. Chill the mixing bowl in the fridge for 15mins before using it to whip the cream. 
To achieve a clean slice, heat up the knife before slicing (eg. soak knife in a cup of hot water or heat over a stove on low heat). Clean the knife after each cut.



My friends loved the cake, it's a simple cake to make and delicious. Try it for yourself... :)  

Brother Yat Restaurant, USJ 1


We went to this Brother Yat for our care cell's CNY and February Birthday celebration dinner. I passed by this place a few times while going to my favourite F4 Restaurant down the road. I always ask myself if the food from that place tasted any good every time I see it. One day, my sis went there and try and told me about their signature dish sauna prawns (live prawns soak in beer for a while then put on a hot pot to be cook alive) the process seems cruel but will try it definitely. 

We didn't order the sauna prawns this time round as few of my friends are allergy to prawns. Since it's CNY of course we orderd Yee Sang, we had jelly fish instead of sashimi fish. 
Here comes the fun part, tossing the yee sang
The aftermath of tossing.. messiness! 
Salted egg squid - tasted good, the squid is fried just nice not too dry
German style pork knuckle - the meat were tender and skin were crispy. The sauce was nice, a bit of sourish and pepper taste. 
Sweet Potato Leaves fried with Fu Yu - tasted alright
XO Sauce fried Tau Fu - tau fu are homemade, its quite a unique combination
Crispy Brinjal - the brinjal were not that crispy as the name has said it, but this dish tasted good with some dried shrimps added to it
Steamed fish with Salted veg & tau fu - this tasted good and the sauce is very tasty. 

The food in this place in general tasted good, will definitely visit again and try the sauna prawns the next time. 

One for the record.. :) 

Address:


Brother Yat Restaurant
Lot B1-765, Jalan Subang 4,
Taman Industri Sungai Penaga (Ultramine Industrial Park),
47500 Subang Jaya,Selangor
GPS : N3 02.812 E101 35.807
Tel: 012-6846276

Chinese New Year 2010


I have been lazy in writing my blog lately, and no post in March, such terrible blogger I am. I am trying to catch up with where I left it at. 

I was looking forward to this year's CNY as my cousin from the US is bringing her 2 kids back and also my aunt and uncle is also back from the US. My cousins and I have already started discussing what to do and eat months before CNY. 

To save hassle, we had steamboat for our reunion dinner. We have been doing it for the past few years and I think will continue till someone come up with a better idea on what to do. 

We normally visit my grandma on the first day of CNY, this day is where all my aunts and uncle gather there. I got to meet all my relatives and cousins, some I get to meet them only during this time of the year. 

On the Second day of CNY this year, we went to my aunt's place (my dad's side) for breakfast. My aunt is making dumpling for a change this year, we went to help out to make and of course to eat too. I didn't manage to take any photos as I was busy helping out to make the dumpling. 

After breakfast, we went to Kota Tinggi to visit a cousin of my dad. He owns a fruit orchard, my cousin would like to bring her 2 kids to 'experience' the nature. It takes about 1 hour from Kulai to Kota Tinggi. When we arrived there, we said hi to the relatives and then  we went for a little 'jungle trekking'. My 2 little nephews were so excited, and I was a bit worried while they walk as there isn't a proper road and the grass is quite high. 
This little one is too brave, he wanted to jump into the pond.. 
Trying to pluck a langsat with a little help from the adults.. 
Lotus pond
We had to show off our foot.. :P


After our little expedition, we proceeded to a wonderful home cooked lunch thereafter headed back to Kulai. By the time we reach home, everyone is pretty tired and siesta time is all we wanted to do.. 

My aunt is a good cook, as tradition we have dinner at her place during the second day of CNY. Here are the dishes she cooked...
The main dish for the night.. steamed fish! very yummy and fresh.. 
All seated and waiting to eat!

I felt that CNY is not complete and loses it's meaning if you spend it on your own. I really enjoy CNY every year, not about just getting ang paos or eating but spending time with relatives and friends which is most important in this festive season. I am not saying that we can't do that during normal days, but during CNY is when everyone will make a priority.. you feel the same way too? 

From the third day to the eighth day of CNY I went to Bangkok and Pattaya, I shall blog about it in a separate post. 

A relative of my cousin found out that my aunt is back from the US and she is looking to eat some durian went looking high and low for it. Unfortunately, he couldn't find any durian instead he gave her a huge jack fruit!
Huge Jack fruit
Takes 3 people to pull it open.. 
Finally managed to open it.
My little nephew showing off his jack fruit and insist that I take a picture of it
Removing the fruit, strongly advice you to use a glove as there is a sticky stuff produce by the jack fruit that can be bit difficult to clean later.
Cleaning the fruit from it's protection
This was really really sweet.. yummy! 

People say that happy moment fly by really fast, it is indeed. Though I was back in home town for a week but it didn't seems to be enough.. oh well... :P

Thanks for reading this long post.. hope you enjoyed reading as I enjoyed writing this.. :)