I cooked: Steamed Minced Pork with Tung Choy ()

Another favorite dish of mine from my childhood days is , a.k.a. steamed minced pork with tung choy, which my mum would make for us. It is also a dish we sometimes order when we visit our favorite Seremban dai chow. There is something extremely comforting about this dish, and it's one of those dishes where you end up having an extra bowl of rice. Who else loves this Chinese dish?

Tung choyis a type of preserved vegetable, made from Chinese cabbage, garlic and salt. Over here, it is usually sold in small packets. Straight out of the pack, it is extremely salty so you need to soak it for an hour, then rinse 2-3 times to remove the excess salt. Other than this pork dish, we also like to use tung choy in porridge, or in soupy noodles. I like it for its crunchy texture.

This is a relatively healthy dish, since only 1 tbsp of sesame oil is used (and sesame oil is good for you, lots of vitamins and minerals). Good for days when you come back from work tired and want a quick dinner.

Chinese steamed minced pork with tung choy

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

300g minced lean pork

50g tung choy

2 shallot, finely chopped

1 mushroom, finely chopped (I used shiitake)

1 mushroom, whole

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp cornstarch

1 cherry tomato, finely chopped

1 tbsp soy sauce

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Sping onion (white part), finely chopped

To garnish

Spring onion (green parts), finely chopped

1. Place all ingredients in a 30cm stainless steel plate or a large heatproof dish. Mix and marinate for 30 minutes.

2. In a steamer or wok over high heat, steam the pork for 8 minutes or until cooked. Garnish with spring onion and serve immediately with a bowl of rice.

3. Optional ingredient: Salted egg yolks. You can either slice the raw salted egg yolk and top on the minced pork or mash it together wi! th the r est of the ingredients.

Baking Sweet Memories Mixer and Gift Card Winner

Its time to announce the winner of this giveaway for one sweet KitchenAid Mixer and a $250 Williams-Sonoma Gift Card. And I think someones day is about to get a whole lot brighter.

Thank goodness the winner is picked by random, because the responses to your favorite baking memory were so much fun to read and go through. I would never be able to pick just one. So many of you had such heart-warming memories of baking with loved ones and traditions that made my heart fill with happiness.

And then so many of you had baking mistakes and mishaps that had me laughing out loud. With you. Not at you. I Promise. Ive totally done those things too. Maybe not accidentally pouring microwaved beef gravy on cheesecake instead of chocolate fudge like Becky did at her holiday get together, but I have some good ones right up there with you. Those memories you can laugh about are some of the best ones dont you think. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing.

And I hope this makes a great new baking memory for someone.

Drumroll please.

The winner is

Yay SherryC! Looks like the mixer and gift card are going to get a good workout.
To make it official, please contact me and I will provide you with your next steps to claim the prize! If I dont hear from you, I will need to select an another winner.

This post is sponsored by Nestl Toll House Morsels, the perfect special ingredient for all of your familys favorite treats!

RSC 33rd Annual Golf Championship @ KGNS

Another year passed and I have blogged this annual event for the last three years. Royal Selangor Club was able to secure anotherprestigiousgolf course for the event and it was held at Subang National Golf Club also known as KGNS (Kelab Golf Negara Subang).Players came in as early as 6.30 in the morning to register themselves and have a good breakfast before the tee off.

KGNS is an old andrenowngolf course in the country with many keen seniors golfers of all kinds such as retirees, high powered politicians etc etc and walking on the course is popular among the members of the club.

Friends of RSCfuelingwith food before the game.

The breakfast was good nothingelaboratebut good enough to start the day.

Some serious golfers practicingtheir putting and hoping to win something.

Getting ready for a group photo session.I had the honour to play with the Convenor Dato' Haris and we started off at Tee Box No.1 as we were on the first flight.The participants of the first flight, Bala, myself, Dato Haris & Saiful Ong on the right.Dato Haris, the Convenor did not play well this year, just too bad and maybe it will be better next year.Bala a is hard hitter, uses a driver on the fairway with an interesting ball projectorywhich slices dramatically up the air but accurate.Saiful Ong emerged Champion for the gross category playing on his home soil and he surely had a good game of golf on this particular day.This guy is only a socia! l golfer not aggressive and is no threat to his competitors. He takes a lot of photos while playing and how is he going to play well....The weather was perfect though it wasthreatening at thebeginningwith a possibility of a downpour.Prize for Hole in One and no body was lucky to take back this watch.The green wasn't that fast maybe a speed of 8.0

The Champ started with a bogey but finished the last hole with an amazing style a birdie which made him the Gross Champion. Congratulation Saiful Ong.

< /a>Overall I had an enjoyable round of golf, playing with better and more skillful players. I would love to play with them again.Dato' Haris putting well at last but it was too late then.The President of RSC Ronald Quah giving out prizes for novelty winners during the lunch at KGNS.The man besides me is Johnny Soon he emerged Champion for the Senior Golfer Category and congratulation to him.

I hope to qualify again next year for another great event, Adios Amigo to the Section members of Royal Selangor Club. See you again.

Exotic Hot Pot @ Yangsheng di Jiupin, North Jiangsu

Somewhere North of Jiangsu province I was treated by my suppliers for some good old Hot Pot. Browsing through the pictured menu of marbled beef cuts I was salivating over what they were going to order until the food arrived...

Pig's Brains

My first and last time having it. The brain's had a texture similar to a creamy Tofu but had an after-taste which I did not enjoy. Seeing it's my first time having it my outgoing suppliers gave me half the plate.


Beef Tripe

The Tripe was so fresh it was served unbleached. The Tripe had a crunchy and chewy texture which I really enjoyed.


Frog Legs

I've eaten Frog Legs before but it's my first time having it for Hot Pot. The meat was rather bland for my liking.


Short Rib

Of all the Beef we could have for Hot Pot they order Short Rib. Needless to say it was way too tough when boiled.


Beef Tenderloin

Another Beef Cut that is not what I would normally order. The Beef Tenderloin was marinated with some Corn Starch and flattened. The meat's texture was very smooth and soft when cooked but it was rather flavoless due to the lack of marbling.


Local River Fish

I'm not a fan of Fish for Hot Pot but the Fish they ordered was superb. The flesh was firm and it tasted of the Sea.


Fresh Conger Eel

Conger Eel's are great when BBQ'ed but it's bad in Hot Pot. It had a really fishy flavor and the texture was very chewy.


Fish Paste

Finally something familiar. I enjoyed the smooth texture of the Fish Paste.


Hand-Pulled Noodles

The Noodles came in different flavors such as Pumpkin, Taro, Spinach, Egg and Buckwheat. I had the Taro and it was delicious. The Noodles had a nice springy texture and you could actually taste the Taro.


Assorted Mushrooms

Can't go wrong with Fresh Mushrooms.


The restaurant without a doubt served up good quality ingredients. If only my suppliers stuck with the usual Ribeye, Sirloin and other familiar Hot Pot Dishes I would have enjoyed it even further. Nevertheless it was an experience I would never forget.


Food: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Price: N/A


Contact Information
Address: North Jiangsu
Tel: N/A
Map: N/A

MIGF: The Olive @ Maxims Genting

The 2012 Malaysian International Gourmet Festival is finally in full swing, hitting heady heights at The Olive Restaurant in Genting Highlands Resort.

Thanks to Resorts World for this invitation to check out what Chef Daniel Sheen has concocted for October. To begin: a fresh basket of squid ink, tomato and garlic bread.

The Olive supplies respite from the bustle of Genting's Maxims hotel, letting us focus on this flavorful spoonful of marinated salmon, honey spheres and fruit salsa.

When this plate of portobello mushroom carpaccio topped with black truffles, pecorino cheese, balsamic, herbs and grissini bread sticks landed on our table, we swooned helplessly over its intense aroma. Possibly our favorite course for The Olive's MIGF menu.

Celeriac veloute, warm and creamy, made savory with salted cod fish mousse.

Palate-cleansing pleasure: rhubarb-topped sorbet, tart but tantalizingly so.

Spatchcock with baby roma tomato confit, frisee and kiwi gazpacho. This meal's weakest link; essentially a pleasant but unremarkable chicken recipe.

But the final main course is a bona fide stunner: Wagyu short rib with smoked porcini risotto and parsnip puree. Comfort food for both carnivores and carb-lovers.

Blood orange sorbet, paving the path for a creative conclusion.

Bittersweet chocolate, super-sumptuous with raspberries, coconut sago and pistachios.

More chocolate to wrap up a meal with a RM298++ price tag for paying customers.

Add RM100++ for four courses of excellent wine at regular intervals throughout.

Vino di Poeti (Gold) Prosecco, Bottega; Le Pitre, Primitivo del Salento, Villa Mottura, 2009 and Pedro Ximenez Solera, Alvear make up the highlights.

Service at The Olive was outstanding, from the moment we stepped inside till the time we left.

The Olive's MIGF menu includes a complimentary after-dinner drink: limoncello or choc grappa.