Getting Ready For CNY

La rou and la chang (Chinese winter sausages and bacon) being dried in the winter sun, somewhere in Guilin, China.

One week before Chinese New Year and there's so much busyness you can feel it all around. I don't even bother to go to the city because of the traffic. I hate having to queue on the road, queue at the check-out counters, queue to get out of parking lots. Another thing I absolutely hate this time of the year is the crazy, stupid CNY music. Absolutely hate it, nearly as much as I hate Dutch "wooden pegs" music. I don't know what it is really called but it is one of the most irritating music I've ever heard and if you go to any touristy place in Holland, you'll get an earful of it.

I was just at Thai Seng Supermarket last week and people were buying canned food, cooking oil, Chinese winter sausages and all those CNY stuff and I was thinking "Am I the only one who hasn't started doing anything about CNY?" So I grabbed some cassava flour, some sugar, some veggies from Hong Kong (they have sweet pea sprouts for the first time, so there's no need to them get from Hong Kong) and I got home and made prawn crackers. We haven't had the sun for weeks and the last two days when I needed it, the sun came out. Somebody does like me. The prawn crackers turned out perfect, smooth, full of flavor and they puffed about four times their size. Again, I insist that you make your own prawn crackers. There's no way commercial prawn crackers are made with prawns.

Addictive home-made prawn crac! kers.Thi s year, I made my prawn crackers with yellow prawns and sand prawns. The cheaper paper-skinned white prawns are all farmed. In fact, all prawns served in restaurants are farmed and the redder they are, the more likely they are to have been fed a diet that includes dye.

I made chi ku chips too. This year, I didn't peel the chi gu to keep the fiber and also to reduce wastage. I over-fried them but no matter, they are still delicious.

With the huge CNY meals looming ahead, I've cut back on my intake of carbs so that I won't spill out of my new dress. CNY is that time of the year when we are likely to meet friends we haven't seen since the previous CNY so there's tremendous pressure to look better or at least unaged. With all the busyness, or the busyness in being busy, I'm taking it easy and a meal can be just fried veggies with winter sausages or la rou (Chinese bacon). On our visits to China in the wintry months, la rou and la chang are always on the menu. In the villages and smaller towns, every family makes their own la rou and la chang. I am so blessed every year because my friends from China would get their moms to make extra la rou and la chang for me, and since one friend is from Sichuan and the other from Jiangxi, I get different varieties of la rou and la chang. Home-made la rou la chang are SO different, SO SO much more delicious and fresher than those in the stores.


If you are wondering what to cook during this busy period, just slice some Chinese sausages or la rou or both and toss with with a bit of veg oil in a smoking hot wok or frying pan, add parboiled veg, sprinkle some salt and rice wine over and that's a light dish that goes well with rice.


Kailan stems are all stems and no leaves, available this time of the year. Very crunchy and sweet.

And now excuse me while I run off to make pineapple tarts and almond crisps.

Wine, cheese or just plain roast pork?

Lunch @ Soon Chi Sg Bakap, Nibong Tebal

It was on our way back to back KL during our North Trail, we were supposed to have lunch in Ipoh but time was running out. Kok Leong brought us here, Restoran Soon Chi at the main trunk road of Sungai Bakap. The food here was one is of the best during the entire trip of visitings and makan. Pricing was reasonable and service was fast. It's obviously a place that is worth another visit.Efficiency is the name of the game, hot water in thermos flasks really for youruninterruptedChinese tea drinking.Jo wanted to eat "Yip Kwong Hor" and in anticipation of seeing a bright yellow moon on the fried noodle but it did not happen..... anyway the fried noodle was very good it was done the Sungai Bakap style....& way to go Sg. Bakap!!!A j ug of passion drink into Guinness ice packed glasses and it's non-alcohol.

Nice cold and interesting Passion fruit juice.....

Crab porridge was as good as Nibong Tebal's, the crabs were fresh and sweet. Everyone loves it.Kam Heong La La Clams.Pork ribs deep fried with salted eggs would be lovely if there were beer or whisky around but unfortunately we are driving....Simple stir fried cabbage with small dried shrimps and yet ho jiak.Another veggie just like home cooked stir fried long beans with prawns .... truly yummy.This is something special, it was a promfret fish (local) done in two tastes, what you are seeing is the super crispy fried fish bones & fins and 100% palatable. and the fish meat is buried under neath.The first plate of fried koay teow noodle for two person wasn't enough to go around, they wanted to savour more and requested another plate to complete the lunch and this time we requested to see the yellow moon.... I prefer the first plate. Never try telling the local chef how to cook.... stick to their way and you will enjoy the food. "Chow"...

Restoran Soon Chi

794, Jawi Garden

Jalan besar

14200 Sungai Bakap Tel: 04-582-3446

GPS :N 05 13' 58.07, E 100 29' 28.31"

Fiasco Ristorante @ Coffs Harbour, NSW

I originally wanted to continue blogging about food I ate in Malaysia until I realised that I had already blogged about these places before or I had pictures of the first 2 courses before I pigged out and forgot about taking pictures.


So I guess the adventure of eating in Malaysia has come to a rather abrupt ending.


Moving on, shall we?


The first of many legs to Melbourne involved stopping over at Coffs Harbour. From certain stretches of the road, you are greeted with the most amazing coastal views that you wish greets you when you wake up every morning. However it was a pity once we reached town, I was more keen to take a nap then drive to the nearest beach for a tan.


Well I was also keen for a good meal. Urbanspoon really does wonders at this point and a quick search and a read here and there, we pinpointed Fiasco as the place to go.


While the name doesn't sound very Italian, the people running the place were definitely Italian (either that or they must have pulled off a very good accent).

Even the beers are italian! Not your typical Peroni but a slightly out of the blue Menabrea; crisp and light, perfect for the hot weather.

When we looked through the menu, it was obvious that we were still suffering from the "Asian" blues, half wanting to dig into anything that resembled Asian. However after seeing the dish arrive on our table, it was a whole different story.

Home made gnocchi with a pork ragu. This was delicious. The pork ragu was hearty and well seasoned and it went so well with the pillow soft gnocchi. Eaten together with the pieces of ricotta sprinkled on top, we couldn't ask for more, especially since we were 500km away from Sydney.

The Al Funghi Pizza was just as scrumptious. Instead of truffle oil, they used truffle honey, combining the earthy and sweet flavours was a good choice as well. Thin crust just the way I like it too!

The main was a duo of beef; seared tenderloin with a mushroom ragout and a braised beef cheek served with fried polenta and celeriac puree. The tenderloin was done well but the braised cheek needed some seasoning (well quite a fair bit actually). The gremolata drizzled around the dish helped flavoured the cheek but sadly it wasn't enough. I liked how refreshing the radish was but the polenta also tasted rather flat. After the first two dishes, we couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed.

Overall if you stick to their pizzas and pastas served with ice cold beer, I can't see why you should not come here if you are ever! in Coff s Harbour, brilliant food.

Address and contact details:

Verdict: 4 stars out of 5 stars. Good old pizzas and pastas done with grace.

Why You Will Be Drinking Tonight

Why You Will Be Drinking Tonight

Personally I thought today was just fine and dandy. It was going to be a non-drinking day too but perhaps not if this Oddbins formula is to be believed

On the widely reported most depressing day of the year, Oddbins has calculated the likelihood well reach for a glass of wine tonight and the probability is looking high

Dubbed Blue Monday, due to a combination of cold weather, lack of light, and possibly a lack of imagination on the part of the PR industry, the national wine merchant suggests well choose to relax indoors and enjoy a glass of wine this evening. On top of todays woes a general lack of motivation to keep up the New Year gym and detox regime, inane holier-than-thou stories from gloating exercise-fiend friends, plus of course the riveting antics of the housemates of Celebrity Big Brother 2012 will likely find you grabbing yourself a sweet spot on the sofa tonight.

Spittoon.biz - A UK Wine Blog - We Spit... So You Can Swallow

Chinese New Year 2012 @ Gu Yue Tien, Chulan Square, Kuala Lumpur

When it comes to innovative and great tasting food, Gu Yu Tien trumps everyone in the market.


This year, their Chinese New Year offerings is a balance of old favourites (as many of their clientele can't do without) and something to summon the dragon, their Dragon Fish Yee Sang (RM98++ for 10 persons).


While Gu Yu Tien still maintain their healthy outlook for their yearly offering of the prosperity yee sang (green coral lettuce, golden raisins, pears, pomelo sacs, salmon sashimi, sesame seeds, strawberry sauce and crunchy "pok chui" crackers), this year sees the addition of these dragon like fishes. These sharp toothed sea fishes add a nice crunchy taste to the whole festivities.


Toss them around and they look like dragons flying in the sky, an auspicious way to usher in the new lunar year.





Nowadays with the outcry of cruelty to sharks, restaurants are saying no to the Chinese delicacy.


Gu Yue Tien tries to balance between the old and the new, offering the two varieties, one with and without.


However, a taste of this sumptuous thick seafood broth filled with crab roe, crab meat, prawn, scallop, squid and tofu cubes will make anyone happy (including those old folks) that they won't nag when they don't see those forbidden fins.





A must-have when you dine here is the superb salt baked Spanish Iberico spare ribs.


It is so finger licking good that you won't mind getting your hands dirty to eat every small morsel of the delicious meat.





I do love my Hunan food hence I was a little surprised to see Chef Frankie unveil these spicy dishes.


I've always pegged him as a Cantonese guy but he showed today his breadth of skills (seems he is also well versed with Shanghainese and Szechuan dishes).


Rather ! than any old steamed fish, he marries the Western favourite aka the halibut fish with a spicy chillies and garlic topping.


The fish flesh is perfectly steamed until it becomes a creamy texture with its omega rich oil content. The not overly spicy but well balanced chopped red chillies and garlic complement the whole dish so well that you end up lapping every delicious bit.


I've always loved the steamed fish here and for those who prefer more delicate flavours, you can opt instead for their steamed australia jade perch fish with light soy sauce. Another omega oil rich fish, the flesh is silky smooth especially when dipped in their aromatic but not overpowering sauce.





While Chef Frankie is open to all types of Chinese food, he prefers to keep his Szechuan dishes to a lower spice level for it to reveal its many layers of flavours.


For instance, he ingeniously pairs the classic Szechuan Ma Po Tofu (named after this pockmarked lady, claims the legend) with these silky smooth noodles. The flavours in this dish is incredibly controlled for you pick up its subtle nuances - the bean paste used in the sauce, each niblet of the minced meat, the silky tofu cubes and the chopped chillies. The slight spicy taste is rather appetizing too that seems to warrant seconds even though you are full to the brim.





From the fieriness, w! e cool d own with the aromatic Chinese almonds cream. Boasting a strong flavour of the Chinese almonds (which are in truth apricot kernels), this was lusciously smooth. Chopped fruits add a textural contrast while the scoop of vanilla ice cream gives it a creamy cool edge.





Specially for the festive season and a must to keep those reporting Kitchen Gods abay from spreading nasty rumours about you, is the traditional nian gao.


Usually pan fried, Gu Yue Tien also does the steamed version that gives it a soft melt in the mouth texture that is seasoned with salt and rolled in fresh coconut shreds. A much healthier and unusual version compared to the pan fried one. While most of the Chinese New Year sets they have feature the pan fried nian gao, you can request for this healthier version if you like.


For the festive season, the restaurant has various menus to cater to your needs. Prices start from RM738++ to RM3,999++ for ten persons. They also cater to small parties (minimum two persons) so check out their offerings. (I will place the scanned menus in my Flickr set later in the day).


Gu Yue Tien
Lot B5-A, Chulan Square
92 Jalan Raja Chulan
Kuala Lumpur


Tel: 03-2148 0808


(Non Halal. Restaurant closed only on the first day of Chinese New Year but open throughout the celebrations. For more pictures, see the Flickr set.)


*This is an invited review by the owner.

Coffee Societe

If Solaris Dutamas is ever hit by floods, it might be awash in torrents of coffee, not rainwater, thanks to the overflowing number of java joints opening here.

Of course, an outlet like Coffee Societe won't be caught trafficking solely in caffeine; what pairs better with a cappuccino after all than cakes? Certainly not Chinese cabbage.

Coffee Societe's dark chocolate & red velvet slices, sourced from the proprietor's baking buddy, won't revolutionize the industry, but every bite of these creamy cakes is still worth nibbling. Nevertheless, the focus here is on the coffee; what else would we expect from a place where the managing director's business card lists his title as "Coffee Lover."

Try the macarons too. Ordinarily, we're not fans of fruity flavors, but the lychee & tangerine ones here are something special, with (SPOILER ALERT!) tiny bits of preserved pulp embedded in the ganache for a chewy surprise.

Cafe latte & iced hazelnut chocolate. Not bad, but we've really sipped too much coffee recently. Time to step away from the barista, put the latte down & kick it over to the police officer.

Coffee Societe's savories sound a little uninspired (spaghetti bolognese, sausages & lamb chops), which offers us the opportunity to return to The Red Beanbag, also at Solaris Dutamas.

Earlier entries on The Red Beanbag: December 12 & December 20.

The Red Beanbag has conjured creative names for its recipes. This seaweed risotto _ an Asian-flavored rice platter, wet with gravy & topped with seared scallops, prawns & clams _ is called "Don Scallopino," a moniker that tickles the Godfather fan in us.

"Skyscraper" _ not made of glass, not made of paper. Perhaps the fluffiest pancakes in KL now (we counted six or seven in this stack), boosted with bananas, strawberries & maple syrup.

!

Was "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" taken? The Red Beanbag's fizzy thirst quenchers include Yellow Submarine (fresh lemonade) & Ob-la-di Ob-la-da (soda, cucumber juice, mint).

CoffeeSociete @ Solaris Dutamas,

D4-G3-3A, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-6211-5523