DELICIOUS DINNER 7

A series of home cooked dinner by my wife.

Oven cooked chicken-marinated in shallots, light and dark soya sauce and XO oyster sauce-tender and juicy.

Stir fry Chinese round cabbage, carrot and dry shrimps-finely chopped- sweet taste and crunchy.

Deep fried mau yau (Thread fin fish)-crispy, rough in texture-good accompaniment to the other dishes.

I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY NEW YEAR- WELCOME 2009-"NO FOOD, NO LIFE"

RESTAURANT DUCKING-(the different one)

The birthday celebration for my wife continues into the night.This dinner held at the Ducking Restaurant in Jaya One Petaling Jaya was organized by my children. Ducking is a restaurant with a lots of Indonesian influence in their dishes i.e.hot and spicy.Their signature dish are duck, done in many styles. Duck dishes are the most ordered, you see it on every table. Their menu are very informative with prices for the various dishes in sizes-i.e.S, M or l. As we wanted to sample more of their dishes , we ordered the dishes in various sizes and it was a helluva of a gastronomic feast! For patrons of food outlets, their cars are allowed to be park at this floor if not you can park at the basement car park for free after 6 p.m.

Their new logo-"the different one"

Clay pot (Sapo nasi) glutinous rice with waxed meats-the rice was whole grain and flavorful with the various meat and siew pak choy-rm 38.80/.

Stir fry Brussels sprout with garlic-was leafy and crunchy-rm13.80/.

Pork ribs (Paikut goreng bawang putih) marinated in preserved bean curd paste and deep fried with lots of garlic and chilies-was crispy and meaty-rm41.60/.

Sliced Garoper fish (Ikan krapu soun sereh) with lemon grass and glass noodle- fish was fresh but too much of lemon grass flavor- rm18.80/.

Roast duck 1/4- thigh area-was moist and aromatic-rm14.80/.

Bean curd (Mun tahu & jamur Shimeji) with Shimeji mushroom and nori (seaweed)-the superior broth was deliciously thick, the mushroom was moist and the bean curd silky smooth-rm16.80.

Eggplant with minced meat, salted fish, chilies and garnished with chopped spring onion- was way too salty-returned!.

Claypot (sayur camphur sounh cumi)glass noodle with Poh choy and toasted cuttle fish-the soup was clear and the cuttle fish was crackling with noise with every bite-rm 13.80/.

Kai lan(Tumis sapi Hong Kong kai lan) with stir fried beef and shiitake mushroom-was the highlight of the night-the beef was tender and well marinated and smooth with traces of corn flour-RM28.80/.

Total bill:rm250/
Location:8-G, Block M,
Jalan U niversiti,
Jaya One, Petaling Jaya.
tel:30-7957-9819.

PENANG VILLAGE

My wife is a end of the year child, that's why she is always teased by her friends who were born earlier in the same year. Anyway, today is her birthday and she was treated to lunch by my sister in law Hannah at Penang Village. a modern contemporary restaurant located at the newly opened Tropicana City Mall in Petaling Jaya.A place with friends and family in a hospitable atmosphere. The restaurant tag line "The Malaysians Best Choice" is just the right word to describe them. For their soft opening, there is a 20% discount for food bill of rm80/ and above. The food served were pleasing to our eyes and tasty to our palates but their waiters was incommunicable!(language problems). Parking is free for the time being.

This section is cosy with soft pink lighting and red long leather chairs while the adjacent side is brightly lit.

20% discount for limited period only.

Kerabu mango-mango salad served on a glass plate -tossed with red onion(would be better with shallot), toasted cuttle fish, palm sugar, lime juice,bird eye's chilies and Thai fish sauce-sweet and tangy-rm7.90/.

Pie tee-filled with sweet turnips, bits of fried bean curd, carrot, crab stick and cashew nut-add the chilies sauce to savor it in one mouthful-rm 7.90/

Fried rice-with chilies fried dried shrimp, bull eye's fried egg, a crispy tempura like prawn, three small pieces of turmeric fried chicken and some acar-mediocre-rm13.90/

Curry mee-with fresh prawns,cockles, tau pok, bean sprout and rice vermicelli-was not well scented with coconut milk- overpowered with turmeric flavor-rm9.90/

Rainbow Ice Kacang-filled with finely shaved ice, a few kinds of jelly, red bean paste and topped ice cream-cold and sweet-rm7.50/

Cendol-filled with finely shaved ice, green cendol. red bean paste, grass jelly, toasted peanut and canned coconut milk- not up to my expectations!-rm6.90/

Total bill:rm86/ after discount.
Location:L1-49, First Floor.
Tel:03-7729-3358.

BIRDNEST FRUIT (ABIU)

My Golden fruit tree bears fruits again. I found out that it's actual name is called the Birdnest Fruit (Abiu). The fruit is sweet in taste and is smooth and jelly like in texture. Not widely available in the market, I got the seedlings from an orchard in Cameron Highlands and planted it in my backyard. This is the fruit of my labour!

Round and golden when ripe.

The white, translucent and sweet jelly like fruit.

CHAR SIEW-HOME MADE ROAST PORK BELLY

My children loves to eat Char Siew (roast pork belly) so my wife cooks it at least once a month.

The ingredients are:
One kg of pork belly cut into 4 chunks of about 1 inch thick.
Marinate with :
One whole garlic-finely chopped.
Light soy sauce-5 tbsp
Dark soy sauce-1 tbsp
Castor sugar-3 tbsp
A few dash of ground pepper and some 5 Spices powder- for about an hour

Heat up wok with some cooking oil-Under low flame, fry marinated pork belly on both sides until fragrant. Cover it with a lid and let it cook and simmer for about 35 minutes. Add some water every now and then to prevent the gravy from thickening too much. Dish up and cut in bite size to serve.

Sweet, garlicky meaty and a bit fatty -roast pork belly.

DIM SUM-RESTAURANT TUCK CHEONG

Restaurant Tuck Cheong is located off Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. just behind the Maybank. I was there to meet a friend for "Yum Cha". They specialized in traditional and hand made Dim Sum and pao, very authentic. They have many varieties of Dim Sum and open as early as 5.30 a.m. When we reached there at 7.15 a.m. it was already packed with people. Almost everything is self service, no choice of selecting tea leaves (only one type), it's all hot and ready in mini kettles, placed on a table. Just pick one with cups and go to your table. Most tables are shared with other customers. Next go the hot steamer at the shop front tell the guy what you want and he picks and places it on a plate for you. Just shout and call him when you want to pay-very simple and trusting style.

Packed with people of all ages.

The main guy manning and dispensing the Dim Sum.

Prawn rolls with fish paste-succulent and springy.

Braised mushroom with fish paste and ginger juice-smooth and moist.

Steamed chicken rice-well marinated, tender and full of Chinese wine flavor-only available on Thursday and Saturday-my favorite.

The well abused mini kettle-"take it or leave it"-no other choices!

Total bill:rm13/ + 2 pao
Location: Jalan Kancil off Jalan Pudu.
Behind the old Wai Sek Kai.

CHRISTMAS

Christmas is derived from the word "Christ's Mass" and Christmas Day is mostly celebrated by Christians. Christmas day falls on the 25th of December every year. It is to honour the birth of Jesus of Nazareth-(Matthew:1:18). The main activity are giving of gifts, church celebrations, decoration of Christmas tree with lights, mistletoe, nativity, turkey dinner and good old Santa Claus!. Christmas has become too commercialize and is a major event for many retailers in shopping malls. Tonight i celebrated Christmas and had dinner at my brother's house. Overall the food was good and my two young nephews had a field time opening their presents.

The brightly decorated Christmas tree.

The nativity was very creatively done.

Appetizer-crab stick sushi with avocado.

Minestrone soup-full of vegetables and gammon - warm and tasty-elegant in flavor.

Gravad Lax (Swedish marinated salmon)-marinated with salt, black pepper, vodka and dill-silky smooth but a bit salty -lovely texture.

Stir fry Brussels sprout with prawns-wholesome and crunchy.

Stuffed Pork Belly-goes well with the apple sauce-silky and sweet- eaten thinly sliced-meaty.

Baked Salmon with dill sauce- pan seared then oven cooked -no fishy aftertaste-pink and moist.

Roast turkey-with no stuffing-was marinated in brine for 6 hours- i had the thigh portion which was tender and the skin was crisp but the breast meat looks tough and lean.

Brown sauce for the turkey meat-a bit diluted.

Special Prawn Macaroni pasta-was creamy and cheesy but the prawn was not fresh.

Baked cauliflower with cheese -crust was well browned- cauliflower was a bit soft and soggy.

Baked potatoes-golden crust-high in carbohydrate and very calorific!

RESTORAN GREEN VIEW

Restaurant Green View was always packed whenever we drive passed it, on our way to the SS2 area. It is located next to Menara Merias in Section 19, Petaling Jaya. Every now and then they have promotion on their crab dishes. I like their signature dish -fried big river prawns (udang galah) mein, cooked in thick egg gravies and their sweet and sour XL crabs. This place is opens 365 days and service is fast and efficient. Parking is not too much of a problem. Tonight my nephew and his wife joined us for dinner there.

Appetizer-fried bean curd with freshly sliced onions rings, century egg and tiny bits of pickled ginger-dipped in Thai chillies sauce for added flavor-appetizing-rm12/

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Sea prawns done in two styles-shelled and de-veined 1.lightly battered prawns with mayonnaise and honey dew 2.buttered prawns-was fresh and succulent.-rm70/

Fish head curry-full of fish meat and vegetables-was not too spicy, with a lot of chillies oil skimming on the surface -best with fluffy white fragrant rice.-rm50/

Herbal chicken 1/2- overpowering with too much herbs making the gravies a big letdown to the palate.-rm30/

Stir fry kai lan and choy sam-with cloved garlic-the fresh and green colors make it so tempting -need it to balance off the meat.-rm15/

Fried big la la (shellfish) in preserved bean sauce-it was big and tasty.-rm40/