What's for lunch??

I rarely cook lunch. But this week, I am super lazy to go out and buy lunch; and while I were recovering from my sore throat and cough, I resorted to cook lunches at home. The crazy weather did not helped either. So hot that I could feel myself burning.

It was on Tuesday that I made something different from what I would usually cook. No rice or noodle. We had spaghetti lunch instead!!

Spaghetti mushroom carbonara to be exact. It has been ages since I cooked spaghetti at home. And since my kids like spaghetti, I surprised them with this dish when they were back from school.

Everything was quick and non-hassle for me as I used this sauce. So much easier than cook the sauce from scratch. This carbonara sauce was pretty good too.

One good reason to cook at home is you can basically add anything to your dish. So for this carbonara, I added mushrooms and bacon strips to the creamy sauce. Mushrooms to enhance the mushroomy taste in the sauce and bacons for the texture.

My simple spaghetti mushroom carbonara

Ingredients:
1 can of Prego mushroom carbonara
Spaghetti or any pasta of your preference
A handful of mushrooms
Half onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 strips bacon, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

Buttered baguette
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh mints (for garnish)

Methods:
1. Cook spaghetti in boiled salted water for 12 minutes before drain out.
2. In a hot pan, add in olive oil. Once hot, add in bacons. Saute for few minutes. Season with pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Add in mushrooms, garlic and onion into the pan. Saute for few minutes.
4. Toss in Prego sauce. Add about half cup of water to the sauce. Once simmer, lower the heat. Season with salt. Off the heat.
5. Prepare the spaghetti on a plate. Pour carbonara sauce on top.
6. Add chopped parsley on top of the sauce. Place buttered baguette at the side of the plate and garnish with fresh mint.

Dig in!!

Waited long

It was a raining Sunday morning. Not feeling well myself; had a sore throat and headache that day.

Everyone woke up late that morning. And since we did not have much time left because we were already late for church service, we drove to this Wang Full, Ang Cheng Ho Road for a quick brekkie.

However our choice was wrong because it wasn't quick. We waited pretty long for our breakfast although just few tables occupied. It was raining and cold that morning; not many customers. Around 3 or 4 tables occupied only. However we waited long for our food to come. They sure take their sweet time preparing the food. 

Hubby wanted laksa that morning so he got his dose of Sarawak laksa and braised chicken feet here. His food came first.

On the other hand, kids and I settled for the kolo mee stall. I were tempted for laksa but got to take care of my delicate throat.

The kids had kolo mee with char siew while I went for the special kolo kuay teow.

The auntie was so generous with ingredients. I couldn't even see my kuay teow. And I loved that she added those fried shallots other than spring onion on top and it did give that added fragrant and flavour. Delicious and satisfying. So the long wait? Worth it I guess.

After our long breakfast we went to our church. Almost 20 minutes late but at least we were there. *wink*

Take your pick

Learnt about this new coffee shop from a friend via fb. A new shop that opens this month.

31 31 Cafe is in the same row with "Yes" Cafe, the new shoplots before Biaramas office in Jln Datuk Tawi Sli. In this new commercial area itself has 2 big food courts and businesses were so good. Don't know what's good here as they are always full with patrons.

My first time been to this area and one thing I concluded was the parking. Maybe it was a holiday and I were caught in a long queue. However, we were happy that I managed to find a nice parking spot right in front of the shop.

A new shop so no tax charged to the drink (yet).

My girl ordered the breakfast set (Set B) for RM9.90. Her style of breakfast.

Breakfast set

Nothing much to it but it was nicely presented. I personally think the egg was slightly overcooked. The yolk was not runny at all when she broke into it. Anyway she never into egg yolk so she hardly touch it.

The dim sum stall was what I came here for. Special opening promotion from 1st to 3rd October. Buy 4, free 1. All steamers are priced at RM5.00 each.

It was the last day of promotion so I did not want to miss it. Not many choices though but good enough for me to take my pick.

Stuffed beancurd skin

Siew mai

Har kaw

Braised pork rib

Piggy buns

Overall the dim sum was alright. I personally prefer the little cute pig but if only the custard was creamier, it would be perfect.

The cafe was clean and packed. As they said "new toilet". To me, it is just another new place to eat. Like others, nothing new and fancy. Food are all the same.

Weekend Menu #82 : scallop & seaweed soup

We suddenly have load of dried scallops and seaweed  when hubby bought some back from his Sabah trip last month.

I simply love this simple yet nourishing and warm soup that I cooked for the family last weekend. Hubby loves scallops and seaweed.

This wasn't the ordinary seaweed that you normally use in soup. I was also surprised to see such seaweed. Look like corals on the ocean bed. Anyway, I soaked and washed it before cooking to soften it.

Ingredients:
Seaweed, soaked, rinsed and cut into smaller strips
Dried scallops, washed
Wolfberries
1 egg
Salt and sesame oil


Methods:
1. Add in dried scallops and seaweed into a pot of water. Once boiled, lower the fire and let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Add in salt and sesame oil to taste.
3. Add in wolfberries and let it simmer for a minute before add in 1 egg.
4. Use fork to stir to form egg flower. Off the fire. Serve warm.

Breakfast in mei mei

Last Saturday, I had a breakfast date with my mei mei (little sister). It has been a while since we met up and had breakfast together. 

Actually kids and I went to visit my sil and her baby that morning and then I invited my sis for a breakfast in Chong Lin Park, Simpang Tiga. We hardly venture to this area so I were not familiar with what's good and what's not.

Not feeling too adventurous, we decided to have our breakfast in Mei Mei Food Court. It is the same row with MD Motor. I have been there twice for laksa but that was many years ago.

Unfortunately the laksa ran out fast that morning so we had to settle for other stalls instead.

I liked the frothy teh c peng served here. Very nice and thick.

RM7 mixed soup with noodle

My sis settled for the noodle with mixed soup which was good to her liking. The kids had kolo mee which was nice too. Not too oily and over seasoned.

RM3.50 kolo mee

As for me, I had a very hearty breakfast. Did not expect my nasi lemak to be that big in portion. And it came with a huge drumstick. Anyway I skipped lunch that day.

RM7 nasi lemak with fried chicken

We should do this breakfast date more often, sis. *wink*

Baby and kacangma

Sharing a happy news. My brother's wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last week. And I am officially a "Ta Gu"(大 姑).

The kids and I had a little peep of the new baby last Saturday when we visited my sis-in-law at my parents' house.

Confinement lady was busy preparing food, and doing necessary chores for the new mother and baby. Looking at this scenario, reminded me of my own confinement. Oh boy, I have been through 3 confinements and each was different and bittersweet experience. 

One thing I enjoyed (call me a weirdo) during confinement was kacangma. Being a Hakka, we eat a lot of kacangma (motherwort herb) during our confinement. You could cook pork or chickens in kacangma but I heard now people cook ducks using kacangma too.

Dried Motherwort herb (ungrounded)

Usually I would prefer well-grinded motherwort so it expels more fragrance and bitterness, and easy to eat but sometimes I would not mind using those dried ungrounded leaves.

Following recipe is for normal consumption.  Just omit the salt and sugar and add in more rice wine and ginger for ladies in the confinement.

Chicken kacangma

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of dried motherwort leaves

1.5kg of chicken thighs, chopped into smaller bites

4 tbsp sesame oil

1 big sized ginger, grated in food processor

2 cups rice wine

1 1/2 tbsp salt

1/2 tbsp sugar

Method:

1. Peel the skin and slice the ginger.  Extract the ginger juices from the ginger using food processor.  Of course if you have mortar and pestle then it is even better because more juice and the ginger will be really minced
2. Heat up sesame oil in wok.  When it is hot, throw in the processed ginger (not the juice).  Saute for few minutes till ginger is fragrant and browned. Add in motherwort and stir for a while.
3. Add in chicken meat.  Cook for 5 minutes till chicken turned white.  Add in ginger juice and white wine.  Give a few quick stir. Cover the wok with lid and let it cook for 5 minutes
4. Open the lid and give the meat a stir.  Add salt and sugar (optional).  Cover with lid and let it cook till chicken is softer.  Turn off the heat and dish out the kacangma.

Remark: Can add water if you would like more broth to your kacangma but it will dilute the taste slightly.

Weekend eating out

I have been eating out a bit too much lately. I did not cooked much over the long weekend.

Last week was a tiring one. Started on Monday night when Jamie was suddenly vomitting and complaining of tummy ache. Must be infected from hubby who had diarrhoea on Sunday. So both of us (Jamie and I) basically did not slept well on Monday and Tuesday nights. And Jamie lost his appetite and he lost few kgs too. Could feel it when I carrying him.

Anyway, happy that he was back to his old self when the weekend was here.  The ordeal was behind us.

And hubby was away as he was flying to Penang on Friday and back on Sunday morning to attend a cousin's funeral.

I brought the kids out for meals myself. It could be handful to bring kids out by myself but we did have a good time together. After many days of eating at home, we yearned for outside food on weekend than my boring cooking. Lol.

So here were some random food that we ate over the long weekend.

It has been long since I bought something from Skycafe, Green Heights. Tasted something new from the cafe besides nasi lemak; namely Blueberry danish and Choc Chip coffee muffins.

Mee Jawa from House Cafe RM6 was quite good. They were pretty generous with the cucur and beef slices too.

Dim sum with my kids could be hard as they could be picky. But what to do when I were craving for a dim sum breakfast??

I have to admit that I am addicted to Taka Bakery's First Love at the moment. This super cheese cream bun was addictive. And huge too.

On Saturday evening, we had a take-away meal from Sugarbun. 2 pieces broasted chickens with raisin rice was my kids' favourite.

Kuching Food Kartel has an interesting charcoal burger. I tasted its grilled chicken and I thought it was alright. Not that awesome but delectable.

Went to Nanyang Food Court (opposite Emart Batu Kawa) for a quick dinner. Hubby ordered this meat-stuffed kompia from the Foochow stall. Lighting was bad as we seated under the lamp post.

A box of Tambun biscuits from Penang when hubby travelled back from the Pearl of the Orient. Our tea break over the weekend. I were surprised my boys loved it.