Last day

It was the 5th of February. Chap Goh Mei. The last day of CNY celebration. 

A long day for me as I woke up around 530am, brought my mil to 3rd Mile wet market.

After done with our shopping, we bought our breakfast from this coffee shop. While waiting, both of us had a morning drink and took a rest  Tapaued Sarawak laksa for me and kolo mee for the others. It was slightly after 630am when we reached home.

We planned for Chap Goh Mei dinner, so we cleaned the farm rear prawns. RM60 for over a kg of prawns, we used up half for the dinner. Balance, in the freezer for future consumption. We also bought some salted mustard to cook chicken soup. More in my next post.

So after settling down our loots and have breakfast, we went out around 10am, this time hubby tagged along. We went to collect 1 white chicken and 1 black chicken (RM99.20) from a friend's house and then proceed to pick up hubby's niece and we had lunch together.

We went to  and as it was late in the morning, the mixed pork soup has run out!! So they only managed to make one bowl of noodle for hubby!! RM7 for his noodle with whatever they have left. 

I didn't want noodle, so I ordered this nasi banjir (curry rice) for RM11 as my lunch. 

Yay!! In the morning, I had Sarawak laksa and now in the afternoon, I ate curry rice!! Luckily my tummy can stand such spicy tastebuds that day! Lol. 

My curry rice was alright. Spicy with lots of meats. It sure took me a lot of effort to finish my plate. Lol. 

Hubby's niece went for fried noodle while mil ate few chai kueh. No photos taken. After we were done, we went to Emart to fix hubby's spectacle before went home and rested. Next post is on our Chap Goh Mei dinner. Stay tune!!

Curry with carrot and potato

A new recipe I learnt from my mil. Chicken curry with carrot and potato. Yup, carrot added to curry. Not we found commonly in our curries. But I enjoyed the sweetness of carrot in the curry even more. 

 

My mil used this brand of curry powder for her curries. 

She used lots of garlic, shallots, lemongrass, curry leaves  and ginger in this cooking. Give this curry a try. And again, no exact measurement; based on your preferences.

Ingredients:

Garlics, shallot minced

1 star anise

1 -2 cinnamon sticks

2 lemongrass, bruised

Handful of curry leaves

2 - 3 spices of ginger

4 chicken thighs, cut, blanched and drained

4 potatoes, cubed

1 carrot, cut

1 pack of Babas meat curry powder, 25g

Salt to taste

1 pack coconut milk, 200ml

Cooking oil

Water

Methods:

1. In a wok, heat up cooking oil. Then toss in garlic, shallots, ginger, star anise, cinnamon sticks, lemongrass and curry leaves. Saute till fragrant. 

2. Add in curry powder to the wok. Saute for a minute before added in the carrot and potatoes. Mix well and cook for few minutes.

3. Add in the chicken meat and saute for few minutes before added water. 

4. Let it cook till boil. Lower the heat and cover the wok. Let it simmer till meat is cooked and carrot and potatoes are soft. 

5. Add salt to taste. Then coconut milk at last stage, mix well and serve warm. 

Another day in Kwong Hup

Back dated to last year. Few days before the New Year. Hubby and I were up earlier and we decided to venture further instead of settling for the usual place in our neighbourhood. 

So that was how we ended at Kwong Hup Cafe. When mentioning this coffee shop, one would think of its fried kway teow and popiah. Unfortunately the popiah stall didn't opened that day so we could not enjoyed its yummy popiah. 

Luckily we still able to enjoy the fried kway teow. We loved the Penang fried kway teow as it was cooked on hot plate. Hubby initially wanted it with clams but it was not available. No clams, so we settled for sotong (squid) instead. Also, not bad!!

Not many customers that morning, so the stall operators were pretty free, chit chatting among themselves. 

On another day (i.e. 8th day of CNY), we came here again for breakfast. This time, we brought Jan and mil along. 

This time, the popiah stall was opened. We ordered one RM3.50 while waiting for the Penang fried kway teow which took quite sometime.

My mil went for fried kway teow with bamboo clams whereas hubby and I had prawns with our noodle. 

RM21 for 3 plates of fried kway teow. 

Shangtang Ramen

It was 3rd day of Chinese New Year. After dropped Janice off to her classmate's house in Matang, together with hubby and mil, we went to Borneo 101 for shoulder and foot massage. An hour massage, so by the time we were done, it was almost 12 noon. 

Since we were in 101 Premier, we decided to settle our lunch there. Not many coffee shops were opened then. Even they did, not many stalls were. 

Nothing much to eat on 3rd day so left without much choice, we chose this Shangtang Ramen for its ramen. I guess our tummies already can't wait to digest some food, so anything would do. 

This Shangtang Ramen is one of the Chinese Steamboat shop that we went to last year.  Same owner, same concept. 

Few occupied tables in the shop but we opted to sit right in front of the shop. Can see a young man making ramen through the glass panel.

Hubby and mil had the same ramen, pork rib ramen soup. 

I went for the signature pork belly ramen soup, which was if same broth. RM10.80 per bowl. 

The ramen was nice, springy. We also bought 2 packs of kolok mee (dry noodle with mince pork) for the boys and 2 Chinese tea egg home. 

Claypot pork belly

My mil loves to use claypot to braise and on one of the days, she cooked this simple yet tasty claypot pork belly with hard-boiled egg. No measurement for this recipe, it is based on your preference and taste. If you like it salty, then add more dark soy sauce or salt. If you like the sweeter version, then substitute the dark soy sauce with the sweet soy sauce. 

 Ingredients:

Rock sugar 

5 spices 

Garlic and ginger, minced

Dark soy sauce 

Water 

Pork belly 

Hard boiled egg 

Cooking oil

Methods:

1 Blanched the pork belly for a while, then rinse and drain. 

2. In a claypot, heat up some cooking oil.  Then toss in garlic, ginger, Chinese 5 spices and rock sugar. Saute and mix well till fragrant. 

3. Add in dark soy sauce, stir for a while before adding a cup of water. Let the water boil before adding in the pork belly. 

4. Lower the heat to small, cover the claypot and let it simmer. 

5. In between, stir the ingredients in the claypot and add in the hard boiled egg. Cover and let it cook till meat is tender and broth has reduced. 

6. Cut the pork belly to biteable size, place in a bowl. Add in egg and broth. Serve immediately. 

Took over

Since the Kueh Chap stall moved out last year we rarely go for breakfast in this food court. By the way, our favourite kueh chap has moved to Petanak area since late last year. 

Anyway, one morning last month, together with my hubby, mil and Jay, we went to the food court for breakfast before dropping Jay off to his tuition. A new cha kueh stall was opened that day so we ordered a small portion of salty version to try. RM5 for small portion. Not bad.

As for the kueh chap stall, new person has took over not long ago. We wanted to try for comparison, so hubby and I shared this bowl for RM10. They had chicken feet on the menu so I ordered that and wanted to give it a taste. 

But really, other than it looked presentable, the taste was totally not to our liking. Not the broth was not nice, the pork was frozen/overnight as my hubby was pretty sensitive when it comes to pork. The taste of frozen pork instead of using fresh pork, totally not his cup of tea.  I also not like the kueh chap. So totally a disappointment for us. No, we didn't finish it as the pork wasn't tasted good. Left more than half of the bowl untouched. 

Since my mil flew over 2 weeks prior to CNY, she has been taking over my kitchen most of the time. Clearing some stuff in freezer to make way for CNY, like the raw oysters that hubby bought last year.  She doesn't take raw food so we had to open up the oysters to take them out and cook them with eggs. An oyster omelette!! Not bad for first time cooking but maybe need to drain the oysters next time as the fluid made the omelette wet. Lol. Anyway, they went into our tummies and no stomachache or diarrhea after that.  

Miscellaneous Pictures #107: backdated

 Some photos taken last month. 

This place was in Poh Kwong Park. I  pass by it every weekday when sending and picking my kids from secondary school. This shot was taken on Monday (16th). Lovely CNY vibes in this neighbourhood shoplot centre.

My dad gave me this pack of mee suah. It was actually from a customer but since he and mum don't take mee suah, he passed to me. 

This type of mee suah is nicer for frying, instead of using in chicken mee suah soup. 

Backdated a bit to earlier January. On New Year day, we went to Small Cat Cafe for breakfast. Jan also followed us for a New Year breakfast. 

She tried the fried noodle from the fried stall but it turned out salty. Indeed a bit too salty for our taste buds. 

We quite enjoyed the chee cheong fun on our first visit, so we were having that. RM7 per plate, we ordered 2 plates to share around with his dim sum. 

The kind taukey also offered us his chai kueh to try. 

Then a week later, we went to Kim Joo for breakfast. Because we missed its noodle and soup. Lol.

We saw a new mural right at the same row with Kim Joo. Can't resist not stopping to take shot of it. 

By the way, in case anyone wondering where has Kolo mee stall from Y. Y. Cafe moved to, it is to this shop in MJC.  The coffee shop has closed and moved to Pines Square but the kolo mee stall remains in MJC. 

Cenang Kopitiam

We spotted a Chinese Hainanese chicken rice shop opposite of Underwater World when we walked to McD's as the pick up point to our island hopping tour. Cenang Kopitiam opens only from 8am. We were excited to see some steamed chickens and fried chickens hanging from the window display so we decided that we will be having lunch there after the island hopping. 

Unfortunately by the time we finished the tour and the driver dropped us back at McD's, it was way after 2pm. When we dropped in Cenang Kopitiam, there wasn't any chicken rice left. Sold out even before noon time, according to the owner!!

However since we were there and everyone was either tired or hungry, we decided to settle for anything that they had to offer. No more chicken rice but they had other food as well. 

The lady boss recommended us their nice fried fish cake. So we had a plate of that. Indeed, it was good. 

I was very hungry so I ended up having its nasi lemak. Fried chicken with my nasi lemak for me. Slightly fragrant rice, spicy hot sambal and crispy anchovies, their nasi lemak was just nice. 

Only me having rice for lunch, while the others went for their handmade noodles. Handmade noodle topped with fried shallots and crispy anchovies (pan mee style) with a bowl of soup with 2 big fish balls. Springy ball, as I tasted one. And our lunch bill?? Over RM80 plus drinks.  

We did came back the next morning, because we told the lady boss that we will be back for its chicken rice. It was our last day in Langkawi, so we walked all the way to Cenang Kopitiam for breakfast. The lady boss remembered us and again she took our order. 

Hubby reordered its tasty fried fish cake to share around. And he asked for half boiled egg and butter and kaya toast as well. He took the egg while toast was shared between me, Jan and Jay. 

Jay and Jan went for the handmade noodles that they enjoyed the day earlier. The rest of us went for chicken rice. Yes, we were having chicken rice for breakfast!! Hubby and I were having steamed chicken, so we shared a quarter portion of steamed chicken. 

Jamie wanted fried chicken rice instead, so this was his serving. 

Total bill slightly over RM100 inclusive of drinks. Not cheap meal at all but it was a nice breakfast to have before we crossed the road to duty free mall (Coco Valley that is next to Water world), walked back to our motel, packed, checked out and went to Langkawi International Airport to take our flight to KLIA, and then transit to Kuching. 

That's it!! Our KL and Langkawi holiday has come to an end. Everyone had a great time although lots of walking, rain and sun but it was a nice family holiday. Don't think we will be going anywhere special this year. Jan will be busy with her school (elected as secretary in English Club), going into Form 5. Hubby is even more busy with work and other undertaking. So, not sure when would be our next family holiday. ^^ Till then, hope you guys enjoy my year end holiday diary. Thank you for reading and commenting!

Last night in Palm View

This was our last night in Langkawi. The boys insisted on staying in the motel room, so only three of us went out for dinner. 

We chose this Chinese seafood restaurant, Palm View as our dinner venue. 

A Thai lady waitress took our order. Actually many Thais working in Langkawi as Thailand is not that far. We did went for a Thai foot massage on our 2nd night in Langkawi. RM30 for 30 minutes. Jan also joined in and she was enjoying her first foot  massage. Lol.

Ok, back to our dinner. The lady took our order well and soon our food came. They served the rice in an aluminium rice serving bowl. 

I packed one pack for Jamie's dinner, and as for Jay, we bought an Italian thin crust pizza from another outlet after we done with our dinner. 

These were what we had that evening; the crispy duck in Thai sauce, stir fried kangkung with garlic and kam heong mantis prawns. We ordered small portion as we worried we can't finish them all. 

And hubby also ordered this bowl of shark fin soup. 

After dinner, we took a stroll in Cenang Walk. Bought pizza for Jay before dropped Jan at the motel and handed out the boys' dinner. Meant to go for a drink with hubby but then we could feel the cold wind and heard thunder. So we decided not to, but stay in the room with the kids. That was how we spent our last night in Cenang.