A fine savour on simple pleasures

My aim is to reduce the tension in my mind by sharing my thoughts and experiences in the things that I love; which I could not express openly due to circumstances. Be it in doing stupid things, experimenting on new recipes, failings in research work, writings..just some doodle ranting stuff

Monday, July 19, 2010

Aigoo~

Aigooo

Tomoro got meeting for lab session d..1030. This semester, 2 of my labbies and i will not be assisting my supervisor's lab session of biophysical chemistry. I heard that we will assist in fermentation technology of our co-supervisor's lab *sigh* xpe daaa~ xkesa...

Today juz now baru jek attend meeting for GRA scholarship. Dem the person who talked didn't know left nor right to what he's talkin'. Watlaweh~

Paging Jijong, Paging Jijong..drop me a line when you're free for further action :)

Hokkien Mee aka Mee Udang Penang

I have been trying to make this Hokkien mee receipe for I dunno for how many ages but still did not have the time for it. Still remember..it was my fave when I was a lil kiddie before. The uncle hawker was kind and fast at making the noodle. Good ol memories. *smiles* Last week was the point of no return, as all the ingredients were smiling upon me at Pasar Borong Selangor *chuckles*

Hence, I would like to share with you guys my own rendition of Hokkien mee using prawns prawns and prawns :) It's like the heaven of prawns~<3 (Sori Jijong, jgn temuntah XD) Coz if you go to pasar borong selangor, you'll see soooo many cheap groceries, wet items and fresh veges~<3 Its like asking you to go for a shopping spree weee! For 4-6 servings Ingredients   

For broth
1 cup of dried shrimp
2-6 tbs of chilies paste (can be chili boh/or chili blend/chili powder) - dont forget to turn it into paste form
1 medium sized big onion or 5-6 shallots
3 small garlic
salts and brown sugar to taste
4 tbs vege oil
1/2 cube fish stock (anchovie stock)

For toppings
*30-50 cents bean sprouts (the chubby2 one from soybean, if dont have green bean oso can) so it can also be around 2-3 cups
1/4 kilos shrimps (medium size) - about 4-5cm in length [the bigger the better, but can reduce the number of shrimp]
*4 bok choy trees
2 hard boiled eggs
*2 cups of fish balls
fried shallots

*1 pkt of yellow mee/noodles (the wet oily noodle)
*1/4 pkt of meehoon/ vermicelli



Procedures

Lets make the broth first :)

1. Wash your dried shrimps and soak them in about double to triple the number of cups you put in. Leave it awhile to swim happily.

2. In a wok, blend your big onion and garlic for about 30 sec and stir fry them until translucent and frangrant. It'll take some time. Make sure no water is present before entering the next step.

3. Add in your chillie paste, 2 tbs (mild), 4 tbs (a bit hot), I'd prefer about 6 tbs bcoz I can save some for the side paste. Use your ladle and stir until the oil came to the surface.

4. Move out all your chili+onion paste (from no.3), leaving the reddish oil behind, use the oil to stir fry your yummy shrimps for about 1 min, you can put a bit of soy sauce and salt to taste. put aside.

4. Blend those gorgeous soaked dried shrimps with the water togather for about 3 min. Must make it smooth. but not necessarily too smooth :) Pour em into a big pot when you put in together your paste (no.3) after topping up the water until 3/4 of your pot (I think its about 1.5L or so). Simmer with a close lid at low fire for at least 30-45 mins.

5. While waiting for the broth to be done, blanch your ingredients with the (*) sign lol..not more than about 30 sec each k. The easiest way for me is by boiling hot water in a pot and pour em on those goons and time it 30 while dancing :) Use a colander to filter your stuff and put aside.

6. Check your broth, remove any orangy foaming on top of the gurgling liquid. Use yer pretty ladle ait. After about 45 mins, put in 1/2 cube of fish stock, salt and brown sugar. Adjust accordingly. Please use your darlin lil tongue to taste it kay.

7. Everything's done, arrange from bottom to top in a bowl;

- 3/4 noodle, 1/4 vermicelli
- yer beansprout (cover the whole bowl)
- side by side: 1/2 or 1/4 hard boiled egg, bok choy, few fish balls, 2-3 prawns
-sprinkle; dried shallots

8. pour in your broth, and wallah! it'll be so dem delicious! Trust me.



The final look~ Tadah!!

So, my hubby loves it a lot.. He hates beansprout, but he ate em all yehhaaaa!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Manga review: The Embalmer

I was actually looking for a new manga to read today. I've screened and screened and screened mangafox. The updates were mostly new mangas which means I have to wait for future episodes after reading 1, 2 chappies. I hate that the most *sigh*.

I think I've read about +-10 new mangas at random before I stumble upon 'the embalmer'. The title caught my interest since I dunno what's embalming is *abit embarassed* Then when clicking on the first page, the first word was the definition of an embalmer; people who performed preservation and restorative techniques on the dead even if it was disfigured terribly for funeral. It's actually a science+art procedure combined together. Very interesting. My heart was touched many times throughout my reading. Am ashamed to admit I shade a couple of tears along the way :P




Title: The Embalmer
Status: Ongoing
Nationality: Japanese
Genre: Drama, Josei, Psychological, Romance, Tragedy
Source: mangafox

Currently at chappie 29, earlier chapters (1-4) were up to 100 pages/vol, hence its a lot to read. It has just been continued to be scanlated this june 10 after it stopped about 2 years ago w/o any update. Althought I'm not sure about the current status, it seems as if it is updated about once/week or more with about 30+ page each time.

This manga follows the life of an embalmer in Japan, Amamiya Shinjyurou, at which he practices his work at an environment that scrutinized men of his profession due to the narrow mindset and misconception present. But due to his unyielding behaviour, he gave salvation to the living by letting them to be close to the dead whom are dear to their heart. From this, he desperately tries to understand the meaning of living and the beauty of treasuring it.

The ultimate love given by not giving, the desperation of the living clinging on to the dead, the paradox of living and dying, you can found every questions that you ever ponder to be illustrated here in such a heart wrenching way. It is a very good manga which deserves a lot more than it should.

I think adult reader would truly appreciate this manga, men or women alike.



Amamiya Shinjyurou, the main character of the manga




One of the dead that has been embalmed. A ballerina died of a tragic accident that damaged her face and sever her legs. The beauty of embalming is that the dead is presented in a form that it looks like he/she is just sleeping peacefully for eternity and is sterile to be touched by discarding all tormenting moments of disease, sickness, and tragic death.

Rating: 8/10

A-class manga. I tell you.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...