My Hospitalization trips

I had persistent fever of more than 38°C for 1 week. Eventually it leads me to KKH and finally landed in TTSH.

My memories of TTSH was how it look like two decades ago when I came for neurology appointment. You need to walk around 8 to 10 mins between block A and block C. And a few years ago when hubby's grandmother passing.

It had gone through a very massive changes, all faculty under one building. The lobby looks very spacious and bright. The wards are under going renovation thus I was placed in an overflow ward. I am ok with this arrangement as the pain that I am having was quite intense.

The operation was arranged rather quick. It was done on the next morning, Thank God for the arrangement and I do not suffer too much pain after the operation. Nevertheless, the healing is a long process and l pray that God continue to be with me throughout the entire healing process.

A backalley food street(巴刹仔)

This food street originated on the bridge of the canal beside the Indian Temple adjacent to Jalan Wong Ah Fook. Then it got shifted to the vacant plot opposite Hong Leong Bank. Now finally it got it's permanent home at the back alley of Meldrum Walk. 

It reflect the lifestyle of a typical Johorian. Some of the stalls are there even before we were born. These stall witness some of our birth and growing up.

When hubby and I was still in the courtship days, we love to go there for dinner. Now we will go with our child. It is a way to teach her some of her heritage in Johor. 

I will usually patronized a few of the hot favourite stall. Charcoal BBQ chicken wing and oyster omelette are some of them.

The oyster omelette stall owner had a special customizer order for older generation pure Johorians and unless you are a pure Johorian who were born and bred there else no chance of tasting it.

Sotong Bakar

Ikan Bakar

Ikan bakar with petai and four sided bean is another favourite of mine. This stall is must visit stall for me. The stingray & squids are usually cooked to perfection by the lady stall owner. They are just 2 stalls away from the chicken wings stall (on the right side). If I never remember wrongly the stall name is 国城。

The charcoal BBQ chicken wings is my all time favourite. Their chicken wings are very juicy and not dry. A little costly selling at RM 2.00 per wing. But it is well worth the price and the long waiting time of 30-40 mins.

The Hokkien mee beside the chicken wing stall is nice too. They are new, only there for about 2 years plus but they skills are quite ok.

The Char Kuey Tiao stall is a little further down about 2 stalls away from the oyster omelette stall. Remember to order Kuay Tiao Mee else they only give you Kuay Tiao.  Stall name 巴剎仔See Hum Kuay Tiao.

Bread of Life - Pav with Chia Seed

My popo insisted that must add Chia seed into bread. So mummy just add in lor. This Pav is really very springy.

Ingredients

2 cup Plain Flour/ Maida Flour

3/4 cup Warm Milk

1 tsp Salt

4 tsp Butter

1 1/2 tbsp Milk Powder

2 tsp Yeast

1 tbsp Sugar


Method

1. Mix warm milk, yeast and sugar. Keep aside for 10 mins till frothy.

2. Place all into bread machine and set to dough mode

4. Cut into 16 portion  (36g each)

5. Shape into ball and placed into a greased the baking tray.

6. Placed it in a warm oven and proof for 1 hour.

7. Glazed with milk wash

8. Bake at 160°C for 20 mins.

忆子粄(Add Pan)

My mum is a hakka but I never really fancy hakka dishes. Although she do teach me but ... sorry not my cup of tea. Except for "Add Pan".

"Add Pan" is a savoury kueh with tau kwa, lean pork strips, dried shrimp etc.

This is my 1st attempt wrapping thus not very nice.

Dough ingredients
1 pkt Glutinous rice flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tbsp Oil
Water

Fillings ingredients
Dried shrimps
Dried Mushrooms
Dried cuttlefish

Garlic
Tau kwa strips
Water from

Banana leaves soak in hot water and cut into strips

Method

Fillings
1. Pan fried tau kwa till slightly golden brown. Removed.

2. Pan fried soaked dried shrimp, add garlic, soaked dried cuttlefish and soaked dried mushrooms.
3. Continue to fried and add water. Add the tau kwa back into the mixture and simmer for another 5 mins.
4. Remove and keep aside to cool.

Dough
1. In a mixing bowl, add glutinous rice flour, salt and water to form a dough that is not sticky to hand.
2. Grease palm with oil, take a lump of dough and flaten on palm.
3. Scope a spoonful of fillings to place on the dough.
4. Wrap and shape it.
5. Grease the banana leave with oil and wrap the Add Pan.
6. Place the finish Add Pan onto a steamer and steam for 10-15 mins.
7. Remove when cool.

Baked Salmon Wrap

I learnt this dish from a cook book that I got more than a decade ago when I just got married. It look simple to prepared and best of all just place it in the oven to bake. Healthy and you can play around with the type of vegetables to be added (capsicum, asparagus, carrots).


Ingredient

Salmon Fillet
L& P sauce
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & pepper
Onions cut into thin strips
Mushroom cut into thin strips
Lemon


Methods

1. Slice fillet into 3 slices

2. Lay them on the clip wrap, slightly overlapping at the edges

3. Season with olive oil, L&P sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper and herbs

4. Lay sliced onions, mushrooms and drizzle with olive oil

5. Fold over the salmon.

6. Transfer to aluminum foil

7. Drizzle with olive oil and herbs

8. Seal and bake at 220°C for 20 mins

9. Cut open foil, squeeze lemon juice over the fish and serve.

草菇汤 (Dried Mushrooms Soup)

I am not sure this soup belong to which dialect. It was a heirloom recipe from my late Father In-laws. All children in the family love this soup.

Ingredients

Dried Mushrooms
Water
Salt
Chicken fillets

Methods

1. Soak the dried Straw Mushrooms in water for 2 hours

2. Drained the dried straw mushrooms (keep the water)

3. Trim of the end tip of the straw mushrooms.

4. In a soup pot, add the straw mushrooms, the soaking water and additional water  (3/4 full)

5. Bring to boil, then lower flame to simmer for 30 mins. Add salt to taste

6. Thinly sliced the chicken fillet, marinated with salt and cornstarch.

7. Bring to soup to boil, add the chicken fillet. Off the fire.  Serve.

JEMS Playground

Went to JEM playground last Saturday evening. When compared with the Tree House playground in Westgate, this JEM playground is really disappointing. 

I have some safety concern to the playground. 

Lack of lighting. In the evening the playground does not provide enough lighting to it. the light source are from the food court and the JEM Park above it. As this playground cater to young children thus it does raise a concern over the lighting issue.

Photo taken with flash

Safety of the "Rides". The shape of the animals are with triangular spikes with water rivers running within it. This is a potential bodily hazard to young children as they might slip and knock against it. 

The only "Rides" with sufficient lighting

The carousel's hand grip is a design failure. Child had to turn side way in order to grip the handle. If it spin too fast, the child seating on it might fall off.

The rope obstacle are interlocked with metal hooks. This again is another potential bodily hazard to young children. The protruding hinge may cause head injuries to children. Lack of signage to inform user of minimum age to play this rides. I seen a toddler in it and got his leg trap between the gaps 

Strawberry & Blueberry Jam

My popo & ah mah had diabetes thus can't take too much sugar. Mummy replaced sugar with Stevia instead.

1 punnet Strawberry  (425g)

1 punnet Blueberry  (125g)
40g Stevia
3 1/2 tbsp water

1. Cut strawberries into small cubes

2. Mix the Stevia into Strawberries & Blueberry 

3. Keep in the refrigerate for 1-2 hrs

4. Set the bread machine to jam mode

5. Pour the mixture into the machine

6. Add in water.

Kaya Labu - bread machine

Pumpkin Kaya

500g pumpkin (mashed)
300g coconut cream  (I used Kara brand)
120g mascavdo
1/2 tsp rock salt (my kitchen only have rock salt)
6 strips Pandan leave

Methods

1. Steam the pumpkin & mashed it up when cooked.

2. Put all ingredients into the bread machine. Set to jam mode.

3. Pour into sterilised glass jar.  (I did not blend it as I am too lazy to do it & I also like the texture of it.)

Bread of Life - Nutella Roll

Not that my mummy is lazy to knead but her elbows are injured thus can't use too much force. So all kneading can only be done by machine.

Nutella Roll

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH Ingredients 
1 cup milk 
60g Butter
370g All-purpose flour
1/4 cup Mascavdo 
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
Nutella 
Dental Floss 

Milk wash
1/2 tbsp fresh milk
1/2 tbsp water

Icing glaze 
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp water


Methods

1. All into bread machine. Set to dough mode.

2. Roll out dough to 14 inch rectangle.

3. Spread Nutella evenly on the dought. At top 14-inch edge (the edge with the Nutella spread clear to the border), tightly roll up the dough. Then give the final seam a little pinch so that it seals.

4. Use a piece of dental floss to "cut" off the two ends of the roll (an inch on each end - discard that dough) so that they are even. Then cut the remaining dough into 11 or 12 equal pieces. (11 rolls seem to fit in a pie plate, while 12 rolls fit in a rectangular tray.

5. Sprinkle with water, place in a pre heated (power off) oven to rest for 1 hour or double in size.

6. Apply milk wash.

7. Baked at 160°C for 20 mins.

8. Apply icing glaze, immediately after removal from oven. OR dust with icing sugar if you not wish to apply icing glaze.

Bread of Life - Multigrain & Mixed Peel Rosette

Mummy said "God give us food, so must give thank. " thus we must not waste food if possible. So she use the left over mixed peel to make bread.

(Yield 16 pieces)

380g High Protein Flour or Bread flour
1/2 tbsp wholemeal 
280g Milk (I use cold milk from fridge)
50g Mascavdo 
7g Active dry yeast (1 tsp+1/2 tsp)
1/4 tsp Rock salt
70g Butter, room temperature 
1 tsp Chia Seed
1/2 cup Multigrain mix (I got it from Phoon Huat)
2 tbsp Mix Peel


Method 

1. Place all ingredients into the bread maker. Set to dough mode. 

2. Cut into portions. Rest for 10 mins.

3. Roll into a long strip

4. Tie a knot in the center and start looping around 

5. Rest in the oven for 2 hours

6. Bake at 160°C for 20 mins (Fan assisted)

红脚菜汤 or shan choy tong (Red Vegetable Soup)

Red vegetable soup or Shan Choy Tong is a favourite of mummy since her childhood days. It is a remedy for children who dislike vegetables just like mummy. It does not have the vegetable "taste" of most leafy vegetables. The greatest of all is it is good for hazy days. Whenever the haze PSI go up, the vegetable will be selling like hot cakes in the wet market. It help to clear the smoke in our body so smokers you better drink more.

Shan Choy (Red Vegetables)

1-2 pcs Salted egg
Minced/sliced pork (marinated)
Fishball (optional)
Water
Salt to taste

Method

1. Bring the water to boil.
2. Separate the salted egg. Add the yolk into the water.
3. Continue to boil till the salted eggs are half cook.
4. Take out the yolk and add the vegetables.
5. Break the yolk into smaller pieces and add into the soup.
6. Add salt to taste (not too much)
7. Add fishball and salted egg white. Served

Hot Cross Bun

Last Sunday is Palm Sunday, yesterday was Maundy Thursday,today is Good Friday and Sunday is Easter.

Join us to enjoy the hot cross bun


200ml warm milk
1 tbsp active dry yeast
500g plain flour
80g butter 
pinch of salt
60g caster sugar
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons candied mixed peel
70g dark chocolate chips

For the crosses
75g plain flour
75ml water
few drops of almond extract

For the sugar glaze
80g caster sugar
3 tablespoons water

Method

1. All ingredients into the bread machine under the dough mode
2. Cut into 16 portions
3. Rest for 2-3 hrs
4. Prepare the flour mixtures for cross
5. Pour into piping bag. Pipe a cross on the bun.
6. Bake at 200°C for 25 mins
7. Prepare the sugar glaze and brush it on the bun once it out from oven.

Bread of Life - Chia seed & Sunflower Seed bread

Mummy had been making different combination of bread lately.
So far this is what the entire family said is palatable

(Yield 4 pieces)

200g High Protein Flour or Bread flour

130g milk (I use cold milk from fridge)

35g sugar

3g active dry yeast (1/2tsp+1/4tsp)

1/4 tsp rock salt (reduce salt if adding Cranberries or other type of dried fruits)

30g butter, room temperature 

1 tsp Chia Seed
1/4 cup sunflower seed

Method 

1. Place all ingredients into the bread maker. Set to dough mode. 

2. Cut into 4 portions. Rest for 10 mins.

3.  Cut each portion into 3 smaller portion, roll into strips

4. Plait loosely together

5. Rest in the oven for 2 hours

6. Bake at 160°C for 20 mins (Fan assisted)

Homemade Chia Seed Mee Hoon Kuey Soup

We love Mee Hoon Kuey. My mum asked "Can we add Chia seed into making MHK?" I replied "Why not!" 
So this is the end product.

Dough
2 cups of plain flour
1 tbsp olive oil/cooking oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Chia Seed
Water (estimated about 1 cup)

Soup
White baits
Garlic
Fishcake - sliced
Minced pork - marinated
Prawns or seafood
Leafy vegetables
Murshrooms
Salt to taste


Methods
1. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl

2. Add water slowly and knead till it form a dough (Not sticky when touch)

3. On a floured surface, roll out the dough thinly.

4a. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the kuey OR
4b. Use a knife to cut into desire slices OR
4c . Skip No. 3. Roll the dough into small balls then use a rolling pin to flatten it.

5. Boil a small pot of water, add oil. Add the kuey piece by piece into the boiling water. When it is cooked it will float on the surface.
6. Transfer to the pre prepared soup.

RIP Mickey baby

Mummy came home with a sad news. My cousin Mickey the chihuahua had passed away.  Passed away? Just like ah gong? Where did he go? I hope there is really A Doggie Heaven whereby we can meet again.

Just 2 weeks ago, Mickey came over to celebrate Sarah's birthday. Mummy forgot to cook for us but we still enjoyed ourselves very much. Never did I expect that, this is the last time I see him. I will missed him dearly.

We used to play together, eat together, sleep together & live together.  We even celebrate our birthday together.

I knew you had heart murmur but you are a little chili padi - so hot & fierce. You never alert us of your unwell, popo felt so bad about it. She kept saying that if she was there, she could have carry and hug you to comfort you just like what she did on Sunday then maybe you might be able to pull through.

I will miss you forever, Mickey. Till death do us brothers part.

Apple slices

It was taught to us by an old church friends who in turn learn it from a Pastor wife who is also a mother of five. Good for mothers who have no time and have too many young children to look after. Thank you God for this lovely lady who hand down such lovely recipe.

Apple sliced
2 red apples (sliced /diced)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
125g butter (melted)
1/2 cups sugar
1 cup Sultanas/cranberries
icing sugar for dusting

if using green apples, use 3/4 cups sugar

1. Melt butter & sugar together

2. Mix apples, sultanas/ Cranberries, eggs & flour together

3. Add in the butter & sugar mixture

4. Mix well, pour mixture into a 20 x 20 cm tray.  

5. Bake at 180°C for 15- 20 mins

6. Dust with icing sugar

Bread of Life - Cranberry & Chia Seed Twist

Bread is a favourite in out family except for mummy as she is on a diet but she still make it for us despite that she can't take it. 

200g High Protein Flour or Bread flour

130g milk ( I use cold milk from fridge)

35g sugar

3g active dry yeast (1/2tsp+1/4tsp)

1/8tsp salt

30g butter, room temperature 

Sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Method 

1. Place all ingredients into the bread maker. Set to dough mode. 

2. Cut into 4 portions. Rest for 10 mins.

3.  Roll into a long strip, start to twist. Roll again with both end in different direction.

4. Pick up both end, they will twist together.

5. Rest in the oven for 1 hour

6. Coat with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar 

7. Bake at 180°C for 20 mins (Fan assisted)


Recipes adapted from 

http://nasilemaklover.blogspot.sg/2014/07/mini-sausage-bread-rolls.html?utm_source=BP_recent

http://www.mymindpatch.blogspot.sg/2015/03/sugar-twister-bread.html

Mrs Loh's oven bake chicken

We dislike deep frying food. Mummy preferred to bake them.

Mummy tried with many different seasoning before.
We usually will buy and marinate then freese it for use over the week.
We love the following best

2 kg  chicken parts (we like to use
Drumlet)
1 tbsp prawn paste aka har jiong
1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp bolognese sphagetti herbs
Pinch of salt

Methods

1. Mix all ingredients and keep in refrigerator min 2 hours. (Overnight if possible)

2. Bake at 220°C for 20 mins or more depending on the thickness of the meat. Bake till golden brown    (flip at 10  mins)

Mummy's Meatball

My mummy made meatball for us & they are yummy

Here the recipe

500g mince meat (pork or beef)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 yellow onion - finely chopped
1 tbsp spaghetti bolognese herbs
I tbsp LP sauce
Salt & pepper to taste
1 btl of pasta sauce


Methods

1. Mix all ingredients till well combined.  Rest for 1 hour.

2. Give each lump of meat a hard squeeze before shaping into a ball  (size up to individual)

3. Heat up a frying pan, add meatball. Flip after 5 mins.  Do not force if it does not lift up.

4. Sautéed garlic, add meatball and pasta sauce. Add 1/2 btl of water or more depending on your preferences

5. Simmer for 30 mins