Sunday Indulgence ~ From Yang Ming Restaurant to YunShu Coffee

1 October 2023 – Today is the first day of the last quarter of 2023 and before we even realize it, it will be 2024 already!  

Lunch today was just the four of us – hubby, Alycia, Cass, and me. Sherilyn who is still nursing a badly sprained and swollen foot preferred to rest at home.

Our destination for the day was Yang Ming Restaurant, a hidden gem in the world of Chinese cuisine, located in Bandar Baru Sri Petaling. Hubby discovered this restaurant after fetching Cass back from Pavillion Bukit Jalil after figure skating practice many Sundays ago. As all our favorite restaurants had long queues, hubby Googled for a Chinese restaurant near Bukit Jalil and randomly picked Yang Ming. He hit the jackpot. Everyone enjoyed the food there and since that Sunday, we have returned to Yang Ming several times already.

Yang Ming’s menu is very extensive and we have yet to try many of the mouth-watering dishes. Here's a glimpse of our lunch:

• Fried Rice: The fried rice is a delightful medley of flavors with good ‘wok hei’ and a generous amount of ingredients.

• Yam Basket with Deep-Fried Squids: This dish showcased the perfect harmony between crispy yam and succulent deep-fried squids, a textural wonder that had us reaching for seconds.  One can choose ‘koo lo yoke’ (sweet and sour pork), pork ribs, or deep-fried squids as topping for the yam basket.

• Claypot Three Cups Chicken: A classic Taiwanese dish, this clay pot wonder features tender chicken infused with the flavors of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, and aromatic Basil leaves creating a fragrant and savory masterpiece.

• Claypot Braised Brinjal with Minced Pork: This dish is perfectly complemented by flavorful minced pork and a rich sauce that had us savoring every bite.

• Sauteed French Beans: Crisp and savory, the sauteed French beans with garlic are everyone’s favorite and were a delightful addition to our meal. 

• Two-Flavor Pork Ribs: The name itself piqued hubby’s curiosity, and this dish did not disappoint.

A Sweet Ending at YunShu Coffee

After our satisfying lunch at Yang Ming Restaurant, we embarked on the final leg of our Sunday ‘Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan’ adventure. Our destination was YunShu Coffee in OUG, a new coffee house set up in a refurbished old terrace house in a residential area. The reason why we went to OUG was because I was craving for Bubur Cha Cha from Wang Tong Sui Station at OUG and YunShu Coffee is just a few steps away from the dessert shop.

While Alycia, Cass, and their dad indulged in a selection of coffee delights, I had a different craving in mind. As the family savored their coffee fix, I ventured to Wang Tong Sui Station for a personal rendezvous with Bubur Cha Cha, a delightful treat that never disappoints. 

Wang Tong Sui Station serves a variety of delicious and quality ‘tong sui’, a wide array of popular kuih, and snacks. Never a place that disappoints me and I always leave with bags of ‘tong sui’ for all the ‘tong sui’ lovers at home.  The owner is very friendly and he gave me other 'tong sui' samples to try. 

My favorite Bubur Cha Cha

Our Sunday ‘Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan’ left everyone satisfied. Hubs and Cass had their fill of good coffee, with Cass opting for an indulgent affogato, while hubby savored a comforting Piccolo. Alycia, who's not a coffee enthusiast and is lactose intolerant, enjoyed a refreshing lemonade.

As for me, I relished my Bubur Cha Cha alone, savoring every spoonful of its creamy, sweet, and coconut-infused goodness. I can’t wait to dig into another bowl of Bubur Cha Cha at Wang Tong Sui Station this coming Sunday, hopefully.  In the meantime, I think I am going to try whipping up my own simple Bubur Cha Cha at home. I’ve already bought purple and yellow sweet potatoes as well as sago. I’m going to use evaporated milk instead of coconut milk as it’s a challenge to get fresh coconut milk at my place and I don’t fancy using packet coconut milk. 

Very Simple, No-Brainer Dishes

As most of you already know, I do not like cooking because of having to deal with the aftermath of cooking.  Actually, I used to love cooking and making healthy breads when I had live-in maids for 10 years. My maids would do almost all the prep work and washing up and I just had to cook. So easy and fun. But with no one helping me now and a part-time maid who cannot come reliably on the days that she's supposed to come, I have resorted to cooking really easy-peasy meals that are a total no-brainer; like dumping an assortment of veggies into the rice cooker together with the rice, steaming, baking and air-frying meats.  

The thought of pan-frying, searing, and deep-frying just turns me off because of oil flying everywhere! 😬

Marinating chicken drummets and wings and leaving them in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Oven-grilled marinated Beacon chicken drummets and wings with red rice + parboiled rice + sweet potato. The girls and I love grilled marinated chicken drummets and wings. 

I love cooking rice with sweet potatoes as the juice-infused rice grains will turn sweet and fragrant naturally. Sometimes I add organic yellow and purple sweet corn kernels and pumpkin.

Air-fried salmon.  I found a simple recipe that gives me really delish air-fried or oven-grilled salmon.  I marinate the salmon with a salmon rub composed of paprika powder, black pepper, brown sugar, soy sauce, olive oil, minced garlic, and mixed herbs.  And it only takes 10-12 minutes to air-fry the salmon (depending on the size).  When this is served, there's always a wrestle at the dining table.

I like to bake some nuts after baking chicken in the oven.  These sweet organic cashews are great for snacking and for adding to our sugar-free low-fat yogurt.

Rue Ee Teochew Fish Pot, Overseas Union Garden (OUG)

Two weeks ago, my family and I dined at Rue Ee Teochew Fish Pot Restaurant, one of our favorite Chinese restaurants. Rue Ee’s food has never failed to impress us.  

We had our Chap Goh Mei CNY dinner at Rue Ee this year and everyone enjoyed each dish very much. 

One of the standout features of Rue Ee is their mastery of the Teochew fish pot, a dish that has consistently wowed us with its flavors and ingredients. This delightful hot pot combines an array of delicacies, including fish, fish maw, fish head, yam, tofu, prawns, tomatoes, and Chinese cabbage, all simmering in a super delectable fish broth. What sets this dish apart is the secret ingredient—a fried fish that imparts a mesmerizing aroma and flavor to the soup.

Here are some of the highlights from our dinner:

• Sauteed Ostrich with Ginger and Scallions: This dish showcased the delicate flavors of ostrich meat, skillfully infused with the sharp notes of ginger and the freshness of scallions.

• Teochew Hot Pot:  This delightful hot pot combines an array of delicacies, including fish, fish maw, fish head, yam, tofu, prawns, tomatoes, and Chinese cabbage, all simmering in a super delectable fish broth. What sets this dish apart is the secret ingredient—a fried fish that imparts a mesmerizing aroma and flavor to the soup. The hotpot is heated up using charcoal, something that is rarely used in modern restaurants in this day and age.

• Sauteed Mixed Veggies with Fried Walnuts: A delightful medley of vegetables, accentuated by the satisfying crunch of fried walnuts, offered a harmonious balance of textures.

• Fried Rice: A simple yet flavorful dish that served as the perfect canvas for the myriad flavors we were savoring.

• Prawn and Tofu in Sizzling Clay Pot: Succulent prawns, chewy squids, silky tofu, and a savory sauce combined to create a masterpiece. Simple yet delicious and satisfying.

• Braised Pork Knuckles in Clay Pot: Tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork knuckles immersed in a rich, flavorful sauce topped with aromatic fried cuttlefish. This is not something that I would eat though but hubby and MIL love this dish.

• Steam Crabs:  Fresh crabs steamed to perfection with shredded ginger and a dash of Chinese cooking wine. We have always enjoyed steamed or baked crabs without any other sauces added to retain the natural sweetness and flavors of the crabs.

• Stir-Fried Udon with Prawns: Chewy udon stir-fried with prawns and other ingredients. This dish however is just mediocre. 

• Dessert: Teochew Orh Nee (Yam Paste Dessert with Gingko and Pumpkin): A sweet ending to our meal, this traditional Teochew dessert was a delightful blend of creamy yam paste, gingko nuts, and pumpkin, a true homage to Teochew cuisine.

Our Teochew Fish Pot dinner had once again left us eagerly anticipating our next visit to savor the flavors of Rue Ee’s scrumptious dishes and fish hot pot again.

Rue Ee (Teochew Fish Pot)

Address: 43, Jln Hujan, Taman Overseas Union, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Phone: 012-223 3262

Hong Kong Food Culture Reopens at Low Yat Plaza

Hong Kong Food Culture, once a cherished haunt for aficionados of Hong Kong-style char chaan teng cuisine, shut its doors during the challenging days of the pandemic, leaving a void in the hearts and palates of its patrons, including my family. But now, the wait is over, and the aroma of delectable dishes has returned as Hong Kong Food Culture makes its triumphant return on the ground floor of Low Yat Plaza (they were previously on the lower ground floor).

Before the pandemic cast its shadow, our family had a cherished tradition of visiting Hong Kong Food Culture whenever we ventured into Low Yat Plaza to get our tech essentials. Run by a Hong Konger, the restaurant's culinary prowess lay in its ability to recreate the flavors of Hong Kong's iconic char chaan teng dishes. The food here was nothing short of exceptional, with standout dishes like fish balls, squid balls, and roast duck that tantalized our taste buds like no other. The aromatic soup that accompanies the fish, meat, and squid balls, is simmered with 'jor hau yue' fish, bringing out a unique fish flavor that elevates the dining experience to new heights.

The closure of Hong Kong Food Culture in 2022 dealt a heavy blow to fans like us. We yearned for the taste of their signature dishes, which seemed irreplaceable. 

Long queue - we waited for more than half an hour for a table.

When news broke that Hong Kong Food Culture had reopened at Low Yat Plaza on September 8, 2023, I was beaming with excitement and promptly informed hubby.  As Thursday was a public holiday, we made a trip to Low Yat Plaza to revisit our favorite restaurant.

A larger space on the ground floor, a complete makeover, and a transformed ambiance awaited us. Gone was the old canteen-style appearance, which is now replaced by the charm of a Hong Kong char chaang teng. Iconic elements like neon signs, stained glass windows, and even a public light bus added to the nostalgia.

As we arrived, the transformation became evident. The atmosphere buzzed with the same energy you'd find on the vibrant streets of Hong Kong. The restaurant had expanded with an additional floor, providing ample space to enjoy our meal without the constraints of elbow room. Various stations offered "live" action cooking, from steaming hot noodles to roasting ducks that underwent a hot oil bath. Even at the entrance, a street food stall enticed us with curry fish balls and a tantalizing assortment of balls.

The restaurant has expanded with an additional floor

Our much-anticipated reunion with Hong Kong Food Culture was nothing short of extraordinary. We savored our favorite dishes with delight:

1.  Half a portion of signature roast duck, with a special aroma derived from a secret 12-herb mix.

2.  Curry fish balls and curry pig skin - flavors that transported us to the streets of Hong Kong.

3.  Fish balls in a flavorful fish soup, which is a comforting delight.

4.  Braised hor fun with beef, a harmonious blend of flavors.

5.  Deep-fried noodles in a thick sauce, brimming with ingredients such as carrots, bean sprouts, chicken strips, fish cakes, and green onions.

For someone who doesn't really fancy ducks, I find this roast duck superbly tasty.

Curry pig skin, beef noodles soup with a generous portion of spinach, and curry fish balls.  Cass who is due to sit for her UEC trials next week brought along her book for revision while we queued up and waited for the food.

We wanted to order their signature homemade squid balls but they were sold out when we were there at around 12 noon.  

Milk tea, thick homemade soy bean, and chocolate milk shake for Cass.

To complement our meal, we indulged in Hong Kong-style milk tea, thick homemade soybean milk, and a rich chocolate milkshake that satisfied our thirst.

Our culinary journey didn't end there. We ordered takeaway stir-fried udon noodles with seafood and lala clams as well as scrumptious fried rice for the girls’ dinner.

The menu goes beyond fish balls, squid balls, and roast duck. You’ll find char chaan teng eats like instant noodles with spam meat and fried egg, baked cheese rice, sandwiches, spaghetti, mushroom soup, French toast HK style, congee, a wide array of stir-fried or braised noodles, chicken chop, lamb chop, fish fillet, pork chop with rice or noodles, cooked dishes, soups, and much more.

With so many dishes left to explore on the menu, I now eagerly anticipate our next visit. It's more than just food; it's the flavors that make Hong Kong Food Culture a true culinary treasure.  We’re so happy to welcome you back, Hong Kong Food Culture!

Embracing Simplicity By Spending Lesser Time in the Kitchen

Over the past year, my kitchen has seen a transformation. What was once a hub of daily culinary creations has evolved into a place of simplicity and ease.  I used to place priority on home-cooked food when our three girls were younger.

With my two older daughters immersed in their university and college life, and the MIL temporarily away in New Zealand, my household has experienced a significant shift in mealtime dynamics. This change has led me to spend less time in the kitchen, preparing meals that cater to the smaller family unit I now have. Because of this shift, I even have time to exercise in the evening *beaming with joy* 😁🏃🏃🏃

As Alycia and Sherilyn have ventured into their academic journeys, they've naturally gravitated towards having most of their meals on campus with their classmates. This shift has freed up my daily cooking responsibilities significantly. I now find myself cooking for just one person—my youngest daughter, Cass.  

Cass, being simple and undemanding when it comes to food, has made this transition smoother. She's content with whatever dish I place on the dining table. This newfound simplicity has allowed me to cook on alternate days, as there's no pressure to prepare elaborate meals every day.

My own eating habits have slightly evolved as well. I've embraced a more streamlined approach to my meals, focusing on balance and nutrition without the need for complex cooking and cleanup. Here's a glimpse into my daily eating routine:

Breakfast: A nutritious start to the day with fruits, nuts, seeds, raw honey with apple cider vinegar, and a cup of organic almond milk with oats. Of course, my morning ritual of decaf coffee with milk is non-negotiable.

Lunch: My main meal of the day occurs at noon, consisting primarily of vegetables, some meat, and an egg. Almost zero carbs.  It's a balanced and hearty meal that keeps me fueled throughout the day. I don’t eat rice but buy a small packet of vegetarian vermicelli buried with heaps of vegetables and mushrooms once or twice a week.

Dinner: For dinner, I opt for simplicity. A bowl of low-fat yogurt with nuts and seeds, accompanied by fruits, veggies, sweet corn or sweet potato, or a comforting soup, satisfies my evening hunger.

What about snacks? Yes, I still eat them – crackers, biscuits, chips (non-salty and non-oily ones) and cakes but not every day and I limit the portion that I eat. My favorite chips are the Original Tortilla chips from Mission. These chips are not salty and not oily with no flavorings and no MSG.

Intermittent Fasting: I've incorporated intermittent fasting into my routine for several years now, with a fasting window of 12-13 hours. This allows me to reset my body and prepare for the day ahead.

Despite the streamlined approach, I make room for variety and the occasional treat. For instance, today and yesterday, I indulged in the delightful Black Thorn variety of durian for breakfast—a rare and delectable treat that hubs got me. 

Droolicious Black Thorn durian, yummeh!

Yesterday, I cooked a nourishing radish soup with frozen Beacon chicken soup and an assortment of veggies stuffed with fish paste—a meal that Cass and I savored for two days.  Beacon chickens are free from growth hormones and antibiotics.

Beacon chicken soup. It tastes exactly like homemade chicken soup. And it's SO convenient to make soups of any kind using this ready-made soup. 

Low-fat and sugar-free yogurt with a piece of Ipoh peanut cookie.
Chris, thanks for the tip. This combo is yummy 🤤

In embracing this shift towards simplicity in my kitchen and eating habits, I've found a sense of contentment and balance. I'm grateful for the flexibility and simplicity that have entered my life. It's a reminder that our eating habits and kitchen routines can evolve, just as we do.

Sunday Food Indulgences

24 September 2023 ~ Brunch at O&S Restaurant, Paramount Garden, PJ

After we dropped off Cass at Sunway Pyramid today, we headed to O&S Restaurant in Paramount Garden for our hawkers' food fix.  Cass had to get her new skates fixed at the skates shop and then for figure skating practice.  The blades on her almost RM3k skates started to rust after less than a month of purchase and she freaked out. So she went back to the seller to seek a remedy as well as to get the remaining 5 screws inserted into the skates.  Alycia didn't have to work at the cafe today, so she joined us for brunch.  Sherilyn stayed home to complete her never-ending assignments.  Life as an architecture student is tough with lots of assignments to complete.

Yummy Yong Tau Foo, fried wanton and foo pei, prawn paste CCF and Char Koay Teow.

We waited for almost half an hour for these super crispy and yummy Apam Balik. It was well worth the wait.

 

A table full of our favorite food.

Alycia's in her 3rd year of uni now. Thank God she still has a partial scholarship from the uni for her 3rd year 🙏

After our hawker's food fix, we segued into Broom for desserts and coffee, as well as to get takeaway for Sherilyn and Cass. 

Lemon meringue tart.

Scone and coffee.

Mint and watermelon juice for Alycia.

Last Sunday, 17 September 2023 ~ Dinner at Red Kettle

Hubs decided to have dinner after all despite a heavy lunch at Ah Ma Jia at Bukit Jalil. He felt hungry after his basketball match and pestered us to join him for dinner at Red Kettle at 7:30 pm.  Cass and I don't eat after 5pm but when she heard that it was at Red Kettle, she changed her mind.  She had a juicy yummylicious burger and I pinched a bit of chicken chop from hubs and a bite of Cass' burger.

Best-in-the-world Portuguese egg tart from Red Kettle. This is my kryptonite and no matter how late or full I am, I can't say NO to it. I had a quarter of the tart.

Sherilyn's Fregola soup, a delicious homemade tomato soup with Sardinian fregola sarda pasta, prawns, scallops, mussels, and slices of herb & grilled bread.

Minus 4 Rum & Raisin ice-cream

Sherilyn joined us much later as she came after a dance video shoot at Pavillion KL.

Ever since Sherilyn started her Foundation in Natural & Built Environments early this month, she's been busy completing assignments and she often eats and works on her assignments simultaneously at the dining table.

Even I'm busy. Sherilyn enlisted me to help her look for plants around the neighborhood for her assignment. I took this pic and Whatsapped her but she said it's not what she wanted!

Haru Our Lizard Hunter

My beloved Haru has always had a few quirks that make her an unpredictable and entertaining furry companion. One morning, Haru decided to add a new chapter to her list of surprises. Little did I know that I was in for quite the unexpected and blood-curdling wake-up call.

It started like any other morning. I woke up at 5.30 and the first thing that I did was to look for Haru. She always finds her cozy spot on my chair during the night. However, on this particular morning, she was nowhere to be found.

A mild sense of curiosity gave way to growing concern as I realized that Haru's usual morning perch was conspicuously empty. Wondering where she had gone, I began searching the house. It wasn't until I entered the kitchen that I discovered the source of her disappearance.

There, on the cold kitchen floor, sat Haru, a portrait of feline nonchalance. But it wasn't her presence that startled me; it was the lifeless body beside her. She had killed a lizard, and the poor creature had met an untimely end.

The sight was enough to send shivers down my spine. The lizard lay there, flattened and bloodied, a testament to Haru's hunting prowess. Though I had always been grateful for her skills in keeping pests at bay, this unexpected gift was not exactly the pleasant surprise I had hoped for.

Next was the dreaded clean-up and there was no escaping it—I had to face the daunting task of removing the lizard's lifeless body and its detached tail from the floor. Armed with disposable plastic gloves and several layers of toilet paper, I gingerly picked up the limp remains. It was a task I had never envisioned myself doing, but there I was, cleaning up the aftermath of Haru's morning adventure in the kitchen with disinfectant. I think she must have had a whale of a time throughout the night playing and eventually killing the lizard. Thank goodness she didn't chomp down the lizard.  

Despite my initial shock and discomfort, I couldn't help but feel grateful for Haru's unintended act of pest control. Lizards and insects had long been a common sight in our home, much to my chagrin. However, ever since Haru joined our household, their numbers have dwindled significantly.

Haru is a true predator, a fierce and relentless hunter who takes her job seriously. She has become our guardian against these unwanted guests, and for that, I owe her a debt of gratitude.

Proud look on her face.

Replacing Haru's scratchboard with a new one is a bimestrial routine. She can get really rough with the scratchboard and totally wreck it when she's having the zoomies.  In my storeroom is a stash of replacement boards, which I usually purchase from Lazada.

Naughty (and very smart) fella and we all love her to bits.