more good food =)

For us girls, there are many downsides to cooking. Like getting bits of chopped garlic or sticky flour stuck under your fingernails, the stubborn won’t-go-away smells and stains of onions and turmeric powder on your hands no matter how many times you wash them, the painstaking time you need to get all the ingredients in order (especially the slicing, dicing, and cleaning part), the odor from the cooking process which clings to your hair and outfit (and you need to head for the showers again if it’s worse, like cooking sambal or anything that involves belacan), getting minor burns from the hot oil shooting out from the wok ( I hate frying fish!), the tears that you have to endure from cutting all those onions and chillis, the endless amount of times whereby you get your tongue burnt from trying out the taste of the food being cooked (mine’s burning right now from tasting the fried ikan bilis), and the cleaning up process which includes scrubbing dirty pots and pans (ugh!), wiping the kitchen tables, and throwing out the garbage. Phew! Cooking really turns one into a smelly, dirty, not forgetting to mention sweaty girl with chipped fingernails.

However, cooking also is a very effective way to de-stress and to calm your thoughts down (unless you’re arranging a dinner party for a hundred!). And to see the happy look on your guests while trying out your food gives you that satisfied feeling, as if you have done something good in return for them. Anyhow, here are some more of my first-time dishes which are all my favorites ( I adore veggies and fish) =)

p/s- do you know how easy is it to cook steamed fish??!! Just get a fresh fish and some itty-bitty ingredients like sesame oil, garlic, soya sauce, and salt. It costs you less than RM10. If you makan di kedai, nah RM30 gone!!!!

kangkung with dried prawns
ladies' fingers with cummin seeds (left) and steamed fish (my favorite!!!!)
sayur daun with oyster sauce and fried garlic (i like oyster sauce!!!!)
sweet and sour fish (left) and taugeh (beansprouts) with dried prawns (yum!!)
sup sayur of leafy veggies, carrots and spring onions (i always order sup sayur and white rice at mamak stalls) =)

ain't nuttin' like V in the kitchen =)

I’ve been a good girl lately, doing what every girl should at least have a hands-on – cooking yummy dishes! Well, actually I’m pretty bored of Mum’s plain ol’, same ol’ fish and veggies recipes. When I was away in uni, I’d be eagerly cooking up my own dish even after late-night classes which ended at 10pm. I was dead tired, but I had to do it ‘cos no one would be waiting for me in the kitchen with good food set on the table. My other flatmates would either just order some takeaway or get on with some ‘fast’ food like the trusted Maggi mee and frozen mini pizzas. For those whose hometowns are just a mere few miles away, they are lucky enough to bring back Mum’s ever-delicious chicken curry or tuna pasta, just waiting to be reheated. I know I can just heat up a bowl of instant noodles within 5 minutes, but I just don’t like it that way. I think everyone should have a proper meal whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner. The finer things in life that simply can’t be missed is exploring and trying out the wonderful variety of food out there. With simple ingredients like ginger, sesame oil, garlic, onions, pepper etc, the most delicious food in the word can be created. Anyway, Mum’s not a really keen cook, interior decorating is more her taste she says. While I was away also her common meal usually consists of bread, health drinks, and veggies (mau diet konon!). So when I came back here, I rummaged through Mum’s old (but still effective) cookbooks and did my best in trying out the recipes available. I’m for one not an expert and all the dishes that I’ve cooked up are all my firsts. I haven’t tried desserts like cakes as we don’t have an oven at home =( I’d really like to have a try on making a fluffy blueberry cheesecake, my favorite! Have a look at some (not particularly impressive though!) of the pics that I took of my own homemade dishes hehe…bon appetit everyone! =)

fish in teochew sauce
sup calung of fish balls, potatoes, and soh hoon

egg noodles with chicken, mushrooms, and mixed veggies
assam fish