CONNIE’ S COLLECTION – Simply Simple Recipes

Mushroom with Belly Pork – for 3 persons.

Ingredients

A. Mushroom 50 g ( soak overnight with ½ tsp of sugar in water )
B. Belly pork 200 g
C. Star anise 1 small star
D. Cinnamon bark 1 inch (chop-stick size)
E. Garlic 2 cloves
F. Salt ½ tsp
G. Sugar ¼ tsp
H. Water 150 cc
I. Oil 20 – 30 cc
J. Roasted pork / bone 1 piece ( 2 finger size) to enhance flavour
K. Oyster sauce 1 dessert spoon
L. Mix vegetable ( carrot, cauliflower, sweet peas.)
M. Thick black sauce 1 tsp
N.Corn flour 2 tsp

Method

Put (A – J ) in a clay pot. Bring to boil. Reduce to slow fire. Stirring every 10 minutes
to avoid burnt. Simmer for 45 mins. Put in oyster sauce. If too dry – add a bit of water.
Put in mix veg. and mix well. Cover and bring to boil. Add in thick black sauce.
Put in corn flour-water mixture, a little at a time , just enough to thicken the gravy. Dish out and
Serve. Enjoy with rice !

A COOL CLEAR CHRISTMAS FOR THE GRANDS

The top floor balcony of our 2 1/2 storey house has not been much utilized except for occasional viewing of Kledang Hill and fireworks in Ipoh. We thought of converting it into a play-room for the grands. For a start, we bought a SNAPSET swimming pool of diameter 6 feet and depth 1 foot. For this Christmas the grands had a good time playing water toys and enjoyed splashing cool water in the pool under the clear blue sky.

Only Gabriel and Julian were enjoying themselves.

(Justin was sleeping, Rosalie was too small to go in the pool)

Connie's collection - 'no secret recipes'

NASI LEMAK - OR

Sambal for nasi lemak – for 15 servings

Ingredients

Oil 250 cc ( 1 cup)
A. Small onions – 4 (sliced)
B. Dried chilly paste – 100 gm
C. Big onions – 3 ( cut coarsely)
D. Ikan bilis – ½ bowl ( chopped and blend)
E. Assam keping (gelugor) - 5 pieces ( soak in 150 cc water and blend)
F. Water -3/4 cups
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar - 3 tblsp
Ajinomoto – ½ tsp
Belachan - to taste

Method

Heat the oil in pan.
Fry A till fragrant. Put in B and fry till oil comes up, then pour in C and stir for a while.
Put in D, stir and let mixture simmers for a while. Then add in E and F.
Add salt and sugar to suit taste. Lastly, add Ajinomoto and belachan .

Serve sambal with nasi lemak.

Nasi lemak – for 4 persons

Ingredients

Rice - 2 cups
Water - 3 cups
(use same cup for measuring rice and water)
Coconut milk - 100 gm
Small onions - 2
Ginger - 3 slices
Pandan leaves - 2 blades
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Ajinomoto - a pinch

Method

When rice is bubbling in rice cooker, stir and mix well.

Serve when rice is still warm with sambal, cucumber, hard boiled egg or fried egg,
fried ikan bilis, fried peanuts and fried salted fish (optional).

Ingredients

Sambal

Enjoy !

LITTLE SISTERS WITH BIG HEARTS FOR THE POORS

10th Dec 2010
A visit to the Holy Family Home for the Elderly, better known as Little Sisters of the Poors, at Lorong Batu Lanchang, Penang. We visited the Home with the sole intention of meeting Fr. Decroix, the parish priest of St. Joseph’s Church Batu Gajah from 1992 – 2002. SJC was his last parish before retiring at 80. He stayed in Stella Maris till August 2010.
Fr. Decroix still looks fit except that he carries a walking stick to stabilize his steps at difficult situations. His ability to express his plan for the coming years showed that he is mentally alert. We thought he should be comfortable here but from our conversation we understood that this was not his wish. He would prefer to remain at Stella Maris to enjoy his writing and solitude. Unfortunately, he was perceived as old and be treated as old. Jokingly, he told Connie ‘ don’t get old’ and Connie replied to him ‘don’t get older’.

The new home, rebuilt and reopened in October 2009, looks like a resort hotel. Besides food and lodging, the residents are provided full health care and recreation facilities, enabling them to enjoy life until the moment God calls them home. Even though they are near death every minute of their lives is worth living because the Little Sisters are caring for them with big hearts.

Seated: Fr. Decroix, Standing: Connie and Christopher. Taken at the Dining Hall

The main entrance to the reception and dining hall.

Panorama of the Home

A Weekend with the Grands

We spent the week-end (10-12 Dec 2010) visiting our 2 sons’ families. Yu – N and Angie have 2 boys, Julian and Justin, while Yu Niq and Chui Ying have 1 boy, Gabriel and 1 girl, Rosalie. It was really enjoyable playing with the 4 grands, and pleasing to see them grow and develop each one’s unique character and ability. Indeed we are glad !

Grandma with the 4 grands

Grandma with Justin

Grandpa and grandma with Rosalie

Connie's collection - 'no secret recipes'

Yummy Yam cake (taro cake) a.k.a “Wu tao goh” [ for 4 persons ]

Ingredients:

(A)
Yam - 200 gm, cut into 1 cm. cubes (dice shape)

(B)
Flour mixture - 1 cup, ( 2/3 cup rice flour + 1/3 cup wheat flour ) use 200 cc. cup
Salt - ¾ tsp
Sugar - ½ tsp
Ajinomoto - ¼ tsp (optional)
5 spice powder- 1 tsp
Water - 2 1/3 cups

Topping
Shallots (small onions) - ½ bowl )
Dried prawns - ¼ bowl ) fry together till golden brown
Choy po ( preserved radish) - ¼ bowl )
Peanuts - ¼ bowl, fried and pound coarsely
Spring onion - chopped for garnishing (optional)

Sauce
For easy preparation, use Thai chilly sauce – sweet and sour

Method
Fry (A) in a pan with a tblsp of garlic oil.
Sprinkle a bit of water, cover pan and cook it till slightly soft.
Sprinkle ¼ tsp 5 spice powder, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp sugar, and a pinch of Ajinomoto.
Mix well and dish out.

Mix (B) well in a pot and cook it over slow fire, stirring all the time till thickens.
Pour (A) into (B) and mix well.
Then pour mixture into a tray ( 18 cm. diameter x 4 cm. depth )and steam for 20 minutes till cooked.
Let it cool down and serve with topping.
Enjoy with Thai chilly sauce.

Happy Birthday Gabriel

We celebrated our first grandson’s 5th birthday (22 Nov 2010) on 20th Nov. 2010 in KFC restaurant at First Curve, Menglembu Baru. It was also the first home-coming to Menglembu for YiQing a.k.a Rosalie Cheah, since born on 9 Sept. 2010 We were doubly glad.
Gabriel was very anxious to open the presents, especially the one from Grandma. He could not wait to open it. Before popo brought the birthday cake he asked mummy for permission to open it.

Mummy,may I open the present ?

Let me take a peek

What is this ?

Wow ! it is a space fighter. A robot ! This is what I want.

Cutting birthday cake

grandpa, grandma, Rosalie, papa, Gabriel, and mummy

popo, goong-goong, QQ, Gabriel, Yiyi and Hanson

suk goong, suk po, Gabriel

Papa, Rosalie, Gabriel and Mummy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABRIEL