An optimistic girl in search of her happiness. Learning life lessons as she grows, she found secret little recipes shared by wonderful people whom she met who teaches her recipes to a happy life. And here she is, sharing this recipes hoping this recipes can also bring happiness to other's life.

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Just in a blink of an eye and New Year is over.
I wished it would last longer but all good things will eventually come to an end.
It was rather a very tiring New Year because I had to work over-time each night, baking for everyone.
When you see them eating and enjoying every single bite of it, you will tell yourself, "Its worth it".

So, there is one dish called Pulut Tekan (according to my aunt) and I love and seldom get to see them now.
It is eaten with Kaya (a.k.a Coconut Jam), mainly eaten in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and even Thailand too.
It was on one of the New Year's Day where I was talking about it to my aunt, and she said "Ask ah ma to teach you lah."
Grandma who could barely walk now, knows I love baking and cooking, was willing to teach me how to cook them despite the pain she is suffering from.

I would like to share this wonderful recipes with everyone and may her recipes bring appetite and joy to all.

Pulut Tekan Ingredients :



Coconut Milk : 350g (you can add more depending on personal preferences)

Eggs : 9 Grade A

Sugar : 250g ( I opt for brown sugar)

Pandan Leaves : 10 pieces


Method :

"




1. Add around 200g sugar into eggs (9 Grade A eggs). Do not whisk. Just stir them gently till they are well mixed. Your mixture should look similar to the second picture.




2. Get ready a wok and heat under low fire. Put the remaining 50g of sugar and let it melt.






3. Within a few minutes, sugar melts and when it starts to boil, turn off the fire. Add in the Coconut milk and while adding, be sure to stir them continuously. You should have a similar mixture like the second picture.




4. Turn on the heat, and stir slowly until coconut mixture starts to boil. When it boils, sieve the egg mixture (9 Grade A eggs + 200g sugar) and keep stirring.




5. Lastly, add in Pandan Leaves and keep stirring for another 30~35min on low heat. (It requires patience and strength).




6. Your Kaya is ready to be served.


Pulut Tekan Ingredients :

Glutinous Rice : 1kg

Coconut milk : 250g (depending on personal preferences)

Salt : 1 tbsp

Bunga Telang : 10~15 pieces

Water : 350g

Method :



1. Soak glutinous rice for minimum 1 hour, I soaked mine for 3 hours. Wash and leave bunga telang in water.




2. Add coconut milk and salt. Mix well. Pour in water.







3. Bring it to steam for about 45 ~ 1 hour. When 30min passed, open the lid, and stir the glutinous rice nicely.




4. Prepare a tray of any size you want, apply a little cooking oil as it helps to make the cutting easier later.




5. As you are waiting for the glutinous rice, bring Bunga Telang to boil. Add in some water and boil.




6. As the color goes darker, remove from heat and remove flowers.




7. When glutinous rice is done, move it over to the tray and shape accordingly to the shape of the tray.









8. Pour in natural blue coloring onto glutinous rice. Roll the glutinous rice flat with something heavy. Leave it to cool for an hour and serve.


I appreciate so much for what Grandmama had shared today.
Grandmama has no recipe.
She did according to her understanding.
But it has successfully passed down for 3 generations.
Thank you Ah Ma.

Recipe of the Day :

A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.

Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete.
-Marcy DeMaree-

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.



Embrace them always. <

I am back again.
And you guessed it right, it's about food again.

During the Chinese New Year, we tend to eat things we like.
But little did we know that, there are customs for it.

Basically, based on the custom, we must consume 10 different dishes on the first day of the first month.
They are most of what we see them selling on the street such as nian gao, spring rolls, sponge cake and etc.
However, my friend told me, certain regions (like her) will only have vegetarian meals. (good for both your body and no killings)







Advice : These are pretty sweet and heaty,be sure to drink more water.

On the second day, we eat dumplings (steamed)!!!


Yummy :p

And on the third day, we have soup dumplings, which are shaped like gold ingots.
I am not very sure why they have different versions of dumplings for both different days.
But nonetheless, we can never say No to such sumptuous food.



And on the fourth day, it is Noodle Day.
The long shaped noodle symbolizes longevity.
And also Mian (chinese : noodle) sounds like Mian (chinese : avoid), meaning to say, to ward off bad luck.



I had Miso noodle yesterday.
Taste awesome.

The fifth day, we resume eating rice.



I opt for brown rice.
Lesser starch means higher possibility to diet !!! Aja

Lastly, we usually have Yu Sheng on the seventh or eighth day.
Special dish made of vegetables, (some has raw fishes) , colorful crackers and topped with sauces.
Before serving, everyone gets together and would toss the ingredients together with their chopsticks while saying "Lou Ah" (toss !!) and also auspicious words.





Happy Dining!!! <

Time passes by really fast.
Just in a blink of eye, and New Year is around the corner.
That means, its time to nom nom nom on New Year's Delicacies !! Yay !!

I happened to stopped by many stalls where they are selling New Year's dishes.
And do you know, every of those has their own meaning to it?
All this while I have only been munching on them without knowing WHY are we eating them.

Basically on New Year's Eve, the whole family would sit together for reunion gatherings or even dinner.
Then delicacies such as these will mostly be eaten during this period. (got this when reading a book :D)





Nian Gao (New Year Cake) represents an increase in status every year when you eat them.



Spring rolls symbolises good harvest and prosperous year.



The Chinese Cabbage shows growth of all living things.



The Chinese Vermicelli Noodle represents gold threads.



Chinese Dumplings are shaped like ancient gold ingots, dubbed as Fortune God Dumplings. (might bring you lots of fortune lol)





Bamboo Shoots indicates growth in both growth and business. (guess its not growth in my height *sigh* )

There are alot more to it.
They also serve chicken, fishes ducks but (Amituofuo) I don't wish to start my new year by having those innocent animals slaughtered.

If I have time, I would like to share more about the Chinese Custom during the New Year. Stay tune and stay healthy.
Happy New Year and may you have surplus every year :D



New Year's Recipe :

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start now and make a brand new ending"
- Tommy Lasorda - <

I have been told about Humility for over a hundredth times, but yet, I believe I am far from being sincerely humble myself.
I felt my pride has just been shred into pieces when I was told I am wrong.
The very dissatisfied me, sat thinking, "How can I be wrong?"
Finally the enlightenment came when I realized the way I speak and expressed myself, were solely based on myself and about myself.
Though it was too late, but I will always remind myself to stay humble from then on.

The Definition of Humility / Humbleness :
As defined by the dictionary, Humility means : a modest or low view of one's own importance.
It also means recognizing that I am equally the same as everyone else.
Everyone has different sets of beliefs and point of view, therefore, neither should I say "Oh, you are wrong, what I'm telling you is right" nor thinking that you are way superior over the rest just because you got better education or even because you came from a wealthy family.
We have to accept we all are human beings, living together in this place called, Earth.
No one can claim oneself to be more worthy or more significant over another.
Humbling yourself means you are ready to put yourself and your pride down, to understand and accept others.
This is equally important in the 5 relationships in our life.

1. Between Husband and Wife
2. Between Parents and Children
3. Between Leaders and Subordinates
4. Between Friends and Friends
5. Between Brother and Sisters

Sometimes, arguments or misunderstandings happens because we speak what we think is right.
Everyone has a different way of seeing and interpreting matters.
We may see water as just water, but a fish sees water as its home.

The lesser you speak, the better. (Wise men speak only of few words. Never more)
Speaking less of what you think, accepting other's opinions and teachings means you are humble.
You get to learn more too. Why?
Because when someone starts telling you something and you said "Ya, I know" and it seems like you know everything, other people might just want to keep quiet and not telling you anymore, since you know everything.

Therefore, next time, be it the elders or someone younger, were to share or talk to you about something, just stay back and listen. Respect them. Never show off. Here's a little story that I want to share with you.

The Boatman and The artist.
This young artist hired a boatman to row him out for pleasure seeking.
So as he was lying back, crossing his legs he asked the boatman :

Artist : Do you know art?
And the boatman rowing his boat calmly said :
Boatman : No. I don't know art.
Artist : Do you know music?
Boatman : No. I don't know music.
Artist : Ah, that's too bad. You don't know art, 30% of your life is wasted. You don't know music, 30% of your life is wasted.

Then the boatman just smiled and kept rowing.
Suddenly a storm brewed. Rain started to fall heavily, strong winds rocked the boat.
So the boatman asked the artist :

Boatman : Do you know how to swim?
Artist : No. I don't know how to swim.
Boatman : Ah, then 100% of your life is wasted.

And the boatman jumped.

So you see, the boatman could have saved him but because of his attitude, (well, the artist is smart already) that's why the boatman left him there.

Moral : Stay humble, Respect all, and Do say "I don't know" in front of elders (because if you do, they are more than willing to share with you their wisdom)

Recipe :


"Never be too proud of who you are and what position you hold because after a game of chess the kings and pawns are tossed into the same box." <

It was a week before Christmas and I was having hard time figuring what sort of gifts I should get for everyone.
Being so frustrated over what the person receiving might like drove me crazy.
Sifu said : "A gift is something given in goodwill with no strings attached."
Also to say a transfer of something to someone without having any expectations in return.
So I figured that, small or big, expensive or inexpensive, useful or useless, nice or ugly, in the end, it is the sincerity that counts.
Think about how the person receiving can appreciate what was given to him/her.

Eversince Ah Gong's departure, we have been liberating birds and frogs to help accumulate merits for him.
I am not a full time Buddhist but, after the first time liberating birds, for some strange reason, heart felt so light when I saw those birds spread their wings flying, and frogs, finally be able to jump and hop around.
An article I read :
It is a practice amongst Buddhists to liberate animals that are destined for slaughter or are in imminent danger. This practice is very precious because every single being no matter how small, values their life more than anything else. Even a worm wishes only to live and not to die. By saving beings one directly benefits them by giving them what is most precious, which is life.

So the next time, if anyone of you are having hard time, wondering what to get for me, let it be any occasions, I would say "Please get me just one caged animal and liberate them on my behalf." Rather than anyone of you spending so much buying material stuffs for me, buy me a life that cost RM 3 as my present. And I am equally happy. You make both the caged animal and I happy :D

I was walking around the morning market in my hometown and I saw poor chickens, ducks and birds being caged.



















Recipe :
"Here's what I tell anybody and this is what I believe. The greatest gift we have is the gift of life. We understand that. That comes from our Creator. We're given a body. Now you may not like it, but you can maximize that body the best it can be maximized."
Mike Ditka

"Live in peace with the animals, animals bring love to our hearts and warmth to our souls"
Colleen Klaum <

2012, a new year that denotes a new beginning for everyone.
Let the bad memories fade, and start anew with all your loved ones.

This is what we did on New Year's Eve.





We had BBQ-고구마 sweet potato (my favorite).



Korean rice cake.
We ate Ddok Guk earlier this morning.
Koreans have this dish on New Year's Day.
It implies an age older when you have this as your first meal on the New Year's Day.
They will usually ask "How many Ddok Guk you have had?" (meaning : how old are you already?)



Since we have all turned herbivore, the only options we have for food are mainly green vege and mushrooms.
Dad said he used to had alot of this mushrooms when he was training in the army camp.
No spices, no condiments, it was really good.



Can't imagine, but yes, we had ramyeon !!
To me, it's just having enough water, you put the ramyeon and let it boil, and dig in.
But not to Daddy, who taught me ways to cook nice ramyeon.
All from army training experiences.



Though its just these few little things that we managed to cook, still, it brought us all together, eating while stating each other's new year resolution.

Our resolution :
Ah Ma : Reduce weight, so the pain inflicted on her knees could be reduced

MaMa : Finding ways to help dad stop smoking, and getting the best doctor in town to cure ah ma

Me : To be better than what I am right now

Chong : "I will find ways to be handsomer"

Haegi : To be able to have Chocolate beside her always, forever

Chocolate : Wish I could serve Arya for as long as I live (Hahaha)

I must say, throughout the whole 2011, I did nothing much which I could be proud of.
Making mistakes after mistakes, especially to both my parents, my grandparents, relatives or even friends.
Let it be a minor mistake or a major mistake, do forgive me.
After all, I am still far from being perfect.

To my cartoons out there, another recipe for the 2 of you.

For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

Make full use of 2012, rather than focusing too much on what you 2 told me was a waste of time, do something good for others.
Cheers !



Little cousins here wishing all of you a Happy New Year.
새해 복 많이많이 받으세요.
<3 <