Trattoria Aldina

Risotto with Funghi

We finally lunched at Aldina. It's an Italian (what else?) trattoria situated in a flat on the 1st floor of a building just opposite the covered market in Modena. Always full, must reserve in advance or you will have to wait at least an hour for a table.

The food is home-cooked and good. I know I repeat myself but pasta is pasta and I find it difficult to build up enthusiasm for it. But whatever you order in Aldina would be good that's for sure.

We started out with Tortellini in Brodo (broth), Lasagna al Ragu and Risotto with Mushrooms. The pasta was fine and delicate, their Tagliatelle's so fine it's almost like our Mee Pok. You understand why this place is so popular with the local crowd. You have to understand some Italian though as they do not have written menus. The available dishes would be recited to you by the waiter. Often very comprehensible as you can usually find the same dishes everywhere in this region. Rarely any surprises.

For the mains we had Beef Filet, Roast Ham and Boiled Meat (Beef Tongue, Pheasant...). Very good stuff, but it's like having Fishball Noodles and Chicken Rice everywhere, after a while can get very sian (bored) though my threshhold for the latter is probably higher than for the Italian dishes.

The best thing about this restaurant though must be the price. Very reasonable for the quality of the food. But only cash accepted.

Trattoria ALDINA

Via Albinelli, 40

41100 Modena

Tel : 059 236106

A Day at Cimone

Bas des Pistes - Cimone (1500m)

From the flat part of Modena where I live I can see mountains not far away and at the moment they are covered with snow. Actually every morning you just need to hang around the school's car park and watch the cars arriving from the mountains (e.g. Serramazzoni) and if they have snow on their roofs you'll know if there's snow up there.

The season's almost over and we've yet to ski in the Italian mountains. So I more or less insisted that we make our way up the nearest one at about 1.5 hrs away yesterday. It was a beautiful day and we had to go all the way up to Cimone as the snow had melted away below 1500m.

The ski rental shop, ski lifts and Baby Park

We couldn't ski as there was nobody to look after the little ones, so we paid for entrances to the Baby Park, paid for Eldest Son to do 11 rounds of tubbing, rented skis for the 2 younger ones and spent the day teaching them how to ski.

Baby Boy on his skis

We had pasta and steak in one of the 2 restaurants up there and then drove home after 4pm.

Hub as we drove off, mentioned that he overheard a few Italians complaining of the fact that we had to pay 4 euros to park in the woods. Said that they probably started out building a car park but as usual ran out of funds and then decided to barricade the road leading up to the mountain and just charge 4 euros for parking - in the woods. Ha ha. Like they were supposed to build a public pool next to our school but ran out of funds and are building a car park instead LOL.

Flood at 1am

Woke up at 1 am this morning with the impression that there was water flowing in the house. I wasn't wrong, the bathroom next to my bedroom was dripping water from the ceiling and the floor was flooded. I screamed for the Hub (who was snoring away) and was scolded for shouting and waking him up from his beauty sleep. Would you not scream if it rains in your bathroom? And what was there to explain calmly about? Nobody explained anything to me either, water leaking from the ceiling is a visual thing.

When I thought that he should have been grateful to me for being such a light sleeper...

We went to the 2nd floor and found the bathroom there flooded as well. Hot water and steam was spraying out of the boiler. I went down to the living room on the ground floor and found the furniture and wires of the Plasma etc soaking in water. What a nightmare.

Got scolded again for not helping with the drying up, but I was busy trying to find containers to hold the dripping water. And then of course I realised that this catastrophe could only have happened because the Hub had not turned off the tap properly when he went to adjust the water pressure in the boiler! And so why was I getting scolded when I should be doing the scolding?

Water had also flowed to the storeroom next to the bathroom and all my shoes are now wet. Not to forget my summer clothes, clean bedsheets contained in cardboard boxes, presents bought in advance for birthdays, toys, boxes of photographs...

I spent the night drying up, the morning hanging out all the towels etc to dry and now I wonder where to start to clear out the mess in my storeroom.

And to upset me further, Irina just left and I was quite sure that I've paid her 10 bucks too much, but this is the kind of thing that's not easy to prove, so let that be another lesson to me.

Egg Murghlai and Rice with Spinach

Egg Murghlai

If you grew up watching Popeye you'll know that spinach is very good for you and that you should eat it more often. I liked it when my mother cooked it in one of our Chinese soups and also when she stir-fried it with prawns. In Europe, I also like it served with butter, eaten raw in salads, fried or boiled with garlic and olive oil.

Occasionally I also like it Indian style though wherever possible without the cheese.

The other day, I decided to cook my Spinach with Rice and it was a good idea because Baby Girl eyed the green bits with suspicion but when she smelt the rice, exclaimed, "Mom, it smells so good!" And proceeded to gobble it up with a generous helping of Egg Murghlai.

Rice with Spinach

What makes the rice so fragrant? Just some oil, finely-chopped onions, a good tsp of garam masala, salt, chopped fresh spinach and rice.

The saffron, tomato and yoghurt-based Egg Murghlai goes well with children in general though you may need to remove the whole spices (e.g. cardamom seeds, cloves, cinnamon bark...) before serving if you do not want to turn them off the curry. My kids love hard-boiled eggs so I'm always looking for different ways to feed them that without boring myself.

Activities with the School Moms

Breakfast Spread

A German mom whose Hub works for Lamborghini had the great idea of organising a weekly walk in the woods. I am no exercise freak but I do know how to walk. I'm a city girl after all. And I welcome any opportunity to burn some calories seeing that I have too many of them.

Our 1st walk yesterday saw 5 ladies turning up. It was a nice outing, us gals gossiping along the way, time passed without us even noticing it. But I accidentally found out during this walk that one of the nicest Italian mothers whom I really like has breast cancer. Dampened the spirits a little.

The next day, I gave breakfast at home for a few mothers whom I've little occasion normally to meet (e.g. not Francophone, not Asian, no children in my kids' classes...) but whose company I know I'll enjoy. They included C (the Swedish mom who introduced Irina to me) and M (German mom who was a great help at last year's Christmas Fair). And G was there for the simple pleasure of having her company, we could be doing quite a bit of stuff together in the next few months. R and Rb (the new PTA President) desisted at the last minute (their kids were ill) and L had to fly to England (last minute too) to deal with her property.

I baked a Chocolate Cake, made Crepes, Andalousian Tomato & Garlic Toasts, bought German-style salty Croissants to go with ham and cheese, made a Fruit Salad. We had a most pleasant time, I'll certainly host a few other breakfast mornings before the end of the school year. And next Wednesday - Francophone Lunch.

Parmesan Cheese Macarons

Parmesan Cheese Macarons

I wondered what it would be like if I should substitute almonds with parmesan cheese and so aussitôt pensé aussitôt essayé. The result was quite interesting, a slightly sweetish (and rather salty) Parmesan Cheese Macaron.

Nice eaten on its own as a snack or with something else sandwiched between.

With Tartare Cream Cheese with Fine Herbs

More Recent Eats and the Peace Award

Without the Singairishgirl and other equally sweet and thoughtful bloggers I would probably never see the shadow of any blog award since I'm the anti-social sort. The latest one she passed my way is this Peace Award. Not in the mood for cheem thoughts ("Peace, babe!"), suffice to say that I dig this award for its very sassy palm and baba-cool look. And peace's certainly what I need, what with full days facing screaming kids, nagging Hub, complaining teachers, itchy-fingered cleaning lady etc...

I've been cooking mostly the usual stuff, the most satisfying of the last few days being this smelly Sambal Green Bean and Okra. The kids complained that the house was very smelly though Baby Girl took her courage in her hands and tried some of it, actually liking it in spite of her nose. I ate it over 2 days just with plain white rice. So shiok...

Sambal Green Bean and Okra

Then a number of curries many of whom were the more acidic sort as I wanted to experiment with the use of white wine vinegar.

Bombay Chicken Curry

I would like to pass on the Peace Award (and the love, zen etc) to :

1. Frau Loke
2. Umami
3. Bella Tigra
4. Playing with My Food
5. Life in Germany
6. Pris

Fried (Hokkien) Prawn Mee

Fried (Hokkien) Prawn Noodles

Managed to save quite a bit of prawn heads and shell so set out to make a stock for the usual Hae Mee Soup. Then I suddenly thought of Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles (remembering the time when I observed the hawker frying my portion of the noodles) and seeing that I had almost everything I needed around, proceeded to whip one out.

It is of course nothing like the Chomp Chomp version, but considering my relative lack of experience in making the dish, I thought I did pretty well.

Garlic

Bean Paste (didn't use it coz I couldn't open the jar!)

Prawns, Squid, Scampi etc

Prawn and Pork Rib Stock

Yellow Noodles (or Spaghetti when overseas)

Rice Vermicelli

Kangkong/Morning Glory/Spinach

Bean Sprouts

Garnishing :

Cucumber

Fresh Chilli

Chives

Egg Omelette

Lime

Sambal

I had a good kilo of scampi today as I went mad shopping for food. It was a nice and warm day and so I decided to discover Modena à pied. First I went to the covered market, buying bread, chicken wings, scampi, prawns...Then I walked around and discovered a Turkish restaurant, a Filipino grocery store, a Moroccan one (where I bought some Merguez sausages). After that I drove to a supermarket and bought even more food with the idea of making a Paella after the Hae Mee. The prawn and pork stock will come in more than handy (as usual).

Paella

I must say that the old part of Modena's very pretty though small. Probably have seen almost everything this morning except for the interior of museums, palaces, shops and houses.

For the Fried Hokkien Mee, basically one has to prepare the egg omelette, cucumber, chives and chillis by shredding them and setting them aside. If you want the raw veggies to curl and look pretty, put them in water for a while. If using scampi, cook them for 3-5 minutes in the prawn stock.

Then dice lots of garlic and fry them till fragrant in some oil in a hot wok. Add in the bean paste, followed by the pork slices, prawns and squid. Pour in the prawn and pork stock. When it starts to boil, add in the 2 types of noodles, the bean sprouts and the leafy veg. Stir fry quickly and then cover the wok. Do not overcook or everything will become limp and mushy.

A bit of the Hokkien Mee left in the Wok

Serve hot with the strips of egg omelette, cucumber, chilli and chives, also lime juice and if you wish, sambal. Very satisfying meal.

Big Mouth

Away from Facebook for ages, but went there today for a short while and played this birth date character thingy. It said :

You are a perfect character to be on shakespeare's play - dramatic, intense and outspoken. There is an aura about your personality. But not many people can understand you. Some are totally addicted to your charismatic personality. While others just wished that you spoke little less but you need not bother about them. Go ahead the stage is set and the world is waiting for you.

Even some ad-hoc computer-generated application has to tell me that I'm a big mouth.

Recent Eats

Ginger & Coriander Cauliflower

Got a pack of Chana Dal on offer from one of my last visits to the Indian store and needing to make space in my pantry, decided to make some Chana Dal with Potatoes and a bit of leftover Lentils Verts du Puy.

Chana Dal, Potatoes & Lentil Verts du Puy

Then I also had to get rid of a head of cauliflower in the fridge so made some Ginger and Fresh Coriander Cauliflower.

Quick Lime & Yoghurt Cake

Last but not least, felt like grating something so made a Quick Lime and Yoghurt Cake.

A few farty days if I may say so.

Choco-Almond Meringues

Choco-Almond Meringues

I cannot claim that these are French Meringues since I didn't bake them at low heat for a long time and they are not Italian Meringues either since I didn't make them with cooked sugar/caramel. And neither are they Swiss Meringues since I didn't whip up the egg whites in a bain-marie...

My Choco-Almond Meringues were made very quickly, just 15 minutes in a 150ºC oven. Make them as you would the macarons, only you have to make sure that the egg whites are beaten till really stiff and will remain stiff even as you pipe them out. Pipe them out as you wish on baking paper and then bake them.

They are of course not as pretty as the usual French Meringues (idea of baking them for a long time over low heat is to prevent discoloration), but they were yummy and not good for the blood.

Chocolate Macarons, Matcha & Red Bean Macarons, White Chocolate & Lime Macarons

Chocolate Macarons

I did more macarons and this time with not-too-smoothly chopped almonds as base. Hmm, even less smooth than with hazelnuts and many cracked (was impatient and didn't wait for them to cool before trying to separate them from the baking paper), but the Hub loved the chocolate ones. They were sinfully good.

White Chocolate and Lime Macarons

Now I will wait for berry season to do the berry macarons and I've in mind an idea that I need to test out for making salty macarons. No idea if it'll work.

Matcha and Red Bean Paste Macarons

Going to the school to attend some workshop on their Primary Years Programme (PYP). We parents have been complaining about its lack of written curriculum etc so the school felt the need to educate us and try to win us over to their teaching philosophy etc.

Madras Beef Curry

Beef Madras

I bought some beef cut into cubes the other day and was thinking of making a Beef with Carrots. Then I had a craving for curry and made a Beef Madras instead. There is no one recipe for this Southern Indian curry dish, but generally it is quite hot and will have an acidic taste to it coming from the use of tomatoes.

Beef for braising

Vegetable Oil

Onion

Garlic paste

Ginger paste

Fresh Green Chilli

Ground Coriander

Ground Turmeric

Ground Cumin

Ground Chilli

Ground Paprika

Ground Fenugreek

Fennel Seeds

Mustard Seeds

Onion Seeds

Curry Leaves

Meat Stock

Chopped Tomatoes (1/2 can - one can I find is too much)

Garam Masala

Coriander Leaves

Salt and Pepper

This curry takes a few hours to cook if you want the beef to melt in the mouth. I started cooking it the evening before so that it would taste even better the next day. Served it with a simple not-oily Butter Spiced Rice. The Hub and the Babies ate it all up at dinner spoiling my plans to have some of it the next day for lunch.

Butter Spiced Rice

Onglet (Hanger Steak) à l'Échalotte

Onglet à l'échalot

This is one cut of the Beef (together with the Bavette or Flap Steak) that I've missed alot since we left France. It's actually a usually cheap cut (not so nowadays since the arrival of the Euro) of the meat compared to the sirloin or the rib, but when beautifully cut and cooked, is absolutely delicious and worth more than what you would pay for it.

Each animal will usually have only one hanger steak. As it is found near the kidneys, it may even have a lingering taste of the organs. This part of the beef is best eaten rare (or it'll be too tough) and must be cooked quickly over high heat to preserve its great flavour.

Haven't found it in Stuttgart and until last month had not even seen it in Emilia Romagna. Then at just one butcher in the wet market in Modena, I came across the cut and it is known as the lombatello in Italian.

I left it to the Hub to prepare the meat. Hot grill, olive oil, salt and pepper. And a wonderful Red Wine Shallot and Butter Sauce to go with it. Heavenly!

PS : If you're interested, check out this meat chart for the different cuts.

Trattoria Cervetta

I guess our entertaining season has started. We have invited R's family (2 adults and 4 kids) to lunch this afternoon and I've issued separate invitations to 3 separate groups of ladies for (1)Moms' Breakfast, (2) Asian Mothers' Pot Luck and (3) Francophone Ladies' Lunch. All that's for weekdays (till mid-March) and on weekends, we'll have Hub's Italian colleagues, other expat families etc over for more meals. So I'll be very busy.

Saturday was thus spent shopping for food. Bio bread, cheese, meat and fruit from the wet market in Modena, rice paper from the Chinese shop and cooked prawns, free-range chickens etc from the Leclerc supermarket. I've decided to make Fried Wontons for apperitif, Vietnamese Raw Salad Spring Rolls (this time with cooked prawns) to start, with Coriander and Chilli Prawns and Hainanese Chicken Rice as mains. We had Gongonzola and Camembert for cheese and R brought a chocolate cake for dessert. Finally, for tea we had the macarons I made the other day. Needless to say, there were champagne, red wines, sweet white wine etc.

The guests seemed satisfied enough and kindly told us that they would like to invite us for a meal at their place too. Though with the F1 Season starting again soon, it'd be hard to manage. On a positive note, R is seriously thinking of bringing her 4 kids to Singapore in August which makes a local girl like me proud to know that my ambassorial efforts have come to fruition. M (R's Hub) also didn't seem to forget his promise to get my parents tickets to the F1 race in Singapore. I am quite contented, of course.

Coming out of the wet market in Modena, we decided to have lunch and not finding a table at the very popular trattoria Aldina, decided to eat at another one (more chic and more expensive) known as Cervetta.

The Duck Ragu Pasta was very good and the desserts looked more edible here than in most other places. The chocolate cake turned out to be a Torta Barozzi. The Italians in the region are very proud of this chocolate-coffee cake, but very seriously I thought it tasted just like this cake I failed a few months ago when I accidentally added too much coffee into my chocolate cake. Didn't take any pictures though, somehow not in the mood. Pasta is after all still pasta.

Trattoria Cervetta

Via Cervetta, 7

41100 Modena

Tel : 059 220500

www.cervetta.it

Macarons à la Rose (Hazelnut Base)

Macarons à la Rose

I used to go to La Durée in Paris to buy their macarons and they do tend to cost quite a bit though well worth the money. Over here, with no macarons in sight, one has to apply oneself so that's how you found me slaving over those sweet and caloric pastries recently.

Macarons are almond-based traditionally but as I often prefer hazelnuts to almonds, I've decided to make this batch with the former to see how they would turn out. Not as smooth as they would have been with almonds, but the texture was pleasant and the macaron just as tasty.

I wanted to use my stock of rose water so I've decided to flavour them à la rose.

The Macarons :

3 Egg Whites (separated from the yolks and kept in the fridge for 3-4 days)

2oog Icing Sugar

125g finely ground Hazelnuts (normally one'd use Almonds)

30g Castor Sugar

Red Food Colouring

Rose Water

The Filling :

120g White Chocolate

Rose Water

Lychee Juice

Beat egg whites till stiff, adding in the castor sugar gradually along the way. Mix in the food colouring and rose water. If it wouldn't become stiff, try adding some lemon juice (but usually no reason why it wouldn't become stiff).

In your mixer, mix the icing sugar with the finely ground nuts and sift them well into a bowl.

Mix the sugar-nut mixture into the egg mixture with a spatula. The mixture has to be smooth, bright and a little limp

Pipe out well-spaced small rounds on baking paper placed on a tray that will go into the oven. Leave it in the open overnight so that the surface of the macaron pastry rounds will dry out and harden.

Heat up the oven at 150ºC and bake the macarons for 10-13 minutes. If possible, bake them with 1-2 empty trays stacked below to ensure that the macarons will rise and yet not be over-cooked on the inside.

For the filling as for the macarons, the possibilities are endless. This time round, I made it by melting white chocolate and mixing it well with some juice and rose water and then letting the mixture stiffen before making macaron sandwiches with it.

Best to leave the macarons in the fridge for a few hours before consuming them.

Valentine's Day Dinner - Paddock

Pumpkin Mousse with Fried Shredded Vegetables, Balsamic Vinegar

When I met the Hub, he actually told me when our first Valentine's Day was approaching that his Brit ex-girlfriend and himself were NOT into the occasion etc. I could respect their mutual distaste for the commercial nature of the day in question, but on the other hand, what had that got to do with me and our newly-formed couple?

Needless to say I have quite gotten into the habit of not thinking about Valentine's Day at all and when I did, it would often bring a smirk to my face. You know what they say, you love someone all year round and not just on V Day etc. Save the roses, they do tend to cost ridiculously expensive on this day.

However on V Day this year, with the Hub and myself having gotten quite used to communicating mostly via email and sms over the past 2-3 years (because Monsieur is very busy and is often in meetings and couldn't talk), the idea came to me quite suddenly to email him and tell him that I love him. Didn't cost anything - literally.

Being very busy he must have quite forgotten that he never ever celebrates the occasion and he actually replied by proposing that we dine out with the kids that very evening! He actually reserved a table (as a surprise) and came home early to bring us out. Chickens will fly.

And not any table, mind you, but at the Paddock. Ferrari's preferred business entertainment dining venue.

Hub had been telling me about the restaurant for some time now. It is housed in a restored farmhouse not unlike ours and is owned by the guy who sent us the San Daniele leg of ham for x'mas. Apparently the meat and seafood dishes were good as was the wine and service. Not cheap of course.

Gnocci in Cream of Parmesan Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar

On V Day however they only served a V Day menu (46 euros per head excluding drinks) and it contained no fish. Maybe meat is more carnal and deserved better mention on this day. We all had to eat a 4-course dinner and I was bursting before the end. We had so much meat (grilled Fiorentino, fillet and entrecôte beef plus grilled lamb chops) I started feeling like having a salad for once.

Part of the Grilled Meats

But the food was good (but almost always the same everywhere in this country) as was the wine. And we had attentive service especially as they knew who the Hub was. The kids behaved reasonably well and they too had eaten too much meat. Getting hyper.

Irish Coffee and Pineapple and Brioche Bun (so-so, dessert's not their thing)

At the next table you see 3 couples and 3 identical long roses leaning against the wall. And they were seated 3 women together opposite the 3 men. Group Valentine celebration. And thank God the restaurant didn't give out roses to the ladies, I would have been quite embarrassed, I'm not a very cut-flower sort of girl. Would feel like an idiot actually walking around with a very long rose. Give me sweets or jewellery any time, man.

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

Paddock

Viale Terra delle Rosse 1

Pozza di Maranello

Tel : 053 6073307

Tagged & Friendship Ball

It is always such a nice feeling being in the thoughts of people whom you admire (though you've never met them and vice versa). I was tagged for the following Meme by Precious Moments and was passed the Friendship Ball by both Precious Moments and Playing with My Food.

One thing I treasure about our food blogging community is the fact that we could learn so much every day from ordinary people like you and me, no need to be rich and famous, just being oneself and being sincere and making friends along the way. Thank you very much ladies!

The Meme is quite a pain though as there are no guidelines and you have to come up with 5 things about yourself out of thin air. Just made me realise that I haven't been thinking much about myself lately and is thus labouring to tell you about moi.

From my understanding, I am supposed to list down 5 facts about myself and then tag 5 other people. Then these 5 other people post 5 facts about themselves on their blog and link back to me.

5 facts about yo:

1. I think stupidity is a crime punishable by torture. So I can be fat, ugly and poor, just don't let me be stupid, please.


2. I am very lazy. No, I am not a sucker for short cuts, I'm too kiasi for that. But if I think that I can't do something properly immediately, I'll put it off to another day. Isn't that procrastination? But somehow it's not the same.


3. I love my family. Be it my parents, brother and sister, or my hubby and 3 monsters. Still, sometimes I do wonder if I shouldn't also live for ME and not just for my family.


4. I am a compulsive buyer. Should have studied Purchasing and not Political Science. I love a good bargain (but not a cheap one) and will dig if I have to for it. Any excuse to buy something is a good one.


5. I hate housekeeping. Not that I like to live in and with dirt. But I am not a hygiene freak and will not go all out to clean up. I'd go all out to keep it clean (aka from getting dirty)though. People often ask Beau how she keeps her skin so nice. I wasn't mocking them when I answered, "Wash it a minimum."

I'm going to pass both the Meme and the Friendship Ball to the following friends :

1. Bibou's Mom
2. Sayadis
3. I Quote
4. Pris
5. Extralicious

Renri - My First Abalone Yu Sheng

Abalone Yu Sheng Salad

With age I reminiscise too much for my own good. So it was with much nostalgia that I thought of my childhood picking out crackers in the Yu Sheng (Lucky Raw Fish Salad) that my dad would bring us to eat during CNY. Then I read about all the loh-hei that my dear blogger friends have been up to in the past week and was filled with envy.

So while I have been a little lazy about cooking new things lately (just dishing out well-tried favourites), I wondered if I shouldn't make myself some sort of a Yu Sheng, especially after I've read Umami's 2007 posting on her own attempt at the dish. And since she has very kindly given me tips on how to make my favourite crackers, I could find no excuse not to go ahead and do it.

It was an amazingly successful 1st attempt! I am no salad fan and quite dreaded the idea of having to actually eat my Yu Sheng if nobody else wanted it. But I ended up hoarding the dish after the 1st bite and ate it up all by myself! And I will make it even after CNY because I really like it.

The sauce's the key to the dish's success and mine tasted as far as I could remember like the ones I've had in my lost youth. I skipped the candied ginger etc as I'm not fond of preserved fruit and vegetables. The vegetables should normally be shredded really fine but I was lazy and decided to just have them julienned. But they were good.

Abalone Yu Sheng :

Shredded Carrots

Shredded Cucumber

Shredded Red Bell Pepper

Shredded Turnip, Radish etc

Grapefruit or Pomelo

Chopped Peanuts, Almonds or Pistachio Nuts

Grilled Sesame Seeds

Abalone slices

Coriander leaves

Flour Crackers

Limes

The Sauce :

Plum Sauce

Kumquat Paste (didn't use it)

Rice Vinegar

Sesame Oil

Grapefruit Juice

5 Spice Powder

Grated Ginger or Ginger Powder

Chilli

Olive or Vegetable Oil

Pepper

Salt

One is supposed to compose the salad in stages and mutter the appropriate lucky sayings appropriate to the ingredient(s) in question. For example, when you add in the fish you say niannian youyu, when you add in the carrots hongyun dangtou, mix in the crackers (looking like gold ingots) you say piandi huangjin etc.

With the crackers

The crackers I made them with flour, olive oil, water, salt and sugar.

Gonghei Fattchoy everyone!

Tagged, Before I was a Mom

My dear V of East meets West Kitchen thought of me recently for this Pretty Mom Tag and I could only bask happily in the afterglow of having been in her thoughts.

I am not too sure that I've understood how it works, but the rule to the tag is that once you have been hit, you have to hit 5 pretty Moms, including the one who sent it to you. The idea is that if you get hit again, you will know that you are really pretty...

Apparently you have to add your name to the tagged persons list, and without removing anybody on the list just let it grow. Hit 5 pretty moms on your list to let them know they are pretty!

Before I was a mum:

I didn't want to be one.

Before I was a mum:

I couldn't stand the sight of children. Now I have 3 and I worship the ground they walk on.

Before I was a mum:

I suspected that children were a pain and now I am sure of it.

Before I was a mum:

I almost never cook. Now I spend my time slaving at the stove.

Before I was a mum:

I said I wouldn't buy them toys. Now, that's all I ever do.

Before I was a mum,

I was a light traveller and I travel alot. Now I could barely go anywhere but when I do, I still travel light - plus a stroller.

The first chain of tag:
1. Lovelymummy

2. Pek Imm

3. Momisodes

4. Ling that’s me

5. Janicepa

6. AnnieQ

7. Allthingspurple

8. Montessorimum

9. clumsy mommy

10. Sandra

11. KittyCat

12. VivianZ

13. Sweetpea

14. Sasha

15. Giddy Tiger

16. Wen

17. Jo-N

18. Janice Ng

19. Blur Ting
20. ViEmwk

21. Beaulotus

I would like to tag the following pretty moms :

1. The Dutchess
2. Bibou's Mom
3. Precious Moments
4. Xtralicious
5. Umami