Com Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef with Tomato Rice)

Another Vietnamese meal this week! I think I’ve well and truly satisfied my cravings by this stage. Needless to say, I’m also feeling very bloated from all the festive eating. I think another vegan week is in order. But first, let me present to you: Bo Luc Lac (Shaking Beef), another popular Vietnamese dish. No,…

Lemongrass Pork Chops With Rice

How is your Lunar New Year so far? Mine has been pretty uneventful since I’m not back in my hometown (Bintulu). My mom has already ‘escaped’ to Oz to spend a month with my sister so I thought I’d just stay put. No annoying questions about marriage and kids. Heh. We did spent reunion night…

Pan Fried Vegetarian Dumplings (Potstickers)

My addiction to Dumplings has to be traced all the way back to Melbourne. The frequent visits to Shanghai Noodle House during the student years (cheap, but service is nasty). The more refined Hu Tong for their Xiao Long Baos. Or the weekly work lunch at Ping’s Dumplings Bar in Clayton (Awesome vegetarian dumplings!). Back…

Pineapple Tarts

Of all the Chinese New Year cookies, Pineapple tarts would probably be the most popular. Who can resist these delicious morsels, with the flaky and buttery pastry and the sweet but tangy pineapple jam? Besides, the pronunciation of pineapple in Hokkien, “Ong Lai”,  means “Prosperity Comes”, and the golden hue represents, well, gold or money. All very…

Chinese New Year Yee Sang

Since Chinese New Year is just one week away, I’ll take the opportunity to feature some festive recipes. I don’t follow most of the traditions of Chinese New Year as for the past few years I’ve been living in a country that does not list Chinese New Year as public holiday. Go Figure. In fact…

Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi could possibly be the best thing coming out of Korea. Apart from SNSD, that is. Through the exposure to Korean culture from Korean dramas, or the success of various K-pop acts, or perhaps the large amount of Korean immigrants in Malaysia (or anywhere in the world, really), this fermented cabbage dish is no stranger…

Ukrainian Borscht (罗宋汤)

I’ve been re-reading a lot of 亦舒‘s (Yi Shu) books lately, thanks to the free download on iPad.  Though she has published over 180 books including novels and short stories of different genres, she writes mainly romance novels, set in modern day Hong Kong, or Canada (she has migrated there). Most of the main characters under her…

Roasted Zucchini Pasta (and Happy Belated New Year)

A very belated New Years greeting for all you of out there. 2011 has been a pretty good year. May the 2012 bring you lots of happiness, good food, and good health. Hands up who has been feasting up a storm during the silly season? I know I’m guilty. Though with the ankle injury it…

Naughty Christmas Dinner

How many of you are still recovering from Christmas? I know I am. I unfortunately sustained an ankle injury and a massively bruised knee following a failed stunt performance with one too many Long Island Iced Teas on Christmas Eve. Yeah. Ouch. I did think I was still 21. So there I was on Christmas…