Wong Solo Ayam Bakar

We recently celebrated a farewell lunch at an Indonesian restaurant. It was interesting, as we may not have much of a chance to dine in such authentic restaurant for Indonesian food. This particular restaurant have a couple of chain stores around Klang Valley. I was in fact tricked by my GPS by getting to another POI of the restaurant somewhere nearby. Luckily, I was able to tail-gate another friend's car to get to the right restaurant.

We had the one at Taman Dagang, Ampang. Another thing that interest us was the menu, the juices and food name are such interesting, i.e. pecel lele, poligami, es buah, wortel, etc... (check out the menu in pictures below) in such we get to learn new names for food!

This particular restaurant had been introduced widely by other food blogger. Thus, I don't think my opinion worth any value in it. Bottom line, it was a good lunch, we learned new food names and my Ayam Penyet was tasty, I remember the taste of the gado-gado too.

Reference also:
http://masak-masak.blogspot.com/2007/09/indonesian-food-ayam-bakar-wong-solo.htmlhttp://masak-masak.blogspot.com/2007/09/indonesian-food-ayam-bakar-wong-solo.html

This was my Nasi Ayam Penyet... tasty & spicy!

Merry X'Mas 2010 & Happy New Year 2011

I normally have a greeting page here on my blog space. Unfortunately, my planned X'mas photo was not ready, as the intended X'mas tree project of mine was not successful. Probably I will leave it to next year's greeting :P

However, here I am with this years greeting... with my lil face surfaced here in the greeting photo. Picture taken during my recent trip to Kota Kinabalu, it was at Jesselton Point, jetty to the tourist islands.

Season Greetings to all... have a blessed & happy moments throughout the years ya!

Herbal Tea @ Low Mun Chai (流民仔) Medical Co, Imbi KL

After soupy meal, here we come to soupy herbal tea or having a nourishing dessert after lunch. I came across a Chinese health magazine article about a year ago, that interviewed the owner and the manager of this particular medical shop.

They serve several types of nourishing desserts/Tong Sui (糖水) each day, as well as the normal herbal tea, such as sugar cane, 24 mei (24 味) and Chrysanthemum (五花茶). I still remember what drew us to this shop many many years ago, where a colleague of ours need to see Chinese doctor. There and then, we started to hang around the shop for Chinese medicine whenever we have mild heatiness.

Their black herbal jelly/Guai Ling Kou (龟苓膏) is good too. The claimed that their herbal jelly is not made from tortoise shell, which in olden days it was usually made so. Thus, what they serve is safe for vegetarian, 无龟龟苓膏.

Location :-
Low Mun Chai Medical Co
5, Jalan Khoo Teik Ee, Off Jalan Imbi, KL
Tel : 03-2148 6882 Fax: 03-2141 2023

GPS Coordinate : N3 08.616 E101 42.877
(Same row with 7-11 Jalan Khoo Teik Ee)

Leong Kee (良记) Steamed Rice/Soup

Soup is nourishing, herbal soup is good for health. Not too sure why, I would prefer having soup for dinner these days, especially during the weekdays. Most likely is because I may dooze off early after some restless day at work :P. Healty tips - heading to bed before your food gets fully digested is a bad practice; lying down or even sitting after a heavy meal will cause indigestion too. So, take good care of your health.

Back to the soupy eating. We recently found such chained stall is available at most or some hawker centers. Firstly, we saw it at Kota Kemuning's Poh Yap Restaurant, but never try. Then we hang around at Ara Damansara lately after work.... finally gave it a try. The stall is located at Restaurant Do Re Mi.

Personal comment, I would say it may not be as good as real home-cooked steam soup. But for working one in the ever hectic city, it may be a good meal for dinner. I used to have such steamed soup when I was working at Kelana Jaya close to 10 years ago. Not sure if it still exist there. Another stall which we usually had our steamed soup is the road side stall at Paramount. I didn't get their stall name even after several visits, but it is real famous there.

So, this is Leong Kee Steamed Rice/Soup stall, which available in many hawker centers. They indeed have a good business model, target for working folks like us.

Official website - http://www.leongkee.com/

Foods @ Kota Kemuning - Spicy Crab

Yet another new restaurant located at my residential area. For crab lovers out there, if you just crave for crab and yet don't feel like traveling far to PJ or Klang area, this is worth trying. Though, when we visited this place about a month ago, it was still fairly new. Thus, we waited fairly long for the servings.

There was kind of nyonya style cooking most, they serve grilled crab or any grilled seafood like fish and squid. Much of the sambal or gravy are homemade, I heard. I wouldn't judge it too early, and it is considerably based on individual tastes bud. Overall, I would say the foods serve are fairly good, but may be a little disappointment on the sections of servings.

The shop was previously a steamboat restaurant, next to Sri Melur mamak stall, next to Pizza Hut.

Contact:-
Jimmy 016-7511 323
Spicy Crab Sdn. Bhd.
19, Jalan Anggerik Vanilla X 31/X,
Kota Kemuning.

GPS Coordinate : N3 00.294 E101 32.092

Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant, Mid Valley Megamall

It's time to wind down!! Year end celebration coming up the way... for us, it wasn't about the season that we celebrate, it is all about the stress level we are having these days, it is important to wind down once awhile, for the remaining and future challenges we are going to walk through. It's life, it's the journey of life! So, why wait... we shall treasure and enjoy every moment in our life, let's drink and enjoy the food.

We were introduced a friend to try this place out at Mid Valley Megamall one Friday evening. Thus, consecutively we made a second trip there in less than a month. To me, the place is not bad for normal hangout, cozy yet have the feel of classroom (ha! my personal option as they have all benches and solid wood tables indoor. Their pork knuckle was good, in which my kakis will normally hunt for.

I wouldn't think I will be able to describe the place well, let's make the picture talk :)

Check out their menu at their official page here - http://www.brotzeit1516.com/. It seems they have more branches in Singapore. I normally will not able to understand their table menu, so I will let the others decide. On drinks selection, a few did try on their mixture of beer with mango/banana juices, taste was decent.

Mid Valley Megamall
G(E)-018, Ground External Floor
Mid Valley Megamall, Mid Valley City
Lingkaran Syed Putra
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Wedding Lunch @ Restaurant Loon Sing (隆盛), Nilai

I am typically happy to attend wedding reception outside of Klang Valley, why? Very simple, their dishes are practically special, or rather simple with full of "village feel" (家乡味). Adding some further "human touch feel" (人情味), especially for those dinner/lunch serve at outskirts area or we call it "kampung" (village) area.

Several weeks ago, I attended a wedding lunch reception at Nilai, approx. 50KM from place. It may not be a village, but somewhat suburb of Klang Valley. Without checking the restaurant servings, I just brought myself there without much expectations. The only reason was for a friends gathering, somewhat we seldom get-together and we have all know each other for 10+ years. It was a good gathering, with good food too.

So, little introduction of what I did not expect from the lunch. It was the serving of chicken herb soup, namely "Buddha over the Wall" (佛跳墙 in Chinese). Over the typical Chinese 8-9 course servings, this soupy dish has replaced the ever famous Sharkfin's soup, which most whom hated the way human treated the marine life and turned it into a cause to reduce killing of the creature.

Next main dish from the restaurant is supposed to be their Braised Pork Belly with Dumpling "Tong Po Rou" (东坡肉，馒头). I love this too, especially when it serve together with the plain dumpling.

A little introduction of this place.... (with no advertisement fees involve)
Http://www.loonsing.com.my

PT2484, Kawasan Perindustrian Nilai 2,
Block D, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.
Tel: 06-7997 818, 06-7997 787

GPS Coordinate : N2 49.615 E101 48.422 (Restaurant Loon Sing 1x on MFM map)

Gardening World - Passion Fruit (百香果）

It had been a while since I last blog on plants. I enjoy cultivating fruit trees and the plant which has more benefit than harm. It had been the greatest reason for me to plant fruits at my backyard. I experimented many fruit plant from its seed, unfortunately... not all succeed with its final result - fruit! Thus, only those I had successfully planted will make its way here, to Purple's diary blog.

It took me 1 year and 3 months -- cultivating the passion of this "passion fruit" till it bear and have ripen fruits. It really took a lot of my passion to see them grow.

A friend passed me this one and only fruit from her house in Seremban last year, sometime September. I tasted the extract, and left behind about 8-10 seeds to plant. Close to a month, it grew little young ones. From there onwards, this climbing vine has concurred almost all my backyard's fence.. even stood high tall over my mulberry tree! It was worrying... other plants at the bottom of the vines basically can't survive much, as they all get minimal sunlight, but some still surviving well.

Unknowingly, there are lots of good thing about this fruit, its fruits as well as its flowers. Check out more information at some of the articles below.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2282624_grow-delicious-passionfruit.html
http://www.phytochemicals.info/plants/passion-fruit.php
http://www.altnature.com/gallery/passionflower.htm

According to the articles, the tree is rich in medicine properties.

• The fruit extract - anti-cancer effect
• The fruit peel extract - reduce asthma symptoms
• The flower - relaxing and anti-anxiety effects
• The leave - brew as tea; induce sleep

You may find more medicinal facts out from these tree and fruit... Thought the vines have now strangle my other medicinal plant, the mulberry... believe with they both supporting each other, now they are more believe to serve more benefits out from themselves.

DIY - Banana Cake

I think I am hyper today! Had accomplished many to-do tasks for myself, probably it was well started with the 7am morning walk at the lakeside park, walked to-from my house for the 1st time ever! The entire journey was err... 1km probably?

And so, I baked the 2nd cake for the day!

Learning from my past Banana muffin lesson, which was less moist. This time round I added more smashed banana! Texture was great, and it served well when it was still fresh from the oven. Based on this recipe, it had an idea of adding a layer of sliced banana + walnut, great! Not sure whether it will stays the same texture tomorrow morning.. hope so!

Here are the 'evidence'sss...

The other great accomplishment was -- my blog! Finally I'd pushed myself to start writing once again. :-) Weirdly, I found something strange too~!

DIY - Ginger Lemon Bun

Following the new look, I felt more enthusiast to update my blog. Indeed a different feeling, browsing through the calm blue look. Somewhat, the sunset picture still does not fully matches the feeling here. Anyway, I need to do more search, or rather more photography to capture the real moment I would wish to present here.

Kick started my baking project today. The new baking book has been with me for several months. I had never do anything about it, except tagging the 'wish-to-do' pages! It wasn't a good start though, the so-called bun was still edible. Tasted like an old ginger bread cookie, can't recall the cookie brand we used to take when we were young.

Here are the snap shots from the cook book, and the end product. Couldn't describe the taste well, hmmm... crunchy? tasty? spicy? oh well, I knew I missed out something after finished baking - it was an egg!! great ya, somewhat it did not meant much without it.

By the way, Purpledee now has many many books to read. Not sure what had happened to her these days, started to pick up reading. It was probably due to my lil cozy study cum relaxing place.

Excluding the free Ikea 2011 catalog, these were all my collection from Popular book store @ The Curve last mid-week public holiday.

Purple has turned blue...

Officially as at Nov 20, 2010, the joyful purple has now turned blue. Turning towards a new hope, new world, new me... Well, I am probably not a kind of person who could stay on with routine life, similar style, same rhythm throughout my life.

Thus, I took this opportunity to re-design my blog. I know.. it is not yet perfect, not to the extend of my expectation. At least there is some change, which could eventually lead me to write further (hope so!).

A little intro to the header picture attached above, it was taken from my recent trip back to my hometown, Labuan island. Love sunset!

Let's say bye to my old blog page here...

DIY - Kiwi Mocktail

Happened to learned this from a local Chinese newspaper yesterday. Since I have some kiwi fruits at home... it was a good time to try out some DIY fruity mocktail, type of non-alcoholic beverage. It was a quick try, with some preparations work in advance, it turned out to be a simple refreshing beverage on a hot and sunny afternoon.

Pictures below proofed it.... 3 kiwis for glasses of 4!

Here's what I got from ChinaPress newspaper Cuisine column. Believe they have yet upload the latest eNewspaper, if interested, you could check it out here in the next couple of days (provided you know Chinese).

The recipe (extracted from Chinapress)

重返天堂 （Drive to Heaven)

微带气泡， 充满奇异果香。

材料：
奇异果半粒，柠檬汁30毫升，糖水30毫升， 柠檬汽水100毫升，冰块适量。

做法：
将奇异果搅碎，加入柠檬汁，糖水，加冰块用雪克杯摇均匀，将满汽水即可。

Ingredient:
Kiwi 1/2, lemon juice 30ml, liquidated sugar 30ml, Pop Lemon (sparking lemon) 100ml, ice cubes

How to:
Blend or smash Kiwi, add lemon juice, sugar. Mix them in mocktail shaker. Add Pop Lemon to fill the glass.

Isn't it easy? Happy trying, if you find it interesting.

Living Life to the Fullest

2 posts in a row... with the head full of philosophy night. Well, it was unknowingly in a day which I was searching for a quote, co-incidentally noticed this.... thinking it is worth sharing with others, remind us how to live our life to the fullest !

This wiki page, listed 28 items on how to live life to the fullest. In wish I do recognize and agree almost 90% of all listed down there.

Visit here - > http://www.wikihow.com/Live-Life-to-the-Fullest

A few steps which I agree most, are as below... wishing I can fully implement those in my life, making it a perfect one :)

(Click to enlarge)

今天的你，开心吗？

I don't normally read books... but was somewhat inspirational lately with lots of reflections on own believe and life. Being the same time, I was introduced to this book. Rather simple to read (only to those whom knows Chinese). Further on, I am now able to type Traditional Chinese character... as I have been copying some eye-capturing words from the book.

Rather a good book to remind human being on the right path and track we should be heading towards, in a way meaningful life.

Here're some sayings, in Chinese....

不要想 '要怎麼滿足?', 而是想 '為甚麼我會有那麼多不滿?' -- Do not always think, how to get ourselves satisfied, but in a way should ask ourselves ' why is that we have so much unsatisfactory.

人常常期望別人按照我們的想法和標準來做事, 或是修正別人來符合自己的 '版本'。。。我們只要接受每個人本來的樣子, 那麼人與人之間就不會有相處的問題了！ -- We always expect others to follow our expectations and our way to present, expect others be the same as us... as long as we respect the differences others have, aren't that human could get along better, respectful of others?

* hee... I may not be good in such translation, especially with a disoriented mind now:P

Foods @ Kota Kemuning - A&J's Western Cuisine [closed]

Many restaurants had started their business here in Kota Kemuning. Over the years, there are some come and go, some stays, some news. However, food business here is not as good as in places like Puchong and so. Families here still prefers to stay home and dine in. Only light portion of working small families may choose to dine out most of the time. For me, I would preferably stay home and cook, trying out all kinds of healthy yet tasty cuisines.

Story short, as it was once a in blue moon, we will dine out. Here comes a new Western cuisine restaurant, just started their business about a month ago. A&J's Western Cuisine is their name.

Ambiance of the restaurant was just nice, a bit cozy. Accompanied with soft music. MOst important after all, it must serve good food. Though it can be pricey, I would say it does worth the price for some of the specialties food.

Here's some photos for your references.

The internal setup..

A starter - chef's designed; seems its a Western presentation + Chinese cuisine style. RM26 for 2 pax.

Juice - my ever favourite Apple + assam boi juice.

Soup - one of my meal; its wild mushroom soup was creamy and fresh! nice...

Others that we had - Lamp Chop (no picture) and my Ceaser's Salad (no picture), which smells added on with lemongrass as dressing.

Here's the address. GPS Coordinate : N3 00.358 E101 32.149

Shop for your Garden @ Sg Buloh

I'm not a landscaper, I'm not a gardener, but somewhat a home may need some enhancement to enlighten life, once in a while. Thus, we may be spending some money for affordable water feature, water fountain and some decorations. It's always easy to shop for such item in a modern DIY shop, hyper furniture mall like Harvey Norman, but those place can sell at super pricey price. If you don't mind paying for convenience and comfort, it is all well and fine. But if you are someone whom enjoy hunting for quality yet reasonable priced item, it may be worth travel a bit further, shop under the hot sun, hunt for the best choices ever after.

Jalan Sg Buloh, a place where you can be spoiled of choice for landscape and garden necessary products, be it water features, plants, soil, grass, pots, etc...

We stumbled into several shops along the road, and finally landed on this best choice after all. This is the main factory selling water features, stone / cement made type. They have several branches located nearby. This particular one does sell variety of types, and most importantly they can do some minor custom cut if you wish.

Here's their name care. Look for Tropic Garden Design, Lot 71 & 72 along Jalan Sg Buloh. There are a few huge elephants in front of the shop.

Some little mini variety of water feature.

We bought this set, with some pick-and-match done. Promotional price was at RM250 only. Besides, the shop accept credit card (with no extra charges) :)

Expired Milk (过期牛奶之用途)

Look at the expiry date printed on this tetra packed milk. Picture was taken last weekend, and it has been way past due... to be honest, the milk is still in my fridge. What will I do with it?

After google'ing for a week, here's what I gathered and could share around.

According to The Greenists here, it can be poured into the toilet bowl, in which its enzyme will break down the content of tank. It is good for compose too.. make sense since it has enzyme. Watering rose plant can be an idea too...Not bad, it is equally the same from what I searched through from Chinese websites. By the way, if you have a bucket full of expired milk, probably worth trying to take a milk bath!

A Chinese site listed down the benefit of milk, which includes expired milk here.

过期牛奶的妙用

　　牛奶在开启包装以后，如放置时间过长，就会变质且不能食用，然而过期变质的牛奶依然有利用价值。

　　利用过期牛奶擦拭皮鞋先用刷子刷掉鞋面上的污垢，再用纱布蘸上发酸的牛奶均匀地涂抹在鞋面上，等到干了以后用干布擦拭，鞋面可光亮如新，还能防止皮面干裂。

　　利用过期牛奶擦拭复合地板将清水倒入变酸的牛奶中充分稀释，然后滴在地板上，用毛巾擦拭，地板可光亮如初。

　　利用过期牛奶除去衣服上的墨迹先用清水把衣服清洗一下，再倒入变质的牛奶轻轻揉洗，可除去衣服上的墨迹。

　　利用过期牛奶滋润肌肤如果牛奶刚过期，没有任何变质的现象，可以用它来洗脸，滋润肌肤。

　　利用过期牛奶擦拭皮质家具如果过期牛奶已有少许沉淀，但气味并没有改变，可以用它擦拭皮质家具，能使皮质家具恢复光泽，同时还能修复小的裂痕。

　　利用过期牛奶浇花如果过期牛奶已结块并有了明显的酸腐味，这时可用它来浇花，为了避免不好的味道产生，可以在花土中挖一个小坑，把过期牛奶埋进去。

　　利用快过期的鲜奶煮菜快超过食用期限的鲜奶，不适合生饮，可用小火加热煮沸，放凉后加到菜肴或点心中，也可和蛋液混合用来做吐司，或者放入鱼汤或浓汤里。

For the benefit of others, let me translate them as below :

1) Making use of expired milk as shooting cream for leather goods, i.e. shoes. Clear up dusk on your leather shoe with a piece of cloth; apply milk on the leather; finally wipe them off. It could prevent leather from hardening and crack.

2) Dilute harden expired milk with water; it is good for maintaining your wooden flooring.

3) Remove ink stain on your cloth; pour the milk on your stained cloth, rub it before wash.

4) Same as #1 above, it is useful to maintain leather products, like sofas.

5) Water the plant; it is something to do with composing and enzymes.

6) Cooking; it needs to be heated with lower temperature, then mixed with egg for toast bread or add-on into fish soups.

So.. is it worth to know the use of an expired milk. Don't waste, sure there is good way of handling waste.

DIY - Tibicos (菌菇）/ Snow Lotus (天山雪莲） / Kefir

Many might not know what is this, but many of my friends might have noticed this creature and started to culture it for good sake. Heard it is not meant for commercial, but people been distributing it for friends and family whom believe it works. Well, I had been checking the internet for the last couple of days, it seems this is something worth trying. Since I love cultivating healthy stuffs, don't mind trying this too. Of course, I won't think I will overdoing it, or even over-believe it.

Checking Tibicos out from wiki, it is a culture of bacteria and yeast. We take yeast in most cases from bread. If you heard of probiotic, which human today has it produced into pills. This is rather natural compared to those pill based, or kind of processed food.

Besides, it is also known as kefir. The water or sugar kefir. Seems like it is well known in the health organizations in the world. Where does the source comes from, it is from Tibet, the ground of Himalaya. Well, I even read in one of the article, saying this is non for commercial use, it has been be shared.

No wonder I ever learned this from a healthy friend's blog, mentioning it as Snow Lotus (天山雪莲). When I first saw her article and picture, I wasn't sure what was it till today.

If you ever curios on how to cultivate these so call mushroom, or bacteria, or gem, or so-what-it-called. It produces drink which is carbonated, from its ferment during its culturing process. Some may feel it is alcoholic, probably it is due to the fermentation plus its carbonate released.

Here's how it looks like, when it started its fermentation process...

I copied the steps on how-to do it from here. Steps given here had been the closest to what my friend told me. If you think the method needs to be improved further, please share me your recipe and so I could amend mine accordingly. Thanks in advance.

Here're the steps:

1. Scoop 2 spoonful of tibicos mushroom in a clean glass

container. (Do not use soap in cleaning the container, for it has contents that may kill the needed probiotics for our health drink. Use alcohol or distilled white vinegar instead.)

2. Dilute 4 spoonful of Muscovado sugar (unprocessed brown sugar, rich in molasses) into water (the water must be pure, best is boiled and kept overnight). Pour the mixture into tibicos glass container.

3. Cover the container with a clean cloth and fasten it with a rubberband

. This is needed because the Tibicos need oxygen to live.

4. Store the container in an undisturbed area for 24-48 hours.

5. Strain. (Use a plastic strainer, for a stainless one reacts against the Tibicos. Same goes with spoons)

6. Drink. Preferrably in the morning and on an empty stomach. If there’s spare drink, store in the refrigirator. (This part I would prefer to drink before going to bed)

7. Repeat the procedures. However, cleaning the container again or rinsing it may wipe out baby Tibicos. Thus, it’s not advisable. If you think there are too many baby tibicos cultured from the fermented process, scoop them out and store it in refrigerator. After many repetitions, the Tibicos will have been plenty for you to share with your friends.

Hope the above is simple. I have yet find much improvement from the drink.. will continue to observe it for couple more weeks. You may try if you think this is workable, if not... leave this aside :) It's more of your believe... as you can tell, I am still observing its effect.

Food Surprises - Hong Kong Polo Marketing (香港菠籮仔）

Really sorry, girls & boys, ladies & gentlemen... I'd really neglected my blog for such a long time. This post was drafted long ago, but till today, I am still writing on it. Blame it on the busy life and busy work... there goes my passion on blogging. Yeah rite! Many excuses -- plenty!

Before I stumbled into this shop, I was just dreaming of the Polo Bun I had when I was back in Kota Kinabalu 2 years ago. Gosh... time flies, it was really 2 years ago about this time, I remember it was end of July till early August. Gang of us went over without plans, with an easy going holiday mood, or course with a cheap air fare. We went into a coffeeshop, on a one fine morning, which located just below our B&B along Gaya Street.

Good enough, I saw a shop selling Polo Bun as their hot cake. There are lot of varieties in the shop, but I don't see many on display at the counter. That's because these buns are selling like hot cake! Really in good demand. Many been walking into the shop, just to order dozens of bun.

Buns they sell includes below （those tag which I saw at that particular time) :-

• Char Siew Po Lo Bun （叉烧菠籮仔）
• Mini Chic Floss Po Lo Bun (迷你鸡丝菠籮仔）
• YamPo Lo Bun (芋头菠籮仔）
• Mini Durian Po Lo Bun (迷你榴莲菠籮仔）
• Wong Kok Char Siew Soh (旺角叉烧酥）
• Custard Po Lo Bun (奶皇菠籮仔）
• Po Lo Bun Original (奶油菠籮仔）
• CreamCheese Po Lo Bun
• 。。。。

It was just so difficult to wait till the buns ready. I would think, they seriously need to implement a better ordering system. The personnel just could not remember who has ordered what.

Another skeptical note from me is, I would not sure if this particular bakery shop still exist today... hehee... as I had visited them quite some time ago. I will definitely check them out again, when I am hanging around that place again.

Here's the bun I tried, char siew Po Lo bun... was nice! (sorry, it's non-Halal).

Here's the location, sorry forgot to take down the GPS coordinate :P
Kindly refer to map below.