Gifts from her Kung Kung

My father is not the sort that enjoys company of children but deep down, he cares. I do not want my kid to remember Kung Kung as the haughty man who always asks her to keep quiet, don't jump, don't run, eat faster, don't ask questions !! Kung Kung doesn't play much with her, he's from the typical chinese era where kids are meant to be seen and not heard.


He gave Amber a handsome angpow for her 6th birthday. He's not the sort who buy gifts and always thinks angpow is the best way to convey his wishes. I still get an angpow from him for my birthday too. Bless my dear father, for his kind thoughts.

For a kid, an angpow is money that goes in her investment account, not something she can play, hold and enjoy.

My father is getting old and I wanted Amber to remember her Kung Kung in a nice way.  I used part of Kung Kung's ang pow money to get Amber things she likes - a Ben 10 tee, Ben 10 crocs, klik klok shoe and klik klok sandals, ALL her favourite things. All these and there's still substantial change to deposit to her 'investment account'.

She's soooo happy and can't wait to thank Kung Kung :D

Testing Recipe 5

This one is also a keeper.

A common hawker dish but I could never find a stall I was satisfied with. The dish is always too soggy or lacking in taste but I followed the recipe to the dot and it does give you some hints on how to cook up a firm dough for the recipe.

You don't need 'high fire-charred wok' to dish this out. Just a simple non-stick frypan will do.

This is the last recipe I've tested and can't wait for the cookbook to be out .... so I can reveal more !!!

Testing Recipe 4

This one's a keeper. I intend to replicate this same dish for Christmas party this year.

A large piece of pork shoulder, slow marinated overnight and slow roasted. I can tell it's going to be very yummy even before I roast it. The combination of spices and sauces for marinate looks very thick and delish and it's a sure guarantee that the recipe will work. 
 The pork is served in bowls of lettuce leaves.

Very delicious !

I hope this one makes it to the recipe book. A keeper !

Testing Recipe 3

Third on the list is a spicy Asian salad. I'm sure you can guess by looking at the ingredients :D

I'm having lots of fun testing this recipe as I've always wanted to cook this dish but never had the courage to. Seems daunting, with so many ingredients and steps to follow but when the recipe was emailed to me, I followed step by step. Not that difficult at all and I love cutting vegetables.

Some vegetables had to be cut to perfection, exact length.. well not exactly, the recipe stated to cut to  xxx length and I took a ruler to measure and made sure the carrots, cucumbers and beans were of same length. My hubs thought I had gone mad. He'd never seen me using a ruler in the kitchen.

I can't wait to get my hands on a Kyocera ceramic knife to cut the vegetables. My good friend Annie's husband got me a set from the Isetan 1 Utama grand opening. I just love slicing, chopping and cutting any vegetables and fruits, except onions and garlic, don't like the smell lingering on my hand whole day..



We walloped the spicy vegetable salad without any rice. Can't wait and too lazy to whip up some rice and anyway, we already had our dinner. It's good enough to eat on it's own... Hubs licked the plate clean :D

Testing Recipe 2

Second item of list of recipes I'm testing, for an upcoming cookbook of a food photographer/blogger.

This one, is chilly based paste, made from scratch from raw ingredients peeled, boiled and blended. I took the easy way out to blend instead of pound. I don't think I can survive a kitchen splattered with chilly paste all over, actually my pounding skills are bad.. I cannot handle the pestle and mortar like a true blooded nyonya who knows hows the proper rhythm and force, manipulating the pestle with accuracy and chilly juice do not get splattered all over.

I've tried using blender but it's hard to blend semi moist ingredients without adding water and I've shifted to my Tefal food processor. Blends nice and fine :D

Sambal anyone ??

Testing Recipe 1

 I was one of the lucky ones selected to test some recipes for food photographer/blogger who's coming up with a new cookbook.

I've tested here.. something similiar to yorkshire puddings but with a twist.

Love this recipe, except that egg is an essential ingredient here. When Amber is finally rid off her egg allergy, I'll definitely bake this snack for her school break.

The cookbooks' scheduled out in September 2012. I hope this item makes it to the cookbook.

I can't reveal which cookbook at the moment but am looking forward to it's release and we can all ponder of the recipes :D

Rewards

Sometime last year, we implemented a reward system for Amber's good behaviour. She'll get stars for finishing her meals, completing her homework.  I drew out a chart for her to accumulate her stars. I get her to draw and color the stars too.








Her rewards are always material stuffs that I deem as extras and luxuries that she has to work for. It can be a cartoon rubber stamp, art puncher, sniff-fruity erasor, liquid paper, Ben 10 ruler or even a box of water color. She likes all things craft and artsy.

She wanted a multi colored blink pen. She had one, given by my friend who came visiting from Singapore but it was spoilt very soon upon using.

I scoured all stationery shops in Klang Valley looking for the same pen and Aunty Annie even gave her a box of metallic pens, which she's still using till today. I finally found the same pen at Sogo.

I'd like her to know that mummy will go all ends to look for something she wants dearly but I do expect her to work for it.

Stretch-Kick-Pull

Amber has taken a liking to acrobats. It all started from a live performance she saw at Mid Valley of a group of young acrobats from China. I've recorded it in my iphone and she loves replaying and watching in awe. This little missy gave us many heart stopping moments when she tries to imitate the stunts at home. stretching and hanging her leg over the dining chair or over railings at the malls. She's super duper hyper and will never stop stretch herself and pull her leg up (shame shame) over chairs and tables.


 Once we went shopping with my sister and she did her usual, stretching her legs up the railing and did all kinds of funny stances. When you're not an expert, any kungfu kick and stretch in public will look funny. Strangers stopped to look at the awkward 6 yr old  who-doesn't-walk-properly but stretch-pull-tumble-kick in a mall. Awkward !!

Her teacher complained that she couldn't not sit still in class and keeps stretching here and there and sometimes performing very dangerous stunts. What have you done to her ???? the teacher asked !!!

We've channelled her endless energy to good use and enrolled for junior gymnastics. She's enjoying the class for the moment and let's hope her interest remains for as long as she is able to gain something good out of it.

Not in a rush to wean off....

 Call me a lazy parent and yes, shamefully, Amber is still on the bottle. She's addicted to the bottle.

The Avent bottles are a killer, costing more than RM50 each. I've asked my sis to get me new ones from Singapore (a lot cheaper!!) and I've also changed to NUK brand from Germany. Not as handy as the wide mouth Avent but quality's just as good.

She's promised to be off the bottle for her afternoon milk but mornings and nights, we still give her the bottle. If we're out for late nights, I'll change her to pyjamas and give her the bottle and she'll drift to la-la land in the car.

 Mornings are such a rush....and Ms Dilly Dally Clumsy Pot does not have the luxury to sit down and slowly sip her milk from cup and we do not have the time to clear any spills or change uniform, so the bottle is it ! 

On very rushed days, we dash to the car with a bottle in hand and she'll have her milk lying on my lap before dozing off for another 15minutes in the car. I'll wash her bottles in the office and my some colleagues look at me in disbelief .. isn't she already 6 ????

I don't really care, as long as she gets her nutrition and calories. I'm sure one day, she'll be weaned off.

You Call My Mother ah.....

We started her on Mandarin tuition recently. We felt she's not getting enough from her kindie and since both hubs and me are not Mandarin educated, we were put on red alert when we saw the Standard 1 KSSR revision books.

I got in touch with her previous kindie teacher and was lucky she has time slot to tutor Amber on Mandarin to prepare her for Standard 1

The first few weeks went well, she started from basics, mainly words she has learnt before. Then, it got harder with weekly ting xie, reading and writing.
She started complaining to teacher that she's tried and she has 'A LOT' of homework from school and abacus, and no time for Mandarin.

I gathered this from her Mandarin teacher who gives me weekly reviews :

I don't want to learn Mandarin
I know English and Bahasa enough already.
You tell my mother , I don't want to learn already.
Teacher : OK ! I will tell your mother. I will call her
You have her number ?
Teacher : Yes, I have
Never mind, I give you again, this is the number.. you call and tell her I don't want to learn Mandarin already !!

*** teacher zips mouth  - flabbergasted !! ***

Luckily Teacher persevered and held on, not calling me. The following day.. she was happy and dandy, no complains.. she even told teacher.. bye bye teacher !  See you next week !!

One thing I learn - never take her complains seriously !