Saturday Night

Drove my "Ang" early in the morning to work.
Finally, I got a chance to use the car.
Met my new employer.
Ran some errands.
Visited my mum.
Came home, nua a while
And went to in-laws for the ritual Saturday dinner - alone.

Its a boring Saturday.

And its gonna be a boring Saturday night.
My 'Ang' still at work.
Don't think he will be back until next morning 7 am.

The barbeque pits are full tonight. I can smell the food.
The swimming pool is packed. I can see the ripples.
And I'm home, watching Come On Jin Shun.......alone.

How do you spend your Saturday??

Zzzzzzz.......

After my "Ang" was called up for an emergency yesterday at 9pm, he only managed to come home 10 mins ago.....today at 8pm..... Strictly speaking, for the past 36 hours, he only rested 2 hours.

He is so zonked.

So am I.

Somehow, I keep waking up in the middle of the night to see if he's back. I couldn't sleep soundly.

Now......we got to Koon......Zzzzz

Swamped

My phone had been ringing non-stop today. Apparently I'm wanted everywhere, all of a sudden.

I need to be at home for the Singtel guy to install my Mio.
I was supposed to be in my office, preparing for my tender, scheduled to call next Monday.
I was informed I need to be in a meeting at 4.30pm about a proposal I've written for my family business.
I was informed that my new Employer needs to meet me, urgently.

Siao Liao Lor!! How to split my body? And why all last minute?

By the time I got home, its already past 9pm. I is swamped. But I was surprised by these.......

My "Ang"...........bought these from Far East Flora. No fancy packaging, but just 2 bouquets of flowers at wholesale prices. But I is HAPPY!!

But before I could put them in vases, my "Ang" received a call and had to rush to work. Before he stepped out of the door, he turned to me and said "No need to wait for me, you sleep first".

He must be saving some lives now.

How to make baby like that???

Nature's Remedies

After applying the cream that the doctor prescribed, my face doesn't seem to improve. Worse, oil pimples started to appear!!

So......I decided to take heed my Ah Mah's "prescription".

My "Ang" and I trot down to East Coast yesterday. The weather was great and I jumped into the sea, splashing my face with the sea water, soaking my body for a good 15mins. Then, came ashore tanning for 10 mins before running down the sea again for another 5 mins. Then, tanning again.

I secretly wonder...."How much money do I have to spend again for my whitening products!!"

Back at home, I washed my face again with some kitchen sea salt.

Boiled a pot of green bean soup and took like 3 bowls!

Remembered I had a bottled of XO from one of the hampers I received for Chinese New Year. Dig that out and double boiled it. Dabbed the XO with cotton wool and apply on my face. "Wah lau....very hot lor". Repeated this for like 4 times. Thanks to my "Ang", he was so sweet to apply that hot XO on my face. After he completed, he cheekily said: "If you are stopped by TP, you'll definitely be booked as drink driving, no testing needed! And to prove that you are innocent, just torch your face!!! hahaha....."

This is my "Ang".

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This morning when I woke up......WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH........The rashes subsided.

I is relieved.

Thanks to Nature's Remedies - Sun, Sea and AH MAH!!

Local Artiste

I'm either treading on thin ice or striking a few chords here.

I chanced upon this news bulletin on TV about a launch of a Jack Neo's new movie, casting Fann Wong. The usual interview, blah blah blah.....and as reporters are...they asked about Christopher Lee.

To qualify myself before I'm being bombarded by Fann's fans, I'm neither a fan nor foe of Fann or Chris.

I was taken aback by Fann's manager. That she/he intercepted the question before Fann can react. Fann hasn't even say anything yet. The manager said something like "Bu Hui Da" (Not replying). And the news clip ended abruptly on TV.

Frankly, I wasn't interested in what Fann has got to say about Christopher's offence. What pissed me was Fann's Manager, acting like an overly protected parent.

A parent may be able to send their daughter to the best schools, and with the child's ability, top the O levels, championing the name for their schools, perhaps even ultimately finding a good job and good money. The parent may even shortlist the companies their daughter should work for, perhaps even write the resume for them. But it is the daughter herself who is going for the job interview, meeting the interviewer, face to face, answering questions by herself.

Fann will probably be always protected by her manager, unable to react to impromptu situations. She will probably never get the chance to learn in this shielded environment. She may excel in her career as an actress, but hardly make it as an international celebrity.

And so coincidentally, I was watching "Zao An Ni Hao" this morning and she was with 3 actors, promoting Channel 8's new drama - Lucky Star or something like that. There, she was able to tell the audience, annouce to public to respect her privacy, blah blah blah and stop asking about her and Chris. I mean, can't you do that when you were first interviewed during Jack Neo's cut? Probably Fann wanted. Her manager didn't.

Not only should they be good at what they do - acting, they should be "brought up" knowing how to deal with the media!! And I believe, this will bring any local artiste a good leap forward the international platform.

Being a celebrity, wake up your idea lor, the media is never gonna separate private life with reel life. Because the media believes you - the celebrity - has a public responsibility!! For the precise reasons you were endorsed by product companies, you have a responsibility towards the public on what you endorse, on what you represent, of who you are.

The only sickening thing is - when the media distorts the truth.

For the truth - stand out, stand up and speak for yourself!!

Final thought - Manager Buey Steady.

Reaction

By some Nabei luck, I kena allergic reaction!!!!!

My face and neck is full of rashes. Red, Swollen & Itchy!!! Luckily, my body is quite alright. After thinking what went wrong, I concluded it must be dirt or dustmites at my aunt's place. I was tired and laid down my head to rest. The bugs must be happily feeding on my face!!! Thanks to their "maidless" household now!

Now, I look like a "Hong Mor" man. Spent $54 on some pills to stop itching, a bottle of cleansing solution and a bottle of cream.

Called my granny and her first reaction is "Why you so many Kang Tow one?" Then she starts to teach me what to do.

1. Wash face with lukewarm water and salt to disinfect.
2. Double boil some whisky or brandy and apply onto face to kill germs.
3. Cook green bean soup with sugar coated winter melon strips to clear my blood and lower my heatiness.

The good old cheap and practical method. How can I live without my AH MAH!!!!

AH MAH is Best!!!

Leaving

As heavy as I lugged my feet into my boss' room, I walked out of his room with a heavy heart.

Just as you've heard the $750,000 HDB flat transaction at Tiong Bahru, the private housing is clocking a selling price at about $2000 per square foot, the shortage of commercial land that URA has stopped any residential development in the CBD area and released another 10 or more land parcel for sale to cater for the shortage, En Bloc sales surpassing the billion dollar mark, HDB reviving EC developments by releasing sites, major key mega projects like the IR, Sports Hub, Seletar Aerospace Centre, Downtown MRT Line, Marina Bay Development are all boosting the whole construction industry.

My heart was heavy when I walked out. Was it guilt? But why should I feel guilty? Was it sadness? Yes, probably. Empathy would probably be right.

My boss has been a great man.....standing at almost 2m tall, he has a big heart and had never raise his voice to any of his employees. I remembered when I was fresh out of school, attending my 1st job interview of my life, sitting face to face in his office, he told me this:

The job is easy, its the people who makes it difficult.

I was clueless when he first told me that. Now, its all making sense.

Guess I'm making the job difficult for my boss now.....

Recipe of the Month

Any meat eater would love this. I call this "Jing Du Pai Gu". Typically, Zi Char stalls served them in big pork chop slabs together with the bone. My "Ang" find them too troublesome to eat in big slabs, so I remove the bones and chop them into smaller bite size. Again, my recipe is based on Agaration.

Ingredients:

Pork chops (4 slabs seen here)

Marinade:

• 2 tsp light soy sauce


• 2 tbsp plain flour


• 1 tbsp corn starch


• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda


• dash of salt

Glaze:

• 3 tbsp tomato ketup


• 1 tbsp sugar


• 2 tsp Worchestshire sauce


• 1/2 cup water

Method:

• Remove bones and cut into bite size


• Use the backside of knife or a pounder to pound the meat as tenderlizer


• Add all marinade to meat. The texture here is not to create a thick batter but just sticky and thin enough to stick to your hands and meat. You should find the batter difficult to remove from your hands.


• Leave for 30 mins. This is critical. We must allow the bicarbonate of soda to react.


• Fry in oil until brown. Remove from frying pan.


• Mix glaze and bring to boil


• Add fried meat to glaze and stir to coat meat. Make sure that the fried meat soaks up the glaze and soften the crust.

ENJOY!!!!

Greetings

Everyone has fears.

Some fear ghost, some fear getting fat, some fear losing their jobs, some fear cockroaches, some fear heights, some fear blood.....the list can go on.....

And the worse part? Coming face to face with your fear.

Recently, I have been often greeted by my fear.

At first, I was caught by surprise. My heartbeat hastened.

Then, I was wary. I tread with caution.

Later, I became prepared, I had my "protector" with me.

Today, knowing my "protector" is not around, my fear greeted me at my doorstep!!!

LIZARD!!!!

The pure typing of the word makes me shiver and goose-pimpled. My mum always say: "Org Lang Bo Dar"!!!!

Don't ask me why I fear lizards. There is no explanation. If one can explains, its no longer a fear. Academics define fear as a survival mechanism and signal us of danger and preparing us to deal with it.

But what's so dangerous with this tiny, slimmy, cold blooded lizard???

I is useless.

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day.

I have not thought of what to get as gift.
I have not thought of where to go for dinner.
In fact, I have never celebrated Father's Day in my whole life.

No merchants had earned a single cent from me.
No restaurants had taken any reservations from me either.

My father, someone whom I only knew for 11 years, passed away on Father's Day 1986.

And that's the way he wants me to remember him and never forgets - my father on Father's Day.

A bittersweet day.

Wrapping Dumplings

Tuesday is "Duan Wu Jie" AKA Dumpling Festival.

So, it has been a tradition for my in-laws to wrap dumplings to celebrate this festival. Since this was my 1st year, I obediently reported my "attendance" at my 2nd sis-in-law's place. By the time I reached there around 11am, my MIL and two SILs had already started. I quickly dig my hands in and started wrapping.

You might be thinking - "You know how to wrap meh?

Hee hee hee.....Not really, although I've done it before but practices were not sufficient to make perfect dumplings. So, I take this as a revision lesson for dumpling making and practices make perfect.

TADAA....

Though they doesn't look very professional, but at least they didn't open up when they were boiled.

Here's are some done my SIL - "Sart Sart Boh Chio, right"!!

Look at the make shift stoves!!

Then it was indulgence time. And that's where the men start to appear - To eat!!!

Though it was tiring, considering that I only participated in the wrapping part and not the cooking and preparation part, I enjoyed the whole event - getting together, kids running around, chit chatting, tasting, laughing, some watching Korean drama in the house, some neighbours passing by to say hi, etc.... An Uniquely Singapore way of family time.

Jiak Pa Buey?

This is my granny.

My granny is 86 years old. She cooks her own meal and do her own laundry. Steady right?


She watched the news on TV. She chit chat with her neighbours. She whipped up cans of her own concoction (fried seaweed, minced mushroom stalks, seasoned nutmeg, etc.....) and gave to her children/grandchildren/great grandchild whenever one of us visits her. She do prayers 3 times a day in her prayer room. She tends to her beloved plants and herbs. She do up her hair nicely and never wears pyjamas outside of the house. She puffs her cigarette in the confines of her house.

And I....., am one of those who is brought up by my Granny.

I popped up at her place today, unannounced and hungry..... and she quickly whipped up lunch....within minutes!!! And it always taste so good!! It brought me back to so much memories.

We shared the same bed when I was young. She walked me to school on my 1st day. She fetched me from school everyday, rain or shine.

Food can fill an empty stomach.

Food can also bring people together for a gathering.

It can also show LOVE. Not the Ang Moh style of hugging and kissing.

The "Uniquely Singapore" way of asking..... "Jiak Pa Buay?"

Doing Business

Did I mention that my mother owns a business?

This year celebrates its 20th year.

I had always been adamant about joining the company. Not that I dislike the nature of business, but the nature being family oriented has always been a put off to me. It has been a norm for family gathering filled with business discussions among my aunties, uncles, cousins and of course, my younger brother. Occasionally, I was approached for business decisions and directions.

To say I am completely not involved in the business - I'm not exactly.
To say I am completely involved - I'm not too.

I had been sitting on safe ground.

Recently, a sense had been growing stronger and stronger within me. My mother set up the business after my father's and sister's deaths, from money compensated for their deaths. The thought of continuing the league keeps popping into my mind. The business had clocked so many milestones - post 97, SARS. Now, its on a crossroad.

The business is like the blood in my mother's body. It flourished, expanded and grew when my mother was working day and night, getting fatter and happy. Now that my mother is sick, the business spiralled south. Its like the ringing in the business cashbox follows my mother's heartbeat.

My entry today is so unstructured. My thoughts are in a mess.

Doing business......is it my cup of tea?

Phenomenon of Premonition of Death

I had been thinking about this.

In Chinese, its called "Hui Guang Fan Zhao".

I vaguely remembered my father when he was in coma in ICU for 3 weeks. But one thing I remembered the mumblings were that he had been shifted to the inner half of the ICU after observing an "improvement". Next thing I know, he passed away.

I do believe in Hui Guang Fan Zhao. I have heard some. I have read some.

And I am anticipating for one, I'm hoping for one, I'm praying for one - My mother's.

That's the last chance I have to speak to her.

But.....

What will I say to her? I seriously don't know.

Maybe I should start with something like "Ai Lim Jiu Mai? Guiness?"

Spice

Some friends had been asking about the spice packet in the last entry. So, pictures speaks a thousand words.

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Met one of my beerkaki in the afternoon and visited his eatery place called "Heads or Tails" located at Market Street Carpark. Its an authentic Thai eatery with Thai chef! Besides the lunch menu of rice and noodles, they have the all-day toast bread with at least 7 toppings to choose from.

My favourite is Yam Kaya.

Then we couldn't resist and popped over to Harrys across the street and had these.....

After a few pints, we were joined by some young executives who believes that drinking by the volume is "Eh Lim", having 3 pints within 3 hours is "buey lim".

Nowadays, I just like to enjoy a few pints over great conversation, catching up with old friends. No longer that 5, 10 game, no longer that "Ta"......

Entertaining

It has been a weekend full of entertaining at home - Saturday and Sunday.

EAT. TALK. LAUGH.

Everything that's got to do with the mouth!!

I whipped up a dish of "Lor Ba" AKA Braised Pork Belly, with steamed buns and butterhead lettuce. Some friends has been asking for the recipe, but my method of cooking had always been "Agaration" and "Tasting". So, this recipe is as close as it can get.

Ingredients:

• Pork Belly
• Tau Pok
• Tau Kee (optional)
• Eggs (I used Quail eggs but normal chicken eggs are absolutely fine)
• Braise spices 1 packet (available in dry goods store in wet market)
• Dark Soy Paste (for colour)
• Light Soy Sauce (for taste)
• Sesame Oil, little (for fragrance)

Method:

• Season pork belly with dark soy paste, light soy sauce and sesame oil. Minimum 30 mins. If time permits, overnight is best.
• Fry the seasoned pork belly in oil until the meat and skin turns crispy (Deep fry if possible).
• Boil a pot of water and place the spices into the water.
• Transfer the fried pork belly into pot and let it braise.
• After 30 mins, place Tau Pok, Tau Kee, hard boiled eggs into the pot.
• Braise for another 30 mins.
• Done.
• Carve meat.

In construction, we talked about Critical Path. If the foundation is not done, the column cannot be constructed, hence the whole building. So, for this dish, there are 3 Critical Paths!!

CP 1: Seasoning the pork belly with dark soy paste. This must be done in order to achieve a dark coloured texture. Coat the entire pork with dark soy paste. The pork belly cannot be cooked or boiled in water before this step. Once the pork belly is cooked first, the pores of the skin closes and the dark soy paste cannot "seep" into the meat.

CP 2: Fry the meat before braising. Best if deep fry until skin is crispy. Without this step, no matter how long the meat is braised, it will not get soft or tender.

CP 3: Carving of the pork belly with a carving knife. If not, use a knife that has a jagged blade. Not those chinese knifes that has a straight blade that we typically use for chopping. A carving knife is able to sear through the fats and meat when it is tender, producing proper rectangular cuts. Without a carving knife, the meat will be in odd chunks with small pieces lying around.

This is one of the easiest and universal dish. The men take it with steam buns or rice. The figure/health conscious ladies remove the fats. The children loves the gravy in their porridge and eats the tau pok and eggs. Even if there are leftovers, it is easily heated up and eat it with porridge the next day!!

On Sunday, another group of my girlfriends came and we have a mani-pedi party at home. It was fun. We engaged a mobile manicurist while we gossiped and chit-chatted. And due to the extremely hot weather, I concocted a refreshing drink. Very simple. To make about 1.5 litres, you need 4 slices of ginger, 1 stalk lemongrass, 4 tablespoons of honey and of course, water. Refrigerate.

Cheers!