Malaysian Pasta Noodle/Pan Mee

This was once the tallest building in the world, The Twin Tower of Malaysia.

I had taken a long break to Malaysia in the summer leaving me so relax that I forget to get back to my mundane routine in Holland. When I suddenly wake up from my dreamy trip I realize it is September now! Oh yeah, the cool crisp weather helps a lot in reminding me that is not summer anymore. Time to join my friends here for apples and  walnuts picking and cooking. Or walk in the forest persuading myself to pick up a new talent how to pick edible mushrooms instead of admiring death cap mushrooms (caution : not edible).

Malaysia's sun was so beautiful and warm no wonder it felt perpectually warm there. Here I saw how the sun is actually a "sun light" at this particular moment, poetic eh? This sun in Malaysia can do wonders to Malaysians, turning them into a one of a kind unique people (I meant this as a compliment).

We are self sufficient and many times think out of the box. Rather than walking around with our heads looking like box. Box head ( new found term).

This Trishaw Cyclist in Melaka is thinking out of the box how to attract customers with his beautifully decorated trishaw.

One uses Barbie as a theme for his trishaw deco. You may never know, there maybe many Barbie fans out there.

My husband was a bit worried hiring one of these as he is 6 foot  4, he might have to ask the cyclist to sit and he cycles. Poor guys have to cycle so hard carrying big and tall tourists.

I am actually very amazed how many motorcyclist are there in Malaysia , I suppose it is a better way to travel, easy breezy way to beat the jam and heat.

Watched them ride, cruise and swing by.

As unique as Malaysian are we found ways to beat the contradicting heat mix cool breeze while riding a bike. Hence,  a fashion style was born only found in Malaysia.

Never know huh? A jacket can be worn this way. Yes, the malaysian way, thinking out of a box.

"What are you looking at?! At least I have my helmet on!"

 Well,I am not questioning your fashion sense, I  was just worried about your grocery sir.

This unique fruit can be found in Malaysia. Stink? No way! Durian is the king of all fruits claims a  Malaysian.

Besides fresh fruits, there are plenty fresh seafood to choose from. Some typical seafood restaurants would look like this, I just need to go pick and point which to be cooked. Fresh seafood waiting to be served.

Yes waiting.....

And waiting.....I know.....

http://kyspeaks.com

I will dig in and forget my camera everything I see this.

 I found this photo on the site,  http://kyspeaks.com/2012/05/14/ky-eats-pan-mee-and-kolo-mee-at-hock-thai-ss-2-behind-bomba

Another street food that I absolute must have and is found in Malaysia only is this pan mee.

Pan Mee  is a Hokkein-style noodle, originating from Malaysia. Its Chinese name literally translates to "plank mee" maybe it  looks like a flat flour noodle like a plank ( my guess). 

The dough is made from flour just like  pasta. Traditionally, the dough is hand-kneaded and torn into smaller pieces of dough. Nowadays, the dough can be kneaded using machine into a variety of shapes, the most common shape being flat strips of noodle.

Pan Mee is typically served in soup, together with dried anchovies, minced pork, mushrooms, and a leafy vegetable such as sweet potato leaves or sayur manis (sauropus androgynus). It can also be served dry with a thick black soya sauce (also known as dried pan mee/kon lo). 

So I was determined to introduce this dish to my kids ( and their friends) in Holland. They call it pasta soup. I don't really have all the ingredients for it, I guess I just have to improvise with what I could find here. But I knew I need to do more to entice kids to try this.

So I have decided to make it more fun asking the kids to cut out fun shapes for the pan mee.

They think it is fun and they ate it! Despite not being very adventurous with food (picky kids) . Hey, I was born in Malaysia, thinking out of the box.....

one year blogging

This month mark  my one year in blogging. I would never have thought of blogging if not of my friend Lianne of allaboutyum.
She said I have the juice for it. Hahahaha... But okay, I was convinced at that time, I could use this place to deposit my "work" as I love making things, anything.


I wasn't much of a cook or great in baking. I don't really own any cookbooks as I have a sister http://www.i-lostinausten.blogspot.com whom I remember baking since she was 12 and I could always count on her for any recipes I need to experiment. Any recipes I have tried  are mostly recipes I asked, copied and borrowed from my sister, my mum and my friends which I posted here as archives for myself if it does not inspire others.


And recently I was awarded Happy Blogger award by http://www.i-lostinausten.blogspot.com and Anuja of  http://simple-baking.blogspot.com/. Thank you ladies. I really appreciate the awards.


When I started blogging a year ago I wanted to remain as private and anonymous as I can. But soon enough I came to know many bloggers who not only inspire me but are very kind and generous to share their experience, knowledge and took the time to write encouraging comments in my blog.


I had planned to be a little bit more open and personal with my friends in the blogsphere by sharing my little info about myself. Well, nothing spectacular but born and bred in Malaysia, a mother of two, married to a Dutchman and now making The Netherlands my home. Besides blogging I enjoy painting, pottery and ceramics. My art website could be found here. I sell my ceramics here


Just as I wanted to post this I was feeling a bit bummed when my email and computer have been spammed and hacked. I had to deal with the agony of virus detected and emails hacked by a location in Japan as I was told since I clicked and responded to a comment posted in my blog by the name of Heather with a gmail of heathervonsj. I googled her name and found her Facebook Heather von st james. Now I am not sure if she spammed my blog and all other people's blog including http://thecraftfrog.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-hate-spam.html 
all by herself or she is a victim of an identity theft.


All I am saying is as I am enjoying depositing my thoughts, journals, crafts, bakes, art and craft or basically what I love doing here  I was unaware of there are people out there who took this as an opportunity to jeopardize and to damage by spamming , hacking and stealing others. If one has so much talent and knowledge why not use it to do something good but bring misery and harm to another person. I was feeling so stressed and discouraged with this situation but would welcome any tips and advice out there from my blogger friends to combat this issue of our privacy, security and safety in the blogsphere. Meanwhile to all blogger friends, beware and be careful out here.

P/s I did baked some banana cupcakes in the winter (my sister used to bake these for me when I was little) but didn't have time to post it (trying to delete spams) but I did ate them while reading post like this  http://www.google.com/goodtoknow/online-safety/malware/ and this http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/gmail-fires-back-in-the-war-on-spam/   which could be educational for me.

Chocolate Lava Cake

It was a cold brutal winter this year. The Netherlands had went minus 16 degrees Celciius. I was so thrilled to be able to ice skate on a frozen lake. The Alps is covered with even more snow and happy skiers say they could ski until May this year.

I was at the Austrian Alps  a week ago. Look at this mountains covered with great flurries of mass  translucent hexagonal snow crystals. Snow flakes fluttered and stayed. I could not help but feeling a sense of purity witnessing this white snow.

This sense I could relate to the Chocolate Lava Cake I baked some weeks ago.

Chocolate Lava Cake so pure, chocolaty and good. And the warm white chocolate melts inside depicts snow's ultimate intention, warm, melt and transforming to liquid.

A more sophisticated name for a Lava Chocolate Cake is  Moelleux? Yes this time my ramekins were some shells. Thought the white chocolate would depict the gem in a shell.

It was warm later in the week, despite on top of the alps and at a higher altitude. This guys enjoy a different activity when temperature went up to 10 degrees Celcius even at 1800m on the Alps. Sun felt so near to us. Okay I am ready for spring. Especially after I have a bruised black eye from a fall while skiing. No, I was not checking these guys out at the time. Now I need sunglasses. And summer.

Women's Day/ Vrouwen Dag

At the Orchid Pavillion Garden were a few maidens who escaped to the outside court and concentrated on poetry, music, literature, art and most of all nature. Why Orchid Pavillion ? Orchid symbolizes feminity and womanhood. And today is Women's Day. 

Ok didn't hv time to grow orchids here. Just like to tease some of my DH friends . I apologise if I didn't fit in the rest of the DH friends here as they were busy running errand at the inner court.

Baked these for Breast Cancer Awareness Day but thought it is appropriate for today because who else have them but women.

Happy Women's Day

Jolly Jelly Candy Mushroom Xmas Tree Ornaments

I have been busy art & crafting with kids. This year we are decorating our Christmas tree all white and some candy ornaments using jelly candies. My daughter loves this project.

Click on this link to view a video to wish you a Happy New Year....enjoy!

http://youtu.be/FdfLCOoxqac