Rice Paper Spring Rolls

Let me share with you a simple and healthy recipe. This recipe uses rice paper so it is a rice paper spring roll. The rice paper is transparent and round shaped. It is traditionally used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. I found it easy to prepare and most of all it is very healthy, depending on what you fill it with. For me, I use a lot of salad leaf and maybe a few slices of cooked chicken meat. It is yummy and addictive. You can buy the rice paper  from an Oriental Shop in your place but be careful though do not be confused with the Chinese spring roll skin, if you accidentally bought it you will need to deep fried it instead.

For the fillings, you will need a bowl of mixed salad leaf and some sliced cooked chicken meat or artificial crab meat, tears it apart. First you will need a bowl of warm water. use this  to wet the rice paper skin when the texture changed to resemble wet plastic lift it up and gently pat with paper towel. Lay it flat on a clean wide plate and take a handful of salad leaf and some cooked chicken slices and roll it into a spring roll. It is so easy. You can dip it in Thai Chilli Sauce if you do not mind the spicy taste. I can eat three or four huge rolls. You can buy the Sauce from an Oriental Supermarket.

Rice Paper Skin.

Warm Water to wet the Rice Paper.

Roll up your Salad Leaf and Sliced Cooked Meat.

Enjoy it with Thai Chilli Sauce.



Cloisonné Mandarin Ducks,

During one of our trips to Hong Kong I was determined not to come back empty handed. In the evening we took a walk along Jordan Road and seen the usual touristy souvenirs but they did not interest me as much as these pair of Mandarin Duck, a girl and a boy. I bought it just to have something to remember me by of the trip to the former British Colony. These Mandarin Duck was a cloisonné duck. To create a cloisonné item, wires are first needed to be placed on the item in the desired design.  Then the spaces in between are filled with layers of coloured enamel. Finally, the item is fired and polished. The result is a uniquely beautiful work of art. In the world of feng shui these pair of mandarin duck symbolises love and fidelity.

A Pair of cloisonné  Mandarin Duck.

Mom's Cooking is the Best

I like good food so once a while when I go back home to mum’s place she will cook up a storm so to say! I always look forward to her cooking. In fact I have learnt so much from watching her in the kitchen conjuring her dishes that I now could also cook some of her delicious and unforgettable dishes. I remember when I was a teenager I always had my birthday celebrated and she would cook five to six dishes and my friends would look forward to attend my birthday party. She stills cook nowadays but by special request as she could not bear to stand too long now because of her leg problem. Well mom thanks for all those years of toiling in the kitchen whenever there is a homecoming. You are the best!



Mouth Watering Home Cooked Food.



Lamb Chops.



Sweet and Sour Crabs hubby's Favourites



Mom's Delicious Spreads








  



  



 

 

Unforgettable Country and Western Round Up Albums

When we were growing up in the 1960s we often listened to these Countries and Western vinyls. I knew all the songs and like it all very much. These two LP was special because it was given to my uncle, who at that time was working with the Water Work Department in that town. The person that gave these LP was an S Sgt’s With the Royal Australian Engineer. They were stationed there during that time. I heard that my uncle use to visit their camp. Whatever the stories were, these LP introduces me to all those great Country and Western Singers which otherwise I would not have known. I came to know the singers like George Jones, Rex Allen and Leroy Van Dyke. To this day I still enjoy the songs by George Jones and count myself very lucky indeed to have the opportunity to listen to those hits of that time.





Johnny Horton Sing The S.S. Lureline and other great Countries and Western Singers.

Featured the Greatest Countries and Western Singers.
Below The Songs they Sing.



Scones for Tea

Where shall we go for tea? The question we always ask and never got tired of. What shall we have for tea? I call it our leisure time. Leisure is perhaps as important as work. When we work continuously for several hours we feel very tired. After a little relaxation, we can work more energetically and efficiently. Regardless of whatever work you are doing, tea break is a good thing if it is not abuse. I am a scone freak and so is my good friend Lucy. It has been the norm these few weeks to have tea and maybe a good plate of scones over at her place.  This is the time of day when we had the update of our daily activity.  Scone has been the most frequent tea item; it is fast and easy to whip up. Here I would like to share my recipes. There are two scones recipes, Simple Scone and Rolled Oat Scone.

Simple Scone

200g Self Raisin Flour

¼ Tsp Salt

50g Brown Sugar

50g Butter

45g Cream

50g Dried Cranberries

50g Almond Strips

A Little Flour for Dusting

1 Egg

1 Egg Yolk for Brushing

In a big bowl, sift the flour. Stir in the salt and sugar.  Dice and blend in the butter until mixtures resemble fine breadcrumbs.  Add the cream and egg. Add the dried cranberries and almond strips. Use your fingers to mix the contents to soft but not sticky dough. Add a little flour if it’s sticky.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead quickly, and do not over mix. Roll out and use a round cutter to cut into require thickness.

Place scones on tray lined with greaseproof paper, brush top with egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 Degree C. for 15 minutes or till golden brown.

Serve warm, can be kept in fridge for a week and heat it up when desired.

Add the Ingredients Accordingly.

Roll Dough onto Floured Surface.

Use a Round Pastry Cutter to Cut the Dough.

Place Scones on Baking Tray

Rolled Oat Scone

180g SRF

50g Rolled Oats

¼ Tsp Salt

50g Brown Sugar

50g Butter

1 Egg

35g Cream

25g Mixed Peel

25g Almond Strips

1 Egg for Brushing

Cold Water to Mix as and when necessary

In a big bowl sift flour, add the salt then diced in the butter, mix until crumbly. Combine the rolled oats, brown sugar, mixed peel and almond strips, add these to the flour mixtures. Pour in the cream and lightly beaten egg. Knead mixtures into soft dough. If it is sticky dust with a little flour.

Roll out onto a floured surface. Cut with round pastry cutter, arrange onto a tray lined with greaseproof paper. Brush top with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven at 160 Degree. C. for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or keep in the fridge for 1 week and heat it when desired.

Petite Scones

Tea Break with Scones