Chinese New Year Celebration

I have been missing steamboat or ‘hot pot’ as how it is called here in US since we arrived here more than 6 months ago. So we’ve decided to have it on the first day of Chinese New Year and we have invited few friends who love spicy food to to join us for dinner. One thing good about steamboat is that you can put almost everything into it. But one very important ingredient KC misses is meat ball. We can easily get meat ball in any of the grocery shops but we can’t find the type that we like. They are either too fatty, salty or soft. So I think I should just try to make some for the Tom Yam steamboat.

I used boneless country style spare ribs as they are less fatty. I minced the meat and mixed all the seasoning using a food processor and stirred a bit until it’s gluey. Instead of frying the meat ball, I boiled them. I think the most difficult work in making meat ball is shaping them smooth and round. Mine turned out ugly but tasty though =P I should have taken a picture of KC when he tasted the meat ball. He was so happy because he missed meat ball in beef noodles soup that he used to eat in Kajang.

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Besides steamboat, I have made ‘bak gua’ (pork jerky) and 2 types of cookies- Vanishing oatmeal raisin cookie and chewy chocolate chip cookie.

Vanishing oatmeal raisin cookie

chewy chocolate chip cookie

Bak gua is a must have for Chinese New Year at least for Chinese in Malaysia & Singapore. However,we can’t find it here in Hershey. It’s very different from the beef jerky which we can find in the grocery shop. So, I decided to make some too. Nevertheless, unlike the meat ball, the bak gua turned out to be ‘not as what I have expected’. It was not that tasty- without the charcoal burned taste and smell. Furthermore, I guess, the bak gua we used to buy at the roadside stall had more fats! This bak gua that I made was too ‘healthy’ to have the taste – it’s low fat, less sugar, less salt and not burned! KC decided to add more butter and honey to it and roast it longer in the oven to get the taste that he likes.

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We would like to wish you all a very Happy, Prosperous, Blessed ‘Rabbit’ Chinese New Year!

Garden Tomato Salsa vs Vertigo

This is my second time making salsa. The reason I choose this recipe is because I have all the ingredients in my fridge, except cilantro and all I need to do is chop or blend. It’s pretty easy, simple BUT tasty!! KC is not a salsa fans (because he doesn’t like cilantro) but surprisingly, he said this is a good one.

Ingredient:

• 6 fresh tomatoes
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 5 slices pickled jalapeno peppers, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced (or lime)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instruction:

1. Coarsely chop 3 tomatoes and quarter 3 tomatoes.

2. Place onion, bell pepper, cilantro, garlic and jalapeno peppers into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.

3. Add the quartered tomatoes, and pulse just a few times until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl with a tight-fitting lid.

4. Add in the coarsely chopped tomatoes and mix well.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, and salt.

6. Pour dressing over tomatoes, and stir well. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

I made this for the young married couple meeting but we ended up in ER  because KC was sick. At first, we had no idea what had happened to him. He was happily drinking Pepsi and the next moment, he felt very dizzy, as if the whole room was spinning. He could not move his head, not even open his eyes!! Once he moved his head, he would start throwing up. I was very worried because we are in a foreign place and I have no one to turn to. I prayed for him and for myself. We hoped that he would get better after a nap, but no! So, I decided to bring him to ER at around 6pm with a friend’s help because by then he had threw up for at least 5 times and he could be dehydrated.

We spent almost 5 hours in ER but praise the Lord that KC did not have to spend a night in the hospital. He was on drip and feeling better but he started to vomit again when we were leaving the ER. I could see that water was all that he threw up then. He did not eat anything and that was the 10^th time…According to doctor, viral infection was the reason to it and the dizziness will last for few days, even up to a week. It’s very common here but this is our first encounter with this fancy friend- VERTIGO!

He is on medication and resting at home. He still feels dizzy when he moves his head but praise the Lord that he has stopped vomiting. We have a walker at home which helps him to move around a bit. Get well soon, dear… I need you to finish the salsa!!

He has been having minced meat porridge for the whole day, but he is happy to have chai-boh nui (prickled raddish with eggs).