Sunday, June 24, 2007

Our Popiah Party


So far we had two popiah sessions: Last Sunday we celebrated our daughter's birthday with mama's homecooked popiah. I cooked one big pot and freezed half of it.Last night we had another happy popiah dinner with our in-laws and their family.

It is very unusual for in-laws to be able to get together, to communicate well, to sit around dinning table enjoying sumptuous meals. Also we get along well with my daughter-in-law's siblings. This is also the same with my son-in-law's family. I enjoy our gatherings and treasure every moment. When I was down with flu, my son-in-law's brother sms me asking about my condition. On father's day, the brother of our daughter-in-law sms my husband to wish him happy father's day. Thank God, how well blessed we are!

Hokkien popiah is very much different from the local popiah. I use 10 ingredients: Beancurd, belly pork, cabbage, carrot, Chinese mushroom, leek,bamboo,small prawn, "bang kwan", french bean. It took me the whole morning finely cut all the ingredients. Oh, how I wish I had a good chef knife!

To my surprise, my son-in-law presented me with a nice sharp chef knife the next day. I was touched by this little action. Of course in return I gave him a small hong bao (red packet) becasue it is not wise to accept knife from others.

Now I realize that family members are there for you. Friends come and go and true friends are hard to come by. If you do have some good friends, hold on to them and treasure their true friendship. "人间有二险,江河险,人心更险;天下有两薄,春水薄,人情更薄" (In life there are two danger factors, deep seas and rivers are danger spots, human hearts and thoughts are more dangerous. Spring water is clean and clear and transparent, friendship can be selfish, shallow and superficial.)

Thursday, June 21, 2007

我又做薄饼了




女婿到香港工作去了,女儿不得不辞去工作嫁夫随夫,心里有万二分舍不得,但只有 let go! 愿主保佑他们生活愉快,一切顺利.

上周末他们回耒小住,正好是女儿生日,我心血来潮,煮薄饼庆祝.

切切煮煮忙了两天,好累啊!那时真渴望有把好刀, Chef Knife,切起来就不必太吃力了.想到大家期望着我的薄饼,又想到一家能开开心心相聚,就煮吧!

星期天大家到齐,那天正好柯博士有空,请他来拍全家照,当然他也有口福了.看着大家吃得津津有味,证明我的厨艺还不错,好欣慰.

女婿听到我埋怨那把刀不利不好用,隔天就买了一把好刀送我,这一小举动,甜在我心头,我立刻封了个小红包给他,因为送刀是不吉利,一刀两断.

好了,应该谈谈薄饼材料吧!其实我的 recipe 是没标准的,是 aka aka 大概大概,就是么简单!

豆干十五小块 (带有咸香味那种)
包菜两粒
红萝卜六个
沙葛一粒
竹笋或冬笋适量
蒜 八至十支
冬菇
三层肉
小虾

所有材料切成细丝.先把切好的豆干放入热油炸一炸.而後放少许油各别炒其他材料.

用鸡骨煮少许上汤,拿出鸡骨,放入三层肉,蒜,小虾,冬菇和笋,大火煮沸,後加入豆干,红罗卜,最後放入包菜和沙葛,煮沸後,小火慢熬,不时轻轻搅拌菜料,拿出多余的水份,加少许监,两小时候,香喷喷一锅薄饼料可上桌了.记得小时家里佣人是用火炭小火慢煮,味道自然是特香的,啊,那是五六十年代的事了,往事只能回味!

接下来就是配料了:

chopped garlic

磨碎花生

辣椒

油炒豆角丝
黑甜酱

蛋丝

腊肠片

元荽

生菜

水煮豆芽

煮水去壳中虾

葱油炒虎蹄

黄瓜丝

最後就是要有好的薄饼皮.以前在中国街和吉宁街後面小巷大门内,有两家手制薄饼皮卖,前一家不知搬迁到那里,另一家商号是 "合吉" Blk 22, Havelock Road, #01-28. Tel: 62712936/62701075 (9m-1.30pm). 一公斤中型薄饼皮可包卅卷.

合吉不但有卖磨碎花生和甜酱,但我用惯了"新义盛酱园"的,他们也有卖做好的薄饼料,只是没加笋,不知味道如何?

好了,大略到此,煮得不好,千万别怪我,煮得美味可口,别忘了请我!




















Tuesday, June 19, 2007

儿子的婚礼




恩爱的新人





四月廾八是儿子大喜之日,我以最兴奋的心情迎接媳妇.

九点左右教堂己坐满了亲朋戚友,非常感动他们的到来为新人祝福祷告,更感谢从香港到来八十岁的三婶,堂妹,堂弟,外甥女,槟城来的两位乾弟妇,乾姐夫,当然感激柯博士以表哥,新郎伴,证婚人的身份来参加,场面好热闹.

四位可爱的小花童,有如小天使,随着音乐慢慢步入礼堂,而後三位漂亮的伴娘姗姗而来,大家久等的新娘笑吟吟的挽着父亲的手慢步而入.当父亲把女儿交给新郎时,心裹充满了依依不舍之感,使我想起两年前女儿结婚,当时心情也是如此激动.天下父母心都是一样的!

婚礼仪式在神父的主持下完美告成,一对新人笑容满面步出礼堂,好温馨的一幕.

到了酒店礼堂己来了许多贵宾,老友重聚,小孩们玩在一起,大家都好开心.

一进 ballroom, 远远看到三张红布的嘉宾桌,其他的都是用黑桌布,黑色餐巾加上红丝带,桌上放了鲜艳的红玫瑰花,看去多显眼,非常特别美观,亲朋戚友都赞好,大家异口冈声说 Grand Hyatt 有创造风格,主人家会欣赏.客人开心,我们也欢心.

主菜用完後,客人都被请到大厅堂另一端享用甜品自由餐,以 chocolate-fondue 为主,这是媳妇精撰的, 加上许许多多的美味蛋糕,大家都吃得津津有味,对这种特别的安排,赞不绝口.

这婚礼一切一切都是媳妇细心策划,我只有袖手旁观,需要参加意见就大谈理论,需要帮忙时就尽力而为,大家合作得非常轻松愉快,和睦共处,乐在其中,完全没有代沟,毕竟这是年轻人的终生大事,让他们随心所欲,完美的婚礼会带来幸福的婚姻.

愿主保佑,一对新人婚姻美满,而我们大家能快乐的安居在一屋檐下.