Month: April 2010

RM 62.85 bowl of Maggi Mee with Tiger Prawn, mixed seafood and oyster

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start

Okay, now back in the days, my parents don’t exactly let me indulge in instant noodles, due to their misguided belief that it will cause your hair to fall off.

I’m now 29 and I have a healthy crown of hair so I can say with all enthusiasm (complete with an I-told-you-so) expression on my face:

tiger prawn me

MYTH DEBUNKED!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, back then my idea of cooking MAGGI® Curry (it’s my favorite flavor) is pretty basic – 2 packets with 2 (or sometimes 3) eggs.

maggi mee

You know that TVC where this nerdy guy cooks it his way and goes out to the balcony to enjoy his supper of MAGGI® and meets this girl?

boil

Well, that didn’t happen to me but I went to university in Australia and as EVERY person who did their undergraduate degree overseas will tell you – instant noodles is a staple in our diet due to budgetary issues.

However, I did manage to come up with some creativity in my cooking while down under (if you eat it every single day, you gotta find stuff to spice it up, so to speak). I started experimenting and adding in stuff and now that I’m not a poor university student anymore, I still enjoy MAGGI® Mee (Curry of course) but with more…premium, shall we say, ingredients.

recipe

You will need:

MAGGI® Mee (Curry Flavor)
Mixed Seafood – mussels, shrimp, crab sticks
Canadian Oyster
String cheese
Large Tiger Prawn
Eggs

MAGGI® Mee My Way circa 2010 costs RM 62.85 per bowl. Heh!

tiger prawn cook

Tiger Prawn @ RM 34. Don’t over boil this – make sure that it’s tender and juicy when you eat it. It’s actually pretty easy to cook, just chuck it into boiling water seasoned with salt.

mixed seafood

Next up comes the mixed seafood (after you take the tiger prawn out) – use the same stock as the prawn will impart a lot of flavor into the broth.

One habit I’ve never managed to break is using my fingers to test the readiness of MAGGI® Mee – I know it’s two minutes but without a timer, and with my Time Tested (TM) method it’s actually quite easy – just take a bit of noodles up and squeeze it in between your fingernails – with enough practice, you’ll know when it’s cooked.

runny yolk

I like my eggs to have runny yolks so this is another thing you should watch out for. I like to think I’m pretty good at this – making a perfect bowl of MAGGI®. 😉

seafood

Okay, this is cheese. Cheese and MAGGI®, you say? Heresy right? No.

cheese

It’s actually pretty good….provided you don’t let it melt in the soup – just heat it up in the hot soup so the string cheese will be chewy.

prawn meat

The oyster on the top is a appetizer of sorts – a way to make MAGGI® Mee a complete meal!

I’m sure you have your favorite MAGGI® recipe right? If you don’t, you’re not Malaysian but I’ll cut you some slack and point you in the right direction – you can view some past recipes here. Wanna join the MAGGI® Mee My Way contest? There are RM 30,000 worth of prizes to give away with a top prize of RM 8,000 + a RM 100 hamper. All you need to do is to record a video of yourself cooking MAGGI® like the one I did above.

slurp

Your video should clock in at 2 minutes coz that’s the amount of time it takes to cook a packet of MAGGI®! Give it a nice and creative title and make sure you feature all the ingredients you used in the recipe, method of preparation and best of all – how you enjoy the dish!

You know all about the Tim Tam Slam right? Now, here’s the MAGGI® Slurp (TM). =D

I’m sure you’ve all done it before. DON’T PRETEND! I know you do it too. 😛

end

Surf on over and do your best on the MAGGI® Mee My Way Contest! Good luck!

Frasers Cafe @ Mt Eden

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frasers

Frasers Cafe is a rustic nook in the corner that’s very popular with the locals in Mt. Eden, Auckland. My sister is a huge fan of their breakfast and just before I was due to fly back to Malaysia, she brought me there to check it out.

frasers interior

It reminds me a lot of the little al fresco cafes in Melbourne, with pretty similar choices.

hot chocolate

I went for a nice bowl of hot chocolate with marshmallows on the side. I’m just decadent that way, bowls > mugs any day. 😉

Eggs Benedict with bacon

This is my Eggs Benedict with bacon (NZD 17.90). Just look at the poached egg – pregnant with possibilities (well, egg yolks at any rate), the juicy strips of bacon and the generous topping of warm Hollandaise sauce. It tasted marvelous, with the runny yolk and butter permeating every single bite.

French Toast served with fresh fruit and mixed berry maple compote

My dad went for the healthier option of French Toast served with fresh fruit and mixed berry maple compote (NZD 17.50). It comes with fresh fruits on the side and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. I thought this was pretty good too.

Pancake Stack with banana, crispy bacon, maple syrup and berry compote

This is the Pancake Stack with banana, crispy bacon, maple syrup and berry compote (NZD 17.90) that my sis had for breakfast. I think the home made blackberry and blueberry compote (Google says this means fruit stewed or cooked in syrup) is the best part about this dish. A dab of that on a piece of warm pancake with a slice of bacon tasted divine. Sweet and savory.

Frasers Omelette of potato, capsicum, tomato and mozzarella served with onion jam

Alvin had the more subdued Frasers Omelette of potato, capsicum, tomato and mozzarella served with onion jam (NZD 16.80). The omelet was good but what made this special is the “onion jam” which tasted sweet. Nice!

frasers cafe interior

Frasers is a nice place for a huge cooked breakfast. I recommend you sit inside during autumn so your food doesn’t get cold as soon as it’s served. It can be a bit packed, but service is quick and efficient.

eggs benedict

…now tell me this doesn’t look good. =D

A bottle contains more philosophies than all the books in the world

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jerine acrylic painting

I got this acrylic painting from Jerine as a present. I managed to meet up with her just now at 1U and she drew me down to a T. Heh!

Guest writer taking over:

(coz she says I write too much like a copywriter)

Ahahahaha… WTF man! I don’t even have time to blog on my own blog now I have to write here? Oh well… That’s one of my recent masterpiece. The story goes back to when I wanted to paint one for my boss then he (HB) said “Eh, draw for me also lah”. Since he’s so nice, I can’t refuse his request. I’ve already done thousands…. oh no… I’m exaggerating… maybe a hundred of such paintings for friends. Normally, I just draw my friend with a hint of that person’s personality. But HB is like sooooooooooo random and he has sooooooo many interests, I had a hard time to draw this one. Should I draw him with casino chips? Or him with exotic foods? Or him with all the six seals sign of the end of the world? Like what they say, alcohol probably is the most inspiring thing in this world. There was a bottle of beer right in front of me. And the voila!!! You have that painting of HB with a bottle of beer in his hand!

I really like this one and it’s moving with me along with Jammie’s table. I’m going to hang it on the wall of my new place. I do wish that artistic liberty was taken to make me look better though.
smirk

Player FAIL

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jestina post

I’ve just been told that I’m a nice person. Now this is usually a good thing no? Well, not when it is followed by a very polite and politically correct sentence which in effect goes “You’re too nice to be my boyfriend”. 😉

Now, I have to admit…I don’t get this very often. It’s new to me. Novel. I was actually quite pleased to get this “I don’t like you but we can be friends” treatment.

Okay, I won’t say I’m pleased but I think it’s for the best. I think I understand agape now. I’ve been interested in this girl for ages (no points for guessing who).

She is interested in another person. I think that’s great, if the person is a nice guy.

I have a feeling I went about this entire thing the wrong way though. I tried too hard to be nice instead of being the indifferent player. I think all girls like bad boys to some extent.

This entire “Let’s just be friends” thing is different from what I’m used to receiving, but now I think of it, it’s for the greater good.

I usually make people cry. *cue song I’m a heart breaker*

She didn’t make me cry though. I totally understand. I still feel the loss though coz she’ll make a great life partner.

On the other hand, knowing my history, friends will DEFINITELY outlast my average relationship. 😉

Now, when is karma coming to bite me in the ass?
hi

10 reasons I need a new ride

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#1 My current one is getting a little long in the tooth

long in the tooth

I own a Toyota Vios 1.5G which I bought in 2006 and from the multiple accidents that its been through…well, it doesn’t handle as good as it used to.

#2 It’s My Life

…and I did it my way. I’m 29 and I’ll be purchasing a condo in a couple of months. The next step is getting a new car. I like to think that I’m still young (oi, at least I’m not 30 yet okay?) and I want a performance car which handles well on the road but won’t make me file for Chapter 11 just for gas. I come from a family of Toyota owners (my dad has a Land Cruiser and Lexus, which is not technically Toyota but same company) so when I trade in I’m gonna get me a Vios 1.5G TRD Sportivo.

#3 Steer me up Scotty!

central panel

This the redesigned steering wheel in the new Vios. I love steering wheels with integrated controls. It just helps prevent #1 – accidents. You know how it is when you’re driving your friends. Everyone with different music tastes and so forth. Switch channels? Volume up? Sure!

#4 Reat flat floors

flat seats

You will not appreciate this until you come to that hallowed time when you really want a flat floor. I won’t elaborate further. The official SPL is that you can…er, recline and just chill like you’re the King of the World (or at least the King of the Backseat).

Erm, it kinda sleeps two at the back too – one on the backseat and one of the floor. No…ah, backache to worry about. 😉

#5 Big Pimpin’

vios g trd

You want a sweet ride, right? Nice, sleek and new with perhaps that extra boost to get you from Point A to Point B a little bit faster.

aerokit

TRD decals on everything would do wonders too!

rims

Pick up chicks as easy as ABC. By chicks of course I mean baby chickens (the poultry, the white meat we eat).

#6 You’re hot and you’re cold

hot cold

Okay, this is one of my pet peeves. Not everyone is created equal…at least not with regards to cold tolerance. Some people just feel chilly at a relatively warm 18 degrees Celcius. Of course, being the courteous driver, you have to accomodate for them…and this is where the centre instrument panel with brand new aircond control dials comes in handy.

#7 Red is the new black

trimmings

Check out the new red stitching on the seats, shift and steering wheel of the Vios 1.5G TRD. It’s subtle but it’s noticable. I feel faster already!

#8 God is in the details

The new Toyota Vios 1.5G and 1.5G TRD Sportivo has design and performance changes which makes one of the best selling cars in Malaysia all the better (better-er?).

vios g front

There’s a new grille

vios g back

A remake of the rear combi lamp

An all new combination leather seat in addition to the other details in this Vios makeover documented above

#9 Economical with the truth

concealed

If you noticed (which you won’t) the new Vios 1.5G varients have concealed front center storage. I love this. Anything with the word “concealed” appeals to me…until the 5-0 learns about it of course. 🙁

Otherwise, you can just put whatever you want inside there and there’s no one to stop (and search) you.

…and another thing about (fuel) economy, the VVT-i engine will get you far. Take it from a Vios owner. It’s easy on the wallet when you pull up to a gas station.

#10 Fast and furious

rear

Well, at least look the part – with the new TRD Sportivo aerokit, seat fabric and suspension kit.

sportivo

Now the latter will really help a lot when that ciplak car beside you with its big modified exhaust and boosted up sound system makes the driver think it has +666 HP – until you leave him in the dust. 😉

I kinda feel bad after going for that test drive with the Toyota Vios 1.5G TRD Sportivo coz it makes my current ride feel…so old. And I don’t like being reminded of my age. :p Time to save up then for an upgrade!

i want

Desirability…do you have it?

Webpage: http://www.toyota.com.my
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/ToyotaMY
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ToyotaMY
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ToyotaViosMy

Serious about pies

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pies

No, not poontang pie. The regular, good ol’ down under pies. I’ve been to PAKn’SAVE (which seems to have upstaged Countdown as the premier grocery shopping place in New Zealand) and sampled their wide variety of pies.

paknsave

Bacon and cheese with egg. Shepard’s pie. Pork and apple pie (my favorite – a contrast of sweet and sour, like life). It’s one of those things I’ve missed since I’ve came back from Aussie. A simple pie doused with ketchup on top.

jesters

One of the best places I’ve had pies during my previous week in Auckland is Jesters (who are really serious about pies). They have a wide range (including the pork and apple pie I was talking about – trust me, it tastes better than it sounds).

No, this has nothing to do with my fantasies of migrating to New Zealand with Jestina. *cough*

How much floor should you use to make a pizza?

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pizza floor

I’m much more interested in the pounds of ceiling and wall the toppings are made from. 😉

The funny thing is that this came out in an issue where there was an insert apologizing about a misprint in the previous one saying that Kadazans are from Sarawak with an addendum that more care will be taken for future publications. Kadazans are from Sabah, with the exception of Karen Mayer coz she’s just special that way.

Reclaim the night!

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zouk

phobia /f’oʊbiə/
Synonyms:
noun: fear
phobias (plural)
A phobia is a very strong irrational fear or hatred of something

twin towers

Remember my post entitled Fear of the dark? BTW, for red blooded men “hatred” is a synonym for “fear”. 😉

party people

I just thought you’ll like to have an insight into the XY Chromosome brain.

sony tx7 touch screen

I managed to get my grubby paws on a Cyber-shot TX7 and decided to take it out for a night out of clubbing!

intro

Their were hens night too.A hen party is seen as a special event their. All were dancing with pole and shirtless. That was really a treat for girls eye.

cheers

I’ve always been apprehensive (Read: afraid) of taking photos at night due to the tragic results that inevitably happens. I’ll take 10 photos in a row and ALL of them will turn out bad. >.<

camwhore

However, ever since the Cyber-shot TX7 I have faced my fears and conquered them! Here’s my awesome night out at Zouk in KL with friends the previous weekend.

b52

I love the rich and textured quality of the photos. There’s Intelligent Auto Adjustment – perfect for the lazy ones among us.

the girls

Hand-held Twilight is another Godsend from the good people at Sony. A lot of clubs don’t allow you to bring in dSLRs so a compact that can rival a dSLR in night shots is your best bet.

night out

There are also heaps of Scene Selection options – from Twilight Portrait to Gourmet (for taking food photos) in addition to whimsical features like Pet.

food

Food, glorious food! It finally looks like what it should be!

panoramic

A panoramic shot! Easy peasy to do.

our family

The thing that really takes the cake in terms of the Cyber-shot TX7 is the option of taking 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio photos.

velvet

You won’t know how useful widescreen is until you’ve used it in a club with people jostling you around and elbowing you to get some dance space. You can also take 8 photos in a row – perfect for OCD people like me who likes to choose the best possible picture from a range.

photos

Personally, the feature I like the most in the TX7 is the ability to shoot in HD quality video, so I’m going to show you how well it performs in low lighting conditions with multi colored strobe lights messing with the sensor.

I have had a lot of problems with shooting videos in my previous digicam and with the HD quality video recording with this, it’s really tempting me to go back to Cyber-shot digicams. It’s sleek as hell and easy to slip into your pocket or purse for a great night out. The touch screen works wonders too in getting a lot of appreciative glances from the people around you. 😉

Check out the full product specs here. All photos taken with the TX7, except the ones featuring it, obviously.

I only have one complain about the Cyber-shot TX7. I’ll have to return it tomorrow. 🙁

sony tx7 model

Can I keep it please?

Empress Garden Restaurant, Herne Bay, Auckland

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Empress Garden Restaurant

We went for a family dinner before my mom’s operation slated the next day. I wanted to bring her to a nice restaurant but my mom has very Chinese tastes and wanted to go to a Chinese restaurant.

peking duck

My sister recommended Empress Garden – it’s supposed to be the best Peking Duck place in Auckland (which isn’t saying much, trust me) and the sheer volume of patrons requires a reservation in advance. The place was packed!

duck feet

We had an entree of cold boneless duck feet. Tasty, and no pesky bones to get in the way of your enjoyment of animal foot fetish. 😉

peking duck dish

Anyway, about the Peking Duck, which is the headliner for this place, it’s prepared in the usual three-part procedure – the duck skin, the second phase (lots of options here) and the third dish (usually soup).

peking duck prep

I didn’t find the Peking Duck to be particularly authentic – it doesn’t only come with the skin but also some meat (!!!). How liddat?

peking duck eat

We had the sesame pockets for the second course – you put the minced duck meat cooked with chai bo and stuff it into warm pastries.

sesame pockets

Pretty good.

sesame seed filled

The third course is duck soup with vegetables and tofu.

peking duck soup

All three duck dishes comes from the Peking duck – utilized to the fullest, the bone is used to cook the soup.

duck soup

Obligatory dish of veggies – being not a fan of green things (except those you smoke instead of cook). I don’t know what it is, my mom ordered it.

veggies

Also, one last dish of Kung Pow pork. I have serious doubts about this. It looks more like sweet and sour pork instead of Kung Pow pork (no dried chillis) but they cook it with chilli oil instead.

kung pow chicken

The Peking Duck costs NZD 80 alone. The entire bill came up to about NZD 170 which is RM 387 – pretty cheap considering we couldn’t even finish it. >.<

Posted 1:56 PM NZ time



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