Happy New Year 2009 - Part I

Gong Xi Fa Cai to everyone celebrating!

Thank you to all of you who left wishes on the tagbox. May the year of the Ox be a peaceful, prosperous and happy one for all of us.

Before I start on my New Year, a little note for Iskandar, Liza, Nonnie, Marul, Siti & Addy, Maurina, Pablo & Bunny, Sk. Khalid and Madam Tiff, Ciliqueen - how nice to meet all of you on Friday.

Huge thanks to Sk Khalid and Pablo for inviting me to the surprise birthday party for Madam Tiff - the food was delicious at the new Seri Kandi restaurant and the company was super, I really enjoyed the entertainment - 2 local comedians and although I did not catch most of their jokes (thanks, Liza for trying to explain some of them to me), it was tremendous fun watching their antics and the reaction from the audience; howls and tears of laughter, slapping of thighs and tables, and clutching of bellies and stomping of feet. Marul's facebook has priceless gems.

I hope you all had a wonderful NY's eve with your friends/family filled with happiness, fun and laughter. Ours was fabulous; great food, leisurely eating, pleasant wine, good company, lots of card games and monopoly, fireworks, and fun.

We had a steamboat for our NY eve dinner. Pretty easy to prepare and fuss free (well almost...).. Just pics for now - I'm really tired, was up at 6 am to cook 2 types of noodles and a vegetarian 'chai' dish and worked a fair bit getting the steamboat ready yesterday.

Have to be up early tomorrow as well as Wm and I are cooking lunch for 10.

Chinese New Year Eve Dinner - Sunday, 25th January 2009

The smaller table has 3 seating for non-seafood (Hazel) and vegetarians (Sil & H); the larger table has 6 seating.

I made a little fruit display from pomelos, pineapple and Mandarins.

What makes a real steamboat - sauces! Here are 2 types and a lot of salty crunchy shallots which everyone loves.

Dom's table setting (I think he probably had his porridge out of this bowl when he was a baby), and his place card is one which I made for Christmas 3 years ago. Mark's setting with a personalised placecard also from a few years ago.

Now food - nothing too dramatic; lots of stuffed tofu, prawn sticks, fish balls, eggs, fillet of fish, squid, sliced chicken thighs/drumsticks/eggs. 3 types of vegetables, 3 types of mushrooms - Shittake, Oyster and Enoki, tofu, baby corn and parsley/spring onions and kueh teow.

Vegetarian steamboat.

These sea prawns were crunchy sweeeettt fresh. The squid and fish fillets were marinated in the best marinade ever for seafood - salt, white pepper, Chinese wine, sesame oil and grated fresh ginger and a few drops of light soy sauce.

The stock was a simple one made with carrots, radish and mushrooms.

Monopoly and fireworks at the open field near our house.

At the stroke of midnight, thunderous fireworks were set off in our neighbourhood and from several households in the near distance; We joined in the merriment with our little selection and more noise was created by the aid of a large tin with several coins in it (PT), and clanging together 2 pot covers (Hazel).

We went to bed at 1 am, tired, exhausted, happy and full with the entire family under one roof. Everyone took a few pomelo leaves to shower with!

Beautiful young ladies.

Kung Hei Fatt Choy!!

Next post - Day 1 of Chinese New Year.