ABC Wedesday: B for Birthday

Sticky Taiwanese nougats from my friends Lily and Maggie.

Chinese dates





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Today, lunar 23rd is the first day that many people celebrate the Lunar New Year. On this day, the Kitchen God returns to Heaven to report to the Heavenly King all that he had heard. The Heavenly King will reward or punish the household based on the kitchen god's report.

There is a special cake which is very popular, it is called the NIEN GAO. Translated as New year Cake. In my dialect, we called it DAI TUNG JIET Accordingly, there is a Kitchen God CHOU DOW KUNG who listens to all the news and gossips of the household. On this particular day, called the Kitchen God returns to Heaven to report to the Heavenly King all that he had heard. The Heavenly King will reward or punish the household based on the kitchen god's report.

Men found a way, that is to serve the kitchen god this sticky NIEN GAO so he couldn't open his mouth to say all the bad things and other sweet lollies. Even if he could, he wouldn't because he himself would be accused of corruption, having eaten the cake.

I just found that the Hakkas which my husband and my mum belong to, they put the sweet Chinese dates in the cake.

My brother Joseph was born on the day the Kitchen God went to Heaven. My Grandma used to call him the little kitchen god. Every year, on Joseph's birthday, we had a big celebration. Every though we became Christians, tradition is not forgotten. If my grandma is still alive, she would say, the King of the Heavens have blessed Joseph very much. He has a beautiful wife, Audrey, wonderful boys and a great job.

Happy Birthday Joseph.

Mellow Yellow Monday: Electrician at Work.

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When you are celebrating your Christmas Holidays, just hope that you don't have a blackout. Be thankful that there are people like this electrician at work.

I was taking a photo of his van with his yellow ladder when I decided to take his photo too. He flashed his smile and asked, " You are taking me too." This was taken on Boxing day, we went on a long walk to burn off all the calories we had consumed over the festive days.

Here's a family anecdote. That was the early days before people had Christmas trees and lights in Borneo. I was about six, my older brother Charles was eight. Dad bought a chain of lights and lined it at the eaves of the balcony, but they were not the flashing blinking type. Charles told us the lights could go blink blink blink and went to the switch and went on off on off until my Dad caught him. This would be the second best story after the one when the tree fell.

addition:In December, the North East Monsoon blows and bring in a lot of rain.

The first tree we had was a fake tree and didn't have many leaves and branches. Dad was a civil servant and didn't have a lot of money. He bought about six baubles and we were the only house in the neighborhood with a tree.

It was about 4 pm when the wind blew, and mum rushed to close the window and at the same time telling us to do it. We rushed to the lounge just in time to see the tree fall. Some of the baubles broke into smithereens some were less broken. Mum was in tears. We tried to savage them, but mum said no, we were too proud to use broken baubles.

When I went to Canada years later, my Canadian friend strung popcorn to hang on the tree. I came home and told Mum we could do this cheaply. Mum said it won't work. In Borneo, the ants would come.

ABC Wednesday: Mortar and Pestle

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ABC Wednesday is hosted by Mrs. Denise Nesbitt
In South East Asia homes, almost every home has a set of mortar and pestle to crush, grind, and mix solid substances (trituration). The pestle is a heavy bat-shaped object, the end of which is used for crushing and grinding. The mortar is a bowl, typically made of hard wood, marble, clay, or stone. The substance to be ground is placed in the mortar and ground, crushed or mixed with the pestle.

My mum used them a lot in pounding her shallots, garlic and ginger and chillis. In quarter acre houses, the "TUN TUN TUN" don't sound irritating, but in High Rise Apartments in Singapore, the sound can be transmitted and is often a source of neighbouring quarrels.

I was given a small set by my Sri Lankan friend, but because I do not use it a lot, I didn't not bring it to New Zealand. Which is a pity, as I see it used in many cooking shows.

This one belongs to my brother Charles in Australia.

watery wednesday: Pier

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My niece Olivia and Nephew Thomas were so cute. We walked out to sea to the the end of the pier. I asked them if there was any fish. They bent down the grills to see if there is any. You see, they are experienced fishermen.

ABC Wednesday: Letter H

I have been teaching healthy food to my students, and this is what thinking outside the square is. Sarah Turner, the principal of the Kids Forever Preschool in Mt Albert, Auckland and her staff drew happy and funny faces on oranges to encourage them to eat healthy food without their conscious awareness that they are actually eating healthy food. Paki Paki Sarah and co.

From healthy to something sinfully tasty is my brother Charles' ham. Charles is a lawyer by trade but I suspect he is secretly wishing to be Masterchef Australia. Here he is, sharing with my son his secret recipe.










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ABC Wednesday is hosted by Mrs. Denise Nesbitt