Malaysian Elections 2008 Results

So the people have spoken and the Opposition has triumphed. They've surpassed their goal of denying BN a 2/3 majority in parliament and captured the states of Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Perak.

So, Mr Opposition....the fun and games are over. It's been relatively easy pointing out faults and failures of the government. Now you carry the responsibility of actually turning words into reality.

Frankly, I doubt if the opposition won because we think they can do a better job. No, this time, we were just punishing BN. It's a sad state of affairs for Malaysia when we vote not those who we think will serve best, but those who would screw us the least.

As the victory settles, will we see the opposition fighting amongst themselves? I do hope not. The new state governments will prove how well they can work together. I'm looking forward to see how they will manage their different philosophies. Will they do better or worse than a government formed along racial faults? Truly, if they work well, then there is hope yet for Bangsa Malaysia. It is far better to differ on policy than it is on the color of the skin.

Political PowerPlays
Pak Lah will resign soon. Najib will come into power but with a weak power base. It'll be a tough time for the government.
Khairy will consolidate and expand his power base. Hishamuddin might very well be the second Education Minister to not become PM (or first, discounting Anwar).

MCA is terribly weakened. Now is the time for political maneuvering. We'll have to see if the party can reform itself which may include a change of leadership.

Comments on where I voted
Selangor is an unexpected win. Now it'll be interesting to see if PKR can fulfil its election promises without bankrupting the state. And if you're truly transparent, how about releasing the state accounts.

Loh Gwo Burne is a rookie. He's not a politician. He's not a technocrat. And I doubt he's a good photographer. I think he'll be slaughtered in parliament. But he'll have the likes of Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh to cover his ass.

Food Review: Ole-ole Bali @ Sunway Pyramid

Ah, Chinese New Year! The one time of the year I have a free license to eat as much as I can. God bless this holiday.
But, I have to admit I'm a year older. Sigh, my stamina and endurance in stuffing my face is diminishing fast. So after a day of glorious taste sensations, we had a walkabout in Sunway Pyramid to help the food down.
Amazing, 4 hours later and I was still full. But, my more digestion-efficient companions wanted dinner.
So off we went and came across Ole-Ole Bali. Looked interesting so we had a go.

First impression: excellent and friendly service, unique ambiance. No noisy music playing and we could hold a decent conversation without shouting. That's inside looking out. You get to eat sitting on the raised platform is you like. Would be good to take a lie after the meal as well. But we went for table and chairs, thanks. Sigh, another sign I'm getting older.

Hmm, the menu doesn't star many traditional Bali fare. Disappointing, a lot of stuff that seems like cheap American food e.g. burgers, chips, steaks, deep-fried squid. I don't know, are they catering to the drinking crowd?

Anyway, we kept to the traditional dishes and here they are:

Here's the excellent squid salad. Basically, deep fried squid, the usual salad vegetables and a couple of keropok ikan bilis. But it was the sauce that made this. Light and tangy with chilli and hints of lemongrass and fish sauce (I doubt it's fish sauce but that's the closest description I can muster). RM 12.


Then here's the other salad. It's called Tipak Cantuk. Ok, that may be Balinese for Gado Gado because that's essentially what it was. Salad vegetables, eggs, tofu, shrimp, ketupat cubes with the requisite peanut sauce. RM 11.

And the main dish was the Nasi Campur Ole Ole. Sorry for the blurry pic but it was all I could do to hold off my ravenous friends. Kena marah for trying to find the right angle.You get the works with this. The rice was interesting: fragrant like nasi lemak. Ayam berempah, grilled fish, a satay, couple of prawns and some squid. RM 30.

Friends also had the Cucumber Mojito and the Lemongrass Mojito. RM 10 each. Can't comment since I didn't taste them. They said the drinks were quite refreshing. Ok, so is a Kopi O' Ais that costs 9x less.

So, can't say the food was inspiring. No impression of traditional Balinese flavours. Most of the food was grilled and deep-fried. Definitely, can't expect use of traditional herbs and spices.

Conclusion:
A nice, comfortable place to relax and have a filling meal. Food is not bad but not great either. You can definitely get better fare from any open-air medan selera. So you'll be paying mostly for the ambiance. Eat here if you want to. Just watch your cholesterol though: you might get a cardiac arrest from the prices.
I'm definitely not coming back.

Food Review: Wan Tan Mee @ Parkway, SS19

I binged on breakfast today since I was feeling famished. So I headed over to Parkway, a chinese coffee shop in SS19, Subang Jaya. A variety of stalls but I decided to go for the Wan Tan Mee, RM3.50 per serving.

And here it is with all the essentials: char siew pork with sufficient layer of fat (very important), wheat noodles covered with tasty black sauce and aromatic sesame oil, crispy green vegetables and spring onions for the crunchy tang.

Must not forget the accompanying wan tan: minced pork dumplings boiled in pork broth seasoned with white pepper.

So how was it? One word: SLURP!! This is one of the best meals this year. Everything came together and the serving was well worth the money: palate and tummy were both satisfied; something quite rare.

Let's go through it per ingredient.

A small serving of green vegetables but it was cooked well. Still green, crunchy and fresh-tasting. Good, as typically, the vegetables are limp from overboiling.

The char siew pork was a bit dry. But surprisingly flavoured well, could taste the char siew sauce in every bite. Nevertheless, the texture was rough. I would say it didn't have the ideal amount of fat. So, not the best char siew but still a generous amount of good pork.

Wan tan mee is judged by its noodles. I must admit it's a matter of preference but I personally like mine chewy, long and full (this soaks up the sauce). This stall's noodles is spot on. The noodles were picked up by the chopsticks with ease. A good mouthful with a good amount of sauce. Nice, chewy texture: you're not left with mush in your mouth. Again, a generous serving. Excellent.

How about the wan tan? The wan tan skin is silky smooth. You can slide it down your throat if you wanted to but I've a habit of chewing my food. The minced pork meat wasn't bad but nothing spectacular either. Of course, like most minced meat, expect to come across some gristly bits. The soup is acceptable, sufficient flavour and right amount of pepper. Four satisfying pork dumplings in a decent bowl of soup.

So there you (or I) have it. Money well spent on a simple yet satisfying dish. Only one bad point: I was thirsty after the meal. A sure sign of MSG, probably in the soup. It wasn't a lot or I would have had a throbbing headache (I'm quite sensitive to MSG). Guess we can't avoid MSG when eating out.

Food Review: Apom Balik & Putu Piring @ Kelana Jaya

Popped out for a quick lunch today, thought I'd try the mobile stalls opposite the mini-Giant at Kelana Jaya. Easy walk but alas, I forgot my phone/camera. So this post will be missing pics but quite honestly, we're not missing much. In fact, stop reading! This post is a bloody waste of time! Go to another food blog. I'll tell you when there's something good to eat in this bloody town.
You detect resentment in my words? Well, read on if you insist but there may be some strong language.

Okay, I started with apom balik. Let's start with the positive: it was hot off the pan. But only because I insisted! Wasn't optimistic when she was cooking it: thin layer of peanuts, no coconut and I could count the number of corn kernels with one hand. Hedged my bets and took half for RM1. As disappointingly expected, it just tasted of batter. Neither sweet nor salty nor sour, hell, I'll give it points if it was even bitter! Nope, gentle folks: all I got was a mouthful of warm, bland, mush. Sigh...

Putu piring next. This is from the stall mentioned here that pre-cooks their's. Since I was there early, they were still cooking. Aha, fresh putu piring!
*BIG SIGH*
Look, to these guys: TUTUP KEDAI LAH! Why sell putu piring with nothing in it? What that microscopic, two-atom thin spread of gula melaka? Are you joking? And your coconut is tasteless. How long has it been in your freezer? Since Ramadhan?
The only saving grace was that it was salty...on first bite. Then it was as bland and tasteless as that damn batter cake! Hell, I think raw rice flour has more flavour. Thank goodness I only bought 2 for RM 0.80.

So in conclusion, if you don't mind cheap disappointment, give these guys a go. Else, don't waste your time and calories quota. Now excuse me while I jog a couple of times round the block; I'll have to burn up those dumb calories so I can have something decent for dinner. Don't think this rant burnt enough.

Food Review: Wai Sik Kai @ SS2

Gluttony Interrupted.

I was feeling a bit down on Saturday afternoon. Just thought I'd find some place to hang out but ended up in SS2. So I wandered over to Wai Sik Kai (Glutton Street) for a bite.

I started off with Leen Chee Kang (LCK) from stall 82. The uncle here is very friendly and also a bit effeminate. No matter, good service and good drink. Well worth the RM2?


(sorry guys, had a couple of more pics but I accidentally deleted them!)

Here it is: cold longan juice (that's ice btw), barley, lotus seeds, sea coconut, longan flesh. Hmmm, LCK is supposed to have 6 ingredients, so why only 4? For one thing, it's missing the quail egg. Maybe the last ingredient is in there but I can't identify it. Nevertheless, it was a good drink. Certainly perked me up. Will go back again but must clarify with uncle on missing ingredients.

Onward, I thought it time for some nyonya kuih. Only 3 stalls open. The one operated by a lone man didn't seem to have much variety. Plus, he was mumbling incoherently when I asked him to recommend something. The operator of another was folding paper 'gold' ingots that are burned as an offering to dead ancestors. Okay, better skip this one as well.

So I went to the one manned by an elderly couple. Be careful here, this couple can be a bit surly (I've noticed the kuih sellers here usually are - wonder why). Nevertheless, she seemed confident when I asked her recommendation.

First, lam fah go (literally - blue flower cake). It's made from glutinous rice and served with kaya (that's the yellow jam). The blue colour is a natural pigment of the 'bunga telang' flower. I think it's a type of orchid. I asked for extra kaya but still not enough for the 2 slices of rice cake. I must say the kaya was disappointing. It lacked the necessary coconut and pandan aroma. At least it wasn't sickly sweet. The rice cake had a sharp taste of salt. The secret behind this kuih is for the saltiness of the rice cake to enhance the sweetness and flavour of the kaya. That didn't happen here. So, RM 1.20 for a 'not-great-but-not-bad' experience.

Next, I had a go at her so-claimed fresh angku. Angku (literally - red cake) is made from rice flour with mung bean paste as filling. Nothing great here but not a disappointment either. It had a nice chewy texture and the filling had a good sweet-salty balance. Must also note that it isn't as oily as angkus usually are. Cost me RM 0.60.


Finally, we have a little innovation here: angku with peanut filling. Definitely had to try and this was amazing! They didn't skimp on the filling and on the first bite, the peanut flavour flooded the mouth. The filling has been well cooked giving it a creamy, soft and a little gritty texture. Again, it wasn't too sweet and had a nice hint of salt to bring out the peanut flavour. I do believe they used Chinese peanuts. Fantastic experience for only RM0.60. Must buy again!

With desserts out of the way, I proceeded to explore my options for the main course. Walked up and down a couple of times and finally decided on claypot loh she fun. Special order: add pork mince, char siew and salted fish. SLURP!!
Takes a while so I took a seat nearby anxiously anticipating my delectable dinner. And this, my dear friends, is where this episode ends. For, at this most impromptu moment, nature called, BIG time!! Canceled the order, ran back to the car and drove all the way back to Subang to answer the call. It wasn't a pleasant drive so I shall spare you the details. Thankfully, it wasn't diarrhea, just unexpected movement.

It's been quite an adventure. Definitely, got my spirits up. And fear not, for I shall return to finish what I began.

Geek Toys: Up yours, Asus EEE!!

A lot of us have been hankering for an Asus EEE UMPC.The demand has been so great that the dealers have become a bit cocky when asked about it. Not to mention that the price went from RM1,299 to RM1,499.

Well, thanks to the wonders of free markets, we have the Everex Cloudbook.
Apparently going for under USD400. When will it reach our shores?

Update: Everex plans to release a 9" model in June '08. Slurp!

Impermanence

Creative destruction, such is the way of the universe.

If we hold on too much to the past, we can't move forward. Focus on what you've lost, and you'll miss what's appeared in front of you.

I studied in this building. But now it must go to make way for a bigger, more efficient building.

University of Adelaide - New Engineering Precinct

Now, what structures in our minds must we tear down? What blocks our view of the future?

Meat! Wonderful Meat!

Ah, the joys and convenience of processed meat.

Pan-fried, crispy spam with a smothering of Lingam chilli sauce: pure bliss!

Any fried rice will instantly earn 1 extra star if crispy bacon (processed, of course) bits are thrown in. 1 more extra star if there's sausages.

And of course, the hallmark of Malaysian food manufacturing: Ramlee burger!. Need I say more?

So, to celebrate this marvel of modern food processing technology, Mike Adams presents

Up close and Personal: Meet the Meat.

p.s. your "I'm-in-it-for-the-money" cardiologist and oncologist mistakenly sent a big box of this meats to my place with a 'Enjoy!' card. Please leave comment to collect it.

Don't trust ....erm...does the Energizer mascot have a name?

Mike Adams rips apart an Energizer battery and exposes the con!

Energizer "D" Battery Exposed

Sigh, yet another consumer rip off.

How to save fuel at the pump

Time for a useful post. These tips seem applicable.

Someone who has been in petroleum pipeline business for about 31 years and is currently working for the Kinder-Morgan Pipeline in San Jose, CA wrote the following information:

We deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period from the pipe line; one day it's diesel, the next day it's jet fuel and gasoline. We have 34 storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons. Here are some tricks to help you get your money's worth.

1. Fill up your car or truck in the morning when the temperature is still cool. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground; and the colder the ground, the denser the gasoline. When it gets warmer gasoline expands, so if you're filling up in the afternoon or in the evening, what should be a gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and temperature of the fuel (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products) are significant.

Every truckload that we load is temperature-compensated so that the indicated gallonage is actually the amount pumped. A one-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for businesses, but service stations don't have temperature compensation at their pumps.

2. If a tanker truck is filling the station's tank at the time you want to buy gas, do not fill up; most likely dirt and sludge in the tank is being stirred up when gas is being delivered, and you might be transferring that dirt from the bottom of their tank into your car's tank.


3. Fill up when your gas tank is half-full (or half-empty), because the more gas you have in your tank the less air there is and gasoline evaporates rapidly, especially when it's warm. (Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating 'roof' membrane to act as a barrier between the gas and the atmosphere, thereby minimizing evaporation.)
Hmmm, what about the extra weight you're carrying around?

4. If you look at the trigger you'll see that it has three delivery settings: slow, medium and high.. When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to the high setting.
You should be pumping at the slow setting, thereby minimizing vapors created while you are pumping. Hoses at the pump are corrugated; the corrugations act as a return path for vapor recovery from gas that already has been metered. If you are pumping at the high setting, the agitated gasoline contains more vapor, which is being sucked back into the underground tank, so you're getting less gas for your money.


Hope this will help ease your 'pain at the
pump'!

Food Review: Char Kuay Teow @ Kelana Jaya

Took the chance to try out the CKT raved here
and here.

So this is the CKT stall @ Restoran Jamal Mohamed. That's Wisma FAM in the background. Those 2 Malays guys in the foreground were enjoying their CKT. Rest assured that it's halal.

The big lady on the left is the cook, that's the sweet young thing (this SYT is seriously hot) on the right who waits tables as does the old bitch in the middle. Bitch?!! I'll get to the story but first the FOOD!

My friend and I ordered a 'big' each. While waiting, my friend ordered Penang Rojak from a nearby stall. DO NOT order this! It's really small, missing the crackers and just not worth the RM3.50. He said it tasted bland but finished it anyway.

Not long after, the CKT arrived. This is mine.

and this is his


Wish I had caught the disappointment on our faces as the noodles were laid before us. Yeah, doesn't look too good, does it? And it's small for a 'big'. Really simple: 2 prawns, 2 cockles, less than a handful of taugeh, the noodles and the egg.

Nevertheless, I must admit it smelled good. And it tasted better. It's got that smoky flavour that you get with good 'wok hei'. Bean sprouts were crunchy, prawns and cockles were fresh. Noodles weren't soggy and drenched in oil (don't you hate those CKTs?) . They had a nice mouth feel, sort of dissolving in your mouth as the flavours are released. The chilli is well balanced, enhancing the palate rather than setting the mouth on fire. Not much soy sauce (hence the pale noodles) and so a light, almost undetectable saltiness that opens the palate to the other flavours.
Overall, the cook balanced the flavours well, a good example of less is more. Only complain is there was too little of it to savour! Which leads to the 'bitch' story.

So my friend finished his first and asked the bitch about our portion size. Here's the conversation (originally in Cantonese):

Friend: Lady boss, the other table's portion looks bigger.

Bitch: You order big, right? This is big, lah.

Friend: Hah? Like this called big, ah?!

Bitch: Yalah! What, u guys never eat for 3 days issit?

and she walked off.

Well that kinda pissed us off. So we got up to leave. The cook overheard our conversation and apologised: apparently she was busy with the orders and might have messed up on ours. She promised to make up for it next time or something like that. I wasn't really listening, distracted by the SYT. Well, I doubt my friend will return anytime soon. I may, just to ogle at the chick again!

Conclusion: the CKT is a fest for the tongue, won't fill your stomach and nothing to look at. Ignore the bitch's sarcasm, forget the damage to your wallet (RM3.50 small, RM4 big) refresh your eyes on the SYT and you've got a memorable lunch.

My Career Path

Ray Williams joins his buddy Adler.
HIH founder released

So he screwed numerous families out of their hard earned life savings, sits in prison for less than 3 years and returns to a multi-million dollar home and lifestyle.

Who says crime doesn't pay?

That's where I'm taking my career: beg, bribe, steal, threaten my way to the top and slowly squeeze the money out of the company. With guile and planning I may even get away with it.
If not, I'll get a light sentence, a short stint as a 'guest-of-the-state'. If I don't like the place, I'll complain I was threatened and get transferred to somewhere more comfortable. To spend the time, I might write my book and when I get out, show remorse and speak on ethics.

Yes, publicly, business people will vilify me but in secret they'll be punching themselves: 'It was so easy!!'.
That's why I'll make even more millions when they spend tons on my books and lectures.

And what of those families? Yeah, I do feel sorry for them. Having worked so hard through the years to build up their nest egg. But they did it the hard way, the system rewards the clever and punish the stupid. Nothing personal, they and I were just playing our roles in the system.
Make me pay back the money? What money? I've nothing on paper. This $5000 wine I'm drinking? My wife bought it...with the money I transferred to her name before I got caught. It tastes very nice, thank you. Helps me sleep, in my $0.5 million bed, in my $10 million dollar home.

And btw, it's probably these losers' money that I'll get.

MUAHAHAHA!!
Let us eat, drink and be merry! For there are no laws for the rich!
ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR!!

Rajen and Atkins Diet - A Rebuttal

Datuk Dr Rajen's article on the Atkins diet appeared in the NST Today Coming to terms with carbo control

I'm no big fan of high animal protein diets. So I sent the following email to him (unedited):

Hi Datuk Rajen,

I'm interested in your 5-day diet plan. Please send me the details.

Also, your Atkins article was very interesting. Just some comments:

1) I've tried the Atkins diet. Yes, I had good energy levels and lost some weight and body fat. But during that time I was very aggresive and short-tempered.
Today, I don't consume any meat except fish and replaced simple sugars and starches with whole grains and plant based low GI foods. I'm calmer and more composed.
I have a healthy BMI. In fact, my friend who adopted vegetarianism has lost more weight and body fat than when she was on Atkins.

2) Wouldn't our kidneys be overworked under such a high-protein diet? What about the risk of gout? What about constipation?

3) I was quite surprised with your recommending a greater consumption of meat. The commercial meat we have available is loaded with toxins e.g. antibiotics, and whatever nonsense livestock is being fed nowadays.
Not to mention mercury in our fish. Also, we cook our meat which also increases carcinogen intake e.g. acrymalide. I remember my skin was terrible on Atkins: I had new pimples appearing everday.

4) How does the Atkins diet compare to the Mediterranean diet? I believe the latter is better balanced and has a greater consumption of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables with a healthy intake of fish.

5) Does genetics not play a big role? I'm chinese and my great-grandparents didn't have the luxury of eating meat. The bulk of their daily calories were from white rice and yet they
were thin, energetic and lived long. Contrast this to my grandfather who, once he could afford it, enjoyed a lot of meat. He died from a heart attack at 58.

6) You reference the Eskimos. Surely we must note the Eskimos lead a different lifestyle in a different climate. They still hunt for their food while we sit sedentary at our desks.
They enjoy a rather stress-free lifestyle whilst we are under chronic stress. Their air and water are pristine whilst ours are polluted.
With so many factors, I don't think attributing diet alone is justified.

Thanks for your informative articles. I do enjoy reading them and look forward to your reply.


Hopefully he replies.

Evoke an Emotion

Humans aren't logical. We're a bunch of nerves and emotions. We take in stimuli from our environment, internalize them and respond.
That makes us who we are, doesn't it? Our emotions.

Good food tastes good. It makes us happy, satisfied, alive. But great food draws out memories, tales of old that age has layered over and kept in the recesses of our mind, happy or otherwise.

Rosemary infused lamb still reminds me of the great times with my first love. McDonald's isn't a happy place for me: we broke up there.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were a staple of my college days. This simple food fueled my most inspired and productive years yet. It brings back good friends, great teams and embarrassing moments.

Cornflakes and cold milk were a comfort during the hot, summer Adelaide days: beautiful sunrise, romantic sunsets and energy and excitement in between. Like great food, best shared with people you love.

So it is that food evokes an emotional response. A powerful corporate executive getting teary-eyed at the dinner table. The simple food reminding him of the family thousands of miles away that he misses so much. It also strengthens him, it rekindles his belief; he knows who he's fighting for. Yes, John. Those tears were genuine and it convinced us of your leadership more than any dumb-ass speech ever could.

That's why we love food. It nourishes our bodies, our minds and our spirits. Treat great food with respect. Take it for granted, abuse it, and we have the ills of moder n living, obesity, heart disease, etc.

Food Review: Lulu Kueh

What's wrong with KL Kueh?

Just bought some kueh (traditional nyonya desserts) from a stall in Subang Parade. They get their supply from Lulu Kueh (the other famous supplier in Klang Valley is Aroma).

Guys, they suck!

I bought this kueh which is basically a deep fried ball of rice flour with some filling. I bought 2: one filled with red bean paste, the other with peanuts.

Taste-wise: identical. Why? Because there was almost no filling. They don't come cheap (about 80 sen a piece) so wtf with the skimpy filling ?!

Damnit, what a bad experience.

Stay away from Lulu, Aroma isn't good either. Maybe go for those mom & pops like down at Wai Sek Kai, SS2. Don't expect too much though, KL kueh just plain sucks.

The Worst Meat Ever

Guys, if you think pork is bad, check the following links out. Dreadful to think what's been fed to these animals.

Cuts of Long Pork

A Quickie on Joys of Long Pork

Taste Combinations

Ever notice that walnuts turn bitter with red wine? Or that bitter greens are less so if they're salted? Combining certain tastes (i.e., sweet, salty, bitter, and sour) can have a strange-but-true impact on the food you eat.


Sweet + Sweet = Less Sweet
A bite of an übersweet confection blocks any residual sugar in a dry wine, which will make the win taste more acidic (sour). This is also why dessert wines taste less sweet (and pair well with) sugary desserts like crème brûlée or a fruit tart.

Salty + Bitter = Less Bitter, More Sweet
Sprinkle salt on grapefruit and the fruit will taste less bitter and more sweet. Salting leafy, bitter green like frisee and radicchio will block some of the bite. Why? Salt tempers bitterness.


Sour + Sour = Less Sour
A sour taste, like vinaigrette, followed by another sour taste, such as an acidic Sauvignon Blanc, will flatten the taste of the wine.

Sour + Salty = More Salty
Adding lemon (sour) to a barley-seasoned fillet of fish will bring out more of the seasoning because sour enhances salt.

adapted from Canadian Living.

My To-Eat List

Ipoh

Couple of useful links
WikiTravel's Ipoh Food Guide
Diary of Food Hunters in Ipoh

Mini kaya puffs
Sin Eng Heong
64, Jln Mustapha Al-Bakri, Jln Clare
05-243 9659

No.33, Jalan Market (side), Old Town (in front of OCK stall): Kaya puff, egg tarts

Ming Court Hong Kong Tim Sum
32,34,36
Jalan Leong Sin Nam,
30300 Ipoh, Perak.
Tel:05-2557143
Close On Every Thursday

Jalan Pasir Pinji 5 - chee cheong fun

Heong Peng
Seng Kee Food Trading. 117, Lorong 3 , Gunung Rapat, 31350 Ipoh.
Contact number: 05-3120972 or 012-5070728.

Kampar Biscuit and Confectionery
101 Jalan Idris Kampar (05-4651011)

Tong Sui
San Hong Kei
No. 20, Jalan Market, 30000, Ipoh Perak
016 - 562 1171

Popiah
Kedai Kopi Kong Heng
Jalan Bandar Timah,
Ipoh, Perak.
(between Kedai Kopi Thean Chun and a furniture shop)

Pastries & Lenggong Cili Sauce
Restoran Hoong Tho
20, Jalan Bandar Timah,
Ipoh, Perak.


KL
Yuen Buffet Steamboat (5.30pm to 11pm)
(At Shop lots opposite Sunway Pyramid)
32A-1, Jalan PJS 8/6, Mentari Plaza, Bandar Sunway, 46150

Hee Lai Ton
Jln Kenari 1, Bandar Puchong Jaya
Tel: 0358823333

Nasi Lemak Cikgu
No 14, Jalan SS5B/2,
Kelana Jaya, Selangor.
Che Gu Mobile : 012-3693695

Pantai Seafood @ Kampung Kayu Ara

Key Hiong dim sum @ taman megah

Jesal sweet house - punjabi sweets: arcade from sentral to monorail

Annalakshmi @ Mid Valley

Celestial Steakhouse International
B-G-01, Jalan SS6/20,
Dataran Glomac, Pusat Bandar Kelana Jaya,
Tel: 03–7880 6498 for reservations.
Opening hours from 11am to 10:30pm everyday except Tuesdays

Pairing Wine and Chocolates

Damn, wish I knew this before I wasted my bottle of Shiraz and a bar of Lindt chocolate.


How to Pair Wine and Chocolate


Learn the Basics of Pairing Wine and Chocolate
Both wine and chocolate can be very complex on their own, so keep it simple with three basics:

the wine you select must be perceived as sweeter than the chocolate

since chocolate coats your mouth when you eat it, you'll need a wine that's big enough to cut through its richness

try looking for flavors in both that are similar to one another

Use Your Taste Buds
The most important factor in all this, as in all pairings of food and wine, is that only you can decide what tastes best.

Use the following guidelines to help you get started, and then let your taste buds lead the way.

What to Pair With White Chocolate
White chocolate, though not a true chocolate due to its absence of cacao, is a super-sweet blend of sugar, milk and cocoa butter.

Try a sec or demi-sec Champagne, or the hint of orange in a muscato. Other good pairings for white chocolate include Rieslings and Gewürztraminers.

What to Pair With Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate, which contains a small amount of cacao, is the sweetest of the real chocolates with its high sugar content.

Remember rule one and choose a sweeter wine than chocolate, or the pairing might leave your mouth tasting like a rubber band.

For milk chocolate, your best match might just be a sweet and tasty tawny port. But if you find the right bottle of pinot noir, you won't be disappointed.

What to Pair With Semisweet Chocolate
Chocolate that contains about 50 to 70 per cent cacao is known as semisweet, the sweetest of the dark chocolates.

With tones that are nutty, spicy, or earthy, semisweet dark chocolate has a balanced and less sweet aftertaste than milk or white chocolate.

Cabernets or Bordeauxs will tend to bring out any fruity or peppery nuances in the chocolate, while a ruby port is considered a classic pairing with semisweet chocolate.


What to Pair With Bittersweet Dark Chocolate
The richest, most intensely flavored chocolates are known as the bittersweet darks, which contain the least amount of sugar, and the greatest amount of cacao - anywhere from about 71 and 100 percent.

Their bitter, roasted flavoring is so intense, that it really needs a strong red wine to balance the taste. Either that or a really yummy cookie.

Zinfandels are the go-to when it comes to pairing wine and bittersweet dark, but you might also find an Australian shiraz or a Spanish grenache to be a suitable companion.

Since these chocolates are the least sweet, your pallet of appropriate pairings is much wider, meaning you can also experiment with many of the sweeter wines like ports and muscats.

Taste the Wine, Then the Chocolate
Once you've got a great pairing, it's nothing but bliss. Start by tasting the wine, allowing its flavors to fully saturate your mouth.

Then take a bite of the chocolate, letting it slowly melt on your tongue. Sip the wine once again, and you might never consider having one without the other ever again.

The Lost Monkey

Sigh...it's been tough lately.

I've really lost the passion for coding.
When before 18-hour, adrenaline-fueled, total-focus coding sessions were the norm, now I struggle to get through one simple program.

What is it? Am I tired? Burnt-out? Have I lost the passion?

Usually your passion is the stuff you'll do even if nobody paid you to do it.
Which is/was true of coding. Many a weekend and late nights were devoted to learning new programming languages and libraries, improving my code-fu and hacking programs just for the heck of it. I read beautiful code, rejoicing in their elegance.

Now, I'm getting paid to do what I should love to do. So, why is it I dread firing up my IDE? Have I got old and rusty? Has my time lost in IBM processes taken away my zeal? Money doesn't seem to motivate me. What then will?

I don't know. For now, I'll code because I have to, not because I want to. It's a sad, difficult time to be. The passion is lost.

The monkey is depressed.

Food Philosophy

I've been thinking a lot about food lately. Honestly, I've been taking it for granted for most of my life. But I don't think this is uncommon.
Here's the evolution of my food philosophy.

Food is fuel
Being very practical in the past, food was a basic necessity of life. It just had to give me energy and fill me up. So I just hawked my food down. Not sure if I even chewed.

Mamak! Roti telur dua!! Banjir Kari!

Food is medicine
For the past year, I've been reasoning with nutrition and the effect food has on my body. Very scientific: choosing the most nutrient dense foods. I am heavily influenced by the Chinese Yin Yang food philosophy, appreciating the benefits of medicinal food like ginger, cilantro and bitter gourd. And I experimented with 'poisonous' food e.g. duck, beef, pork; just to see the effect on my body. I now pay attention to digestion, starting by chewing my food thoroughly.

'Let food be thy medicine, and thy medicine, food' - Hippocrates.

Food is sex
With increasing appreciation of food, I've come to realize its power. Not only does it affect the physical but also the emotional self.
I've Chinese recipes for for my physical well-being e.g. fatigue, irritable or a bit under the weather.
I'm now exploring how food affects my emotions. Everyone's got their comfort food: chocolate or ice cream when you're feeling down, good wine when stressed (but these are poison: refined sugar, artificial flavors, alcohol). That's at the basic, blunt level.
I want to learn of food that invokes curiosity, that piques my interest, that inspires. So now I eat very slowly - savoring each bite, appreciating the tastes and texture, being mindful of my emotional reactions.

'Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity' - Voltaire

Food is God
It humbles me when I think of how my food came to be: how the gifts of Mother Nature are transformed by the passion of the cook. Food connects us. Each meal is a blessing.
Now I've realized why food plays such a significant role in all the major religions.

'Eat, for this is my body. Drink, for this is my blood.' - Jesus

Food
Food nourishes us on so many levels: it makes our bodies strong, it inspires our mind, it connects us to God. We eat so many times a day, it is easy to take it for granted. My one regret is that I wasted so many years in ignorance. Today, I'm eating less but I feel so much more satisfied.

'The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor.' - Chinese Proverb

Food Review: TJ Haus

Had New Year's dinner @ TJ Haus.
Unfortunately, they had a set menu. Well, this should have set off alarms but I was in good company and optimistic considering the good reviews of this place.

So, onward with a Venison Consomme with Venison & Pistachio patties. The consomme was good, although a bit salty and the patties (3 small thumbsized ones) were flavorful. Overall, quite a good soup to whet the appetite.

I chose the Grilled Mahi Mahi (fish) main course. Served with risotto and tomato pesto. Verdict: BAD!

The fish was dry. No enough sauce either. The risotto was salty. They gave 2 cauliflower and 1 broccoli, pathetic. The tomato pesto spiced things up but again, too little of it.

Me mates had the roast lamb served with potato and brussel sprouts. One liked it, the other didn't. I can't comment much except it lacked any aroma. Probably because it had been sitting in an oven.

Damn disappointed so we canceled dessert.

Per pax came to about RM40.

Not a good first impression which is sad. I had high expectations for TJ Haus. I was looking forward to some good food from a gourmet kitchen. Instead I got bad, expensive crap. Imagine, a glass of wine cost RM12. I didn't have one but I bet it wasn't good.

Tonight, it seems TJ Haus was more about making the New Year buck. Complained to the chef, Jerry (he's the J in TJ) but he didn't seem to care. Probably had more suckers...

The Top 9 Warning Signs of Peanut Butter Addiction

Somebody, help me - I got all 9 signs!

9> Denial: “I’n nod addicded due deanud dudduh!”

8> Able to empty a brand new jar in under 0.5 seconds; 1.2 if you use a knife.

7> Every night it’s the same thing; empty peanut butter jars lie scattered around your bloated, satisfied, unconscious self.

6> You haul off and punch the guy who just got chocolate in your peanut butter.

5> Elephants keep escaping from the zoo to lick you.

4> Peanut butter toast for breakfast: Good. Peanut butter on celery for lunch: Fine. Peanut butter on ham for dinner: People are starting to talk.

3> Your parents are constantly having to pry you off the roof.

2> Your blood type is listed as “chunky.”

and the Number 1 Warning Sign of Peanut Butter Addiction…

1> You suffer deep depression when your school’s production of “Peter Pan” turns out to be just about a bunch of kids living on some island.


(dedicated to the good times sitting next to KY Tan in IBM who was appalled with the disgusting amount of peanut butter I consumed!)

Believe You can Choose!

Had an interesting discussion on life choices and this got me thinking.

We make choices based on our beliefs. It occurred to me that our beliefs cannot be justified absolutely. Rather we form our beliefs and validate them externally i.e. I believe something is true because my friend believes it and because his friend believes it and ad nauseam. Think about it: if you believe in something no one else does, soon you'll start doubting yourself. Vice versa, a belief quickly becomes reality when everyone also thinks it so. Ergo, a belief must first be popular before it becomes 'real'. So our personal beliefs though internal, are strongly dependent on the external environment.

But this isn't the point. Beliefs are fine.
Until we start imposing them on others. When we start judging others based on what we believe. When we hurt others and justify it with our beliefs. So much pain and suffering throughout history and today stem from difference of beliefs.

I am unfair, for I started off with the impression that beliefs are bad. No, God gave us the greatest power of all: choice. Choose your beliefs such that good actions stem from them. Choose beliefs that make you love, not hate. Choose beliefs that fosters understanding and acceptance of diversity. Choose not to believe in division.

Everything stems from the actions we choose. For God also structured the Universe as a feedback loop, something to make us think of our choices: karma.

The Fall of the Y!

This appeared in the paper today: Homo erectus extinctus.

So, woman might soon have their way and Little Brother isn't gonna open shop anymore.

The end of men? Is this a bad thing?

But seriously, look at the sad state of the world today. It's run by dicks, literally. Why do men think they have the right to impose themselves on others?

It seems men's reflex is adversarial, women cooperative.

Think about it:
Mother Nature, Father Time. She accommodates, he imposes.


Like all little boys, we'll go out in a whimper. Hah! Not even the big bang we seem to think ourselves worthy.

God's Debris - Scott Adams

This is a thought provoking book.
Open your mind, read and reflect.
Awaken: we are all connected, destiny will bring us together as one.

The Monkey on Drugs (Part 1)

So here's another effect of joining IBM: I'm now addicted to coffee and Milo (cocoa drink).

Basically, the company (I won't mention the name but it consists of the letters V, a, l, e, n , t - haha!) used to have a well-stocked pantry: food to fuel us through our 14-18 hour workdays.

Especially good was the wide selection of biscuits. We had the usual assorted biscuits, the 'healthful' Jacobs biscuits and the occasional rich tea. Some newcomers were amazed at our selection of biscuits. I remember one of them 'hugging' the peanut butter cookies, polishing off all of them straight from the jar!

Now, the amazing breakfast selection. They gave us bread; and things to go with it: cheese, butter, margarine, jams, peanut butter, kaya! We had cereals - cornflakes, oats, Nestum. We didn't have fresh milk but the UHT milk from the box was good enough. Ah, there was this dude who poured himself a full glass to go with his toasted cheese sandwich every morning (yes..you know who you are Eric!).

Oh, those wonderful times of plenty!

Well along came Big Blue and with it the winds of famine.

In one fell swoop, gone was it all, replaced by a monster machine that dispensed instant beverages in tiny cups.

Initial reaction: 'Okay..let's not panic. At least it's free flow'. Ah, famous last words!

(to be continued)

Interesting Story (2)

Here's another 'life-is-how-u-take-it' story:

Put the glass down

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it.
He held it up for all to see; asked the students,' How much do you think this glass weighs? '

'50gms!' .... '100gms!' ......'125gms' ......the students answered.

'I really don't know unless I weigh it,' said the professor,'but, my question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?'

'Nothing' the students said.

'Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour? ' the professor asked.

'Your arm would begin to ache' said one of the students.

'You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?'

'Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress; paralysis;

Have to go to hospital for sure!'ventured another student; all the students laughed.

'Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change? ' asked

The professor. 'No' the students said.

Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress?'

The students were puzzled.

'Put the glass down!' said one of the students.

'Exactly! ' said the professor.' Life's problems are something like this.

Hold it for a few minutes in your head; they seem OK.

Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache. Hold it even longer & they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything.

It's important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life, but EVEN MORE IMPORTANT to 'put them down' at the end of every day before you go to sleep.

That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh & strong & can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!'

Remember to 'PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY!

Commentary:
Been to many lectures but yet to come across such an inspiring professor. Must have been going to the wrong ones - ;-).

*start_smart_ass_comment*
Physically of course, the glass will get lighter due to evaporation.
*end_smart_ass_comment*

I've had a lot of problems on my plate lately. Stressful but like most things in this world, manageable after breaking them down. Thankfully, most problems I have can be resolved with money & time.

All is good if I have a plan, I panic if I can't figure one out.
But things do get clearer after a good nights rest.

These days, I don't go for reflex actions when problems arise (though the initial distress is still a reflex - probably because of the environment I grew up in). I actually take some time out to figure it out in my head. Sign I'm getting older?

Interesting Story

Many years ago there was a young man living in Korea, who felt that his life was quite empty. So he shaved his head and went up into the mountains to live the life of a monk. He studied diligently for a number of years, but still felt that he did not really understand how to be free.

The young man had heard of certain Zen masters living in China so he gathered his meager belongings and started a long and arduous journey across arid plains.

Every day he would walk for many hours, and would stop only after finding a patch of land that had a source of water. Finding water was not a simple task in such dry lands. There were many times he had to walk until late in the evening before finding a suitable location in which to rest and be refreshed.

One day was particularly hot, and the monk walked on endlessly, unable to find an oasis. When he did finally find a shaded area he collapsed on the ground and slept for several hours. He woke up some time after midnight and he was tremendously thirsty. He crawled around on his hands and knees in the darkness, and ran across a roughly made cup that must have been left by a previous traveler. The custom of leaving a cup with some water in it, for the next traveler to drink from was quite common. He drank the meager amount of water in the cup and he felt very blessed and very at peace with the world. He lay down again and slept quite comfortably.

The next day, upon waking up, he saw what the night before, he had taken to be the roughly made cup. It was the shattered skull of a baby wolf. The skull was caked with dried blood, and numerous insects were floating on the surface of the small quantity of filthy rain water still left at the bottom.

The monk saw all of this and immediately started to vomit. He had a great wave of nausea, and as the fluid poured forth from his mouth, it was as if
his mind was being cleansed. He immediately felt a deep sense of understanding. Last night, since he couldn't see he assumed that he had
found a cup which had been left by a fellow traveler. The water tasted delicious. This morning, upon seeing the skull, the thought of what he had
done the night before made him sick to his stomach. He understood that it was his thinking, and not the water, that made him feel ill. It was his thinking that created good and bad, right and wrong, delicious and foul tasting. With no thinking there was no suffering.

The Feast of Life

Ratatouille

A rat in the kitchen. How should one react -
a) scream
b) grab a broom and swat at it
c) bring out the poison and traps
d) any or all of the above?

But what if the rat is cooking?

That's basically Ratatouille: a challenge to boundaries and stereotypes. It is a wonderful premise: we limit ourselves and others with our prejudice, depriving all of the evident talent before us.

It's also a story of faith. In oneself, in the inner voice that, in spite of the nays of all around you, tells you you are on the path of destiny.

Risking it all, life and limb, to nurture the talents and love you were born with.

That is the theme. Repeated through many tales and the latest in the adventure of a talented rat named Remi.

Watch the movie: my writing skills can do no justice to this wonderful work.

The theme song of the movie is in French and the amount of French I know won't even get me a nuclear bomb on the black market, much less insight into a song's lyrics. So here's English to accompany it:

Le Festin by Camille.	In English:
Les rêves des amoureux sont comm’(e) le bon vin Ils donn(ent) de la joie ou bien du chagrin Affaibli par la faim je suis malheureux Volant en chemin tout ce que je peux Car rien n’est gratuit dans la vie	Dreams are to lovers as wine is to friends Carried through lifetimes, (and) spilled now and then I am driven by hunger, so saddened to be Thieving in darkness; I know you’re not pleased But nothing worth eating is free
L’espoir est un plat bien trop vite consommé A sauter les repas je suis habitué Un voleur solitaire est triste à nourrir A un jeu si amer je n’peux réussir Car rien n’est gratuit dans…	My hope is a banquet impatiently downed Impossibly full, now I’ll probably drown Many thieves’ lives are lonely with one mouth to feed If giving means taking, I’ll never succeed For nothing worth stealing is…
La vie… Jamais on ne me dira Que la course aux étoiles; ça n’est pas pour moi Laissez moi vous émerveiller et prendre mon en vol Nous allons en fin nous régaler	Free at last; won’t be undersold Surviving isn’t living; won’t eat what I’m told Let me free, I’ll astonish you; I’m planning to fly I won’t let this party just pass me by
La fêt(e) va enfin commencer Sortez les bouteilles; finis les ennuis Je dresse la table, de ma nouvell(e) vie Je suis heureux à l’idée de ce nouveau destin Une vie à me cacher et puis libre enfin Le festin est sur mon chemin	The banquet is now underway, so… Bring out the bottles; a new tale has spun In clearing this table, my new life’s begun I am nervous, excited; (oh) just read the marquee! A lifetime of hiding; I’m suddenly free! My dinner is waiting for me
Une vie à me cacher et puis libre enfin Le festin est sur mon chemin	A lifetime of hiding; I’m suddenly free! My dinner is waiting for me.