Hay Bee Hiam

On our latest trip to Canberra, we went on a shopping spree to get things we cannot get in Sydney. (Oh yes, there are things that is only available in Canberra!)

The number one thing we wanted was: Hay Bee Hiam!

It had became Eric's number one favorite snack when we were in Canberra. A Vietnamese grocery shop in Dickson sells them for very cheap. But unfortunately, it was sold out that day! >_< the next shipment in was in two weeks time. Ohmy... Should have look at the disappointment one Eric's face! 

So a week past and Eric could not forget the Hay Bee Hiam from Canberra. So during the ANZAC day public holiday, he suggested having hobby baking to spend the day. And what more appropriate to make than his much loved and missed Hay Bee Hiam!

So, first you need the dried prawns. I mixed it with dried prawn skins too. Chop onions, garlic and some chilli padi. I use simple seasoning of sugar, salt and soy sauce. Some people use sambal paste, but I prefer it not so spicy.

Fry the prawns first till fragrant, then add in the garlic, onion and chilli. Fry till the fillings are dry and full of fragrant. Below are the ingredients for making Hay Bee Hiam. 

First, need to cut the spring roll skin into small size. Divide each sheet into 9 squares.

Remember to cover the skins with damp cloth to prevent it from drying!

Now, come to the rolling stage.

Take a tiny portion, about 1/4 of teaspoon or even smaller, and place in the middle of the wrapper.

Fold the sides over and stick it with beaten egg.

Brush more egg wash onto the bottom of the wrapper.

Fold it up to the middle.

Lift up the 'parcel' and using finger, push the fillings down and spread it evening at the base. This helps to get a nice compact shape and allows easy rolling.

Brush more eggs wash on the remaining surface.

Start rolling!

Tada!

And keep repeating till the fillings or the wrapper finished. This is the most time consuming process. Glad that Eric was there to help with the wrapping. We eventually made a production line where he help to pre fill the fillings onto each wrapper, and I fold them into the little rolls.

Here's a bunch of beautiful rolls.

We had left over wrappers. So I mixed some black sesame powder with butter and sugar. And wrapped them up into sesame spring roll! 

They taste so yummy!

Instead of deep frying, I sprayed it with some oil and then baked them in the oven till nice n golden.

There you go, Eric's snacks for the coming weeks!

Kcan

Canberra trip!

It seems to be a tradition two years in a row where we are traveling down to Canberra during the Easter weekend for wedding.

This time, it's Lizzy and Matt's wedding!

The day was stunning. Consider the weather for theta st 3 weeks being raining non-stop, the clear blue sky was a very welcoming sight.

We set off from sydney at 6.30am. Picking up Sheri along the way, we head into Canberra together.

Pretty scenes welcomes us. It's like driving down memory lane along the way.

After 3 hrs, we finally reached ACT!

Arriving at the top of the mountain top, overlooking the Canberra suburbs, with the Telstra tower standing proud on top if the Black mountain.

We were 30 mins early! Yay!

The wedding was held at the school were Lizzy teaches. 

Owen, our pastor who married us off, was here once again to marry Lizzy n Matt. 

Congrats Lizzy n Matt!

Apart from the location, the wedding was very innovative too!

These are the wedding cakes, in JARS!

Many little jars of cakes homemade by many people in church. The cakes can be eaten there or take away. (Which is what we did!) =)

Too hungry to stop n take pictures of the mains, these were the desserts.

Yummy!

And not to forget a photo with the newly wed!

Congrats Lizzy n Matt!

Kcan

Interview

Eric is having an interview tomorrow for a short term contract which allows him to work from home.

Pray that it will goes well and that God willing, we will have some income boost from his work.

We are in the mids of scouting for suppliers for the various products we are selling through our business.

In case you are interested, we are setting up an overseas Chinese medicine confinement service. Our company works to help support Asian ladies with their confinement needs while overseas. We provide home visits of Chinese medicine and acupuncture services for women after labour to help them recover during confinement time. Our main aim is to make our site as a global point of information for confinement and it's purpose. We want to encourage people to do it, do it well, without the contradicting myths, legends and superstitions.

Feel free to pass our site to your friends who are pregnant or are in the process of doing confinement. 

Confinement Care

Kcan

Ice kachang (ABC ice)

It is not easy to find a good Malaysian shop selling good authentic Malaysia/Singapore food here in Sydney. While you can get many Hogkong cafe/restaurants trying to mimic or recreate our national dishes, they just turns out not the same. (Some can be really aweful that you wonder if they had ever tried the real thing in the first place)

Our recent favourite place for Malaysia cravings fix is at PappaRich! Thank God there is a shop here at Chatswood. There are always a long queue outside the restaurant at peak times, however, the turnover rate is fast (Malaysian efficiency). We also love the fact that they do not allow hoarding up of table if not more than 3/4 of the people for the table had arrived. In hk culture, they love sending 1-2 'representatives' to hoard tables in restaurants, while the rest of the people take their time to arrive (which may sometimes takes hours). 

Eric and I loved their Char Kuey Tiao, while other dishes of Nasi Lemak, Nasi Briyani, Chicken rice.... Are more of my favourite as Eric did not grow up eating them. (Understandable) 

We ordered ice kachang as our dessert one night, and I was very surprised to find my ice kachang to look like this:

Well, looks can be deceiving, it may still taste great, right? 

But as I look closely, I saw peanuts n Rasins?!!

Oh my, that was the first time I had that combinations in my ice kachang. As I dig deeper to find my treasure (they are normally hidden below the tower of shaved ice), I realised that what was missing was the must have adap chee. >_< WHY?!!

It is very disappointing, but I guess the only consolation is the richly covered syrup that drowns the shaved ice. Sad... No adap chee.

What is your favourite topping on the ice kachang?

Kcan

Where did that come from!!

We went to church for a supporters night. It ended at 8.30pm, therefore we decided to go down to the Ben & Jerry shop for the 'free ice cream cone' day. It was to run from 1-9pm.

To our shocking surprise, the line was sooooooooooooo long. I think it will take more than 30 mins in the queue. And to think that it is a Tuesday night.... Where did these ppl come from?!

Did we queue up? 

Nope. Eric reckon it will be more worth it buying the ice cream cone that is currently at half price in Coles, than standing in that long line. And so we did, drove to the Coles near our home, n bought a pack of eight ice cream blocks for $3.07!

And incase you are wondering what I am referring to on my title...

Can you see it?

No?

How about now....

Want to see how big it is?

It's THIS big!

Thank God I was in the car when I noticed it. It's sooooooooo huge! My dear Eric came to my rescue and crushed it. Weird... Where did it come from?

N it is already making a big web on the side mirror area... Scary. 

Maybe next time better not park under the bush at night.

Kcan

Who wants a tongue tongue?

My MIL bought a special ingredient home last week. It's huge n meaty... It's a....

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Ox tongue!

I had no idea of how to prepare this piece of meat. First time preparing it, though my mum had cook pork tongue back in Singapore days.

So I had to boil it in hot water for a good 30 mins, so that I can peel the outer layer of the tongue off first. Then I put it in the trusty pressure cooker, chop onions, carrots, tomato, celery, spices n water. Wait for 60 mins.

I found this good place online, where this lady offers many different dishes, cooked using the pressure cooker! 

Red wine braised beef tongue

http://peggyunderpressure.com/2013/04/red-wine-braised-beef-tongue/

The final product is:

Yummy ox tongue stew!

The dish is is big that we had two meals with it.

It's not my fav meat, but won't mind cooking it again if MIl buys it.

Enjoy!

Kcan

Letter box

Eric made a letterbox back in year 10 (sec 4) during wood work class. Since then, it had been serving as the mailbox at the house we are staying at. 

And finally, it was declared retired, and it was replaced by a more efficient letterbox. 

Why did we take it down?

The width of the mailbox is too short. The door is not able to shut fully. It is held shut by the Velcro tape! So many a times, letters will get stuffed in at one end n it pushed the back door open n fall out from the other end. The letters ended up on the ground, get wet in the rain or get bulldozed by the hungry snails, leaving stains or holes on the letters. 

One last shot of the humble letterbox, designed n made by Eric.

It even has moss growing on the top!

The new replacement! Big, spacious and it even have a lock at the back! No more wet n 'holy' mails. =D

The bar was too short, so Eric had to use cable ties to secure it on the fence. It looks like our new mailbox is floating...

Kcan

Eric the walnut cracker.

With the week long rain that we had, the fresh walnuts were about to turn mouldy!!!

Eric panicked and started de-shelling them to help save the walnuts. Then we wash n mild roast them, and cook them down before putting them in sealed containers. When the sun comes up tomorrow, we will dry them outside too. Oh what a walnut life....

It's 11.30pm now, and we are almost 3/4 done. Keep it up darling!

Kcan