… or the the chinese called it 端午节(Duan Wu Jie) is on 31 May this year or 5th month and 5th day on the lunar calendar. One of the saying is that this festival is to remember 屈原 (Qu Yuan).

Read the Folklore on how this festival came about here.

To add on, why dragon head are used and not others;
The dragon is a mythical monster in fairy tales and legends. For a long time the dragon stood for evil. Tales of serpent monsters roaming the earth devouring everything in their paths have been recorded for centuries. However, the Chinese adopted the dragon as a symbol of nobility. Until 1912, the dragon was the national emblem of China. Many Chinese consider the dragon a god, one to be worshipped. Therefore, dragons appear in every area of Chinese culture. The dragon has always played a major role in Chinese literature. Children’s books are full of the legendary appearances of dragons and, frequently the dragon is found helping a poor or unfortunate victim overcome his enemies. During Dragon Boat Festival, giant heads of the serpent, decorated with fierce markings are painted on the front of the boat, helping the crew to victory.

On Dragon Boat Festival, parents also need to dress their children up with a perfume pouch. They first sew little bags with colorful silk cloth, then fill the bags with perfumes or herbal medicines, and finally string them with silk threads. The perfume pouch will be hung around the neck or tied to the front of a garment as an ornament. They are said to be able to ward off evil.

Back to the Art of Making Zongzi. Each region of China has its own special form of zongzi. For example, in southern China you will find Savory versions that may have Chinese sausage (xiang chang), Chinese ham, Chinese dried “bacon” (la rou), chestnuts, dried mung beans, peanuts, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, dried scallops, and salty duck egg yolks packed in the middle.

Meanwhile, Beijing zongzi is the Sweet and plain version to be be dipped in sugar or honey prior to eating for an instant sweet treat. Sugar and whole red beans may also be mixed with the rice prior to being wrapped. This method creates a sweet and colorful zongzi. Sweetened red bean paste, dried Chinese dates, nuts, or fruit jams packed into the center can also be used to liven up zongzi. There is also plain zongzi or the hockkien called it kijang, made only with glutinous rice + alkaline water and to be eaten with kaya, honey or sugar.

Zongzi can be many shapes, but the most common shape is pyramidal or triangular.

Making zongzi is a difficult proposition. Even experienced Chinese cooks find it a challenge to manipulate the bamboo leaves into a funnel shape and place the rice inside. But if you want to try, here are a recipe to help you celebrate this truly unique event.

Ingredients:

Long glutinous rice
Pork (I prefered with lots of fats!)
Dried mushrooms
Salted egg yolks
Sugar
Soy sauce
Chinese five-spice
Salt
Borad Bamboo Leaves
String

Direction:

Wash sticky (glutinous) rice and soak for three hours.

Chop pork into 4cm long and 2cm wide strips.

Soak mushrooms until tender, remove stems and cut into strips.

Mix soy sauce, Chinese five-spice, salt, and sugar. Let pieces of pork and mushrooms soak in above mixture for two hours.

Cut salted egg yolks in halves.

Thoroughly clean soaked and softened bamboo leaves and string.

Shape two long bamboo leaves into a funnel shape using one third of the length of the leaves. Fill the funnel half with rice and half with pieces of pork, mushroom, and egg yolk.
Cover the “funnel” with additional rice, and then wrap the mixture tightly with the remaining portion of the leaves.

Tie string around zong zi and cook in a covered steamer over medium heat for two hours.

Please note that making zongzi takes a great deal of patience and free time.

Of course the art of eating the zongzi is straight from the bamboo leaf. Try them yourself if you don’t believe me.

*(ISP aka Insurance Sales People)

Scenario 1

ISP: Hello misling, you are one of our selected people bla, bla, bla, credit card user. Bla, bla, bla. We have a insurance fit bla, bla, bla. With only RM3.50 per week, bla,, bla, bla, it cover terrorist attack, accidents, nature disasters, bla bla.

Tulan: Sorry not interested.

ISP: Why? It is a good plan.

Tulan: I already had a insurance plan.

ISP: Well, does your plan cover terrorist attack?

Tulan: I don’t think I’m that sui!

ISP: Ok. Thank you. (*toot)

Scenario 2

ISP: Yadda, yadda, yadda…..

Tulan: I was about to sell you insurance plan also leh.

ISP: errr… why?

Tulan: I am also a insurance agent leh.

ISP: Oh, really ah. What company you are attached to?

ISP: yadda, yadda, yadda…

See, as easy as that. Scenario one just happened few minutes ago and I am tulan cos she just hung up the phone. Come on. You are a sales person. Haven’t you got any sales training before dealing with asshole like us? A real good sales person could actually talk you down on that. Probably she knows that I’m going to go on and on arguing with her and doesn’t want to waste her time on me.

Do you agree that once you enter Motherhood, your thinking will be more matured than before? Fyi, this is a trackback after reading Kennysia Kimmysia’s blog. Not surprise if he has never thought about this.

Somehow, during every of my kids birthday, I’ll just sit back and refresh the moment of labour bringing my kids to this world. It is full of challenge and every challenge has it’s own obstacle. Only a mother know what it is like – the pain and the joy.

I told Kharsyn on her 3rd birthday, “Do you know that on this day around this hour, mummy brings you to this world?” She just smile. I know she won’t understand what I’m trying to tell her. Time will tell. (dem! I’m going to be a grandma!!!)

Tell you a secret: I’ll boil the pig’s stomach soup on their birthday to reward myself. I know I won’t get any presents. But gawd dammit knows that this poor belly of mine has stretch like a balloon and need some pampering and nourishing. And if stretch marks are brains, I’ll be freaking genius! (Can this be the best quote too?)

Maybe this birthday of mine, I’ll do that (boil the soup) for my mom (co-incident I’m going back on that day).

I’ll share with you (especially man!) another incident took place on Mother’s Day. As you know I just came home from my White Water Rafting trip and that morning busy like a bees washing and cleaning. I was outside the house hanging the washing when I overheard hubby asking the eldest if she wishes me “Happy Mother’s Day”. Spontanously I answer from the porch, “No need! If you want, come and help me with the hanging.” You won’t be surprise if any of them even volunter. Expected!!!

Happy Burfday to nieces Crystal and Dana. Yes, they are sisters (same Madher same Fadher). Cool eh?

Recently, my company donated RM300 toward the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation where they held a bazaar at one of the Park in the housing area. And since the bazaar is near to where I stayed, Boss let me have the token to spent at the bazaar (Yeah, I love my job :)). Much to my horror suprise, the organizer gave me tokens worth RM80 instead of RM300 and claimed that the rest goes to charity! Ah well…. since she said the word ‘charity’ that sounds alright. But I’m wondering what about those walk in to the bazaar. Do they pay RM10 but get token worth only RM3? Not going to question that, I’ll just presume cos we are a organization or in better terms, business associates *sigh…

Things are not cheap tho but since I got the RM80 token for free, I might as well spent all on foods and games. One thing that make me wonder for days. Do you have to sell a Gardenia bread which cost RM0.60 at the shop at RM2.00 during the bazaar just because they say it’s for charity purpose? Isn’t that way tooooooooo expensive??? I think it’s dem, dem, dem expensive!!! I’ve got no choice. That’s the only healthy food around that I can tapau home. So I bought 6 pcs of Gardenia bread which will cost me a total of RM3.60 at shop but at the bazaar, I paid RM12.00 for that!!!! (Ya, i know I’ve been repeating the maths equation and ya! I know it’s free anyway!). Others food like laksa, ice blended cordial juice or drinks was selling at RM3. I think that is quite resonable. Still I don’t understand why a miserable bread have to sell 3.222 times higher than the actual price. Okay! Okay! I should stop bitching about the bread now.

………………

Overall at the Bazaar was dem a bit boring and HOT!

One game that brought back my childhood memory is the ‘tikam’ game. In another word is lucky pick.

RM1 for 2 lucky picks. During my younger days, we pay 10cents for a lucky pick. (Inflation! Inflation!)

Check the number in it. If it matches with the number on the prize, then it’s yours.

If it did not match any of the number here, maybe you could try buying KTM ticket (Kuda, Toto, Magnum).

They have other games as like ring on the nail, wheel of fortune, gladiator, basketball, face painting…. watch this.

tadaaaa…..

the finishing….

Time to go home for my lunch now. Bought 2 packets of asam laksa. They put the dilluted prawn paste in the noodle instead of in the soup and now the noodle looks like a ‘kon low mee’. Bah!

Oh, don’t worry about all my whinning. I do enjoy myself getting bake under the sun for RM80 which I don’t have to contribute.

Tips from the not-so-pro golfer for starter:

Head down to any golfer’s shop and they have ranges of clubs for you to choose. Let them know your budget.

Finding the right golf bag can certainly be a challenge sometimes. You want a big enough bag to obviously fit all your clubs in, but you also want something you’ll be able to carry around if you’re walking 18 holes.

Shoes – It’s perfectly legal to play with naked stompers, but you’ll probably draw some odd looks and comments from starters and pros—even though they’ll be backslapping guys wearing shirts to shame Duffy Waldorf. You could try telling them that going au naturel was once au-kay at Augusta National—Shoeless Sam Snead learned the game barefoot and played nine practice holes that way at The Masters in the late 1930s, shooting 2-under par.

Glove – A proper golf swing can best be made possible if you have a proper grip. Feel is the variable factor in the grip and a big part of feel can sometimes be as easy as the correct golf glove. Glove quality begins with cabretta leather for longer-lasting softness and performance.

With this three minimum equipment, you are now ready to swing at the driving range.

I thought this looks like a horse racing field.

Buy 150 balls for starter as you are bount to hit 50% of them at 2meter range. As the saying goes, “Practise make perfect.”

Iron 7 will be more suitable for driving range. At least, that’s what I prefered.

In developing your golf swing, you must first remember that all your shots won’t be perfect instantly. For beginners developing their first swing or for more advanced golfers who wish to refine their current swing, it’s going to take time and practice to get the perfect golf swing.

Before you swing the club, you want to make sure you’re holding the golf club correctly. If you’re right handed, make sure, as you’re gripping the club, that your right hand is below your left and you’re wrapping your right hand around the shaft of the club and around the thumb of your left hand. There’s another way of holding your club. It all depends on who your coach is. Of course mine is Tiger Woods style ;).

Lauzy cameraman!!! Captured at the wrong time too early.

There’s really no correct distance in how far from the ball you have to stand. Make sure you just not crowding the ball. As for me, I approach the ball and stand at whatever distance feels most comfortable.

As you’re eyeing up your shot, getting ready to swing, position your body weight so most of it’s on your back leg. This will help you get more power behind your swing. Keep your body straight and your knees slightly bent. As you bring the club back to take your swing, bring the club back slowly keeping your head down and eyes fixed on the ball. I know a lot of people who actually look slightly behind the ball and end up taking a huge chunk of grass out from behind the actual location of their ball.

The perfect body posture after a swing. Ya! Thanks to the camerawomen. Bah!

For drives I bring my driver back with a wider angle in reference to my body than with an iron. I bring the iron back almost parallel to my body. Still keeping your head down and eyes on the ball, bring the club back down and through to the ball. Follow all the way through with your shot keeping your shoulders square. Don’t lift your head or take your eyes off the position the ball was laying until you see green. Once you see the grass where your ball was sitting, you can raise your head. Also, make sure to stay nice and relaxed before you swing. If you tense up, you won’t hit the ball as well as you could of.

You won’t know one day when I have a Jr. Tiger Woods competing in the PGA Tour.

Culinary art that explores new possibilities;

Looks that rekindles sweet memories;

Ingredients that epitomize fine quality;

Sensation that melts all barriers of restraints;

Flavors that reveal moments of truth in gastronomy art.

~~~***…***~~~

Hubby says: haha..mummy i got a new notebook from office..
Hubby says: but not too new also lah..
Hubby says: because got 3 ppl resign so i took over their notebook..
Hubby says: very high end.
Jessie says: as long as you like them ok
Jessie says: did you take over their salary also ?

Daddy usually take the earliest flight to East but this time is different. Since his flight is at 10am, the KLIA Limo will pick him up at 7.30am from home. Anyway, he thought it might be a good experience for kids to go to school in the LIMO! And boy of boy. You should see Carlgene grining from ear to ear as he step in the Limo. He’s a car lover if you must know.

Btw, Daddy just came home from East yesterday night and which means this morning will be the usual routine for Daddy. Sending the kids to school again. And guess what?

In the morning, Carlgene refuse to go in to Daddy’s car and insist to wait for the Limo to come. *eek. It’s a horror when Carlgene throw his tantrum. I dare not imagine. Looks like today gonna be another longgggggg day of lecture reasoning with him. *sigh…

There are three restaurants serving these delicious Yong Tau Foo – Ampang Homeland, Orchard View and Fong Fong. Now, it’s therefore almost impossible for you not to get a seat in any of them, but then, which is the best of the three?

In this case of Ampang Yong Tau Foo (f***ing too long, I’ll initial it as YTF), it’s Fong Fong which is most packed and arguably the best. Orchard View is a close second, while Ampang Homeland is a distand third. I’ll go anywhere depending on the crowd. However, if you can’t speak Cantonese or Mandarin (what a shame!), then you’ll have to settle for Ampang Homeland because it’s the only one that has a menu with colourful photos where you can point out the items that you want.

YTF are actually fish paste stuffed into items like smooth taufoo, ladies fingers, fried taufoo, chilies, slices of bittergourd or brinjals and also wrapped in thin soya skin (foo chok) which are then served in soup or deep fried.

Shallot for garnishing are fresh from the stove and not some instant pre-pack shallot from the supermarket.

Ah Lian: Aunty, can I take pictures ah?

Ah soh: Oh, can! Can! Take la. (She’s smiling at the camera and not knowing that ah lian is directed the camera at the food and not HER!)

*Click…click….

Ah soh: Where are you from ah?

Ah Lian: *paiseh…. no la. From Klang only.

Ah soh: *face turning like whore asking… knn, so suaku meh, never see YTF before.

The secret of Ampang YTF is the smooth white taufoo and the use of good ikan parang. Above all, there’s very little oil used (except for the fried items) and therefore a reasonably healthy diet.

~~~***…***~~~

Yesterday was my first stamina training getting myself ready for a climb in Mount Kinabalu. Manage to run 800meters and walk 400meters nonstop. I almost couldn’t believe my own ablility cos the last i ever track run was when i was 17y/o. It’s just the start of the training and I vowed to be as discipline as possible.

… and you think you’re an outdoor person, ever heard of RAFTING?

We head out early driving on the NKVE to Gopeng at 7.30am sharp as we need to reach the toll at 9.30am where the rafting master is waiting for us with his cool van.

From the toll to the river, it takes us about 20mins drive on this one-lane kampung road.

Upon reaching, our river guide has got everything ready for the raft plus some last minute air check just to make sure it can support the 6 of us safely.

As a standard procedure safety briefing will be done before going down the river which covers the paddling commands, paddling skills, capsize drills, action when overboard of river rescue.

After 10-15 minutes of briefing by our professional river guide, King, we are now ready for our river rafting adventure.

Hey, wait. How come his life jacket is so small yet ours are so big?

Rafting is about getting wet and wild, therefore, avoid using denim jeans, thick cotton trousers and track suit. Just shorts or bermuda pants so it’s easier to move around.  On the river you will have the thrills of tackling exciting rapids and floating down the clear water river amidst a lush rainforest.  You will ride the continuous rapids graded from class 1 to 3 and continue down river passing by some old tin mining.  You will have fun too during the rafting like do some body-rafting or even take a spin in the raft with your head in the water or just get to the traditional fun of water fight with your fellow rafters!

(Getting the inflatable raft in the river at the starting point)

IF you don’t believe in god, white-water rafting will change your mind very quickly. Caught up in the raging waters, begging for divine help seems to come naturally. A good opportunity to test out your river skills and go on an adrenaline rush as you ride through the 14 rapids.

(Raft got suck on the boulder and it just need some jumping to dislog it.)

Every rapids had their own name like Broken Ledge, Easy drop, snake rapid, Rajah Corner, Hyside Rapid, Slide Rapid, Enders Point, Chicken Run (yeah… got lots of rocks and it goes so bumpy) and Eddy point.

When the invitation to a white-water romp came, I didn’t know what to expect. But after rushing through the rapids and harsh boulders at blinding speed in an inflatable raft to the thundering sounds of pounding water, I was hooked to the game.

It could be the adrenalin rush but I have discovered a side of me that I hadn’t known existed before. A mean adventurous streak.

It’s like an episode of Fear Factor but with proper guidance and the right equipment, anyone can tame the raging river.

Would-be rafters must take a 20m “anything goes” turbulent glide in the raw — just you, the life-jacket and your guts against the might of the river. If something goes wrong, instructors will be ready downstream with a lifeline.

After the first big fall, the rest was easy though I could hardly feel my rear when it was all over. Conquering my fears felt really good.

The next time someone invites me to chill out in white-water again, I hope it’s a Class 4 or 5.

Good work team! We are safe and ALIVE!!! The thrills of white-water rafting are simply out of this world.

Got certificate somemore. Don’t play-play leh. Did you read that… “Bravely challenged”. For a moment I feel so proud of it.

It’s a shame if you are in Klang and miss the BKT and also seafood in Port Klang. Those are the ‘must-try’to be in your list. And so last week, Sis Woei bring her Professor Kim

… who was in KL for 3 months sabbatical. What a lucky devil.

We suggested some kind of ‘adventure’ type and unusual seafood restaurant rather than the normal one. Tell me if this is ‘adventurous’ for you a tourist.

One of the scene that greeted us at the entrance leading to the restaurant. A bit ugly…. wait till you see the inner beauty.

We have to walk thru narrow lane with some wooden houses lined along it. Quite scary if you are not used to seeing such a scenario. To me, it’s beautiful cos I used to grow up 1/6 of my life in Pangkor.

A bit of a scenary before reaching the restaurant. (Ahem! Enough staring at my sister)

Wooden walk way at where we eat. Cool yea?

Now, let me talk about food, as usual.

Lala fried bihoon. Delicious but the lala is too small compare to the one I had in Telok Gong.

Noynya Steam Fish – Sourish and Spicy.

Drunken prawn – My sis claim that I cook this dish better than them. Fyi, drunken prawn is cook in VSOP, ginger and black fungus. Generous amount of VSOP really bring out the taste in it. I presume they are stingy in it. No doubt, VSOP is really expensive.

Salted egg yolk with crab – First time for me and still my sis said that it’s only 5/10. They have tried the one in Glenmarie and they are good. We had marmite crab too but didn’t manage to snap any pic. All the food was gooble down pretty fast. And the marmite crab was not that good cos the gravy was supposed to be thick and stick to the shell whereby the one they serve is quite watery.

Since the satisfaction of licking finger is not enough, we actually went to other restaurant just few blocks away from this just to savour their marmite crab (there is where patron if we crave for marmite crab).

At this point, I almost got my camera throw in the sea by my sista! (Boohoo…)

Don’t ya think it looks pretty good in pic? First you lick the marmite coated shell + peel them off + dipped the crab meat in the remaining gravy on the plate + eat = finger licking good!

Walnut cracker is a helpful tool. But I still prefer the hammer. Bang, bang, bang! and the person sitting next to you will have one or two gravy splatted on their shirt.

Just want to thanks my Sis Woei again for the lovely dinner and a few jokes and wisdom we learn from Professor Kim. Also thanks to Professor Kim, without him I would not get to blogged on this without paying for the meal.