Ice Cream Cake with New Zealand Natural

When Babe in the KL city asked a bunch of us if we were interested for a Ice Cream Cake class sponsored by New Zealand Natural, I instantly agree because;

1# Teckiee is a cheapo. Being sponsored for anything is good. HAHA!
2# I always think that ice cream cake is difficult to make because ice cream cakes sold out there are so darn expensive! (But now different case already la hehe)
3# Ice cream cake == no baking, which suits me because I don't have a workable oven right now.


I went to pick WMW up for lunch... wanted to bring her to this nice pork noodle place in P.J Old Town but after all the traffic jam (plus me car was playing up.. I later found out back home that my radiator was running out of water!) we ended up at Satellite having chicken noodles and sotong balls.


Lucky us, we still manage to reach The Cooking House in Seri Hartamas early and guided
poor Simon who couldn't find The Cooking Houses to the location.


Precious Pea and FFB arrived 5 minutes later and all of us *woop* out our cameras and started feeding the camera. It was kind of weird because there were more camera than spoons in the class!


While taking pictures of this pretty sugared walnuts, I caught Food Cookies across the room and her other half with a huge and expensive *woop* *woop* (That means camera hehe)


A stress ball for us in the welcome goodie bag. Baking that stressful?


Chef Lee. Quite good looking hor?


This is the pre made cookie base that was baked earlier. We did make these during the class too and yum yum! ours turned out really well! (Ahem...of cos la...I was "hands on" and added some "natural salt" to it ;P)


Anyway, I totally loved this Mango Sorbet ice cream aka Mango Heaven. Surprisingly easy to make too! The bottom and center later is the cookie base that was chewy and not crunchy after refrigeration which went really well with the smooth sorbet texture. Honestly (not because this class was sponsored), I find New Zealand Natural's sorbet smoother than many other sorbets out there. The top layer was a Mango Sorbet, and the bottom Mango Passion.


The Walnut Butterscotch Surprise! The Surprise! part is actually the center, almond biscuit coated with chocolate. I love my Rum n Raisins at Baskin-Robins. I think butterscotch will be my Rum n Raisins at New Zealand Natural. I forgot how good butterscotch can taste!


The two halves. I totally loved these two. I'm going to try not to be lazy and actually make. Now...I just need to find the time...


The next cake was a black forest ice cream cake which used New Zealand Natural's Boysenberry. We didn't make the cake but watch Chef Lee do his magic with the fresh cream.


I did wonder a couple of times if I could do this at home. I suck whipping cream... but I guess I can cheat and get the whipped cream in a can?


I didn't enjoy this cake as much as I enjoyed the mango and butterscotch cake. But I guess it was ok. I think it was the berries that got to me... I don't really like berries if they are not in a jam jar.


This...this chocolate sponge cake looks awesome. Texture as soft and spongy. But... SALTY! We kind of poured in 80g of salt instead of 80g of sugar! HAHAHAHA! Well, first time for everything ;p Oh.. the chocolate sponge base is used for a Tiramisu, we didn't use our salty one though.. The Cooking House was already expecting some of us to screw up LOL!


Ahh.. this pic... Chef Lee was saying "Dont use gloves when you know that you are going to sweat. When you raise your hands, your sweat is just going to drip all over your dough. But since I'm handling ice cream, I know it's cold, so I'm using the gloves"


Fixing up the Tiramisu is fairly easy...


...Just make sure you remember to thaw your ice cream first...


...But if you forget, Babe in the KL city say to put it in the microwave. It works! Only takes 20 seconds!


Taa Daa!


The top layer New Zealand Natural's Hokey Pokey and the bottom Cafe Espresso. I think everyone liked this because this was the last piece when Precious Pea went for her serving. I didn't quite dig this though. Not a coffee person.

Overall, I really enjoyed the class. Chef Lee gave us a couple of pointers, Babe in the KL city with her microwave tip, salt and sugar is very different haha, FFB with his baking skills, and egg white if whipped properly will not fall out when you overturn the bowl!

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Happy Chinese New Year!

It's that time of the year again! Gong Hei Fatt Choy and Sang Dai Kin Hong!

This is going to be a really quick post because I'm off to my parents hometown soon. Just leaving you a foodie's comedy for the CNY. I was having a couple of pre-CNY dinners, one which was a "Sau Kong" dinner that my colleague organized.

"Sau Kong" means "keeping the work". This dinner celebrates the completion of work/task/job for that particular year. Chinese business men usually throw dinners like this to represent their closing of the year. Also meaning that it's "Close shop" until the next (Chinese) new year begins.

The last dish that came was a desert, which was (Longan in) Jelly Fish.


Jelly Fish... jelly fish.. get it?


HAHAHAHA!

Ok, so maybe it's not that funny....BUT it's FUNNY!!!! HAHAHA Happy Chinese New Year all!

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Fatty Bom-bom

"Eh, no pineapple tarts from you this year? But I always get pineapple tarts from you :~("

"I want 2 containers of your peanut cookies ok?"

"Aren't you baking this year?"

Nope, I'm really not in the mood for any CNY baking this year. My oven is still BLAHHH, and I just moved, the house is a mess, ...I just want to rest. So don't expect any homemade stuff from me this year.

But of course, that does not mean No Goodies at Teckiee's. Inspired by Precious Pea's homemade char siew (You should really have her show you the picture. Perfect layers of meat and fat), I came up with this quick cook up finger food that can be easily served to anyone called Fatty Bom-bom!


All you need is "long yoke" aka "daging salai" aka BBQed dried meat, cheese, and toothpicks. Cut your long yoke and cheese into small squares (or circles, stars, diamonds ;p), and layer them up. Hold them together with a toothpick and arrange them on a plate to be served.


You can use pork (or chicken if you are entertaining Muslim friends) "long yoke". Try using the softer "long yoke", the ones which the meat are minced then made into the "long yoke". The whole strip "long yoke" tend have less moisture and hard.

For the cheese, try using soft cheese, or stronger (as in the smell) cheese. I used the Dutch smoked black pepper cheese which went really well with the "long yoke". I think Gorgonzola will go well with this as well.

Side track: I bought the cheese at Cold Storage in One Utama. The guy cutting the cheese reminded my sister of a Malay version of Gio, the Sandwich guy from Ugly Betty. I totally agree! I kind of had fun talking about cheese with him. LOL!


Hm... only thing missing how is a glass of red wine... slurp slurp. Goes well with red, or any booze!

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3JC

The history of meatballs making in Malaysia dated back to the post era the 2nd world war. There was a person named Khong Zing, originated from the district of Canton, China, left his homeland to the Peninsular Malaya for a better life. He commenced his venture by setting up him business in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, more precisely at Jalan Silang.

For some urgent personal matter, he went home where of his business had to be taken care for by Chan Fatt Kam. As the meatballs are of exceptional taste and quality, Chan does not face much difficulty to expand and further enhance the business. At the moment the show was situated in such a way that it was annexed to two other shop at the road junction. Henceforth, the regular customers have named it as "San Jian Chuang", translated to "Three Adjacent Shops". Now the name "San Jian Chuang" is well known and is synonymous to meatballs.

Thereafter Chan has passed on the are of making meatballs to one Yap See Chiew, the next generation to continue the are and to make available to the public, the exquisite taste of superior and quality meatballs, Yap has then set up his own establishment in Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur of which is know as "San Jian Chuang". He has further branched out to Petaling Jaya (behind Mak Yee Restaurant) whereof most Petaling Jaya folks would patronize it for breakfast, especially weekends.



So... I'm guessing after all that, 3JC open their first non-coffee shop style outlet in Equine Park's Jaya Jusco in Seri Kembangan. 3JC's other outlet is at One Utama, a small one compared to this one.

I was kind of skeptical when my mom wanted to have dinner here. I prefer my coffee shop stuff in the coffeeshop. All this air conditioned coffee shop / hawker food restaurant thing just doesn't give me the "feel". But I guess I have to change that mindset... cos 3JC actually serves nice pork ball noodles the coffee shop way minus the coffee shop.


A big bowl of porridge which my sister ordered. I didn't taste it but I could smell all the goodies when it bowl was placed on the table. I like it when restaurants are generous with their portions and don't hold back on the ingredients. That oil on the left of the bowl, they are sesame oil, which made the porridge fragrant.


3JC Homemade noodles in dry sauce (RM7.90). If you opt for the normal yellow noodles or the queh teow, the bowl of noodles will cost RM7.20. But for the RM0.70 different, I'll definitely take the homemade noodles. The noodles were much nicer in the mouth and I felt that the noodles suits the sauce more compared to the yellow noodles or the queh teow.


3JC in Soup. RM7.60 for homemade noodles, and RM6.90 for the normal noodles. My first reaction to this bowl of noodles was... Where is the noodles?! I only see soup. Well, it's a big bowl and I'm glad I got plenty of soup because I loved the soup. I drank it all and guess what, I didn't drink water like a camel later because I don't think MSG was used.. or maybe just a small amount.


3JC Cuttle meatball in Soup (RM4.60). I prefer this meatball compared to the pork meatball that comes with the noodles. It's not that the pork one is yucky, it was ok but the added cuttle in with the pork added a few extra kicks to the bite and taste.


Do also try the Deep Fried Tau Foo (RM3.20). A very plain and simple dish but I like it for it's simplicity. Any more complicated recipe will just take the attention away from the very smooth tofu texture.


Oh and before I forget, and one who don't take 3JC or clear soup because the soup is too clear... you really need to have the chili because this is one of the nicer chilis you can find at coffee shops or restaurants. Heh bee pounded finely and cooked with chili. Nice.

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Mr.Bauz

National Geographic. Lost In China. With The Hutchens Brothers.

I tagged along with WMW who got invites to see a preview of Lost In China with the Hutchens Brothers by the brother themselves. Since we were early for the event, we decided to hang around Pavilion KL until it was almost time. We headed to the food court and saw...


"This food will change your lifestyle"... Honestly, I don't know if I should laugh or cry at the statement. I feel more like this -_-" when I saw the tag line. But ok, give it a chance. Hmmm let me think... did the bauz change my lifestyle. No definitely not.


Come to think of it... the bauz did change my perception of bauz. Bauz need not be the natural colour of white flour, or yellow egg yoke, or green pandan, or orange sweet potato.


Yellow and black stripes. That's really new to me. I think Paris Hilton would look good posing with that bau. Flashy! LOL!


The Squid Roll (RM3.50) was very ordinary. A black and white in color bau with wasabi mayo and bonito flakes on top. The bau was quite dry, and I think it started to harden quite quickly.


This chicken stuffed Viennese Cheese Baoz (RN3.50) was another disappointment. I could taste chicken but flavor wasn't really impressive. I could hardly tell it was cheese, cream maybe, but cheese?


The Mutton Curry Baoz (RM3) was the best among the three but wasn't that great either. I did like the mutton curry in it but like the Viennese Cheese Baoz, the stuffing lacks flavor.


After finishing your bau, you'll find a cute little drawing of a girl. Cute.
All in all, I don't think I like Bauz that much. I did like the drawing of the cute little girl though :p

Life changing experience? Getting lost in China, yes. Eating Baoz, no.

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Ngau Kee Beef Noodles

So maybe monitor lizard is not everyone's cup of tea. But I'm guessing cow innards is not too hard to digest...hehe


I first stumbled across Ngau Kee when I was have char siew at Meng Kee along Jalan Tengkat Tongshin. I hear quite a number of "good beef noodles there" but ironically I have not gotten myself to try though I pass by this stall often.


I finally came around eating here when I was out with WMW. ...Actually, I think it was WMW that said "What!? How can you not have eaten there!" LOL! Ngau Kee is located at the front left side of Jalan Tengkat Tongshin, the road behind Jalan Alor.


I ordered the lou shi fun dry style. Had the corned beef with seasoning on top which tasted flavorful. I should have requested for more beef as I remembered I finished the beef topping after (only) having half the bowl of noodles.


The innards. I usually don't like the cow's stomach (that's the white hairy stuff) but this actually didn't taste gross. Weird huh, I don't find worms gross but cow's stomach? Anyway, I loved it with the meatballs, but the cubes of meat were just so so for me.


Staring at this picture of an empty bowl... I'm kind of thinking about Haji Samuri's beef stomach satay and Julian's dried beef noodles. Slurp slurp.. I think I am beginning to like the cow's stomach.

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