We...Me.....I....

These few days were spending time with relatives, sis, cousins, uncle, niece and nephews....
And now I am sitting at the airport, flying out middle of the nite to solve some problems....and also at the same time, planning on my new next job/assignment.
At the same time, I am also reading an article, about Indonesian President's latest move...all these makes me think.

A country, if it is economically strong, and able to give and provide good jobs to its citizens, are very important, hence you see places like S'pore, China....I am hoping for the best to happen and take place in my home country too, seriously speaking. I am back home for close to a year, and of course my main purpose is to get well rested and travel a bit, and in the last 2-3 months, trying to find what  is possible for me to do in my home-country. Went to 1 interview (until the final round of two, and was informed i possibly lost because my salary expectation could be too high)....but it seems there is nothing much for me, for now, I think. And before you give any comment, please also take note I am already 23 years in Sales and Marketing, hence what do you expect me to compromise to? to which level? And was it because I am expecting more or was it because there wasn't much options available? I am not sure, but I was looking for a base back to my home country, as I think I can spend more time here, I am getting older, my sister, my cousins, my relatives, and able to spend more time with them are quite a nice thing....Anyway, it is my wish....

And having said that, sometimes I wonder what is enough for a person.....what is important in life? It has nothing to do with contentment, as I am basically a very contented person, but then, when you look at the cost of living that is spiralling every year, then do you not need to rethink, for yourself...and your close-family members...I am not sure, I think seeing my niece and nephews, how would they be able to buy a place of their own in the next 10 years.. with their present salary? I doubt it actually....I am not sure. and that also makes me rethink...how am I able to do something to help...don't know...that is life I think.

But one thing I am sure, I treasure this one year period I have been "out of job", or the time I have taken out and spending a lot of quality time with them...I feel good, I feel blessed and I am very happy....sometimes, I believe this universe is very funny, they arrange things in certain ways, certain sense, beyond explanation and I am positive and hope that, in future, it will be better for all....and I am hoping things I wished for will materialised....

Choong
BayanLepas International Airport

P/S I am missing my sister, my niece and nephews all at home and feel bad that I could not accompany them for a good meal tonite.....but sometimes, I think good things will happen in future when we treasure them...and treasure us, at the same time......

pandan chiffon cake

I am getting better and very much into chiffon cake, and today, I bake this Pandan chiffon cake but with coconut milk (normally people do not use, and I follow Christine's recipe). Anyhow, I think it taste better, the outer layer (like love letters, when u use coconut milk, you know the smell after baking).

You can see from picture one that the skin looks very even and golden in colour, but the problem is with me using too little panda juice, hence not green enough (and I do not like to use Pandan extract nor do I like to use colouring, hence my Pandan cake has further room of improvement needed. But overall, it taste quite good. 

Recipe:

• 5 egg yolks
• 20 gm caster sugar 
• 100 gm cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 100 ml coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp pandan juice (see below for making pandan juice) 
• a few drops pandan essence/pandan paste, optional
• 3 Tbsp olive oil 

Ingredients of egg whites: 

• 5 egg whites
• 60 gm caster sugar 
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

• mix yolk, sugar, coconut milk together, then panda extract then the mixture of flour (flour, soda), and finally, olive oil.
• Once the egg whites ready, mix into the yolk mixture,
• Bake at 170 deg C then to 150C
• ready when needle inserted come out clean and dry.

Movie-Cafe Waiting Love 等一个人咖啡

Watched this movie two days ago, after hearing so many reviews and comments about it.
In general I like it, and why I said general, it was because certain parts of the movie can be a bit too 长气， too long winded or a bit too much acting, that makes it a bit boring, not until the remaining 30% of the movie. I like the part when the angelic guy is revealing the true identity of himself and also when Vivian Chow was crying when she drank the cup of coffee and when she read the message from his deceased bf......that is very touching.
I like the final 30% of the movie, but overall, I like the content and theme of this movie, and I think it is worth watching. This is a Taiwanese movie, hence a lot of local Taiwanese culture will definitely be inside.....and one must learn to appreciate the local culture only then u are able to understand more of the movie.

Choong

Apple Banana Muffins

Recipe: (from Christine'srecipe)

• 1  apple, about 125 gm (I use green apple)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder 
• 2 large ripe bananas, about 320 gm 
• 60 gm melted butter 
• 100 gm sugar 
• 1 egg, beaten 
• 125 ml milk 
• 240 gm cake flour 
• 1/4 tsp baking soda 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1/8 tsp salt 

Method:

• mixed cut apple with cinnamon, put aside
• meshed banana mixed with melted butter, beaten egg, sugar and also milk.
• mix flour with baking soda and baking powder with salt.
• Then mix everything together, stir lightly
• Pour in the tray or mould and then bake at 170 for 15-20mins.

Very easy and very fast to make.
I have taken 3 so far, taste very nice, soft and you can reduce a bit of sugar portion if you think it is too sweet, but I think the sweetness is okay if you are taking with plain tea.

Choong

Book To Read-Your Erroneous Zones

I was trying very hard to get find this book, even major bookstores in Penang and KL, they are either running out of stock or do not have any copy of it, or not selling this. May be it is too big label to carry or may be no so many so many readers are interested. Anyway, I would really suggest that you read this book, if you are looking for personal development, self improvement for your life (here I am talking more of spiritual type, for long term betterment of yourself), esp. since young we have been brought to think in certain ways, of which I think it was not right, and after so many years of living as a human being, I finally found the answers to the questions that keep boggling my mind. And looking positively at the development of my life and the current stage I am in, I feel very blessed, because I have the chance to read many books, esp, my recent contact with Dr. Wayne W.Dyer's books, and the lessons and experiences he is trying to share (he has also a fb link, please look for him if you are interested).

This book tells a lot of "errors" esp in our thinking, from the time we we born until now, not because of our parents fault, or others, and not because they were trying to misguide us, but them themselves had been thought to think that way too....and this books highlighted a lot of "errors" we have, in our thoughts, our behaviour and our actions...hence please try to read this one.

and to share a bit, you have quotes like this:

If you believe that feeling bad or worrying long enough will change a past or future event, then you are residing on another planet with a different reality system.

It isn't the experience of today that drives men mad. It is the remorse for something that happened yesterday, and the dread of what tomorrow may disclose.

There are two days in the week about which and upon which I never worry. Two carefree days, kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is yesterday....and the other day I do not worry about is tomorrow.

Happy reading.

Choong

BM

I love this article- 2004 versus 2014...happy reading.

I got this article from zero edge,http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-10-11/why-do-new-york-restaurants-suck-surprising-answer , and I think it is good to share...it is everyone's problem, which includes you and me,,,,,and I think it is a very good article, and very much true....haha. happy reading.

Portuguese tarts...

Actually, this morning I woke up and was thinking what next recipe to try, and this tart coming to my mind, but as I have very conventional oven, it is not easy to bake the traditional cantonese egg tart, hence I chose this Portugese egg tart, due to the oven condition and temp.

Recipe is based on Easy Recipe cookbook which I bought.

Recipe:

Ingredients of crust:  

• 200 gm  plain flour
• 25 gm cake flour
• 125 gm  butter 
• 55 gm  icing sugar (I think 50gm should be enough)
• 1 egg, whisked 
• a dash  vanilla extract

Ingredients of custard:: 

• 2 eggs
• 70 gm  caster sugar (I shall try to reduce to 60gm, still too sweet for me)
• 150 gm hot water
• 75 gm evaporated milk 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Happy trying, I think this is good for afternoon tea.

pumpkin pie/bread

well, since I am crazy about Pumpkin, hence been looking for and trying different recipes, and this is one of them. Actually, I wanted to try this recipe in full, but since I do not have all the ingredients and wanting to try something different, I add in my tangzhong, and hence, I have different outcome, which looks more like a pie rather than a bread to me.1 1/2 - teaspoons nutmeg

Origina recipe

1 - teaspoon cinnamon 

1 1/2 - cups Truvia Baking Blend (brown sugar, I use normal white sugar, only 1 cup instead)

1/2 - cup canola oil

1/2 - cup unsweetened applesauce (I do not have this)

2/3 - cups water

1 - cup canned pumpkin 

3 - cups self rising flour, sifted (do not substitute)

50gm tangzhong

Teh Tarik Macha leaf..chiffon cake

One of the best chiffon cake that I have made so far, modifying the recipe shared by Christine's recipe.

The recipe:

Ingredients of Earl Grey tea milk (Ingredient for teh tarik, macha leaf

• 120 ml fresh milk (I use Japanese green tea, freshly brewed, then add in a pack of The tarik, 3 in one type)
• 6 gm (about 6 teaspoons) Earl Grey loose leaves (did not use this)

Ingredients:

• 5 egg yolks (Eggs-Type B)
• 20 gm castor sugar (only use 17gm)
• 110 ml Earl Grey tea milk -as mentioned above, I added in a bit of the green tea leaf
• 100 gm cake flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 80 ml canola oil 

Ingredients of meringue:

• 5 egg whites 
• ½ tsp cream of tartar 
• 60 gm castor sugar

Temperature: Varies between 150-170 C.

Shared with cake with friends and feedback was positive. This colour looks so nice and beautiful.

I love this recipe.

Next Book To Get.“The Motivation Manifesto” by Brendon Burchard.

Excerpt from “The Motivation Manifesto” by Brendon Burchard.

Please follow this link, I think it is very good for personal development.
http://brendonburchard.tumblr.com/post/99496678728/the-declaration-of-personal-power

My Pumpkin Cake with Lemon Cheese Cream Frosting

I think I am slowly, falling in love with Pumpkin, as it is a healthy type of vege, and the colour looks very good, esp for baking cakes and bread.
I tried this today, and also first time for the frosting.

Recipe:
4 large eggs
1 cup corn oil
1tsp vanilla
13/4 cups white sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 cups Rose flour or all purpose flour
1 cup wheat bran (I do not have this, replaced with oats)
2 tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup walnut

glazing
200 gm cream cheese
3 Tsp lemon juice
grated lemon skin
mix and beat well, and spread on the cooled cake.

Choong
BM

greenapple-cinnamon bread

Yesterday, I was very much looking forward to eat something sour, with raisin (my favourite) and at home, there are a few green apples left, hence my green-apples cinnamon bread. I love this, and it was my breakfast and afternoon for yesterday and today, and later part of the day, I need to start baking again, hopefully something with green apple again.

The recipe:

Ingredients of buns: (this I copy from Christinesrecipe)

• 350gm/2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 55gm/3 tbsp+2 tsp caster sugar
• 5gm/1 tsp salt
• 56gm egg (equals to 1 large egg)
• 7gm/1 tbsp+1 tsp milk powder (to increase fragrance, optional)
• 125 ml/1/2 cup milk
• 120gm tangzhong (refer to this recipe for making tanzhong, use half of the amount for this recipe)
• 5 to 6gm/2 tsp instant yeast
• 30gm/3 tbsp butter (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature)
• a handful of flaked almond, for topping
• extra whisked egg for brushing

Ingredients of apple filling:

• 2 apples, peeled and core removed, cut into smaller pieces
• 30gm sugar (I use raw sugarcane sugar, and you adjust this to your own personal taste. I reduce the amount from 60gm to 30gms)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (I use 1.5 tsp, as I like cinnamon a lot
• I add in 100gm of black raisin too, I love them
• Nutmeg powder, I add in 1/2tsp

Choong

BM