Clay pot Chicken Rice without the Clay pot

3 pieces chicken thighs, cut into small pieces.  Marinated with dark soya sauce, light soya sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil.and leave to marinate for an hour 

 A cup of dried shitake mushroom soaked with warm water for at least half an hour

 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped and 2 inches fresh ginger julienne

 3 cups long grain rice or Basmati rice, washed and drained

Since I do not have a clay pot, this recipe was cooked in an ordinary heavy bottom pot.  Heat pot on medium high, add 2 tablespoon of butter, once the butter melted add half of the chopped garlic and ginger.  Fry for 3 minutes and add the rice.

 Make sure that the rice and the fried ingredients were well mixed, then add 3 cups of chicken stock and cook rice as normal.

 In a different pot heat 2 tablespoon of cooking oil, add the remaining chopped garlic.  Fry the chopped garlic for 3 minutes then add the marinated chicken. Let the chicken to cook for 15 minutes, then add in the shitake mushroom, also add 2 cups of the water from the soaked mushroom.  Let the chicken mixture cooked for a further 20 minutes or until the gravy was reduced to half.  Scoped the chicken mixture and add this to the rice, cover and cook on very low heat for a further 20 minutes.

 3 stalk of chopped spring onion

Once the rice is done, turn off the stove, add the chopped spring onion and cover the pot again, and leave for 10 minutes before serving

Claypot chicken rice is normally served with some fried salt fish, since I don't have any salt fish, I substituted that with some fried anchovies.  It worked fine with the dish.

Perfect - Happy Birthday Amira

Happy Birthday Amira........................... I love you so so much.  May the Lord keep you safe always.

…………. but until then All I Can Do Is Wait

I have been feeling rotten for a couple of days, the constant nauseated feeling and the electrifying headache is such a bother. Not mentioning the fever and the night sweats, it is so annoying. Even the sounds of the TV is annoying to me, I told hubby to just be there but no need to talk, I don’t like the sound of sounds when I am being annoyed by the monsters that’s tickling and invading the peace of my body.

I am at the moment where I don’t have the feeling to talk to anybody, I don’t want to laugh or joke or smile and I am not going to fake anything for anyone.

Last night I had some weird dreams, it was one of those dreams that you wanted to come out of it as fast as you can and not try to retrace that moment at all. When I got up, I felt tired but at the same time I don’t know exactly what’s wrong either. I cannot explain this in words to try and make anyone to understand.

I realized that more than anything in this world that I wanted now is to be alone; people are no longer comforting to me. It is the sound of silence that is so entertaining to me, it is so peaceful, so bliss and breathtaking. At least when I am alone no one will constantly ask me what is wrong.

But I know this time will soon pass, the flowers are all blooming, the trees are all green, and the view from above could not be more magnificent. With such a surrounding I know I will be back to be myself again.

…………. but until then all I can do is wait.

Spinach Strudel

It was Spinach Strudel for us, and I did it my way.  Here you go:

 1/2 bag of frozen spinach leave to thaw

 Shredded cheese and ready made puff pastry

 One whole yellow onion, chopped

 Extra virgin oil, 2 table spoon

Heat pan on medium, add the olive oil. Once oil is hot add the yellow onion.  Fry for 5 minutes and add the spinach.  Also add salt and pepper to taste

 The mixture should be well cooked and dry

 

 Roll out the puff pastry, add the cooked spinach and top with the shredded cheese

Then roll the puff pastry to cover the spinach and cheese. For 1 packet of puff pastry, I managed to get 3 rolls of spinach strudel

 Put them in a preheat oven at 170 degree C for 15 minutes

 

 The ready spinach strudel

and yes, it was nice and yes, it was not enough for us..........................

How Can Anyone Not See How Proud A Mother I Am?

My little angel has been so busy for the preparation of the school play “Beauty and the Beast”. As mentioned before she took the roll of a stage manager.

The show was for three days beginning Thursday (April 19, 2012) and ending with two shows on Saturday (April 21, 2012). Each day after the show, she came home exhausted, and hungry, yet still full of enthusiasm to update me of her day.

Here are some pictures from the play. How can anyone not see how proud a mother I am? “smile"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wien City Marathon 2012

On April 15, 2012, transportation in almost all the major district in Wien was put to halt. This is because of the big yearly marathon, and it was just my luck that I had to go for my MRI on the same day.

I don’t remember how much I walked but I know I was drained by the time I arrived home.

Here are some pictures that I took as I was walking from one district to another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beauty And The Beast

My little angel has been given the task of a stage manager for their school play of “Beauty and the Beast”. It is a very big task for her, and I can proudly say that she is doing one tremendous job well done.

Ever the thoughtful one she came out with this drawing, printed it in a card form for each cast members, crews, teachers, etc with a wish that the 3 days show will go smoothly.

Break a leg darling, I know you can do it.

Her First Prom

From the moment of the tragedy, I have been living and breathing for one person only. My focus was only to one and nothing else matter, I will talk but not speaking, I will hear but not listening, I will watch but not looking, in total I was miserable, totally, totally miserable.

A dear blog friend brought some light to me, her mere words of  “go take a shower” made me realized that I should not stop at one, I have to continue on giving and loving and caring to all those that are in need of that. I should not derail now.

In the midst of the tragedy, I forgot that my little angel was watching me in silence, observing me from every angle, taking every movement that I made and yet not saying anything, in case my well of tears will break again and again. I have not been fair to her.

So this entry today I want to share with you the excitement that I should be sharing with my little angel who will be attending her first prom in May. We have been going round, trying some outfits that we both thought might be the one, but until the entry of this blog, she has yet to decide

My little angel is pretty in anything, don’t you think so?

 

 

 

 

  

  

 she is considering this as her first option

  this is my favorite

 

 

 

 

 this is my second choice

 this is her second choice