Cassava Leaves

I know many would be surprised to know that young cassava leaves can be eaten. Young leaves are edible but provided that you need to cook it first. The Malays and natives of Sarawak love to eat this as one of their dish. There are many ways to cook it. Some like to cook it with coconut milk, some boil the leaves for 2-3 minutes and eat it as "Ulam" with the "sambal belachan" (shrimp paste with chillies). A traditional way to cook it, is to pound the leaves and fry it with some meat or just cook it with meat as soup.

This is me, picking the young cassava (tapioca) leaves from my mom's garden, when I went back to my hometown in June 2006.

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A friend gave me a stem of the Cassava plant which I planted in my garden.

This is my tapioca plant that I planted among my flowers which survived the winter. It never grow taller as I always took the leaves. I have cut some of the stems and planted during the summer but it didn't grow. Guess the weather was too hot.

Just few stems of young leaves is enough for my dish.

Below are the ingredient that I cooked with the pounded cassava leaves, it's a common way to cook it traditionally by the native of Sarawak (Malaysia) such as the Kenyah and Kayan people.

You need some ginger, onions or garlic (I like to pound the ginger and chopped onions finely. Fry or saute in olive oils till brown.

Then add your favorite meat i.e. chicken or pork.  Fry till it is lightly brown, then add the pounded cassava leaves. 

This is how it looks like. I know not many want to eat this way. But this is our favourite. Continue to simmer it on medium heat. Don't put too much meat (as I did) or the taste will overpower the cassava leaves.

Then add some of the natural herbs to substitute for MSG. A type of plant, which we called "bekai" in Kenyah dialect and it grow wild in the Tropical Borneo jungle. We picked the leaves and dried it and pounded finely as shown above. Add salt to your taste.

Do not forget to add a little bit water or some chicken broth. Nice to eat with white rice.

!!!!Happy Eating!!!!
Yum yum... :)

My Vegetables Garden

Gardening is one of my hobby and it takes a lot of patience and tendering. I have to learn alot of tips from some of gardening book or search it from the internet about how to grow or take care some of the flowers or vegetables etc. When I first did my gardening a year ago, I thought doing gardening was very easy here but it is not. The weather here in Houston, Texas is not the same as in my home country (Sarawak - Malaysia). You have to know when is best time to plant and which plants / vegetables can be grown here.

Whether you are new to gardening or a seasoned gardening pro, it is better to read some "Garden Guides" from the books or from the website. Just google whatever you want to know, you can find some very useful information and tips. By reading or getting information, it will certainly provide us a lot of help that we must know about gardening i.e. on plants, pests, gardening tips; techniques, nurseries; landscaping, and much more. I have problem with pest such as the vine borer in my garden especially the zucchinis and squashs. I still have to deal with it. It can be very frustrated seeing the plants dies eaten up by them. Other bugs may be I can deal with that.

I have a small vegetable garden at the backyard and flower beds on the front yard. I grow a few of each kind at my garden i.e. Zucchini, Tomatoes, Eggplants, corn, sweet banana peppers and some other vegetables. Here are some of the vegetables that I grow.

Some corn with some of "Sarawak Native Mustard" (ensabi).

Some zucchini and tomatoes plant.

Looks so fertile. Mixed soil with miracle gro.

My zucchinis all flowering, start to bear fruit.

Zucchini start to bear fruit. But I have problem with it here, the birds like to eat it.

An unusual squash. May be twin. :)

I took the picture the next day, I took the previous one. I don't think it will survive.

Food and Eating Time!!!!

Janet, Floria & Lina

Mag, Janet & Floria

Mag, Janet and Lina (Ready to eat).

This is what we do when we meet our friends or own people in another country. We would get together and cook or share the food that we have not eaten here. This happens once in a while. We missed all the good food we have at home in Sarawak. We chat and laugh and enjoy ourselves with our food. So feels like we are at home when we eat all the food here. Take a look at those food that we cooked and ate together.

Frozen Grounded Cassava Leaves.
I bought it from My Hua Stores (Vietnamese store), it was from the Philippines. Didn't know that they sold this at the stores.

I bought 2 packets.

This is how it looks like after we cook it.

These are Sarawakian Mustard (ensabi - Iban called it) that I grows at my garden at the backyard. I picked it this morning to cook for us.

Stir fry with onions, garlic and anchovies.

Stir fry zucchini leaves and pumpkin leaves. We experiment this as we have never done that before and it was really delicious. I grow few zucchinis at my garden.


Pork Ribs. Marinate it with All Seasons Salt. Then saute onions, garlic and ginger with olive oil in a big skillet, then add the pork ribs. Cook it for about 20 minutes and put 2 or 3 tablespoons of cooking wine. Stir it regularly. Then.. continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Add some thinly sliced Jalapeños (Green Peppers) and stir it. Reduce heat and cooking till tender.

Baked drumstick by Lina.

These are the dishes we cook. Not bad hah. Too much to eat actually.

Today is Valentine's Day

Red roses means “I love you” and also stand for respect and courage.

Today is Valentine's Day! I think almost everyone are excited. My son was excited too. In school, their class have a valentine party. Each of them need to bring some valentine's cards, cookies or candies and will give to their classmates.

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a celebrated on February 14. In North America and Europe, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery i.e. cookies or candies. I have read from articles, that Valentine Day was named after two early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. Some of the valentine symbols include red roses, love knots and love birds.

Nowadays, Valentine's Day is celebrated around the globe. Yesterday when I went to the stores, there were many people buying gifts, cards and flowers for their loves one. That's including me, I didn't know what to buy so in the end I bought a nice card and a chocolate box for my husband. Nothing fancy!!! But it's the thoughts that counts. I also bought one small box of chocolate for my son (I don't want to leave him behind).

Today, while my husband at work and son at school, I baked a cake for us.. and just cook a simple dinner and set the table. Trying to be romantic a little bit..

This is my first valentine cake I baked. Not as beautiful as the bakery has. I am still learning how to decorate it nicely. Actually my husband doesn't like frosting on cakes as it's not healthy. Too much sugar and fat.

"I am sorry honey!, you don't have to eat the frosting, scrap it off"

Just trying to be a little romantic hehehe...

We don't go out for dinner but we have a nice dinner at home.
We have these in my restaurant!! LOL
Salad (Starter)
Beef Roast (Main dish),
Scalloped Au Gratin Potatoes & Italian Bread (Side Dishes)
Carrot Apple Nut Cake (Desert).
and
Beverages,

John II trying was excited and can't wait to eat. Actually, we didn't drink wine, it's cranberry juice which he is drinking there.

John's 8th Birthday

Whenever his birthday is approaching, he always get excited. I guess every kids are like that. Looking forward for birthday presents, having birthday party and fun with their friends and having to buss the Pinatas. As he loves candies.

Here is a quiet birthday treat for him. His dad doesn't want to give him birthday parties. Nevertheless, I baked him a cake.

Opening his birthday present.

This is the cake I baked and decorated for him. It's a little bit messy on the frosting there... as I am not a professional baker yet.

Blowing the birthday candle.

He likes football, so that's why I decorate it with these bits of footballs.

Happy Birthday my dear. Hopefully, next year we will have a Birthday Party for you.

God Bless you.

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Roll

I tried this recipe on Vietnamese Spring Roll which I learnt from a video broadcasted on you tube. It's very simple and easy. My husband like to eat spring rolls. Whenever we go to eat at Kimson Restaurant, he will never miss the spring rolls.

This was my first time tried it.

Ingredients:
8 Rice round paper (brand name : Banh Trang)
2 oz. Rice Vermicelli (soak in hot water for 1 or 2 seconds or till soft)
24 medium Shrimps (normally I bought the already peeled frozen shrimps from walmart)
2 Green leaf i.e. lettuce (slice the leaf into half or whatever size you like)
1 carrot (slice thinly at a length of 2 inches.)
1/2 Cucumber (slice thinly as the carrot)
1/4 cup of any fresh herbs (i.e. basil, parsley, mint leaves) chopped
1/4 Sweat red or green onions (slice thinly)
Some stalks of spring onions for garnish (optional).

1). Peel carrot & slice it thinly at a length of 2 inches. Set aside. (Some people like to blanch the carrots in hot water, then rinse it under cold water and drain well) .

2) Cook the rice noodles in pot of boiling salted water for about 2 - 3 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain well. Set aside.

3) In a large shallow dish of warm water soak the rice paper wrappers (one at a time) for about 4-5 sec. and remove from water and place on clean dry work surface. (I put mine on a large plate).

5) Place one lettuce leaf over the surface of the rice paper. On the bottom half of the roll, place approx 4 tbs of the noodles, 1 tbs each of bean sprouts and carrots and several shrimps. Sprinkle with the green onions, parsley and basil or mint leaves.

6) Fold the bottom of the rice paper over the vegetables. Tuck in the sides and continue to roll (like making cabbage rolls). Place 1 stalk of spring onion as you roll the spring roll. This should form a tight cylinder. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

7) Place on a large platter and covered with a plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, cut in half on diagonal for appealing presentation.

For your information, you can also put chicken or pork with it, whatever that suits your appetite.

Easiest way to it, is to have the wrappers just moist enough so that they are easy to roll, if it's too wet they tend to fall apart when rolling. Once you're comfortable with the procedure, they are quite easy.

Not bad, right?

Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cp rice vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs water
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1-2 tsp chilli paste
1 tps sugar
1 tbs roasted peanuts, chopped
1 tbs fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients except cilantro into bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. Sprinkle cilantro over just before serving.

Delicious Apple Nut Cake

I have tried baking apple nut cake few times, as my husband like it very much. Sometimes, it came out nice, sometimes... not so good. Nevertheless, still my husband like to eat it. So last Monday (MLK's Day), I tried this recipe which I found in one of my recipe book. It was delicious... but one thing, you can minimise the sugar content. I don't like it so sweet.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tsps. vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 delicious apples (finely chopped and not peeled)
1 cup chopped walut

Methods
1. Preheat oven at 350ºF (175ºC).
2. Beat sugar, oil and eggs together. Beat well & Add vanilla extract. Put aside.
3. Sift flour, salt, baking soda & nutmeg together. Add the chopped apple to sugar mixture and beat well. Stir in flour mixture and beat well. Lastly, stir in the walnuts.
4. Pour batter into greased and floured 2 pound baking pan. Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes.

2 cups of sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs & 2 big apples (unpeeled & chopped)

Beat sugar, oil & eggs together.

Add vanilla extract to the mixture.


Sift flour

Add salt.

Add nutmeg.

Add baking soda.

Then addthe apple to the sugar mixture. Then add the dry ingredients to it and beat well then lastly, stir in the walnuts. (No pictures included).

Pour the batter in a greased and floured baking pan.
Then bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes. This is how the cake look like. Cool it and then you can slice it and eat.. may be whipped cream. hehehe yummy. (but I don't like to eat it with whipped cream).

I just eat it plainly like this... but still yummy to me.