Shopping and Food, Melbourne Australia

Here were few shopping places that i went during my visit to Melbourne recently. Thanks to Helena for such good recommendation. I especially love to visit Royal Arcade and The Block Arcade, they have a lot of little speciality shops, fashion stores, cafe and etc.

Ha Mai Lo Mai Kai 糯米鸡 (steamed savoury glutinous rice with dried shrimps)

Before I go for a short trip and another long trip from next week onwards, I just like to take some time here to update few posts by this week. This morning after i sent my son and daughter to the church where they will have a 4 days 3 nights Camporama 2012  camp ( wish i still young, so i can also join this fun camp ^_^), we went to a nearby coffee shop (quite a famous shop actually) to take our breakfast..I think this will be my last time visit this coffee shop, because we noticed all the food stalls there almost run by foreign workers. Some of the boss either sit there to collect money only or the whole stall is running by their foreign workers (i saw one of the stall owner operated another stall in my area)...Even nasi lemak stall also the same. Foods there start to loosing their nice taste and no more authentic..

Come back to today's post, one of my reader asked me how to prepare Ha Mai Lo Mai Kai (dried shrimps steamed glutinous rice). I add Ha Mai/ Hae Bi (dried shrimps) in steamed savoury glutinous rice but i have never add it in Lo Mai Kai (famous dim sum item, steamed glutinous rice in bowl) before.

Crispy Skin Roasted Duck 香烤脆皮鸭

I am so happy now i can even prepare a crispy skin roasted duck at home, next time i also can use the same recipe to roasted a chicken too. My husband said this roasted duck tasted exactly like those roasted duck selling in the shop..

Steamed spare ribs with preserved black beans

This is one of my favourite dim sum, a must have item for me but not for my family (kids don't know how to chew the bone and hubby doesn't like preserved black beans). Usually i was the one who finished off the whole plate (luckily just a small plate ^__^)..and i prefer those with slightly sweet taste..This recipe that i tried out, the taste is exactly like that one served in dim sum restaurant..

Pandan Layer Cake 香兰蛋糕

I made this Pandan Layer Cake for Mother's Day celebration on last week. Together with my sisters and brother we pre-booked 8 course dinner at a Chinese restaurant nearby my house..We waited for nearly 1 and 1/2 hours before foods were served, but luckily their foods were good otherwise we will bang their tables, hahaha.. We just learnt a lesson, no more outside foods when Mother's Day celebration in the future..

Great Ocean Drive, Loch Ard Gorge & London Bridge, flowers & plants, Melbourne Australia

Let me continue with my Great Ocean Drive with beautiful flowers and plants...Also visited Loch Ard Gorge & London Bridge..

Steamed vegetable dumplings (Chai Kueh) 菜粿

I have bookmarked this Chai Kueh recipe from Joceline for a longer time. I just tried to making this kueh on last week, and very happy with the result..The skin just has the right texture, soft and little chewy! Perfect Chai Kueh!

He is 8 years old now, a Minecraft fondant cake

Earlier i thought my son Desmond wanted an Angry Birds's Birthday cake for his birthday this year because he is a big fan of AB..I was re-confirmed with him again on last two weeks, he said he wants a Minecraft cake now but not AB...That was my 1st time heard of Minecraft, then he shown it to me, then i realized that Minecraft is a game about placing blocks to build anything you can imagine..Last two days i was busy preparing his Birthday fondant cake, luckily this cake is not that difficulut to make since all are involved with blocks..

Siew Mai (五行色 烧卖)

Have you seen so colourful Siew Mai before? My new invention of Siew Mai based on Chinese Wu Xing colours (五行色).
A very Feng Shui related Siew Mai..

Salmon Onigiri (Rice Ball)

Ever since i started prepare Bento for my kids, every night i will ask my kids what they want to eat for Bento. The other day my son Lucas requested for Teriyaki salmon, but the little son Desmond said he has boring on my bento and he wanted to buy at the school's canteen..I was so upset when hearing this(understand that he is still small) ..Now i start to understand how my mother felt when we were complaint about the foods that she prepared for us last time..

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all mothers a "Happy Mother's Day" on this Sunday.

Anyway this was not stopping me to prepare Bento for Lucas, and he was enjoyed so much of this Salmon rice ball..

Purple Sweet Potato buns 奶香紫薯面包

For the past few days, i was busy making few type of breads for breakfast. I was so happy able to make the sandwich roll that taste quite close to Subway sandwich roll. But I did not manage to take any photo as that time i was busy with something else. I will definitely make this again and will share with you the recipe soon. Come back today's recipe, it is the bread bun made by purple sweet potato, love the sweet purple colour and the soft texture..remain me of a very nice sweet potato bread that i tried in Das Gute Hong Kong....

Teochew Glutinous Rice Kueh 潮州饭桃

I have seen this kueh in Jane and Helena blog many times as their Ah Mah (grandmother) is good in making this kueh. I have not tried this Teochew kueh before until the other day i saw this kueh selling in the morning market, quickly buy one and try it. This is my kind of kueh, because i like to eat glutinous rice and i prefer savoury kueh more than sweet kueh..

Great Ocean Road, Twelve Apostles, Melbourne Australia

Let me sacrify my weekend afternoon nap, quickly update the Melbourne travel post before another new trip is coming up, ^_^..I have heard a lot about Great Ocean Road and I make sure that we made a trip to this great place during our stay...

Vegetable dishes, Bento lunch box

There will be no specific recipe for today's post. I just like to share with you two simple vegetable dishes that i cooked recently and few Bento lunch box that i brought to school for my kids..



Jian Dui 煎堆(Deep fried glutinous rice balls / Sesame seed balls)

My kids love this sesame seed balls serve at the dim sum restaurant..I wanted to make this for a longer time. I always wonder how this sesame ball still maintain round and puff when it is cooled. I managed to find a useful Hong Kong video and immediate try it out..and very happy with the result..