Some of you stumbled upon this blog while looking for chicken rice recipes. (not surprising)
So I thought I should at least have my favourite Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe here.
Hainanese chicken rice recipe, adapted to my personal preference.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken:1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled
4 slices fresh ginger, peeled
4 scallions, trimmed
about 12 cups water
2 tablespoons sesame oil
sliced tomatoes (garnish)
sliced cucumbers (garnish)
cilantro sprigs/coriander (garnish)
Chicken Rice:
2 cups long-grain rice
2 tablespoons peanut oil
5 shallots, peeled and minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3-1/2 cups reserved stock from cooking chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
PREPARATION:
Wash chicken and remove excess fat. Rub the inside of the cavity with salt.
Smash garlic and ginger slightly with the flat of a knife. Tie scallions into a knot.
Place garlic, ginger, and scallions inside the chicken cavity.
Bring the water to a boil in a pot large enough to hold the chicken.
Add the chicken, breast-side down.
Simmer, covered, 30-40 minutes, turning chicken halfway through the cooking process, until chicken is done (juices from thigh should run clear when pricked with a fork).
Carefully remove chicken, draining liquid from body cavity back into the pot.
Reserve the stock to make chicken rice.
Plunge the chicken into ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process and tighten the skin. Drain, rub with sesame oil, and let cool to room temperature.
To serve, chop chicken into bite-size pieces (the Chinese do this bone and all) and arrange on a platter.
Garnish with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and cilantro sprigs.
To make the chicken rice, wash the rice and drain in a colander. Let stand 1/2 hour to dry.
Heat oil in a wok. Add the shallots and garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant. Add rice grains and stir-fry 3-4 minutes, until glossy and fragrant.
Transfer to a saucepan.
Add the chicken broth and salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until the liquid level evaporates to the level of the rice and steam holes appear.
Turn heat to low.
Cover and simmer 40 minutes. Serve with Hainanese chicken.
Serve with Chili Sauce
Chili Sauce recipe
INGREDIENTS:
About 2 ounces fresh red chilies, seeded1 ounce garlic, peeled1 ounce fresh ginger, peeled3 to 4 teaspoons lime juice1/2 teaspoon salt
PREPARATION:Combine chilies, shallots, garlic, and ginger in a food processor or blender and process to a paste.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
True essence of your existence
True essence of your existence
When you are really sick or suffering, when you feel you are at the edge of your life, remember..
"Your body is not the true essence of your existence;
Think of the snow flakes falling freely, its temporary form..
.. is ever changing." - I read this 25 years ago without understanding what it meant.
"The true essence of this life that you are living is the soul." I now think I understand what it meant but still do NOT see or own the knowledge like it's mine - even though I am closer to this body than anyone else I know.
Blessed may we be.
When you are really sick or suffering, when you feel you are at the edge of your life, remember..
"Your body is not the true essence of your existence;
Think of the snow flakes falling freely, its temporary form..
.. is ever changing." - I read this 25 years ago without understanding what it meant.
"The true essence of this life that you are living is the soul." I now think I understand what it meant but still do NOT see or own the knowledge like it's mine - even though I am closer to this body than anyone else I know.
Blessed may we be.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
(My) Lady in Red
My Lady in Red
"Is this ok ?", she quipped as she stood facing me.
She wore a fitting bright red jacket, unbuttoned.
Under it was a sweet, cream dress with miniature flower imprints.
The bright red, the fit at her waist, the flower buds on the soft cream... So sweet, so nice.
"So sweet , so nice. If I have a camera..", I said.
Cheers.
"Is this ok ?", she quipped as she stood facing me.
She wore a fitting bright red jacket, unbuttoned.
Under it was a sweet, cream dress with miniature flower imprints.
The bright red, the fit at her waist, the flower buds on the soft cream... So sweet, so nice.
"So sweet , so nice. If I have a camera..", I said.
Cheers.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Horrendous weekend work schedule
8th November 2005
Horrendous weekend work schedule
Two more horrendous, continuous weekend work schedule..
..that's what I need to spice up my life.
We need healthier lives. We do.
Horrendous weekend work schedule
Two more horrendous, continuous weekend work schedule..
..that's what I need to spice up my life.
We need healthier lives. We do.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Inner wants, outer wants
21st October 2005.
Inner wants, outer wants.
Desires can be categorised widely into two categories.
Those we can understand and hence more openly discussed (eg desire to own a bigger house) and those we cannot easily understand or discuss (desire for enlightenment, psychological freedom, sexual desires, etc).
Desires, however are not so clear-cut all the time - many lie somewhere in between "easily understood" and "totally out of our mental grasp".
We shall call materialistic and easily understood desires ''Outer desires" and inner and less easily understood desires ''Inner desires'' for ease of further reading.
Inner desires tend to pile-up in our minds more so than outer desires because we mentally slip them under the mental carpet when we have difficulty dealing with them.
Under the mental carpet (or we call the subconscious mind), complex layering of these desires creates a mesh of mental pattern. When the pile-up is not slowed down, a mental mess of desires produces frustrations, emotions, ego and various other side effects.
Cravings for material items and materialistic actions can be symptoms of unfulfillment of outer, materialistic desires. Such unfulfilled can be the result of deeper, unfulfilled inner desires.
. . .
Enough of mental knotting for today,
Cheers.
Inner wants, outer wants.
Desires can be categorised widely into two categories.
Those we can understand and hence more openly discussed (eg desire to own a bigger house) and those we cannot easily understand or discuss (desire for enlightenment, psychological freedom, sexual desires, etc).
Desires, however are not so clear-cut all the time - many lie somewhere in between "easily understood" and "totally out of our mental grasp".
We shall call materialistic and easily understood desires ''Outer desires" and inner and less easily understood desires ''Inner desires'' for ease of further reading.
Inner desires tend to pile-up in our minds more so than outer desires because we mentally slip them under the mental carpet when we have difficulty dealing with them.
Under the mental carpet (or we call the subconscious mind), complex layering of these desires creates a mesh of mental pattern. When the pile-up is not slowed down, a mental mess of desires produces frustrations, emotions, ego and various other side effects.
Cravings for material items and materialistic actions can be symptoms of unfulfillment of outer, materialistic desires. Such unfulfilled can be the result of deeper, unfulfilled inner desires.
. . .
Enough of mental knotting for today,
Cheers.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Dead Rat
18th Oct 2005
Rat dead.
A bloody incident.
1 hour.
A stick in hand within an enclosed room.
Occassional spraying of insecticide.
Dead.
Bloody dead.
It deserved it, that bloody rat.
Rat dead.
A bloody incident.
1 hour.
A stick in hand within an enclosed room.
Occassional spraying of insecticide.
Dead.
Bloody dead.
It deserved it, that bloody rat.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Rat-faced boy
17th August 2005
Rat-faced boy.
The rat faced boy was asking for trouble again last week.
My level of tolerance rose again that day. I have gained a new level of patience for that rat-faced french when he started hurtling offensive and abusive words at me.
After a continuous bombardment of offensive words, I decided to cut that rodent off its trail of offensive biting and chewing of facts right off his stinking and foul mouth. I roared at it, leaving the jutted teethed rodent squirming '.. you don't have to shout at me...'
I guess he seriously need to chew on some warfarin.
That rotten rat !
Rat-faced boy.
The rat faced boy was asking for trouble again last week.
My level of tolerance rose again that day. I have gained a new level of patience for that rat-faced french when he started hurtling offensive and abusive words at me.
After a continuous bombardment of offensive words, I decided to cut that rodent off its trail of offensive biting and chewing of facts right off his stinking and foul mouth. I roared at it, leaving the jutted teethed rodent squirming '.. you don't have to shout at me...'
I guess he seriously need to chew on some warfarin.
That rotten rat !
Friday, September 16, 2005
16th Sept 2005
16th Sept 2005
Hare Krishna!
Dear Lord Krishna, the Lord of the Universe
Please be merciful on this tiny soul trapped in this body i call mine
I sense some peace
after 11 hours of tense headache
since 8 in the morning today
And it will all start over again, next monday
Dear Lord Krishna
My blue Krishna boy
I seek only your protection from the mess,
the stress..
Hare Krishna.
Hare Krishna!
Dear Lord Krishna, the Lord of the Universe
Please be merciful on this tiny soul trapped in this body i call mine
I sense some peace
after 11 hours of tense headache
since 8 in the morning today
And it will all start over again, next monday
Dear Lord Krishna
My blue Krishna boy
I seek only your protection from the mess,
the stress..
Hare Krishna.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Being human beings.. frustrated, dissatisfied lot
FDL - Frustrated, dissatisfied lot
The internet line had been pretty slow and congested all day long.
Contacted the local ISP (Internet Service Provider) but they took time to solve.
My boss came stomping to our department and started lashing his tongue like a green eyed monster gone beserk.
When things went smoothly, nobody bothers.
Once a speck of dust gets into their way, hell break loose.
The frustrated and dissatisfied lot...
Being human beings, its simply understandable...
The internet line had been pretty slow and congested all day long.
Contacted the local ISP (Internet Service Provider) but they took time to solve.
My boss came stomping to our department and started lashing his tongue like a green eyed monster gone beserk.
When things went smoothly, nobody bothers.
Once a speck of dust gets into their way, hell break loose.
The frustrated and dissatisfied lot...
Being human beings, its simply understandable...
Monday, August 01, 2005
Goose in Hand
A new idiom for my dear wife.
"A wild goose in hand is worth a flock chased around the bush".
Adapted from the wild goose chase and bird in the bush idioms, inspired by the Wild Goose Qigong.
"A wild goose in hand is worth a flock chased around the bush".
Adapted from the wild goose chase and bird in the bush idioms, inspired by the Wild Goose Qigong.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Please guide us, Lord Krishna
Please guide us, Lord Krishna
Dear Lord Krishna
My humble obeisances unto You, the Lord, the Begining and End of Everything,
The One and Only Who Controls and Orchestrates everything;
Words and expressions cannot measure up to the awe and respect my tiny soul has for You.
My utmost respect and obeisances unto You, My dear Lord Krishna.
Again,
My Lord, i thank You for all your care, comfort and special attention you have showered,
i know that i do not deserve it, though i need and beg You for it,
Thank You my dear Lord Krishna.
My dear Lord, again, i am begging You
to guide and shower me with Your will, Your care, comfort and your so special attention,
As You already know, i feel pressurized by the future, which is in Your total control,
against so many comments and opinions and i only hope to thrive in the comfort of You,
Therefore my dear Lord Krishna,
Please do guide me within Your flawless plans which is sanctioned by You,
Through me and my wife as Your instruments may we receive, nuture, love and be loved in the coming of a baby boy this year.
Hare Krishna
Dear Lord Krishna
My humble obeisances unto You, the Lord, the Begining and End of Everything,
The One and Only Who Controls and Orchestrates everything;
Words and expressions cannot measure up to the awe and respect my tiny soul has for You.
My utmost respect and obeisances unto You, My dear Lord Krishna.
Again,
My Lord, i thank You for all your care, comfort and special attention you have showered,
i know that i do not deserve it, though i need and beg You for it,
Thank You my dear Lord Krishna.
My dear Lord, again, i am begging You
to guide and shower me with Your will, Your care, comfort and your so special attention,
As You already know, i feel pressurized by the future, which is in Your total control,
against so many comments and opinions and i only hope to thrive in the comfort of You,
Therefore my dear Lord Krishna,
Please do guide me within Your flawless plans which is sanctioned by You,
Through me and my wife as Your instruments may we receive, nuture, love and be loved in the coming of a baby boy this year.
Hare Krishna
Thursday, January 20, 2005
The Holey Roof... Part II
The leak still goes on... (for now)
- The external kitchen roof still leaks.
- The master bedroom leaks.
Even though these were recently fixed :
- The external kitchen roof had a new layer of zinc at the leaking location.
- The roof above the Master bedroom was re-checked and tarred.
Thankfully,
- There is almost no leak from the car porch ceiling (So far I only spotted 1 single, hanging water droplet yesterday)
- There were two occasions where the internal kitchen leaked water. It was fixed again, with a zinc sheet above the hinge between the wall and the neighbour's roof.
I think I am calmer now as compared to before.
Treat things that happen as Karma that has ripen.
Treat hurting words like arrows that I transform into flowers as they arrive.
Ohm....
- The external kitchen roof still leaks.
- The master bedroom leaks.
Even though these were recently fixed :
- The external kitchen roof had a new layer of zinc at the leaking location.
- The roof above the Master bedroom was re-checked and tarred.
Thankfully,
- There is almost no leak from the car porch ceiling (So far I only spotted 1 single, hanging water droplet yesterday)
- There were two occasions where the internal kitchen leaked water. It was fixed again, with a zinc sheet above the hinge between the wall and the neighbour's roof.
I think I am calmer now as compared to before.
Treat things that happen as Karma that has ripen.
Treat hurting words like arrows that I transform into flowers as they arrive.
Ohm....
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Friday, January 14, 2005
Monday, January 10, 2005
Seed of the Weed, Timebombs, Calamities
Seed of the Weed
Generally when people are not faced with serious difficulties in their lives, their minds wander and tend to create problems for the community.
Timebombs
The timebomb ticks away every second in the community where people sow discontent by means of wandering minds and wagging tongues.
Calamities
Is when people are thrown back into basic mode of their life - tending to their basic needs.
My father was right. In his own words, "When they are too free, they create problems!".
Hare Krishna.
Generally when people are not faced with serious difficulties in their lives, their minds wander and tend to create problems for the community.
Timebombs
The timebomb ticks away every second in the community where people sow discontent by means of wandering minds and wagging tongues.
Calamities
Is when people are thrown back into basic mode of their life - tending to their basic needs.
My father was right. In his own words, "When they are too free, they create problems!".
Hare Krishna.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
HEN
HEN - Headache, Eyes, Neck
Head-ache, around the temple and eyes.
Eyes-painful, feels like they're popping out.
Neck-ache, stressed muscles.
Cluck, cluck, cluck.
Groan...
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Thirty Years Later
Thirty Years Later (Deja vu)
Deja vu. I am experiencing the same situation I faced when I was a child. Once as a little child I was attending a funeral. There, I thought to myself, "I do not feel sad.I think I could laugh. Am I feeling neutral or do I not have compassion ?"
Thirty years later. I ask myself again the same question when I see so many scenes of suffering around me for so many years, including my own.
Reassessment:
I have suffered - emotionally and physically in the past thirty years. The fear remains there to haunt me now and then. The sympathy I have for others seemed to have faded - knowing that it does not really help.
Dharma(Duties/Path). Temporary Dharma of the body, Eternal Dharma of the soul. Eternity is beyond me. Can only see the immediate, hence, only performing my duties.
Passion. Losing it.
Security, Trust in others. Lost both.
Senses. Still there, I think.
Attachment. Definitely there - to Dharma, Senses.
Hare Krishna.
Deja vu. I am experiencing the same situation I faced when I was a child. Once as a little child I was attending a funeral. There, I thought to myself, "I do not feel sad.I think I could laugh. Am I feeling neutral or do I not have compassion ?"
Thirty years later. I ask myself again the same question when I see so many scenes of suffering around me for so many years, including my own.
Reassessment:
I have suffered - emotionally and physically in the past thirty years. The fear remains there to haunt me now and then. The sympathy I have for others seemed to have faded - knowing that it does not really help.
Dharma(Duties/Path). Temporary Dharma of the body, Eternal Dharma of the soul. Eternity is beyond me. Can only see the immediate, hence, only performing my duties.
Passion. Losing it.
Security, Trust in others. Lost both.
Senses. Still there, I think.
Attachment. Definitely there - to Dharma, Senses.
Hare Krishna.
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