My (Malaysianised) Homemade Kimchi Recipe

Ok peeps, I love Korean food, especially kimchi, but the store-bought stuff can be pricey. I've made sauerkraut before, using my leftover cabbage, but I'm not a big kraut fan. So I decided I'd twist my kraut recipe a bit and make kimchi. My recipe uses ingredients we can easily find here in Malaysia, and to me it tastes just as good. Here goes.... 

Adline's (Malaysianised) Homemade Kimchi Recipe

Serving: One jar

Ingredients
Cabbage - washed and chopped (For this jar, I used about a quarter of a head)
Half a carrot - Chopped into matchsticks (It should really be daikon, but I don't have any on hand)
1 stalk green onion - Chopped to 1 inch lengths
3 cloves garlic - Sliced
2 red chillies (You can use more for extra heart. It's supposed to be Korean chilli powder, but I substituted)
1 tablespoon of dried shrimp, washed and soaked
Salt - about 3 tablespoons (It's a lot, but don't worry as it will turn into lactic acid)

Method
1. Blend together red chillies and dried shrimp (do not add water)
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well
3. Sterilise your jar and stuff everything inside (Really pack everything in. You might have to start with a larger jar, and then after the cabbage has softened, you can transfer to a smaller jar)
4. Leave the jar on your kitchen counter for 2-3 days (Malaysia is hot and humid, especially in the kitchen, so the fermentation occurs quite fast). After that, taste it to determine how fermented you want it to be.
5. Once happy with the state of fermentation, you can keep the jar in the fridge.

Note: You can Google how others do it too, some people use special jars that will let the CO2 out, and prevent bacteria from getting in. I find that fermenting for 2-3 days in small batches doesn't usually cause much gas build up, so I don't leave my jar lid slightly ajar etc. But if you like, you can place a clean cloth over the mouth of the jar and tie a rubber band around it to allow the fermented cabbage to breathe.

Happy fermenting!

Satisfying my craving @ Laksa Johor Heritage

I love online shopping for its sheer variety and convenience. But now that I'm a work from home mum, I depend on it even more. I've purchased all kinds of things online, from bullion to cloth diapers, but most recently, I ordered myself some delicious laksa Johor! 

The laksa packets you see above are by Laksa Johor Heritage. If you're interested placing an order, do get in touch with them to find out if they deliver to your area. The minimum order is five packets with a delivery charge of RM10 for a total of RM45. 

I shared my laksa order on my FB page and a few people told me that they had been thinking about ordering it, but were unsure of the quality. So since I've given it a try, I'll review it here for everyone's benefit. So here goes:

Portion: The packet might look small, but when you place the contents into a bowl and pour the gravy on top, it makes for a good-sized portion for one (trust me, I'm a big eater!)

Texture: The gravy is thick, which is the way it should be, as I was told you're meant to use your hand to eat laksa Johor, like you would eat a plate of rice. I'm more used to a more watery version, which my mum used to make, but this is ok for me too. 

Taste: I've had some laksa Johor that are quite frankly awful and way too expensive for its quality. And of course, to me, my mum's laksa Johor is the best in the universe. However, I am pleased to report that I was happy with the taste of Laksa Johor Heritage's offerings. 

Freshness: The gravy, spaghetti and veges were fresh, which is crucial, as you need that crunch from the veges as you're enjoying your laksa. All I can think about is someone slaving in the kitchen at wee hours just to get this laksa into my bowl. 

Reheating: I kept a packet of laksa in the fridge overnight to enjoy it the day after. I microwaved it for lunch and it tasted just fine. Here's a tip on microwaving though. Take the packet out of the fridge and pour the spaghetti and veges into a bowl. Let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, microwave the gravy on high. Never microwave the spaghetti and vegetables as they'll wilt. Lastly, pour the hot gravy onto your spaghetti and veges and you're all set! 

I look forward to my next order, I just love laksa Johor! I hope to learn how to make it from my mum soon :) Hope you guys liked this review, thanks for visiting!

Minted prints in Ribba frames from Ikea

I apologise for the lack of updates guys, I've been so busy working on writing projects :) In my last post, I wrote about finding a tiny defect on one of the prints I order from Minted. I emailed them about it and they sent me a replacement free of charge! Last weekend, I finally got a chance to go to Ikea and get some Ribba frames for them - Don't they look awesome! 

My order from Minted.com

Earlier this month, I wrote about a lovely website I discovered called Minted, which carries beautiful designer paper goods like art, graphics, name cards and invitation cards. I placed an order for a few pieces and they've just arrived from the US!

I got three small, customised artwork for my boys Amir and Arif.

I got this slightly larger limited-edition print to remind myself and my family to be true to ourselves and to always be brave and kind :)


Top left: The envelope they came in.
Top right: Some info on the designers/artists who created the work.
Bottom left: Certificate of authenticity for the limited edition print.
Bottom right: A slight defect to one of the prints, note the line on the "R" in April.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so the minor defect on the "R" annoys me, but in an effort to be less of a stickler for detail and to learn to embrace imperfection, I've decided that I can live with it :)

Overall, I'm happy with the stuff I got and I can't wait to get them all framed!

4 things I love from Daiso

Since I've become a WAHM (work at home mum), I've embraced my inner domestic goddess more each day. And part of it has to do with finding those little things that can help make my life and my home a little more organised. One of my favourite places to shop for home organisation stuff, is Daiso. The Japanese are so good at organising that they've come up with all sorts of thingamabobs to get your life sorted out. But are these things really useful? Or will you just be buying more stuff you don't actually need? 

Well, I've bought four items from Daiso that now I just can't live without. They are...

1. Water bottles: These fit nicely in the fridge door and look decent enough to pull out and place on the dining table. 

2. Sponge drier: I never knew this little plastic thing existed, nor how much I needed it in my life. It keeps my sponge dry and in its place, ready for action :)

3. Collapsible colander: Why is this so special you ask? Well, it collapses, so when I don't need it, I can just store it away neatly without having it take up too much space.

4. Microfibre cloth: I'm new to this phenomenon, but it's never too late to start. Dusting and mopping is so much easier with microfibre cloth, because the dust clings to the cloth (unlike rags). It's also very absorbent and is easy to rinse out.  

Of course, I've bought a lot more stuff at Daiso and not all of them have made a difference in my daily life. In truth, not all time-saving gadgets will actually save you time, either because:

1. You don't like using it and prefer to stick to your same old method of doing things
2. You don't really have an opportunity to use it often
3. The item doesn't work as well as you'd hoped

Still, I'm open to trying new things, in the hopes that they will make things easier for me. How about you? What are your favourite Daiso buys?

PS: Post GST now Daiso's items cost RM5.30 :P

Making baby food in a rice cooker

I love making my own baby food for Arif, who's turning one at the end of this month. Not only is making your own baby food cost effective, but it enables you to create your own recipies too. Arif's still not too keen on chunky textures, so I am sticking to thick purees for now. I usually steam his veges and fruits, but occasionally, I make vegetable porridge - in my rice cooker! 

Here, I've combined a cup of rice, broccoli, pumpkin, carrot and bok choy. It turns out bok choy wasn't a good addition, as it left some strands of fibre. I'll leave it out next time. Perhaps spinach would be a better substitute for a leafy vege.

Then, I just add water to cover the ingredients, press cook and let the rice cooker do its thing. Once the porridge is done, I let it cool and then blitz it in the blender, with some extra boiled water. Lastly, I pour the pureed porridge into an ice cube tray and freeze. Voila! Baby food for a week :)

Mamil Mom Me Saturday @ Talent Lounge

I was recently invited to attend a very special event - Mamil Mom Me Saturday, which was held at the Talent Lounge @ The PJ Trade Centre. The event brought together a group of mothers and focused on the thing that concerns mothers the most - our kids' health and nutrition.   

I love the industrial feel of the PJ Trade Centre and the Talent Lounge :)

Caroline Yap, Marketing Manager of Danone Dumex (M) Sdn Bhd., shed light on the inspiration behind the event, “As a specialist in nutrition for children, we at Mamil®always want to celebrate mothers and support them in fulfilling their highest calling in life, which is to care for their children. The ‘Mamil®MomMe Saturdays’ are our way of saying thank you to mothers for consistently supporting Mamil® and we hope mothers will take away more than just a pampering session but one that edifies them in their daily lives.”

Our emcee for the day was Mix FM DJ Aishah Sinclair (top right), we also heard from Ms Caroline Yap (left), Marketing Manager of Danone Dumex, who explained the benefits of Mamil. Guest speaker, Ms Jacki Siew (bottom right), who is a state registered nurse and midwife (UK), gave us a great talk about the common health problems that children face.

I was fortunate enough to have a chance to pick Jacki's brain over lunch on infant nutrition and other concerns. Since Arif was born prematurely and has always had an issue with being underweight, I had lots of questions to ask about nutrition, constipation, weight gain and development. After speaking to Jacki, I certainly felt better for following my intuition as a mum.

The Mamil sampling booth.

We were treated to a delicious lunch too :)

The day wrapped up with a surprise pampering manicure for a few lucky participants, a group photo and lunch, However, they didn’t leave empty handed – all participants took home Mamil® products and exclusive merchandise worth more than RM160, including RM30 cash vouchers for the purchase of Mamil® products.

A lovely treat :)

To find out more about upcoming Mamil® MomMe Saturdays or for more information on Mamil®, log on to www.mamil.com.my, www.facebook.com/DumexMamil or call the Mamil®CareLine at 1800 38 1038.

PS: It's not easy for me to carve out some time away from the family, especially on weekends. Usually, that's when errands need to be run and chores need to get done. That's why I have to thank my dear husband, Rezad, who kindly took over care of the kids for about 3 hours, so that I could attend the #mamilmomme event. 

Lovely offerings from Minted

I love cute graphics and illustrations, and have been searching for a place to shop for some cool pieces. So when I recently discovered Minted, I was over the moon! Minted is an online marketplace for independent artists, where you can shop for all sorts of creative paper-based goodies, from wedding invitations to custom art prints.

Since I have kids, an 11-year old and an 11-month old, my favourite section on Minted has got to be their Baby and Kids section, especially their Kids Wall Art and Nursery Wall Art offerings. Just check out these cuties! These are just some of the designs that caught my eye.

A good day for a walk by ERAY

Little Mister by Frooted Design

Little buggers by Bob Daly

Aren't they just too precious?

Call me a romantic, but another of my favourite sections is their Wedding Invitations Collection. It carries an incredible array of beautiful cards to suit every theme. Designed by some of the world's best independent designers, the invites are refreshingly modern and unique. In addition, you have a choice of luxe paper and printing options, including eco-friendly 100% recycled paper and letterpress printing. You can also personalise and preview your invite online. 

I, for one, gravitate towards the simpler, more elegant designs. Kind of makes me wish I could marry my husband all over again, just so we could get these pretty invites. Haha!

Induction cookers - Yes or No?

Wow, it's been a long time since I did a proper blog, so I think I owe it to myself to brush off the dust and flesh out some of the ideas I've been sitting on. So here goes guys... Today, I'm talking induction cookers.

I've always had a phobia for gas stoves, so after experiencing a gas scare years ago, and hearing one too many stories about gas explosions, I decided to start using induction cookers as they're safer and take up very little space. Since then, I must have gone through 3 already, as induction cookers tend to last for about 2 years max (with frequent use). The first one, a Phillips model, kind of had a small explosion and died out. The next one was a Hanabishi model, and its plastic top eventually cracked. And most recently, our second Hanabishi had its on/off button suddenly freeze. So, we had to go out and get a new one.

We decided to get this one, the Phillips HD4921 at Tesco. It's usual retail price is around RM259, but they had an offer so we got it for around RM170 (with GST). It came with a 2-year warranty and a stainless steel pot.

 

Now, this isn't going to be a review about this particular induction cooker, as I haven't started using it yet, but this post will recap my experience in using these cookers and why I continue to use them.

I plan to review the cooker I just bought a few months down the line, so stay tuned for that :) 

First aid for babies

How time flies... Arif will be turning 1 at the end of this month! Before Arif was discharged from the NICU last year, the nurse gave me a 1-hour brief on what to do if my baby stopped breathing. Once, after a kangaroo care session, Arif became limp and unresponsive. It was horrible frown emoticon The nurse revived him by hitting the bottoms of his feet very hard. I have that whole scene seared into the back of my mind. I hope to never experience something like that ever again, but it's good to be prepared. Please share this graphic by St John Ambulance (UK) with your friends, family and caregivers to help save a life.

Celebrate Oral Health Day with Listerine :)

Hey, did you know that World Oral Health Day falls on 20th March? That's this weekend! And here's a great way to celebrate - Create a new record with Listerine and make it into the Malaysia Book of Records! All you need to do is join Malaysia's Largest Mass Rinsing event in conjunction with World Oral Health Day. 

All participants will be rewarded with Listerine® mouthwash along with a Malaysia Book of Records certificate as a token of appreciation. What’s more? 

There will be free dental check-up too! Also, there will be engaging activities all throughout the day such as quizzes and games where you can win prizes. 

To top it all, lucky winners will walk away with Johnson & Johnson hamper worth RM50 in the lucky draw session, so be sure to check it out! 

To take part, just head on over to 1 Utama this Saturday from 10 am till 10 pm. You can find out more here.