Home made Omelet with Tapioca Starch

I don't know what do you call this, may be it is a variety of omelet, but this is a very traditional snack back home and back in my memory in my childhood time. Mum always made this for us when we are hungry and it is delicious when you dip it in the fish sauce that has been sprinkled with pepper. Traditionally it is only made with clams, spring onion but I enriched it with sausage, shrimps or rather anything that I can find in my fridge and that go with the taste.

It is very hard to get the right measurement of the tapioca starch and water mix, I almost do it by my gut feeling these day. Yesterday it turned out really nice, with the right texture of the starch.

My nephew CJ, always fancy about this dish whenever he was in Kuching and always asked my third sister to make this for him. I guessed he never realised that I could also make this quite well.. .

Makan, Tidur, Makan Lagi| 吃、睡、睡完再吃| Eat, Sleep, Eat again

 
Well... this has been a really long holidays.  I must admit I did not do anything about work on the long Christmas weekend.  But instead as the title of this blog says... EAT, SLEEP and EAT again!  The feasting started with Christmas lunch and it didn't stop till Boxing Day.  I captured every dishes I made as those are precious moments since I don't really cook that often especially on a normal working week.

Appetizer Gambas with Bruchesta and Rocket leaves

Grilled salmon with cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, balsamic and olive oil

It was good that I could really relaxed myself, especially from the busy state of mind and also relief my stressful body.   The only healthy things that I have done so far is we been for swimming once.

There is a saying in Chinese "休息是为了走更长远的路", basically mean, To rest is for the sake of walking a further journey.  Therefore, I have no guilt of "Makan, Tidur dan Makan Lagi" because there is a season for every activity under the sun.  For now I will rest well and be fed well now before the next season begin again.

 

Bits and pieces of Christmas

This Christmas we received quite a lot of Christmas cards from friends and family locally and those far and away. Some of them we only make contact once in a year and some we have not seen for many years, but it is a blessing to remember someone or being remembered by someone... even though it may be only once a year....



What's on Christmas day... well, we invited a couple from our church to our home for lunch.  Thus, I started my morning with preparation for Christmas lunch.  The photo showed the appetizer.
Appetizer: Bruchestta and Freshly baked Ciabatta, Forel Salad
Main course: Provencals roasted chicken, baby carrot and steamed rice with Coriander
Dessert: Jelly with Rambutan syrup, Kerststoll
 


Then, the food is almost done and the time is about right...the table is set.  Since it is Christmas, I decided to use green plate-mats and matched with red served in a golden served ring.  The typical Christmas colour.
 

Besides Ronald and family; Chris, Onki and Jo Jo also came along to join the party.  The house became very busy with 3 kids and 6 adults.  We had good lunch and good fellowship.  Got to know them more personally.  After all Christmas is the time to share and to love...
 

This is the typical Christmas cake, it is called 'kerststoll' in Dutch, i.e. a cake/bread texture made with raisins and the middle is stuffed with almond paste.  The plant with the candles is a gift from the couple perfectly compliments the setting on the table.

Roses in December

 This is taken on Christmas Eve at our back garden , just before we left for Church service at 2pm.

Perhaps this is a evidence of global warming.  Roses are still growing strong in December!!!  The are usually at the peak in August and warm September but in December is really rarely happens. 

Anyway, it is still nice to have some roses in the December month! And I certainly count this a blessing....

Morning has broken

This photo is taken at the A4 highway on my way to my office in Amsterdam.  My car was in complete halt posiion due to the traffic jam and as look out to the window, I saw this beautiful scene, the morning has broken and the mists still hovering on the fields.  The Lord reminded me a beautiful song and lyrics by Cat Stevens...

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the word

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness, where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Finally, the last day of work for the year.  I can't wait for this moment to come and I am off pretty soon... I will switch myself off from work, can't guarantee if I will switch off from internet but definitely from work.

This year, especially in Europe, we are not very optimistic for a white christmas.  Friends from Sweden and Poland just dropped me greetings that this will be the first time in their whole life where there is no snow in the Christmas. 

This is the e-card that I have created and we have been sending out to our friends and family far and away.  To everyone who browse my site, I wish you a very blessed Christmas, I pray that you will experience the love of Jesus Christ and know that Jesus is the only reason for the season and I wish you all well and health and many blessings from the heaven above. 

Meantime, I will get ready to march on to the year of the Next Level!!!

THE FRIENDS´S TREE

Today I received this beautiful poem as Christmas greetings from one of my client's counterpart in Spain.  It beautifully and accurately reflects our circles of friends and people that crossed our path in one way or another, distance or close by.  As for me, I cherish them all... thinking of you those who are far and away, those who have left a deep impact in my life and shaped me to who I am today, those who have hurt me, I have long forgiven you and you remains my friends

~~~~
 
There are people in our lives that makes us happy just by having crossed in our path. Some walk the same way by our side and watch many moons go by, others we hardly see them between one step and another. We call them all friends and there are many kinds.

Perhaps each leaf on a tree symbolises each and everyone of our friends. The first to be born from the shoot are our daddy friend and our mummy friend. They guide and show us what life is. Then come the brothers and sisters friends with whom we share our space so that they can flower with us. 

We get to know all the family of leaves whom we respect and wish well. 
But destiny presents us with other friends, those we didn’t know we would meet in our route.

Many of these we call friends of the heart, soulmates.  They are sincere, real friends.
They know when we are not well, they know what makes us happy.

And sometimes one of these soulmates bursts in our hearts and we call them friends in love. It makes our eyes shine, puts music on our lips, a jumps in our feet. 

But there are also those friends around for a time, just a holiday or a few days or hours. 
They are used to put smiles on our faces, during the time that they are near. 

Talking of near, we must not forget our distant friends, those who are on the top of the branches and who , when the wind blows, appear amongst the leaves.

Time passes, summer fades, the autumn closes in and we lose some of our leaves,
Some are born in another summer and others remain throughout many seasons. But what makes us feel happier is the fact that the ones that fell remain close, feeding our roots with happiness. These are memories of the wonderful times had when our paths crossed.

I wish you, leaf of my tree, peace, love, health, blessing and prosperity. Today and evermore... Simply because each person that comes into our life is unique. 
They always leave something of themselves with us and they take away a little bit of us. There are those that will leave much, but there are none that will leave nothing at all.

This is the greatest responsibility of our life and the obvious proof that two souls don’t meet by coincidence.


~~~~
Jorge Luis BORGES

~~~~

A girl

Nina - a charming little girl at the age of 4.   In fact Saturday when we met at the Oberhousen Christmas market, is exactly her 4th birthday.   She is my friend Angela's daughter.  Although this is the first time we met, but Nina seems to have a very strong attachment to both Johannes and myself.  She speaks the typical 'Malish' i.e. Malaysian English since she grow up largely in Malaysia.

As we parted at Oberhausen, Nina cried and refuse to let us go, not until we tamed her by setting up a new appointment by inviting them to our home during the Christmas and New Year period.

God bless this little girl.

Ich liebe Dich

Ich liebe Dich is a German word for "I love you". Last Saturday we spent a day and night at Oberhausen. I am always keen of Christmas market and since we cannot get any traditional one in the Netherlands, we decided to go east bound. Beside Christmas market, we also met with my Malaysian friend who now live in the Germany border.

Johannes bought this for me. This is a public declaration from him, right in the center of the Christmas market of Oberhausen surrounding CentrO.

This is made from kind of biscuit crust and decorated with colourful sugar. I believe it is main for decoration than actually eating it. Anyway, we will break this and eat this for Christmas breakfast.

Bal Masqué

Saturday 9 December, Accenture Netherlands organized an annual office party at the beach resort nearby to The Hague. The venue is a posh and chic 5 stars hotel Steigenberger Kurhaus by the beach.

That night, Accenture flags and banners are flying up high at the balcony of the hotel. There were signs on the lamp posts and buildings area directing those travelling with car to park at a right place. As we drive in to the parking complex, we were asked to show our invitation card and then we were given a parking coupon which will entitle us a whole night free parking. Then a next surprise is HTM buses are waiting to transfer us from the parking to Kurhaus which if we were to walk, it would have taken us a good 10 minutes cold and windy short walk.

Unfortunately we missed the opening act and thus only manage to grasp a bit of the opening where there were performance on. I think there were more than 2000 people attended this event and as a good corporate citizen, everyone seems to have a mask on for the required duration of the event.

With the crowds and masks, it was very hard for me to identify my colleagues, the easier one to identify were those asian ethnic with black hair. I managed to spot my Asian ethnic colleague shortly after the opening event. There is a big dance arena with a few famous DJs such as Erick E, Jip de Luxe and Don Diablo DJ-ing the various slots at the Dance arena. As for us, we spent most of our time at the Venetian Room, listening to smooth and easy jazz performed by Chillissimo and friend, dancing our way at the dance floor.

The ambiance was great, the atmosphere was definitely matched to the perfect bal masqué theme. There were never ending of drinks and high quality snacks supply. All empty cups and platew were picked up in a split second.

I really feel pampered by the company and really enjoyed myself thoroughly. Also thanks to the organizer, definitely live up to Accenture's expectation just like we did to our client - HIGH PERFORMANCE. DELIVERED.

A brief history of Masqueade ball

A masquerade ball (or masque) is an event which the participants attend in costume, usually including a mask.

Such gatherings were based on increasingly elaborate allegorical pageants and triumphal processions celebrating marriages and other dynastic events of late medieval court life. Masquerade balls were extended into costumed public festivities in Italy during the 15th century Renaissance (Italian, maschera). They were generally elaborate dances held for members of the upper classes, and were particularly popular in Venice. They have been associated with the tradition of the Venetian Carnival.

Masquerade balls were sometimes set as a game among the guests. The masked guests were supposedly dressed so as to be unidentifiable. This would create a type of game to see if a guest could determine each others' identities. This added a humorous effect to many masques and enabled a more enjoyable version of typical balls.

Finally I found my mask for tonight!!!  There aren't many choices in that shop but I found a perfect one for myself, nothing too fancy or too Venice but just something in between and also match my dress for the evening.

I am really getting excited about tonight's party and wonder how the whole event would be....  The event will be taking place at a posh and historic hotel in Scheveningen and there will be more than 1000 co-workers joining tonight.  We are not allow to remove our masks until 12 o'clock midnight. 

Theme: Bal Masqué

Venue:Steigenberger Kurhaus, Gevers Deynootplein 30, Den Haag

See you tonight! 

Who is He??

Tonight is Accenture Annual party and the theme is Bal Masqué and in order to enter the party, everyone must put on a mask. This is a very last minute shopping. We went to a party accessories shop in Den Haag. As I was looking around in search for a perfect mask, I suddenly show this guy, who look so familiar and on second thought, it was Johannes!!! He has put on a fake hair and look like a completely different person. Oh my goodness, this must be the most hilarious photo of the year and I took my camera and capture this special look of him. Too bad tonight the theme is not 'dress to impress' otherwise this would be a perfect option for him.

Santa Lucia is in Netherlands

This morning we went to Ikea to return an article that we have bought a while ago but later found out that it is not needed at home.  As any day, Ikea is always packed with people rain or shine.  We made a quick round and suddenly I heard a very familiar tune 'Santa Lucia' and a group of girls, young or small dressing in white and singing the Santa Lucia carol.

Santa Lucia is not new to me as I have spent 2 winters in Sweden.  It is in fact a bunch of Swedish girls touring the different sections within Ikea and sing the carols.  I almost forgotten about Santa Lucia and in fact forgotten most of the Swedish traditions ever since my project finished in the lovely and yet miserable Sandviken.

The girl in the photo wearing a candle hat is indeed Santa Lucia. Except that in a real swedish version, the candle is lighted.  I have an movie clip of Santa Lucia from Sweden loaded last year, check out at http://malaymui.multiply.com/video/item/3.

Enjoy!

Christmas Lights

 

With Sinterklaas behind us, we are now officially marching towards Christmas.  While in London or most countries, the Christmas light and decoration already shining since the end of November, but in the Netherlands, Sinterklaas is traditionally observed and thus no Christmas lights and decoration until Sinterklaas is over.  I had a chat with my Dutch colleagues and found out that a typical dutch never receive gifts on Christmas, the kids only received gifts and poem on Sinterklaas.`

This year we decided not to buy any Christmas tree because I think it is not contributing to the green environment.  Instead of a real christmas tree, we have a mini bamboo in Christmas tree deco by our shutter window.   Last night, we started to put on the Christmas lights and it took us awhile to hang the lights.  Now the house is filled with lights and that create a very warm and comfy atmosphere.  The scented candle also add a subtle aroma that fill the house.

In the bible it is stated that we should be the salt and light for this world, a light to those who don't know Jesus.  May this light shines from our life, shine beyond just the warm, comfy and festive illumination, but above all, may the Light of Jesus in us shine throughout the end of world.  May Christmas be the season where Jesus is the ONLY reason.

!!!Shine, Jesus, Shine!!!

Zwarte Piet & ME

 

Tonight, just as we were busy in the kitchen, we suddenly saw a big crowd of black kids running and passing by our house and Sinterklaas was sitting in a carriage passing by too.

By the time I have my camera ready, Sinterklaas was too far away to be captured in my photo.  I therefore stopped some of the zwarter piets and snapped some funny pictures.  These are the real dutch kids but painted black to fit in to the Sinterklaas festival which is widely celebrate by the dutch kids officially on 5 December.

 

Now, this is a decoration for Sinterklaas.  I took this in a shopping center in Zoetermeer last weekend.  For those of you not familiar with this story check out more from the website http://www.thehollandring.com/sinterklaas.shtml.  It is rather interesting story as it is definitely not the same as our famous Santa Claus or Father Christmas who lives in the lapland up at the Nordic circle.  Checkout the photo below for the look of Sinterklaas.  To me  Santa Claus and Sinterklaas are like brothers, they both have long beard, except Sinterklaas wears a slightly different hat.

 

Zwarte Piet decoration
 

Intepretation

One of the group activities that we played during the core manager seminar is something rather pictorial.  We were ask to  pick one of the diagram, and then share with the group what does that particular one mean to one in the aspect of leadership or from corporate aspect.

When I was sitting there, deep in my heart I was thinking these are not just mean for leadership or corporate citizenship but they are also rather applicable to me from christian life perspective. Below are my answers not from leadership perspective but from spiritual perspective.

(1) Heart, love and passion - passion for the lost souls and love for Jesus and love for the things that will bring forth eternal values.

(2) Smilies, joy and happiness for those who believe in Him.  The different colour of smilies mean the joy and happiness is for all nations that made up from different races.

(3) 10 out of 10 means giving your very best in everything you do, whatever you do, do it as if you are doing it for the Lord.

(4) Gifts, presents - As a children of God, God has given us His spiritual gifts, we need to use our talents and gifts to bless others

(5) Graph of speer - life is like a series of chance, some times we may be uncomfortable with the changes but all changes are mean for personal growth

(6) Hand, plant, life - A hand that bring forth life, whatever we sew in the past and now, if it is for Christ, it will surely give life and growth.

(7) Sportsmanship, engagement - We must engage God and run the race to the very end.

(8) Two persons in unity, partnership - Two is better than one

(9) stones, alignment - We are all different but we have the same vision in Christ and so we are aligning ourselves to reach the vision.

These are my answers, share with me if your answers are different!!