My Grabcar Experiences

Hai guys!,I just want to take a moment to share my grabcar's experiences.No offence to the drivers.
Just a moment of sharing.

Last week,on my trip to Kuala Lumpur,I used grabcar a lot compared to last year which is only two rides.This time,it was seven rides.I spent a total of about RM205.

Well,now and again people used grabcar for a ride.It is much much more convenient than hailing a taxi.You know it.I'm a one person who is afraid to let strangers drives me but for the sake of no transport,I had no choice.First thing when I reach KL is to install the app.I had a son and a daughter with me.


My trips were as follows:

First called grabcar at Terminal Bus Station(TBS) to Floral Green Condominiun as well as UTAR school area.The cost was RM21.29.We had no problem with this driver.His car is clean and cool.
He brought us safely to our destination.

Second Grab:

In the evening,we called grabcar again.After two drivers rejected us,we found a third driver.Ten minutes later then he arrived.We were on our way down to Bukit Bintang but few minutes later,he pulled his car to Petronas station and told us to wait.He then rushed to the toilet while his car is parked at the petrol kiosk.He had his car aircon turned off leaving us feeling hot inside the car.I noticed he did not take his handphone and car key away.
Then he came back and filled the petrol and 30 minutes later reached the hotel.It was raining heavily and lightning keeps flashing loudly.
The ride cost us RM21.

Third Grab:

The next morning,we had a grabcar called by the hotel receptionist.The driver came 8 minutes later.
This time the car is a bit lavish then the other first and second car.The driver with a long hair drove us
to another hotel in SunwayPyramid.The drive from Bukit Bintang to Sunway is quite far.I wonder whether the driver used a long road or what?We passed through a long underground tunnel.Luckily,his car is not so hot although at first we had to ask him to turn his aircon towards us.
As soon as the car turned towards Sunway Pyramid,my son asked the driver whether he can stop in front of the hotel,but the driver ask if we mind step down from where his car stopped because he has got another passenger waiting..He pointed to the right side of a building which made me think he's not going to make a big turn round to that building.My son told him that it's okay since we can walk a few steps down to our hotel.Lazy driver!He's the only driver who didn't dropped us down right in front of the hotel and it was a sunny day.Well,lucky it's not that far away but we carry a lot of things that we had bought and our heavy luggages.

The fare cost us RM26.

Forth Grab:

After we had seen enough of Sunway and shopping and ate our breakfast,it's time to leave the hotel
and go to our next destinations.This time we are going back to Utar,Sungai long University.

At past noon,we called grabcar again.At about 10-12 minutes then the car arrived.We waited at the front of the hotel feeling hot cos it's was a sunny day.Perhaps the grabcar driver doesn't  know the way.He didn't even bother to call.Some grabcar drivers doesn't even know how to call the passengers,but there are some that call you the moment you booked him or click on the app.He'll
ask you the exact position you are standing.There are even some who ask many times!

When he nearly reached the hotel then he called,but we've already seen him and moved forward to his car.As soon as we're seated inside the car,we can feel the humidity of his car.My son and I had to ask him to adjust the aircon to our sides.He had his aircon switch to 2 only.All the way,we were
feeling very hot inside the car,especially me!I was not feeling well that day and I need a cooler air,but the car aircon was not strong enough.Why can't he make the aircon stronger?Going to Utar school
Sungai Long,Kajang seem very far away which made me all the worse  with this heaty car.I had to wet my handkerchief with my bottle drink to freshen my face and hands so that I felt much more cooler.
The driver was a bit sarcastic when he talked to the security guard.All the way,he was very quiet,but the moment he spoke he sounded very rude.
The guard looked at him for a moment and doesn't seem very pleased, but the driver doesn't seem to realize that and drove straight in.We paid the driver,don't want any more trouble with the guard.
The fare costs us RM39.The most expensive ride.

Fifth Grab:

While we were there,we went shopping at Aeon,Cheras by bus and decided to go back to Utar Sungai Long again by grabcar..Earlier on,we had passed by that building and I was curious to go shopping and had made up my mind to have lunch there.

From Aeon building,we call the grabcar.Again,this car was hot and heaty with the aircon turned on to 2.I told the driver to adjust the aircon.He only adjust the wind to me,refusing to turn on cooler.He explained that the weather was so hot and so the car would feel very hot.I have to endure again and this time,it was a very short trip.

The fare cost RM6 with no tolls.

Six Grab:

In the evening,at around 6.18 we decided to go downtown to stay in a hotel at Jalan Bukit Bintang.We called the sixth grabcar.The driver rang twice to say he don't know our whereabout.
After explained,explained,then he finally knew.

When the car pulled towards us and stopped,my son and a friend called him to open the booth,but
there was no booth to put our things and luggages.It was a small car,a proton viva.With nowhere to put our things,we put on the back seat.There were three of us at the back and two in front.
We had to squeeze our belongings next to us.It was raining and who bothers if this time the car aircon is cold or not cold.

It was very late when we  finally reached the hotel.It was a late check-in.

The rest of our time were spend walking only around Bukit Bintang,Pavillion,so on and so forth.
We even used the GoKL free bus.No going back to the hotel using grabcar for that night,.

Seventh Grab:

The following day and our last day,we had to call grabcar again to drives us to the airport.
It was already passed noon when we all sit inside the car.By luck,this car was big enough for us
and our baggages and things.The best of all,is the aircon can be adjusted by ourselves from
behind,so no fear of getting hot on a hot sunny day!

Before we leaved,and sitting comfortably inside the car,two  traffic policemen stopby and question the grab's driver(for what thing suspicious we don't know)They questions  the driver like grabcar?,where the passengers came from and seeing that we're all locals,
they left.
It was a long, long road to the airport.

This last trip cost us RM67.

All  fares include tolls.if you are lucky enough you got a free rides on promotion,but I wasn't able to
get it,I don't know why,not even discount promotions.I heard they got rebates and free rides during these Ramadan season.

On the apps,it says to recommend another person to get a free ride,but somehow the app is not working.My daughter and I tried so many times but we still can't get it.My son's friend and his mom
got a lot of free grab rides and rebates during their visits in KL.

NOTES;

First published on 

Char Siu Sauce

I've forgotten that I haven't blog about my Char Siu recipe or that I accidentally deleted it?Well,now I'm blogging out my free recipe now.It has been months since I uploaded my video on youtube.

I didn't realise it until I had my barbeque last night.

Here goes the simple  sweet recipe:

1 tbsp. shaoxing gourmet wine

1 tbsp. dark soya sauce

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. hoisin sauce

1/2 tbsp. honey

1/2 tbsp. light soya sauce

100 ml water

a pinch of red colouring

Method:

Take a small saucepan,put all the ingredients in and bring to heat.Stir the sauce until it thickens.

Turn off the fire.Let it to cool.

Spoon some of the sauce over your char siu meat or for marinating chicken or duck.

Store in a jar and keep it in the refrigerator not longer than two weeks.

No Knead Hokkaido Milk Bread

Today,I want to make bread with no kneading required.I search and type,"No knead bread",then I found this recipe by a website called "Sprinkle With salt"http://www.sprinklewithsalt.com/2016/01/24/no-knead-hokkaido-milk-bread/

This bread proved to be soft and fluffy.I baked the bread inside the bread maker.I was lazy to divide into three as called by the recipe.I put the whole dough inside the bread maker and wait for it to rise then press "bake" until it is done.

Below is the recipe:

No Knead Hokkaido Milk Bread:

Tangzhong recipe:

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup milk

Bread recipe:

1/2 cup warm milk

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp yeast

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 egg

Tangzhong

Method:

In a saucepan, mix the ingredients for the tangzhong over medium heat until the mixture is at a pudding-like consistency, stirring constantly. Take off the stove and whisk periodically until cooled. Alternatively, you may put it in a bowl, place plastic wrap over it, and stick it in the refrigerator.

For the bread, combine the milk, sweetened condensed milk, and yeast together. Whisk until the yeast dissolves.

Mix in the rest of the ingredients,plus the tangzhong. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.

After 14 hours,I placed the dough into the bread maker and let it to rise high.Then I choose "bake"setting for 40 minutes until baked.
.

Immediately,I take it out to let it cooled down before slicing.

Bubur Cha Cha

My Bubur Cha Cha don't t have to be so colourful with having to buy many types of colours for the  yam and sweet potatoes.
If I can only find one colour is enough as long as there is a yam and a sweet potatoes to make the dessert which is one of my favourite.It is still a Bubur Cha Cha anyway!
Some folks preferred to boil Bubur cha Cha in a more simple way by putting everything in to boil without having so much fuss as to steam the yam and sweet potatoes first and having to cook the sago and straining.Once the water is boiling,the sago are then added in followed by the sugar and when the yam and sweet potatoes has softened,santan are added last.Simple!Simple!.We only have to take care not to overcooked the yam and sweet potatoes or they will break and not looking nice.

Ingredients:

1  yam,abt 270 grams,wash and dice into cubes

 1  sweet potatoes,abt 260 grams,wash and dice into cubes

40 grams sago

80 grams tapioca flour

50 ml hot water

food colouring

200 grams sugar

200 grams coconut santan/milk

3 pandan leaves

1 litre water

Method:

Make tapioca jelly by mixing the hot boiling water into the tapioca flour and quickly stir to form a dough.Divide  the dough into two or three portions and put desired colours into each.Cut into small cubes.
In the pan of boiling water,throw the tapioca cubes in to make the jellies.Boil until cooked through or translucent.Transfer into a bowl of cold water.This is just to prevent sticking together.

Steam the yam and sweet potatoes in a steamer or wok till softened but not too soft so that it will breaks.

Next,cooked the sago:
Boiled water enough to cover the sago.When boiled,throw the sago in to cook until translucent.
Put the cooked sago into the sieve to remove water.then,put into a bowl of cold water.

In a medium pot,add in 1.5 litre of water and add in the sugar to boil.Also add in the coconut santan and knotted pandan leaves for fragrant.

Lastly,add in everything.(throw away the sago and jelly water first before adding it in.)

Serve.

Kolo Chicken Mushroom Mee/Sarawak Kolo Mee

Recently,I craved for chicken mushroom mee and so I decided to make it at home.

This time,I used cooking oil instead of lard to make the shallots oil.

Ingredients for cooking chicken mushrooms:


1 small piece boneless chicken breast,minced
1 can of button mushrooms,cut thinly
6-7 pieces dried mushrooms,soaked and cut thinly.
1/2 tsp shaoxing gourmet wine
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp oyster sauce
pinch of salt to taste
1 tsp corn flour + 2 tbsp water,mixed
cooking oil

3 red onions,diced small(take abt 1 tsp for
cooking,the rest set aside for later use of
making the shallots oil for the kolo mee)
1-2 pips garlic,diced small and put together
with the 1 tsp of red onions for frying
chicken mushrooms.
Bundles of Springy Noodles

Method:

First,fry the red onions,garlic mixture until slightly brown.

Add in the chicken meat.

Add in dried mushrooms and button mushrooms.

Then add in 1 tbsp dark soy sauce,1/2 tsp salt,1/2 tsp light soy sauce,1/2 tsp gourmet wine and
1/2 tsp oyster sauce to stir.

Add in the water.

Add in the corn water.

Give it a quick stir and dish it out.

Making Shallots Oil:

Heat up some oil.Fry the red onions till brown.Let it cool for later use.


Boil hot water in a big pot  and standby a basin of cold water.

In the meanwhile,while waiting for the water to boil,prepare the bowl of ingredients needed

for making the mee.(You can adjust this according to your taste buds)



Take 2-3 tsps shallots oil,depending on how oily you want your mee to be.Add 1/2 tsp salt,

1/2 tsp monosodium glutamate,1/2 tsp white vinegar,1/2 tsp fish sauce,and some dashes of white pepper.


In the pot of hot boiing water,throw in a handful of mee/springy noodle for about 2-3 mins,then take it out and immerse in the basin of cold water for 3-4 seconds.


After that  bring back to the boiling water.

Another 30  secs and you are ready to make a bowl of Kolo plain noodle/mee.

Lastly,garnish the top of your noodle/mee with the cooked chicken mushrooms and spring onions.


Watch my video:

Beehive Cake/Hong Kong Cake/Honeycomb cake

I've been wanting to post about this cake for a long time but have always hold back until now.

This cake is considered to be an outdated cake.It is known as Beehive/Honeycomb cake because of the texture of the cake that look like the beehive.It is also known as Hong Kong cake.Not sure why it is called like this.

When I was young,I made this cake a lot of times.It was the easiest cake that I can made as well as butter cake.

From time to time,I still craved for this old fashioned cake.So,two days ago,I made Hong Kong cake.

My daughters wouldn't love this cake cos it has got holes that made her goosebumps when she look at it.

The holes has got something to do with the baking soda as you all know it.The goodness of

this cake is it can either be baked or steamed as some preferred.

 I've got many recipes for this cake.Many years ago,I have one copy from the girl's brigade

club.

The pages of the book have been torned and can't be seen clearly anymore.It was the

best recipe that I've ever had.If only I could remember but I don't.

The recipe were in pounds and ounces.

And here is my old time favourite cake recipe taken from one of my books:

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup boiling hot water

2 heaping tbsp butter

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup plain flour

2 tsp bicarbonate soda sifted together with flour

4 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

Method:

Using medium heat,put the sugar in a wok and fry until melts and brown in colour.Pour in the hot water slowly.Add in the butter to mix.Turn off the fire and leave to cool.

Whip eggs until light and frothy.Stir in sweetened condensed milk and then flour.

Pour in the caramelized sugar.Mix well.

Pour batter into a lined baking sheet tin.

Baked in the pre-heated oven 170°C-180°C for 45 mins to 1 hour depending on your oven.

     

    

NOTE: This is an update post.There have been a bit of  mistakes in my previous post.I've given an alternative recipe previously and it is a bit confusing to some people,so now I've
delete the alternative recipe.I apologize for any mistakes that I've made previously.

Pumpkin Loaf with Tangzhong

I've been following Christines's Recipes for a while now.One of the recipe that I've copy through her post is Tangzhong Pumpkin loaf.You can follow her step by step
recipe here:http://en.christinesrecipes.com/2013/11/tangzhong-pumpkin-loaf.html .I think she made it so beautiful.So very eye catching indeed.

I hope you don't mind I shared your recipe here.If you do not wish me to,please tell me so that I can take it down.

Ingredients:

120 gm tangzhong

100 gm pumpkin puree

50 gm whisked egg

110 ml milk

40 gm honey

12 gm milk power

½ tsp salt

350 gm bread flour

2 tsp instant dried yeast

25 gm butter, melted

pumpkin seeds, optional, for garnish

Method:

1. Add all ingredients (except butter) into a breadmaker, the wet ingredients first, then followed by the dry ingredients: tangzhong, pumpkin puree, egg, milk, honey, milk powder, salt, flour and yeast. (Note: I used to make a small well in the flour, then add the yeast into it.)

2. Select the “dough” mode (refer to the manual of your breadmaker to select the kneading dough programme). When all ingredients come together, add the butter. Knead until the dough passes the window-pane test.

3. After kneading is finished, let the dough complete the 1st round of proofing in the machine, about 40 minutes, until it doubled in size.

4.  Transfer the dough onto a clean floured surface. Deflate and divide into 3 equal portions. Cover with cling wrap, let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.

5. Roll out each portion of the dough with a rolling pin into an oval shape. Fold 1/3 from top edge to the middle and press. Then fold 1/3 from bottom to the middle and press. Turn seal downward. Roll flat and stretch to about 30cm in length. With seal upward, roll into a cylinder. With seal facing down, place in the loaf tin. Complete the 2nd round of proofing, until it doubled in size.

6. Brush whisked egg on surface. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top. Bake in a pre-heated 180°C (356°F) oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer onto a wire rack. Let cool completely

Mine turned out soft and fluffy as well although not as beautiful as Christine's one.Actually,it is yellow in colour,but the look of the pictures don't tell it all.Poor camera.

Pandan Chicken

This is the authentic dish of Thailand.
Many years ago I visited a friend's house.Her mother had made some delicious pandan chicken and she asked me to have lunch with them.It was the first pandan chicken that I had ever tasted.Yum! Yum!.Of late,when I was making these I quickly recall the days when I had  lunch with my friend and her family at her home.That was the only time I had eaten pandan chicken.

Now I've grown to like pandan chicken even more..

Ingredients:

300g bite-sized chicken

Seasonings:
2 shallots

2 garlics

2 lemon grass

1 tsp light soya sauce

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp fish sauce

1 ttbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp. corn flour

thick coconut milk

enough pandan leaves

cooking oil for deep-frying

Method:

Seasons the chicken with the seasonings above.Keep it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Take it out.Wrap each chicken pieces with the pandan leaf.Secured the leaf with a tooth-pick.

Dip-fried in hot oil until chicken is cooked through.


Serve with preferable sauce.

Green chicken Curry

Since I already found green chillies,I decided to cook green curry chicken today for lunch.It has been my "To do list" if ever I found green chillies in store.This is not what I get to eat everyday,but once in a while and this is my first time too.Chillies are always out of my menu.
So,here I am making green chicken curry at home and lunch with my kids and a take away for my other kid who is in school.A little black peppercorns added in to it would be nice,but I've added in black pepper powder instead.I've forgotten that I do have a bottle of peppercorn store inside the kitchen shelf.

INGREDIENTS A:

(Blended)

6 very long and big green chillies
Extra green chillies if preferred to look more green

2 stalk lemon grass
1 thumb size ginger
20g belacan/shrimp paste
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black pepper powder/peppercorns

2 tbsps. cooking oil

1 medium size chicken breast(cut small)
2 potatoes(peeled off skin,diced into cube)
1-1/2cups of water
200ml packet coconut milk
salt to taste

coriander or basil leaf for decorating

Method:

1.  Heat up oil,fry ingredients from A till fragrant.Put in the chicken and potatoes.

2.  Add the water in,then cover and simmer till the potatoes turned soft and the chickens are tender.

3.  Add in the coconut milk,follow by salt to taste,about 1 tsp.Bring to boil again for about 5 minutes and turn off the heat.

4.  Serve hot with rice.

Banana Bread Machine

I've been making banana bread for four days?That's four times!.

This may sound crazy but it's true,it's me, who do not want the bananas to go to waste.Four days ago,as I was strolling in the night market,usually on Thursday and Friday,I saw three bunch of bananas that were priced at a very low price.I bought it home but there was no way we could finish it all.Banana as we all know cannot last very long.Before it turns black why not make it into a banana bread or banana cake?

So,this explained why I keep on making banana bread.At first,I started off making a smaller one,then  a much bigger and moist one.The moist one is almost the same like the banana cake.

 At first I used the bread maker to do the mixing,but I noticed that the bread maker didn't do the mixing well.Patches of flour were seen at the bottom of the bread.For the rest of the bread making,I mixed the ingredients  in a separate bowl first,then transfer the batter into the bread maker and choose the bake setting.If you were to throw everything into the bread maker,make sure to use a spatula to mix it well so that no flour can be seen on the bread after you lift it up from the pan.



INGREDIENTS:

Small Loaf

2 large eggs
1/3 cup corn oil
1/8 cup milk
2 bananas,mashed
1-1/3 cups bread flour
2/3 cup sugar
1-1/4 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

METHOD:

Mix everything together in a mixing bowl until smooth.Using a spatula,scrape the batter into the pan of the bread maker.Choose the "Bake" setting and bake for 40 minutes.

Big Loaf

4 large eggs
2/3 cup corn oil
1/2 cup milk
6 ripe bananas(cos I wanted more bananas)
1-1/2 tbsps. of instant coffee
2-2/3 cups bread flour
1-1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Use the same method as above.Bake for 55-60 minutes.

Chocolate and Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Cheese Cupcakes

225g cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Cupcakes

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsps. baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups water
2/3 cup veg oil
2 tbsps. white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

CREAMCHEESE

In a mixing bowl,throw in creamcheese,egg,sugar,and salt.

With a handheld mixer,cream until creamy and fluffy.Then add in the chocolate chips and quickly stir.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

In another bowl,sift flour, baking soda and cocoa powder.Add in the sugar,salt,water oil,vanilla and vinegar.Beat till smooth.

Fill the chocolate mixture into the paper cups half full.Put a level tablespoon of creamcheese into the centre of each cupcakes.

Bake in the preheated oven 180 degree celcius or 350 degree farenheit for 20 to 25 minutes.

When done,take out from the oven and let it cool down before eating.