Sunday, May 31, 2009

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

My mama use to make this for us when we were young, and I remember loving it very much. We sisters would always fight for the last piece and hope that mum could make more.

Thus, after craving this for more than 10 years, I finally found the courage -__- to search for its recipe and try making them myself.

There were tons of recipe on this and thus I'd picked the easiest one to follow and give it a wee twick.

Ingredients:
175g butter
250g milk chocolate with nuts
280g rich tea biscuits

1. Lightly butter a square cake tin.

2. Combine the butter and milk chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave, or over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

3. Pop the biscuits into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin or any other objects to bash it to crumbles.

4. Stir the crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture. Mix well, spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and press down lightly.

5. Refrigerate until firm and cut into squares to serve.
This recipe is super easy. No chopping or frying or baking or cooking skills required. And its super tasty. I'm gonna take a piece and bite onto it now.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Spend ££ To Turn Presentable??

To be honest, I am a very vain person (if I have the free time to be vain). I would watch a Taiwan Beauty Show and learn all the tricks and tips to become a prettier person, be it fashion sense, skincare or social ettique...

But, now only did I know that the alternative way to eating healthy and exercise to make oneself prettier is by spending money on skincare products. And I do mean, loads and tons of money.


Let see... mmm... a gal's daily skincare routine would be 1. cleanse 2. toner 3. eye serum 4. face essence 5. moisturiser.


If one has the money to spare, she would have add in skincare-enhancing-lotion (well, its call 导入液 in chinese where the function of the lotion is by helping all those skincare product being absorb more effectively into the skin) and a daily night mask-gel.


But, those, for me, have to be put on a hold as I ain't got that much cash, as thus, the basics will do.

My beauty diary white truffle mask , £11 for 6 sheets. Its function is for whitening and brightening the face.



Kose Deep Aquary Ceramide II Moist Essence Gel Cream, £8 for 95g, could be used to moisturise the skin and act as toner and essence all at once. I would buy this to use in the day time together with my sunscreen.


DHC Platinum Silver Nanocolloid Whitening Cream, £16 for 45g. It contains platinum and silver as they act as a very good whitening element and anti-oxidant in whitening cream. I'll use this cream at night. I will buy this once I finish my current cream.



Kose Happy Bath Day Precious Rose Hair Cologne Fragrance, £6 for 30g. This is quite useful when it comes to trying to make your hair as fragrant as it can be after you cook or sweat or do any sorts of activity that enhances the production of hair oil.
Last but not least, Dariya Japan Magic Sheet, £4 for 2 piece. This sheet is used to hold those annoying fringes without having the need to clip the hair and make a mark on your fringe while applying make-up or something.
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If only, ££ in my bank account has no limit, I woulda include more items into my wishlist and I promise to be enthusiastic in using all of them everyday.
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p/s: I wanted to buy more superb and quirky and cool products from a Malaysian website, but am too lazy to convert the currency and contact the seller.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Outfit Of The Day

I'm not sure why the internet connection in my house is damn slow nowadays (nope, its not about the download), and this really encourage me to be lazy in blogging as uploading pictures are really pain the ass, therefore, the absent of post for 28th May.

But anyway, not many really reads this blog (just another way to escape the guiltiness of being a lazy bum).

OK, back to the topic... I notice that everytime when I really play dress up (or putting in any effort to stack on clothes), is when I'm going to Tesco to do some grocery shopping. And Tesco is like freaking near my house, like 5 minutes walk.

Maybe its because I could endure the pain in walking in heels and withstand the cold by wearing little in just the 5 minutes distance walk.



Necklace: Primark, Dress: FCUK, Tights: H&M, Boots: Priceless, Denim jacket: Malaysia

p/s: Denim seems to be the "in" thing now, so I'm gonna hide my denim jacket no more...

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Some Zimbabweans in SA Head Back Home

Johannesburg -An international migration agency says it is helping Zimbabweans who hoped to find a better life in South Africa to head home.

The International Organisation for Migration arranged a bus trip for 33 people on Wednesday to return to Zimbabwe from Johannesburg's Central Methodist Church.


The church is crowded with hundreds of Zimbabweans who have fled their troubled country.

Zimbabweans have arrived in South Africa seeking jobs, food and medicine. Those who left on Wednesday had been unable to find work or better shelter.

South Africa officially entered a recession this week and some see Zimbabweans as competition for scarce jobs.

Zimbabweans have been victims of anti-foreigner violence.

* AP

EU still shuns Zimbabwe

Brussels - The European Union is not yet ready to establish normal ties with Zimbabwe or resume aid despite a "positive evolution" in politics there, according to a letter made public on Thursday.

"The EU shares your opinion that there are indications of a positive evolution of the political situation in Zimbabwe," the bloc said in a letter to John Kaputin, secretary general of African, Caribbean and Pacific nations.

"We are following the situation with great attention in the hope that it will as soon as possible lead to a new phase of stability, respect for human rights and rule of law and economic development," said the letter.


But the EU underlined: "However, the pace at which the new government can deliver on its own programme to the people of Zimbabwe still remains a major concern for all, both in the country and within the international community."

The letter said that a "dialogue" proposed in March by President Robert Mugabe "should allow us to define a roadmap of reciprocal undertakings," which would "hopefully bring us to a progressive resumption of our full cooperation."

Such a move could lead to a resumption of development aid which has been frozen for several years. At the moment the European Commission can only send humanitarian aid - €90m were given in 2007 - to the people.

The European Union and the United States maintain a travel ban and asset freeze on Mugabe and his inner circle in protest at controversial elections and alleged human rights abuses by his government.

An EU delegation which visited Zimbabwe on Thursday commended "significant progress" made by the new unity government but called on the authorities to crack down on farm invasions.

* news 24

Cosatu Says Will Meet With Zille

Cape Town - Cosatu, which has accused Western Cape Premier Helen Zille of insulting women and black people, says it is to meet her face to face on Monday.

Cosatu Western Cape secretary Tony Ehrenreich said on Thursday organised business had "intervened and essentially brokered a deal for a meeting to be held between the premier and ourselves".

"In good faith, Cosatu thus herewith suspends any action until the outcome of that meeting," he said.

However Zille's office said the premier's meeting was with the Cape Town Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and that Cosatu had merely been invited along.

"It's to do with local economic development, issues around the economic downturn," said her spokesperson Robert Macdonald.

* News 24

Tutu Appeals For Help on Behalf of Zimbabwe

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has pleaded for increased support for Zimbabwe's fragile national unity government.

The anti-apartheid icon, a key-note speaker at Hay's literary festival, said Zimbabwe had become a "hell on earth".

He was questioned by a Zimbabwean activist on the lack of unity among the leaders of southern African countries in dealing robustly with Robert Mugabe's regime.

He said the new unity government was the best option and that change could only really come at the next election.

Archbishop Tutu told the woman that he "felt very deeply" with her anguish.

Tutu, now the emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town, said some leaders had taken a tougher line with President Mugabe.

He said he hoped other leaders would follow suit.

Tutu also said he understood too that countries were reluctant to give aid to a country with so many problems.

But he said this was the best way forward and that would help to strengthen the political process and give Morgan Tsvangirai a decisive mandate at the next election.

In a wide-ranging and witty conversation with festival director Peter Florence, the Nobel laureate praised the human spirit in adversity.

He said if apartheid could be abolished in South Africa then surely most of the world's problems could be solved.

There was no situation that was "totally intractable" he said.

* BBC

Though Zimbabwe Cholera Epidemic Reduced, Risks Persist - Red Cross

The International Red Cross on Tuesday warned that while the cholera epidemic of the past 10 months in Zimbabwe has much subsided, considerable risks remain, heightened by the country's widespread food insecurity which made the epidemic more deadly.

More than 4,000 people have died in the epidemic since August 2008.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies noted that the number of cases at some 98,400 is not far from the 100,000 mark.

Meanwhile, it added, Zimbabwe on a per capita basis is the most food aid dependent country in the world with 65% to 80% of its population now dependent on humanitarian food distributions.
The Red Cross added that food shortages are undermining "stunted efforts" to provide antiretroviral drugs to prolong the lives of those struggling to live with HIV/AIDS.

Peter Muchengeti, chairman in Midlands province of the National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations confirmed the thrust of the Red Cross report, telling reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that while food has become available on store shelves, the situation remains dire for many people without hard currency.

Elsewhere, the Global Health Council and three other groups Tuesday named Dr. Douglas Gwatidzo, managing director of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights the 2009 recipient of the Jonathan Mann Award for global health and human rights.

The announcement by the Association François-Xavier Bagnoud, Health Right International, John Snow, Inc. and the Global Health Council cited the physician's work in investigating, with the U.S.-based Physicians for Human Rights, the cholera epidemic which raged in the country in late 2008 and early 2009, and the simultaneous collapse of the state health system, as well as Dr. Gwatidzo's support of health workers and advocacy of an end to state violence.

Dr. Gwatidzo will be presented the award on Thursday at the Global Health Council's annual international conference in Washington.

* VoA

Bring Zimbabwe Out of the Cold Now!

By GREG MILLS and JEFFREY HERBST

AFTER years of rightly criticizing President Robert Mugabe’s authoritarian rule in Zimbabwe, Western countries now face a different, and difficult, set of decisions.

Since February, Zimbabwe has operated under a unity government led by Mr. Mugabe with the opposition’s leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, as prime minister. Had last year’s elections been free and fair, Mr. Tsvangirai would have been elected president, but instead of continuing to contest the results he eventually agreed to serve as prime minister.

The transition has not been smooth; cabinet posts have been divided up awkwardly, while many people inside and outside the country have criticized Mr. Tsvangirai for seemingly being co-opted by Mr. Mugabe.

As a result, Western governments have been standoffish even though the unity government has taken important steps, notably lowering Zimbabwe’s 231 million percent inflation by abandoning the Zimbabwean dollar in favor of the American dollar and other foreign currencies.

Last week, for example, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the United States wasn’t ready to resume aid to Zimbabwe and urged the ouster of Mr. Mugabe, while other Western donors have said they will not provide significant development assistance until there is firm evidence that the power-sharing agreement is working.

Human Rights Watch has gone further by arguing that development aid should not be released until there are “irreversible changes on human rights, the rule of law and accountability.”

The reluctance of Western governments and human rights groups to embrace the current Zimbabwean government is understandable. There is, in particular, no real reason to believe that Mr. Mugabe, after decades of dictatorial rule and abuse, has suddenly embraced multiparty democracy. If he had, after all, he would not be president now.

But Zimbabwe may well be a case where the best is the enemy of the good. Mr. Tsvangirai’s party, the Movement for Democratic Change, went into the unity government with its eyes open.

“We had won the election but we did not have the support of the military,” Mr. Tsvangirai told us this month in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital. “We did not want to be the authors of chaos. Instead we need to soft-land the crisis, stabilize the situation through peace and stability and democratic consolidation.”

Accordingly, he views Mr. Mugabe as “both part of the problem and part of the solution: we cannot untangle the tentacles of the state without him.”

Mr. Tsvangirai has set himself the difficult task of trying to dislodge Mr. Mugabe’s ousted party from the state apparatus that it has controlled for more than a quarter-century.

In many countries that process would require extensive violence against the regime. The “soft landing” that the Movement for Democratic Change has chosen is a difficult path but one which it has firm strategic reasons to opt for, reasons that deserve more careful consideration from international donors.

And Mr. Tsvangirai and Zimbabwe need help desperately. Per capita income is half what it was in 1997. Once the largest economy in the region after South Africa, Zimbabwe is now the smallest, after tiny Swaziland and Lesotho.

The United Nations calculates that just 6 percent of the work force is formally employed. More than 65 percent of the population urgently needs food assistance. Nearly 100,000 people have been struck by cholera in the last six months.

While it used to be called the breadbasket of southern Africa, Zimbabwe now produces only about one-third of the grain it needs; tobacco, once its main export crop, has fallen to around one-sixth of the 2000 peak, the effect of the seizure of white-owned farms begun in earnest this decade.

Revealing as they are, these figures do not tell the full story. Take the University of Zimbabwe. Once a prestigious southern African institution, today it is without functioning sewers or running water.

Many of its 12,000 students have left, its two teaching hospitals close intermittently, and departments like geology and surveying are shuttered. Lacking chemicals and equipment, the chemistry department stopped all experiments in 2007.

To consolidate progress, donors should end their ambivalence about the unity government and begin to support Mr. Tsvangirai’s aims. Development assistance can be allocated directly. Replenishing the hospitals and re-equipping schools are measurable and defined projects.

More generally, Western governments and nongovernmental organizations should become more publicly enthusiastic about the unity government, especially because they haven’t been able to offer a better option.

The Movement for Democratic Change has also recognized that the only way to deal with the tsunami of advisers and aid agencies that will eventually come is to establish a single entry point into the government for donors, likely in the prime minister’s office, instead of allowing aid to go directly to ministries that may be run by Mugabe partisans. Donors should support this effort as a way to strengthen Mr. Tsvangirai.

There will be setbacks in Zimbabwe, but they can be overcome. As Mr. Tsvangirai told us, “Ask any Zimbabwean in the street — no one wants to reverse the process.” Instead of standing back and waiting, donors should do their part to help bring Zimbabwe back from the brink.

Greg Mills is the director of the Brenthurst Foundation, a research organization in Johannesburg that promotes economic growth in Africa. Jeffrey Herbst, the provost of Miami University of Ohio, is the author of “States and Power in Africa.”

* NY Times

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Weird Looking Veg

Can anyone name them?? They are so weird looking that I don't really know how to cook them or even use them...



Maybe I shoulda get use to the local veg and forget about the expensive choi sum or kai lan or kangkung. But I miss those Malaysian veg, and I'm sick of eating broccoli and lettuce almost every meal...

P/s: Night at the Musuem 2 rocks!!! My next stop would be Terminator: Salvation.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Zimbabwe is Most Dependent Country on Food Aid

Johannesburg - Zimbabwe is the most food aid dependent country in the world, aid agencies said on Tuesday.
Also, nearly 55% of children who died of cholera in the southern African country were malnourished.

This is according to a report released by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, quoting numbers from the World Food Programme.

"Per capita, Zimbabwe is now the most food aid dependent country in the world. The World Food Programme believes that seven million people are in need of food assistance - somewhere between 65 and 80% of the population," the report states.

"The UN believes that 54% of all children who have died from cholera were malnourished, with 47% of the country's population undernourished."

The food crisis was caused by several factors including hyperinflation which disenfranchised many agriculture farmers, the report states.

"Zimbabwe's fields are sown with substandard seed, scavenged often from granaries or from the side of the road. It is extraordinarily unlikely that the 2009 harvest will significantly surpass 2008 - the worst in the country's history," says the report.

The country's woes started escalating in 2000 when President Robert Mugabe's government lost a referendum to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and sanctioned an aggressive land reform programme in which the majority of white farmers lost their land to war veterans.

This resulted in a food crisis, exacerbated by drought and later by hyper-inflation.

The country was plunged into socio-economic turmoil, political violence and eventually a collapse of infrastructure, alongside a deadly cholera epidemic last year that killed more than 4 000 people.

Mugabe late last year finally agreed to form a government of national unity with opposition leaders.

* SAPA

African Development Bank to Lend Money to Zimbabwe

(Bloomberg) -- The African Development Bank said it plans to establish a line of credit for Zimbabwean companies following the creation of a power-sharing government this year.

The Tunis-based bank will also finance projects to renovate the southern African country’s infrastructure, according to an e-mailed statement today. Zimbabwe may also benefit from the African lender’s “Fragile State Facility’’ if it needs more resources, the bank added.

“The strategy, covering the next 19 months to December 2010, is anchored on support to the inclusive government,’’ the AFDB said. “The bank will help kick-start financial sector operations, identify specific sectors, especially those covering physical infrastructure development where the bank can leverage its resources with those of other donors.” It didn’t say how much it would lend Zimbabwe.

The Movement for Democratic Change, led by Morgan Tsvangirai, and President Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party formed a unity government in February after a decade of often violent political conflict.

International lenders and donors have been reluctant to offer credit to Zimbabwe aside from technical and humanitarian aid, saying political progress must come first.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Latham in Durban via Johannesburg at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.

U.S. Inflation to Approach Zimbabwe Level

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. economy will enter “hyperinflation” approaching the levels in Zimbabwe because the Federal Reserve will be reluctant to raise interest rates, investor Marc Faber said.

Prices may increase at rates “close to” Zimbabwe’s gains, Faber said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in Hong Kong. Zimbabwe’s inflation rate reached 231 million percent in July, the last annual rate published by the statistics office.

“I am 100 percent sure that the U.S. will go into hyperinflation,” Faber said. “The problem with government debt growing so much is that when the time will come and the Fed should increase interest rates, they will be very reluctant to do so and so inflation will start to accelerate.”

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Charles Plosser said on May 21 inflation may rise to 2.5 percent in 2011. That exceeds the central bank officials’ long-run preferred range of 1.7 percent to 2 percent and contrasts with the concerns of some officials and economists that the economic slump may provoke a broad decline in prices.

“There are some concerns of a risk from inflation from all the liquidity injected into the banking system but it’s not an immediate threat right now given all the excess capacity in the U.S.
economy,” said David Cohen, head of Asian economic forecasting at Action Economics in Singapore.
“I have a little more confidence that the Fed has an exit strategy for draining all the liquidity at the appropriate time.”

Action Economics is predicting inflation of minus 0.4 percent in the U.S. this year, with prices increasing by 1.8 percent and 2 percent in 2010 and 2011, respectively, Cohen said.

Though Zimbabwe Cholera Epidemic Reduced, Risks Persist - Red Cross

The International Red Cross on Tuesday warned that while the cholera epidemic of the past 10 months in Zimbabwe has much subsided, considerable risks remain, heightened by the country's widespread food insecurity which made the epidemic more deadly.

More than 4,000 people have died in the epidemic since August 2008.


The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies noted that the number of cases at some 98,400 is not far from the 100,000 mark.

Meanwhile, it added, Zimbabwe on a per capita basis is the most food aid dependent country in the world with 65% to 80% of its population now dependent on humanitarian food distributions.

The Red Cross added that food shortages are undermining "stunted efforts" to provide antiretroviral drugs to prolong the lives of those struggling to live with HIV/AIDS.

Peter Muchengeti, chairman in Midlands province of the National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations confirmed the thrust of the Red Cross report, telling reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that while food has become available on store shelves, the situation remains dire for many people without hard currency.

Elsewhere, the Global Health Council and three other groups Tuesday named Dr. Douglas Gwatidzo, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights the 2009 recipient of the Jonathan Mann Award for global health and human rights.

The announcement by the Association François-Xavier Bagnoud, Health Right International, John Snow, Inc. and the Global Health Council cited the physician's work in investigating, with the U.S.-based Physicians for Human Rights, the cholera epidemic which raged in the country in late 2008 and early 2009, and the simultaneous collapse of the state health system, as well as Dr. Gwatidzo's support of health workers and advocacy of an end to state violence.

Dr. Gwatidzo will be presented the award on Thursday at the Global Health Council's annual international conference in Washington.

* VoA

Zimbabwe's MDC Keeps Pressure On For Gono to Step Down

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's branch of the Movement for Democratic Change on Tuesday dismissed an assertion by President Robert Mugabe that Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono will not be stepping down, calling it unacceptable.

The Tsvangirai MDC wing issued a statement saying Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana must both step down, also demanding a forensic audit of the central bank.


A deadlock between Mr. Mugabe and Mr. Tsvangirai, the latter backed by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara of a rival MDC formation, has been referred to the Southern African Development Community and African Union.

The two African organizations ushered Zimbabwe's national unity government into existence and stand as its guarantors.

Political sources said Gono in desperation has launched a media campaign to frame the calls for his resignation as a personal vendetta by MDC Finance Minister Tendai Biti.

The state-controlled Herald newspaper reported Tuesday that a prison guard at Harare's notorious Chikurubi Prison was arrested on charges he acted on orders from Biti to seek incriminating evidence against Gono concerning a farm mechanization program.

Biti dismissed the accusation lodged through the state newspaper, calling it fictitious.

Reports said Gono has threatened to resign, complaining that he has largely been abandoned by Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, his only defenders Information Minister Webster Shamu, Information Ministry Permanent Secretary George Charamba and independent parliamentarian Jonathan Moyo, a former information minister.

Meanwhile, Biti has drafted amendments to the RBZ Act which provide for a non-executive director to take over as chairman of the central bank. Gono has criticized the amendments, saying they would strip him of his powers.

* voA

Clumsy Clumsy...

I'm not sure why, but I seem to be an accident prone, bumps and bruises and cuts and wounds just can't leave me alone..

You're right, my skin isn't in its tip top condition... Its filled with scars of any sorts or rashes or redness... Maybe I'm not really suited to live in this 4 season super dry country... But since I'd decided to stay back, I guess I'll have to find a way to conquer these imperfection and try my best to either get rid of it or stay with it...

Of course, I'll have to choose the latter.... But creams and products just don't work wonders on them damages, so I guess it will have to take time to heal...

I got this cut while working in KFC... I'm not sure how I'd got it, but I do know that there was a sharp pain and when I look down, it was oozing with blood...

I was a bit afraid that the wound might get infected with bacterias or viruses, as quickly as I could, my finger was then wrap with layers and layers of plaster -__-


**sigh**, I think I had bruises at least once every month... Its big, its blue black and it hurts whenever I touch it...

You know, sometimes, I just wish to give up on taking good care of my skin... I mean, I slap on tons of skincare products everyday but I always seem to give myself some external infliction of abuse... F*** myself...


Don't ask me how did this happen, I've absolutely no idea... What I do know is that these kinda little red spots just pops up anywhere on my skin which are exposed to the outside (such as fingers)...

Can someone tell me how should I get rid of all those dugly scars(comments on which product to use are welcomed) and how to avoid them?? Thanks...

Monday, May 25, 2009

Coco Chanel Fetish....


Although I couldn't understand a word of French (or is it French?), but I still think that the movie about Coco Chanel rocks...

The revolution in fashion industry that she brought is so significant that her name would forever be imprinted in the heads of all gals and fashionista...

Here are some video clips about her...


Inside Coco Chanel's Private Apartment






Coco Avant Chanel Movie Trailer






COCO Chanel The Making - Episode 1 - le Look - By Keira Knightley






Coco Chanel The Making - Episode 2 - le Bijou






The new COCO MADEMOISELLE film



Sunday, May 24, 2009

Outfit Of The Day






Coat: Italy, Polo neck top: Ebay, Belt: can't remember, Jeans: Malaysia, Heels: Next, Purse: Gucci, Necklaces: Primark and Topshop, Watch: Cyma, Headband: can't remember.
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I know, you guys are getting bored with my post, but I really have to finish up my photos in the laptop or else my heart would have this naggy feeling of "mission unaccomplished".
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I was wondering the other day that is there any advantages when one is handsome or pretty?? I mean, I kinda realized that people tend to be nicer towards those with good looks, giving them priority to everything else and making sure that they get the best treatment... Sometimes, even those who are close to us will react even friendlier when we look pretty in a particular day. I sure do wish that its my imagination or else I'll have to find a way to beautify myself.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Another Food Post, Soy Sauce Fish

I just need to post up all the photos in my laptop and therefore several foodies and garments posts would be featured in the next few days...


I had tried to make ginger scallion fish, but failed in the end as I had added too much sauce in it. And thus, the title... Well, its not salty enough for me, but Yoong was licking his lips after having them. He said that they are delicious (that would be enough for me ^__^).


Here's the ingredients:
Shredded gingers
Scallions
Dried chillis
Minced garlic
Couple of fish slices (my variety = salmon, cod and smoke haddock)
Flour
Egg yolk
Sauce: oyster sauce, soy sauce, pepper, dark soy sauce, sugar, corn starch with water




1. Chop up all ingredients as shown in the 1st picture.
2. Coat the fishes with egg yolk 1st then slap on the flour.
3. Deep fry the fish for just 10 seconds (you don't wanna get them too cooked as this would rob the moisture of the fish)
4. Start to fry all those ingredients in the 1st picture.
5. Add the sauces.
6. Pour in the fried fish.
7. Serve and scatter some green bits of scallions on top.

Its always nice to have dessert after a heavy taste meal, therefore, Yoong made this red bean soup with sagu and coconut milk.. Yum, my favourite...
******************************************************************************
My life is getting worse as months go by. I don't mean specifically, but just generally, I could just see my quality of life degrades... The activites that I'm doing daily really doesn't benefit my future or whatsoever.
*******************************************************************************
All I'd done was watched movies and sleeped and cooked and blogged and surfed the net and work in KFC. It seems that I had slowed down my brain mechanism and started to drag my brain away from brain-storming as well as applying for jobs... Oh god, just wish me luck that I could stay back in the UK for the upcoming years.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Outfit Of The Day

I look pretty tired in all those pictures, so just ignore the face ya... And makeup really do make a big difference to one's complexion... Shoulda apply makeup more often.




2 piece long tank top: House of Fraser, tights: H&M, boots: Ebay, necklace: Topshop

Love this necklace, and its only for £3. Unique...
Preparing for my telephone interview, a bit nervous, but the company is situated in London, should I leave Belfast for it??

Thursday, May 21, 2009

At 100-Day Mark, Zimbabwe Unity Government Pares Contentious Agenda

The principals in Zimbabwe's uneasy national unity government have reached agreement on a number of issues troubling their partnership, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Thursday on the eve of his 100th day in office, but some major questions remain unresolved.

In particular, the deal leaves Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana in place contrary to Mr. Tsvangirai's wishes.

But the agreement is considered to give the "all-inclusive" government a new lease on life at a critical juncture, and the unresolved issues will be referred to African regional organizations for arbitration.

The centerpiece of the agreement reached earlier this week by Mr. Tsvangirai, President Robert Mugabe, and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara concerned redistribution of the governorships of the Southern African country's 10 provinces.

Five will go to Mr. Tsvangirai's formation of the Movement for Democratic Change, four to Mr. Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF, and one to the breakaway MDC formation headed by Mutambara.

The agreement settles another point of contention: former parliamentarian Roy Bennett, the treasurer of Mr. Tsvangirai's MDC formation, is to be sworn into office as deputy minister of agriculture on or before the day on which the new governors are sworn in.

Mr. Mugabe had refused to swear Bennett into office on grounds that the former farmer, arrested the same day the unity cabinet was sworn in Feb. 13, still faced charges related to an alleged - and largely debunked - 2006 plot to assassinate the president.

Most of the permanent secretaries appointed to ministries by Mr. Mugabe will remain in place - though Mr. Tsvangirai told reporters in a news conference that he intends to take steps to ensure that these key civil service positions are insulated from party politics.

On ambassadorial appointments, another "outstanding issue," Mr. Tsvangirai said candidates from the two MDC formations would receive diplomatic training, and that of the next five openings for envoys four would be filled from his party, one from Mutambara's party.

* VoA

Uncertainty Over the New SA Economic Set-up

Cape Town - Collins Chabane, minister in the presidency responsible for performance monitoring and evaluation, dodged questions concerning who is responsible for determining the country's economic policy on Thursday.

Since the announcement of President Jacob Zuma's cabinet last week, the burning question has been whether Trevor Manuel, also a minister in the presidency but charged with the new planning commission, will have an influential hand in determining economic policy, or whether other appointments will taken over this function.

Chabane was pertinently asked who will be responsible for establishing economic policy. He said: "I didn't think there was any confusion around this issue; I think quite a few ministers have spoken about this. I think it's important to leave it at that, because they are the ones responsible."

The specific parameters of the planning commission have not yet been determined, but according to Chabane, Manuel will be responsible for the "wall to wall" planning. "He will co-ordinate the planning framework for the whole country - including provinces and municipalities, though at this stage some people feel this won't be possible."

Various cabinet sub-committees met on Wednesday to discuss the exact mandate and role of the planning commission, and on Thursday Chabane could not provide much detail on the matter.

According to him there were several options on the table regarding how the commission should function, but eventually it was decided that a minister should be at the head of a large unit in the presidency. Besides support personnel, the unit will consist of several commissioners who will be recruited from outside the public service.

"They won't be technocrats, but people who have specific expertise. They will then have to interact with the bureaucracy regarding policy and planning."

* Beeld

Zimbabwean Leaders Try to Resolve Impasse

Harare - Zimbabwe's unity government has agreed on key appointments in an attempt to resolve the political impasse that has paralysed the new administration, Prime Minister said on Thursday.

However, regional leaders will still be asked to mediate in the dispute over two positions seen as vital to Zimbabwe's economic recovery and restoration of the rule of law.



A former opposition leader, Tsvangirai formed a coalition with President Robert Mugabe in February but progress has been slow as the parties have deadlocked over the division of key posts.

Tsvangirai said continuing violations of the power-sharing deal threatened the unity government. He singled out seizures of white-owned farms blamed on militants and officials of Mugabe's party in recent weeks.

But he added: "I think it is also important that we recognise that progress has been made and continues to be made with respect to rebuilding Zimbabwe."

Tsvangirai said the appointment of 10 provincial governors would be divided between the parties and that the five vacant ambassadorial posts would be filled by his Movement for Democratic Change and a smaller coalition partner.

Mugabe will also allow opposition lawmaker Roy Bennett to be sworn in as Deputy Agriculture Minister.

Bennett was charged just as the unity government was being formed with weapons violations in a case linked to long-discredited allegations that the MDC plotted Mugabe's violent overthrow. He has been free on bail since March.

Tsvangirai said the parties failed to break the deadlock over the status of the Reserve Bank governor, Gideon Gono, and the attorney general Johannes Tomana.

* News 24

Apam Balik (Malaysian Pancake)

After browsing through http://www.seasaltwithfood.com/ my eyes fell upon the post of her making Malaysian style pancake, and which suddenly made me miss the crunchy peanuts and creamy corn filling inside it.


Without further ado, I bought all the ingredients and start to make my very own Malaysian Pancake.


I had modified the recipe a bit by adding water into the dough paste as its a bit thick.


I'm too lazy to type how I did it, therefore I'm gonna copy and paste the recipe directly from her blog. Here goes:

Ingredients
Batter
200 g All Purpose Flour
100 g Rice Flour
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Double Action Baking Powder
2 Eggs, light beaten
100 g Sugar
Adequate water

Filling
200 g Roasted Peanuts, coarsely ground
100 g Sugar
200 g Can Cream Corn
3 - 4 Tbsp Salted Butter


In a bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, rice flour, sea salt, double action baking powder, eggs and sugar. Wrap the bowl in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight.

Add in some water to smoothen and liquidize the mixture or it will be too doughy like.

Get ready the ingredients for the filling in advance as you need to place them onto your pancake as fast as possible without burning the skin (outer layer).

Lightly oil a small non-stick pan or a crepe pan (about 5 - 6 inches diameter) over a moderate heat. When the pan is hot, add about 3-4 Tbsp batter, evenly coating the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, as the batter sets and forms small bubbles, loosen the edges with a palette knife.

Sprinkle some sugar and peanuts on top of the pancake. Continue to cook until the pancake is light golden brown in color. Then top it with 1 tsp of butter and some cream corn. Lift the pancake from the pan, fold into half and serve immediately.

You should get 12 pancakes. Obviously, I had made more as I doubled the ingredients and there's still some leftover which I had for another use (will blog about it in another post).


The greedy me downed 4 pancakes in a go and was full like hell and just skipped dinner. Aiyo, its so tasty, I just can't stop myself... Excuse the starving maiden... ahem...
Go ahead, try it... its fun to make it too... But umm, for Malaysians, just buy them from the seller, its much cheaper that way.