last christmas 2011
A family affair, Christmas began with our usual pre order of ham from our regular supermarket following which it was doctored with the flavour of the season. Last year it was brandy and maple syrup. We generally don't have turkey as the bird is too large
and the meat not a favourite with the folks.
Our Dinner
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| Starter Platter: guacamole, mushroom pate, smoked salmon, mango prawn salsa and crackers |
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| Ham |
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| Roast Chicken with Minced Pork/Chestnut Bacon Stuffing Roll |
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| Sausages with caramelised onions |
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| Roast Potatoes with Capsicum, Green Peas, Cherry Tomatoes and Parmesan Cheese |
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| Dad the cheeky Santa |
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| Family Members after the meal |
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| Gleeful Elves: Nephew and wife |
this christmas 2012
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| 8 dec: carollers from Church of the Holy Family |
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| Merry Christmas |
Christmas started a little early for us. Carolers from St Anne's Choir of Holy Family Church entertained mum and dad with a medley of Xmas Carols. It was lovely to see the old folks keeping time to the carols.
Out of the box......xmas recycling
No more live xmas trees. Previously my little potted xmas tree survived the holiday season but within a month would be "bla-poh" (fungus ridden) and on its last legs from over watering by my domestic help. So this year I decided on plastic holly and climbing santas. Save the trees, save my pocket---in the end! One wouldn't have thought plastic holly would cost that much.
Xmas tree ornaments take on new roles as hanging mobiles. The Made in China red xmas tree cut out (from Sheng Siong Supermarket) worked really nicely.
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| The ornaments even made it to the cutlery! |
and then there was Xmas Dinner
...a little late. We had it on 30 Dec.The menu was anglo-peranakan as
we had relatives visiting from the UK. So apart from the traditional
ham and brussels sprouts, our visitors tucked into local/penang
favourites.
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| Manuka Gammon |
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| Brussels Sprouts |
Manuka Gammon doctored with sherry, maple syrup and light soy sauce was delicious paired with Brussels Sprouts, Cherry Tomatoes, Fried Bacon Bits and Garlic Slivers....simple and moreish. Alas didn't make enough.
The Peranakan Menu
*Kate's Beef Rendang
*Kate's Fish Otak
*Ngoh Hiang
*Sayur Lodeh
and
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| Kong Bak Pau |
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| Thai Duck Curry |
RECIPES from lil's kitchen
2011
STARTER
*Guacamole: Mix 2 avocados (mash flesh) with 4 shallots (finely diced) and juice of 4 calamansi limes or 1/2 lemon, salt and pepper to taste
*Prawn Mango Salsa: Mix 1 mango (cut flesh into small cubes), 1 cup of steamed de-shelled medium sized prawns, 2 dssp sweet thai chili sauce, 1 dssp plum sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cut chili and spring onions.
2012
BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON AND GARLIC
1. 500 gms brussels sprouts, cleaned and cut into halves or quarters depending on size of the sprouts
2. 5 rashers streaky bacon, cut into tiny pieces and pan fried. Drain.
3. 10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced, pan fried with oil and a dash of salt. Drain.
4. 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Method:
1. Fry garlic slivers till brown, remove. In the same pan, fry the bacon bits to a crisp, remove, drain. Using the same pan and residual oil, fry the brussels sprouts till cooked over medium heat.
2. Return bacon to the pan. Add tomato halves. Toss quickly, plate. Garnish with garlic slivers.
THAI STYLE ROAST DUCK CURRY
1. Half a cantonese roast duck, chopped into bite size pieces
2. Baba's Meat Curry Powder: 4 dssp
3. Blend 3 medium onions, 3 garlic cloves, 1inch ginger.
4. 1 Cinnamon Stick:2 ins, 10 cloves, 1 star anise
5. 1 250g box of coconut cream + 250 gms water
6. Handful of fresh basil
Method:
1. Mix curry powder with blended onions,garlic,ginger.
2. Heat 5 tbs of oil and fry cinnamon stick, cloves, anise with blended curry paste till fragrant.
3. Add roast duck. Stir for 5 mins, add coconut cream + water. Boil till oil rises to the surface. Approximately 15 mins. Add fish sauce to taste and a handful of fresh basil. Stir well. Plate and garnish with a sprig of basil.
* photos by Jacqueline
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