Journal - Photo shoot at KLCC with Jessy (cont'd)

More pictures from Jessy - Enjoy!

Journal - Winter Solstice Festival II

Jiaozi - or dumplings are a staple food of the Nothern China people. I was lucky today as my reflexologist from Beijing, Xue Lian demonstrated the way Beijing people mark the Winter Solstice Festival. They make jiaozi or dumplings!

Firstly, you would need to add water to regular flour and knead to form a dough. Thereafter set the dough aside. Then we chop up whatever filling you decide e.g. for meaty dumplings - meat, ginger, cabbage. If you fancy vegetarian Xue Lian recommends this - celery, carrot, cabbage, wooden fungus or any other vege that is chopped up finely. Don't forget that for vegetables that retain water like cabbage - you will have to squeeze out the water from the vege. Add some sesame seed oil and soya sauce. Being health conscious, Xue Lian did not add any salt.

She proceeded to knead and make the dumpling skin. This is when the real kungfu comes in. She rolls the dough into a round shape, make a hole in the center and then proceed to form a long piece of dough. Then she pinches even pieces of small dough and proceeds to roll out the dumpling skin. Tip here - one has to roll the sides thin and leave the center a bit thicker - this is to prevent the dumpling from breaking.

After wrapping the dumpling we drop the dumplings into water and wait for them to come to a boil 3 times. Why 3 times? We add cool water to the water each time we boil 3 times as to ensure that the meat in the dumplings are cooked well. After dishing them out, serve the dumplings hot with ginger and vinegar - very very yummy. Hope you have enjoyed this post as much as I did!

Journal - Winter Solstice Festival

The Winter Solstice Festival or more commonly known as the "Tong Yun" festival is celebrated every year on December 22nd. This year marks the 2nd year that we are celebrating this unique festival. Bear with me beacuse I am really not sure what this festival signifies but I will try to explain.

The significance if this festival mainly is that when we eat the Tong Yun - we grow older by a year. Why the rounded balls then? The roundness of a ball signifies that a family coming full circle and united I think. Normally, the whole family with gather around and have dinner together on this festival. If anyone knows more of this festival - please leave a comment here for me. Thanks ladies.

I went to the market early to buy the ready made dough for the tong yun. In olden days, the people make the glutinous rice flour themselves by grinding the flour through an old stone grinder. It was difficult and meticulous work. Thereafter, the flour is mixed with water and colouring and then boiled in water to cook it. A separate syrup is made out of sugar cane and water and it is added prior to serving the tong yun.

We are Malaysians after all, so a malaysian version of the tong yun would be:

1) I added gula melaka inside each dumpling as I prefer a sweeter taste

2) I boiled my syrup with pandan leaves.

I really hope to understand more of this festival cos I really want to understand my chinese culture and share it with everyone. Hope you enjoy this post. To all my chinese friends, Happy Tong Yun Day!

P.S. We stuffed M &Ms into the dumplings last year - hmmm, must say that the taste was not fantastic.

Altered Art - Box

This is something I whipped up yesterday whilst watching TV. This is a SGD2 box from Daiso. I really had fun altering it. I now regret that I didnt buy more. Mental note to self - I would have to buy more on my next trip there. Must bring a big suitcase and fill it up!!!

I used my old Creative Imaginations paper and started cutting. After I decided a strong blue for the background, I coated the whole box with a layer of blue acrylic paint. Thereafter I stuck on the flowers annd sealed the whole thing together with mod podge to seal everything. I think its a simple box but I am not so sure about the butterflies though. Comments anyone?

Altered Art - Notebook

This is the altered notebook that Jessy made for me. I just think that this is so her. See how she has chosen sweet colours and the word "Love". That is definitely the Jessy I know. Thanks very much Jess - I love it!

Journal - Sneak Peek {Jessy's shoot}

He he he.... Jessy really understds me - here's a sneak peek at the photos taken yesterday. How's that for efficiency, gals??? I love them all. Thanks Jess. Enjoy!!!

Journal - Photo shoot at KLCC with Jessy

We had a great time today at the KLCC park doing our photoshoot with Jessy. Jessy even brough along her hubby Eric. I have to say the both of them really has a knack of putting the kids at ease and they responded to her very well. We have captured the kids well and Jessy is now editing the photos. I can't wait to see the photos soon. Hint hint... Thanks Jessy. Jessy even brought a present along for Clarissa. Needless to say - C was estatic. Plus I had a present too - it was an altered notebook! Thanks Jess - you should'nt have. Plus Jessy tried to give me a silk scarf from Cambodia but I told her I still had some from my trip there. Isnt she sweet?

The photo on top is one of what I took of my friends' kids.