Chuc Mung Nam Moi everyone! Wishing you and your loved ones a very joyous, healthy, and prosperous new year filled with lots of love and laughter. Be safe, live happy, eat well, and be thankful. Life is too short, too precious.
Showing posts with label Lunar New Year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lunar New Year. Show all posts
February 5, 2011
Snapshot 8
Phuong making Banh Chung with mung bean only filling.
Chuc Mung Nam Moi everyone! Wishing you and your loved ones a very joyous, healthy, and prosperous new year filled with lots of love and laughter. Be safe, live happy, eat well, and be thankful. Life is too short, too precious.
Chuc Mung Nam Moi everyone! Wishing you and your loved ones a very joyous, healthy, and prosperous new year filled with lots of love and laughter. Be safe, live happy, eat well, and be thankful. Life is too short, too precious.
January 27, 2011
Snapshot 7
Farewell to 2010 dinner.
Scallion Butter Baked Mussels, Banh It, Canh Chua, Thit Heo Luoc w/ Dua Mon, Banh Tet & Ga Bop.
Scallion Butter Baked Mussels, Banh It, Canh Chua, Thit Heo Luoc w/ Dua Mon, Banh Tet & Ga Bop.
January 19, 2011
Snapshot 5
Lunar New Years is right around the corner (February 3rd - 5th). It's that time of year, the preparations begin.
The first of which...
Mut Tet: Candied Coconut (which has been enhanced with food coloring), Carrot, and Ginger
Mut Tet: Candied Coconut (which has been enhanced with food coloring), Carrot, and Ginger
February 16, 2010
Happy Lunar New Year!
Or in Vietnamese, Chuc Mung Nam Moi!! Wishing everyone happy, healthy, wealthy, and prosperous new year - fill with lots of love and laugher.
As of today, I've been on the job for one year, and besides the workload due to restructuring, no complaints here.
Also today, cousin Mong gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Preston Tri Phung. Congrats Mong & Thai on the new addition and to parenthood!
Random Pictures from this week...
Phuong made vegetarian rice cakes with mung bean only filling to offer the ancestors during Tet.
and Vegetarian Banh Gio
Tiger Theme Red Bags - envelopes are getting so cute! I'm starting a collection...
As of today, I've been on the job for one year, and besides the workload due to restructuring, no complaints here.
Also today, cousin Mong gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Preston Tri Phung. Congrats Mong & Thai on the new addition and to parenthood!
Random Pictures from this week...
Phuong made vegetarian rice cakes with mung bean only filling to offer the ancestors during Tet.
and Vegetarian Banh Gio
Tiger Theme Red Bags - envelopes are getting so cute! I'm starting a collection...
February 10, 2010
Celebrating My 24th
I turned 24 a few days ago. That's equivalent to the number of candles in a standard box of birthday candles! It also means that next year, I will need two boxes! I've been a little bummed because of this whole age thing, feeling like I'm not where I want be at this point in life. I'm at a standstill as time quickly passes me by and I've done nothing about it. Anyway, I'm hoping this year will be a good one. I'm going to start looking into some master programs. Sitting around doing the same'ol same'ol is not going to get me places. Hopefully, I'll be hitting the books in the fall. Be prepared to read my rants!
On Friday night, Lisa and the girls planned a dinner and a movie. We went to Kyoto Steakhouse in Royal Oak.
Artistic plate of sushi
A beating heart of fried rice for the birthday girl, is this a sign?? ^_^
Hibachi.
A cake from Shatila's much thanks to Lisa and Hangs. Can you guess what I wished for? Eternal youth =) haha Not, why would I waste a wish on something that won't come true and why would I tell you what I wished for? hehe If I did, it wouldn't come true
It was our first time at this restaurant and I don't think anyone enjoyed their food much =/ The soup was bland. Instead of the usually ginger salad dressing, our salad came with a white sauce that we couldn't make out what it was exactly. When we asked the waiter, he said he didn't know either. Hmm? hehe The hibachi was okay. I ate too much. I was so stuffed,the sight of the cake coming out made me exhale. Can I even squeeze in another bite? After dinner, we ended the night with Dear John.
Our Lunar New Year party was held on Sunday. Woke up at 8 in the morning to help mom and the sister cook.
The spread: Nem chua, banh u, banh cuon, banh bot loc, roasted quails, crab & quail egg soup, goi ngo sen, ga bop, rau cau, rau song, mussels baked in sambal & scallion butter, tuna sashimi, shrimp crackers, and thit heo & mam dua.
Not pictured - Pitas, sliders, chip & dip, and fresh cut fruit to eat while watching the game.
Nieces and Nephew
Tired... but must eat chips...Aaron's such a cutie!!
Vy's so pretty!
Happy Birthday to me! A small celebration with family. DQ's Strawberry Cheesequake. Also, Happy 8th Birthday Steven!!
"Chuc Mung Nam Moi" fruit cake from QQ Bakery for the older folks.
A homemade birthday card from Brandi =) If only all nieces were this great. One munchkin threatened to ruin my birthday after I told her to stop rolling in a chair. She's lucky I'm nice and I don't like making lil girls cry or else - game over!
Big Thanks to Phuongie for everything and thank you all for the birthday wishes.
Movie: Dear John was okay. Channing Tatum can't act and it was a little slow paced. I teared up for a good 30 seconds though.
Music: There's a few songs I'm listening to right now. Just recently discovered Khalil Fong from a niece and listening to some vietnamese based musicians.
- Nguyen Duc Cuong: Em Trong Mat Toi
- Pham Thanh Thao: Giac Mo Ve Mot Ngoi Nha
- Truong The Vinh: Hanh Phuc
- Lil Knight Ft. JayTee: Khong Tin Som Mai Binh Yen Remix (I usually do not listen to any kind of rap, most especially viet rap, but I like the vocals and beat)
- Khalil Fong: Is This Enough
- Khalil Fong: Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You (what a voice! Love Love Love!)
Books: Yet to touch The Eclipse since who knows when...
On Friday night, Lisa and the girls planned a dinner and a movie. We went to Kyoto Steakhouse in Royal Oak.
Artistic plate of sushi
A beating heart of fried rice for the birthday girl, is this a sign?? ^_^
Hibachi.
A cake from Shatila's much thanks to Lisa and Hangs. Can you guess what I wished for? Eternal youth =) haha Not, why would I waste a wish on something that won't come true and why would I tell you what I wished for? hehe If I did, it wouldn't come true
It was our first time at this restaurant and I don't think anyone enjoyed their food much =/ The soup was bland. Instead of the usually ginger salad dressing, our salad came with a white sauce that we couldn't make out what it was exactly. When we asked the waiter, he said he didn't know either. Hmm? hehe The hibachi was okay. I ate too much. I was so stuffed,the sight of the cake coming out made me exhale. Can I even squeeze in another bite? After dinner, we ended the night with Dear John.
Our Lunar New Year party was held on Sunday. Woke up at 8 in the morning to help mom and the sister cook.
The spread: Nem chua, banh u, banh cuon, banh bot loc, roasted quails, crab & quail egg soup, goi ngo sen, ga bop, rau cau, rau song, mussels baked in sambal & scallion butter, tuna sashimi, shrimp crackers, and thit heo & mam dua.
Not pictured - Pitas, sliders, chip & dip, and fresh cut fruit to eat while watching the game.
Nieces and Nephew
Tired... but must eat chips...Aaron's such a cutie!!
Vy's so pretty!
Happy Birthday to me! A small celebration with family. DQ's Strawberry Cheesequake. Also, Happy 8th Birthday Steven!!
"Chuc Mung Nam Moi" fruit cake from QQ Bakery for the older folks.
A homemade birthday card from Brandi =) If only all nieces were this great. One munchkin threatened to ruin my birthday after I told her to stop rolling in a chair. She's lucky I'm nice and I don't like making lil girls cry or else - game over!
Movie: Dear John was okay. Channing Tatum can't act and it was a little slow paced. I teared up for a good 30 seconds though.
Music: There's a few songs I'm listening to right now. Just recently discovered Khalil Fong from a niece and listening to some vietnamese based musicians.
- Nguyen Duc Cuong: Em Trong Mat Toi
- Pham Thanh Thao: Giac Mo Ve Mot Ngoi Nha
- Truong The Vinh: Hanh Phuc
- Lil Knight Ft. JayTee: Khong Tin Som Mai Binh Yen Remix (I usually do not listen to any kind of rap, most especially viet rap, but I like the vocals and beat)
- Khalil Fong: Is This Enough
- Khalil Fong: Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You (what a voice! Love Love Love!)
I'm gonna make the best of being 24!
February 9, 2010
Pickled Ham Rolls|Nem Chua & Sticky Rice Cakes|Banh Chung
Two more tet dishes.
Last Sunday while we were at the concert, Mom started making the pickled ham rolls. By the time we came home, there were only a couple batches left to make.
Looks very different from other nem chua huh?
Refrigerated for a few days to set.
Fully cooked ham, vinegar soaked pork skin, garlic, pickled pepper, black pepper corns. Mmm. (after I pick out the pepper. hehe)
What's Tet without sticky rice cakes? Phuong stayed home one day and made all these cakes.
Mom stayed up to cook them. 5-6 hours in a pressure cooker. Conical ones are called Banh U.
Square shaped ones are called Banh Chung.
Peel away the banana leaf and cut with fishing line or in this case, a thin ribbon.
A pretty tint of green and aromatic smell from the banana leaf. Pork and mung bean filling.
Last Sunday while we were at the concert, Mom started making the pickled ham rolls. By the time we came home, there were only a couple batches left to make.
Looks very different from other nem chua huh?
Refrigerated for a few days to set.
What's Tet without sticky rice cakes? Phuong stayed home one day and made all these cakes.
Mom stayed up to cook them. 5-6 hours in a pressure cooker. Conical ones are called Banh U.
Square shaped ones are called Banh Chung.
Peel away the banana leaf and cut with fishing line or in this case, a thin ribbon.
A pretty tint of green and aromatic smell from the banana leaf. Pork and mung bean filling.
February 1, 2010
Preserved Fruit & Vegetable Candies | Mut Tet
It's that time of year! In preparation for Lunar New Year, which is only 2 weeks away, we've started making some of the essential dishes often eaten during this celebration.
The first of which is candied carrots, coconut, and ginger.
1 regular pack of carrots (about 12) cut into thin ovals and blanched.
About 4 pounds of ginger, cut into thin ovals as well. Blanched with lemon juice to keep from browning.
3 Coconuts, flesh removed from it's shell, and cut into long thin strips using a potato peeler (the one from the asian market works best). Blanched slightly.
In a hot shallow pan or electric skillet, add the fruit/vegetable and the same amount of sugar.
After a few minutes, the sugar will dissolve into a thin syrup.
A few more minutes go by, the sugar is bubbling and thickening. The fruit/vegetable will also become translucent like.
It's getting really thick. Make sure to keep stirring.
The sugar has crystalize again.
Pour the contents out on some parchment paper or newspaper, and press them out flat while they're still hot so that can dry.
The same process is done for the carrots...
and coconut. You can also add food coloring to make colored 'Mut'.
I find the Mut a little too sweet, but the inger ones are delish. Serve this with tea to guests.
The first of which is candied carrots, coconut, and ginger.
1 regular pack of carrots (about 12) cut into thin ovals and blanched.
About 4 pounds of ginger, cut into thin ovals as well. Blanched with lemon juice to keep from browning.
3 Coconuts, flesh removed from it's shell, and cut into long thin strips using a potato peeler (the one from the asian market works best). Blanched slightly.
In a hot shallow pan or electric skillet, add the fruit/vegetable and the same amount of sugar.
After a few minutes, the sugar will dissolve into a thin syrup.
A few more minutes go by, the sugar is bubbling and thickening. The fruit/vegetable will also become translucent like.
It's getting really thick. Make sure to keep stirring.
The sugar has crystalize again.
Pour the contents out on some parchment paper or newspaper, and press them out flat while they're still hot so that can dry.
The same process is done for the carrots...
and coconut. You can also add food coloring to make colored 'Mut'.
I find the Mut a little too sweet, but the inger ones are delish. Serve this with tea to guests.
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