Attempting katsu-kare + 馬後炮

25 Feb 2013 marks the 8th year of my relationship with Mr Ho. Since I have to attend a department dinner on the day itself, I've decided to cook something during the weekends for Mr Ho. Best way to make my man happy is to feed him.

I've let him choose what he'd prefer me to cook & we decided upon katsu-kare (curry pork loin).

Katsu-kare rice

Since the parents will be back home for dinner as well, I've cooked enough for the whole family.

Everything turned out fine and thank god the meat was cooked (innate fear to find half cooked meat) but the bread crumbs I bought was the wrong kind. damnit. Shall take note to buy proper ponzu next time.

Made a few blunders due to my lack of experience in deep-frying food but the taste turned out fine. Only thing that was lacking was the presentation of the katsu itself.

Oh well, Mr Ho gave it a 10/10 and the dish has made it into his top charts. He then told me what were the other dishes in his chart list.

Surprisingly, my tamago (egg) made it into his list. Perhaps I can attempt bento lunches next time.

Japanese curry doesn't taste right without using Japanese rice but they are soooooo expensive. sigh

Although my first attempt was a success, there was a small episode going on between my mom & I which was quite funny.

Situation: Outer layer of katsu gets charred as the frying wok gets over-heated & was smoking.

Me: Mother, why like that?
Mom: 你要先開大火然後再關小火 (you must start with high heat them lower to smaller heat)
Me: !? 為甚麼不早說!? (!? What didn't you tell me earlier!?)
Mom: 我以為你知道. 你又沒有問我. (I thought you knew. You didn't ask)
Me: !? 你是我MOTHER, 你沒有教我, 我哪裡知道? (U're the mom and you didn't impart your skills. How would I have known?)
Mom: 所以說要先開大火然後再關小火 (ya, so like I've said, you must start with high heat them lower to smaller heat)
Me: MOTHER, 你知道這個叫什麼嗎?
Mom: *Grins*
Me: 馬後炮
Mom: *Grins somemore*

Which Wolf?

Which Wolf?




An old American Indian Grandfather was teaching his grandson

about life.

"Inside each one of us there are two wolves constantly fighting", he said.

... "One of the wolves is positive and is filled with peace, calm, love and kindness.

The other wolf is negative and filled with fear, anxiety, self pity and self doubt".

"Grandfather", said the boy. "If the wolves are always fighting, which one will win?"

"The one you feed the most", said the Grandfather.



- found on http://www.consistent-parenting-advice.com/

Supplements

After being told I'm all cleared for the recent health assessment, doctor has suggested to me to start taking folic acid supplements.

just so that i don't overdose myself in the future, here's to pen down what i've found out so far:

Facts about Folic Acid

Folic acid, a B-vitamin, is necessary for proper cell growth and development of the embryo. Folic acid in a vitamin supplement, when taken one month before conception and throughout the first trimester, has been proven to reduce the risk for a Neural Tube Defect (NTD)-affected pregnancy by 50 to 70 percent.

When to eat it

Women need to get enough folic acid every day throughout their reproductive years. To prevent NTDs, a woman must take folic acid daily at least one month before she conceives and continue taking it through the first trimester.

How much is enough

Under normal circumstances, at least 400 micrograms (0.4 miligram) daily.
Larger amount i.e. 4000 micrograms (4 miligram) may be required for women who have had NTD-affected pregnancy.

Over-consumption?

Even in very high amounts, folic acid is nontoxic. Nevertheless, with the exception of women who have had a prior Neural Tube Defect (NTD)-affected pregnancy, it is recommended that women consume no more than 1,000 micrograms (1mg) of synthetic folic acid a day.

Reference 1
Reference 2

Beliefs

"For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." ~ Stuart Chase

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." ~ Gautama Siddharta

欲言又止

常常在FACEBOOK上看到其他人在抱怨。
是也怨, 不是也怨...

不過想想看，能杷憋在心裡的話發洩出來也好。

我偶爾會抱怨一下不過不太會放在FACEBOOK上。
頂多跟比較要好的朋友或我家的何桑嘮叨一下也就算了。

不過越是令自己難過的事, 其實我越說不出口.
坦白說，是連提都不想提。

逃避吧？不提就不會去想。
不想雖然不會因此讓問題解決不過.... 我就是不想面對就是了。

看到好友在線上，腦袋里浮出憋在心裡的話卻又欲言又止。

如果能嚎啕大哭的話還可以安撫一下心情。
但我也只能發呆。腦袋里一片空白。
即使眼淚流不停，卻連哭泣的聲音也發不出來。

好想去旅遊。既然想逃避那我想逃到國外去~

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A hole opened up yesterday and swallowed me alive.
I found myself digging at the walls of the hole wanting to get out.
Echoes of voices flooded in and I was not able to keep them out.
They whispered into my ears against my will, of truths I do not wish to find out.
The ugly faces of selfishness revealed themselves to me and I wished I could not see.

Give me wings now so that I can take flight.

ONE OK ROCK CONCERT

Sanoへ：

今まで、私はONE OK ROCKのライブを見るのは想像以外と思っています。でも君のおかげで、私はONE OK ROCKのコンサートを知ってた、そして見に行きました。あの夜は最高でした。人生で大切な思い出のひとつになりました。自分がとても好きなバンドのパフォーマンスを見られる、心から感謝します。仲間と一緒にこの体験を共にできるのは...良かったね～

マリアより。

Unprepared

At first, I blame it on my own sensitivity. I think too much and read too deeply into things and was picking up the wrong signals too easily. As a result, it led me into a state of self-doubt and unhappiness. It made the ugly side of me come to surface where negative emotions are becoming a constant state of mind. This state of mind gets triggered by everything possible, no matter how little. It's as though invisible landmines are all around me or to get stuck in some old well that's full of snakes. All my effort seems futile and all action seems to become personal (personal attack?) and it affected my mood.

I have spent months trying to resolve this unhappiness. I thought hard, I dwelled upon it, I got frustrated over it, I tried to rationalise to make sense of it all. It worked for a while but it's inching back a little every once in awhile.

I launched a series of self-blame... (or at least that's what my husband observed)... on myself wondering what I've done wrong or could've done better. In a way, I found new methods and improved but the root to the problem has yet to be solved.

Yes it's true that one could not possible solve everything and when that happens, we learn to let go.

However, I get chest pains lately. Mild ones. The fact that it happens only when specific incidents agitate me makes it worrying. My negative energy has evolved from emotional discomfort into physical ones and this is a bad sign.

It's like a scene from some bad korean drama where mother-in-laws pound their chest furiously after their kids pissed them off.

Today, I conclude I am allergic to selfishness. Not just any kind of selfishness since I am not a saint and have such bad habits as well. I'm refering to the kind where another would unconsciously/consciously unload their negative emotions on you when it's no fault of yours and the receiving end gets confused. Worse off, to find out only in the end that the issue does not lie with us. Sensitive soul like me, our heart breaks easily even if we have a strong front. Especially from people whom I've allowed into my circle of friendship. I can be very patient and have the tendency to think for others. This attribute would sometimes put me in a very disadvantageous position. However, if undesirable traits of others are overt, I guess the damage is less since it's 'expected of'' and I would've developed a mentality to counter this. I am prepared for it. However, undesirable traits masked under the preface of good ones that reveals its tails only occasionally and if one pays enough attention is like consuming poison that that kills slowly.