Cauliflower and Sweet Corn Kernel Pakoras

Okay this is it..I had the most boring day; nothing to do but just laze around and facebooking. Oh yes and may I add to that; nothing to EAT!! And so I had to make a change, drag my lazy numb feet to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and stared at it for almost 10 minutes. Deciding what I should eat, there's bread (oh wait a minute; I ate that for breakfast, made myself a simple no-fuss egg-sandwich). Oh wait there's dhal curry (indian sambar) mum made; but no, that gives me gas! :D

I'm so choosy lah?? Well I was getting hungry by the hour and I told myself okay there's no such thing as a free lunch; thus I had no choice but get myself messy in the kitchen...a.k.a COOK!! And so with a little imagination which I lack at times, concocted a recipe using cauliflower and sweet corn kernels. Thus the PAKORAS was born..my malaysian version that is!!

Cooking Time: 30 mins
Serves: 6 persons

Ingredients:
100gms chick pea flour
100gms plain flour
100gms cauliflower florets (broken into bite size pcs)
50gms sweet corn kernals from a can
1 big red onion (diced finely)
1 tbs store bought fried onions
1 sprig curry leaves (chopped finely)
Salt to taste
Chilli flakes if desired
a pinch of light brown sugar
Liquid from the sweet corn kernels in can (or water just enough to make the batter light)
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
1. Add all the ingredients into a big bowl and mix well.
2. Add enough water or corn liquid to make a thick batter that drops easily from a spoon.
3. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a pan or wok.
4. Test the heat of the oil by dropping a small amount of batter into the oil, it should bubble up immediately.
5. Scoop spoonfuls of mixture and drop into hot oil.
6. Fry till golden brown.
7. Serve hot with chutney or dips of choice.

The batter mixture

The soft chewy insides

Suresh's 40th Birthday 2011

Location : Food République - 72, Jalan Kuning, Johor Bahru, Malaysia



My special birthday wish for you is made of happy things— the loving thoughts I have of you, the joy that caring brings, the memories of hours we've shared, the dreams we call our own— All these make up my loving wish for you and you alone. For my husband; Happy 40th!

Happy New Year from The Blue Garden

Looking forward to a great 2011, may all your holiday smiles last all through the New Year and hope the coming year will be good to you in every possible way. Have the happiest of holidays and a new year that brings you all the best.
CHEERS!!!!.... :)

Moist Chocolate Prune Cake

I baked this cake for this year's 2010 X'mas Eve family gathering. The secret to a moist chocolate cake is to add hot liquid based on the liquid measurement as per the recipe. At times a cake maybe moist after baking but tends to dry out and harden when chilled. This is due to the butter content in the recipe, as butter hardens when chilled. This method is also applicable for vegetarian cakes that doesn't contain eggs. After many years of research, I finally found the best method of baking a moist chocolate cake. Recipe can be found in the previous post : Easter's Chocolate Prune Cake.

Facebook: WorldCard Malaysia - Garfield Starbucks Contest

****I'm proud to add "I WON"!!!!!*****

Garfield looks Zzzz... Tell us about your Monday spirit, and how you get motivated to start the day of the week before you get to the weekend? :) Best five, will receive 2x Starbucks Drink Vouchers from us for you & your friend! :) Drop your note below, sharing of this close by today 6pm 29 Nov 2010.

My answer:-

This is my belief in starting a day's work on a monday thru Friday: u have to try to love whatever work you do be it anyday and anytime, Not only will you never be satisfied, but will never achieve anything worthwhile. All that you do is ei...ther fun or drudgery; it all depends on your attitude, I like fun so I try to make the days pass in a fun way. Below are what motivates me thru the week which comes from two great people from history:-

1.Three Rules of Work:
Out of clutter find simplicity;
From discord find harmony;
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
-- Albert Einstein

2. Work while it is called today, for you know not how much you will be hindered tomorrow. One today is worth two tomorrow's; never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.
--Benjamin Franklin

I used to hate and dread Mondays-Fridays but not anymore. I love my job anytime at anyday! After all Your work is to discover your world!!

TLC_Seas Experience of A Lifetime

A facebook contest to meet my choice of foodie celebrity; Buddy Valastro of Cake Boss

My slogan:-

He’s one of the most successful and renowned cake artists in the United States
He decorates cakes without mistakes
From sweet treats, wedding and specialty cakes
That’s Buddy Valastro, a fiery Italian from Carlos Bakery with his teammates
Amidst the Family drama and debates
TLC’s Cake Boss gets my most star rates.

Contest World's Holiday & Fun Contest

[ KRABI CONTEST end 30 nov 16:00 PM ! ] Snap a photo in the MOST CREATIVE MANNER on the subject " HOLIDAY & FUN " : HOW you and your family will be enjoying ur leisure holiday & Upload to our wall here when U've snapped the photo and include a slogan in less than 200 words !!

Islanda Village Resort is located on a quiet beach overlooking the gentle waves of the Andaman Sea, the only hotel on Koh Klang, a small island in the mouth of the Krabi River with a friendly fishing village as neighbors and You do have to hop onto a boat to get to the island where you can lay back and relax on Soft sandy beach ! ;)

The winner will be treated to a stay for a family ( 2 adults 1 child ) over at ISLANADA VILLAGE RESORT , KRABI , on its luxurious suite known as Ocean Front Bangalow for a night or 2 ( to be confirmed later in the day ) ;)

TO BE AVAILABLE FOR STAYS till mid end of 2011 , available on DECEMBER 2010 .

The Picture

The Slogan
A time together filled with laughter,
I’m the jester and he’s the joker,
that’s how we enjoy a holiday of fun with pleasure.
Away from the stresses of work without any lecture,
a picture perfect moment of leisure.

Creativo Contest by Avalon Sarees

Altho I do not have a specific software for creative designing, I simply used paint and an online word art template to create these designs for a logo and a tagline or slogan on Avalon Sarees. Avalon Sarees is an online business selling indian designer wear for men and women.

These are some of my work in creating the appropriate logo before the final product.

Sample 1


Sample 2

Sample 3

Sample 4

The final design: I chose this design because indian clothing are similar to flowers; its elegant, soft to the touch and colourful such as the famous sarees and suits which has mostly flowery, leafy and vines as designs and patterns on them as well as on the borders; also Avalon means paradise or an island and these places has abundant flora, thus...!

My Most Memorable Vacation Contest

It feels like I have entered a dream. I guess, somehow, I had given up hope that I would ever tour across the ocean! This is my first international trip; not counting Singapore though. One of my favorite memories consists of a past family tour. The funny incidents, the little mishaps, the closeness shared, all these weaved a good story for my heart. I had the privilege to travel with my dearest hubby and my favorite relatives; Uncle Joe and Aunt Josephine. And that's the wonderful thing about family travel: it’s said that it provides you with experiences that will remain locked forever in the scar tissue of your mind; and it’s so true.

So on to my story. We departed on our packaged tour to Egypt. Ah…. Yes! Egypt, the land of Pharaohs, famous pyramids, historical sites, burial chambers, mysteries and oh yes the unique belly dancing! Naturally the roads were a well trodden one and the route was similar to many major tours, however, on our packaged tour we had the benefit of two friendly guides, magnificent hotels, superb cuisine and hospitality, including excellent company.

As we arrived in Cairo and checked-in to a hotel, due to extreme jetlag I crashed on my bed and dozed off missing dinner with the group. Everyone else had doubts of whether I fell ill after an extended flight with a long hazardous transit, where arising questions provoked my poor hubby who had some explaining to do.

The next morning was a great day filled with anticipation and impatience to begin my long awaited tour. The moment I stepped out, a sudden chill in the air, yes that is winter in Egypt, very cold indeed.

Cairo is a busy city, bustling crowd and plenty of vehicles. Our bus had to skew through the traffic to reach our destination. From Cairo new city we headed to the old town. Our itinerary began with a trip to view the famous huge statue of Ramses II and an alabaster Sphinx. We were in awe as we admired the statue; it was carved from one gigantic stone almost 3000 years ago.

Next we headed off to the dessert of Saqqara or “Sakkara” where one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” stood; “The Great Pyramids of Giza”. When we reached there, I remembered the funny remarks of my Uncle who often teased my mom who loved to travel to countries filled with “sand and stones” and mom would reply “it’s all pure history”! When you’re there you're actually walking on pure, untainted sand that stretches westward for almost 3,000 miles. Some tourists were so fascinated that they in fact collected some sand into bottles as mementos of their journey.

Later, we moved to a view site of all three Giza pyramids, Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus; Cheops being the largest pyramid. Here the realization hit home, we had to pose for a snap shot of the breathtaking view.

Our visit to Giza was not complete without a visit to the nearby Sphinx. This huge statue, half man, half lion, was carved from one huge stone during Pharaoh Chephren’s rule, but its purpose remains a mystery. Its missing nose and beard were the result of mishaps during the war ages. Of course, the camel guys were there, and the junk sellers, etc. Some from our tour group ended the day with a camel ride up to an even better viewpoint out in the desert. We had to pass on that ride except uncle, as we all continued to stand there, ignoring the tourist mobs who laughed, took pictures and ran on to the next sight.

Some of Egypt’s greatest ancient wonders are the breathtakingly vivid wall paintings in the pharaohs’ Valley of the Kings. The most awe inspired moment after the Great Pyramids is the Sun Temple at Abu Simbel of four giant statues of Ramses II. It was quite a feat for Archeologists to have actually moved the entire sculptures in pieces and reassembling them on a nearby dry land for preservation purposes. Among other sites visited were the Ptolemic Temple, Egyptian Museum, The Alabaster Mosque, Old Dam, The Temple of Horus, The Karnak, Luxor and Queen Hatshepsut Temple. Our trip would also not be completed without shopping as we were brought to the ever famous Egyptian bazaar, cotton factory, Papyrus centre and the Alabaster crystal factory.

The most memorable part of our tour wasn’t only touring the famous sites but funny gestures and crack pot jokes made by my aunt and uncle; as they never actually slept through the nights due to extreme excitement, asking each other whether dawn broke almost every hour since they hit the sack. Everyday throughout our entire trip uncle would eventually be the first to arise as early as 4 am to awaken the rest of the group. But I will never forget that we also celebrated my hubby’s birthday on board the 3 days River Nile cruise liner, courtesy of the friendly crew who wheeled in a cake for him.

In Egypt, the stones speak to all visitors of the ancient sites, but they literally spring to life when our much knowledgeable tour guide relates their stories while walking in the steps of pharaohs.

The Egyptian trip was the culmination to many years of anticipating its amazing and timeless wonders of the world. Our visit left us awed and inspired to learn more of ancient Egypt, already considered ancient when the Greeks discovered the Giza Pyramids, naming them among the World's Seven Wonders.

Cheezel's Biskits is...Contest

I was supposed to come up with a slogan or a tagline following these words..Cheezels Biskits is.....
My winning streak! This caption won me a carton of Cheezels Bizkitz ... :)

"Cheezels Bizkitz is made with real cheese,
has angles and lines,
mini triangles that’s fine,
3 holes in each to resemble a piece of cheese.
Baked and not fried, mild and really light.
A snap in every bite oh what a delight,
with quite a crunch in every munch.
So grab a pack when you need a snack,
Coz Cheezels Bizkitz are better than briskets."

Contest World I love Paris : SEND ME !

This is a contest organised by a non-profitable organisation promoting contest from sponsors of various organizations. This is one of the contests which I participated and again I didn't win..but proud of my entry!
Questions:-

CLUE 1 ( May be removed anytime so act fast ! ) : This in Paris is a MUST VISIT ATTRACTION who doesn't even have any interest in art. Visitor crowds congregate around A Civilization, a Period, an Artist attractions .

Look carefully at the puzzle below , google and make a guess . Keep the answer to yourself , which we want the name of the PLACE . AND send them all in when you are signalled to !

All the best !



CLUE 2 [ PARIS CONTEST ] : 14 FLEETS OF BOATS founded in year 1949, cruising down the famous river in Paris . Many said , if you go to Paris and you don't take this cruise down this river , you will regret - as it's a landmark .

Tell us , [1] the NAME OF THE RIVER and [2] the BOAT COMPANY NAME !

Look at the image belo...w for clues - 2 ANSWERS TO BE ANSWERED , Else entry disqualified :) Good Lucks and Nights ! :)



Clue 3 [ FRANCE CONTEST ! ] : Tell us , the name of this iconic structure , completed in year 1836 ! ;)



Trivia 4 { PARIS CONTEST } Educational visit for the young and old , and you gotta be enriched with the expensive experiences .

“Bonum Vinum laetificat cor hominum”

Tell us , where is this place in PARIS ? ;)
...
Look at the picture very carefully and make a guess :)



TRIVIA 5 : Every person now had the right to a ceremony, regardless of religion, status or circumstances of death.

Tell us where's this place , which was transformed from a funeral service in paris ! =) It has something to do with NUMBERS ! ;)



TRIVIA 6 : A place where it is the Sacred Heart of Jesus ;) Now , it's time to think , THINK !



TRIVIA 7 : UNESCO World Heritage Site PARIS ! :D Name IT !

Trivia 8 PARRRRIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSS : Where kids get sooooooooooo happy ! ;) Ah , that doesnt need any picture for you to think and think !!!!!!!!!!!

My brilliant answer and slogan below:-

Clue 1: Louvre Glass Pyramid - The Louvre - The Mus'ee du Louvre (The Louvre Museum )

Clue 2: Name of River : The Seine River ; Boat Company: La Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches

Clue 3: L'arc de Triomphe

Clue 4: Paris Wine Museum - Wine Brotherhood / Musee du Vin (The Conseil des Echansons de France) “Bonum Vinum laetificat cor hominum” is the motto of the Echansons de France (“Good wine gladdens a person's heart” / "good wine makes you
strong")

Clue 5: Le CENTQUATRE, 104 Rue d'Aubervilliers 75019 Paris, France

Clue 6: Basilica Sacre-Coeur, Montmartre, Paris

Clue 7: Name of UNESCO World Heritage site, Paris: Paris, Banks of the Seine

Clue 8: Where kids get so happy? : Disneyland Paris


Question: Why I deserve to win a trip to paris:-
Answer below:-

A place of romance where love fills the air
With beautiful surroundings not seen elsewhere
Of maidens and gentlemen dressed with flair
Dreams do come true to engage in this affair

Like a candlelit dinner under the stars
Catalogued deeply in my memoirs
While elegance and charm fills the Boudoirs
Women shop for their famous Peignoirs
And prominent men smoke their eminent cigars.

The renowned structure such as the Eiffel Tower
That baffles all of its wonder
The Musée du Louvre, is such an eyecatcher
And the Place de la Bastille of the Marais Temple is a brilliant feature

Basilica Sacré-Cœur and Notre-Dame Cathedral
The famous churches with depictions from the bible
Place de la Concorde the fountains alike from an ancient castle
L’arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées, a high-fashion shoppers’ central

A romantic dinner of French cuisine
Whilst cruising along the River Seine
Behold! The heart and soul of Paris so serene
On board Bateaux-Mouches, luxury boats fit for a queen

Being here will be a reminiscent of Vegas and Venice
All these and more is why I would love to visit Paris!

And a picture to go with just in case, but wasn't needed in the end!

Awana Honeymoon Contest

"To have the chance to live our dream because we never had a honeymoon but to daydream.
To find a place on earth as beautiful as it seem,
The Awana Porto Malai amidst its sunbeam.
Just spending time to sit and talk,
amidst its spectacular lagoon and nearby islands alike the Mediterranean highlands,
with mysterious places in its magnificence which bears its own legends.
To walk on the beach hand in hand with dancing water at our feet
and reminisce the special times which made our heart beat.
To have a honeymoon filled with smiles and laughter
and to renew the bond with each other that will last a lifetime after"

****No I didn't win this one****

Ever since I joined facebook; the social webpage I became quite interested in their games, meeting old and new friends etc. But lately I've had a new interest and craze on Contests. I am fully aware that contests are a waste of time and sometimes money or even risky to most people but it may not be that bad after all. I am living proof that I have won contests on facebook just small winnings; nothing I had to do much just write a slogan or send in the most creative picture or even just get spotted. I am proud to say I have won quite a few, so it proves to say that not all contests are scams. I'd prefer to join one that requires no payment of sorts as these contest simply is some way of extracting money from the public to pacify them to buy their products with a proof of purchase just to enter their contests. I'm not one of those fans for sure. I will be posting the entries of all the contests I participated some of which I have won and some none. But I am proud of my entry as its my own creation and I would like to collect all these and share it on my blog.

***After a long long period of laziness I'm finally back**