The Making of Fujian Har Mee Yoke

Hokkien mee, or har mee or mee yoke, all refer to a much beloved dish that depends so much on the inherent quality of a great stock soup (image below). The prawns or shrimps (har) must be fresh, have a zesty bite to the taste and are used, not just as an ingredient in the finished product to serve, but also in contributing to the nuances of the soup. The mee refers to the noodles of your choice (above image) but they do affect the overall experience (for example, slurpiness like in eating ramen, or a different texture, as in pasta). The yoke are the thinly cut slices of pork rib meat, with some layer of fat, essential to the aroma and wholesomeness of this dish.

A favourite of southern Chinese street food, and also in South-east Asia, is the use of deep fried shallots or cut onion rings (below) to accompany the har mee yoke. All images here were taken at the kitchen of Susan and Boo Ann Yap in Carlingford, Sydney, in a joint cooking session with one of my cousins, Mu Lan.

The quality, intensity and texture of the chili paste (picture below) results from carefully selecting the type of chilies, plus the addition of garlic and shallots to taste.

Suggested Recipe, from RasaMalaysia:

Soup Stock ingredients:
1 ziplock bag of shrimp heads and shells (I used Ziplock Easy Zipper Bag)

15 cups of water (reduced to about 12-13 cups of water after hours of boiling and simmering)

2-3 pieces of rock sugar (about the size of a small ping pong ball) or to taste

1.5 lbs of pork ribs (cut into pieces)

Salt to taste

Chili Paste:
30 dried chilies (de-seeded and soaked to soften)

10 shallots (peeled)

5 cloves garlic (peeled)

2 tablespoons of water

Other Ingredients Required:

6 tablespoons of cooking oil
1 pound of yellow noodles or mee (scalded)

1 pack of rice vermicelli (scalded)

Some kangkong or water convolvulus (scalded)

Some bean sprouts (scalded)

Toppings:
1/2 pound of lean pork meat (boiled and sliced thinly)

1/2 pound shrimp or prawns (shelled and de-veined)

6 hard-boiled eggs (shelled and quartered)

Some fried shallot crisps

Method and Approach:

Blend the chili paste ingredients with a mini food processor until they are finely ground and well blended.

Heat up the wok and add cooking oil.

Stir fry the chili paste for 5 minutes. Dish up and set aside.

On the same wok (unwashed), add in a little oil and cook the shrimp topping. Add in a little chili paste, sugar, and salt. Pan-fried the shrimp until they are slightly burned. Dish up, let cool and sliced them into halves.

Add 15 cups of water into a pot and bring it to boil.

Add in all the shrimp or prawn heads and shell and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours or longer, until the stock becomes cloudy and tastes really prawny.

Strain the stock through sieve and transfer the stock into another pot. Discard the prawn or shrimp heads and shells. Scoop up and discard the orange coloured “foam” forming at the top of the stock.

Bring the stock to boil again and add in half of the chili paste. You can add more chili paste if you like it spicier.

Add in the pork ribs and continue to boil in low heat for another 1-1.5 hour until the pork ribs are thoroughly cooked.

Add rock sugar and salt/fish sauce to taste.

To Serve:

To serve, place a portion of yellow noodles, rice vermicelli, water convolvulus and bean sprouts in a bowl. Ladle the hot stock over. If desired, add a few pieces of pork ribs. Top up with meat slices, sliced shrimp, hard boiled egg quarters - and sprinkle with shallot crisps.

Serve immediately with more chili paste to taste.

Cook’s notes:
Traditionally, the prawn or shrimp heads and shells are stir-fried with oil until aromatic before adding them into the boiling water.
The hawkers in Penang also blended the prawn or shrimp heads and shells after they are briefly boiled to extract all the flavors from the shell.

Tastes of Shanghai and Jogjakarta

"Dan dan noodles" I read, and that menu item caught my eye. I was initially wary of such noodles; in the past, my experience of them had been bland. Then I recalled that they can be freshly made, as an alternative to the packaged versions you find in Asian groceries all around the world. My group of six went for it. When the noodles arrived at our table in a piping hot bowl, the noodles proved al dente and the accompanying soup, ala Shanghai, was chili hot enough to refresh ,but not overwhelmingly so.

We were in A Taste of Shanghai, which has outlets in both Eastwood and Chatswood, northern suburbs of the greater Sydney area. The Eastwood joint was a busy place that evening, but poor engagement with customers by its staff members, who were not very well trained in handling queues of waiting and hungry diners, did not help. Nevertheless the food made up for this initial teething matter. I was satisfied with the key dishes chosen -
twice cooked pork belly; man tou buns served with a relish; and the deep fried barramundi, done in sweet and sour gravy. The place was, as expected, noisy, but not reflective of mainstream Australian society, in that most diners were of Chinese origin.

South of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Hui's Mum, Mu Lan, had just arrived at the domestic airport, from Melbourne. I could not resist taking the opportunity for the three of us to try out Ayam Goreng 99, located along Anzac Parade in Kingsford, about fifteen minutes drive from the airport. Run by Indonesian Chinese from Java, its signature dishes are both grilled and roasted chicken (wings, breasts, thighs and so forth). I singled out the satay to taste, but the skewers came served with a peanut butter concoction, and not with the lemon grass flavoured peanuty sauce available in Malaysia. Also disappointing were the ice durian and coconut juice flavoured drinks, a far cry from what is served at the joints along Liang Seah Street in the Bugis precinct of Singapore.

The belacan kangkong is recommended. The spinach was sweet and lightly stir fried, with the chili and dried shrimp condiment not overpowering. I was eyeing the bakmie, equivalent to the egg noodles of south China garnished with meat slices and aromatic ingredients. Instead we ordered the fried rice special (nasi goreng in Indonesian), which was thoroughly made with the right amount of wok heat, intense sauce and a topping of an egg omelette.

The Art of Apparently Doing Nothing

When I do not know what to do.
This is comparable to standing at a five ways road junction and trying to figure out how to best handle the situation. I allow myself time - and enjoy the leisure of seemingly not reacting. My sub-conscious loves such opportunities - and provide better solutions and outcomes later from such scenarios.

When I am in denial.
Call it information overload, or sorting the variables before I recognise the cause and impact of things. This syndrome is perhaps best illustrated by the classic scene from a movie that's almost 80 years old - Gone With The Wind, based on the Margaret Mitchell bestseller novel. The housekeeper, in shock at the reality of impending childbirth for her Ma'am, walks away in a non-chalant manner and whistles. This is her personal way of coping with shock - and denial.

When I do deserve a break from the mundane.
I recall Friday afternoons after school, when the tyranny of commitment, structure and need to achieve dissolves in demand and urgency, when I can enjoy teenage hood and can hang out with mates. Things are unplanned and yet enjoyable. So it does not mean that my mates and I are not doing anything, we just reckon we do not have to worry about it, but just follow our hearts and inklings to fill in the magical hours at the start of a weekend.

When I do not need to do anything.
Have you had such hallmark moments, when the stars, Earth, Sun and Moon seem to come in perfect alignment? You can also say mate, family, boss and return on investments. It may seem remarkable, or coincidental, but guess what - you have worked yourself to deserve such a significantly positive dimension. What a sweet spot!

When I ride the wave.
There are occasions to harness the wind, the current or the flow set by external factors and beyond your control. This can be getting into the gravy train when the price is low, when there is a so-called window 0f opportunity or when an incentive or exemption can be utilised to your advantage. Enjoy the ride, but have an exit strategy and approach, just in case the wave goes down and the lollies stop coming.

When my reputation does it for me.
Increasingly, society and business thrives on speculation, perception and the value of intangibles.
The media, governments, religious groups, entertainment events and pricing systems depends on reputation. So should the individual, but definitely in a positive way, to bring more energy nurturing people, optimal thinking and personal growth your way.

When I download from cyberspace.
After one click, I can go to sleep and everything I expect is ready to roll the next morning.

When I procrastinate.
This can be a sub-set of denial, or not knowing what to do next. This can be after having a set of plans and then not making a decision. This can be after making an effective decision and then facing implementation roadblocks. This can result from being distracted and not focusing on the present. This can simply be a personal habit. Procrastination can have varying consequences - putting the matter on the proverbial shelf forever; re-visiting it later, with a better mindset; or just not achieving anything - or simply nothing.

Riverside Lunch at Woolwich, NSW

The Woolwich Deckhouse Cafe promotes itself as providing 'ideal location, ideal service and ideal venue". Located on sleepy banks between the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, the cafe has high ceilings, a modern outfit, timber floorings and all round glass doors/windows. I found the rack of pesto crusted lamb (above image) refreshing to my appetite and taste buds. Open only for breakfast and lunch, it is best to park your vehicle before getting the opportunity to stroll down hill to its water side location at the tail end of Clarke Road. It was almost full house when my group dug into our leisurely meal one weekend afternoon.

Presentation is the icing on the cake to a well cooked meal. Above, the chocolate fondant served with a honeycomb and ice cream, looks pretty itself, at least before consuming it. The waiter at our table was attentive, discreet and timely looking after our needs that day. Below, the petits fours - with Scottish shortbread, macaroon, chocolate truffle and brownie - served as a conversation piece and closer to a relaxing lunch with mates.

More views of my rack of lamb (above and below), before I tackled the dish and savoured its garnishings of sebago mash and primary servings bathed in mint oil and red wine jus.

Fish and chips,with fresh salads (above) contrasted in texture and flavour with the scampi risotto (below),which was accompanied by garlic,white wine and chili in its mix.

The approaching spring provided emerging flower blooms (above) to help contribute to the ambiance of outdoor breezes, of one being with the elements and with calming scenic views. I must say the cafe should open its glass sliding doors on such a benign day, although the possibly changing weather outside may have decided their closure.

Above, the salt and pepper calamari, served with a passionfruit coulis and sprout salad, could have been a picture of understatement but was an appetising entree. Below, getting to know the chocolate brownie better!

While I Was There

Chinatown Sydney, 930pm, on a Saturday night.

The corner of Goulburn Street and Dixon Street Mall has a bird’s eye view of the Sydney’s largest ferris wheel, spinning so ever to encourage the chi energy so valued by Asian owned businesses in the nearby precinct. However, that wheel impressed me less than the ceaseless parade of passers-by, mostly aged under thirty, on their way somewhere or casually flowing into food and drink outlets. There was a team with uniformed sports wear, most probably from Brazil. Others were dragging luggage on wheels, as if I was at an airport. Many had a casual air about them, obviously with spare time on their hands and a sense of glee about the evening ahead. Their dress-up or dress-down styles reflected the trendiness of various cities and not all reflecting Sydney.

This particular corner in fact did not echo of iconic Sydney. There was a young Caucasian couple
busking and playing traditional Chinese instruments. Some passer-bys took obvious glances of curiosity into the lit up windows of Meet Fresh, a business packing in the crowds with their offerings of Taiwan desserts, both hot and cold. The largest Chinese styled gardens outside China was just a stone's throw across the set of lights. Twenty somethings patiently queued to get inside for snacks of roti, curry and mee goreng at Mamaks. I overheard more expressions and conversations in languages other than English.

My group of mates rather enjoyed this bustling scene. To me, this is all a result of an open society and the outcomes of allowing market forces to operate. Beneath the veneer of commerce, socialability and progressive attitudes, this scene reminds me of the great cities and city states of history and/ or the present - Hangzhou, Damascus, Venice, Malacca, Amsterdam, New York, London, Alexandria, Xian and so forth. Societies cannot create or demand cosmopolitanism, they can only nurture and nourish it. Then the best talents and ideas flock to such forward looking cities, transform and infuse each other to subsequently - and hopefully, enjoy the benefits of growth and dynamic life.


Woolwich Bay at 1pm, on a Sunday.

Youngsters were sailing around in circles, part of an outdoor class held under a rather cloudy afternoon on the calm waters of the bay near Hunters Hill, Sydney. It was a ritual, a repetitive practice to make them comfortable with the art and enjoyment of this leisurely activity, albeit utilising rather smaller versions of yachts. The more familiar sized yachts were also there, a distance away with older sailors and full blown sails.

Other families and couples were seen preparing their picnic sites on chosen tables, laying out blankets and baskets. A rising breeze and increasingly cloudy sky did not dampen the eagerness or spirit of these outdoor enthusiasts. The two of us had scrambled down pasture like slopes to reach the bay end of Clarke Street. What struck us, on reaching the base, was the panoramic view of calm waters, surrounded on the other side by a more built up skyline. We realised that perhaps we were in a sort of oasis, a green lung set apart from buildings and traffic, a kind of Central Park in New York City, but with access to water vehicles, ferry boats and water front foot paths.

Increasingly, the value of such enclaves shall be appreciated even much more, not just reflected in property prices, premium school fees, unique sports and restricted accessibility, but in other now unimagined ways. Suburbs like Woolwich may have to take measures to stem the rising tide of what it does not desire from neighbouring precincts. It may now be protected by a buffer of water or price affordability. Look around your own suburb - are there things that are special, which in an increasingly overcrowded planet, with greater freedoms of mobility and rising notions of equity and political freedom, that your community and you should treasure more?


George Street, Sydney CBD , outside World Square, 5pm on a Sunday evening.

The firemen in helmets and stand out uniforms had cordoned off the space in front of the retail side of the centre facing Sydney's main city thoroughfare. People were standing around in a non-chalant manner, as if removed from and not concerned with what was happening so close to them. Sirens were blaring from inside the complex but the sounds were challenged by those from the passing vehicular traffic. Then the rains came down with a surprise, although the air was already thick heavy with an uneasy humidity.

I was driving to Alexandria, half noticing the shoppers, wanderers, tourists and students along George Street. City life, I thought, has several facets, opportunities and costs. There is so much choice, there are temptations to spend excessively. Do individuals get to meet more friends,or do they tend to eventually cocoon themselves with mates from the past and home towns? After the initial phase of discovery and indulging in variety, does one get jaded when regime, the costs of living and work pattern demands restrict the usual day's program? Why do Sydneysiders not hesitate to get out of the place on long weekends? Why do I, residing in Wollongong, not hesitate to take the opposite direction?

Sydney has character in its water front bays and hilly roads; carved up quarters offering different cultures and lifestyles; contrasting experiences between night and day, between weekdays and the weekend; a parade of what I call transient colonies, whose inhabitants seem to be in transit coming from and going to somewhere else; an apparent obsessiveness dealing with personal costs of living and chasing the gravy train; and easy access to a range of cuisines and community festivals not found elsewhere within one city. The lifestyles of unique "villages",whether you call them Surry Hills, Bondi, Newtown, Haberfield or Watsons Bay, offer the rewards to anyone putting up with the ridiculous extremes in Australia's biggest conurbation - crowded public transport, expensive but high density accommodation, selfish individuals, unfriendly neighbours, lack of personal time and traffic jams.

An Afternoon At Woolwich, NSW

Australia's Woolwich, which overlooks calm bays extending from both Sydney's Parramatta River and Lane Cove, has its name inspired from south London. The Sydney version is more benign in climate and offers what can be termed the leisurely Australian life style - pubs, sailing and picnics. It personifies the advantages of location, location, location - it sits on a peninsular called Hunter's Hill. Above image, the Woolwich Pier Hotel and Pub, built in 1885.

The old dockyard is still there and operating (above). Woolwich today may not reflect its working past, as now it is more of the abode of wealthy families and individuals, mainly from the UK, Hong Kong and New Zealand. The Marist Sisters College is a contrast to the Woolwich Public School

Water side views, well kept gardens and roads with a gradient dominate the character of this suburb, first settled by John Clarke and referred to in Aboriginal language as Mookaboola, or "where the waters meet". You can catch a water taxi or scheduled ferry service to Woolwich from Sydney's Circular Quay. Woolwich Marina offers 32 berths with an accompanying Sailing School. Cockatoo Island,one of the biggest in Sydney Harbour, is not far away and you can see the Sydney Harbour Bridge beckoning to you if you stand on the Woolwich foreshores.

Above image, a view from the Woolwich Deckhouse Cafe,and below, a typical scenery for someone strolling along the varied hilly paths of Woolwich.

Below, a perspective from the Woolwich Dock, taken on a cloudy Sunday afternoon.

Zumbo Revisited

Adriano Zumbo has expanded his chain to a pastiserie at Manly Beach's East Esplanade, whilst retaining the bakery in Rozelle and another pastiserie at Balmain's Darling Street. With captivating products and sassy designs, each outlet, though small in size, provides a distinctive charm and branding. Above image, apparent graffiti gracing the wall of the Terry Street, Rozelle, NSW bakery.

"Tarts, pastries, breads, pies, sausage rolls and our full range of macarons" are what Zumbo's declare on its website as their offerings. They also offer unique macaron towers, gingerbread houses and croquembouche. Above image, the queue waiting patiently on a Sunday afternoon.

Zumbo has been innovative in creating unsuual flavours for its wide range of macarons, for example:

Coffee Creme Brulee
Fig and Burnt Honey
Salted Butter Popcorn
Chocolate Pop
Liquorice
Lemon and Olive Oil
Rice Pudding
Butterscotch Caramel
Raspberry Shortbread
Jasmine
Mandarin
Pear and Vanilla
Passionfruit
Blackcurrant

A container holding six macarons accompany two bags of croissants and breads seen on a bench (above) in a residential community near the Parramatta River (below).

The Art Of Transiting

This month, a few good mates made the decisive move in jobs, notching up another step in their career, and once that was decided and done, that act infused and determined lifestyles, environments and people in their wake. Whether they moved from region to city, region to region, or one primary skill to another, each one of these mates shall have a different choice of breakfast, commuting style, working culture, networking and social opportunities, choice of the Friday pub, money at hand and subtle but sure influences downstream.

We are often told that one of the certain things in life is change. Things may transform, people come and go, or business, weather and economy undergo dynamic changes in cyclic patterns. What is reassuring personally are more reliable and constant principles that underpin the movements in time, age and experience.

Hot things shall cool down and vice-versa.
Reflect on Nature, weather patterns and the share market. What is significant is how we respond and react, or do nothing, to each of such events. Most of them are beyond our personal control. It is also what we make of it, preferably in a positive way.

There is depravity behind a rude stare.
Appearances can create perceptions, perceptions can mean reality. The literal "rude stare" from specific individuals can be a mask, to uncover shortcomings, misunderstandings and diversions. They can be a cry for help, or maybe not. My approach is not to embrace rude stares or behaviour, and allow such things to just remain with the rude person. Reaffirm your own ethics, strengths and principles in the face of such behaviour from others.

It’s a supply chain - people who make use of you will one day be used by others.
It is simply the nature of karma or what Justin Timberlake snappily puts it in the lyrics of one of his tracks - what goes around comes around. Maybe it can all be due to one significant variable - timing.

Always have a back up plan.
Life can be a smorgasbord - the essential freedom is to have more choices and to liberate your self from the realities of that supply chain. It's all very handy to know you are continually building up options, have access to reserves (not just money) and do enjoy a variety of things to do.

Donate something of yourself.
It need not be big, just regular and sincere - but make sure you enjoy giving that. It need not be material. Go plant a seed for some one's future, some cause and some community. Plant many seeds, and when you get going, never look back.

Position yourself at the right time in whatever you do.
Time is what we use and can never have back. Timing is what we anticipate and wisely identify, and can springboard to a good return - not just physically, but in terms of the heart, soul and smile.

Reaffirm the true things that matter.
Like comfort and soul food, each of us have reliable mainstays and pillars in life, that nourish, nurture, enrich and protect our hearts. The true things that count propels us to look forward each morning, test our decisions made throughout and cushion our joy and satisfaction each evening. It is the source of our inner glow, makes us forget the sweat and sweetens the proverbial deal. They can include progressing gradually to realise an ambition, or just as simple as doing the daily cooking and gardening. It can be just putting the trust and loyalty behind a true mate near or far.

Ignore the self-obsessed parade.
We do come across individuals who may look grunt and are convinced that the world revolves for them only. Call them competitive, controlling or clinging. Such people engage us only to serve their selfish agendas. No one is born like that, and their previous moderate selves have been changed by delusional processes of greed, ego and excess. I minimise my encounters with or avoid them like the proverbial plague.

It will not matter beyond tomorrow.

Our emotional and thought system can be instinctively geared to want to query, articulate, analyse, react and resolve matters as soon as we can. This is so required, when as gatherers and hunters, in the early history of mankind, we were literally facing the lion up front and the lack of food beyond tomorrow. In today's sophisticated and high-tech society and interactive systems, in terms of human relations, it is useful to selectively utilise the wisdom of the sages. I stand back and consciously ask myself, will this be still important in a month's or a year's time?

Let time prove otherwise.

When asked unreasonable questions, smile and say nothing. Individuals may ask such matters out of jest, aggression or with sincerity. True friends will understand our silence or provide us the comfort of replying, but we owe no answer to people who do not care for us. The proof of anything is in patience and integrity.

A Reunion At Carlingford

A classic serving of the nasi lemak, moving clockwise, first with tamarind flavoured prawns (top foreground); kari kapitan served with deboned chicken; sweet and crunchy Lebanese cucumber slices; crackling roast pork; and half a hard boiled egg.

Stir fried glass noodles (tung hoon) provided in a hot pot with broccoli, mushrooms and more ( image below) and an ever popular snack plate of crunchy and stimulating roast pork bites (image above).

Nasi lemak, a favourite traditional breakfast item in south-east Asia, is steamed with the light filtered milk of fresh coconuts and flavoured with the fragrances of pandanus leaves. Above image, a bowled serving of the aromatic rice,served on banana leaf patch, stands ready to be savoured with a dash of chili hot curry, crunchy anchovy bites, pickled vegetables (acar), roast chicken and /or roasted peanuts.

All images on this entry were taken from the kitchen of Susan and Boo Ann Yap, Sydney.

Asian Food On The Run Too

Crunchy and addictive yeow char kwai, or deep fried flour sticks, (above) are often eaten on their own as a snack or cut into bit sized cubes for soaking with porridge during breakfasts or late night suppers. Below, roast duck slices, with skins on, are a favourite with steamed rice for a quick meal.

In Vietnamese or Cambodian cuisine, dry rice noodles are an ubiquitous ingredient to mix with roasted peanuts, grilled meats and a choice of fresh aromatic herbs in a bowl. The significant choice of this dish is in the blending of tastes and textures on the palate. (below)

I never had a drink based on the unique flavours of the soursop fruit (above) but a welcome

plate of stir-fried rice noodles with your choice of sliced meats, bean sprouts and chives (below) is always reliable. I particularly love the Penang version called char koay teow.

Diggies, North Wollongong NSW

Diggies offers come-as-you-are entry. It is sited literally beside North Wollongong Beach and across the road from the nearby Novotel. You can feel the ocean breezes, the salt in the air and see the texture of grainy sand not far from your table. The menu changes according to winter and summer preferences. The cafe offers a fusion of styles -modern and traditional, Australian and Mediterranean, vegetarian and meat - but with a sense of creativity, passion and presentation. I love the drink concoctions -from Kissed to Little Tanaka - but what I enjoy most is the relaxed holiday ambiance -and looking out at those container ships queueing up to enter Port Kembla Harbour. Above image, grilled trout with a hard boiled organic egg.

As you would expect, fish and chips are a must (above, with the juice of the day, orange with mint and strawberry). Below, illustrations of a range of smoothies, frappies and other thirst quenching offers. You can choose to be seated on the out deck, inside a mirrored section or just be on canteen styled bar tops. There is also a selection of cakes and pastries, beers and wines, or mineral water.

My breakfast choice (below) of croquet with salmon, poached egg and Hollandaise sauce.

After a meal, you can run,cycle or walk down the user-friendly footpaths that lead one way to the Belmore Basin and Wollongong Harbour Lighthouse, or the other way to Stuart Park beaches, barbecue facilities and picnic grounds.

Diggies is at No 1, Cliff Road, North Wollongong, NSW.

Newport Arms Hotel, NSW

Placid waters (above) from an off shoot of the meandering Hawkesbury River provide a pleasant backdrop to the Newport Arms Hotel. My first visit there was on a Sunday afternoon, with many families, twenty somethings and more gathered for a lazy but gregarious chill out. They were all spread out in various break out seating arrangements. The Hotel has been serving this community in Sydney's northern beaches at Kalinya Street since 1880 and borders the marina at Church Point, Scotland Island and Ku Ring Gai Chase National Park. It is an icon of Pittwater living.

There is a sizable beer garden (apparently Australia's biggest) which adjoins bistro dining. I had fettuccine prawns, garnished by juicy cherry tomatoes (image below) and one can easily access the standard serve of chips or wedges. For more discerning occasions and tastes, there is the Pittwater on Terrace Restaurant. This venue is perhaps best to check out on a Saturday night. Then one can check in one of its limited number of rooms with en suites. It can be a base for exploring nearby sights like Whale Beach, Avalon Village and Palm Beach.