FIsh Ball Noodle Soup

Fish Ball Noodle Soup. No, no. Not market bought fish balls, but made from a scratch, home made fish balls. Yes. Indeed. I made fish balls for a change. Can you believe it? For someone like me who is, if not always, sometimes taking the door to ready made ingredients (Hong Kong Wonton Noodle Soup, Sichuan Noodle Soup &  Bee Hoon Soup), I actually did it for these fish balls in noodles and soup. Why, are you asking me? Well, what should I tell you? Maybe because I wanted fish broth (Cambodian Sour Fish Soup & Vietnamese Fish Soup) from the bones after carefully stripping away fish flesh (Yong Tau Foo) for fish balls. Not bad right? I know. In fact, we had a ball of a time over this Fish Ball Noodle Soup. Really bouncy and no smell soft fish balls, and as I have already told you, fish bones and skin simmered for extracting the broth (Nyonya Spicy Fish Noodle Soup, Salted Fish Bone Soup, Thai Fish Noodle Soup & Penang Assam Laksa). Next? Hand crafted and hand rolled fish balls cooked in the broth till they floated atop and together with the broth, generously poured over noodles, garnished with fried shallots and fried basil leaves atop just my invention at the spur of the moment from the basil leaves grown in my garden. Of course, you can use spring onion or even coriander leaves. Conclusively, Fish Ball Noodle Soup, wouldn't you agree is making your hungry right now and imagine, what a feeling when tucked in during and after rain has fallen down from the sky (Hokkien Hae Mee, Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup & Chinese Vegetable Noodle Soup)?

Oslo, Norway

We made it, Hallelujah!! We made it even earlier for our overnight cruise to Oslo (Copenhagen Day 2, Copenhagen Day 1 Part 2 & Copenhagen Day 1 Part 1). Nothing! Literally nothing to do neither to see, of course  you can stare at the sea for the longest time. Into our tiny, basic and well maintained cabin for putting our things aside, thereafter, pretty much an earlier dinner. Aplenty seafood, obviously you can eat till you drop buffet in the wide dining area, it will be nice if you sit near the windows for the sea view while tucking in. And then what? As I have already said, nothing much, maybe most to most 30 minutes of walking the ship. Even then, it is back to doomed. Boredom. Henceforth, I decided to shower and practically forced sleep on me, whereas other half-half got together with the guys for poker and some drinks. Don't know what time he returned because surprisingly, I slept like a log of wood, every now and then, I did feel as though I was sea floating. A tiny bit of rock and roll which I don't think got to me. Thank god. Our morning was broken with, before anything else, showering, prior to tucking into breakfast, subsequently, clearing our room and awaited for an hour for safe landing in Oslo. Right off, sightseeing started.

Hong Kong Wonton Noodle Soup

Hong Kong Wonton Noodle Soup made in my Malaysian kitchen. Why not (Hong Kong Steamed Fish)? Who told you, you can't make Hong Kong Wonton Noodle Soup in your Malaysian kitchen? Not me. I in fact have already proven it. This is the Hong Kong Wonton Noodle Soup as per our Malaysian locality and pretty much, tell me please. How different can our local Wonton Noodle Soup be compared to those made in Hong Kong? Pretty much more or less the same ingredients, but considering that Halal food is quite a demand in Malaysia, I made this prawn halal version (Mee Goreng Udang/Prawn Fried Mee, Hokkien Hae Mee, Cantonese Yee Mee & Hakka Noodles). The start to making of course must be making the wonton dumplings and if prawn (Prawn Coconut Milk, Prawn Cocktail & Chinese Prawn Fritters) is not favorable to you, please proceed with chicken (Chicken Wonton Soup & Chinese Chicken Meatball Soup) or pork to be filled and wrapped in store bought wanton skin and these wanton parcels can be crispy fried (Fried Shrimp Wonton) as well. The next course of action for wonton (Sichuan Chilli Prawns)? Into the soup and alongside the soup ladled into the bowl of wonton noodles and kai lan, garnished with spring onion, and teamed with green chillies soy sauce (Chinese Vegetable Noodle Soup).

Copenhagen (Denmark) - Day 2 (Frederiksborg Slot & Kronborg Castle)

Fruitful first day. Utter but there's still 7 days for positively shattering us. Admittedly quite a tiring day as well. Sightseeing walking within the next 2 hours after almost a day of sleep deprivation due airport in and out, and also being up in the air, indeed, tiredness eventually caught up on us. Nevertheless, in all genuine fairness, Copenhagen couldn't at all be faulted. Copenhagen remarkably opened up in its most starling, calm and serene as ever regards (Copenhagen Part 2 & Copenhagen Part 1). Having said that, as tired as we were, we couldn't shut down for the day. Never easy-peasy I believe when you are in a totally new environment. Unfamiliarity or because we can't contain our far travelled overwhelming happiness, sleep might trouble us. Aside to whether we slept, or just catnapped, or we didn't sleep at all, sightseeing the following morning must go on. It must. I guess you won't even have a choice to staying behind, if there's a switch in hotel. So, everyone must get ready by 9.00pm. Whether you skipped or heartily tucked into the hotel buffet breakfast, that's beside to the point. Time is still essence for sightseeing. We did, prior to arriving in Frederiksborg Slot. Stupendous! What a super duper morning start. Nature breather huge garden walkway, huge trees overshadowing tadbit of sunshine from god's heaven, and colorful flowers gently dancing in the faint breeze as we walked while inhaling fresh air. Conquering and immersing me instantly. So lovable. A long walk obviously till where the castle is.

Malu Kirata

There is Kiri Hodi and there is also Malu Kirata, or Sri Lankan fish coconut stew. Furthermore, when we speak about Sri Lankan food on the whole, how can not include coconut milk mostly (Sri Lankan Carrot Salad) for whichever dish for the matter (Sodhi)? You bet. Of course, we Asians pretty much love the concept of coconut milk tipping into our cooking as well. In fact, why go so far. Even for our Malaysian savory dishes (Salted Fish Pineapple Coconut Stew & Shrimp Coconut Milk) and even for our desserts (Pumpkin Sago Dessert) and I think fish is a diet for maybe everyone around the world regardless whether we are surrounded by sea or not. Over in Malaysia too (Malaysian Fish Sambal) and in my house particularly, we are fish dependent at least twice or once a week and who can be a better Malaysian to speak about fish except Nava K. Various types of fish dishes from near and far beyond has already been my cooking skills (Nadan Meen Curry, Malabar Fish Curry, Meen Puttu & Thai Fish Noodle Soup) and I don't think there will be a full-stop to fish for as long as forever (Burmese Fish Biryani, Mauritian Fish Curry, Vietnamese Fish Soup & Bengali Fish Curry). This Malu Kirata was the latest trended in my kitchen. Perhaps not really the authentic kinda, but trust me, without compromising on Sri Lankan food fab. Masala fried fish tipped into a creamy and tangy coconut milk stew.

Copenhagen (Denmark ) - Day 1 (Part 2)

Wondrous start. I loved the weather. Not hot, neither shivering me cold, still, a thick sweater shielded me. Glad we were that winter was not as bizarre as we were prior told to be prepared. Good god sign, after visiting "The Little Mermaid", she did sincerely mesmerised me especially, we could have actually walked to Gedion Fountain. Then again, when its an expensively paid for holiday, we coach travelled to Churchill Park. Except for a countable number of tourists, we were the only group at Gefion Fountain. Located in an open square for freely flying moving around as a bird, no rushing and pushing. Thank god. Wish guide had parted at least a tiny bit of significance on Gefion Fountain, nevertheless, we excitedly circled this biggest monument in Copenhagen, inaugurated in 1908 as the celebration of Carlsberg Brewery's 50th birthday. Powerful Nordic goddess Gefion with her 4 oxen is the main figure, I bet you won't miss seeing her standing pride and proud high, and the rest of it in splashing up and down water fountain Gefion Fountain.

Wajik Pulut

Nothing like our Malaysian sugar and sweet delight. A big yes from me personally of course (Pumpkin Sago Dessert, Malaysian Sago Pudding, Kuih Buah Melaka & Bingka Pisang). Not to say I am anti Western desserts, but by far the joy is forever Malaysia made desserts, aka kuih-muih and I might as well include other close to us Asian desserts (Thai Mango Sticky Rice) though so little from other Asian continent I have made. Perhaps who knows in the near future? Maybe. Today, the dessert card I have drawn is this Wajik Pulut (Sweet Glutinous Rice Cakes). Nevertheless, not the traditional or typical one like those made by my mum. Those stirred for almost hours and really heavy sugar loading. I on the other hand decided I can limit the amount of sugar and who said you can't? Not me, lemme repeat myself again. Oh please! Gone are the days we think unless we go heavy on sugar, our Malaysian desserts will not turn out to be as expected. Not so true. Look at this Wajik Pulut. Says it all right? Made within like an hour and without my arms breaking into two. Ingredients for Wajik Pulut? Obviously, glutinous rice which you have to prior steam and later, tipped into the palm sugar, coconut milk and pandan leaves syrup and stirred till you obtain a thick rice mixture. Thereafter, tipping mixture in a tray before spreading evenly. Wajik Pulut? Sedap! Deliciousness! Hail our this, one of it as part of our kuih-muih/local delicacies.