Feasting Away ...

It had been a few days of feasting for me. Festive seasons normally mean more get-togethers, which will result in more eating and bigger meals, which means I have to start controlling and watching my waist line again.

The feasting started last Saturday, eve of the New Year. We had a reunion dinner at home consisting of abalone, mock sharks fin soup, vegetables with that black "hairy" stuff which I have still not figured out the name, big shitake mushrooms, pomfret, whole chicken, beef, pork and rice of course.

On Sunday, first day of the New Year, we went to my maternal grandmother's place for a breakfast of longevity and fortune noodles complete with soup, roasted peanuts, shredded omellete, shallots and more of the black hairy stuff (roasted and dried). Then we went to my dad's sister's place for lunch, where we had garoupa, prawns, broccoli, roasted chicken, cabbage soup with button mushrooms, vegetables and more rice.

On Monday, the second day of the New Year, we had a big reunion at my place for my dad's family. Everyone came over and my parents catered half the food. The food consisted of cereal prawns, roasted chicken, sweet and sour pork, vegetable soup, fried pomfret, vegetables in oyster sauce, and yam paste for dessert.

On Thursday, my boss and I met our clients for lunch at Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant at Turf City. We had the set meal for six, which consisted of tossing of the raw fish, tiger prawns, garoupa, claypot abalone with chicken and mushrooms, vegetables in oyster sauce, fortune noodles and tarts as dessert.

Earlier on there was another reunion at my place for my mum's relatives. We had steamboat for the dinner gathering. All the raw ingredients were prepared beforehand. There were chicken, pork, beef, salmon (choice of boiled or eaten sashimi style), vegetables, eggs, prawns, mushrooms, scallops, fishballs and meatballs, with a pot of boiling soup. We just threw everything into the soup and let the food cook. Healthy choice!

I foresee a couple more big meals this coming week, with a gathering on Tuesday, and another on Thursday, where our big bosses have invited everyone to their place for a New Year gathering. Not to mention the new year goodies which I have partaken, the numerous love letters, chocolate wafers, tarts, chocolate bars, chocolate biscuits, potato chips, the bitter and salty Indonesian crackers (now what is that called?) as well as ice-cream! Looks like I really have to work out vigorously!

Spaghetti Bolognaise

I tried cooking spaghetti during the weekend, and I must say it was a success! These are the ingredients used :

1. 1 packet of spaghetti (this one packet can be bought at any provision store and is enough for at least three persons)

2. Minced meat (I used pork, but beef or chicken will do as well)

3. Spaghetti sauce (need to use about three-quarters of the bottle before getting the taste)

4. 1 Garlic and 2 - 3 Onions

5. 3 tablespoons of Cooking Oil (my family uses Soya Bean Oil, but others like Olive Oil or Corn Oil will do as well)

6. A pinch of salt (2 teaspoons to be exact)

7. Tomato sauce (for colour and taste - I used about a quarter of the bottle)

8. 2 litres of water

First, add 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 teaspoons of salt into the water and start to boil.

Once the water is boiling, put all the spaghetti in.

Let it soak and boil.

Drain the spaghetti once it is boiled.

Cut the garlic into small tiny pieces, and chop the onions into fine pieces.

Put in the remaining oil, chopped garlic and onion, minced meat and spaghetti sauce and mix well. Stir properly so the meat would not get stuck together.

After that, add in the spaghetti, stir well, and tomato sauce at the end. Mix well and let it simmer.

Serve immediately.