Panfried Rice Rolls

There is a calm in my heart. A feeling of being contented by the simplicity that our lives have fulfilled over the past few months. I am now in the middle of my 2nd trimester, fast approaching 3rd, and woah has time passed fast.

I woke up one morning and told my hubby that the feeling of being close to him, incubating having a life in me seems almost perfect. I’m not sure why I was chasing so many things at once before anymore. I suppose this is Part 1 of nesting (part 2, I may start cleaning.. don’t think I’m there yet!)

I have become a fan of our local libraries. I’m starting to feel better so I’m starting to take over the reins in the kitchen a little more (much to my hubby’s relief- really, he should do a guest post one day of the wide eye worried look when he is in charge of dinners). We looked at investing in some 2nd hand items for our little one, and decide what we need new.

I’m reading more. Like heaps more- the way I was when I was a teenager. Except it is filled with parenting and baby books.. oh, and an odd romance here and there. Trying to do what I do not think I will have time to do when baby arrives.

As a couple, we discussed parenting styles, values and changes to our finances. I’m glad that we were well trained in our uni days to live on one income means I’m equipped with some skills on budgeting. So far we have…

– re looked at some of our previous love of mince.
– re look at our mortgage and bank cards
– libraries and more libraries
– shopped around for car, house and car insurance

I’m so proud of my hubby who is really the true bargainer of the family- any aunties should take tips on how smooth and calm he is when bargaining!

While I do not have many cravings, one thing I always go for are my childhood food groups. Yes, eating clean is not exactly the easiest thing to do at the moment but I manage. This was not one of my eating clean days :p I took the idea from Tigerfish though. Who nearly always give me a lightbulb moment on using the most simple kitchen ingredients and transforming them into something else.

Panfried Rice Rolls.

My childhood favourite- steamed usually with a dash of dark sweet sauce and sesame seeds. Not forgetting the chill. This version, means I fried it with some dried shrimps, chinese sausage and heaps of chives. Oh it was so good. So good that I licked my plate. I picked up fresh rice rolls from our local oriental stores.

Panfried Rice Rolls (serves 4-5)
1 packet of rice rolls 400 grams snipped into small bites
1/2 cup of dried shrimps washed
1 tablespoon of garlic
2 chinese sausage sliced
2 chili padi
2 tablespoon of caramel sauce
2 tablespoon of soy
1 tablespoon of hua tiau jiu (chinese cooking wine)
bunch of onion chives chopped roughly
pepper

serve with chill sambal if you have any.

Heat wok or pan really hot. Dry toast the shrimps. Set aside. Heat a tablespoon of oil and fry some garlic and chili. Add chinese sausage. Then toss the rice rolls with the sauces. Simmering for around 2-3 minutes. Add in dried shrimps and chives. Taste, season and serve with sambal chill.

Happy Easter 😉 

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

Pregnancy made me slowed down. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just something I am not used to. I love my routine. I am the sort of person who fill my days and nights with activities- baking, cooking, meeting with friends, cleaning, catching up on whatsapp/skype, gym (and lots of gym!), researching for recipes, watching selected few of my favourite TV series, flipping through food or living magazines….. Yes, I’m the sort of person who believes in making use of every second.

So the hormones hit, and I have not spent as much time in the loo, the couch or my bed that I have EVER known for that matter. I  regretfully admit that I was one of those people who said… “Sleep is over rated”. Now? Sleep is my best friend. Oh how I love sleep. 

They say that once our little miracle arrives, sleep will never exist. ever again. So perhaps it is not a bad thing that I’m sleeping like nothing these days. 

I cancelled commitments, reduced my gym time, increased my screen time and just rested. Then the whinging begins… why am I feeling this way, I was so active before, how come other women can do it but I can’t? Why is it that work has started to feel tedious rather than enjoyable? And my weight! Argh, I’m feeling unattractive and clumsy. 

My poor husband. 

On the other hand, I cannot, simply cannot describe the joy I feel each time I feel the stronger kick/nudge, boxing stance that our little one has begin to move. Baby A (yes we think we have a name but it’s not 100% sure yet so baby A shall be for the time being), seems to be a gymnast of some sort or perhaps just a healthy active little boy. Already he appears to responds to his daddy’s “high 5s”, and dislikes me bending forward… does that mean his little personality is developing? Or maybe just instincts. 

To thank my dearest husband for the ever patience, I got up from my couch one Sunday and actually baked a batch of cookies for him. The first sentence he said when he got home was “you moved!” It’s a recipe that I spotted when we were at New York- at a bakery/dessert shop that we loved… It’s called Spot Dessert Bar. This recipe features his favourite coconut and chocolate. I love the texture that the coconut provided and the crisp cookie bite that it gave.

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies (makes around 80 cookies)

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1.5 cup desiccated coconut (toasted)

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups of dark choc chips

Preheat Oven 180C. Line 4 baking trays with baking paper. 

Beat butter, sugars and salt together till fluffy. Then add eggs. 

Sift flour and baking powder in another bowl. Gradually flow the butter egg mixture to flour mixture till combined. Spoon tablespoon on baking tray, bake for 20-25 minutes till brown.