Chinese New Year

Sandy and I are up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, blogging from Sandy's parents house (courtesy of a very fast wireless connection belonging to the neighbour - we had to ask him to leave his router on as he was taking the family to Genting Highlands to gamble).

After eleven years, it's finally Phil's year again: Year of the Pig. Other notable pigs include Arnold Schwarzenegger (Phil +24 yrs), Fabien Barthez (same age), Hillary Clinton (+24 years), Jack Ruby (dead), Sacha Baron Cohen/Borat (same age) and, from closer to home, Ah Ngae (-12 years) and father-in-law (+24 years).

Instead of the usual steamboat for Reuninion Dinner, Sandy's mum prepared a feast of pork trotters and sea cucumber in black sauce, steamed chicken with Thai basil (from the garden) dip, roast duck, shredded turnip, and fish maw and pig stomach soup ... delicious! I much prefer this to style of food to steamboat. The others all disagree.





Sandy and Hueh Hueh loading ang pau (red packets) with dosh for giving to unmarried relatives and friends ...





First Day lunch was leftover pork trotters and sea cucumber in black sauce, roast duck, shredded turnip, and fish maw and pig stomach soup with three new dishes: wood ear fungus, golden needles and vermicelli, a dish of mushrooms, carrots and snow peas, and some vegetarian goose (made rom soy bean) from the neighbour ...



Spotted these on the table ... the nian gao is the traditional Chinese New Year sweet and sticky cake (to sweeten the words of the Kitchen God when he makes his annual report about the household); the lotus represents continuity (I think) and I have no idea what the leek means ... anybody know?



Phil wondering whether to buy a massage chair ... hmm, I think not.



Phil is heading back to work in Singapore on the Second Day, Sandy is staying up in Kuala Lumpur with her family. They will then head up to Penang, where Phil will join them on Friday. See later posts...

Phil& Sandy wish all our blog visitors "Gong Xi Fa Cai" !