Hot Pot

Hot pot (or steamboat) meals are one of my favorites.

Hot pot is basically a simmearing pot of stock placed at the center of dining table. Plates of raw ingredients such as beef slices, shrimps, bacon, tofu, eggs, mushrooms, noodles, etc are prepared in advance.

A hot pot dinner party is really easy to organize. Guests can bring their favorite food to cook. You just have to prepare the stock. It’s hard to mess up. 馃檪

Friends and family come together and sit around the table. Everyone can place their choice of ingredients into the pot, and have fun. The dinner setting is casual and the dinner usually lasts for hours. It’s an awesome way to bond with family and friends.

I especially love to have hot pots in winter. 馃檪 Imagine enjoying a big pot of soup, with fresh ingredients, on a cold snowy day; ohhhh… that sounds perfect to me.

An electric hot pot (less than $40) works well for me. I might even get an extra one so that I can have two pots going at the same time (one pot for my vegetarian friends).

In Asia, there are many restaurants offer hot pots in buffet style. You pay a flat fee, and you get your choice of stock in a hot pot, then you can pick whatever raw ingredients you like from the fridge. Isn’t it fun?

Server adding stock of your choice to the pot (Nagomi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Server adding stock of your choice to the pot (Nagomi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)


Cook your own meal!

Cook your own meal!


My sister and my niece (hot pot cooking lesson for kids? :))

My sister and my niece (hot pot cooking lesson for kids? :))


Happy days

Happy days

Outdoor hot pot with my family (Kuching, Malaysia)

Outdoor hot pot with my family (Kuching, Malaysia)


Hot pot dinner with Sharan

Hot pot dinner with Sharan


Cook it away

Cook it away


A pot of yumminess

A pot of yumminess

Stop Waiting

Sharing with you, a very inspiring video and message: STOP WAITING, by Alexandra Jaye.

* Stop waiting to be perfect
* Focusing on what you want to create and who you want to be
* Living with integrity and honoring our commitments
* Be you, be grateful and go rock it

Thanks, Alexandra for the wonderful video.

Gmail Signature Tweaks

When I use Gmail’s “Reply” feature, Gmail always places my signature at the very bottom of the entire email. No one would scroll down to the end of the email to see my signature. So, for each email I reply, I have to cut and paste the signature to the end of my reply message. There must be an easier way!

I found this:

Gmail Signature Tweaks

Gmail Signature Tweaks (Source: http://mashable.com/2009/08/20/gmail-signature-tips/)

Seems easy, right? It is!! I tried it, and it worked. 馃檪 No more cutting and pasting my signature in Gmail. Hurray!

Mel贸n con Jam贸n

A friend of mine suggested that I eat jamon with melon. Apparently it’s a very popular dish in Spain.

This simple tapa seems very easy to make. So, I bought a ripe melon, and chilled it in the fridge for a few hours.

First, I had to prepare the melon.

– Cut the melon
– Remove the seeds
– Cut away the rind
– Cut the melon into cubes

Then, I simply arranged the jamon slices on top of the melon cubes. Viola!

Mel贸n con jam贸n

Mel贸n con jam贸n

If you don’t have jamon, you can wrap proscuitto slice around a slice of melon.

Melon was sweet and juicy and it made great contrast with salty jamon. It was a refreshing dish, although not my favorite combination of food.

I still prefer enjoy my jamon with bread, olives and cheeses. 馃檪

I love trying new food though. I might discover a new favorite on my next try. 馃檪

Cantalope with Jamon

Cantalope with Jamon (http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/09/cantaloupe_with_jamon)

Spanish Jam贸n

Ever since I watched Jamie Oliver’s Food Escape to Andalucia, I have been dreaming of Spanish jam贸n. Jam贸n is dry-cured Spanish ham. It’s generally served raw in thin slices.

Karan recently brought some jam贸n back from Madrid. This is the real thing! The flavor is dynamic and incredible. I can see why jam贸n is a normal part of everyday life in many Spanish homes!! I am addicted to jam贸n! Yum.

serrano hams

Serrano hams


The flavor is dynamic and incredible.

The flavor is dynamic and incredible.


Remarkble thinness

Remarkble thinness


My first paper thin jam贸n

My first paper thin jam贸n