Lincoln, UK

Destiny is not a matter of choice. It's a matter of choice.
It is not something to be waited for, but rather something to
be achieved.

Potato Patty

More patties were made on a different day.

This side dish is very versatile and a great accompanied to many main dishes. It's also tempting on its own.
To vary recipe, coat patties in whisked egg white or with bread crumbs. Delicious with added minced pork or beef into the patties too.
If using cheese, skip caramelized onions. Improvise the ingredients according to your taste.

Ingredients A
1. One medium sized potato, peeled and sliced
2. One small clove garlic, sliced (optional)
3. One teaspoon of chicken stock
4. Enough cold water to cover potato slices

Ingredients B
1. Half teaspoon caramelised onion
2. Pinch of chilli flakes
3. One shallot roughly sliced
4. Half stalk of spring onions, thinly sliced
5. One teaspoon of potato/corn flour
6. Dash of white pepper
7. Pinch of salt

Method:
1. Bring A to a boil, lower heat to medium till potato slices are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and mash.
2. Add Ingredients B, mix well and shape however you like. Sprinkle potato/corn flour lightly on cutlets before placing in a fridge for a minimum of half an hour.
3. In a non stick pan, medium heat, add one tablespoon of oil, add cutlet, and turn over carefully when golden.

Note: Include fresh coriander and freshly sliced red chillies if available before forming patties.
Use white part of spring onion too if making more than one. I have opted just for the green part as I was making a piece.

Loofah or Ridge Gourd with Prawns

I do not know what the name of this vegetable is in Mandarin but this is one of the rare vegetables that I like with some gravy as, similar to a loofah sponge, it soaks up gravy easily.

Choose lean and slender ridge gourd with 'hard' skin whereby the tips snapped off easily.

Ingredients:
1. Four pieces loofah, peel outer skin and slice in desired shapes. I prefer them in wedges.
2. Three cloves garlic, lightly bruised but kept whole
3. Six or more large prawns. Remove shells but keep the heads and tails if possible as it will enrich the gravy.
4. Add one tablespoon of chicken stock into half a cup of water.
5. One egg, lightly beaten
6. Pinch of salt and dash of white pepper
7. Three tablespoons of onion oil or oil of your choice
8. Dash of sesame oil

Method:
1. Heat wok on high heat. Add oil, and when oil is smoking, add prawns, quick stir and remove immediately. Prawns should still be slightly raw. Drain and set aside.
2. Reheat oil till smoking, add garlic and when garlic is aromatic, add vegetables, keep on stirring for about half a minute, add dash of pepper to taste and pinch of salt. Continue stirring for about another half a minute.
3. Add stock and mix well with vegetable and let it boil for between two to three minutes.
4. Add prawns and mix well for another minute.
5. Spread egg mixture over vegetable; leave it for a few second before flipping vegetables over.
6. Add a dash of sesame oil, mix well before dishing up to serve hot.

Note: If you know what is the local and Mandarin name for this vegetable, please advise. Thanks.
It takes between six to seven minutes to cook this dish.
Do not overcook lest the vegetable becomes soggy and slimy

Fried Kang Kong

A vegetable dish that I cannot resist buying, if available is Water Convolvulus/Kang Kong or stir fried morning glory with belachan or shrimp paste. It is pungent, aromatic, bold and simply delicious.

It cooks in less than four minutes but the timing is crucial with good wok hei (the breath of the wok).

Main Ingredients:
1. One kilo of kang kong (pluck only the tender parts), washed in plenty of cold water and drained well.
2. Four tablespoons oil of your choice.

Ingredients A
1. One shallot, roughly sliced
2. 3 cloves garlic, lightly bruised but kept whole

Ingredients B
1. One tablespoon belachan
2. One tablespoon dried prawns
3. One teaspoon sugar
4. One red bird's eye chilli, sliced thinly (optional)
5. Two tablespoons or more of cooked chilli paste of your choice

Ingredient C
Dash of fish sauce

Method:
1. Heat a wok on HIGH heat and then add the cooking oil. When smoke emits from the wok, add ingredients A.
2. Stir quickly then add Ingredients B, continue stirring over high heat till the pungent aroma of belachan permeates the kitchen. It takes less than a minute.
3. Toss in kang kong and stir continuously till the leaves started to wilt. Add a few dashes of fish sauce and continue stirring over high heat. The colour of the vegetable should still be green.
4. Dish and serve hot immediately.

'Opportunities? They are all around us ... there is power lying latent everywhere waiting for the observant eye to discover it.' Oscar

Problems are only opportunities in work clothes.

What force is more potent than love?

Treats

Special thanks for your company, cards and presents on my special day.

1. Lilik and Margaret Mary for the lunch treat in a Chinese Restaurant in Jerez and also Margaret Mary for insisting in picking me up from the golf course.
2. Murray for a round of golf.
3. Ann, Dave, Pam, Alan and Lau Kong for gifts and dinner.
4. Ann and Dave for the invite to the BBQ.

Now do you understand why my waist line is expanding? My husband says that there are a few pounds of me that he is not legally married to!

Some of the dishes consumed over a period of three days.

















Restaurante Ariante, Puerto




Provolone Cheese stuffed with mushrooms













Figs in Rum