Recipe: Koi Fish Jelly

Here’s an auspicious, refreshing dessert you can make for Chinese New Year - Koi Fish Jelly. In Asian culture, koi fish represents luck, friendship and love. I used two different flavours (strawberry and orange) mainly for its lucky colour. I also added longan for texture and its homonym is similar to the word “noble”.

𝐊𝐨𝐢 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐉𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧

Recipe by Baby Sumo

Preparation time: 5-10 mins

Cooking time: 2 mins

Serves 8

Ingredients
2 packs jelly crystal powder
800ml boiling water
1 can Longan in syrup, drained

1. Mix each pack of jelly powder with 400ml water and bring to the boil in a saucepan.

2. Arrange longan in jelly mould, then pour over the jelly solution.

3. Place in fridge for at least one hour to set. Unmould and serve chilled.

Note: each koi mould above fits 400ml.

Buy longan here: https://shope.ee/2KzSXgzPZA

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CNY 2023: Rabbit Face Origami

Another annual CNY activity for us is to make the current year's zodiac animal in origami form. This year, we welcome the Year of the Rabbit and we had an absolute hopping time making these adorable origami rabbit faces. A fun activity you can do tu兔-gether with your kids; you can use them as CNY decoration as they add a wonderful festive cheer to your home.

What you need: 1 square paper (any size), pink highlighter, black marker pen.

Here's a step-by-step video on how to make rabbit face origami:

Here's wishing you all a very Hoppy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai ;)

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Usher in the New Year with Lay’s STAX New Limited Edition Spicy Lobster Flavour

Usher in the New Year with Lay’s STAX New Limited Edition Spicy Lobster Flavour

• Introduction of Lay’s STAX New Limited Edition Spicy Lobster flavoured crisps now available at recommended retail price of RM6.20 each
• RM88,888 Touch ‘n Go eWallet Rewards to be redeemed in Lay’s nationwide campaign in conjunction with the new Lay’s STAX Spicy Lobster flavour and Chinese New Year
• Lay’s Bundle Promotion with free Ang Pow available (while stocks last)

Malaysia’s most-loved potato crisps snack invites all Malaysians to usher in the New Year with its brand new limited edition Lay’s STAX Spicy Lobster flavour, for a limited time only! Additionally, celebrate with friends and loved ones over some flavourful, crispy crunch this coming Chinese New Year holidays with some upcoming promotions from Lay’s.

Aditya Ahuja, Pepsico Commercial Director Malaysia & Indonesia said, “At Lay’s, we pride ourselves with delivering smiles and joy to potato crisps fans with new, tasty crispy crunch flavours. Malaysia, being a land of celebrations and diversity is never short of gatherings amongst friends and loved ones. Lay’s is delighted to spread the joy this coming Chinese New Year with the new Lay’s STAX Spicy Lobster flavour as well as a Chinese New Year Bundle Promotion and RM88,888 Touch ‘n Go eWallet Rewards campaign!”

The nationwide RM88,888 Touch ‘n Go eWallet Rewards campaign is currently ongoing until 5th February 2023. Steps to participate in the campaign as below:

1. Purchase any 3 Lay’s STAX 135g in a single receipt (must include new Spicy Lobster)

2. Whatsapp to +6011 5407 7118 (https://wa.me/601154077118) the following information:

  a. Photo of receipt

  b. Full Name <space> NRIC No. <space> Email Address

3. Redeem your reward of a Touch ‘n Go eWallet Reload Pin for RM6.88 from Lay’s

Try all combinations of the 5 available Lay’s STAX flavours. Lay’s STAX Malaysia series comes in Original, Barbecue, Sour Cream & Onion, Extra Cheese and the brand new Spicy Lobster flavours. For detailed terms and conditions, please click here: https://bit.ly/CNYcampaign

Spice up your Chinese New Year with the Limited Edition Lay’s STAX Spicy Lobster flavour! Share the joy and put a smile on someone’s face with the Bundle Promotion or get rewarded with the Touch ‘n Go eWallet Rewards today!

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Recipe: Braised pork trotters with sea cucumber and mushrooms

A must-have dish for us during our Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner: 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐚 𝐂𝐮𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬.

Every year, during our reunion dinner, this Hokkien specialty would make an appearance. The pork trotters are braised for about 2-3 hours until tender and falling off the bone. Sea cucumber is added at the end and cooked to your preferred consistency (different sea cucumber will have different cooking times, so check every 10 mins to see if texture is to your liking.)

For this recipe, I used Japanese wild shiitake mushroom for this recipe, but you can use any regular dried Chinese mushroom too. The mushrooms were incredibly smooth with a lovely aroma. 

Braised pork trotters with sea cucumber and mushrooms
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours
Serves 6

Ingredients
2.2kg pork trotters, ask your butcher to cut into chunks
1.2l water
6 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
70g dried mushrooms, soaked for at least 4 hours
400g sea cucumber, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tbsp cooking oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4-5 slices old ginger
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1. In a large pot, sauté garlic and ginger with oil for 3-4 mins. Add water, dark and light soy sauce and bring to the boil.

2. Add trotters and braise for 1 hour.

3. Add mushrooms and braise for further 1 hour.

4. Add Shaoxing wine and sea cucumber and cook for further 30 mins, or until the sea cucumber texture is to your liking. Taste, and adjust with more soy sauce or salt as necessary.

5. Serve with longevity noodles or rice.

Note: One way to tell that the dish is ready; the sauce will be gelatinous and rich once it is ready to be served.

Buy sea cucumber here: https://shope.ee/5pZf3782IF (see this post on how to rehydrate and clean dried sea cucumber)

Buy Japanese wild shiitake mushroom here: https://shope.ee/9USxjeUrtk

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Shopee Unveils How Malaysians Gear Up for Digital Inclusion

 Shopee Unveils How Malaysians Gear Up for Digital Inclusion

60% of Buyers Remain Steadfast in Achieving Ambitions and Enjoyment in E-Commerce

Shopee Malaysia officially unveils ‘Past the Starting Line: Adapting to Malaysia’s Digital Consumers in 2023’ Consumer Trends Report. Of 2,150 Malaysian buyers surveyed, 60% remain steadfast in achieving ambitions and enjoyment in e-commerce in 2023. In fact, buyers under categories such as Mobile & Accessories (61%), Automotive (60%), Fashion (59%), and Home & Living (59%) are becoming more tech-savvy and fully aware of their diverse needs in supporting local businesses for a future-forward economy.

1. Increased and savvier use of digital services

When asked what their New Year Resolutions are in 2023, 35% of Malaysians want to prioritise personal health and wellness this year. The degree to which they look to self-improve is spread: better lifestyle and living choices (26%), upskill and nurture hobbies (23%), and increase social confidence (16%). When thinking about discovering and buying items, 39% of buyers plan to buy more home and living products in 2023, 38% show interest in family essentials like household goods, 13% gain knowledge through books and games, and 10% equip themselves with workout and travel gear.

Because they are more digitally savvy and spending more time online in all parts of their consumer journey, 51% of buyers see the increased importance of greater personalization and shopping flexibility for the new year. In particular, 32% of Malaysians across all categories want to explore Shopee's circle deals and live shopping, and 17% want to embrace mindful shopping by being sustainable in support of local inclusive businesses. 

2. Growing adoption of digital services for rural communities

When Shopee asked the surveyed buyers about their interest in locally made goods from Borneo sellers, 5 in 10 buyers expressed interest in supporting local businesses in Borneo to improve their living standards. 35% consider shifting preferences to shop for more local goods, and the remainder carries on with their learned and adopted online shopping habits. Many are excited to support Made-in-Malaysia products from underserved communities in rural areas because of their high quality and durability. Sellers outside big cities can seek inspiration from Khairul Aming, local entrepreneur from Kelantan, who was awarded the Super Favourite MCO Entrepreneur at Shopee Super Awards 2022 for having remarkable growth through the support of loyal buyers.

“We continuously work with a user-centric approach to keep ourselves well-informed of the trends and buyer contexts to create a positive impact through our inclusive ecosystem. This helps us channel efforts and optimally address user needs to share the future of the digital economy. And thanks to all their efforts and blessings, Shopee ranks first in the YouGov Best Brand Ranking in Malaysia and won gold for Kantar’s Strongest Malaysian Brand in the ‘General Retailers’ and ‘Lifestyle App’ categories. We look forward to coming together, celebrating, and giving back to our local communities with greater hope so Malaysians can enjoy a joyful shopping experience,” said Kenneth Soh, Head of Marketing Campaigns at Shopee Malaysia.

3. The rise of younger, more purposeful buyers

With the rise of younger, more purposeful buyers, many will not compromise on principles. 7 in 10 Malaysians strive to make smarter purchasing decisions through insightful content such as product warranty, live demos, and unboxing to ensure the products they love are worth the value. Since buyers pay close attention to what a seller stands for and does, they can interact with Shopee’s diverse community of influencers and affiliates to discover and enjoy an authentic shopping experience.

Terence Pang, Chief Operations Officer at Shopee said, “We have seen in the past two years, how adoption of digital services like e-commerce can improve people’s lives and transform the way consumers and businesses connect. Despite many having come online, we’re only just past the starting line in Malaysia’s digital economy, with a greater long-term opportunity to help more people benefit. In the coming year, these digital consumers will continue to shape the future of the digital economy. Shopee is sharing key consumer trends we have observed that businesses need to adapt to, and those who do so, will lay the foundation for a resilient digital ecosystem that will enable them to reach more users in the future. We are committed to helping our partners understand these trends and unlock more opportunities.”

Buyers will continue to influence the future of the digital economy with higher expectations of their online interactions. 32% of buyers intend to spend more time in 2023 to de-stress and earn coins through Shopee Prizes. Over 29% choose to support local businesses and products via Shop Malaysia, 28% habitually find authentic and genuine goods at Shopee Mall, and the remainder follow trends and latest products sold on Shopee Live and donates to the underserved via ShopeeGivesBack.

‘Past the Starting Line: Adapting to Malaysia’s Digital Consumers in 2023’ Consumer Trends Report is part of Shopee’s thought leadership series. These data-driven insights allow online sellers and buyers to tap e-commerce and digital services to drive resilience and stay relevant. Further insights on Malaysian influencers will be shared in greater detail in the coming week. 

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CNY: How to Rehydrate and Clean Dried Sea Cucumber

Sea cucumber is one of my favourite delicacies during the Chinese New Year festive period. We would usually braise it with pork trotters for our CNY reunion dinner. 

You can either buy ready-to-use frozen sea cucumber or dried sea cucumber (which you have to soak to rehydrate and then clean it). This year, I got some dried sea cucumber (aka sandfish) from Sri Lanka; they grew 3x the dried size once they were done rehydrating. Remember that if you want to use dried sea cucumber, you should allow 6-7 days for it to fully rehydrate before it is ready to use in your favourite recipes. Once it is rehydrated, you can store them in the freezer and defrost whenever you need them. 

Here is the step-by-step video on how to rehydrate and clean dried sea cucumber:

Tools needed: Big pot for soaking and boiling the sea cucumber, scissors, and container for storing. 

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐚 𝐂𝐮𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫
1. Day 1: Rinse and soak sea cucumber in room temp water overnight.
2. Day 2: change the water. Bring the pot of water to the boil, once cooking cook for 1-2 mins. Turn off heat and leave aside to soak.
3. Day 3: change water, boil again as above. If u find that sea cucumber has become softer, use scissors to cut the stomach and clean the sand/intestines. After cleaning, boil again. Leave to soak.
4. Day 4: change water/ boil again as Step 2.
5. Day 5: place in container with water and put in fridge for 2 days. Keeping it refrigerated is the last step to soaking the sea cucumber and making it larger.
6. Day 7: ready to cook. Cut into smaller piece as desired and use in your favourite recipes.

Note: for any unused sea cucumber, place in container in water and freeze. Defrost when needed.

You can buy good quality dried sea cucumber here, this is the one I got: https://shope.ee/5pZf3782IF

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Recipe: Year of the Rabbit Yee Sang

Every year, I look forward to creating and making the Chinese zodiac yee sang for the corresponding New Year. This year, we will be celebrating the Year of the Rabbit.

Presenting our Rabbit Yee Sang, made with fresh fruits and vegetables and topped with canned abalone as well as crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, pok chui crackers, and balsamic dressing. My design is inspired by Miffy (one of the very first soft toys my husband bought for my daughter when she was born). 

Watch the step-by-step video here:

Rabbit Yee Sang

Recipe by Baby Sumo

Preparation time: 30-45 mins

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
A few lettuce leaves, sliced
1 white radish * (for face and ears)
1 Japanese cucumber *
1 carrot *
1 century pear *
Canned pineapple, small cubes
6-8 strawberries
6-8 baby carrots
Roasted Seaweed (for mouth)
Blueberries (for eyes)

For topping

1/2 packet crushed peanuts

3-4 tbsp sesame seeds

1 packet pok chui crackers

Canned abalone in brine (buy here)

1. Peel and julienne ingredients marked with *. Cut strawberries into heart shapes and also two small ovals for the cheeks.
2. For the dressing: mix 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp honey and salt.

3. Create the rabbit yee sang using the above ingredients (watch video for step-by-step instructions).

Tip:
✨ make the ears longer and rounder around the tips.
✨ use a julienne peeler, it will make your life much easier.

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The KARLS Group CNY 2023 Collection

In conjunction with the festive season, The KARLS Group has recently launched their CNY 2023 Collection, which includes their artisan bak kwa, tarts and prosperity bowls. 

KARLS artisan bak kwa is available in three flavours: Chicken, Truffle Chicken & Truffle Wagyu. The bak kwas are marinated using their homemade blend of secret spices and then grilled over binchotan charcoal and finally individually vacuum packed to maintain freshness. Prices start from RM98 per box of 10. There is also a 2023 Tradition Gift Set, which comes with 2 boxes of bak kwa, along with a traditional floral arrangement, priced at RM368 per set.

Other than that, you can also indulge in their Fortune Abalone Chicken Tart (RM138) and Prosperity Bowls (RM158), which come in 2 options: Foie Gras or Abalone. One of KARLS’ bestsellers in 2021, the tart it is filled with homemade chicken jerky and caramelised leeks, topped with braised abalone and edible gold. It is oven-baked to order and is perfect for sharing amongst 3-4 pax. 

Meanwhile the Prosperity Bowls come with truffle rice, topped with either two slices of luscious pan seared foie gras or braised abalone and edible gold. The Prosperity Bowls can be shared amongst 2-3 pax and it is recommended to mix in the crispy topping to enhance its overall texture. 

KARLS CNY 2023 Collection is now available for delivery and pickup on selected dates. Kindly visit www.karlslifestyle.com to order or WhatsApp +6013-2121 685 for further inquiries.

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Recipe: Lap Mei Fan 臘味飯 (Chinese Waxed Meat Rice)

Lap Mei Fan 臘味飯 aka waxed meat rice is a popular dish only found during the Chinese New Year period. This year, I managed to get some good-quality Hong Kong waxed meat so I made this for my family to enjoy. I used a mix of lap Cheong, lap ngap (duck), Dong gun Cheong and liver sausage.

Lap mei fan is usually cooked and served in a claypot, however if you do not own one, then you can also use a Dutch Oven for similar results (ie to achieve the crispy rice crust at the bottom).

Lap Mei Fan  臘味飯 (Waxed Meat Rice)

Recipe by Baby Sumo

Preparation time: 15-20 mins

Cooking time: 50-60 mins

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
2 pairs Chinese sausage 正宗香港切肉肠
2 pairs duck liver sausage 正宗香港鸭润肠
2-3 pairs Dong guan chiong 正宗香港东莞肠
1 preserved duck leg 正宗香港腊鸭腿
3 cups rice, rinsed
6 cups water
300g baby kailan
Spring onions, finely chopped

For the sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sesame oil

1. Cook rice by placing water and rice in a 24” claypot or Dutch oven.

2. In a pot or wok, blanch all waxed meat for 3-5 mins, then slice at an angle. 

3. When rice is almost ready (80%), arrange waxed meat on top (except liver sausage) and steam over medium low heat for 20 minutes. Add liver sausage and steam for 5 more minutes.

4. Mix ingredients for sauce in a bowl.

5. Blanch kailan for 2 mins in salted water.

6. Allow rice to rest for 10 mins, with cover on. When you're ready to serve, pour sauce over rice and mix well. Garnish with spring onions. Serve with kailan.

You can buy the above-mentioned lap mei (waxed meat) from here: https://shope.ee/1L5ac93W5J

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CNY 2023: Toh Yuen, Hilton Petaling Jaya

Hilton Petaling Jaya Presents ‘Spring Into Abundance’ This Chinese New Year

Leap into a joyous reunion of great feasts in honour of 2023’s Water Rabbit

Hilton Petaling Jaya proudly presents ‘Spring into Abundance’ for 2023’s Chinese New Year season. The year 2023 pays homage to the Rabbit zodiac’s traits of agility and good luck, while ‘abundance’ is synonymous with the festive period. The masterfully-crafted dishes are flavoured with a bold dimension, aligning with Hilton’s core values of culinary craftsmanship and creative innovation.

“From long-cherished classics to vibrant traditional delights with a fresh twist, we invite our guests to enjoy the distinctive experiences curated by our culinary team. It is the perfect time to reunite with your loved ones over our delectable Oriental menu,” said Craig Bonnor, General Manager, Hilton Petaling Jaya.

Toh Yuen, Hilton Petaling Jaya’s signature Chinese restaurant takes the lead with an ensemble of Oriental treasures including reunion set menus and premium yee sang selections which are exclusive to this festive period. Guests will be treated to a plethora of Chef Kelvin’s traditional Lunar New Year favorites that are authentic yet suited to the Malaysian palate.

Toh Yuen’s Chinese New Year highlights include:

YEE SANG SELECTIONS

This year, diners will have a variety of Yee Sang to choose from including the fresh fruit yee sang, soft shell crab, salmon skin and Norwegian salmon. A large portion of yee sang serves six to eight persons and is priced from RM178 nett.

Indulge in Chef’s signature Spring dishes that includes Fragrant fresh tiger prawns with orange sauce, Roasted chicken with almond and butter, Braised fish maw with crab meat and dried scallops soup, Steamed tiger grouper fish in superior sauce, Steamed cod fish with Enoki mushrooms in superior soy sauce, Glutinous rice with mussel and salted egg wrapped in lotus leaf and more.

The secret to Chef Kelvin’s dishes are fresh ingredients and his ‘less is more’ philosophy that gives a clean and enjoyable taste without overpowering the palate and taking away from the main protein. “The main protein like fish, chicken and seafood are carefully selected to ensure it is fresh, which will result in great texture and natural sweetness when cooked and it absorbs the flavours that are added to it with a subtle sauce or something just as simple as salt and pepper,” said Chef Kelvin.

Enjoy meaningful reunions with your friends and family with carefully curated reunion set menus. Available just for the season, diners can choose from three premium sets. These sets caters for a small gathering and for bigger groups as well. Each set features a traditional yee sang, signature dishes, nourishing soup, premium seafood, stir-fries and delicate desserts.

Fortune Set 

RM 2,188 nett per table of 10 persons

Prosperity Set 

RM 2,388 nett per table of 10 persons

Longevity Set
RM 2,488 nett per table of 10 persons



‘Spring Into Abundance’ Chinese New Year campaign will begin from 26 December to 5 February 2023. For reservations or more information, call +603 7955 9122, email PETHI_FB@hilton.com or visit www.eatdrinkhilton.com.

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