Cooking ginger chicken rice by using rice cooker

I had shared a recipe on how to prepare cake by using rice cooker. As I said before, a rice cooker not only use for cooking rice, but also can use for preparing as many cuisine as you want. Now, I would like to share a recipe on cooking ginger chicken rice by using a rice cooker.

Ingredients:

• a little bit salt
• 3/4 cup of hot water
• 1 cup of rice
• 1 and 1/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs (cut into cubes)
• one 2-inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled & cut into matchsticks)
• 3 packed cups baby spinach
• 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk

Instructions:

1. Combine the rice with the chicken and ginger in the rice cooker. 
2. Arrange the spinach on top.
3. Pour the coconut milk into the rice cooker and season lightly with salt.
4. Turn the rice cooker on and the dish will be done in about 40 minutes. (the rice cooker will turn itself off)
5. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork, spoon into bowls and serve.

* To find out more easy rice cooker recipes, please refer here.

The Uses of Petroleum Jelly

I'm sure that you have a bottle of petroleum jelly on your hand, right? Do you know what is it? Do you know the uses of petroleum jelly? Petroleum jelly is a translucent jelly consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons, usually used as a lubricant or ointment. People normally use it to gloss lips, but not only that, it also have many functions.

These are the uses of petroleum jelly:

1. Eject wax from candlesticks.
2. Take out lipstick stains.
3. Remove chewing gum from wood.
4. Remove watermark from wood.
5. Shine patent-leather shoes.
6. Restore leather jackets.
7. Stop battery terminal corrosion.
8. Keep ants away from pet food bowls.
9. Grease a baseball mitt.
10. Mask doorknobs when painting.
11. Keep a bottle lid from sticking.
12. Protect stored chrome.
13. Keep an outdoor light bulb from sticking.
14. Lubricate cabinets and windows,
15. Stop squeaking door hinges.
16. Smoother closing shower curtains.
17. Moisturize lips.
18. Make emergency makeup.
19. Lengthen the life of perfume.
20. Remove a stuck ring.
21. Soften chapped hands.
22. No more messy manicures.
23. Smooth wild eyebrow hairs.
24. Heal windburned skin.
25. Help to prevent diaper rash.
26. No more shampoo tears.

* Reference: http://www.rd.com/home/extraordinary-uses-for-petroleum-jelly/

Where to visit in Taiping?

Last weekend, I had visited to Taiping with my family. Taiping is a developing town which offers an abundance of nature activities courtesy of its landscape - centuries-old rain forests, cooling waterfalls and dramatic mountains that include Maxwell Hill - the oldest colonial hill station in Malaysia, now known as 'Bukit Larut'. Lake garden is also one of Taiping's iconic attractions, the largest park of its kind in the country. There are many historical buildings and heritage landmarks from the colonial era can be observed in the town as the British once used Taiping as the state administrative center.

Below are the attractive places that we had visited:

1. Taiping Lake Garden
    Address: Taman Tasik Taiping, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

  

2. Perak State of Museum

    Address: Jalan Muzium, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

   Operation hours: Saturdays to Thursday - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

                                Fridays - 9:00 am to 12:15 pm, 2:45 pm to 5:00 pm

  Entrance fee: RM 2.00 for adults, free of charge for children below 12 years old and children in school uniform

3. Antong Coffee Factory

    Address: Antong Coffee Factory, Assam Kumbang, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

    Operating hours: Shop/office - 8:30 am to 5:30 pm daily

                                Factory hours - 8:30 am to 12:30 pm (close on Sundays)

Coffee beans display

The former residence of Sun Yat-sen

Trishaw

The coffee factory

4. Spritzer EcoPark

     Address: Lot 898, Jalan Reservoir, Off Jalan Air Kuning, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

 5. Trong Leisure Farm & Resort

      Address: PT 293, Jalan Kuala Trong, 34800 Terong, Perak.

Main entrance of the farm

The cute baby duck

I Love Matcha!

We all know that green tea is a full of health benefits, which can help to lower the risk of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, do you know about matcha? Is it matcha and green tea is the same?  

Actually, matcha is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea. A glass of matcha has the antioxidant content of 10 glasses of regular green tea, and while it has a stronger caffeine punch than green tea. Matcha has become the favorite of pastry chefs and barista because of its delightful shade of green.

Here is the recipe of Matcha Coconut Latte.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of Aiya Cooking Grade Matcha / 1 tablespoon of Aiya Cooking Grade Matcha (with lightly sweetened)
• 1/4 cup of hot water
•  1/4 cup of warm coconut milk
• sweetener (optional)

Instruction:

1. Sift the matcha so that it is lump-free.
2. Spoon the matcha into a large mug. Add the hot water and coconut milk and whisk briskly, in an up and down motion, until frothy - about 30 seconds or so.
3. Taste and add additional water, coconut milk or sweetener based on your favor. 
4. The beverage is ready to serve!

* Reference: http://www.loveandlemons.com/2014/03/14/matcha-coconut-latte/

Making a cake by rice cooker

A rice cooker not only used for cooking rice. Now, let us start to make a cake with the rice cooker!

Ingredients:

• 300 g of self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons of white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 375 ml of milk

Method:

1. Place flour, sugar and eggs into a bowl and whisk together while adding milk at a little at a time until all ingredients are incorporated.
2. Pour the cake mixture into the bowl of rice cooker and set the rice cooker to cook. If your rice cooker is an automatic rice cooker, you may need to push the button down two to three times until the cake is cooked.
3. Cook until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean or the cake has a smooth and dry surface. This should take around 20-25 minutes.
4. The cake is done and ready to serve! You may serve it with your favorite toppings such as ice cream, maple syrup and etc.

* Take note:

    Don't open the lid of the rice cooker while it is cooking. It is just like opening the oven when you are cooking the cake. It will let all of the heat out.     

A Visit to Qin Xin Ling (清心嶺) Leisure & Cultural Village, Ipoh

This leisure and cultural village is the latest tourist attraction in Ipoh of Perak. It just conveniently located 10 minutes away from Ipoh town. It is close to nature and best place for relaxing. This place offers plenty lake side and outdoor activities such as bicycle riding, barbeque, fish feeding, camp fire and etc. Variety of colorful old-styled chalets, Suseiki Hall, camp fire place are also available, which suitable for individual and corporate functions where corporate events, catering services, team building activities can be organized here.

The beautiful scenery at Qin Xin Ling

The lake

Old-styled chalet

e

Chalet at lakeside

Old-style pavilion

Tricycle 

The visitors also can walk up to the hill along the stone steps. On the way, there are a lot display old times shop on  the left side part.  

Love message

Old times child use

Address: No. 22, Persiaran Pinggir Rapat 5, Rapat Setia, 31350 Ipoh, Perak.
Opening hours: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Entrance fee: RM 4.00 for each person
More information:
Official website
Facebook

What to Do in Semeling, Kedah?

Semeling is a small town near to Sungai Petani and Merbok, Kedah. This humble town had become famous with their cheap price food and beautiful scenery. Many people would go for street food - satay, 'lobak', porridge and also fried fish noodle. It has recently been put on the tourist map of Kedah for street art which painted on the walls of the back-street of the town. Now, let's us see on what should do and what should eat in Semeling!

1.       Enjoying the famous food

Satay

Fried fish noodle

Fish porridge

Address: Robert’s Stall (Kedai Kopi Nam Hooi), Semeling, Kedah.

       * Satay stall is outside of the shop.

2.      Taking photo of street art

 

3.      Sightseeing on paddy field

4.      Visiting Semeling Jetty and mangrove forest

Semeling Jetty

Mangrove trees