Stir fried Chinese Cockles

After a few years of not eating cockles (also known as clams or pipis), I finally had the opportunity to cook some stir fried Chinese cockles last night. It is very hard for me find fresh cockles for sale in South Australia. Residing in a country town in regional South Australia has made it even harder for me to find these beauties. During my recent trip to Adelaide, I managed to find some fresh cockles for sale at a pretty reasonable price. Immediately, I decided to satisfy my craving and buy some cockles to make some stir fried Chinese cockles.

This stir fried Chinese cockles recipe is modified based on a recipe I found at http://madamkwong.com. I did not measure the ingredients as I made the dish based on my instincts and adjusted the taste while cooking.

Stir Fried Chinese Cockles

Stir Fried Chinese Cockles

Ingredients: 

Approx 500g cockles/clams/pipis
3 canned pineapple rings (cut into cubes)
1 tbsp fermented soy beans, crushed
3 pips of chopped garlic
1-2 tbsp plum sauce
Dash of sweet/hot chilli sauce
1-3 sliced dynamite chillies/thai chillies
Some water and diluted cornstarch for the sauce
Salt and sugar to taste  

Method:

Heat frying pan with some oil. Add in the sliced chillies and chopped garlic. Fry until garlic is slightly golden in colour. Add the plum sauce and chilli sauce. Then add in the canned pineapple. Put some water in the pan. Season sauce with salt and sugar. Then thicken slightly with diluted cornstarch (a mixture of cornstarch and some water). Lastly, throw in the cockles/clams/pipis. Adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding more water, diluted cornstarch, chilli sauce, salt or sugar.

Cook until the cockles/clams/pipis shells are opened. This means they are cooked. Do not overcook as cockles/clams/pipis get cooked very quickly.

There you have – Stir Fried Chinese Cockles.

Australian Day Celebration

After living in Australia for a few years, my husband and I finally decided to attend an Australian Day Celebration held on 26 January 2013 at Lake Bonney, Barmera, Riverland, SA.

The event started very early in the morning – about 6.30am. Being a heavy sleeper, it was quite difficult for me to wake up so early in the morning to get ready. Nevertheless, with clear determination, I managed to get to the event on time.

While I got ready for the event, I was doubtful of whether there was going to be a huge turnout of people at the celebration. But my doubts proved me wrong when I reached Lake Bonney, Barmera where the event was held. I was surprised to see so many elderly people, dogs and some children surrounding the event grounds. This showed their great level of patriotism and love for the country.

It was a beautiful and sunny morning that day and everyone, including the dogs and children were enjoying themselves. The morning started with a Celebration Walk followed by free breakfast for all.

The breakfast was scrumptious. The breakfast menu was bacon and egg sandwich, hot pancakes and coffee. I ate a bit of everything.

Volunteers frying the eggs for breakfast

Bacon and egg sandwich

Hot pancakes with honey

After breakfast, there was a speech by the Mayor of Berri Barmera Council, Peter Robert Hunt.

The entire Australian Day Celebration was held overlooking beautiful Lake Bonney, Barmera. The view of the location was picture perfect.

It was a pity I could not stay longer for the Australian Day Celebration session as I had to get back to work that morning.

Caroline Poh

The Best Ice-Cream I Have Ever Tasted! – Marvelous Cream

Although my gourmet adventure during my most recent trip to Singapore was rather shortlived as I was constantly craving for Malaysian food all time, there was one thing that I ate in Singapore that I will always remember– the wonderful ice-cream I ate at Marvelous Cream!

The food in Singapore is basically the same as the food in Malaysia but Singapore food taste a tad different from Malaysian food. I guess with my Malaysian upbringing, my taste buds are more accustomed to the local Malaysian food taste.

I discovered Marvelous Cream ice-cream by accident when I went to a food court at a shopping centre for lunch. The queue to the Marvelous Cream ice-cream stall was so long that I couldn’t help but join the queue. That was it! After just a bite of Marvelous Cream ice-cream, I was totally blown away by its impressive unique flavours. At Marvelous Cream, you actually get to choose the type fillings you want to put in your ice-cream and watch the waiter mix the ice-cream with your chosen fillings on a cold stone in front of you.

Marvelous Cream was established in 2005 in Osaka, Japan and it offers great tasting premium ice-cream to its customers with over 40 toppings to choose from. It is a franchise and it has set its outlets in different parts of the world.

A firm believer that good food should always be promoted, that’s why I am writing all about this ice-cream. I do hope that Marvelous Cream will make its way to Malaysia because I am longing to have another 'bite' when I’m back in Malaysia.

Marvelous Creme anybody? =)

Marvelous Cream ice-cream

Outside Marvelous Cream