Miscellaneous Series 3

Trying my hand playing with the zooming effect of a wall...

Sunset Series 5

ISO 400 Aperture f/5  Shutter 1/100

ISO 400 Aperture f/3.5 Shutter 1/30

ISO 400 Aperture f/4.5 Shutter 1/60

ISO 400 Aperture f/4.5 Shutter 1/125

ISO 400  Aperture f/3.5  Shutter 1/250

ISO 400 Aperture f/3.5  Shutter 1/320

ISO 400 Aperture f/5.6  Shutter 1/3200

ISO 1600 Aperture f/5.6  Shutter 1/4000

ISO 800 Aperture f/5.6 Shutter 1/4000

ISO 200 Aperture f/5.6  Shutter 1/1600

ISO 400 Aperture f/5.6 Shutter 1/3200

ISO 400 Aperture f/5.6 Shutter 1/2500

ISO 200  Aperture f/8 Shutter 1/800

ISO 200  Aperture f/8 Shutter 1/3200

Today's sunset wasn't that great. Can't seems to get the golden sunset as what i had hoped for, nevertheless it was quite worthwhile to wait patiently for the sunset as it unfolds the beauty of the clouds !

And i was trying my hand on various shutter speed, ISO and aperture, hence it gives different feel to the outlook. Please click the pictures to see more clearly....

Mud Crab Series 2

Hmmm.... yum yum

Final product

Coated with egg white

Ready to go into the steamer

Egg white

Add green peas powder & mixed well

Add crab meat unto the minced pork

Add fry shallots

Fry till golden brown (slow fire)

Shallot

Cleaned crab shells

Semi-lean minced pork (color is much pailer as it contains fat)

Lean minced pork

Crab meat

Shallots

This is another way of cooking mud crabs, one of my favourites ! More work involved though, ie peeling/chopping the shallots then fry it, crush the white pepper (from white pepper corns) till fine, add a little bit of salt, 2 tablespoons of green peas flour, and mixed the minced pork (lean & semi-lean pork) together with the mud crabs meat that i've peeled the other night (which i stored it in the freezer) & freshly sliced shallots . Once thoroughly mixed, placed it into the crab shells & steam it for 30 minutes.

I'm not sure the muslims can eat mud crabs or not (as its 2 alam - ie. staying on land & in water) but if thats not a problem, then perhaps can substitute the minced pork with minced chicken. However, please note that i've NOT personally tried it with minced chicken though.

Ingredients :

1. Mud crabs - 3.3kg 

2. Lean pork - 1kg

3. Semi-lean pork - 300g

4. Finely crushed white pepper - approximately 2 teaspoon

5. Green peas powder - 2 tablespoon

6. Egg white - 1 or 2 (depends on the size of the eggs. this is to brush it before steaming)

7. Shallots- finely sliced (mixed it with minced pork)

8. Shallot - finely sliced & fry it till golden brown

9. Olive oil / sunflower oil - to fry the shallots

Method :

1. Mixed the minced pork (lean & semi-lean). The reason why i used semi-lean minced pork so that it'll have the "springy" texture.

2. Add the mixed minced pork with shallots (fresh & fry), salt, green peas powder, finely crushed white pepper and mixed well.

3. Put all the ingredients back to the crab shells & coated with egg white.

4. Heat the steamer till boiling point then put the crabs in the steamer & steam for 30 minutes.

Shave Ice

Top it with syrup made from gula Melaka

Shave ice is a wonderful dessert especially when you consume it during hot weather ! Whether is cendol or ice kachang , it's a welcome sight to see the stall selling it when you're under the hot sun shooting!

The cendol that i tried was superb! There are so many varieties of cendol, i opted for the original; ie without the pulut, jagung, etc and it cost RM1.50 (for take away). This stall also sells  Rojak , looks not too bad but i'm not sure how's the taste though.

Merlin - Book of Magic

My niece Jas recently won a contest when she watched the Hallmark Channel Programme. The prize : a very nice, intricate & exquisite carving jewellery box made of pewter ! Is not that big but is rather heavy for its size & best thing about it , it's magnetic!

I love the castles ! Check it out the carvings & you'll know what i mean. Look at the details & please click the pictures to see it closely ...

Mud Crab Series 1

Crab roes

Male

Female

I love mud crab.  There are so many ways of cooking it. From the most simplest way, ie boiled it whole & dip it with soya sauce + garlic (one of my favourites as it doesn't involved too much of cooking). Or you can fry it with chillies / marmite /butter, etc. As long as one is creative enough in cooking, the ways are endless.

How do you determine which one is male & female ? Look at the pointed shape belly (male) & half moon shape (female). And if you're lucky, the female ones might carry the eggs/roes which is orange in color. It tastes yummy !!!!

Click the pictures to enlarge it and check out the roes! More to come ....

Inukshuk

Recently my buddy came back for a brief visit & she bought me a souvenir (which is simple & nice - i love it ! ) from Vancouver, a handmade structure called Inukshuk. 

According to the info, Inukshuk is an Inuit word meaning "In the spirit of Man". These man-like structures have many different meanings : a signpost for travelers; a place where food has been stored; a memorial to an important event; or as an aid in hunting Caribou. When asked why build an Inukshuk, the Inuit might reply : to let people know we were here. Today the Inukshuk is seen as a symbol of friendship by the Inuit and their fellow Canadians.

As Vancouver is going to host the 2010 Winter Olympics (February 18 -28), Inukshuk can be seen every where in Vancouver.