One Pot Meal

With domestic helper on three (3)weeks off, easiest way to cook a one pot meal instead of dining out and could no

t figure out what to eat.

I have over the years did not cook Bah Kut Teh at home ever since employing muslim domestic helper. 

Bah Kut Teh aka Chinese herbal soup cooked with pork ribs or chicken and seafood including vegetables. I have chosen pork ribs and 3 layer pork with slight fats and top with squid, prawn, fish maw and button mushroom.

Surprisingly, younger son looked glad to note that I was cooking this one pot meal. Elder son was commenting that it was tasty as good as Klang restaurant and requested me to cook more often.

Here you go for the recipe that enough for 5 persons:

1 packet of A1 Bah Kut Teh herbs
Pork Rib - 16 - blanch first
Prawn - 6
Squid - 2
Fish Maw
Tong Kwai - 2

Just follow the instructions at the back of the A1 herbs but I did reduce the sauces required and did not put salt.

Quantity of ingredients depend on your preference.

Boil the ribs till tender before adding fish maw, finally squid and prawn.

Company Trip To Bandung

It was year 2014 the last Company trip that we had but after the implementation of GST, there was a slowdown in business and we have stopped going for Company trip.   Our Company trip this year 17-20 March 2019 to Bandung was planned in March with air tickets booked with Malindo and tour with local agent  in Bandung, Bandung Holiday Tour.

We arrived at Bandung Airport at 1.20 pm for 4 days 3 nights tour. After custom clearance and taken our baggage, off we went for lunch.  We were allocated a coach for 31 pax with our headcount of 24 pax. However, we need to walk to the parking bay which is 500 meters away as the bus was not able to pick us at the front of arrival hall as the airport is small.  Luckily we were provided with 2 vans (fit for 13 pax each ) and 1 car for our departure to airport.

We were staying at 4 star De Java Hotel, quite a good hotel even though the breakfast varieties not much or suitable for us.  Paris Van Java Mall was just opposite the hotel. A huge mall selling branded stuff with ice skating rink, cinema, aviary and lots of restaurants.

Day 1: (L, D) for 21 persons

- pick up from Husein Sastranegara airport
- lunch Ritstafel
- Rainbow waterfall
- Bamboo Village
- dinner Kampiun

- check into the hotel

3 persons (Ms Ng's family)

- pick up for 3 persons at Husein Sastranegara airport

- check into De Java hotel

Day 2: (B, L, D) for 24 persons

- breakfast

- Farm House

- Tangkuban Perahu volcano

- lunch Balibu   

- Maribaya hot spring
- Floating Market
- Fashion World factory outlet
- Rumah Mode factory outlet
- dinner Bale Gazeebo

Day 3: (B, L, D) for 24 persons

- breakfast

- White Crater
- Tea plantation (photo stop)

- Strawberry Farm
- Glamping Lake side
- lunch Sawung Gawir
- The Outfit factory outlet
- Terminal Tas bag outlet
- Heritage factory outlet
- Bandung's largest cake shop
- dinner Capt Seafood

Day 4: (B) for 24 persons
- check out of the hotel
- transfer to Husein Sastranegara airport

The tour fare already includes:

- full air conditioned transportation with driver

- English/Malay speaking tour guide (day 1-3)

- accommodation at De Java Hotel (4-star): 12 Double Superior Rooms + 1 extra bed
- free breakfast at the hotel for 24 pax

- Mineral water per day per person

- 3x lunch and 3x dinner (for 21 pax) & 2x lunch and 2x dinner (for Ng family 3 pax)
- toll, parking, fuel,
- entrance tickets to Maribaya hot spring, Floating Market, White Crater, Farm House, Rainbow Waterfall, Bamboo Village, Glamping Lake Side

- retribution to local authorities at all tourism objects
- Husein Sastranegara airport to hotel return transfer
- private tour as above

The tour fare excludes:
- any personal expenses or any expenses other than mentioned above

- entrance tickets & any charges at Tangkuban Perahu volcano

- any tour activity on day 4
- extra charge for early check-in or late check-out

As our foods were served on table before we arrived, few of us had food poisoning which we had highlighted to travel agent to ensure that restaurant will only serve upon guests arrival.  

Overall it was good only that certain places you may wanna skip such as Rainbow Waterfall, Maribaya Hotspring, Fashion World Factory Outlet.  We did not have enough time thus The Outfit Factory Outlet and Terminal Tas Bag Outlet.

Just before you entered the airport on departure, head to a shop selling Bolus Susu Lembang, a type of cake which is good.

Simple Recipe - Sweet Sour Crab

Whenever we chanced upon crab selling in the wet market, we will definitely buy if is looks fresh.  

Toast some bread, that is what my husband will says. Because he loves dipping the toast bread into the yummy gravy.  

Is not difficult at all, believe me, you can cook this Sweet Sour Crab as good as what restaurant is serving.

Ingredients

4 or 5 flowers crabs
Cooking oil
Minced thumb size ginger
12 tablespoon Blended chilies ( dried chilies, small onion, garlic)
2 tablespoon Taucheong (bean paste)
8 tablespoon Chili Sauce
4 tablespoon Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoon vinegar or to taste
1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
Water
2 Eggs

Method

Heat up wok
Put in cooking oil
Follow by ginger
Once ginger fragrance, put in blended chilies, stir till cook
Add Taucheong
Put in Chili and Tomato Sauce
Then vinegar and sugar
Put in Flower Crabs
Add Water Gradually to have the thickness of gravy that you want
Lastly 2 eggs (note: this will thicken the gravy)

Simple right? Enjoy!

Renewal of Domestic Helper (Maid) Work Permit in Malaysia

I have been doing my maid permit renewal on my own without going to agent to save on some costs that we need to pay for their service.

My agent has quoted in year 2018 for permit renewal at RM1,369.00 with breakdown as follows:-

Levy RM620

Fomema & Insurance RM331

Service Charge RM318

Special Pass RM100 (in case maid permit expired, do extension to avoid compound)

Note: Insurance is optional but I have covered under Berjaya Sompoo at RM70 per year with details below

Personal Accident - Death RM15k

Permanent Disablement RM15k

Hospital and Surgical Expenses RM3k

Repatriation Expenses RM4.5k

 

 

I have listed below the steps for renewal:

MAID PERMIT RENEWAL

Step 1

• Register online at Fomema - https://portal.fomema.my/
• Passport expiry must exceed next renewal permit expiry date (if not renew passport first)
• Validity for Fomema results is within 30 days for you to proceed with immigration 
• Email Fomema at cs@fomema.com.my or call them 03-27828777 if you face any problem.
• Fomema check up is required for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th year. If you are renewing for 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th year, fomema check up is not required.

Step 2   

• Once you have registered with Fomema, you will receive email for registration ID to proceed with immigration.       
• Input Details of Maid and Employer as per passport details 
• Choose Panel Clinic Near to you - best with xray facility
• Before you proceed to on panel clinic selection, you may want to call up clinic for    their clinic code for fomema purpose to ensure the right selection.
• Make payment online via FPX total RM191.00 + 6% GST
• Print check up slip 

Step 3

• Bring maid to panel clinics registered together with passport and fomema slip.
• Ensure that you maid is not having her menses, preferably days after her menses or before her menses
• Results should be out within 5 - 7 days. 
• Check the fomema online. If results released, you will notice "Suitable, please proceed to immigration.

·          

Step 4  

• Register MYEG  at https://www.myeg.com.my/ (note renewal can only be done 3 mths prior to expiry)
• Make online payment amount to RM610.00 (Pass charge RM60.00, Visa Charge RM15, Levy Charge RM410, Process Charge RM125).
• As informed by MYEG staff, process will take about less than 2 weeks
• You may select collect at MYEG or send to your delivery address Home/Office
• MYEG Dispatch will call up before delivering as he will need employer thumb print and IC before affix the permit sticker on your maid passport
• You may authorize someone by letter to hold your maid passport to collect the permit sticker in case you are not available.

2.          

Short Vacation in Vinh Phuc

It was already 8 months ago the last I blogged.  I remember it was the period I started busy with helping my husband to set up another company for his friends.  As he is away for four days on business trip, besides working from home, I have time to clear all my fillings, do some spring cleaning, reading Robert Kuok's memoir, yumcha with a nearby friend and here I am writing my blog which is more like a journal for me to remember.

Wonder where is this Vinch Phuc ?  This place is an hour from  Noi Bai, Hanoi International Airport. Vinh Phuc is a mountainous province at Northwest of Hanoi in Vietnam. In the Northeast of this province, you can visit the mountains of Tam Dao, home to Stone Church, Thac Bac waterfall and Buddhist monastery Truc Lam Tay Thien.  Dai Lai Lake another attraction is actually inside Flamingo Resort and you need to pay entrance fees which we decided not to as it was quite expensive and we just want to take a look of this lake.

With only 4 trading power in RCI, not much resort or country I could choose to utilize it and to avoid extension of this or combination of this trading power that incurred more cost, I have to settled this as travel period till 30 June 2019 before the trading power expired.  As it was recommended by Anna of RCI that this FLC Luxury Vinh Phuc Resort is nice, I have reluctantly agreed to this with 30% discount on the exchange fee for a 4 nites stay.  Not sure of what to expect but just a short couple getaway is fine too.

The resort arranged for my airport pick up which cost VND600,000 approximately USD26 for an hour drive to the resort. Return trip to airport cost VND500,000 (USD22).

This place is so huge with beautiful landscape, an aviary, indoor outdoor pool and kids playground, spa, massage, karaoke, tennis court, a peaceful temple and eco farm with vegetables, banana trees etc.  Just eat, pray and love for a relax vacation. Sit besides the lake to admire the black and white swan and flowers, trees of the beautiful landscape not forgetting chirping sound of birds to de-stress is all you need.

Upon arrival, never expect that my RCI booking was not in their system. Nevertheless we were served welcome drink and was given a room while  they sort out the issue. We took a buggy ride from reception to our hotel room.  They have Villas too. Room was large with comfy bed and clean bathroom complete with complimentary wifi, coffee tea and mineral water.

A car with driver for whole day tour to Hanoi (1.5 hours away) or Tam Dao (1 hour away) can be arranged by them which cost VND800,000, approximately USD35.

Royal Restaurant at the resort serve varieties of local, Asian or Western food.  There were few staff that could speak English and all of them were very helpful and friendly, taking care of our needs.

No regret that I have chosen this resort for a short getaway.