Pig innards congee (猪杂粥) is a common delicacy in Canton-based Chinese community, i.e. Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau, and some parts of Malaysia and Singapore etc.
Pig innard congee, takeout from a shop in Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur
The pig innards congee in Hong Kong is a bit different from those we have in Malaysia. The pork innards (liver, kidney, intestine, lungs, stomach etc.) in Hong Kong are normally cooked fresh with the congee, whereas in Malaysia the innards are pre-cooked and seasoned before adding into the congee.
Both style has its pros and cons… but the essence of the congee is with the rice porridge itself. The smoothness and thickness of the congee is often more dictating than the pork innards. The one I had in the photo for example was a bit too watery.
Chinese and some other Asians are quite accustomed to this dish, but westerners might take this as one of those bizarre food adventure.
Vietnamese have quite a unique way to prepare their coffee. One of the most popular coffees is the ice-milk coffee (cà phê sữa đá) which is also popularly called the ‘drip coffee’ by travellers because of how it was brewed… like this and this.
Didn’t manage to drip the coffee myself when I was in Hanoi in July 2008; the cafe I visited served the well-prepared drink instead (photo above).
My sister who tried some coffee in Hanoi prior to my visit told me that the Vietnamese coffee was stronger than common espresso… can’t agree on that, at least not with the one I had. A decent glass of coffee though… smooth, thick and rich.
The Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games has officially ended. Set aside a few controversies, it was a job well done by the Chinese organiser in running the event. Kudos for that.
The closing ceremony was ok for me; nothing much different than the opening… visually pleasing but not heart warming. I am a bit worried for London though; their short appearance last night was quite bland.
Beijing Olympics will be remembered as the Olympic with greatness. Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt obviously stole the spotlight… a few other personal favourite winners include Yelena Isinbayeva, Guo Jingjing, Zhang Ning, Roger Federer, Matthias Steiner, Japanese softball team and Argentine men soccer team etc.
It has been a wonderful event, but I am glad it has finally ended. The Olympics had taken away too much of my working (and sleeping) hours for the past two weeks… plenty of catchup needed now.
It’s goodbye to Beijing, and hello to London in 2012.
Phở (pronounced like ‘fuh’) is a traditional rice noodle soup and one of the most iconic Vietnamese food. Pho is normally served as a bowl of flat-rice-noodles in beef broth, with some beef slices or other options like tripe or chicken etc.
There are a few variations of pho depending on the regions in Vietnam. The pho in Hanoi is called phở Hà Nội or phở bắc (northern pho), which is normally served with green onions; whereas the middle and southern regions are using some other herbs with the pho instead.
A new found friend brought me to one of the locals’ favourite to try the pho when I visited Hanoi in July 2008. The place is Pho Thin, located at 13 Lo Duc St.
The restaurant was packed on the Saturday morning. The customers were sitting shoulder to shoulder while some others lining up for their seats. It’s not difficult to understand the crowdiness after tasting the pho, because it was really good.
The rice noodles were smooth and chewy, and the broth was rich in flavour despite looking mild and clear… and their chillies were nice too. Simplicity to its best, worth recommended.
Water puppet show (múa rối nước) is a famous traditional Vietnamese art with more than 800 years of history. The art is a unique heritage from the Red River region in northern Vietnam.
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A Chinese banquet is normally held during special occasions, like weddings, new year, festivals, or sometimes a family gathering or business meeting. A typical Chinese banquet will have 8-10 dishes on its menu.
Some photos of a Chinese banquet, taken during my family dinner at Kok Thai Restaurant in Ipoh, Malaysia last weekend…
The appetiser, or the ‘cold dish’ in Chinese, is often the indicator of how good the restaurant is; the food presentation is vital and sometimes more important than the taste
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The Old Quarter of Hanoi, as its name indicates, is one of the oldest area in the city. The Old Quarter is famous for its streets that are packed with century-old shophouses specialising in a particular trade, such as shoes, bags, toys, medicines, metals, bamboos etc. The speciality of each street is reflected by the road names.
A shop selling kites and other paper crafts at Old Quarter
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The St Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi was opened in 1886, a year after the French colonial officially occupied the country of Vietnam. The cathedral still holds mass twice daily and is probably the most famous church in Hanoi.
The text below the statue reads Regina Pacis, which if not mistaken, is the Italian words for Queen of Peace… an alternative title for Virgin Mary.
