This was quite an interesting experience.  In HK, Hakka food is most definitely Chinese food.  Here, it's taken an Indian twist!  We were the only Chinese customers in the restaurant!

The menu had a spicy edge to it; there were many Szechuan dishes.  It wasn't that the dishes weren't good; it just wasn't to my pallet.  The spices were too strong for me and the dishes; although Chinese in appearance; did not taste the way I expected them to.  

I learnt from a recent conversation with a Sri Lankan zoo volunteer that there's a sizable Hakka presence in parts of India and Sri Lanka and the Hakka food there has been tweaked to suit their tastes; it would come across as being spicier.  

The restaurant does appear to be quite popular with south-Asians and the fried noodle dishes seemed popular choices.  However, this place wasn't for me. 

Below on the left is the spicy crispy chicken.  On the right is a stir-fried curry vegetarian noodle. 

There are many different flavours and food specialties of China! There's Szechuan's spicy food, Guangdong's dim sum; Yunnan's noodles; dumplings of Northern China...And tonight, we had Chiu Chow (Cantonese pronunciation  also known as Chaozhao or Teo Chew.  They're known for their pickled cold dishes and oyster omelettes and oyster rice congee. 

I haven't had a lot of Chiu Chow food here in Toronto; and it isn't because there are few restaurants catering to this Chinese cuisine.  I think the family just seems to mainly stick to Cantonese restaurants.  

Anyway, just for spontaneity, we decided to go try Chiu Chow Boy.  On this day, it wasn't too busy and the staff and service was prompt.  The owner and his friends or family was also there enjoying a big dinner.  I was watching the dishes brought to their table...Huge tureen of soup, large dish of crabs...Their dishes looked very tasty!

The oyster rice congee was flavourful and I do enjoy the broth the rice is steeped in.  Unlike Cantonese congee where the rice turns into a white paste-like texture; Chiu Chow congee is really more like rice in soup.  Mom doesn't really like it as it's in this in-between stage of rice and congee.  I however, do like it.  It's warm and soupy and filling. 

This was the best!  Stir-fry fish noodles!  It's got a chewy, dense texture.  The shrimps were a bit on the small side but the vegetables had a nice crunch and paired well with the noodles.  Overall, excellent!

I have Asian food very frequently; so today, we decided to go for something a little different and went to Gourmet Malaysia on Sheppard Ave. in Scarborough. 

Just reading some of the names on the menu brought back memories of my first two years in HK; when I worked with many teachers from Singapore and Malaysia.  I frequented Singapore and parts of Malaysia then.  Those were good years; everything was such a novelty for me!  The food was so different from the usual Cantonese cuisine I eat....Bak Kut Tai soup, Nasi Lemak, Nasi Goreng, Laksa Noodles, Mee Gorang, Bee Hoon Noodles, Beef Randang, Indian Rojak, CNY treats like Love Letters and Pineapple tarts, Kek Lapis and other sweet delights like pandan chiffon cake from Bengawan Solo. 

Fond memories of Singapore and Malaysia include enjoying curry crab and cereal prawn at Clarke Quay; hot ginger milk tea at kopitiams (cafes), slurping drinks out of plastic baggies, staring at the majestic Mt. Kinabalu and knowing I wasn't hike that thing, magical evening boat rides admiring fireflies, gorgeous sunsets while sipping cocktails on white sandy beaches...Learning about the Peranakan (descendants of Chinese and Indonesian/Malay people) in Georgetown...Perhaps one day, I will get to go back and visit some old dear friends. 

But today, we at least have Malay restaurants to enjoy, right here in Scarborough.  The place serves Halal food and is spacious.  I believe there are regular evening dances or karaokes.  The customers are varied and on this day, there were Westerners, Muslims and Malays and the table next to us with whom we chatted to; Malay-Taiwanese.  It's good to see a healthy mix of people...Everyone enjoying a diverse range of foods. 

It was a little late for lunch so the place wasn't too crowded and the service was prompt.  There were lots to choose from but the Gado-Gado, which was like a cooked vegetable dish with a satay or peanut sauce was lovely and a great alternative to cold salads.  The curry chicken with coconut rice was tender and flavourful.  There are quite a few interesting dishes that caught my mind and will definitely come back another day to sample them. 

Asians are known to be big tea drinkers but I've noticed on this trip back to Toronto that a tea-drinking culture is striving in Toronto.  Plenty of gourmet tea shops have sprung up with very pleasant fusion blends of east meets west.  Coffee is nice; my HK milk tea is nice but a soothing cup of clear tea is best when one is feeling a bit under the weather or simply when one desires something lighter on the tummy. 

But Ten Rens Tea Time goes beyond simply selling teas...They offer dishes; Taiwanese-inspired, featuring tea ingredients.  Frankly, I don't really taste the tea in the dishes though the dishes are tasty.  For $15.99, you get salad, soup, main dish, side dish, dessert and a drink.  I quite enjoyed the seaweed/tofu soup, the chicken cutlet and the two desserts (green tea mousse and caramel egg pudding).  

The seating environment is pleasant enough and I do enjoy the slightly old-fashion Chinese decor but the Adele music being played somehow just doesn't fit the match.  The crowd tends to be young...Younger then later it is with the Taiwanese snacks and bubble teas being the more popular food and drinks orders.  I generally find bubble tea houses to be overpriced...It's mainly flavoured milk powder drinks with sago; but is a nice alternative to coffee if all you want is a place to mingle and chat with friends. 

Deciding on a quiet afternoon at home; we re-heated some egg tarts (flaky ones of course!) and made home-styled milk tea.  Whilst the English have their teas and scones; we have our milk tea and egg tarts or pineapple bun with butter.  All very yum to me depending on the mood. 

Mom has found that the use of two whole red tea teabags together with condensed milk helps create the richer colouring and texture of cafe-ordered teas.  Though not exactly up to standard, it's a close second. 

Recently, we went back to Red Tea Street Cafe (previously blogged) and we each indulged in a cup of their tasty tea.

Rice rolls...Another one of my favourites.  I love them plain, I love them stir-fried with chili sauce, I love them stuffed with meats or shrimp or with a crispy doughstick...I even love the Vietnamese ones. 

I just have to share a few choice pics I found via Google Image.  I'm hungry just looking at them!

Rice rolls weren't regarded as classy food; made with watery rice water; a scoop was poured over heated bamboo slats and covered with a lid.  In minutes, a solid hot rice sheet was made and rolled up, chopped into pieces and served with condiments such as sweet sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce and a sprinkle of toasted sesame.  Restaurants roll scallops, shrimps or meats into them and serve them with some sweet soy sauce thereby elevating the lowly status of the rice rolls.

One small shop in HK specializing in rice rolls got an honourary mention by Michelin and since then, it's almost always busy and difficult to get in. 

At my recent trip to New York, a delicious little restaurant was found tucked inside Chinatown.  The rice rolls with liver and the rice roll with tofu was so good, a repeat visit was needed.  But this yummy thought coupled with a delicious spareribs and rice roll claypot sampled at the Miliken Bar & Restaurant inspired the below recipe.

After spending a good few days in New York; my low-carb diet went out the  window.  Running around, enjoying cheap thrills and eating burgers, cakes and  coffee have left me feeling guilty.  I did find a couple of nice cafes/restaurants but now that I'm back, it's time to go back to basics. 

Asians eat congee when feeling cold, blue or under the  weather.  It's warm and soupy texture makes it perfect for colder days and is truly enjoyed year-round (except when I'm in Hong Kong on a typical hot, muggy summer day).  I guess it is sort of like western porridge or oatmeal though it's just for breakfast.  Congee can be had any time of day.  I like it best on cold winter afternoons or late-night  snacks. 

But here is yet another difference I share with my sister  (I'm thinking paricularly of Bamboo Girl #2 here); I find it interesting where I would gravitate to congee as comfort food and she would probably choose chicken noodle soup.  One late night, she called for late night snack suggestions and I immediately thought of congee, rice rolls, wonton noodles and the likes.  She came back with McDonalds; not to say I didn't mind munching on a few french fries but it left me thoughtful about food choices and how it is a reflection of our characters.  I'd say my family is quite muliculturally diverse when it comes to food. 

But about Congeetown in Scarborough; now this is my kind of place.  For less than $5 you get a huge bowl of congee, enough to feed 2-3 people depending on what other dishes are ordered.  I had one of the most typical version of congee today, Lai Wan congee.  It's a mixture of squid, pig's skin, shredded lettuce, a bit of meat and topped with spring onion and a bit of roasted peanuts. 

Now I know I talked about cleasing the palette with a simple rice congee...But seriously, one cannot have congee without something crispy to go with it.  Usually, I go for the deep-fried doughsticks, or sweet cruller.  But today, Rice-noodle covered doughsticks and minced beef caught my eyes. 

The minced beef tender and flavourful but the fried dough could have been a bit crispier.  It came sprinkled with toasted sesame and small dishes of soy sauce, sesame sauce and sweet sauce.  Although it was interesting and tasty, I think I prefer having it separately...Rice Rolls with Fried-Doughsticks and Rice Rolls with Beef. 

Fushion food is fun...You get mix-matched items and the pairings can be endless.  It either suits your personality or not...And since I'm a 'Bamboo Girl' (mish-mesh of Western/Asian upbringing) fushion is me!  Though I must say, of the three bamboo girls in this family, I am probably the one who would most often opt for asian fare...Give me a HK-styled milk tea over a latte any day!

Perhaps more accurate to describe this as Hong Kong-styled breakfast; it usually includes or a variation of: choice of eggs, choice of breakfast meats (ham, luncheon meat, bacon or sausage), toast and bowl of soup noodle (Macaroni or vermicelli with ham, satay beef or minced pork with peserved vegetable.  This all gets washed down with a hot drink, lemon tea, coffee or Hong Kong-styled milk tea. 

Pros: Very filling breakfast at around $5-$6.00.  Much cheaper than a western brunch and healthier than a fast food breakfast.  Love the mix of dry, salty food (eggs and bacon) with a soupy noodle (this is the Asian side of me coming out).  Love milk tea!

Cons: My pet-peeve...They use the word 'sausage' but it's really hot dog wieners which leaves me disappointed.  Places that serve this food tends not to be a place where decor and comfortable seats are priority.

But here at 'Made in China', the place is relativey clean and they've got some interesting bird cages going on as their ceiling decoration.  The booth seats are much too wide to eat comfortably though and we changed to regular tables/chairs.  It's an interesting restaurant; it shares the kitchen in the back with their sister restaurant next door, a Korean BBQ.  Made in China is a hot pot lunch/dinner restaurant but they're clever to draw in the morning breakfast people.  The staff are young and can be a bit abrupt but I'm here for good food and value. 

So, first day of no-carbs diet....I LOVE my breads...Crusty, fragrant and with a good bite.  This whole day, I kept feeling something was missing.  Had a handful of home-toasted cashews to have something to chew on.  Thankfully, mom keeps and array of fruits in the house.  There's apples, oranges and a few Asian pears.  What you see in the pictures, for those not familiar with Asian fruits, are dragonfruits (the bright pink skinned one) and longans, which translated means dragons' eyes.  

The dragonfruit was introduced to me when I moved to Hong Kong about 10 years ago.  They're big and hefty and like watermelon, great for quenching thirst.  They're bright pink on the outside with green leaf-like petals. When I was visiting Malaysia, I saw purple dragonfruits. Looked the same on the outside but once you cut it open, there's this shocking bright magenta colour.  But, for all their prettiness, dragonfruits can be a bit bland at times.  I heard that many Asians eat it as part of their diet plans; kind of like how we eat grapefruits here.  I phoned mom to tell her I've discovered where black sesame comes from...From dragonfruits!  Too which she chuckled and said 'No dear'. 

Longans and lycees are similar.  There's a shell on the outside, juicy white meat on the inside with a seed in the middle.  Longans are smaller though, about the size of a cherry.  You need a little patience to eat them but sweet and tasty and well worth the effort. 

So, with all these pretty fruits around me, I hope my carb craving can be abetted somewhat.  And I also have the cashews we made for munching.  

Mom saw raw cashews on sale and decided to toast her own; thereby controlling the amount of salt added to the nuts; saves money too.   For the amount she paid for all these cashews, you would only be able to get one tub of the toasted variety.