Sambal Prawn

For those of you who knows me, prawn has always been a favourite of mine.

Since school gave us a day off today, I decided to cook something I have not. Went shopping that day, after a whole good month of staying home due to coronavirus. Le hubby has been doing the shopping.

SO I did! Sambal prawn!
https://www.malaysianchinesekitchen.com/sambal-udang-prawn-sambal/

This is the recipe I used - My new house kitchen is still a little limited. I had to resort to using some substitutes. Heh. The actual cooking, I used the below.

4 dry chilies, 

4 cili padi (deseed), 

half brown onion, 

3 cloves garlic, 

1 bay leave,

30ml water - blend everything above. 

 

400g prawns peeled, deveined and cut into small pieces.

 

Heat 2 tbs oil, dump the blended paste, add 1 tsp tomyum paste, fry until fragrant.

Add juice of half lemon, stir - done!  

It was surprisingly good. Le hubby gave it a thumbs up and made me so proud of myself. Given that I am almost 30 now and this is the first time attempting something like this, something I would eat in Malaysia. 

This is the outcome....

Soup on the side is BKT. Leftover from last night meal. :) I am learning, baby! Yes, I am!

Say what?! Who jumped the queue and got into a club?

Heh, yes. You read right. I got into the club, skipping the queue. So this was what happened...

Let us start from the very beginning of the story..
Placement has ended and what time is it? PARTY TIME! =D So Esther bought herself a ticket to MU and UoM joint postgraduate ball with the theme: The Great Gatsby.

Yadayada, 27th September came, got all dolled up and went out in a 3.5 inch heel. (Yes, i can still feel the panging pain thinking about it) There were live bands and performances. The dances just made me want to pick up dancing again. Will definitely do that next semester.

After party: Mr.A was so eager to go and we were all sooo tired by then. But due to the chinese customs of "give-face-ness", we went anyway. So Mr.A was so much further front, walking up to the queue to secure himself a space in line, and Miss.C, Mr.C and I was taking our time walking slowly and somehow decelerated to a speed of 0m/s at the front of the entrance where the bouncer was. All of a sudden, this happened:

Bouncer: Hey, you want to get it?
Esther: Erm, (looking up to scan for sign of Mr.A but nowhere to be found). SURE! :)
Bouncer: (Lifted the metal chains) there you go.

So yeah. The second time Esther was in a club and already she got in the express way. =P

Alrighty, I feel the need to clarify, clubbing is definitely not my scene. I do not know how to dance "d__t_" which is usually how girls dances in a club. And my first experience wasn't a great one either. But this is a story I could relate to my future kids I guess, when they are at the age when they will be not called kids anymore anyway. =)

Now, got to compile those teaching portfolios and start on my assignments since it is spring break! =D Bye for now.!

Love,

Esther

2013 Semester 1 break

Yes, I have survived one semester of Masters of Teaching. It has been good, I like it. Passed all the units and it is time to prepare for the next sem. Before that, let us review what I did this sem break.!

Hmm, I am not sure if I blogged about this but I spent the first week finishing the shows how he final available season 8 of HIMYM (finally) and also the three seasons of GOT. Well, there is nothing that much to say about them. HIMYM, funny as always, GOT is something I don't usually watch but I think I like it, not how visual or specific it can get but the storyline. It shows how human can be so cruel, power craving and misusing authority when they get it in hand. Will not spoil it for anyone but have tissues prepared when you're up to season 3 episode 9. *that is all I'll say*

Places I been:
I went to brisbane for the National University Age Conference. It was very rewarding. It was painful in terms of finance cause I had to fork out the money for the conference. But it renews my vision. Life and Building! I actually asked to have 1 fruit this year. HAHA. Its been about 3 weeks after conference? I don't think I have made enough changes in my lifestyle to be conducive for the fruit to bear. Gotta do something about that. *SOON*
I went to hanging rock, with the bunch of HS. Ahh, nice kids this bunch.
I went to Lakes Entrance with the unimelb friends. Ahhh, they lovely people. Drove up and down 8 hours in total and the in between places driving. I think total up to ~13 hours of driving for the three days. It was painful. But really, i enjoyed myself very much, despite the little tension among the attendees probably at the beginning due to strangeness. Photos to do the talking. :)

Friend of mine got me to start watching Packed to the Rafters. I like it. The story is very realistic and depicts real family problem really well. That brings me to the next post.! Stay tuned!

Yours truly,

Mini Explosion in Lab?

I don't know if i said this before, but this semester is crazy for me. Oh right! I posted my timetable eh? If you haven't had a chance to look at it, let me tell you. I have 3 practicals every second week and 2 every week. What is practical? They are experiment. What comes with experiments? Reports. What comes with reports? Pain. 0.0 I am actually serious! At least 2 practicals every week. So, back to the title. Last week practical was to synthesize 4-tert-butylphenol. Had to start by mixing tert-butanol and concentrated HCl in the separating funnel and shake it. Pressure will be building up in this funnel so you got to let the air go? So that is where it went wrong.! I couldn't turn the tap to let the air go. It was sooooooo tight! Then boom, went the cap. Mind you, it is concentrated HCl we're talking about. Lucky we did it in the fume hood. The guys around was just like. "Wow! Cool! Look at the HCl eating away the metal." I was like:"... ... ..." Stunned. Too shocked to do anything. -.- But our demonstrator Timmy was kind enough to put my soul back into my shell. So i had to restart the experiment. Had to be careful next time. Note to those who will be using separating funnel, before putting anything in, just make sure the tap is alright to turn. It will safe you so much trouble, and probably your skin too! Next experiment would be on Thursday. Another organic experiment. Wish me luck~

Other than that, i also wanted to let you guys know about what i heard from church past Sunday. :) Forgiveness versus consequences of crime. So in the bible, there are so many cases of forgiveness. Joseph with his brothers, Jesus on the cross, etc. I am not a preacher man, i could only remember this 2. The message i took home the other day was: forgiveness need time. If you're reading this, and you have someone to forgive in mind, its okay if you can't right now forgive that person, because it is not easy. Forgiveness has a few steps to follow through. (Just remember to reach to that end point, forgiving with your HEART) And if you are here reading this and have a friend that needs consoling, NEVER! I repeat. NEVER tell them:"its ok, just forgive and forget for now." Because to them it might not be okay. Yes, forgive and forget is a good thing. But if you were to rush this process of forgiveness, ultimately it won't be something that comes out of the heart. But just the empty words of "I forgive you". So, like many other things in life, don't rush forgiveness. :) One more thing, repentance and forgiveness doesn't necessarily go in line. We forgiving people, should not be dependent on whether they repent or apologize. So here I am, I forgive you, but the consequences of your crime, you still have to carry it.

Right, so now, i'll move onto the pictures! Look at this one below. I've not watch because its horror but even just the poster like that, made me remember it vividly. -.- And why is this here? Read on!
This mushroom totally reminded me of that poster! Look at it! It has the same evil smile. I ate it. :P
So, the third practical i have every second week is a biology practical. I am doing a first year biology subject! It is called genetics and the evolution of life. So, first practical the other day was to isolate DNA from E.coli. The tube below contains DNA! HAHAHA! Fun stuff!! But i've got to say this: bio students are so much more stuck up than chem students. I haven't touched bio since form 5? That is 4 years ago? And i felt so lost in the first prac. Worst part is, no one seems very helpful. I am not making this up! Example:

E walks up to A and ask: Hey, could you tell me how to....?
A: *quiet and did own things*
(after a solid 7 seconds which felt like 100 years)

A: Oh, you talking to me?
E Looks around and made sure, THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE AROUND!!! -.-

And what else, oh! in bio lab, you don't have to tie your hair. WEIRD!

Rules and regulations: No gloves allowed. (?????) Yeah, so WEIRD!! LOL.
Musical during lunch time makes me a happy person, I wanted to join in too. Then the guards came.!! I'm pretty sure there is no rules against singing during lunch time!!!
So, this is the sad part of the week. :( I need to wake up at 7 from now on. Just to get a car park. Not cool. :(
But after sad stuff, of course it will be another brighter day. Absolutely love KIDS! They are soooo adorable! Pediatrician it is!
Joni birthday was on Sunday! I made her a card! Nice? Hehe, she is a very nice girl who is super hardworking and can work through tons of article without any problem. So i went and took the time to translate her name into different languages. :P I feel i did a good job.
That is Joni and I. :) Sleepovers are sooooo fun!
Yui - Again. (Check out the original singer, cute one she is) This is what you get, being a good friend. Token of appreciation.! Thanks! :D Apparently, it says something like: Thanks for your kindness in my hard times, i am determined to become stronger.
Missed me? :) I was really tired.

I held a lit cigarette in hand!

Yes, that is the most interesting story of my week. I really did hold a lit cigarette in hand. O.O Did i try it? No. Am i a good girl or what? :D So i was with a friend, and due to privacy issue, the name could not be disclosed, but we will name her "A" for now. So, A told me to try it cause i was staring so intently(mainly cause i don't have many friends who smoke and i can't stare at smokers stranger when they do, I'M CURIOUS OKAY!) A passed it to me and i took a picture of it. :P But nope, i didn't smoke. Basically these were the thoughts running through my mind: "its just one puff, nothing will happen." "My poor alveoli will suffer blackening coloration." "I got to try it at least once?" "omgosh lung cancer, NO!." so i stopped there and didn't take it!Mexican fish. Check out more pictures on google! DAM COOL! haha
Next, oh yeah, as i said before i now have Max yeah? This is him! So sexaay! :P
I blackened the number plate. :P

I also went swimming during the week. How unfit i am! I thought i was unfit but didn't know that it was in the extreme levels? Swimming here, they have lap lanes where you get to choose to do fast, medium or slow lane. So being the "i know my limit" esther, i went onto the slow lane. Gosh, i couldn't even swim the first 50m continuously. Had to dog paddle over halfway through. 0.0 It was that bad. After that i was so sore i couldn't even lift my hands. But, good exercise. I had fun. Thanks Nikki. :)

Coming up just a bunch of random photos taken over the week. I am so tired this semester, there is hardly time to breathe. So i am not really gonna sort out the pictures. Pardon me. (I find people who use pardon me super gentleman! Like, seriously, i know it is just another way of saying I am sorry. But pardon me.)

My phone is pretty good, so read this i think the last reply was the funniest! Love it! haha
Treat for the week long work. Strawberry fruit mix with rainbow jelly. Yum yum. Not too sweet. :) and of course captain america! Ratings: 8.5/10. Cause the guy is so cute!
Crystallizing dibenzalacetone.
Alex with his esteemed crystals.
I finally have a pic of me holding baby Kaelyn.!
Saw this on uni grounds. Possums are cute aren't they. :P
Read it! HAHA. credits to roseanne who got it off tumblr.
Nice waitress at bob's in glenny understand what its like to have a photography addiction! :P

New limited edition cherry ripe. Yummy!

This is my pretty third sister, Lizzie. We make pineapple tarts over the weekend! Request from me or else you won't get any. :)
People who are close to me know that i have a bad hair fall condition. Well, seems like its starting to affect my eye lashes too.!! NOOOOO!!
Lesson to learn: NEVER SPREAD THE ICE-CREAM ON PANCAKE! You're suppose to cut the pancake and grab a little ice cream and send them to your mouth as is!
Oh right! I have a dream, it was in a studio apartment setting where i live alone, at that time i would be a working lady. Hopefully i own one in the future. I always wanted a studio apartment. I thought it is SUPER COOL to own one. Then, someone rang the doorbell and I had doughnuts waiting for me.! Jam filled ones. HEHE. Glazed are fine. But Jam filled ones are the BOMB! :D This is my dream as of 9/8/2011. Just a self-reminder if i come across this post again.

Yours truly. :)) It has been a cold couple of days.

Okay, so this embarassing thing happened to me awhile ago. You know how some gfs tell each other: "GIRL, I LOVE YOU LONG TIME." Well, i come to find out that it is something prostitutes use. I should really not use that phrase anymore. Just say i love you, (name of fren). *just to be safe*

Comments reply: @ng wei jien: I am using froyo 2.3 now. :)

@Rebecca: Yes i put it on myself, but was just at home and was feeling.. "ai mei" haha. erm, san jie gave it to me, just wanted to try it out. It took so long to dry! Not dried even after 5 minutes, smudge it accidently after that and thought, aihh, nvm la. then shower d. HAHA

Max, my baby.

So, it is the time of the year again, start of a new semester, beginning of the endless assignments and readings. But honestly, if you asked me to choose again, i would still choose to go through uni, because this is when i'm given another chance to make friends, grow up and learn to be independent. So, if you read my previous post, i left it at something going to happen last Saturday. What could that be? :O I stay in a South-East suburb in Melbourne. Takes an hour to get to the city from the closest train station, and 15 minutes drive to get to the closest train station from home and another 15 from station to uni. That is my uni life. But at least now i can drive myself to the station. :O WHAT? ESTHER GOT HERSELF A CAR? Yes, that is what I did last Saturday. I went and look for cars, and on Tuesday 26/7/2011, Max officially became my baby. Unfortunately, i do not have a picture of max right now, but i'll try in the next post, to introduce you fellow readers to max my baby alright? :)Transferring him under my name.
Dealing with the insurance. Okay, big news out of the way, now we have what is going on with Esther's life?

Kaelyn and Pris was discharged from the hospital on Thursday last week. Yes, last week. We got to let Einstein be nice to her, so.. sniff sniff sniff. Settle down.. WIN! :) Baby cry lots, but when Esther yiyi is asleep. I am so sorry, i can't hear u Kaelyn. Mmm, as y'all already heard, it is start of semester, this the first week. Timetable for me was a mess. I got to go version 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 only then i got my timetable finally sorted! 0.0 It was soooo troublesome with the allocate system. But now, it is all good and my timetable is just down below. :D If you can't see properly, i am doing 2 chem subject, 1 bio and 1 biochem. For the first time in uni, i have a purely science subject semester. Lord, help me please, your grace is sufficient! For some reason, my picture came out sideways. But this here is my timetable.

I saw this somewhere this past week. "If it isn't happy, it isn't the ending." How cool is that! Sit back, think about that for a moment. How wonderful is that saying. Heh!

So i was reading song of songs, this repeated many times. "Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." Life lesson straight from the bible here people, take heed!

Last saying before i move on to random pictures. :P "Friendship are gifts." We should treasure every one of them. If you are curious about how friendship changes life or how it can help you in sticky situation, click here. I trust you will click and read the whole passage, cause it is, as Sheldon would say, according to the friendship algorithm, an obligation that friends help each other in times of need. Well, this isn't exactly a time of need, but if you do click that and read it, i would very much appreciate it. :D

Moving on to the random pictures! :D

Saw Simon Baker and Blake Lively (Serena in GG) in train!! :P
Jacoons in Zara. Just for the fun of it! :D Oh, Zara here is over-rated. Malaysia had Zara for a few years already, this is the first Zara in the whole of Australia.
Happy Birthday Joel!
Esther's first time cooking an actual meal! Ginger chicken with veg. :)
Of course, it always ends with a picture with yours truly. Notice the corner of my eye! I tried on something new! :P

Last Week of Holidays before start of semester!

I am not sure if i posted this picture before, but all i want to say is... I have been feeling like this lately. Super tired all the time. -.- Its not like i don't get enough sleep, i DO get enough sleep, but i just get tired so quickly and feel like energy is constantly drained out of me. *wanna say FML but decided to say OLJ* :D Well, this morning when i wake up and walk outta my room, my legs turn jelly all of a sudden and wow, i crashed onto the wall, backwards. I think it could be the coffee yesterday, maybe my body has no tolerance of caffeine. I don't know for sure. Or maybe!! It is the lazy sickness again! i don't know!
I'll start with the life lesson of the week. :) (reminder to self as well!)

Basic manners 101: When someone agree to help you with something, finding time to fit you in, because you didn't tell them in the first place what was going on until the last minute, please, be considerate and not lengthen the time of which you need them to help you with. Like i said on twitter, YOU are not the only person on this earth and the world doesn't need to revolve around you. Everyone is equally important. So please, tell me if you have problems once you see it, i would love to help out.!

Adult relations 101: Healthy relationship is to be able to speak the truth in love. (M.Connor, Citylife, 2011) Some people have huge ego and just can't say the truth. Learn to be humble people! Like how Jesus was humbled and give all the Glory to God the Most High. "Let us talk it through."-Good. "Let's not talk about it for now until I am a little calm"-Good. "Let's not talk about it ever again."-Bad.

So you get it? Easy stuff eh? :D

Oh! Besides that, i learn a way to say something that doesn't sound pushy.

"I'll be here if you need someone."

Great isn't it! You didn't promote yourself as the only person to contact, but if the person you said it to needs someone, you will be there. USE IT! :D

So i finished another book and now am doing some Japanese self study. Hopefully that works out? Haha, it is not easy.. 0.0 Saltwater moons 5/10. Not a very nice read, except towards the end. Practice practice.

Good news: My sister gave birth to a healthy 3.15kg baby girl. Pictures below and on FB! :)Tall, double eye-lids, fair, big eyes, fine hair, shaped eyebrow, long fingers and toes, nicely shaped nails. So gonna grow into a beautiful young lady.

Over the week, someone doubt the sincerity of my compliment. But when i compliment you, 99% of the time I am being truthful! When i say good job or WOW! excellent! or o wow! that's cool! I really mean them all! But if i don't like what you're doing, you have to be careful. :P Cause depending on how much of a friend i think you are to me, i will tell you how i feel. If i don't say anything at all, it means i don't care what you do. :) So, remember this: it is only cause i care that I am telling you how i feel.!

Next, if you are too free and have nothing better to do, go to urbandictionary.com and look up for the meaning of "ceebs". Then LYAO. :P

When Esther see girlfriend puts hands in boyfriend's coat, Esther's stalker mode on! Granted, it IS a very cold morning. :)

The rest of the week, i pretty much just meet up with friends and.. meet up with friends. Pictures below.

My birthday present to myself, was EPIC. Seriously, epic! *speaking of which, thanks for those who gave me present! Much much much much much.. appreciated.*
Trying out clothes and not buying them, that is what you do when you have no money. Huhu.
Boy, go by Ian these days. Nice seeing you brother! RMBR to go to church! Don't be lazy!
Lovelies, cacao green. :)
SL and I.
We were helping a friend move, right to left, XL, LK, Jos and I
Went to docklands for 4D motion thingy and ball game. HAHA
Mister birthday boy and I. Have a good stay in Melbourne!
Something may happen this coming Saturday. Pray for me. I don't know what to do. Lastly, yours truly (with a hat she took when helping to move). :)

~Peace of God transcends understanding~ *thx Dee*