Date:  Jan 18, 2020

This photo was taken Jan 23, 2012.  8 Years ago.  Look at all those adorable kids.

And now, you see how the kids grew up.  Now, I feel like I have additional 7 adults (no longer small kids) came for the reunion dinner.

So, no joke, my Pen Cai 盆菜 have to be bigger.

Just one day before, I called up my friend.  I need another wok.

And without fail, the iCook wok was delivered.

At first I was thinking to cook 2 pots of Pen Cai.

But then, I realise the different betweent the iCook 2012 wok vs. iCook 2020 wok.

WOW.

I felt like my problem is solved.  I will still cook one pot of Pen Cai, but using the new Wok.

You can add anything into the Pen Cai.  Anything you like, and you think it will go well.

This is my way.

Let’s get ready.

I need one hour to slow cook the Pen Cai.

Put in all the radish, pumpkin, carrots.

Leeks and fish maw.

The dried scallops, dried oysters, lap cheong, dark liver, and our favourites century eggs.

The sea cucumber, tau pok.

The pork muscle, and tau kua.

Mushrooms.

Fatt choy and the fu zhuk skin.

Just cover everything la.

The bok choy.

The prawns, the pork leg, the abalone, and siew bak (roasted pork).

Every angle you take the photo, is different.

Hmm… looks ok liao.  Quite up to the top liao.

Don’t forget to put the juice from the braised abalone new into the pen cai (2x cans).  2-3 pak of the Swensen chicken broth.  Sesami oil and abalone and oysters sauce.

This year, I added in this for decoration.  The pork leg.

My wife was cutting and tasting her Aquaponics organic figs (无花果)… should I?  no la.  May not go well.

And I decided not to put the fresh Abalone too.  Although can cook for the last 5min.  But I think it will be hard.  So, nope.

So, this is the final look before I shut the cover.  I added in the Japanese mushroom we brought back from Tottori.

1-hour later.

Without fail, the Pen cai of 2020.

While we were out marketing in Clementi mall.  Jay was working on his CNY dish.  I asked him to make the Boeuf Bourguignon.

So, after he finished his school work, he came back home and prepare it.

If you miss that Jay Can Cook post, here it is again…

https://miniliew.org/2020/01/04/jay-can-cook-boeuf-bourguignon/

When I came home from Clementi Mall, he already done with the preparing and slow cooking it.

Oh, we don’t have the big button mushroom, so he took my steamboat mushrooms.  Not bad.

He was getting rid of the beef bloods floating on top.

Oh… he added 2 pieces of Ox tail.  No wonder so much blood.

Good job Jay.

2-hours later.  Let’s see how is his dish.

Fabulous.

Add in some garnish.

It is small bowl, but very tasty.. very beefy.

Well done Jay.

My mom loves it.  What makes her so happy is to see one of his grandson can cook like her.  hahahahaha

My mom used to cook this for me when I was young.  So, this is our version, and it is nice.

Since Jay is at the kitchen, Jay, you handle round 2 of the grilled scallops.

Washing the Hokkaido big scallops.  (Sashimi grade).  Means, no need to cook so cooked.  Half cook half raw is good.

Firing up the torch.

So, while cooking, I was talking to him, chit chatting.  Hahahahaha

There are skill using the kitchen torch.

Your ears need to be listening to the cracking sound of the outer skin of your scallops.  Your eyes must look at how they burned.

And he learned a valuable lesson today, this torch is no different then the Chemistry lab bensen burner.  So, which area of the flames is the hottest??

So, I slowly moved his hand close to the scallop, then away from the scallop, and he saw it himself.  Arh…. now he knows.

The tip of the blue flame.

https://maggiemaggio.com/color/2011/08/fire-ii-color-and-temperature/

Truffle oil.

Torch it once more.

My sisters asked their sons come and learn from Jay.

Now is the plating.  Not only you must cook good food.

Not only he must learn how to cook, he needs to learn how to do the plating.

Painting job with Thousand island sauce.  I said mayonnaise, but I think he likes to use the Thousand island salad sauce.  Bo-pian, chef make the call in the kitchen.

Very focus doing it.  And you know how many eyes watching behind?  hahahaha

Now add the caviar.

This one get from NTUC.  Very useful in adding salty flavours to anything you grilled without adding salt.

OK, painting job need improvement.

But overall not too bad la.

And the final touch.

And here is the nice picture of the grilled scallops.

Simple to do.

Then, Jay told me, his school mates says he cannot cook.

So, I simply said anytime, as you your school mates to come to this kitchen and do a challenge.

Or go to Miniliew.org and search for “Jay Can Cook” keywords.  Don’t be shy to show them your chicken rice, your creme burlee, the Sago, the beef, etc.

At least you are allowed to touch my knives, and wok and my kitchen torch.  Show them your breakfast eggs.. hahahahaha  And your coca cola braised pork leg.

Next, let’s cooked a chicken meal.

Plenty of gingers.

And there you are.  My steam chicken.

Cut cut cut!

First I went to Don Don Donki @ Jem, I could not find it.

Then, I went to Don Don Donki @ Jcube.  I found it.

My wife said “Ken, don’t buy additional fish!”

So, I only bought this.  Because I scared if added in the salmon sashimi, it will fill up 10-20% of my guest stomach.  Hahahahaha and we don’t want that.

My first lo-hei of 2020 is about to start.

Let’s take a photo first.

OK, not too bad.

First Lo-hei of 2020.  Huat ah!

Hmmmmm… This year, we ordered Hai Di Lao 海底捞 steam boat delivery.  That should be the main dish.

It is almost 7pm.  And it has not arrived.  Let’s start to eat other things first.

Pork Leg bee hoon.

Pen cai.

Jay’s beef stew.

Vinegar Pork leg.

I almost forgot about my chicken dish.

I have to remind every one to eat only 50%.  Fill in 50% of your stomach.  Because the main dish is coming.

Around 7:00pm sharp.  As promise Hai Di Lao sent over all the steamboat ingredients.

We take 20min to set it up, boil the soup.

And powerful ingredient 登场.

Just in case you want to know how big is the Argentinian deep sea prawns.  That is my hand at same level.

Defrosting it.

And you eat them RAW!  yeah.

Fresh Hokkaido Abalone.

Again, the size against my hand.

Next is this red prawns.  Looks like it is cooked.  But it is not.

This one also don’t know from where.  South Atlantic sea.

Also taste nice.

Scallops.

Also sashimi grades.

Japanese Hybrid Beef.  Don don donki ran out of the Hokkaido beef.

I got 5 packs of these.

3x packs of the pork.

And my fresh hiroshima oysters.  Can eat fresh raw too, and add in the Yuzu soya sauce, Perfecto!!!

Hokkaido Pork balls.  Very 弹口 Q-Q.

Let’s take a birds eye view video of the steam boat.

Let’s start.

You see those eggs.  It is also sashimi grade.  Can be eaten raws.

The ma-la and the seafood soup base.

Another type of self made soup base.

All the sauce.  They provided almost 10 sauces, and we added in a couple.

I want a prawn.  Peel for me.  hahaha

See, my mom, quietly eating there.  Food must be good.  hahahaha

And of course, it goes well with my Hibiki.

The rain stopped.  So the kids runs up to the roof top and play.

Time for family photos.

This year, we must take nice nice photos.

OK, Kay, you have a lot of actions.

This is the best.

The siblings.  Sisters and brother.

My elder sisters and her family.

My second sister with her family.

My younger brother with his family.

My family with my mom.

And my mom with the 12 grand children.

All grown up.