Chinese New Year 2008

No matter how busy you are, Chinese New Year is always the most important festival that you can't possibly miss. After a year long of hard work and hectic lifestyle, this is the time when you wouldn't mind taking the most expensive flight back to your hometown to celebrate CNY with your love ones. In our case, we paid double the usual price for our flight tickets, which I think were worth every single cent.

My mum is an excellent cook. We have always known that since young. That's why all three of us love cooking as well, which I attribute it to the genetic traits in us. As far as festivals are concerned, my mum will always cook up a table full of flavoursome dishes. Shark's fin soup is a must to the Lee family, partly because my dad's family runs a seafood business. In addition to that, braised sea cucumber, abalone with kailan in oyster sauce and steamed big fat kampung chicken are some of the dishes that I would expect every year. Ironically I would never complain even though we eat the same sort of dishes every year. Nothing beats sitting down at the round table and gobbling down the delicious food with the rest of the family.

A long awaited reunion

The fact that all three of us are residing in different countries made this trip long awaited yet fulfilling.

My elder sister E took up the responsibility of caring and staying with my parents in Sabah after she graduated from dental school. Although she took a year to venture the KL city right after graduation, she finally decided to return to our hometown, where my parents and our relatives live. Now a happy wife and a mother of one, she owns a busy dental clinic where she finds satisfaction and achievement, especially when all her patients walk out of her clinic with a generous smile.

My younger sister A has been away from home since the age of 16. Currently living with her doctor hubby in Melbourne, she is determined to become a real chef by taking up a Patisserie course. Her creations of french desserts are absolutely gorgeous and mouth watering. With delicate hands like hers, I always wonder what other magic she can whip up in the kitchen.

As for myself, after slaving for few years in a restructured hospital, I finally left the brutal war zone to enjoy what life is like with a bit of flexibility. Leaving all the baggage behind as a medical officer in the hospital, I realised life is not just about emergencies and sad endings. Community health care is indeed what we encounter everyday and patients can be a happy bunch of people. I am glad that I made the choice of coming to Singapore after med school. This is where I met my lovely husband and started a new chapter of my life.

Due to our hectic schedules and difference in seasons and holidays, three of us seldom meet up. Even if we try our best to return home during holidays, we are always short of one person. If it wasn't for A's ROM, I couldn't imagine when would be the reunion.

Here are some photos of the happy couple on their ROM day and my little nephew who loves to be the centre of attention.

My version of Uberburger

I've tried all sorts of burgers in my life, but my favourite is still this unpretentious Uberburger that I created myself, with the help of Nigella Lawson's recipe.

Having read the reviews on how delicious but pricey the real Uber-burger was, in a small cafe tugged inside the forever quiet Millenia Walk, I decided to give it a try...even though it was priced at $101, for it's Wagyu beef and foie gras ingredients, it's sure worth a try. Maybe just once. However, the moment I decided to make my way to the cafe, the owner sadly announced their closure on Straits Times Life!, blaming IMF-World bank meetings which was held next door at Suntec City. Although I was unable to savour this legendary Uberburger, I was determined someday, somewhere, someone will come up with a good recipe and open another restaurant that serves gourmet burgers like this. Maybe the same owner again.....

My version of Uberburger is simply delicious and express. It's most suitable for those who love chunks of meat in their diet, but still want to declare themselves as healthy eaters by adding one or two pieces of greens and tomatoes. I added a sliced of grilled aubergine and sauteed mushrooms, with a dash of dijorn mustard to give the burger a bit of moisture. With the beef patty, simply mix together beef mince, chopped onions, chopped mushrooms, corns, plain flour, seasoning and finally crack an egg to hold the patty together. Lightly grill the beef patty on both sides, stack up your burger, and here you go a scrumptious meal for two.

Here are some of the photos of the burgers that I have tried.