BETROTHAL（过大礼）

Time flies, in 4 days' time my eldest girl will be somebody's wife and daughter-in-law.  It is hard to describe my feeling now - happy that she had found a comparable match whom I very much hope that he will be able to go through "thin and thick" with her.  At the same time feel sad as I have lost a child after nearly 30 years of together.

A week before the wedding day, the groom delivered the betrothal gifts to the bride's family on an auspicious date.  The betrothal (過大禮, also known as 納彩) is an important part of the Chinese wedding tradition.  The gifts are often in even number for the meaning of in couple and in pairs. Food items include wine, oranges and jewelry for the bride while jewelry includes gold earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings.

During this exchange, the groom's family presents the bride's family with betrothal gifts (聘礼) to symbolize prosperity and good luck. Moreover, the bride's family receives the bride's price (娉金) in red envelope.

The bride's family also returns (回禮) a set of gifts to the groom's side.  A pair of trousers were presented to the son-in-law by bride's mother to symphonic prosperity. Additionally, the bride's parents bestow a dowry (嫁妝) to the bride.

NEW YEAR GATHERING

It is time for Lunar New Year gathering again. It just seems that it happened not long ago. Time really passes fast.  For the convenience and save time we gathered at NUS Faculty Club for Chinese meal.  It was a disappointment.  Service was inefficient and the food is not up to standard.

We started off with an array of appetizer : potatoes in wasabi mustard sauce; fresh cucumber in chillie oil; cold chicken, jelly fish, fried fish etc

The raw fish salad was a winner

Crab soup watery and bland

Gigantic prawns with tough meat.  Appetizing to the eyes only

Soupy and bland poon choy

Stir fried venison

Bamboo shoots and spinach stew.  Too starchy

Steam cod fish

The yee fu mee was too soft

Cheese cake was creamy

Alveolar with osmanthus sweet soup

Fresh fruits to end the meal

PENANG FOOD

Fine weather plus public holiday send us out to lunch at Penang Road Cafe in Novena Ville.  Finding a parking space was a breeze as we arrived at 11am plus. 

The cafe was simply decorated with photos on wall depicting Peranakan crockery wares.

3 Layer Tea with gula melaka acts as sweetener that gives the tea a lovely fragrance and tasty blend

Fill with lean minced meat & yam and crispy fried lorbak with sweet chilly sauce. 

Best of all, Assam Laksa, with its sweet and sour gravy together with onions, pineapple, cucumber and fish whetting your appetite.  A bit more spicy could draw out the "oomp" effect.   

Penang Keow Teow - Not as authentic as the one eaten in Penang

Nutmeg Juice - A refreshing drink to cleanse palate, perfect company to heavy meal

Prawn Mee in sweet and heavy prawn broth.

Full of condensed milk and bundung syrup with a slight banana scent

A die-hard dessert for DH.  The cendol is soft and fragrant swimming in thin fresh coconut milk and heavy gula melaka syrup, together with big fresh red kidney beans.

Do come early as crowds start pouring in at noon.