Alcoholic Konyaku Jelly

Its to be my weekend cooking project. It started with me looking online for Tiramisu recipes cos last weekend ate with sister and dad at Gloria and didnt like the taste. Geoky doesnt know what it should taste like and doesnt know how to judge a good one. I told her I also dont know.

So during my free-er time somewhere on Thur, I was surfing online for Tiramisu recipes and watched 2 youtube videos on making it. So after writing down the steps, watching the videos. During a long lunch on Friday, we headed to IMM and I managed to buy the lady's fingers, vanilla essence and also bought the Plain instant konyaku powder cos I couldnt find the unflavoured ones in the supermarkets near my place. Brought those home on Friday. Then on Sat morning, before guitar lesson, I walked over next door for breakfast and also bought the Mascapone cheese, cream and cocoa powder. Kept them for the cooking on Sunday.

Last night, after reaching home and resting up, I started on the Alcoholic Konyaku Lychee Jelly. Decided to use Absolute Vodka and Bols Lychee Liquer from my alcohol collection. Tried out the jelly first on Sat night cos the tiramisu needs more work on Sun morning.

Digressing a bit, Friday's night of steamboat dinner was great. Really eat until damn full. Peanut sauce with spring onion and chinese parsley, sesame seeds and bits of garlic is heavenly. Ate so much meat until I was bloated. I felt like turning vegetarian on Sat and ate simply. Also ran to the toilet on Sat morning 4 times to clear the intestines. Its not food poisoning but really all the food digested and body wanted to get rid of it. Its been a long while since I've gorged so much food in a sitting. Dare not step on the weighing scales. Definitely going to gym today and think the whole of next week, I shall continue to eat soupy and plainer stuff.
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Alcoholic (Vodka+Lychee Liquer) Lychee Konyaku

Ingredients: 2 cans lychee, Vodka and Lychee liquer, 1100ml of liquid, 250g pack of unflavoured konyaku jelly powder. Enough to make 32 jellies with some extra.

Use all the lychee syrup from both cans, about 600ml. Then add in 500ml of water. I was afraid that it would be too sweet. So though the usual recipe was to have a total liquid of 950ml but I decided to up it to 1100ml. My first try I used 1200ml (300ml syrup) and actually its alright. Second try I used 950ml (1 can syrup).















Heat in a pot and stir until all dissolve. Then I used the time to line the moulds with a single lychee each. Then poured 2 moulds with the konyaku jelly. This batch is my extra and will bring to workplace for collegues. The good thing is that my family wont be forced to eat too much.

The remaining 2 moulds, I used a combination of methods of infusing the alcohol in.

Tried 3 ways of mixing in the alcohol.

First I scooped out a bowl full of konyaku jelly and added in, 2-3 table spoon of Vodka and 2-3 table spoon of Lychee liquer. Then mixed them and spooned the mixture into an entire mould, about 8 jellies.

Secondly I added about 1-2 tablespoon of Vodka and Lychee liquer to infuse 4 lychees to absorb the alcohol in. Then I poured half the mould with konyaku then put in the alcohol lychees and covered the other half with more konyaku. Made 4 jellies.

Then lastly I filled half the mould with konyaku, then spoon in about a tablespoon of mixed Vodka and Lychee liquer then cover it with konyaku, a layered method. Made 4 of those.

The final remaining konyaku, I added in alcohol and mixed and put into a bowl.

All of these went into the chiller.

Had a taste testing today. I delayed a bit cos I needed to eat breakfast before I tried them. I really like the Alcohol mixed in and the Alcohol layered ones. The jelly is sweet enough and tastier than my other 2 batches. In the layered batch, I could taste the alcohol as I bit through. Esp the Lychee liquer. The one that didnt work out is the Alcohol infused lychees. Just taste normal.

After eating one of each plus one more of the layered, I felt a bit wozzy. Guess I am very generous in the alcohol used. Plus I ate an extra lady's finger from the Tiramisu making, dipped in leftover (coffee with 4 tablespoons each of Kahlur and Caramel Baileys), I think I am a bit high at the time of this post... Better go drink water after this.

Trading Lesson - To sell or hold in face of some profits?

At least 1-2 weeks back, the stock market went up. I was sitting on some profits, around 15% of the capital invested for one of my counters but I didnt want to sell cos I wanted to get about 22% cos though percentage-wise, seems high, the absolute amount of the profit is not that much, several hundred dollars. Then shortly after, it started falling... Monitored the whole of last week and it kept falling until the price that I had bought it at..... Now waiting for it to rise again...

Just managed to sell off another counter (trying to apply the lesson below)

Trading lesson:
IF I had sold off and reaped the profit. Then when it went back down to the initial price I bought, I can buy back again and wait for the rise. BUT since I didnt, it has now gone back to the initial price I paid for AND I have to wait for it to rise again. Now the outcome in both decision is that I would still have to wait for the price to rise. But in the first scenario, there is profit realised and sitting in the pocket. Can even channel back the profits and then buy slightly more lots cos can use profits+capital.

But the other counter-argument is that ONE never knows, IF after sellling, prices shoot up even more. It becomes a scenario of selling too early and actually reap lesser profits. So that's the other scenario that can happen, everytime prices of your counter start rising and you are sitting on 'paper profits'.

For my case, I am still trying to find a balance between WHEN to sell for profits to reap during downtrends and when to hold during uptrends. But again, I havent utilised any trend tools unlike my dad. A bit too busy with current schedule to do extra. Would work about it slowly. But for now, I use my familarity with the price range to make a gague of when to Buy-in and Sell. Not the best way but so long as dont make stupid decisions, should be fine with the capital protection and retention. Making a good decision of which counter to buy is way more important than when to buy and sell into an unknown counter.

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Tomorrow Tab and I have somewhat decided to go for Steamboat dinner around Chinatown area cos on my way home on bus, I saw a whole row of steamboat shops open up there. The weather is also making me yearn for soupy stuff. I dont mind a place where I can sit and talk and eat for a longer duration. Think it'll be good. The last time I ate steamboat (excluding Krynnder's New Year Steamboat dinner) was several years ago with Tab at a steamboat at Bugis area. Already just the thought of eating steamboats makes me look forward to dinner tomorrow. Think I will drink lots of soup.

Plus assignment is cancelled for today and Sat, so that freed up time enough for me to Go to the gym, though I have cca today cos tomorrow going to eat a lot and practice guitar. Moving into lead guitar playing and its not easy. Especially trying to let the fingers run around on the frets. Need to practice more or else I'll be left behind in the class. Its bad enough I am one of the slowest there already... Some things I just dont get it that fast. Well I console myself that I am gradually getting better IF I make time to practice enough and think of the Music theory in terms of which notes on the strings, the positions to press. Need some more memory work.

Last time I 'game' until so late

Oh Sat, on the return journey back from Downtown East, I opened up this Bar Oasis Lite that I downloaded in my Touch. Actually is a bit of role-playing as a new bartender. The good thing is that it comes with certain recipes, so I dont have to carry my heavy cocktail book next time. Anyway I got hooked and downloaded the full version that I played until quite late on Sat evening.

Sunday was spent also playing until lunch time. Then I dabaoed another Astons Double Up Chicken (which I had promised not to eat again)... but its for brunch, so it was filling indeed. Geoky is still amazed that I can finish the large portion of the Double Up Chicken set. She herself is full after her single chicken. That meant I was quite full up until late evening. Then in the mid afternoon, 3pm, Geoky wanted to got to Vivocity to check out the Awfully Chocolate, after hearing that the chocolate cakes are good but not overly sweet. So pyscho my dad and I had to tag along, though a bit unwilling. The worst part was in the car, with the air-con, I seem to have caught a chill. Just suddenly and gradually, felt tired and sickly. Nose like getting blocked the longer I was into the whole outing. I tell them to walk ahead, while I followed like a mindless zombie behind. Later after very uneventful walking around, we were still empty-handed and Geoky suggested that we go for cake and coffee. We went to Gloria coffee and shared a slice of tiramusu which wasnt that nice. Their sizing for the cups also very small such that we got medium instead of the orignally intended small. Maybe wont want to go there again. That whole outing left me feeling more stoned cos of the chill and also by the time reached home, with food in the stomach, also didnt go for the 3rd session of gym. I had gone last Monday and Friday. So alright, at least kept to twice a week quota. The worst decision for me was to play that Bartender game until the wee hours of Monday morning... 3.30am!!!

Mon - Then I completed the whole game, with both endings and then slept. Only to wake up at 7am, aka 3+ hours of sleep only. Woke up functional but sleepy. Didnt eat breakfast cos was slow-moving than usual. Ironed my clothes and on the way to work, I dabaoed my breakfast which I ate in 20mins just before lesson started. Then again my collegues changed a bit of my schedule, it meant Mon became an additional heavy day, 5 periods. Luckily I am not the main teacher, so I just walk around. Also they were returning their test papers so I had lesser to do than usual. I was trying to be alert so that I can answer any queries. Not that many, just a couple of students asked me why their answers were wrong. The rest mostly kept to themselves and compared results, some gloated, some were arrogant about their scores, some were disappointed they didnt get full marks (still their standard is much lower yet typical of Jap test, same questions are exact duplicates of ws questions or tb passage) but who am I to complain? It also cant be helped that as English is their second language, the depth of exposure to certain vocabulary in many areas are limited. And I have not seen much exposure to other aspects outside what is covered in their tb. Well no wonder, I can score in my own Jap test at the centre where I am studying at. Basically is a lot of memory work, whether its short term memory or long term memory, doesnt matter. Such that even with the holes in my brain theory, I can still pass the test. Speaking of which I have to study this week and next week. Next Sat, have to go and do test cos I have a school dinner on Wed, which is the last lesson and test. Had asked Sensei for a change of date. So that would be next Sat, after guitar lesson and a short lunch. Have to travel down for test.

I survived the long day though I did see one of my collegues sprawled over at his desk, resting. Quite mentally taxing. I already felt it, even more so for them who are carrying out the lesson. Plus dunno what time the collegues work until everyday. I went home and decided to practice guitar after neglecting it for over 2 weeks. So did for about half hour then fingers have dull ache. Slept cos really felt mentally tired after the long day. It was almost 6.30pm then which was the time I had intended to set off for gym. But was too tired, slept on and luckily woke up at 7.30pm. Still can go cos the gym close at 10pm. So headed out and travelled there. I did cut short my routine by skipping the stepper 25mins of workout. Cos I was on an empty stomach, without dinner. If I did the usual of 1.5hrs ++, it would mean a late dinner of near 10pm. So I finished the usual machine, free weights and mat routines and then headed home. Ate dinner about 9pm plus downstairs at the coffeeshop. Went home, bathed, went online a bit. Slept earlier about midnight.

Tue - Still woke up tired today. My collegues who did this type of late nighter thingy to watch World Cup also felt that it takes her several days to recover from one of this. This is the part about growing older I guess. Though I still dont look my age, but things like recovering from a late nighter, certain aches from exercise or lack of warm up for running, reminds me of the fact of growing old.

Snoozed 10mins more. Ironed clothes but didnt eat breakfast. I dabaoed again on the way to work and ate it. Very nice Yam cake and the Noodles/Beehoon. Downed it with Oolong tea. Heard that it helps with digestion and removal of oil from meals esp when drank with the meal. Yesterday's siong day meant that today I very slack in terms of peroids. So in my new schedule, I am quite slack on Tue and Fri. Both only 2 periods. Yet there is only so much things I can do online before things become boring. So I used a bit of the time to clear the final bits of resource making for tomorrow's solo lesson. Then also cleared an adminstrative duty on my part, which is a monthly check of certain special rooms for mosquitoes and defects. At least its not everyday, so once a month for a walkaround to do maintanence check is alright with me.

Still on the agenda for non-work is to monitor stocks, hope for blog and fb updates to read. Work-related would include doing up the next bunch of resources, starting with the search.

Cosfest 2010 Day 1 only

This year, unlike the last time that I ever went down (which I just checked this blog and was 2005!!! OMFG that long ago?) was about to end with me going down alone all the way to the Eastern end to take a peep at the Cosfest 2010 event.

Due to having assignment, I was out of home very early. Then on my travel, my hp was already on half-bar, so after some radio, in the red zone. Conserved to use to sms Quetzal and Candle whom expressed interest in meeting up. I told them after guitar and lunch, I be heading down to Scape cos there seems to be some cosplay and J-rock concert happening, though I didnt know the iternary. So near 3.45pm, I arrived there and walked around Scape. It has turned into a mini-shopping centre with quite a number of youth orientated retailers. I explored a bit and took a few photos with my lousy phone camera which is only at 1MP. Anyway the supposed 'Cosplay' turned out to be a costume rental which had people dressing up as Tigger, Chicken Little, Kungfu Panda, Superman/woman, Xena... and even a Cai Shen....

I used my hp to zoom in from various levels of the Scape building cos the 'standard'  and types of costumes are really not what cosplay is about. So dont feel compelled to go closer for a closer look.

Really disappointing to see yet amusing. I went back inside Scape to enjoy a bit of the air-con and saw a whole bunch of Predators, about 4-5 of them... Yet I felt like rolling my eyes cos the Predators were all so short. At least 1 head or more shorter than me. How to look menacing?!?!? OMFG... rented Predators costumes to kids? *Rolls eyes* Then the J-rock concert would only happen at 9.30pm. So no way, I am going to stay until that late, cos those performers are not J-rock stars from Japan but local J-rock groups doing covers. Though I would like to listen but just too much time to kill. It has been almost 5 years since the only time I went for a Jrock concert by local bands near Hereen that time as an intern at ShittyBank with a JC friend.

Decided to head to East to check out Cosfest. Dunno the iternary for that either. Decided to kill time while waiting for Candle to travel down. That time-killing was really hard to do for me. Spent more than an hour, scouring through the entire Cold Storage, then walked through the Food Fair, even went into a Sport Goods shop before finally arrived. So hard to kill time for me without music especially. We headed down together and arrived at the Hall.

Outside the Hall were some cosplayers of rather high standard for the costumes. We entered the hall but not that many cosplayers mingling. That was near 7pm. Think quite a number left already. Luckily there was still one more thing happening on the stage. Its the individual skit cosplay with the 6 finalist and 3 would be selected for today's competition with the top 3 from malaysia, korea etc (Which I didnt go down cos really tired today from all the running around)

Yet Candle and I were fixated by this Nun cosplayer.

I remember seeing this look before but cannot name which anime. Think I ever saw pics before. Anyway Candle asked me out of the blue if the Nun was a guy. I couldnt answer cos the back was facing to me. But damn, the Nun had slimmer legs and more femine shaping legs than I do...

So we walked off to the extreme side of the stage to get a better look. When the Nun turned around, *ARRRRRRGGGGGHHH* basically not good looking or what, and its a GUY. A guy in a blue nun's outfit called the Habit, stops several inches above knee cap, aka show thighs, plus wear long girly socks with ladies footwear. Also the Habit is short sleeves and ends with white looking cuffs. Both of us were like Sniggering and laughing... cos we remembered how FH wanted to dress like a Nun last Halloween. This is the 'Perfect' one. Tried and tested somemore.

So though the finalist were performing on stage, we were catching glimpses and being amused by the Nun and his tactics. Later the Nun volunteered for part of the love spell cast by one of the finalist. I pity the guy who is paired with 'him'. We laughed even more. Guess he's the whole highlight of Cosfest 2010 for us.  Quetzal came later and also saw the Nun.

The final pose by all the various winning teams of the different categories, some winners had gone home already. A pity.

My lousy low resolution hp camera doesnt do justice to their beautiful costumes. Also the stage lighting plus our position at the extreme left of the stage makes it hard to take a good shot. No wonder there were tonnes of guys using damn powerful cameras with long zooms to take pics. Guess Candle and I are not Otaku enough.

A pity didnt get to see more cosplayers but at least didnt miss everything. Too bad, the distance and also the lack of info about the iternary of Sunday's grandfinal and fatique from all the running around from Mon-Sat meant I am very tired on Sunday and would like to hide at home to rest up. Next year's one, I shall make a effort to go there earlier just like that one in 2005. OMFG, I better try to make it an annual thing. At least it can be a sort of a highlight and interesting thing done in a year.

PS> Last year or the one before, my sister actually went for one of the Cosfest. She mentioned that I should have gone cos they invited one very famous cosplayer from Japan, who is literally Cloud Strife in person, but she did tell me that he mentioned that he had very little self confidence and was very otaku until he started cosplaying. Got more confidence and made more friends. I believe he is Kaname. I just searched and found his pics and stuff.

Personal profile and page

Really not all can reach this type of standard. Only one word "Wow".

A "unproductive" day

Today is the 2nd and last day of exams. Again I have 0 responsibilities. I tried to do work related. I did do some and mostly finished. Then later one collegue asked for my help for invigilation only to change her mind later just before that paper. Fine so I really sat around and stone, eat plain crackers with coffee. I did offer to help but since nothing told to me, so nothing much for me. I spent a bit of time hiding out at the kitchen where a collegue is baking the birthday cake and cupcakes for her son's 1st birthday this Sat. Hid there so I dont have to sit at the very open-concept staff-room and keep looking at the laptop.

Later we headed out again for a longer lunch. So ate at IMM, Swenson 1-for-1, too much of good food for lunch. Yesterday I ate Thai express, and after assignment, though I had eaten dinner already, was hungry and ate chicken rice, eat up some canned fruits, ate some slices of the chocolate instant cake too... OMG!!! My waistline. Felt bad that I packed my gym gear into the work bag and half contemplated going to the gym straight after work, if nobody jios me. Also partly havent practiced any guitar in 2 weeks. My plan of eating soupy was dashed since head out for Swenson, I ate the Fried Chicken Cutlet. Dont think the Baked rice with cheese is any less fattening... I ate a few fries cos feeling heaty and guilty too. So I am resolved to head to gym once work hours end.

This is a departure from the usual routine of going home first to rest up, then change and head over. This time, I decide to head straight. Spend less time travelling, can have dinner, or even possible to still head out. I say, if that shopping centre at Clementi opens and there's a cinema, you can bet, I'll be there watching movies in the evenings. So dont have to head down to town especially to watch. Nothing else planned cos Quet is heading to IR's home for dinner. I dont have the bathing stuff, so after gym also sweaty... then also make her run around to meet up later after that also no point.

So guess it'll be a more stay-home friday, not that I mind, all this unproductivity is making me spend alot of time thinking that leaves me tired. The lack of music also meant, I cant hibernate the brain. Also partly tired from the running around during the week, esp for assignments. Hopefully I will play the guitar a bit tonight. Looking so forward to a hot bath, the cool bed in this type of "rainy" weather. Makes me wanna curl up and sleep. Hence the whole 'dragging' myself to gym straight after work.

1st try instant cake mix

Today I helped out collegues in sorting exam papers for the subject tomorrow. Afterthat continued finishing up the resources for next week's lesson. Tomorrow would continue the resource part. By then my shoulders felt stiff cos had to use both hands extendedly in seated position but once I can put down the hands, it eased. Later after really working until we very stoned, we headed out for a 'longer lunch' as a sort of reward. Then came back and shortly it's dismissal.

Then I went up with a collegue who's baking cakes for her son's bdae this weekend and lent an oven. I brought all the ingredients oil, eggs and instant mix. Then fit started. Borrowed the mixing bowl with spatula, baking tray which my collegue helped to line with baking paper. Then I mixed in all the stuff well and poured into the tray to bake. Viola! Then need to wait for 30mins before checking if it's cooked through. Added 5 mins more cos when the toothpick poked through still came up with some stuff.

Spent the waiting time talking with the 2 local collegues. Then cake is done, took out to cool and started cutting up. Cos the tray used is rather large surface area, the cake is a bit flat and not like the pic on the box. I cut into all rectangular strips and packed half home. Don't want my family to have to eat tonnes of cake for weeks. The other half, I cut into little cubes and put at staff-room table for jap collegues to eat. They often stay until very late and are perpetually hungry, partly cos of their small bento boxes. So they will often sweep up the food that is placed there for them. The home economics teacher does whip up dishes in her free time and put there for them to eat too. Recently got a smart fly buzzing around so use plastic to wrap up. Came back to my seat and saw the collegues so busy still sorting through the exam papers. Felt a bit bad that I didn't help out but they didn't ask me after school bus dismissal so I went cooking... Also that longer lunch. Hmm tomorrow I shall be more productive at workplace.

Instant Cake Mix

My dad went to buy a box of instant mix for chocolate cake thinking that its a box of chocolate cake. Only to open it up and see that its in powder form. So I shall "Gop" and use it to do some baking at workplace. The reason is that I think I would have 0 work responsibility for the exam tomorrow and friday. That meant being Free from 8am plus all the way until 5pm. Now that's too much free time.

I would definitely use some time to finish up lesson-related stuff, even try to prepare for next week's BUT I still dont think THAT would occupy all the time. So I dont mind just using about 15mins to do up the mixture, which is bloody simple. Add water, add eggs, add oil to powder. Mix well, pour into baking tin and bake. Tada. Within an hour max, a whole slab of cake. Its really that simple cos I witness how my collegue made brownies from an instant mix with exactly the same step. So I shall start with this small project.

The 2 other cooking projects of Lychee Mojito Vodka Konnyaku Jelly and Chocolate Macarons would have to wait until I have bought the ingredients, have free time to do some experimenting.

Cosfest is this weekend at Downtown East. Tempted to go but it meant I can only make it on Sat, after guitar class and also eating lunch. But going alone, cos Tab intend to go with her df... meant also dunno if I really that keen to go alone. Granted the standard would be high and also think might really encounter students cos that's immediately after their exams (-_-)" but its only once a year. Hmm lemme think about it before weekend arrives.

Then after jap lesson today, hang a bit with Tab at Shaw, and saw this huge crowd of movie-goers. Oh... Eclipse gala premier tonight. Team Edward? or Team Jacob. My sister actually was intrigued after Part 2 came out and recorded the Part 1 via cable tv. She tried to watch it but was absolutely bored out of her mind and couldnt even reach halfway. Then she asked me how I managed to sit through Part 1. I told her I recorded on cable and was watching it in the wee hours of the morning and actually fell asleep partially. Though I did watch Part 2 with Tab. Anyway IF really given a choice, I wont choose either. My sister agrees that both are not our type. Except that in Part 2, both start taking off shirts and showing rippling bodies. Maybe if. Sure hantam by all the Twilight fans if they ever read this...

On the bus ride back, I actually met a student. Talked to him a bit and then I stoned out. Summary- I went for Jap and hang, he went for juku and going home. And tomorrow's the start of the exams. Of course in local context, its not surprising to have tuition to timing of 9.30pm plus either at home or at tuition centres. Not sure if they do the juku thing every weekday or just like once or twice a day like local tuition. That's the part that I am curious about. Will go ask collegues tomorrow.

Really need my sleep now. Tomorrow another day closer to the glorious weekend.