EPF or Pension Scheme

This is something that I never expect to happen.
Opting for either pension or EPF scheme is once in a life time thing for a civil servant.
Once the choice is made, you can never opt for the other one anymore.

But nothing is impossible.
I read in the paper today that I get to opt back for pension instead of EPF.
After a long long time of thinking and discussion, it is very clear that pension is a better option for me rather than EPF.

I would rather spend my money at the current value rather than saving it to spend in another 25 years.
The value of that sum of money is different on today and 25 years later.
I might be able to buy a packet of kolo mee at RM2.50 now but if I save that RM2.50 to spend in another 25 years, I might not be able to buy a packet of kolo mee kosong at all.

Anyway, I have decided that this is the best career for me now.
I will stay in this field till I am 58 years old.
I will enjoy my free medical treatment in government hospitals and receive my gratuity payments upon retirement if I opt for pension.
Marrying this man of my life makes me think that pension is the best choice.
At least, when we are too old to work, I still have my pension to take care of both of us.

Yes, I am going to opt for pension this time.

Adjustable Ring

Thanks to Quachee, I won myself an adjustable ring.
I just left a comment about Joe's jewellery and I am very lucky that Joe picks me as one of the winner.

This is Joe.
He owns a jewellery store at 6, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, 75200 Melaka.
Do drop by if you are in Malacca.

This is the pic I link from Quachee's blog.

Thanks Joe.
This is the ring that he sent to me.
I can't get a clear pic while wearing it.
So, I have to take a pic without my beautiful finger.
LOL

Happy Birthday Hubby

Today is the birthday of the most important man in my life.

Happy Birthday, Dear!

8 years together and this year, hubby going to celebrate it together with all his brothers and sisters (except the eldest).
It is going to be a surprise dinner.
We had an excuse to have a grand dinner tonight somewhere in Kuching.
Later, we will surprise him with a birthday cake.

But, my hubby is a smart man.
I think he knows something fishy is going on.
He never like people to celebrate his birthday and more over, spending so much money on it.

But if you are reading this, dear,
we just want to tell you that we all care for you
and
everyone want to share this important day with you.

Happy Birthday.
I hope to celebrate this day with you for many many many .... uncountable.. years.

阿嬷的话

I wrote about 萧煌奇 early this year.
Now, this blind man is one of my favorite hokkien's singer.
I think he is a very talented man.
I used to be crazy with one of his song, 你是我的眼.
A very meaningful song especially for the blind.

Now, I fell in love in another song of his called 阿嬷的话.
It is about his grandma who has passed away.

It reminds me of my own grandma.
I am one of the lucky sibling in my family to meet my grandma.
I think my brother doesn't know much about his grandma although he is the youngest grandson and may be one of the favorite of my grandma.

Well... I only know my grandma for about 7 years.
I think I am not her favorite granddaughter.
It might due to no communication between both of us.
We are like chicken and duck.
I don't know how to speak my own dialect.
I speak mandarin and she speaks her dialect.
It is not something that you guys always listen too.
It something similar to Shanghai dialect but it isn't.

So, I don't know much about her except that she seems to be a very important person in my family.
Even my grandpa loves her so much.
In my eyes, they are a very lovey couple.
I saw how my grandpa shed tears during my grandma's funeral and my heart still aches when I remember that scene.

Listening to 萧煌奇's 阿嬷的话 really reminds me of my own grandma.

婆婆,
I wish you have a happy and peaceful life in another world with 爹爹。


***************


阿嬷的话

作词：萧煌奇　作曲：萧煌奇　编曲：胡官宏

在细汉的时阵　阮阿嬷对我尚好　

甲尚好的物伴拢会留乎我

伊嘛定定带我去幼稚园看人在七桃

看人在办公伙儿　看人在觅相找

伊定定跟阮说　叫阮着要好好仔读册

呒通大汉像恁老爸仔这么狼狈

在彼个时阵　阮拢听拢呒

阿嬷　你到底是在讲什么

大汉了后　才知影阿嬷的话

我会甲永远永远放块心肝底

想可一步一步的过去　

定定拢会乎人真难忘

时间一分一秒块过去　

在阮的心内定定拢会想到伊

阿嬷你今嘛在叨位　

阮在叫你你甘有听到

阮的认真甲阮的成功你甘有看到　

阮在叫你你知影没

阿嬷你今嘛过的好么　

甘有人块甲你照顾

希望后世人阮搁会冻来乎你疼　

作你永远的孙仔

搁叫你一声“阿嬷”

Villain

Today I read something in Chinese that I think is very meaningful.

***********

远小人不算无情,
敬君子方显有德!

Keep a distance from the villain does not tell one to be heartless,
Respects the gentleman shows one's best character.

**********

I hope my translation is correct.

I sometimes think that I am heartless.
But after reading this, I realised that I am not heartless all the time.
LOL...
Only to those who deserves it.

I like one of the comment by suituapui.

Good for you! But some people are best ignored and it would be better to keep our distance. We're not saints...so there is just so much that we can take. Worse still, we may end up becoming like them!

His comment is definitely right.
You bright up my day.

Daniel Craig & Jackie Chan

I just watched Quantum of the Solace, the new James Bond's movie.

It is very exciting but I still prefer the old James Bond's movie.

Anyway, I find that Daniel Craig has so many actions similar to what Jackie usually does.
Jumping from one place to another place.
From high to low.
Except that Daniel Craig is more cold-hearted.
He kills many people in that movie.

So, I think Jackie Chan can be the next James Bond.
Don't you think so?

Online Games

I just read that my favorite blogger's son is seeking buyer to buy his online game's id.

I don't know which game but it sure going to be a little fortune for her son.

This reminds me of a conversation I had with a few of my students a few months ago.
It was a very informative conversation.
I understand my students better from this conversation.

I don't really know much about this online game.
I always thought that it is just some Mario game kinda things.
Or something that come with good visual and sound.
The 3d kinda thing and almost like a real game.

I have a few students who are quite good in study but their result suddenly deteriorate when they studied in Form 6.
Later, I found that during their Form 5 break, they were addicted to playing some online games.
They played for money.
They can actually earn some good money just from playing online games.

One of my student who was too excited in the conversation revealed that she can earn more than a thousand for a month.
She doesn't need to work or study.
She can just sit whole day, enjoying her game and earn money for playing something that she loves.

Yes, you read it right.
One of my students who is addicted with the online game is a girl.
I was flabbergasted to know that.
I always thought she always absent for being sick.
(Yes... I do received some written letters from her mum which I did confirmed with her mum that they are genuine one. :))
Then, later I know from her friends that she is very good in playing all those online games.

Well... I asked them what is the name of the game that they played but due too poor memory, I can't remember the names.
I only know Maple but this game almost out-dated.
Then, I read that my students like to play DOTA.
But I don't know if they can earn money playing that game or not.
I am just too old for all this.

I prefer to play
Chuzzle,
MSN free online game.

School Holiday

It is the end of our school semester now.
Everyone is planning for their 1 and half month school holiday.
A number of friends and relatives are envying the life of a teacher.
Not everyone can get a one and a half month long holiday.

Everyone thinks that this is the main reason to become a teacher.
But to tell you the truth, I never think of the long holiday.
Long holiday used to be very miserable moment for me.
I learn the word BORING from school holiday.

My parent is a businessman.
My father works every Monday till Saturday.
My mother is helping him.
So, my happy time is Sunday.

So, during school holiday, I cannot expect my pa to take leave.
He is the boss.
There is no 'leave' in his dictionary.
I have to learn to accept that no working means no income for the family.

So, during school holiday, my parents insisted my siblings and I to do our school holiday homework or go to the library to borrow books.
I had to walk about 40 minutes to the library.
I had to learn to cross all the big wide roads alone before reaching the Kuching City library.
Sometimes, I had to guide my younger siblings to cross the road too.
During that time, we don't really have traffic lights for the pedestrians during the good old days.

I learned to register myself to be a member of the local library.
Every two weeks time I will be back to the library.
I had to make sure that I return the books on time so I will not pay for the fine.

Now, I am married.
But I married to a man who has tighter working schedule compared to my pa.
He works 365 days and he doesn't have the word leave in his dictionary too.
His holiday usually is not plan one.
Either I force him or he has a reason to travel.

Now, when I become a teacher, I don't know why I always fall sick during holiday.
I think it is a curse.
I started my holiday since last week.
But I was sick for almost a week.
I had extra classes during holiday but I had it postponed due to lost of voice.

Next week is still working days for me.
I love it though.
Having class during the holiday time is so much relax than the normal schooling time.
We take our sweet time to understand certain concepts and the students are happy in their normal attires.

Well... this is not going to be a holiday at any other countries.
I know I spend my holiday a few times overseas but not this year.
I don't think I will be traveling anymore after this.
If not, it will be cuti-cuti Malaysia nia.
LOL

I have to start saving more money for a more important thing.
*wink* *wink*
Traveling will be a luxury now.
May be eating at nice restaurant too.
I am going to live like a beggar in future.
Now, I am keeping my finger cross that the price of petrol will decrease again.

Free Keeps Evolving Alive

Yeah... I finally received my free Alive T-shirt from Irenelim Fashion for free.

I received the package a few days ago but due to my pa borrowed my camera for his trip to Hong Kong, I have to use hubby's old point and shoot Sony Cybershot.

Sorry, Irene... for the poor photography skill.

Free Keeps Evolving Alive

This is the white free alive t-shirt that I choose.
Thanks Irene.

Biggest smile

In this school, there is one teacher who dislikes me and I wrote about it before.
It has been quite sometimes and I am not that angry at her anymore though we are still not talking.
I try to avoid having direct contact with her too.
I know I should have confront her but I just do not have the guts.
Sorry.
I just let the time heals everything.

Then, because of the non-halal makan session, I need to have someone to invite her to join along the dinner.
I think that will be the best time to make friends again.
People were telling me that this is the best time to talk to her.
I doubt so.
I fear the same thing might happened again.
The last time, I asked her to help me at the field.
She immediately said a 'NO' right in front of me and my assistant and just walked away.
She rather sat in the staffroom read her newspaper/magazine instead of cheering at the field.

Well... many of my close colleagues dare not approached her too.
So, the idea of inviting her was postponed again and again till I had the restaurant booked.
Then, a much senior teacher who doesn't know anything about my problem immediately approached her to invite her to come along.

Gosh.... when my friend came back she brought along another bad news.
That teacher is not going.
She cried when my friend talked to her about the makan session.
She heard about the makan session long time ago.
I think she waited for us to invite her but we didn't.
She felt that she was invited to fill up empty seats.
She even asked my friends what she had done that cause many of us dislikes her.

Well... she didn't hear about the makan session from us.
She heard it from someone else.
Yes, we were talking about it long long time ago.
We didn't even have the venue fix.
Till the day before the dinner, we know roughly how many of us are definitely going and where to eat, then we invite almost all of the non-Muslim colleagues.
She just too sensitive and thinks too much.

Later, I found that she is not having problems with me but many of our staffs.
Many of them just keep quiet about it.
Then, I feel very sad for her.
I think she might be having menopause.
She is quite senior in our school.
She might be over-work too.
The stress of work has worn her out.

Anyway, the next morning, I gave her a soft pat on her shoulder to confirm that she is not going.
She didn't look at me because I am standing behind her and she confirmed that she is not joining us.
On the very last day of school, she came in the staffroom and I was standing very near to the main door.
She saw me.
I tell you guys...
I am going to strike 4D number that day.
She gave me a smile.
Not a normal smile.
That is a big smile.
I can only see her smile and not her eyes.

Being Chased

I dreamed that I was a teenager in my secondary school uniform last night.

I think I was with my school friends and teachers.
I saw my two favorite teachers back in my secondary schooling day.
Both gave me the smile that I miss so much.
If I am not wrong, I was at a huge private hospital with my teachers and friends.

Then, I wanted to explore the place more.
I ran away from the group.
I was with somebody.
I don't know if she is my friend or sister.
But I know there were two of us.

Running and running and running...
I woke up suddenly, realising that it was just a dream, and went back to sleep.
I dreamed again.
The same dream.
Strange...
I let it happened.
I actually wanted to know how it ends.
But I don't remember how it really ends.
I know I keep running and smiling.
If someone almost caught me, I managed to run away again.
People who are chasing after me were not angry at me but they had happy faces too.

I was so tired.
I couldn't sleep well.
I think I am tired from running, running in my dream.
I woke up early this morning.

I know I am superstitious.
I need to interpret my dream last night.
I read that:

Being chased

Dreams of being chased can point to avoidance of issues, situations or people by which the dreamer feels threatened.

Another better dream interpreter that I found:

CHASED : Being chased will tend to link to pressure being placed upon you. It may link to psychological problems and inhibitions. It may represent conflict you cannot get away from. It may suggest people are monitoring or pressurizing you.

QUESTIONS to help you make associations(pick the one that makes most sense to you)
- Did you feel as if someone was watching everything you did yesterday?
- Is someone putting you under pressure?
- Is there something that you simply do not want to do
- Are you often very inhibited

KEY WORDS : Monitored, scrutiny, inhibited, not accepted, not trusted, self harm, pressure, important news, immediate problem

KEY PHRASES(Pick a quote which captures your feelings right now. Think especially of the day before the dream) :
- "She is watching everything that I do!"
- "She picks up on every single fault I make!"
- "There is just no pleasing her!"
- "People like me are just not accepted or trusted"
- "I feel deeply inhibited"
- "I hate myself and tend to self harm"
- "I just hate being there"
- "She is trying to get me to do something I just do not want to do"
- "I just do not want to do it"
- "I just cannot get away from it"
- "They just keep putting pressure on me"
- "Someone has some very important news for me"

******************

I think I know the reason now.

Jokes among teachers

Teachers can be very funny sometimes.
Some of them, *ahem* can be very dirty minded too.
LOL
I think I wrote a post on that before but I can't find it though.
Anyway, the teachers' jokes are always very mild one.
Just for fun.

Lately, we were quite free because the school semester is almost towards the end.
Most of us, especially the Form 3 teachers are very free.
Many of them group at the back of the staffroom and have coffee/tea session.
I join them once in a while because I sit rather far from there.
I usually drop by if I need to wash my cup.
The one big staffroom has only one sink at the end of the staffroom.

Anyway, one of my colleague was talking about buying things in Indonesia.
She told me that it is a heaven of shopping.
She bought many cheap things there.
I told her that it should be very easy for her because she knows a little bit of Indonesian.
Then, she told me one funny thing that she encounter in Indonesia.
She wanted to try a pair of jean but she found that the jean has no hole to button.
Then, the sale lady told her that,
"Ia masih teruna".
Teruna means virgin in English.
So, the pant is still a virgin.
If she decides to buy the jean, she will poke a hole in it for her to button up.
hahahaha....
That end of the staffroom cracked up!

Still remember my non-halal makan session, I treated them some beer.
The senior teacher who was with me said she never try beer before.
Another colleague of mine told her that we categorise beer as ang-moh liang-teh.
Beer is the tea for the western people.
It is good to cool down our body heat.
Then, the senior teacher decided to give it a try.
She claimed that it is very bitter.
Though, she was so happy.
She told everyone that she has never try it and this is her first time.
Woo.... Someone or it is me, I forget liao... was saying that
"Oh! Pn *** is no more a virgin.
We had it took away tonight," followed by cheer of joy.
hahahaha....

In another occasion, during our annual lunch at the pool side of Holiday Inn,
yes... you read it right, lunch at the pool side under the hot sun!
There was a teacher in our table who is not very good in English.
She is a teacher teaching Bahasa Malaysia.
To be frank, I like to make fun of her.
I teased her that day.
I had a few seats reserved for my gang but they are all not here.
Then, the guru BM came.
She wanted to sit at the same table with me.
But I told her that all the seats were reserved.
I told her to sit at the next table with another male teacher.
She immediately said no and decided to sit at another table.
Then, later the member of my table decided to let anyone who came first had the seat.
So, we asked her to sit at our table and she was very happy.
I then, asked her why she do not want to sit with Mr @@@@?
Is that she only wants to sit with lady nia?
May be that's why you can't find a boy friend.

She is a strange lady.
She can't talk well instead she likes to have many hand gestures.
Then, suddenly, she says,
"I don't have sex."
Then, the whole table cracked up!
I think that day, my table is the noisiest.
Later, my senior colleague who is ann English teacher decided to help her by rephrasing her sentence.
"She doesn't have sex discrimination."

Sarawak Dabai

One of my colleague, who is also STP's ex-student, went back to Sibu for All Souls' Day.

I reminded her to buy me some dabai if possible.

Luckily, she also likes dabai.
She bought a small packet of dabai for me, wrapped in the tradisional way.
Old newspapers were folded in a way like a little bag and my friend told me that this is the best way to keep dabai.
My MIL is very happy to see that little packet.
She told me that she used to make many of those and sell it for 5 sen or 10 sen each.

See... the red inner part of the dabai.
Very nice!!!!

So clean!

I still don't get enough of the dabai.
I even want to eat up the seed.
hahaha...

My MIL and I left the seed to dry up beside the stove.
Then, she will boil it in water and later, we will crack it open and
voila...
the kernel inside is even better.
STP says it tastes like pistachio.

The pic is link from STP's blog.
Do hop over to his site to know better how to prepare the best dabai from Sibu.

Gathering for non-halal food!

A senior teacher in my school, who I can say is quite well-off, who tell me things about STP, hahaha, wanted to call a few colleagues to go makan-makan sometimes.

She said that there are many nice restaurants around Kuching nowadays.
We should go and give it a try.

I am quite available to company her.
The same for a few young colleagues.
But we keep pushing the idea aside for more important things till later, it is almost the end of the school semester.

We decided to have a non-halal one at Chef's Delicious near Timberland Kuching.
With any order more than RM150, we can get a room with Karaoke for free.

The pic is from here.
BengBeng had his dinner here too when he was in Kuching.

Ooopppsss... sorry no pictures of food.
Choonie's trademark.
No camera while eating.
But we don't need a camera that night too.
The food was all walloped in not more than a few minutes after it was served.

It is true.
I miss my slice of abalone!
I want my slice of abalone.
I pay for it!

Anyway.... there are 11 of us and the total damage is RM456.20!
We had ikan garupa, bamboo shark fin, mussels, scallops, abalones, prawns, 'huang ti' noodle, cold dish and fruits.
Later, I treated them 6 cans of Heineken.
I crave for cold drink because I almost lost my voice after screaming at the top of my lungs, laughing hard and singing crazily.

The makan session only ended around 11.30pm. although we still had to work the next day.
Non of us wanted to make a move because later, the talking session, mostly on the school topics were so interesting and non of us wanted to miss it.

We had a great time although I feel so bad because I promised them that it is going to be cheap food and nice gathering.
I didn't order it though I agreed with anything.
It ended up with expensive food but still the gathering is fun.
"Once in a blue moon, it is ok," said by one of my colleague.

Look forward for the second one.
Hope the gathering will still be the same because two in our gathering that night are expecting soon.
Life with babies around is not easy.
Hope that have a good babysitter next year.

Joy of being a teacher

I consider myself a very lucky teacher.
Since I started teaching, I was never given a job as the form teacher.
Well, it is nothing to be proud of.
I was given more difficult tasks but I can say that I actually enjoy it and learn a lot from doing those tasks.

I always like to do administration jobs more than handling students.
It is ashamed to say so because I should love the students more than the paper works that I was doing that time.
I am quite a perfectionist.
I can make sure that I complete my paper works to zero error and gain a lot of self satisfaction for doing it.
But handling students is different thing.
You can only help to guide them and they might not turn out the way you want to shape them.
I can be very frustrated and angry sometimes when the outcome is not the thing that I want.

Anyway, after so many years in this field, I think I actually grow up to be more patient and understand the students better.
I am no more the 'cikgu' who start 'speaking' and you know that she is angry.
hihihi...
That's what my ex-students claimed.
'speaking' here means when I start to talk in English.
I am more fluent in scolding using English language rather than Bahasa Melayu.
(well... during that time, PPSMI has not implemented.)
When I am angry, all the teachers in the staffroom will know about it.
Yes.. I can be very fierce.
To those really naughty one, I show them the real me and I ever punished them to the extend tat I dare not reveal here. LOL
But don't worry.
It is something that my ex-boss can accept and always support me because I mean well.

Wow... what a long intro...
Anyway, last year in this school, I was given the task as the form teacher of L6S2 and eventually the form teacher of U6S2 of this year.
This is my first time teaching so many Chinese students.
The most important thing is that this students of mine appreciate education.
They know that through a good education, they will have a better future.

Anyway they are graduating soon.
Today is the last day I meet them up in school.
Well, I probably will meet them again after STPM examination.
But I am really going to miss them and today they bring tears to my eyes.
They gave me a small gift but it really means a lot to me.


It is a huge paper clip.
I saw a student of mine clipping his note with it and I really liked it.
They remembered.
They bought one for me for remembrance.
I like it very much.
Thanks U6S2, 2008.

They gave me a thank you card.

It is a simple card with the word
'thank you'
all over it.

But this is the part that really touches me.

I did tell them for being naughty.
For making other teachers angry.
For being absent for no reasons.
For not respecting certain rules.
For not respecting certain teachers.
For putting me sometimes in a very difficult position.
But yes...

“或许我们不是您最好的学生，
但应该也不是最坏的吧！”

To those who read my blog secretly,

“我或许不是您们最好的老师，
但应该也不是最坏的吧！”

Good luck to all of you
and
I wish to see each of everyone of you to pass your STPM,
especially my Mathematics-T
in flying colours.
Hopefully everyone of you will get your entrance ticket to anyone of our local universities.
I love you all.

Free T-Shirt & Free Delivery

When Bengbeng was here in Kuching, he only bought some shirts for his Benghui and during that time with me, I didn't notice him buying anything for Mrs BengBeng.
I introduced a few ladies items for him and later he decided not to buy any blouse because he just got her three blouses. If I am not wrong or if I listen correctly, he got it free from Irenelim Fashion.

I told him that I do not trust buying anything without trying it first.
Well, BengBeng told me that he thinks I can fit in the blouses nicely.
He told me that IreneLim Fashion is a trustworthy site.
I should visit her online store.



I didn't take the conversation seriously and forgotten it subsequently.
Till later, I read from BengBeng's blog about Irenelim Fashion again.



Surprisingly, Irenelim Fashion is now giving out free t-shirt for anyone who will write a short review of her online fashion store.
After browsing through the online store,
I fall in love with the free t-shirt immediately.
I can't decide which t-shirt I like.

I like the pink free alive t-shirt.


But I think I will look better with the yellow Handbag T-shirt with sleeves.

Hope over to IreneLim Fashion.
You might be fall in love with shopping dresses online too.

Rear Seat Belt

On my way back from school around 3.30pm, I met a red Kenari, placing beside me while waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

I noticed that there were two passengers at the seat beside the driver.
Not two little kids.
But two who looks like teenagers.
Later, I also noticed that there might be more than four passengers at the back seat.

It reminds me of the recent rear seat belt issue.
It is really not a law that can be easily to implement in our country.
There are many large families who can only afford to buy a small car for their daily usage.

For example, almost all my husband's workers own a kancil.
They are earning not more than a thousand per month and sometimes, I do wonder how they can support their car loan.
Hubby keeps on complaining that his workers cannot do a well budgeting but I think nowaday a car is really a necessity.
They can't find a good public transport for their daily usage.
They also want to find time to be with family, like touring around the city.
You cannot expect them to be in motorbike, especially those with little baby.

Again, this reminds me that I saw a motorcyclist near to Chung Hua Primaty School No. 6 yesterday evening.
There were 5 persons on the bike.
Two parents with three kids.
It is definitely a very dangerous thing to do but I can understand that sometimes, they really have no choice.

So, I hope the Malaysia government will think of a better way to implement the law or rather upgrade their public transport before discouraging people to have more passengers in a car.

Bamboo Clam aka Razor Clam

For those who want to know more about the lan jiao kia (or we actually called it as "tek t'an" in Hokkien or ambal in Malay), I copied an article about it from here. I think the article is originate from http://asianapat.blogspot.com/ but only those with permission can access the blog.

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The Bamboo Clam - Good Looks Aren’t Everything The Bamboo Clam has a host of different nicknames, and a taste and texture to die for. Mike Reed packs his chopsticks and investigates.

Imagine a bowl full of fat, glistening, juicy white worms scattered amongst a heap of rusted razor blades. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it. But don’t let first impressions put you off. In fact you’re looking at ambal, one of Sarawak’s finest seafood delicacies.

Ambal is the local Malay name for the bamboo clam, also known by a variety of nicknames, including sea needle and even (rather imaginatively) monyet punya, a coy reference to the male monkey’s pride and joy.

The appearance of ambal, as described above, is not exactly confidence-inspiring. Freshly steamed, these tubular molluscs expand in their reed-like shells (hence the name bamboo clam) and burst them, leaving their bloated little bodies arrayed amongst a bed of shell slivers and fragments. But appearances can be very deceptive. In both taste and texture, ambal is unique. A distant relative of the mussel, it has a delicate, almost fish-like flavour and a texture closest to a slightly undercooked scallop.

This humble creature is found all over Southeast Asia, but is at its best in Sarawak, where its preparation has been elevated to an art form. Bamboo clams live in countless millions in the mud-flats of the Sarawak River estuary, where they filter the freshly deposited alluvial mud and sand for micro-nutrients like most shellfish. Their long, tubular shells can be anything between three and fifteen centimetres long, and they are able to stretch their flexible bodies much further out of the shell to suck in food particles. Sarawak’s relative lack of industry (particularly the kind of industry that dumps heavy metals into rivers), means the local bamboo clams have a pristine environment in which to thrive. It also means they are untainted and very safe to eat, a claim that cannot always be made for shellfish in Asia.

Catching the bamboo clams is an art in itself, practised by women and children from the villages of the Santubong peninsula. The clams feed at high tide, and at low tide they burrow deep in the sand and mud for shelter and to prevent dehydration. Of course, one could simply dig them out, but shovelling wet sand is back-breaking work, so the canny ladies of Santubong have devised a much better technique. They identify a likely looking spot and squirt a little lime juice down the holes left by the clams. The clams, disturbed by the change in acidity of the water, slowly poke their bodies out above the surface, where they are grabbed by the sharp-eyed and quick-witted collectors and transferred into a bucket.

Most of the bamboo clams caught at Santubong end up in the seafood restaurants of Kuching and Buntal. They are a very popular local delicacy and there are two main methods of cooking them. The most common, also found in West Malaysia, is to stir-fry them in curry powder with a little ginger and garlic. The result is certainly delicious but does not really do justice to the delicate flavour and texture of ambal.

No, the finest way to cook ambal, the Sarawakian way, is to steam it. This is an operation that must be carried out with great care, because undercooked ambal is greasy, sinewy and totally unappetising, whilst even slightly overcooked it becomes tough and rubbery. The other ingredients have to be carefully matched to complement the delicate flavour as well. Best results are obtained by stir-frying garlic and large red chillies over a hot flame. The bamboo clams are added (in their shells) along with finely chopped ginger and a little serai (lemon grass) and the whole mixture is doused liberally with Chinese wine and steamed until the clams are just starting to get soft.

The result is pure perfection. The fat, glistening bamboo clams fall easily from their shells, and even the most ham-fisted can handle them easily with chopsticks. The fried herbs and spices blend with the wine to produce a delicious, aromatic soup that goes very well with plain steamed rice. The perfect accompaniment is a plate of midin, crispy tips of wild jungle ferns fried with belacan (shrimp paste).

Most seafood restaurants in Kuching serve curried ambal, but not all know how to prepare the steamed version properly. Those that do include Sea Good (Ban Hock Road, opposite Hua Kuok Inn), Benson’s Seafood (Behind Chan Chin Ann Road) and Ban Hok Seafood (Ban Hock Road, opposite Grand Continental Hotel).

I got this pic from that article.
These are raw bamboo clams.
These clams are still fresh.
The 'penis head' is still keep inside the shell.

The finest way to cook the bamboo clams, steam it!

A close up pic of the penis head, copied from bengbeng.

L@n Ji@o Ki@

Recently I met up with Beng Beng. He is a blogger from Sibu.
This is my second time meeting blogger in real person.
The first blogger I met is the writer of sixthseal.com.
I guess the next one will be .....
I think I know who but I am not going to write it here in case it will not materialise.
wahahaha...

Anyway, I never met Bengbeng in person.
I just received an email from him to meet up.
I feel so awkward to meet him in person because I don't know anything about him.
Not that I know Huai Bin well but he was with my best friend.

So, I have to ask my big, strong and handsome to come along with me.
hahahaha...
I told my big, strong and handsome that the author of one of the blogs that I read is in Kuching and wants to meet up.
Surprisingly, he says ok despite me for not knowing anything about BengBeng except he writes well.

Well... during our meet up, I brought him to tHe Spring and Boulevard. Later on, we brought him to the Kuching Waterfront before proceeding for our supper at Kenyalang Food Centre.

The last time when I was with Huai Bin, he didn't snap pictures on everything he sees.
But Bengbeng is different.
He keeps on taking pics on everything he sees and he knows that those are good materials to blog.
Now, I know why he is so much better than me.
It is hard work to become good blogger.

My big, strong and handsome is a very good tour guide.
He is the one entertaining him most of the time.
Oh well... I guess Bengbeng spilled the beans.
Now, my big, strong and famous should know that I am a blogger.
hahahaha..
I guess he knows about it all this while.
It just that I never say anything about it except that I read blogs.
I did tell him about the things I read from blogs, especially the one from chanlilian.net or KennySia.

So, my big, strong and handsome ordered a few famous local dishes especially for BengBeng.
BengBeng is in Kuching at the right time.
We had ambal that night for supper.
I told him that at home, we called ambal as

Lan Jiao Kia!!!
It is small penis in Chinese.
Did you see the shape of the front part of ambal?
It looks like penis and it can ejaculate too!!!
hahaha...
It's true.
I am not joking.
But you don't get semen but just some salty water.
LOL

Usually we will steam the fresh ambal with langkau.
The not so fresh ambal, we will cook it with curry powder instead.

Read more about our meeting up at www.mylongkang.com.
And to Bengbeng, glad to meet you up in real person.
Hope that you have a nice time in Kuching.
I am sorry that we didn't meet up the next day.
Call me up again the next time you are in Kuching.

p/s: Oh yes.. the title of the post is refering to the ambal and not Bengbeng. I am sure he is no more a lan jiao gin na. LOL More like Lao Jiao liao!!! Just joking. Btw.. I steal the pic from BengBeng's blog but I am the one taking that pic. Hey.. Bengbeng.. where is my credit?