This CNY at home

This post is full of photos. I didn't spend much time at home this CNY but still, I made sure I dressed the house up a little to welcome the lunar new year.  Home sweet home.

The sweet stuff on our dining table

The living area, everything in red, and guess where is the Dragon's pearl?

The main door is the most important part of the house to invite the Dragon in

Marital bliss & harmony, and lotus in my water fountain

Auspicious couplets and wealth corner to invite wealth in

Namgyalma mantra, the Laughing Buddha and wealth plants

Love the dragon boy

Sweets & snacks and guess what are these 3 animals for?

Inviting the God of Wealth and the Dragon into the house

CNY is all about money and gold?

The little corners were not spared the CNY decor

Favourite cashew nut cookies and the Happiness Kueh

4 Lucky Bamboo Shoots and the Huat Kueh

'Fu' with special mantras for blessings and protection in the house

Our reunion dinner and the dish which meant "enough money to count"

My favourite vegetarian dishes

Soup full of ingredients

The whole chicken and mom's 5-spice rolls

And of course the 'lo hei' is a must

Let's all huat together !!!

The whole universe of auspicious wishes tossed up in a plate.

GONG XI FA CAI !!!!!!!

CNY gifts and blessings to welcome the Dragon year

Today is 人日, the 7th day of the lunar new year. According to Chinese customs, it was the day human beings were created.  On this day, I would like to share some of the gifts I have received prior or during this Chinese New Year period. I am grateful and thankful for the kindness shown all around.

This cake was given to me on one of my past birthdays, drawn by my niece when she was younger. So happy birthday to everyone, every human, as well as all sentient beings! It's everyone's birthday!

This CNY banner is 5-storey high in Takashimaya. May everyone meet and achieve success in the highest possible auspicious conditions in this new year. This is my wish to you.

Early in the morning of the first day of the CNY, a monk approached me and gave me this little Buddha. I cannot think of anything more auspicious than this to herald in the new year.

An aunt from Thailand gave this 'pot of gold' frame. Again so auspicious. May our pockets be filled with overflowing wealth, may we huat ahhh!

I love this fried 'chicken wing' made of delicious beancurd skin and fried with a very crispy satfisfying batter. Mom has been buying special vegetarian food for me, because I am on a 100-day vegetarian diet. As I am not able to take some of the usual CNY dishes and goodies, this is a little blessing I am grateful for.

Mala rosary, a gift from Sarnath, the place where the Buddha first taught and turned the Wheel of Dharma. So blessed!

A special hamper full of blessed goodies and wealth, to create auspicious conditions and for a bountiful successful year. Every year, I spent my CNY eve at Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling to welcome in the new year with pujas and loads of blessings from Dagyab Rinpoche and the Three Jewels.

Received the 8 Auspicious Objects gold coin from dear friends, thank you!  Again so auspicious!

Ang pows from the Jade Buddha, as well as from many loved ones. Thank you so much!

Blessed precious jewels from Bodhgaya, the place where the Buddha became enlightened. So auspicious! I am very touched, thank you very much!

This CNY, I am very grateful that I have the chance to create mountains of merits  by volunteering my time at the Jade Buddha Exhibition, organised by Amitabha Buddhist Centre, especially on the first and second days of the new year. Thankful of the blessings from the gurus, those here and those far away. This photo is a poignant reminder that I have my gurus literally next to me and the Buddha above me at all times.  

Today especially, we 'lo hei' and have yu sheng to celebrate our birthdays. Last but not least, I am grateful for my family, who stood by me for so long, and for our little cosy reunion dinner at home, with some of my favourite vegetarian dishes too. 

I share here Gandhi's 10 fundamentals for changing the world. Well, it is actually changing and transforming our mind first before changing the world.... something which I am still learning.  May you have a blessed CNY. 

A tribute to the Hidden Yogi - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel

During the recent Jade Buddha Exhibition, there were many holy relics of one of my teachers, the late Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, the former abbot of Kopan Monastery, being displayed. The public was able to receive blessings from the relics of Shakyamuni Buddha, arhats and past high lamas such as Lama Lhundrup and the late Mahasiddha Lama Geshe Konchog.


Here is a video clip in tribute to a great teacher, guru, Bodhisattva... Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, who entered into Parinirvana in Sept last year. Below are some of his relics on display during the Exhibition.

Notice some orbs surrounding some of the relics? (and no, there are not reflections of LED lights).

May we aspire and be able to achieve in realisations and attainments of all holy gurus.

29 Sept 2011 - Project Swift Return 

25 Sept 2011 -  A closer look at the growing relics of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, an amazing blessing! 

20 Sept 2011 - Discovering Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's Holy Relics  

18 Sept 2011 - Devoting to a guru 

13 Sept 2011 - My dream of Lama Lhundrup just after his cremation 

12 Sept 2011 - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's last days and cremation 

9 Sept 2011 - Beautiful memories of Lama Lhundrup 

8 Sept 2011 - Passing into Parinirvana - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel 
22 Feb 11  - Dream of Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup 

28 Jan 2011 -  Khen Rinpoche back in Kopan Monastery 

19 Jan 2011 - Update on Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's health  

14 Jan 2011 - Prayers for Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup 

20 Sept 2010 -  Healing in a matter of time, but it sometimes also a matter of opportunity

Nonya-styled Ngoh Hiang (Five-Spice Meat Rolls) 娘惹五香

The CNY is not CNY without my mom's Ngoh Hiang. Without fail, every CNY, I would help my mom prepare the ingredients for her Nonya-styled Ngoh Hiang (Five-Spice Meal Rolls). Mom followed Violet Oon's recipe with little improvisions. After chopping and chopping and chopping all the ingredients into tiny pieces, mom insisted she be the one wrapping the Ngoh Hiang so that they are consistent in size and look good, while I man the steamers and wash and wash and wash the dishes.

Ingredients used: 

- pork loin

- minced pork 

- minced fish meat

- prawns

- diced spring onions 

- water-chestnuts (peeled) 

- carrots (peeled)

- onions (peeled) 

- transparent dried soya bean skin 

- sugar, light soya sauce, salt, pepper

- Chinese five-spice powder 

- corn flour  

- sesame oil

The entire spread of ingredients... I peeled and chopped, peeled and chopped, peeled and chopped...

Mixing all the ingredients together...

Thoroughly mixed ingredients in a huge pot, ready to be wrapped! 

Mom wrapping the Ngoh Hiang with beancurd skin, which is slightly salted by itself.

Nicely wrapped Ngoh Hiang in steamers ready to be steamed! 

I had to jagah the boiling water and time. It takes about less than 15 minutes to steam the rolls of Ngoh Hiang.

The meat rolls are ready in no time! 

All steamed and cooked Ngoh Hiang were laid out to cool, before being kept in the freezer.  When you would like to eat them, just fry them.

After frying the frozen Ngoh Hiang, you are ready to serve golden brown juicy meat rolls, garnished with cut cucumber.

Our homemade Ngoh Hiang, with lots of crunchy water chestnuts. Bon appetit!