Fried tang yuan: sweet mini glutinous rice balls


Traditional tang yuan are round dumplings served in soup. They can be made by mixing water with glutinous rice flour, combined with lots of kneading. They contain different fillings, like black sesame or ground peanut. (Asian grocery stores also offer pre-made frozen versions that can be tossed into a pot.) In contrast, fried tang yuan remain hollow.  

Saamjeksau: pickpocket (lit. three hands)

Some cunning pickpockets carry a false hand with them and let it be seen. Potential victims are then unaware that their real (third) hand is stealing. (An example of this occurs in the movie, Gangs of New York.) 


Are you afraid of someone stealing your work? Then look no further than the good ol' copyright law. In fact, copyright protection occurs the moment something is created. However, registering a manuscript is useful if you need to bring a lawsuit later on. In APE, Guy Kawasaki mentions that it's unlikely that you'll have the time or the money to sue for statutory damages. In fact, he and his co-writer have never registered any of their previous books.

To protect yourself, though, you can register with the United States Copyright Office. In fact, there's an easy  online application (I filled it out quickly) that costs only $35. 

Thinking about copyrighting your work? Why or why not?

Shaved ice: a mound of crushed coolness drizzled with sweet syrup and tasty toppings


My first experience with shaved ice came from one of those stands that distribute foam cups with ice chunks and watered-down fruit flavors. Later, I discovered the joys of shaved ice, Asian-style. This means not just one flavor but multiple ingredients piled on top until the goodness threatens to overflow the bowl. In Malaysia, they serve ice kacang. Typically, four to five ingredients (I personally like corn and peanuts) blend in to make this yummy dessert. The Taiwanese version features finer and fluffier ice. In Taiwan, they also seem to double the amount of toppings and add in sweet streams of condensed milk. 

Jengdau: excellent or genuine
In the past, stores were famous for their honesty. Jengdau meant to give the exact weight measured by a dau (dipper). The shopkeeper would use the measuring tool to obtain the precise amount desired. While jengdau originally referred to the exactness of quantity, it now also means the excellence of quality.

Measuring out the right amount.

I have a jengdau book contract! My Taiwanese generational novel has been picked up by Martin Sisters Publishing. After years of writing/revising, crafting query letters, and honing synopses, my work has paid off. Thank you for all your support throughout this journey!

Beef rendang: A Malaysian curry dish bursting with spices and coconut milk goodness



 This is one of my all-time favorite curry dishes. When done properly, the meat is so succulent it seems to melt in your mouth. Look at the photo, imagine its deliciousness, and then hunt down your nearest Malaysian restaurant (or invest a few hours and make it at home).

Jouhdou Jek Kehk Gam: to work very hard

During the Spring and Autumn Annals, civil disorder erupted in the state of Chaih. A prince called Chuhng Yih was exiled, and his loyal servant named Gaai Ji Teui accompanied him. While traveling, they constantly suffered from hunger. Once, they asked a farmer for some food, but the farmer only laughed at them. The prince wanted to kill him, but Gaai Ji Teui stopped him. After awhile, the servant brought the prince a bowl of meat soup, which the prince ate. Later, he found out that the soup was made from a piece of flesh cut from Gaai Ji Teui's leg. Ten years afterward, the prince returned to his own place and became king. He rewarded all his servants who had followed him during his exile, except for Gaai Ji Teui, who had hidden away in a hill. The king ordered fire to be set on the hill to coax Gaai Ji Teui out. Unfortunately, the servant was burnt by the flames. The king made a pair of slippers from the tree where Gaai Ji Teui lay dead. He wore the shoes (i.e. Kehk) in memory of his hard-working servant.

This is hard work.

Recently, I've been hard at work on this website. Last August, I was encouraged by Hannah Dennison at a UCLA mystery seminar to register my own domain name. I did so just to claim my identity. Recently, though, I decided to convert my blog into a website. This seemed like the easiest conversion to make, based on my limited knowledge. (I have heard of others, though, venturing into web design by using Wordpress. Some tech-savvy people also argue for a self-hosted site.)

After much Internet searching, I connected my Blogger account to my domain name. During the process, I also realized that I could find free Blogger templates. Hurray! I didn't need to design the theme myself (which unfortunately, would have been composed of stick figures and the like). I've instituted the new header image on my site. Now, I'm working on reorganizing the blog with different pages. Wish me luck!

What are your thoughts on the new design? Do you have a website of your own, and how did you make it--by your own efforts or through a designer? Any tips or contacts to savvy tech people would be appreciated. 

Tea egg: a hard-boiled egg with a splash of tea flavor




I grew up eating soy sauce eggs as a child and found tea eggs later on in life. These appetizers often show up in tapioca drink shops. Typically, they're served on their own, but during my trip to Sun Moon Lake, the chefs complemented them with locally-grown mushrooms. If it's a contest between the actual tea and the flavored egg, the beverage wins hands down for me. Once in awhile, though, it's a nice ethnic twist to a plain breakfast egg. You can make your own tea egg at home with this recipe.

**As promised, the gift card winner from this past Monday's anniversary contest is Romelle Broas. Come on down!**