Recipe: Year of the Rabbit Yee Sang

Every year, I look forward to creating and making the Chinese zodiac yee sang for the corresponding New Year. This year, we will be celebrating the Year of the Rabbit.

Presenting our Rabbit Yee Sang, made with fresh fruits and vegetables and topped with canned abalone as well as crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, pok chui crackers, and balsamic dressing. My design is inspired by Miffy (one of the very first soft toys my husband bought for my daughter when she was born). 

Watch the step-by-step video here:

Rabbit Yee Sang

Recipe by Baby Sumo

Preparation time: 30-45 mins

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
A few lettuce leaves, sliced
1 white radish * (for face and ears)
1 Japanese cucumber *
1 carrot *
1 century pear *
Canned pineapple, small cubes
6-8 strawberries
6-8 baby carrots
Roasted Seaweed (for mouth)
Blueberries (for eyes)

For topping

1/2 packet crushed peanuts

3-4 tbsp sesame seeds

1 packet pok chui crackers

Canned abalone in brine (buy here)

1. Peel and julienne ingredients marked with *. Cut strawberries into heart shapes and also two small ovals for the cheeks.
2. For the dressing: mix 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp honey and salt.

3. Create the rabbit yee sang using the above ingredients (watch video for step-by-step instructions).

Tip:
✨ make the ears longer and rounder around the tips.
✨ use a julienne peeler, it will make your life much easier.

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Flavors at 40 Buffet, TRACE Restaurant & Bar, Element Kuala Lumpur

Element Kuala Lumpur celebrates its fifth year anniversary by launching a collection of health conscious, wellness focused menu options for guests dining at its hotel restaurant located on Level 40 – TRACE Restaurant and Bar. Flavors at 40 is the new buffet that highlights locally sourced, fresh ingredients as well as a selection of healthier dishes and crowd favourites.

The hotel has also embarked on a farm- to –table mission with BoomGrow, to serve fresh and green eats that are great with any choice of food. The greens are harvested from the heart of Kuala Lumpur and served fresh. Diners can assemble their own Poke Bowl with a selection of condiments such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber, capsicums, purple cabbage, etc. that are also sourced locally. To encourage healthier eating habits, Element Kuala Lumpur and BoomGrow has also started a campaign, “The Green Chow Down” with goals to embrace creativity in healthy eating.

“After two years in lockdown, Malaysians are embracing cleaner eating habits, with less meat, more greens and more plant-based options. At Element we aim to source our produce locally with the intention of reducing food miles and our carbon footprint. We still offer meat dishes, but we have incorporated more locally-grown vegetables, locally sourced meat, and seafood and cooking ingredients into our buffet line,” said Executive Head Chef Mohd Taib Ridhwan.

Diners can also look out for wholesome dishes such as – Chinese Style Double Boiled Soup with Herb and Fungus, Chicken Salad, Slow Roasted Herbed Mutton, Braised Mock Chicken with Mushroom, Mussels Cooked in Spicy Coconut Gravy with Johor Pineapples, Stir Fried Thai Basil Beef, Wok Fried Mixed Vegetables, homemade soups and broths.

Look out for the live –pasta station, with homemade tomato pasta sauce; locally sourced from Cameron Highlands. The ala-minute cooking style also reduces wastage as diners can select their own condiments, sauces and additional ingredients.

The buffet also offers crowd favorites such as Char Kway Teow, TRACE Signature Pizza, Curry Laksa, Fruit Rojak; assorted Grilled Western and Asian delights.

Check out our IG reels of Flavous at 40 Buffet highlights:

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A post shared by Baby Sumo (@babysumo)

The Flavors at 40 Lunch Buffet is available every Saturday and Sunday from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Priced at RM 148 nett per adult and RM 74 nett per child.

The Flavors at 40 Dinner Buffet is available every Friday and Saturday – 6 PM to 10 PM. Priced at RM 158 nett per adult and RM79 nett per child. 

Advance reservation is required. For reservations, please call 03-2771 3388 or email TraceRB.Elementkl@element-hotels.com

Pork-free.

Opening times: Monday to Sunday 7am to 10pm daily.

Location: Trace Restaurant & Bar, Element Kuala Lumpur, Ilham Tower, 8 Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur, 50450, Malaysia. (Parking RM5 per hour, RM10 per entry for F&B guests)

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Dine In with Chef Yusuf by The Loaf, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

Dine In with Chef Yusuf is the latest dining concept from The Loaf, presenting KL-ites with a taste of refined traditional Malay cuisine from all over Malaysia. Located in Pavilion KL on Level 4 of the outlet, you can expect a delicious taste of authentic homely goodness along with great service and ambiance. 

Helming the kitchen here is Chef Yusuf Mahron who hails from Kuching, Sarawak and has been with The Loaf  since the opening of its first outlet in Langkawi in 2006. The menu consists of 14 carefully selected dishes including Daging opor and Patin tempoyak from Pahang, Ayam kuzi from Kelantan and many more. Diners can opt for Set Meal for 1 (RM32), Set Meal for 2 (RM66) or Set Meal for 4 (RM126); see below for the full menu.

Some of the dishes we tried here here include Ayam kampung masak lemak cili api, Daging balado, Sambal terung, and Pari asam pedas. All rice sets come with three types of condiment: budu, cincalok and sambal belacan Sarawak as well as ulam and crispy keropok ikan.

The Ayam kampung masak lemak cili api originating from Negeri Sembilan is a personal favourite of Chef Yusuf. His version is rich, creamy and pretty mild, much like a Thai green curry. The Daging balado is another crowd favourite, with tender beef served in Chef Yusuf's special spice mix. 

My personal favourite was the Melaka-inspired Pari asam pedas; sting ray served in a  spicy, tangy and sour sauce. The flavours were spot-on and super appetizing! They also offer a few vegetable dishes, such as Bendi tumis ikan kering (ladies finger with dried shrimp) and Sambal terung (fried brinjal with dried anchovies sambal). 

For noodle lovers, the Sarawak Laksa (RM25) is highly recommended. Totally authentic, from the thick vermicelli to the prawns, shredded chicken, beansprouts, shredded omelette and rich, well-spiced stock. So good!

Dine In with Chef Yusuf by The Loaf Menu

***********

Other than the newly launched menu from Chef Yusuf, we also sampled some favourites from The Loaf's a la carte menu. On The Loaf's menu, you can find breakfast dishes, Asian delights, pasta, burgers, salads, mains, and pastries, often with an Asian fusion twist. 


Kerabu Mee Siam (RM24) - Kerabu meets Thai-inspired lemongrass-based sauce, served with rice vermicelli, prawns and squid. Very appetizing and delicious!

Kecek Kelate Burger (RM26) - tender grilled chicken in Kelantan-style percik sauce, sauteed onions, lettuce, cucumber served in a flaky Danish doughnut (it has a croissant-like texture), with curly fries and salad of the day.

Nasi Lemak Rendang (RM24) - Malaysia's national dish, nasi lemak with a healthy twist. Coconut-flavoured basmathi rice is served with a whole rendang chicken drumstick, cucumber, ikan bilis, peanuts, hard boiled egg and sambal tumis. 

Spaghetti Pad Thai (RM28) - spaghetti tossed in tamarind-based sauce and sauteed with assorted seafood and egg.

I'm so in love with their glass-fronted seating area on Level 3 of The Loaf at Pavilion KL. Natural sunlight floods in to this cute space, perfect for an afternoon of people-watching while savouring a cuppa coffee or tea with some of The Loaf's signature pastries such as Tropical Square, Cranberry Cheese Oyaki, Black Beauty Oyaki, Chocolate Croissant, Caramel Mix Nuts Danish, Chicken Mushroom Pie and Nutella Oyaki. 

Cappuccino and matcha latte with pastries

Dine In With Chef Yusuf by The Loaf Pavilion KL Dine In With Chef Yusuf by The Loaf Pavilion KL Dine In With Chef Yusuf by The Loaf Pavilion KL Dine In With Chef Yusuf by The Loaf Pavilion KL Dine In With Chef Yusuf by The Loaf Pavilion KL Dine In With Chef Yusuf by The Loaf Pavilion KL

You can find The Loaf outlets in these locations around Malaysia: Pavilion KL, Nu Sentral, Sunway Pyramid, IOI City Mall, EkoCheras Mall, Langkawi Plaza Cenang and Langkawi Perdana Quay.  Dine In With Chef Yusuf is exclusively available at Pavilion KL outlet only.

Opening hours: 10am to 10pm. 

Location: The Loaf, Level 3 & 4, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Lot 3.13.00, E3.13.00 & 4.12.02, 168, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.(Parking rate RM3 per hour)

Tel: 03-2110 1119

Website: https://www.facebook.com/TheLoafAsia

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Recipe: Vietnamese Salad with Chicken & Prawn

Whenever we mentioned salads in the past, BabySumoKids will go "but we don't like salads". I guess that's because some salads we've had in restaurants are a little sad (just some random leaves with dressing all over it).

All that changed when they tried this Vietnamese salad with chicken and salad and now they think salads are wonderful. Now, they even put in requests for me to make this salad for them.

vietnamese noodle salad vietnamese noodle salad vietnamese noodle salad vietnamese noodle salad

This salad comes with sliced cabbage leaves, julienned cucumber, shredded chicken breast, blanched prawns, Vietnamese mint and regular mint, shredded omelette, vermicelli noodles and toasted cashew nuts, dressed in a Vietnamese inspired dressing - sweet, tangy and spicy flavours, all in one. You can enjoy this salad warm or cold. Vibrant and delicious, definitely a keeper!

vietnamese chicken salad vietnamese chicken salad vietnamese chicken salad vietnamese chicken salad

vietnamese chicken salad vietnamese chicken salad vietnamese chicken salad vietnamese chicken salad

Vietnamese Salad with Chicken and Prawn

Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from Vietnamese Bible

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients
100g vermicelli

3-4 Chinese cabbage leaves, sliced

1 cucumber, julienned or spiralized

150g chicken breast

12 prawns, peeled and deveined

A handful Vietnamese mint (daun kesum), chopped

6-8 mint leaves, chopped

3 eggs

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp cooking oil

A small handful cashew nuts (or crushed peanuts)

For the chicken:

1. Fill a saucepan 2/3 full with water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the chicken and reduce to medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and leave chicken in covered pot for a further 15 minutes.

2. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Once cool, you can shred the chicken. Reserve the chicken stock for other uses.

For the omelette:

1. In a bowl, crack eggs, season with light soy sauce and lightly beat with a fork. In a large frying pan, heat cooking oil over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add half the eggs and swirl to form a thin omelette. Cook until egg is 80% set, then use a spatula to flip over and continue cooking for 20-30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining egg.

2. Allow omelette to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then roll up and thinly slice the omelette.

For the vermicelli, Chinese cabbage and prawns:

1. In a large pot of lightly salted water, cook vermicelli for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl of cold water. The vermicelli will change from translucent to opaque after a few minutes. Before using, drain well. 

2. In the same pot of water, blanch the Chinese cabbage for 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

3. In the same pot of water, add the prawns and blanch for 40-50 seconds, until the prawns are cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

To assemble:

1. In a large salad bowl, start by placing vermicelli. Then top with shredded chicken, Chinese cabbage, shredded omelette, Vietnamese mint, mint, and finished with the prawns in the centre. Garnish with toasted cashewnuts and pour over the dressing. (I usually leave out the chillies when pouring in the dressing in case it's too spicy for the kids)

2. Toss the salad along with the dressing and enjoy!

For the salad dressing
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 red cili padi, deseeded and chopped
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp caster sugar

1. Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl, until sugar is dissolved. Taste, and adjust to your liking, with more lime juice, fish sauce or caster sugar.

Vietnamese salad with chicken and prawn Vietnamese salad with chicken and prawn Vietnamese salad with chicken and prawn Vietnamese salad with chicken prawn Vietnamese salad with chicken prawn
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Recipe: Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

I have been making lots of Vietnamese dishes in the kitchen lately. What's not to love - Vietnamese dishes are so vibrant, healthy and delicious!

I'm sure many of you have heard of Bo Luc Lac before, also known as Vietnamese Shaking Beef. Bo means beef and luc lac refers to the shaking of the wok and tossing the beef back and forth during the cooking process to get an even sear on the beef. If you haven't tried this dish before, you definitely should - it's so so good!

For this dish, you should use a nice piece of steak (preferably with not too much fat), so rump or sirloin would be ideal. The beef is cut into small cubes, marinated (for at least 2 hours) and then seared over high heat for only 1-2 minutes, until the exterior is caramelised and is still nicely medium inside. The tender beef is then topped on a refreshing salad of lettuce leaves, marinated shallots and cherry tomatoes.

Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)
Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from Vietnamese Bible
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 2-3 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
400g rump or sirloin steak, cut into cubes
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 spring onions (green parts only), finely chopped
1/2 large red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 tbsp cooking oil
3-4 iceberg lettuce leaves, sliced
4 cherry tomatoes, halved

For the marinated shallots
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar

1. In a large bowl, place steak cubes, fish sauce, light and dark soy sauce, caster sugar, half the garlic and 3/4 spring onion. Mix well and leave to marinate for 2-3 hours.

2. For the pickled shallots, place all ingredients in a small bowl and use your fingers to mix and separate the strands of onion. Leave for 10 minutes.

3. Arrange lettuce leaves on a plate.

4. Heat wok over very high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the beef and remaining garlic. Toss and shake the pan to keep the meat turning until cooked medium rare to medium. This will only take about 1 - 2 minutes. If you are using an induction or ceramic hob, you can just toss the meat around using a spatula. Add the chilli and cook for a further 20 seconds.

5. Spread the meat and pan juices over the salad. Top with marinated shallots and garnish with the remaining spring onion and cherry tomatoes. Serve with rice.

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Vietnamese Shaking Beef recipe Vietnamese Shaking Beef recipe Vietnamese Shaking Beef recipe Vietnamese Shaking Beef recipe Vietnamese Shaking Beef recipe Vietnamese Shaking Beef recipe
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Recipe: Japanese Wafu Dressing (For salads)

In Japanese restaurants over here in Malaysia, whenever you order a set meal, you will usually be served a side salad. The salads are usually dressed with a wafu dressing. This wafu dressing which I adapted from Just One Cookbook, is very similar to that.  It's easy to put together and tastes great on salads. Try serving this when you serve a Japanese meal at home, such as the saba teriyaki. 

Japanese Wafu Dressing
Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from Just One Cookbook
Preparation time: 5-10 minutes
Serves 3-4

Ingredients
For the dressing
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1 1/2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tbsp yellow onion, grated

To serve
3 iceberg lettuce leaves, sliced
2 cabbage leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 carrot, cut into matchsticks
4-5 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1. Place all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined.

2. Divide salad ingredients into 3 or 4 bowls. Spoon wafu dressing over the salad and toss.

Japanese wafu dressing for salads Japanese wafu dressing for salads Japanese wafu dressing for salads Japanese wafu dressing for salads Japanese wafu dressing for salads
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Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara: Takeaway Menu

Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara recently launched their Takeaway Menu, offering salads, starters, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, mains, cheese, bread and desserts. This takeaway menu is available from 11am to 6pm daily, and complimentary delivery is also extended for orders above RM200.

Simply place your order, make your payment and your meal will be ready in 45 mins for self pick-up or delivery. We had the Classic Caesar Salad with soft boiled egg (+add-on smoked salmon), followed by the Classic beef burger, Potato Gnocchi, Pan fried salmon steak and freshly baked Sourdough bread. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the Angus beef burger with cheddar, beef bacon and fried egg - so juicy and delicious! My personal favourite was the Potato Gnocchi, a dish I have tried at their Nizza restaurant and loved, and this time is no exception. Pillowy soft, tender gnocchi with a rich mushroom sauce and truffle oil... yum!

Caesar salad

Classic beef burger with fries

Potato gnocchi

Pan fried salmon steak with mashed potato, ratatouille and pesto sauce

For our teatime break, we had a selection of sweets from their Takeaway Menu - Cocoa lemon eclair, Oreo cheesecake and Jivara & Passion fruit mousse cake. Our day is a whole lot sweeter, for sure!

Meanwhile Hubby indulged in the Artisanal Cheese Board, which comes with 4 types of cheese, dried fruits, nuts, crackers and bread.

Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara Takeaway Menu

All these items are available on their Takeaway Menu, from 11am to 6pm. Enjoy 20% discount when you order via Whatsapp (018-873 2028).
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