Delicious Mooncakes

It is the time of the year for mooncakes and lanterns. The Mid-Autumn Festival or Chinese Mooncake Festival is just around the corner. The actual date of this festival is 22nd September 2010. Shopping malls and shops have started selling mooncakes and lanterns. Many shopping malls even have lantern decorations where they promote the sale of mooncakes.

Mooncakes are delicious. I love them. And nowadays they come in attractive packaging which makes them ideal as gift to family and friends. When we celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival, we think of togetherness and unity.

Every year there are new flavours of mooncake. I remember the traditional flavours of mooncake are lotus seed paste, red bean paste and mixed nuts. The many new flavours of mooncake are:

Charcoal Infused Mocha Milk Tea

Fragrant Corn with Soft Yolk
Snow Skin Raspberry & Blueberry
Snow Skin Japanese Potato with Custard
From Tai Thong

Low Sugar Taro Yuzu

Green Tea Custard Azuki
Chocolate Almond Butterscotch
Mocha Hazelnut Praline
From Baker’s Cottage

Red Yeast Japanese Sweet Potato

Golden Baked Lemon Tea
Bamboo Charcoal Hazelnut
Charcoal Baked Yam
From Casahana

Tiramisu Lotus Paste

Dragon Fruit Lotus Paste
Cranberry Lotus Paste
Fine Red Bean with White Bean
From Six Happiness

Black Sesame Bamboo Charcoal

Spinach with Single Yolk
Red Yeast with Mixed Beans
Durian Pearl
From Kam Lun Tai

Other types of mooncake:

Mooncakes with fruit filling (Mango, Passion Fruit, Apple, Orange and Honey Dew).

Vegetarian Mooncakes (Mushroom, Mixed Nuts).

Ginseng Mooncakes, Cordyceps Mooncakes

Jelly Mooncakes

Ice Cream Mooncakes

Mochi Mooncakes

Mochi Truffle Mooncakes from Taiwan

Every year I will try some of the new mooncake flavours. However, my all time favourite is still the Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake. In my opinion, all the new flavours and varieties still cannot beat the good old traditional Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake. Take time to enjoy this delicacy and Happy Mooncake Festival!

“When the moon is round and bright,

We bring out our lanterns and light up the night,

Families come together for some fun and delight,

And enjoy mooncakes till the very last bite.”

Vegetarian Dining : Kechara Oasis

We have wanted to try out this Vegetarian Restaurant ever since we read a review on it in a magazine. Located in Jaya One, Petaling Jaya this place is not difficult to find. When we reach there, no problem with parking too. We were greeted by some tastefully done deco.

A very convenient location. Kechara Oasis entrance is right in front of a covered parking. I parked in front of the restaurant and the entrance door is just two steps away.

Although at the entrance the sign says "New Age Vegetarian Cuisine", when we looked at the menu it says Tibetan Vegetarian. Well, whatever it is let's hope the food is good.

Stainless steel chopsticks that is as light as feathers.

We did not order this... it's a complimentary starter. Beetroot soup... scary colour don't you think. Beetroot is really good. Just three baby beetroot equal one of the recommended five daily servings of fruit and vegetables. Do not panic when your urine turns pink after consuming beetroot. It will return to normal after once or twice. This was served hot.

"Banana leaf spicy fish", is the name of this dish. I feel it's not spicy enough. Taste is alright when served with white rice.

Fried Dumpling.. cheese and various vege inside. This is probably a new age cuisine. Taste is acceptable. At the background is "Camel meat with butter"... probably one of the Tibetan specialty. This dish is delicious and the texture is really like meat.

Dessert.. banana and red bean wrapped and topped with icing sugar. Weird taste. I do not like this. Out of the six pieces, we ate only one. Balance we "tapau". Someone has to eat it later.

Deco outside the Kechara Oasis.

As a meat lover, this is not a place for me. For vegetarian looking for a change in taste, this new age cuisine and Tibetan vegetarian restaurant may be worth a try. Click here for more information on Kechara Oasis.

Homemade Tiramisu

Over the weekend, Agnes and sister Sue have combined their skills and made this famous Italian dessert... Tiramisu.

Visit HubPages for Agnes' simple Tiramisu recipe. Anyone can try.. baking not required.

My glass of Tiramisu :)

Japanese Dining : Ninja Jones

This Japanese restaurant was recommended by Agnes' colleague. We were shopping at Mid Valley Megamall so we decided to try it. Located at Northpoint, Mid Valley City Kuala Lumpur this Japanese restaurant is not easy to find. We had to go to the infomation counter for directions. After crossing a sky bridge and descending escalator we found the restaurant. We were greeted by a friendly waitress. I did not go in right away but examined the menu. OK, prices are still within our means. So let's go enjoy our lunch.

First time here.. don't know what is good. So we just order what we feel like eating. For starters we ordered a dish called Ninja Harumaki. Quite tasty.. has soft shell crab and prawn.

Agnes ordered.. Teriyaki Chicken & Tempura set (only RM28). This set comes with salad and cawamushi which is not in the picture. Already in our "perut".

My order.. Stone grilled Wahgyu beef. Absolutely delicious. The meat is more tender than Agnes' teriyaki chicken and a lot juicier. Almost like melting in my mouth. Wish I could eat another serving of this but alas i do not want to live beyond my means.

We found a Ninja in the restaurant. He was armed with a katana.

Luckily this is a friendly Ninja.

Later he showed us his favorite weapon. The Shuriken.

 
Will definitely come back here for the food. And to try the rest of the offerings (especially sashimi) on the menu. Also to chat with our Ninja friend and learn more of their arts.