Took the day off yesterday since it was Youth Day - thus a holiday for all school go-ers. Had no inkling that it was a school holiday initially (I can't remember ever celebrating Youth Day when I was a youth :P) till Mong smsed me last week asking me whether she can bring my boy cycling at ECP on that day.

We hardly bring Aidan to cycle at ECP. Most of the time, we'll let him cycle along our apartment corridor and also at the long stretch of canel near our place. I didn't wanna let him cycle at ECP because we usually go there during the weekends and the place is forever jam packed with hoards of cyclists,bladers and casual walkers. My experience with li' kids biking there hasn't exactly been great. I remember cussing at the parents for letting their kids zig-zag across the lane and looking on proudly at them without realising that their kids may have caused an accident or two. Children also have a tendency to execute sudden jam brakes/U-turns and not keeping to the right lanes. The last time I fell while blading was to avoid a kid that rode into my path @#$%&!

Thankfully, the cycling stretch at ECP was rather empty yesterday morning. The weather was exceptionally warm and it was so darn humid! Had to cycle at a snail's pace so as to ensure my boy was okay..And I know now how those parents must have felt because it was really nice to see the boy enjoy himself so much while he navigated over the humps and squealing in delight as he peddled away. Fortunately, he does listen to my instructions and kept to his lane and was cycling in a straight line. He was more determined to catch up with Macy who had zoomed far ahead of him and was taunting him "Why you sooooo slow Aidan! Faster! Fasssteeer!!". Alamak, that girl ah!


Can't tahan that woman. Not only can she bake, she can cook so bleddy well too! Her hub's such a lucky bloke. She made beef pho for dinner and boy, was it tasty. The broth was especially heavenly..! I ♥ pho bo. When I was stationed in Vietnam for a month in one of the my previous job, I ate pho every single day! Gonna get the recipe so that *coff* my helper would be able to cook it for us once in a while :P My boy lurved the noodles too! Ate up every single strand of the noodles and slurped up the soup completely.



Here's the recipe (provided by the chef! All comments belong to her)
Ingredients
4 quarts beef broth( about 4 litres)
1 kg beef bone/meat
6 slices fresh ginger root
1 lemon grass( I found it a little too pungent, so I put half)
2 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 pound sirloin tips, cut into thin slices( I use the Cold Storage's sukiyaki beef)
Beef balls (optional)
1/2 pound bean
sprouts (30cents at the wet market is suff. to feed 5)
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon
fennel seed
1 teaspoon cloves
2 bay leaves
2-3 star anise
Fresh cut red chillies
limau cut ( about 8-9)
2 large onions cut into rings
2 package dried rice noodles or can get from wet market fresh hor fun
1/2 tbp hoi sin sauce
3 tablespoons fish sauce

Directions
1. In a large soup pot, combine broth, onion, ginger, lemon grass, cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, star anise, bay leave together and bring to boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer as long as you can.... 4-5 hours (btw, blanch the beef bones first before putting into the soup)
2. Arrange bean sprouts, mint, basil and cilantro on a platter with chillies n lime
3. Soak noodles in water. Boil a small pot of water to soften noodles when ready to eat. Drain the noodles, put into the bowl, place raw beef on top. Ladle hot broth over noodles and beef. top with garnishes and sauces.