It never powered up again. 

I took it to the repair shop and they couldn’t fix it (to be fair, it was nearly five years old).

I’m not a gamer but this laptop was built for gaming, so it impacted me more than had it been one of my other laptops (I’m a former Microsoft Systems Engineer so yes, I like my tech).

You might ask – why would you need a gaming laptop to livestream cooking videos, especially in this day and age when you can go Live with the push of a button on your mobile phone? 

Well, it depends on what kind of live video setup you’re aiming for. I personally don’t like going Live from my mobile phone – apart from the small screen and having to squint to read the comments, and never being quite sure where to look when it’s on landscape layout – I also want the bells and whistles of using custom layouts, overlays and other branding elements as well as being able to broadcast simultaneously to multiple platforms and channels etc. etc. 

With the right laptop, I just need to plug in one or two external webcams (depending on how many angles I want to display when cooking) via USB and position them as needed.

Apart from doing Live cooking videos from my laptop using different tools including XSplit broadcaster (which is basically like OBS), I also do a fair bit of video editing, so all that put together means I do need a laptop with a fair bit of muscle. 

I was able to get my hands on a Legion 7 Super RTX 20280 gaming laptop – it’s not the latest model, but I needed one quickly to replace my old Ideapad, and this was what Lenovo could send out immediately for me to review.

Model: Legion 7 Super RTX 20280

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10750H CPU @ 2.60GHz   2.59 GHz

Installed RAM: 16.0 GB (15.8 GB usable)

System type: 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

I posted a photo of it on social media and it received a lot of interest, probably because people only ever get to see what’s on camera, not what it takes to run my livestreams.

To answer some questions that came up, yes the keyboard does light up with colourful lights – and not just the keyboard but also the ports, the vents and even the Legion logo. You can change it so it’s mono-coloured, but I prefer it the way it is.

I also like that the power outlet and most of the ports are at the back, because it helps with cable/cord management. 

The ports are as follows – 

Right Port:

USB 3.2 Gen 1*

Rear Ports:

2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2**

1 x HDMI 2.0

1 x RJ45 Ethernet

1 x Kensington® lock slot

1 x Power-in

Left Ports:

Thunderbolt 3 Type-C (Thunderbolt, DisplayPort, USB 3.2, HDMI)

USB-C (DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.2 Gen 1*)

Headphone / mic combo

Other features I really like about the Legion 7 are that it comes with a comfortable tactile keyboard, it’s thin and light, and it stays cool and silent despite heavy use. Its 15-inch display is smaller than the 17-inch one it replaced, but performance-wise, this laptop is by far an improvement on the old unit.

More details and specs on the current model of the Legion 7 Super RTX 20280 can be found here – https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/legion-laptops/legion-7-series/Lenovo-Legion-7/p/81YT0006US

The post Live Cooking Videos From My Desktop (Lenovo Legion 7 Review) first appeared on Jackie M..

Weekends now mean sleeping in, and coming up with creative ways to keep Noah entertained. When we choose to visit a weekend market or festival, my brain starts working overtime to calibrate if the weather’s good, what the crowds are like, and if the event is a commercial success. 

This was my mindset on Saturday morning while I was keeping an eye on Noah at the playground in Randwick in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Never mind what was going through my head; I would have fit in with the other parents except I was also munching on a plate of durian, jackfruit and nangchem (hybrid jackfruit and cempedak) which I had “procured” at the Durian Fest 2021 tent about a hundred metres away. 

A curious Aussie bystander came up and asked me if what I was holding was that “famous smelly fruit” she’d heard so much about. 

She was intrigued at the sight of the massive lines of people near us, who had been patiently waiting for over an hour to get their hands on some durian. If your knowledge of durian is limited to what you’ve seen in YouTube reaction videos of white people eating it for the first time, I guess you would be similarly bemused to see hundreds of mostly Malaysians line up from as early as 9.15am (the event didn’t start until 11am) for a taste of this fruit.

When I shared a poster of the event on social media the day before, some people (clearly anticipating big crowds) asked why you would spend your Saturday lining up for durian when it is not that hard to find in the freezer section of your local Asian grocery store. 

I can’t speak for everyone who attended but personally, as a Malaysian, I much prefer Malaysian durian to the more commonly available Thai ones (sorry, Thai friends!). In particular, I love the variety called Musang King, which is often touted as the king of durian.

Nowadays you can often find frozen packs of Musang King durian next to Thai Mornthong durian at Asian stores. Whole durian in the shell like those sold by Durasia at the event, though, are a little harder to come by in my part of Sydney. 

So, does it make sense to line up for whole fresh durian, when you can buy frozen packs of it? I regularly buy and enjoy the frozen pack variety, so I wondered that myself. Then I managed to get my hands on one of these whole durians, courtesy of the Malaysian Agriculture Counsellor Office (I was attending as a guest).

The texture was exquisite and the flavour was phenomenal; it was as good a durian as I had ever eaten in my lifetime. I hope we get to see more of these events celebrating Malaysian fruit in future.

As a lover of Malaysian fruit and a cook who still misses the vibe of outdoor markets, I can’t think of a better way to spend my Saturday.

The post Durian Fest Sydney 2021 first appeared on Jackie M..

I didn’t get a chance to visit Sihanoukville during my first Wok Around Asia jaunt, but I had the opportunity to taste one of its well-known dishes, Sihanoukville Cuttlefish, at Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort’s Lok Lak Restaurant. This recipe is courtesy of Chef Chanrith Van, who’s one of the most talented Khmer chefs on the scene today, and it is amazing.

By the way, I’ve since attempted this during one of my Live Asian Kitchen broadcasts (I’ll post about it separately later) and even minus some of the local ingredients, eg. the kampot peppercorns and edible flowers, it tasted fantastic, so don’t let that put you off from attempting this at home using what you can find here in Australia.

Here’s the video on how it’s made, followed by the full recipe below >>

Sihanoukville Cuttlefish

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cuttlefish, about 180g each
2 TBSP pepper & lemongrass marinade
1 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP Koh Kong Dressing
1 ea red radish, shaved
10 g fresh green Kampot peppercorn
1 TBSP pumpkin puree
5g red, yellow, pink needle flower
1 TBSP crushed peanuts

METHOD:

1. Clean cuttlefish and remove heads. Score the cuttlefish on one side, and skewer with bamboo sticks along the length of the other side.
2. Marinate with pepper & lemongrass mix for 10 minutes.
3. Heat the wok until smoking hot, then sear the cuttlefish until a nice golden colour.
4. Remove bamboo skewers and cut the cuttlefish tubes into 3 pieces each.
5. Smear plate with 1 TBSP pumpkin puree.
6. Arrange cuttlefish on top, then spoon 1 TBSP Koh Kong dressing over them.
7. Garnish with flowers, radish and crushed peanuts, then serve.

Pumpkin Puree

INGREDIENTS:

30g olive oil
580g pumpkin
1 ¼ TBS fine salt
450ml water
1 ¼ TBS sugar

METHOD:

1. Peel and cut the pumpkin into thin slices.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan, then add the pumpkin and cook until soft.
3. Add salt, sugar and water and bring to a boil.
4. Transfer to a blender and blend until soft, then pass through a sieve.
5. Allow to cool, then store in refrigerator until use.

Pepper & Lemongrass Marinade

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp crushed black pepper
20g green kampot pepper, crushed (or replace with black peppercorns)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2g lemongrass, chopped
¼ tsp red hot chili, julienned
1 kaffir lime leaf, julienned
30ml extra virgin olive oil (or any kind of cooking oil)
½ tsp fine salt

METHOD:

1. Combine all ingredients. This marinade is suitable for seafood, beef or chicken.

Koh Kong Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

70g red large chillies, deseeded, chopped
7 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bird’s eye chili, chopped
80g white sugar
20ml white vinegar
70ml fish sauce
46ml fresh lime juice
40g sweet chili sauce
3g fine salt

METHOD:

1. Pound chillies and garlic into a rough paste with a mortar and pestle.
2. Add all the other ingredients, mix well, then transfer into a bowl.

My Wok Around Asia Siem Reap trip was made possible through the support of the following –

The post How to Cook Sihanoukville Cuttlefish first appeared on Jackie M..

Harm Chim Peng (I’ve spelled the dish the way it’s pronounced in Cantonese; I don’t know of a standard spelling for it), is a type of savoury doughnut sold at street stalls back in Malaysia, and it comes in a number of different varieties – plain, spiralled, filled with sticky rice, etc. My favourite is the one with red bean paste, but I’ve never seen this particular iteration on this side of the pond.

Furthermore, the ones they do sell here in Australia (that I’ve come across) tend to be a lot stiffer, bulkier and chewier, whereas the ones I grew up eating are light and delicate.

Now, I could have sworn I’ve made harm chim peng way back in my early days with some degree of success, but this time around, it took me three tries using three different recipes before I was happy with the result.

My main takeaways from these experiments are as follows –

1. Put away the electric dough mixer or Thermomix – hand mixing works best, and over-working the dough can actually be counter-productive
2. Don’t add salt to the dough – it can impede the yeast’s ability to do its job
3. Replacing yeast with baking soda (for a quick-and-easy version of this snack that a friend found on YouTube) produces a bun with a texture reminiscent of crumpets, ie. rubbery
4. There’s really no shortcuts with this recipe; it’s actually very easy to make but you need to plan ahead and do the prep work 30 hours in advance

As I mentioned, third time’s a charm, and it was my friend and fellow ex-Serembanian Lily’s recipe that worked for me, with tweaks. Next time I make it, I’ll try to roll the dough more thinly because this latest batch was still a bit thicker and more chewy than what they sell at my favourite stall in Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur, but I’m definitely tracking right with Lily’s recipe.

This is my adaptation of it –

Harm Chim Peng with Red Bean Paste Filling

INGREDIENTS:

Starter (30 hours before) –

90g plain flour
90ml water
2 tsps vinegar

Dough –

360g bread flour
130g sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp lye water (optional)

250 ml water
1/2 tsp instant yeast

Seasoning –

1/2 tsp 5 spice powder
1/2 tsp lam yue (red bean curd)
1/2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp salt

————————

1 cup red bean paste, rolled into balls 2cm in diameter
1 TBSP sesame seeds (optional)
1 TBSP water + pastry brush
Flour for dusting
Oil for deep-frying

METHOD:

1. Using a wooden spoon, mix the starter ingredients in a bowl, then cover and set aside for 24-48 hours.
2. Add the dough ingredients to the starter and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes.
3. Scrape and mix the dough, then cover again for 20 minutes – do this 3-4 times until the dough is smooth.
4. Set aside for another 3-5 hours.
5. Combine seasoning ingredients and mix well.
6. Work seasoning into dough, transfer onto a floured surface and divide into 16 portions.
7. Place a piece of red bean paste in middle of each portion of dough, cover and flatten as thinly as possible.
8. Brush one side with a little water, then sprinkle sesame seeds and press into dough.
9. Heat oil to 160’C and deep-fry, turning the doughnuts regularly to cook until they’re evenly golden brown in colour.
10. Remove and serve, preferably while still warm.

The post How to Make Harm Chim Peng (Savoury Doughnuts) w/Red Bean Filling first appeared on Jackie M..

Red bean paste filling is popularly used in Chinese snacks, from steamed buns to mooncakes; here are some examples of what I’ve been using my most recent batch in, with recipes to follow in my upcoming posts –

You can buy canned red bean paste filling at Asian grocery stores, but I like the idea of making my own when I can; it’s pretty easy especially if you have a pressure cooker and a food processor on hand.

This recipe is one from Cecilia J. Au-Yang’s Chopsticks Recipes Dim Sum cookbook series from 30 years ago, with tweaks.

Red Bean Paste Filling

INGREDIENTS:

500g red beans

8 cups water

500g brown sugar

2 cups vegetable oil

METHOD:

1. Combine red beans with water and cook in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes or in a saucepan for about an hour.
2. Remove and blend into a smooth paste in a food processor (I use my Thermomix).
3. Combine sugar and red bean paste in a non-stick wok and fry on low to moderate heat, adding oil gradually.
4. Cook until most of the moisture has evaporated and it’s a thick porridgy consistency. Remove and allow to cool, then refrigerate or freeze until use.

The post How to Make Red Bean Paste first appeared on Jackie M..

I fillet the meat and use it in a variety of different dishes, including in stir-fried noodles à la Cantonese-style stir-fried beef with hor fun (kon chau ngau hor)

It’s worked out pretty well; the only difference between this batch made during a broadcast of my Twitch Live Asian Kitchen and when I’ve used beef in the past, is that I decided to add minced garlic to the recipe.

Stir-Fried Lamb Noodles

INGREDIENTS:

• 100g sliced lamb fillets 
• 1 tsp bicarb of soda 
• 1 tsp Chinese rice wine
• 1 tsp ginger juice
• Dash of pepper
• Dash of fish sauce
• 1 tsp tapioca flour

• 200g fresh rice noodles (wide-cut)
• 1 ½ tsps fish sauce
• 1 ½ tsps oyster sauce
• ½ tsp thick soya sauce aka cooking caramel
• Dash of chicken powder
• 1 stalk green onion, sliced into 3-inch lengths
• ¼ cup beansprouts or Chinese greens
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic
• Dash of sesame oil
• 2 Tbsps cooking oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

METHOD:

1. Marinate lamb with bicarb of soda + water for 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and pat dry.
2. Add rest of marinade ingredients and mix well. Set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Heat ½ Tbsp oil in wok until it starts to smoke.
4. Add lamb and fry for about 1 minute, then remove.
5. Heat wok again without adding any oil, until it begins to smoke.
6. Toss in noodles and allow to scorch, adding a drizzle of oil.
7. Add garlic then fish sauce, and fry quickly. Add more oil as required.
8. Add lamb, oyster sauce, thick soya sauce and chicken powder.  Mix well, then add vegies, and pepper.
9. Adjust seasoning, then remove from heat. Add dash of sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using) before serving.

The post How to Cook Stir-Fried Lamb Noodles first appeared on Jackie M..

As a former IT consultant, I do like to keep up with technology, and the Lenovo 500 Multimedia Controller is the latest device I’ve recently had the opportunity to assess.

It is a keypad that’s small enough to fit in my hand, and it allows me to select, type, swipe, scroll, increase and decrease the volume and zoom in and out, etc. when I’m watching shows on my home theater PC from the kitchen or the couch.

It replaces the full-sized keyboard and mouse combo I’d otherwise be using, and it has a wireless range of 10 metres. I especially love that the keypad doubles as a touchpad, and that it comes with left and right mouse buttons. My Twitch audience of young gamers especially loves it, having seen how it works.

The multimedia controller runs on 2 x AAA batteries which last for up to 8 months. There’s no complicated setup involved; you just plug the USB dongle into your PC and it works right away.

I don’t have Australian pricing for it right now as it’s a very new product, but it retails for USD 59.99 overseas.

Here’s my quick video demonstrating its features; I’ve listed its specs below –

Specifications:

PERFORMANCE:

Compatibility
Windows 10
Windows 8.1
Windows 8
Windows 7

2.4G Wireless Connection
Physical On/Off Switch
Up to 8 Months Battery Life with 2 x AAA Battery
Touchpad DPI: Default 150, Adjustable Up to 1,000

Keyboard Layout : US English
Type : Metal Dome
Life : 1,000,000 Clicks
80 Physical Keys (including 6 media
function keys)

DESIGN:
Dimensions (W x D x H)
(mm) : 145 x 85.6 x 18.85
Weight: 130g without Battery and Dongle

CONNECTIVITY:
Wireless
Nano USB Dongle
1 x Extra 50 cm USB Extended Cable

The Lenovo 500 Multimedia Controller was sent to me courtesy of Lenovo; the review (as with everything else I write) is my own.

The post Review: Lenovo 500 Multimedia Controller first appeared on Jackie M..