Honey Oyster Pork Ribs

Although I have just few friends here in Perth, they’ve been a great motivation and support for me to stay here being away from my family. Most of my friends are older than me, (5 ~ 20 years older) but we’re close and are good friends. Because they have more life experience than I do, their words and advices are such valuable and I really appreciate that.

Some of them have their own business here, and some of them have bought their own home and settled themselves in this state. They all work so hard and I want to be same as them! And, I have a few friends who are mothers and they also give me a good advice on cooking too

I’ve got this recipe from one of my friends who has moved from Cairns to Perth 2 years ago and is a mother of 1 year old boy. I love this recipe and so does my family here

<Honey Oyster Pork Ribs>

• 500 g pork ribs – boned
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 2 tbs honey
• 2 tbs soy sauce

I had it as dinner with chirashi-zushi (scattered sushi rice with pickled vegetables) and o-suimono (Japanese clear broth). It was delicious!

Massage at Home

Who doesn’t like getting massage? … well, actually I know someone. – My husband. He loves getting massage by me, but none else. :p So he doesn’t go to spa or massage places even though we have a voucher! What’s a shame..

Well, anyway… I love getting massage like other girls! My body and muscle get tired easily and are always stiff. I don’t mind getting massage every day, but of course it costs a lot here. I’ve only been to spas/massage places just 3 times since I came to Perth, I think.

Just to save little money, I normally get massage at home when I disparately need massage. There’re a few Japanese people who do mobile massage service, but I usually ask this lady (S-san) to come over to my house.

Personally I don’t like getting massage by men, nor strangers. I don’t feel comfortable… I know S-san for awhile, and she has a good skill and nice personality. She also don’t take any job from strangers either. It’s just for a security reason.

Having a skill is good, I think. You can work anywhere. One of my friend who is into beauty therapy stuff wants to start home business as well. She has already prepared massage bed, face steamer (from Japan) and other goods. I got free trial by her few times, and it was good! My face was totally different after the treatment. I hope she can officially start her own business soon.

Skewered and Grilled Chicken Mince (Tsukune)

Tsukune is a Japanese chicken meat balls most often cooked yakitori style (skewered).  Sometimes tsukune can be fried, and served without skewers.  You can also add it to steam board as well.

This can be eaten with rice or noodle, or just to accompany beer.  Add chili powder if you like it spicy!

<Chicken Tsukune> 4 skewers

• 200 g chicken mince
• 1 cup chopped spring onion
• 1 tbs sesame oil

• 1 tbs sake
• 1.5 tbs sugar
• 1.5 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs mirin
• 1 tsp garlic -minced

A Touching heartwarming Japanese Song

I was in a souvenir shop in Yufuin the first time I heard this song.  I straight away fell in love with the depth of emotion in her voice, Angela Aki.  After I came back to Perth I noticed that my husband had downloaded the song to his iMac and listens to it when he works.  

  The title of this song is “手紙 ～拝啓 十五の君へ～” (A letter to me at 15 years old).  The song (lyrics) brings out the pain of a 15-year-old student struggling with life who writes a letter to his/her future self to ask for guidance.  In this lyrics there’s a letter written from a 15-year-old, and  letter written back from the future him/herself.  And, at the end of the song wishes everyone happiness.

  She wrote a letter to herself in twenty years when she was 15 years old, so this song is based on her true story.  Angela spent her teen years with an inferiority complex for being a mix of Japanese and Italian-American.  This song (and her character) captures hearts of teenagers in Japan, and gives courage and dream to the kids.

  This song heals my stress away.

 ”手紙 ～拝啓 十五の君へ～”  (A letter to me at 15 years old).  

Dear you,

I wonder where you are and what you do at the time you read this letter.  As I’m just a 15-year-old I am anxious about lots of things in my life and future, but I can’t talk about it with anyone.  I’m writing this letter to myself in future because that’s the only person I could tell everything and can trust.  I feel like crying, I feel like I’m a looser, I don’t know who I should believe and trust to move on with my life.  My heart is broken and hurt, but I’m still living.

Dear you,

Thank you for your letter.  I have something that I want to tell you, a 15-year-old.   You will start to see what you are and where you should be going if you continue asking to yourself.  The seas of youth may be rough, but keep rowing your boat of dream towards the shores of tomorrow.  Don’t cry, don’t lose yourself, even when you are seemingly about to disappear. Just believe in your own voice.  Even as an adult I get hurt sometimes and have sleepless nights, but I’m still living this sweet/bitter life.

Everything you do and see, there is a meaning.  That creates your life.  So, please don’t be afraid, don’t cry, and grow your dream.  Keep on believing.

Everyone experiences sadness in their life, and you can’t avoid that.  So, keep smiling and keep going.  

Dear you,

Whoever reading this letter, I wish you are happy.

Wondering Around Northbridge

The other day I was wondering around Northbridge after visiting one of my friend from TAFE. It was a fine day, and I thought “hmm maybe I feel like Vietnamese”. I go to Tra Vinh often, but the restaurant was full of people waiting outside, so I just went to Vinh Hong which in on William St. I come here sometimes too, love eating fresh bean shoots with some kind of sweet miso-like paste.

I had rice noodle with braised beef, and my husband had pork chop rice (as usual :p) The rice noodle was delicious. It came with sour chili sauce, and I didn’t know how to eat … so I dipped the noodle in the sauce to eat. It was fine, but in the end I just poured over the sauce on noodle and enjoyed it all :p

After lunch we started walking around the area. I had nothing I wanted to buy, but all the fruits market (?.. small shop), Asian butcher and grocery shops were fun to look around.

On Brisbane St, I found a cute cake shop and a stylish zakka shop.

The cake shop sells pretty small cakes and bakes sweets with its own brand. There is a wide table and chairs inside too, I’m guessing customers can also enjoy cakes in store. When I was browsing around, some customers were talking with staff about cakes or something. Maybe the shop can make custom-made cake? They have an up-coming website, so better check it out.

http://rochelleadonis.com/ …. 193 Brisbane St, Northbridge

Next door is a zakka shop which sells unique/antique tick homeware and stationary. I love the atmosphere !

“Life Edition” is a brand from WA, and note books and albums are so pretty and stylish. You may find a perfect gift here for Christmas!