Kyoto Station 京都駅 & Hotel Granvia Kyoto

Our Japan trip started with visit to Kyoto first then transferred to Osaka. When we first arrived to Kansai Airport (KIX) , we took JR train to our hotel Granvia Kyoto which just located right at the Kyoto station.

Kyoto Tower Hotel night reflection on Kyoto station..



 I did some researched on the transportation before we go to Kyoto, and i found that buying JR West Rail Pass would be cheaper by about JPY 1000 (we bought 1 day pass since we were not able to utilise on consecutive days , and this pass only can be purchased one time per entry ).

The weather were cloudy when we arrived, this was the scene we saw when we were on JR train to Kyoto station from Kansai airport..i found that Japanese people like to plant vegetables beside their house. It is so nice to have home grown and organic vegetables..

Kyoto Station

 

A long series of escalators and stairs, to an open air observation deck is located on the top floor of the station building

 

 

We stayed at Hotel Granvia Kyoto. This hotel is very clean and comfortable..
Since our stayed in Kyoto only has 3 nights, we decided to choose a hotel that close to the train station so we can easily moving around. Hotel Granvia Kyoto is located just right inside the Kyoto station. So it is very very convenient to take train, bus and other transports from this hotel.  

They supply with full range of bathroom accessories..

They even supply with facial wash and makeup remover..this definitely win women's heart..hehehe..

I love their  body soap and shampoo, very frangrant and smell nice..

I have heard of this Japanese high-tech toilet seat, now i know how comfortable is this toilet seat, feel so warm, hehehe..Some toilet seat in major departmental store like Daimaru and Isetan, they even have music to choose (just not to disturb your neighbour while you are doing business ^_^)

The view outside the hotel room, a long Shinkansen train just passed by..

Our 1st meal in Kyoto.. Since we still blur blur and did not realized that there are plenty of restaurants at the basement of Kyoto station. We walked to outside and found this gyoza and noodle restaurant ..

When we tried to enter this restaurant, we saw automative 自动sign on the handle of the entrance door, since it is automative, so we just stand there and wait for the doors to open but it was not happened. Later only we realized that we need to touch the handle then door only can open, we were so malu (embarassing)!! Those customers inside the restaurant might thinking these two peoples don't know "mana kampung mari " (come from which village), hahaha!

This was the best gyoza i had, tried few in Osaka and Kyoto restaurant, this is still the best gyoza! forgot to take inside look of this gyoza..JPY 220 for 6pcs of gyoza..

I ordered this noodle soup, taste was ok but this noodle soup was too oily..

My husband ordered this fried noodles, taste so so only..

After dinner, we walked around in the Kyoto station, and realized there are many restaurants at the basement, the Porta is one of them..

Every restaurant set up their menu with display of plastic food in front of the restaurant. Everythings just look so tempting !

Tonkatsu look like real one..

We bought this mochi to try out , nice to have it with a cup of green tea because it taste quite sweet..You can see this brand of mochi in many shops..

The next morning, we took breakfast outside since hotel room did not come with breakfast and very expensive if want to take breakfast there.. We went to Porta underground and found this small and cosy cafe and had our Western breakfast.

 
Before i end this post, here is a link that i want to share with you. Hyperdia , you can search for the transport route from one place to another place with various option..

Simple chocolate cupcakes

Just now my daughter requested me to make cupcakes for her to bring to orphanage house tomorrow. Her school teacher will bring them there. I have been thinking to make cupcakes for large amount because I want to try the 24-holes muffin pan that I bought from Melbourne’s trip. I was so happy to accept this order ^_^

I like the size of this 24-holes muffin pan, mini and handy!

I have some leftover dairy whipping cream, so i replaced milk with whipping cream and resulted a very buttery and soft butter cake! I find the cocoa aroma is not that strong, next time i might increase the cocoa powder in this recipe.

Simple chocolate cupcakes
(recipe source: by Sonia a.k.a Nasi Lemak Lover)
*makes 28 mini cupcakes


125g butter
100g fine granulated sugar
3 eggs (medium)
115g cake flour
20 g cocoa powder
1/2tsp double action baking powder or 1tsp baking powder
4tbsp dairy whipping cream


Chocolate rice


Method
1. Line cupcake liners on the cake pan.
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.
3. Beat butter and sugar till fluffy and pale.
4. Add in egg one at a time, mix well.
5. Add in flour and whipping cream alternately, combine well.
6. Spoon batter into cupcake liners, sprinkle chocolate rice on top.
7. Bake at pre-heated oven at 180C for 20mins.

Bamboo forest of Sagano 嵯峨野竹林, Kyoto Japan

Bamboo forest of Sagano 嵯峨野竹林 is one of the place that i like the most when visited Kyoto..remind me of the fight scene of the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (卧虎藏龙)..The atmosphere there is so calm and peaceful..

We bought this nice ice-cream with 4 combination of difference flavours from this shop before enter to this forest..

At first, i was wondered why the scene is not as nice as i seen in Alan (travellingfoodies)'s post. Later i realized that i have to walk quite deep inside to see the nice scene..

My husband helped to take photo for these two gorgeous ladies..

     
 Bamboo forest of Sagano is located at Tenryu Ji temple 岚山 天龍寺, Arashiyama Kyoto..

Sakura cookies 桜花饼& Giveaway, and a warm bloggers gathering

I was so happy when i spotted this preserved sakura (桜花漬（おうかづけ), selling in a small shop in Kyoto (will provide where to get these in the later post, no time to sort out the information)..One of the item i was planning to use this beautiful sakura is to make a swiss roll. But when i saw dailydelicious posted her beautiful Sakura cookies, i just could not wait and immediateky try it out..I also brought this cookie to a bloggers gathering yesterday, they all just love it.

They just look gorgeous!!

 

Sakura cookies

(recipe source: adapted from Dailydelicious with minor changes)

90g unsalted butter, room temperature
50g fine granulated sugar
1/4tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
120g cake flour
20-30 Preserved cherry blossoms (Sakura)

Super fine sugar, for sprinkle on top of the cookies

Method
1. Preheat the oven 200 °C

2. Put the salted Sakura in a bowl, cover with enough water, leave it for 2hrs or more, to reduce the salt from the Sakura.

3. Drain the Sakura and discard the water. Also very lightly squeeze the water using finger.

4. Beat the butter with salt until soft, add the granulated sugar and beat unto light in color add the vanilla extract and egg yolk, beat to combine.

5. Pour the flour into the bowl, mix it well. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 1 hour.

6. Line the baking sheet with baking non-stick paper or Silpat.

7. Roll the cookie dough until 3-4mm thickness, cut with cookie cutter.

8. Place on a prepared baking sheet, and put Preserved cherry blossoms on each cookie.

9. Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C.
10. Put the cookies into the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown, sprinkle with superfine sugar immediately.
11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes then let it cool completely on a wire rack.



I bought extra pickled sakura, and I would like to giveaway to my readers who currently residing in Malaysia and Singapore only (sorry to other country's readers because the distance and postage cost)..To enter, just leave your comment in this post and closing date is on this Friday 29th June 2012. Please identify yourself if you are under Anonymous. Two winners will be selected by random.org.
Gift will be sent using normal post delivery.
Good luck !!

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A warm bloggers gathering

Yesterday i just attended another bloggers gathering. Why this time i said this is a warm gathering, because i feel so warm and feel so good when chatting with them. Even that was my 1st time meeting them, but like i know them long ago. Our gathering started with enjoying nice dessert in the shopping mall that connected to the hotel. Helena from Perth, five of them (Eileen, Angie, Mandy, Joceline and Casey) came from Penang, MYME and Vernice all the way from Singapore and Shan from Puchong..After taken dessert, we were heading to the hotel room as Helena taught us on how to make decoupage. After this, we were out for shopping a while and took dinner in one Chinese restaurant..After dinner, we went back to the hotel room to celebrate Mandy's Birthday. Too bad, I have to leave early because next day is schooling day and rest of them continue to have fun..

Who are they?

1. Helena Kitchen

2. eileenの记事本

3. My Mum's Cake House(Angie)

4. 缘分的天空 (Mandy)

5. 爱'生活My Life (Joceline)

6. 恩空间 (Casey)
7. 最爱的 (MYME) Irene

8. Vernice De Blog

9. 珊言慧语 (shan)
10. Helena's best fried from Melaka
 

 

Everyone was so hard working making their own decoupage plates.

 

 

See the end result, all these plates look so beautiful after added the flowers and fruits print..My plate is the one round with orange flowers



Mandy celebrated her Birthday (sorry Mandy for this poor quality of photo)..

See so many lovely gifts that they gave it to me..Even Jane not joining, also tumpang Helena to pass me some chocolate and fruit candies, Thanks Jane..Every gifts that they gave me is with much consideration of what i like, i really feel so touch to receive all these gifts..I was even surprised that MYME gave me the small metal cups (with holes) as she noticed my comment left in a post that posted by Jane who using the same cups to make paper steamed sponge cakes, I was so touch 好感动 ！

**Eileen, i just noticed that your special chili can not seen clearly in this photo, sorry girl..I going to make steamed yam cake tomorrow and enjoy with your chili sauce, also with a cup of tea using Helena's beautiful tea cup ^_^..

Thanks to all 美女, I hope to see your all soon..

Pan fried eggplant with sweet soy sauce

While i still figure out how to write my Japan trip post and sorting out the photos, let me share this super easy eggplant recipe for you. Eventhough it is simple recipe but yet it was delicious even my kid who doesn't like eggplant also fought for the last piece..

This is the sweet soy sauce that i use..feel free to use other brands..

I saw this recipe while i flipping through a cookbook in a bookstore the other day, could not recall the book name. The important sauce of this dish is Sweet soy sauce..Ya, my husband also suggested me to add some fried dried shrimps next time..
Latest update on 23 June- one reader informed she tried out this recipe and she also add few drop of vinegar, taste good too.

Pan fried eggplant with sweet soy sauce
(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)

2 medium eggplants, halved, soaked in salt water
Chopped spring onions
Chopped red chili
Fried shallots

1-2 tbsp sweet soy sauce or to taste
Cooking oil

Method
1. Heat little cooking oil on a non-stick pan.
2. Place eggplant in a single layer over low heat, pan fry till brown and cooked for both sides.
3. Drizzle sweet soy sauce over fried eggplants, garnish with chopped spring onions, red chili and fried shallots. Enjoy

Sweet Corn Cream Chiffon Cake 玉米7风

Hi there, how are you?  I hope all of you are doing well and fine.

I just came back from a wonderful Japan trip, great foods, great peoples and great shopping. In fact i wish my next trip will be going to Japan again ^_^. I took thousand of pictures, need some time to organize it and have it post, please hold for my update (I also will giveaway 3 items that i bought from Japan, please check it out later). I have not cooking up any new recipes after came back, so today i am sharing an old recipe. This sweet cream corn chiffon cake became popular after 鲸鱼 posted hers.



Sweet Corn Cream Chiffon Cake

(recipe source: Inspired by 鲸鱼 who adapted from Carol, with my own twist of my usual chiffon recipe)
**for a 20cm or 7” chiffon pan


4 egg yolks
20g sugar
50g corn oil
85g self- raising flour
75g sweet corn cream


4 egg whites
70g sugar


Method
1. Hand whisk egg yolks and sugar till sugar dissolved.
2. Add in corn oil and sweet corn cream, mix well.
3. Add in flour and combine well, set aside.
4. Beat egg whites over high speed till foamy ( 1min for KA mixer at speed 8).
5. Slowly add in sugar, beat till soft peak form (2-3mins for KA mixer at speed 6).
6. Take 1/3 portion of egg white mixture and use hand whisk to mix with egg yolk mixture till light.
7. Fold the balance of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture, combine well.
8. Pour cake mixture into baking pan and bake at pre-heated oven at 160c for 40min or adjust to your oven as every oven is difference.



Mee Hoon Siam

Yesterday i cooked up another batch of sweet sambal tumis. After tasted the yummy Mee Hoon Siam (fried rice vermicelli in chili ) in Melaka, i still crave for it after returned home. So i use the sweet sambal to cook this Mee Hoon Siam again..and we just love it !

Mee Hoon Siam

(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)


400g rice vermicelli (mee hoon), soaked in water till soft
3 cloves garlic, chopped
10tbsp Sweet Sambal tumis ( recipe here, please adjust the amount of sambal to suite your spicy preference)
30g dried shrimps, soaked in water for 5mins, chopped
1 and 1/4cup water
salt and fish sauce to taste


Garnishing
bean sprouts, blanch in hot water
2 eggs, fried and shredded
5 fish cakes, slices
8 shallots (refer crispy shallot recipe here)
2 sprigs spring onion, chopped
Limau kasturi (small limes)


Method
1. Heat oil in a wok, fry shallots till golden brown, dish out and set aside.
2. Use the remaining oil, add in chopped garlic and chopped dried shrimps, sauté till aroma.
3. Add in sweet sambal tumis and stir fry for 1min, season with sugar and salt.
4. Remove some sambal for garnishing later and remain about 3tbsp in the wok.
5. Add in mee hoon and water, stir fry till cook, season with salt and fish sauce.
6. To serve- garnish bean sprouts, shredded egg, fish cake slices, fried shallots and spring onions on top of Mee Hoon Siam..enjoy by sprinkle Kasturi lime juices and dried shrimps sweet sambal.

I will again away for a "tumpang trip" (means hubby is on business, I am on leisure ^_^). This time I will be going to Osaka and Kyoto Japan, can't wait to try out all yummy Japanese foods there..see you all in another 1-2 weeks time.. take care and see soon..