Plan B, Midvalley Megamall, KL

How's your Christmas shopping going so far? Am super efficient this year, and I'm almost done with the Christmas shopping for the kids except for a few bits and bobs.

After Christmas shopping last weekend, we stopped by Plan B at Midvalley to try out their new menu. As usual, restaurant was busy so there was a 30-minute wait for the food. We ordered the Warm steak salad (RM26) and Shrimp Po'Boy (RM23).

The salad looked great and came in a generous portion - tender grilled sliced sirloin steak nestled between fresh arugula leaves and cherry tomatoes, and topped with Parmesan cheese. Tasted good too. Only realised later that the pine nuts were missing from the salad.

Instead of his usual cheeseburger order, Hubby tried the Shrimp Po'Boy, a classic sandwich originating from Louisiana.  Crispy fried shrimps drizzled with Japanese mayo, was served in a soft brioche hot dog bun. Served with a side salad and French fries. Not bad, but the cheeseburger here is pretty hard to beat.

For dessert, we had the sea salt truffle milk chocolate tart (RM12) and lemon meringue tart (RM12), and Hubby also had the affogato (RM10).

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the chocolate tart actually had truffle oil in it, so this reminded us a little to eating the Le Palladio at LDG but in chocolate form. The chocolate filling was really rich, so this is best for sharing. The only thing I didnt like about this was the tart crust, which was overbaked and too hard.

The lemon meringue tart was good - light and tangy dessert, enjoyed this a lot.

Christmas decor at Midvalley Megamall centre court

For Plan B's food menu with prices, please see here.



Price: Total bill RM96.30.

Location: Plan B, Lot G73-75, Ground Floor, MidValley Megamall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 KL.

Tel: 03-2282 1576

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MARIGOLD UHT Milk: Building Stronger Bones for Your Child

As parents, we always want to provide the best for our children. In order for our children to grow up strong and healthy, milk is one of the best food we can provide to them as it has the right balance of nutrients. In our home, my children drink milk at least 2 times a day and the adults do not miss out too.

Every morning when the children wake up, they will have a glass of milk before heading off to school. This will give them a good start to the day and enjoy the benefits that milk offer such as calcium, protein and vitamin D. Milk also contains choline that aids with learning and memory which will help them with their studies in school.

When they have a snack in the afternoon, they also like to have another glass of milk - my kids are always happy to drink milk as they think it's a really delicious drink. Secretly, mummy is delighted and rubbing her hands in glee as milk is such a nutritious drink. And just before bedtime, my children will have another glass of milk; milk contains protein which will help to grow as it is essential as a building block for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. It also works together constructively with calcium to aid bone health.

Most importantly, milk contains calcium which plays a vital role in keeping our bones strong and in preventing osteoporosis later in life. Hence, ensuring that our kids get the sufficient calcium through dairy products in their daily diet is important.

Drinking milk will ensure that my kids have healthy bones which can prevent childhood fractures. This is especially important for me since my kids love running and jumping around outdoors. Drinking milk will also decrease the risk of tooth decay and weak gums, so they will grow up with healthy teeth and big smiles. Every day challenges are easier when their foundation is stronger.

We love drinking MARIGOLD UHT Milk, as it is enriched with calcium, protein, as well as MARIGOLD's unique BonePlus formulation of Vitamin D which aids in better calcium absorption and bone growth. Drinking 2 glasses of MARIGOLD UHT Milk per day meets our daily recommended calcium intake.

MARIGOLD UHT Milk has been treated at an ultra-high temperature to ensure freshness. It also contains no preservative and is available in 250ml or 1litre Tetra-Pak packs. We really like the convenient and cute packaging.. my kids are always ask for the milk with the cute "moo-moo". :) There are 4 choices available - Full Cream, Chocolate, Strawberry and Low-Fat.

With MARIGOLD UHT Milk, our children will get all the nutrients required for building stronger bones and healthier bodies so that they can easily take on challenges they face in their daily life. This in the long run will help them build strength, ability and confidence that will last them a lifetime. MARIGOLD - Very Healthy, Very Good.

MARIGOLD UHT Milk is available at all leading supermarkets, hypermarts, convenience stores, petrol marts, mini marts and provision stores in Malaysia. For more info on the product, please visit www.marigold.com.my/uht.html .

*This is a sponsored post.

Recipe: Pan Seared Scallops with Pea Puree and Crispy Bacon

You know how much I love scallops,  so this would definitely be the ideal Christmas starter for me. I also love how Christmassy this dish feels,  incorporating the two main Christmas colours - green (from the pea puree) and red (from the crispy bacon). 

Pan Seared Scallops with Pea Puree and Crispy Bacon

The pea puree is adapted from Gordon Ramsay's recipe for pea and mint soup with Parma ham from his "Fast Food" cookbook. For me, the soup has a thick consistency, more like a puree than soup and works very well with pan fried scallops. And to finish off my dish nicely, I topped it with some crispy bacon for texture and colour. Super tasty!

A super delicious way to start a meal!

When I made the above scallop dish, our main course for the evening was this gorgeous op rib, cooked to perfection. This will also make a great main course on Christmas day.

Pan seared scallops with pea puree and crispy bacon
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients
18 large scallops (I used Hokkaido)
Salt
3 rashers streaky bacon, sliced thinly
2 tbsp olive oil

For the pea puree
300g frozen peas
A large handful mint, leaves only (about 5 sprigs)
400ml hot water
3-4 tbsp creme fraiche



1. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat and add the bacon. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Remove and place on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

2. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil, then add the mint leaves. Then, add the peas and blanch for 2-3 minutes, until they are just tender and still bright green. Drain, and reserve the liquid.

3. Tip the peas and mint into a blender with 400ml of reserved water and whizz to a smooth puree. If the consistency is too thick, you can add a bit more water. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil and creme fraiche and pulse for a few seconds to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Pat the scallops very dry using a kitchen towel, then season with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan with a drizzle of oil over medium high heat and once hot, add the scallops and cook for 1 minute, each side, or until cooked through. The cooking time depends on the size of scallops you are using, you want your scallops to still be slightly translucent in the centre.

5. To serve, spoon the puree into deep bowls, then top with 3 scallops each as well as some crispy bacon. Drizzle with some olive or truffle oil. Garnish with a mint sprig.


Note: Recipe for the pea puree is adapted from Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food cookbook.

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I am submitting this to the "Cook & Celebrate: Christmas 2014" event which I am co-hosting with Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe. To join, simply cook or bake any Christmas recipes for the whole month of December 2014.

Your post must be a current post i.e. posted in December 2014 - please do not link older posts.Please mention our "Cook & Celebrate: Christmas 2014" event in your post and link back to Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Baby Sumo of Eat your heart out.

Happy cooking! Do check out the other bloggers recipe below:




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Recipe: Mee Goreng (Malay-style fried yellow noodles)

Today, I am sharing the recipe which I wrote for my guest post on The Beesley Buzz last month as part of the WORLDFOODS International Fusion Recipe Swap Challenge.The dish I chose to showcase was mee goreng, a much-loved Malay-style fried noodle dish which can be eaten anytime of the day.

For the challenge, we were required to incorporate WORLDFOODS sauces into a favorite or typical dish from our country and I have chosen the "WORLDFOODS Indonesian Fried Rice 'Nasi Goreng' Paste". Having used this sauce before to make fried rice, I was confident that it would taste good in the mee goreng recipe too.

For mee goreng, we usually use thin yellow noodles, however a good substitute if you cannot find yellow noodles where you are is spaghetti. Other ingredients that we can find in mee goreng is chicken strips, prawns, fish cake as well as vegetables such as choy sum and cabbage. The WORLDFOODS paste includes garlic, dried chillies, shallots, onions, turmeric and tomato paste hence the noodles is fragrant with a slight spicy kick. If you prefer it spicier, then add in more chilli paste.

Mee goreng is commonly served with a fried egg, or you can also have it with a spicy egg sambal. Enjoy the recipe!

Mee goreng (Malay-style fried yellow noodles)
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
300g yellow noodles
2 heaped tbsp WORLDFOODS Indonesian Fried Rice 'Nasi Goreng' Paste
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 fish cakes
80g chicken breast, sliced
3 stalks choy sum
1 cabbage leaf
10-12 prawns
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp cili giling (chilli paste) (optional)


1. In a large saucepan or wok over medium high heat, add the oil and garlic, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned.

2. Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the WORLDFOODS paste and fry for a further 1 minute, until fragrant. If adding chilli paste, you can add it at the same time as the WORLDFOODS paste. Add the fish cakes and cook for another minute.

3. Add the noodles, and toss until evenly coated with the sauce. Add the choy sum greens, cabbage and prawns, and season with dark and light soy sauce. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until greens, prawns and noodles and cooked through.

4. Serve immediately with some sambal at the side.

Note: You can substitute the yellow noodles with spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti until 80% cooked, then add in as you would if using yellow noodles.

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*This recipe was featured on Asian Food Channel's Facebook page on 10 December 2014.

Recipe: Tenderloin Steak with Pumpkin Mash and Caramelised Onions

Looks like I'm going in reverse order for my Christmas postings this year... starting with dessert (passion fruit meringues) and for my second Christmas 2014 post, it will be the main course.

Tenderloin Steak with Pumpkin Mash and Caramelised Onions

Being meat lovers, beef is usually the star of our Christmas dinner. In the past, we've served roast beef (rib eye is best), op rib (also known as tomahawk, prime rib) and this year, we're thinking of serving individual steaks for Christmas. This is definitely a good option if you're hosting a small Christmas dinner party for your family.

Since it's Christmas, why not splurge on some tenderloin... otherwise, rib eye or striploin would be good too. Since tenderloin is a thick cut, we usually cook it in the grill pan (as we would a normal steak) for about 4 minutes to get a nice sear, then in the oven to finish cooking.

Steaks are fantastic paired with pumpkin. The pumpkin is roasted first, then mashed and simply seasoned with butter, salt and pepper. The sweetness of pumpkin complements steaks perfectly. Also made some caramelised onions to accompany the steak. I'm sure there will be many happy faces in my family if this was served on Christmas Day. :)

Perfectly cooked steak... agree?

Have you planned your menu for Christmas Day yet?




Tenderloin steaks with pumpkin mash and caramelised onions
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Serves 4


Ingredients
For the steaks
4 tenderloin steaks, about 200-250g each and 2" thick
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Thyme


For the pumpkin mash
800g ripe pumpkin, cut into thin slices
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A handful fresh rosemary, leaves snipped
A bunch of fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp butter
1-2 tbsp milk or whipping cream (optional)

For the caramelised onions

2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
2-3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp chopped parsley


For the pumpkin mash
1. Start with the pumpkin mash. Preheat oven to 180°C (roast mode).

2.  Arrange the pumpkin on a baking tray in a single layer. Tuck rosemary and thyme beneath each piece of pumpkin and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until tender and the top layer looks slightly wrinkled. Remove from oven.

4. Remove skin from the pumpkin and place the pumpkin pieces in a bowl. Mash and then add butter, and season with more salt and pepper as necessary. Add a touch of milk or cream if the consistency is too thick.


For the steaks
1. Remove the steaks from fridge one hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature.

2. Wash and pat very dry with kitchen towel. Rub olive oil, salt and pepper all over the steaks.

3. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat for a few minutes,until very hot.

4. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for 2 minutes, then flip over and cook for another 2 minutes.

5. Place steaks on a baking tray, and then place in preheated oven (180C) for 5-6 minutes, or until the meat has reached your desired doneness. To check for doneness, use a meat thermometer.  To test, insert the meat thermometer in the centre of the steak. The temperature you should aim for is between 120°F and 125°F for medium rare.

6. Once it has reached your desired doneness, remove from oven and cover the steak loosely with foil to rest for 5 minutes. Do not cover too tightly or the meat will sweat. After resting, the meat temperature should be around 130°F to 135°F (ie perfect medium rare).

Beef Doneness Temperature Chart

Beef Doneness	Temperature (°F)
Rare	120 - 125
Medium rare	130 - 135
Medium	140 - 145
Medium-well	150 - 155
Well Done	160 & above

Note: You can start cooking the steaks 5 minutes before the pumpkin comes out of the oven.


For the caramelised onions

1. While the steaks rest, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat in grill pan (clean with a kitchen towel beforehand if the pan has any black burnt bits). Add onion, and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes (again, this depends on your preference, how soft you want it). Add Worcestershire sauce, sugar and butter and toss to coat. Season with salt as necessary. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, then turn off heat.

To serve

1. Spoon pumpkin mash onto serving plate, then top with steak and caramelised onions. Garnish with thyme. Serve with good quality salt such as Maldon or Fleur de sel.

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I am submitting this to the "Cook & Celebrate: Christmas 2014" event which I am co-hosting with Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe. To join, simply cook or bake any Christmas recipes for the whole month of December 2014.

Your post must be a current post i.e. posted in December 2014 - please do not link older posts.Please mention our "Cook & Celebrate: Christmas 2014" event in your post and link back to Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Baby Sumo of Eat your heart out.

Happy cooking! Do check out the other bloggers recipe below:


If you enjoyed reading my posts, LIKE me on Facebook! You can also follow me on Instagram (@babysumo) for more photo updates. Thanks :)

Baby Sumo Birthday Week #3: Lunch @ Prime, Le Meridien KL

Been a while since we had lunch at Prime KL, so we chose this as our last stop for my birthday week. For lunch, other than their a la carte menu, they also do a value-for-money Business Set Lunch (RM75 for 2-courses and RM92 for 3-courses) or Rush Hour 2-course express set lunch for RM70. The set lunch menu changes every 2 weeks.

Originally, I wanted to order my favorite Master Kobe oyster blade steak from their a la carte but I was swayed by the choices on the Business Set Lunch. So, set lunch it is this time.

Fantastic complimentary bread to start with 3 types of butter

The restaurant was very busy during lunch time, but we still managed to get a table in one of the private booths in the restaurant. To start, I ordered the Tian of Apple and Celery, Jumbo Crab with Coriander Lemon Prawn with Guacamole, Cress Mix and Crispy Tuile. Firstly, love the exquisite presentation of this dish. A light and appetizing dish, love the combination of flavours and textures. I enjoyed eating this very much too. And yup, no crab shells this time ;)

Hubby chose the Truffle Scented Coddle Egg, Grilled Brioche and Rocket Salad Lemon Dressing.

For mains, there was a choice of either salmon, beef rump stew or tenderloin steak. Obviously, we both went for the steak - an 8oz Charcoal Grilled Beef Mignon, served with Beef Cheek Croquette, Crusted Vegetables Tian and Truffle Jus. One arrived slightly charred on the outside... well, how did they know that was how my Hubby likes his steak? The perks of being a regular..... or just lucky. LOL! The steaks were cooked to a beautiful medium, very very juicy and delicious indeed.

And then, the waitresses appeared with balloons and a birthday platter and also sang "Happy Birthday". What a lovely, wonderful surprise. Hubby has secretly arranged for "Happy Birthday" to be written on my dessert but kudos to the team for making the extra effort.

Fudge brownie with vanilla ice cream - Hubby's dessert

Complimentary birthday slice for moi, the birthday girl

Thank you Hubby for the birthday treat once again!

Pork-free.

Opening times: Monday to Friday: 12.00pm to 2.30pm (Lunch); Monday to Sunday: 6.30pm to 11.00pm (Dinner)

Service: Excellent.

Price: RM75 for 2-courses and RM92 for 3-courses. No SPG discounts for set lunch.

Location: Prime Steak Restaurant, 5th Floor, Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur, 2 Jalan Stesen Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


Tel: 03- 2263 7555

GPS Coordinates: 3.135685, 101.686524

Website: http://www.lemeridiendining.com.my

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PSA: Bintang The Bear Charity Campaign with Starwood KL Hotels

Starwood Hotels in Kuala Lumpur are teaming up in a joint effort to raise funds to financially support local children born with congenital heart defects. The initiative first mooted by Lé Meridien Kuala Lumpur saw great success in its first year in 2013. This year, four Starwood hotels in KL, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral, The Westin Kuala Lumpur, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur and Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur will coordinate efforts to raise funds for this worthy cause this Christmas.

Founded in 1996, ‘A heart for a heart’ charity programme was set up by Gleneagles Hospital to help children with critical congenital heart defects, who needed urgent financial aid due to limited financial means, and undergo corrective surgery at the Gleneagles Cardiac centre. This also enables children in critical condition from being on the waiting list.

Each hotel is selling “Bintang” the Bear soft toys, priced at RM50 each. The bears all feature four distinctive T-shirt designs reflecting the unique characteristics of the four brands and hotels. All proceeds from our “Bintang the Bear” Christmas Charity effort will be channeled to Gleneagles Hospital.

To learn more about the “Bintang the Bear” Christmas charity campaign, please approach the hotel associates at the respective hotels’ front desks or call the hotels directly at:

· Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral: +603 2723 1188
· Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur: +603 2263 7888
· Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur: +603 2717 9900
· The Westin Kuala Lumpur: +603 2731 8333




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