Economical Japanese ingredients

Occasionally having Japanese cooking at home, not a fine Japanese cuisine, but you can make some economical Japanese dining at home with the following ingredients:

1) Japanese Kosakana Furikake (Rice Seasoning)

You can use some rice seasoning, mixing with the normal steamed rice to increase more rice aroma and taste. There are many favors and seasoning recipes in the market at your choice, such as sesame, dried salmon, dried fish or seafood etc. Just be aware of sodium intake. It recommends to consume once or twice a week.


2) Miso Soup Paste and Wakame

There are many miso soup in the market such as less salted, or regular tasted miso soup. However, I recommend the white miso soup that is less salted, and it is perfectly matched with the instant wakame ingredients. Yummy and very low cost ! You can serve it for regular soup or a soup base for cooking with noodles.

Left: White Miso Soup Paste , Right: Wakame for Miso Soup

A spoonful of miso soup is enough for 1-2 persons

Easy Recipe - Flan Caramel Home Style

One of my favorite desserts of my home recipes is Flan Caramel !

Flan Caramel

It is so easy and just spent you 15 minutes to make, just using milk, eggs and sugar!

Ingredients: (for 2 persons)
2 eggs
250 ml fresh milk (use cream for rich and tasty for option)
1-2 tablespoons of white sugar
few drop of vanilla essence (optional)

For caramel:
2-3 tablespoons of white sugar

Method:
1) Warm up the milk and sugar in a casserole (not boiling)
2)  In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs well and smooth
3)  Pour the milk mixture to the egg mixture, vanilla essence and mix well
4)  Use a casserole to melt the sugar into caramel
5)  Pour the caramel in the container preferred for the base
6) Pour the milk and egg mixture into the container
7)  Cooking
Option A) Use a bain marine (water bath) method, bake the flan in a 180°C for 10 minutes.
Option B) Water steaming in a Chinese Wok, for 10-15 minutes.


It's ready! Serve it hot or chill !!

Bon appetit!

A peaceful meditation at Tsz Shan Monastery (慈山寺)

Tsz Shan Monastery, is a development germinated with Mr Li Ka-shing, the tycoon of Hong Kong, who has contributed over HK$1.7 billion from his personal foundation to cover the whole development and daily operating costs of the Monastery.

The project was commenced in 2003 from the planning and looking for the suitable landscape, based on fung-shui and various consideration. It was opened in 2016.

The architectural style was inspired by the more solemn and elegant styles of the Tang, Northern Song, Liao and Jin dynasties, which existed over a period of about 600 years beginning in the 7th century.

There are limited capacity to make the site visit so as to ensure the land is peaceful and quiet. All visits must be booked in advance (we booked 1 month in advance for a weekday visit.)

I just want to share my first time visit experience, as it may be an exceptional personal experience in meditation, Dharma practice and understanding the Buddhism intensively.













Guided Educational Tour
There are two sessions daily for maximum 60 visitors for each session, on first come first served basis. Guided by a volunteer tour guide, he will guide you and escort you the development of the Monastery, details of each masterpiece, the story of each hall and terrace there, not to mention the eye-catching Guan Yin Statue (Avalokitesvara).

Session (AM) : 10:30 ; Session (PM) : 14:30
Estimated tour takes 1.5 hours

To get  the ticket, you got to go to the visitor centre (next to the Lecture Hall, take an elevator to downstairs). There is a refundable deposit HK$100 for each headset.









Guan Yin Statue (Avalokitesvara)

Guan Yin (觀音) is the highlight of the monetary. It has a height of 76 metres, comprising a 70-metre-tall bronze-cast white Guan Yin Statue (including a three-tier bronze lotus platform) built upon a 6-metre high granite base. The statue is coated with white fluorocarbon self-cleaning paint and is modeled on sculptures of the Song dynasty. Guan Yin is a graceful demeanour implying the blessings and protection received through his immeasurable power. She holds a wisdom pearl in her right hand and a vase in her left hand, pouring pure water to cleanse the world.



Water Offering
Visitors can offer water to Guan Yin anytime during visits. Then visitor hold the water bowl in both hands, walking through the Compassion Path, a straight wide pathway with 18 aged Buddhist Pines along two sides of the path. At the end of the path, there is a huge bronze water vessel known as Thousand Wishes Pond, then you can offer the water in the hand into the Pond.



Other Mindfulness programmes schedule
It really has many activities in the Monetary which actually make me very busy to complete all in one time. However, you can check the schedule and activities and plan ahead.

Origin (3D Video)

Time: 10:00am , 11:45am , 2:00pm, 4:00pm

Venue : Lecture Hall (duration of video 7 minutes)

Capacity : 280 per session 

Zen Calligraphy

Last admission : 3:45pm

Participants must be 9 years of age or above

Venue : Universal Hall

Remarks: take off shoes and better to wear socks.

Chinese calligraphy and writing zen is a good meditation. ( I missed it this time)

Walking Meditation  (Ticket Needed)

Time: 2:30pm - 3:00pm

Capacity: 30 per session

Remarks: wear comfortable flat shoes , no high heels

Participants must be 9 years of age or above

Coffee break at the Lecture Hall

There is a complimentary coffee or tea for every visitor to enjoy. A very good quality of coffee latte with a latte art!

慈山寺 Tsz Shan Monastery
www.tszshan.org
facebook:  慈山寺 Tsz Shan Monastery 

Opening Time :
9:30am - 5:00pm

Address:
88 Universal Gate Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong 香港新界大埔普門路88號

How to go there:
Bus: 75K (stop near Ting Kok Road)
Minibus:
20B (Tai Po Market Station to and from Tung Tsz Road)
20T (Roundabout of the monastery to Tai Po Market Station) , full fare :HK$6.9 (departure time from monastery: 11:30am, 12:00noon, 12:30pm, 1:00pm, 1:30pm, 3:30pm,4:00pm,4:30pm, 5:00pm)
Taxi: recommended

Dress Code : 
Proper attire (e.g. sleeved tops, trousers, mid-calf dress or mid-calf pants) must be worn at all times throughout your visit in the Monastery. Improper attire such as sleeveless top or shorts , got to cover with a clothes provided by the Monastery at the entrance.