https://www.facebook.com/104059635647986/

Ume & Mei

I'm a maker that sells handmade accessories, upcycles and mends garments, as well as running the occasional workshop

26/07/2023

食咗飯未? [s*k jor fan mei] / Have you eaten yet?
(Or literally, "have you eaten rice yet?"

This is a common greeting in Chinese, almost the equivalent of "how are you?". Because surely if you haven't eaten yet then things cannot be right.

In Cantonese there isn't really a term for "I love you" or "I care for you" in a maternal/paternal sort of way. The closest phrase might be 食咗飯未 / have you eaten yet?

I remember when I'd get into trouble with my parents for staying out late, hanging around with the wrong people... There would be a few hours of tension, shouting followed by the silent treatment and strops and then eventually, Mum or Dad would ask 食咗飯未? And then proceed to make a meal. We'd eat and then whatever I was in trouble for wouldn't get mentioned again.

09/07/2023

Playing around with composition for my current piece on tea. Should be ready for the group crit in a couple of weeks

04/07/2023

On one of our first dates, Mr R said to me that he didn't really like soy sauce because it gets everywhere... 😏😄 I ignored him.

This relationship was never going to work if I had paid any attention.

This is how strongly I feel about soy sauce. I'm more likely to use soy sauce (the light version) as a dip/sauce or for cooking with than anything else in my kitchen and that includes water, oil and salt. I don't think I'm alone.

29/06/2023

For this week's update, I've chosen to talk about sesame oil.

A staple I'm sure many of you are familiar with. It's one of a handful of ingredients I used when I first started cooking (around age 10 or 11). I can't remember what the first thing I ever made was but my Dad's simple lo mein was probably among them.

Here's the recipe: Fresh fine egg noodles from the Asian supermarket (the type that you'll find in the fridge which is covered in flour). You can use dried egg noodles but it's not as springy. Cook the noodles, drain the water and then mix/toss with sesame oil and oyster sauce. Sometimes he'd add some sliced spring onions and ginger if we had any lying around...But otherwise that's it.

This is my equivalent of pasta and tomato sauce or pasta and pesto. For days when I need a quick lunch, my go-to when I first moved out and for days when I just need a little bit of comfort.

18/06/2023

More from Come Dine with Me / 一起吃飯 and stitch details

14/06/2023

This week's story drop from my current : Come dine with me / 一起吃飯

Amoy crushed yellow bean sauce (淘大磨豉醬).

There are about a dozen or so dishes we used to serve in the Chinese takeaway that I can hand on heart say no one makes better than my parent's version. The one me and my siblings miss and love the most is known only to our family as S5. Chicken with cashew nuts in yellow bean sauce. (S5 was the number on the menu).

Everywhere else I've tried it and all the recipes online all come out as a mix between a kung po chicken (UK takeway style: sweet and spicy) and chicken and veg in oyster sauce sort of dish... Actually, they all look similar to the picture on the front of the can of Amoy crushed yellow bean sauce. 😏

Here's how my Dad makes it ..
~ the chicken is lightly battered and fried until it's golden
~ while the chicken is set aside to rest, the sauce is made with crushed yellow bean sauce, sugar, sesame oil and a bit of water
~ the fried pieces of chicken and roasted cashew nuts are then quickly tossed in the salty, sweet, sticky sauce

Et Voilà! S5.

Might have to ask my Dad why his version deviated so much for everyone else's 🤔🤔

09/06/2023

More from Come Dine with Me ( and working title)

Lao Gan Ma Crispy Chilli in Oil
老干妈香辣脆油辣椒

I feel like I'm late to the party with this one, having only tried it for the first time last year. So if you know, you know... But for those not in the know, then I urge you to try it ASAP. Though the health warning is that it is completely unsuitable for those with food intolerances/allergies. It's made from peanuts, salty soy beans (both give it that crispy crunch), MSG and oil infused with chilli. It's more salty than spicy to me which makes getting through a jars of this stuff pretty easy!

There are so many things this goes with but my usual is a dollop of this with fried rice or noodles. It's the perfect salty and ever so slightly spicy kick 🔥

BTW - this one I keep from my Mum...I'm sure she'd only frown on us eating a lot spicy food, not to mention the MSG in it 😬😋😬

Just found an interesting article about the company and the founder on the
website. Tao Huabi, the woman behind Lao Gan Ma (meaning "Old Godmother") was the eighth daughter from a poor family in South West China. According to the company website, they produce 1.3 million jars a day, while Heinz produces 1.8 million. That gives you an idea of its growth and scale! 💪🏼🔥

#老干妈

07/06/2023

Work in progress.
Come Dine With Me (working title).

I always confuse Hoisin Sauce with Oyster Sauce. I haven't ever mixed the two up when cooking with them but hoisin sauce in Chinese literally translates to 海鮮醬 "seafood sauce". And yet it's sweet (not salty or fishy in taste), it's not made from seafood/fish and it's typically used as a glaze for meat or a dipping sauce. I always have to think twice when someone says hoisin sauce... "Oh OK, it's the thick sweet one".

Aromatic duck in pancakes with hoisin sauce is probably the first thing that comes to mind but here's a few ways of how we love to use it at home:
~ Dipping sauce for steamed rice rolls
~ My Dad's favourite is crispy pork belly glazed with hoisin sauce
~ Added to the marinade for pork char siu
~ Mr R loves adding it to the marinade for sticky chicken wings
😋😋😋
#海鮮醬

21/05/2023

challenge by .lives - May prompt: Weird and wonderful...

Dug out these samples I made in machine knitting classes a few years ago. The course really opened my eyes to the weird and wonderful pattern effects which are possible on the domestic knitting machine.

.

14/05/2023

Thank you SO much and - I've had a fantastic afternoon .

- thank you for your patience and knowledge. Your workshop was a challenge 🤯😍 but I'm thrilled with my bamboo steamer. I can't wait to show my Mum!! 😍😍

And - thank you for the tour, the explanation about each of the makers and their craft. I've learnt so much today. Really hope to see more of your work in the future, both here in the UK as well as in 🇭🇰

13/05/2023

What's the origin of the word "ketchup"? Here are a few theories..

* From the Cantonese 茄汁 "keh jup". 🍅 In Chinese is 番茄, which translates literally to "foreign eggplant" 😬

* From Chinese (Hokkien) kê-chiap which was ‘brine of pickled fish or shellfish’

* From Malay word "kicap pronounced [kitʃap], sometimes spelled kecap or ketjap) which originally meant "soy sauce"

#茄汁

06/05/2023

Threads. Ketchup.Both seem to have a habit of getting everywhere.

Address

Ruislip
HA48

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ume & Mei posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Ume & Mei:

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Interior Service in Ruislip?