Ka Yin House renovation project Dec 2019

TAKING OVER OF FLAT:

Flat was vacated and returned at end November.  After seven years occupation by the same tenant, the shower cubicle of the toilet was full of stain, mould, and dirts, so as the basin adding to the fact that tenant had the habit of shutting up all windows for most of the time.  The original kitchen was really ugly and desperately in need of an uplift.

RENOVATION  QUOTATION:

Following taking over of the flat, I asked a contractor from Ma On Shan to come see, who quoted $38,000 for a re-do of the paint of the entire flat which I found overly expensive.

Then I contacted the designer in our neighborhood to come.  My impression is his experiences are not as rich as those si-fu's.  However, he sounds very honest though.

Time is pressing as I planned to have the project completed by the Chinese New Year and get it on the market after.  

I then tried the si-fu who happened was referred to me a little earlier by accident by another si fu, when I had some water leakage troubles.  Lei sifu came, and brought his partner Cheung.  

Cheung si-fu 龍爺 is the boss.  He is very experienced, responsive, skilled, reliable, and quoted reasonably.  

All in all they quoted for the below for a total of HK$180K, adding in the later stage some unexpected tasks, e.g. the changing of the gas pipe :

1.  Rebuilt of the entire kitchen, inclusive of all cabinets, electricity rewiring, kitchen door, counter top, ceiling + lighting, installation of the hood, the electric-fan, drawers (additional $600 or $1000?), for a total of HK$120K.

2.  Toilet - removal of the shower cabinet flooring tiles, rebuilding of the flooring, water leakage work, and new shower screen + installation.  New ceiling + lighting.

3.  Changing of gas pipe and moving of gas meter - $5,500.

4.  Painting job of entire house - $30,000.

5.  Changing of electric switches of entire house.  Electric switches excluded.

6.  Painting job of all doors

7.  Changing of 牆腳線 entire house

8.  Removal / installation of lighting entire house, old and new

9.  Air-conditioner, living room, adjustment - very important - causing leakage

10. Front door entrance stone work

Excellent job.  Very pleased with the kitchen rebuilding.  Good work of sifu.

ELECTRIC APPLIANCES + OTHER UNNECESSARY EXPENSES

Lasting I spent $5k in buying Whirlpool exhibit goods of a fridge and a washer, which I realized not necessary, especially washer.  It does not help adding value to the flat; hence rent, and tenant asks for maintenance of such.  Think of removing washer in the next tenancy.

Electric appliances bought:

1.  kitchen hood - $3,500

2.  washer and fridge - $5,000

3.  toilet tiles - $900

4.  bedroom light + hallway light - $4/500

5.  door lock changing + installation - $2,500

6.  door lock checking / repairing 3 times - $1,000+

Eddy Leung's christmas menu - 4 of 4

 燒春雞

材料：

法國春雞 2隻

虎皮雞樅菌 1小盒

迷你急凍番薯 適量

百里香 1束

迷迭香 1束

蒜頭1瓣

牛油 110克

鹽 適量

黑胡椒 適量

糖 2湯匙

栗子 約6-8粒

水 適量

日本燒汁 2-3湯匙

叉燒醬 1茶匙

做法：

1. 春雞先用火槍把雞毛燒掉，然後清洗乾淨，再用廚房紙把水索乾。

2. 把迷迭香及百里香切碎，牛油用火槍燒數秒至稍為溶化，把香草，少許鹽及黑胡椒與牛油拌勻成香草牛油。

3. 把雞翼及尾部切掉，然後下鹽、黑胡椒，再抹上香草牛油，內外都要抹勻，然後放入焗爐以160℃焗15分鐘，再轉200℃焗5分鐘至雞皮變脆。

4. 燒熱鍋下糖，把糖煮成金黃色的焦糖，然後加入栗子及牛油，離火拌勻。接着加入少許水或雞湯，加少許鹽，細火燴數分鐘至熟。

5. 燒熱鍋下牛油，迷迭香及百里草煮勻，然後把雞下鑊，把牛油淋在雞上成脆面，雞先盛起，起出雞髀及雞胸備用，牛油汁留起備用。

6. 燒熱鑊下橄欖油，爆香1瓣蒜頭，加入虎皮雞樅菌炒香，下鹽及黑胡椒調味，倒入焗雞釋出的雞汁，加入番薯炒勻。接着下少許牛油及栗子連汁一起倒入。下日本燒汁，加少許迷迭香。慢火燴數分鐘，即可上碟鋪到碟上。

7. 將剛剛煎雞的牛油汁，取出香草，下少許水及一茶匙叉燒醬煮勻，把春雞放入汁裏，細火煮數分鐘。取出，用火槍把雞皮輕輕燒至脆皮。

8. 春雞上碟，把餘下的汁醬全部淋在春雞上即可。

Roasted Coquelet

Ingredients:

French coquelet 2 pcs

Termite mushroom 1 box, small

Frozen mini sweet potato some

Thyme 1 sprig

Rosemary 1 sprig

Garlic 1 clove

Butter 110g

Salt some

Black pepper some

Sugar 2 tbsp

Chestnut 6-8 pcs

Water some

Teriyaki sauce 2-3 tbsp

BBQ pork sauce 1 tsp

Method:

1. Remove remaining hair on coquelet with blowtorch, rinse and blot dry with kitchen towel.

2. Chop thyme and rosemary. Melt butter slightly with blowtorch for a few seconds, mix in the herbs and a little salt and pepper to create a herb butter.

3. Cut wings and tails off the coquelets, add salt and pepper, rub herb butter inside and out, roast in oven at 160℃ for 15 minutes, then turn up to 200℃ for 5 minutes until skin becomes crispy.

4. In a heated skillet, add sugar, cook until caramelised, then add chestnuts and butter, remove from heat, mix well. Add in a little water or chicken stock, season with salt, simmer for a few minutes.

5. Melt butter in skillet, add rosemary and thyme, then add coquelets, douse them with melted butter, transfer the coquelets to a plate, carve out the breasts and thighs, set aside; save the butter sauce in a bowl.

6. Heat olive oil in a skillet, sauté one clove of garlic, add termite mushrooms, sauté till fragrant, season with salt and pepper, tip coquelet juice in the baking tray left from roasting, mix in sweet potato. Add a little butter and the chestnut caramel sauce. Add teriyaki sauce and a little rosemary. Simmer in low heat for a few minutes, transfer to serving plate.

7. Remove herb sprigs from the butter sauce left from pan frying coquelets, add a little water and a teaspoon of BBQ pork sauce, mix well, tip coquelets into the sauce, simmer for a few minutes. Remove the coquelets, use a blowtorch to crisp the skin.

8. Transfer the coquelets to the serving plate, pour over with remaining sauce, serve.

Eddy Leung's christmas menu - 2 of 4 - 栗子忌廉湯

 栗子忌廉湯

材料：

去殼栗子 15-20顆

乾葱 2顆

大蒜 2條

西芹 2-3條

清水 約1,000毫升

淡忌廉 約150毫升

百里香 適量

鹽 少許

胡椒粉 少許

橄欖油 少許

做法：

1. 栗子放入焗爐裏，以200℃焗20分鐘，然後把衣去掉備用。

2. 大蒜只要尾部，切絲；西芹切粒；乾葱切片，備用。

3. 燒熱鍋下牛油，先炒乾葱、大蒜及西芹，炒至香氣出轉中火，把材料炒至腍身，然後下清水，開大火滾起，再加入百里香。

4. 轉中火，放入栗子及忌廉，湯滾起後轉細火慢煮熬一會至栗子腍身。

5. 轉回中火，把香草拿掉，然後把數顆栗子取出，切碎備用。這時就可以用手提攪拌機把栗子打成茸。

6. 加入鹽及胡椒粉調味，在碗裏放上切碎的栗子，倒入湯，最後在湯面澆一圈橄欖油即可。

Creamy Chestnut Soup

Ingredients:

Chestnuts 15-20 pcs, shelled

Shallot 2 pcs

Leek 2 stalks

Celery 2-3 stalks

Water 1,000ml

Single cream 150ml

Thyme some

Salt little

Black pepper little

Olive oil little

Method:

1. Roast chestnuts in oven at 200℃ for 20 minutes, remove skin and set aside.

2. Discard top, green part of leek, finely shred the lower white part; dice celery; slice shallot.

3. Melt butter in skillet, sauté shallot, leek and celery until fragrant, turn to medium heat, continue sautéing until ingredients soften, pour water in, bring to a boil in high heat, add thyme.

4. Turn to medium heat, add chestnuts and cream, bring to a boil then turn to low heat, cook until chestnuts soften.

5. Turn to medium heat, remove thyme sprigs, take a few chestnuts out mince chop coarsely, set aside. Blitz the rest of the ingredients with a hand blender.

6. Season with salt and pepper. Place chopped chestnut in bowls, pour soup in, drizzle with olive oil, serve.

Eddy Leung's Christmas menu 3 of 4 - 扒大蝦蒜茸牛油汁 Grilled Prawns with Garlic and Butter Sauce

 扒大蝦蒜茸牛油汁

材料：

大蝦 4-6隻

乾葱 1顆

蒜頭 1/2個

大蒜 1小段

水 1/2碗

牛油 適量

百里香 少許

羅勒 少許

橄欖油 適量

青檸 1個

紹興酒或西式白酒 少許

鹽 少許

黑胡椒 少許

做法：

1. 大蝦先清淨，然後剝出蝦頭、蝦殼，再挑走蝦腸，蝦肉用鹽、黑胡椒及少許橄欖油略醃。

2. 先煮蝦汁。燒熱鑊下少許油，把蝦頭及蝦殼煎香，然後放入切碎的乾葱及蒜同炒，待蝦頭及蝦殼都煎香了，加入牛油及少許大蒜絲爆炒，接着灒酒。加入半碗水熬煮約10分鐘，讓蝦頭精華全釋放出來。熄火，隔走蝦頭蝦殼，保留蝦汁備用。

3. 燒熱鑊下油，用中火煎大蝦，接着下牛油一起煎香，然後加入蒜片一起慢慢煎熟。

4. 把已熟大蝦夾起，鑊裏灒下紹興酒，倒入蝦汁，然後開大火，加入百里香及羅勒葉，再加牛油進去煮勻。

5. 把蝦放回汁裏拌勻，熄火，加入青檸絲及青檸汁，即可上碟。

Grilled Prawns with Garlic and Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

Prawns 4-6 pcs, large

Shallot 1 pc

Garlic 1/2 bulb

Leek 1 small section

Water 1/2 bowl

Butter some

Thyme little

Basil little

Olive oil some

Lime 1 pc

Shaoxing wine or white wine little

Salt little

Black pepper little

Method:

1. Rinse prawns, remove head and shell, devein, marinate with salt, black pepper and a little olive oil.

2. Prepare prawn sauce. Add oil to heated skillet, pan fry prawn heads and shells, add minced shallot and garlic, when the prawn heads and shells brown, add butter and a bit of shredded leek, sauté, then deglaze with wine. Pour half bowl of water in, simmer for 10 minutes to release flavours from prawn heads. Turn heat off, strain prawn heads and shells, keep the prawn sauce.

3. Add oil to heated skillet, pan fry prawns in medium heat, melt butter, add garlic slices, pan fry slowly until prawns are cooked.

4. Remove cooked prawns from skillet, deglaze with Shaoxing wine, pour prawn sauce in, turn to high heat, add thyme and basil, melt more butter, mix well.

5. Return prawns into the sauce, turn heat off, add lime zest and juice, serve.

Eddy Leung's christmas menu 1 of 4 - tomato salad

 七彩車厘茄沙律

材料：

三色車厘茄 約2-3盒

金不換或羅勒 1小束

蒜頭 2瓣

百里香 少許

初榨橄欖油 適量

鹽 少許

黑胡椒 少許

做法：

1. 車厘茄清洗乾淨後，先取一半來做油漬番茄。番茄放入焗盤內，撒上鹽、黑胡椒及百里香，然後加入橄欖油拌勻。接着放入切片的蒜頭、切成絲的金不換。

2. 放入焗爐以200℃焗20分鐘即可，取出後放涼備用。

3. 餘下的車厘茄先移除椗部，然後全部橫切一半。接着加入切碎的蒜頭及切絲的金不換，再加黑胡椒、鹽調味。接着把油漬番茄裏的蒜片倒入新鮮車厘茄上，再加入橄欖油，輕力拌勻。

4. 把新鮮車厘茄及油漬車厘茄混合上碟，最後再撒上金不換絲作裝飾即可。

Rainbow Cherry Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

Rainbow cherry tomatoes 2-3 boxes

Thai sweet basil or basil 1 small bunch

Garlic 2 cloves

Thyme little

Virgin olive oil some

Salt little

Black pepper little

Method:

1. Rinse cherry tomatoes, take half for roasting. Place them in baking tray, sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme, drizzle with olive oil, mix well. Add sliced garlic and shredded basil.

2. Roast in oven at 200℃ for 20 minutes, set aside to cool off.

3. Remove stems of the remaining tomatoes, half horizontally. Add minced garlic and shredded basil, season with salt and pepper. Add the roasted garlic slices from baking tray, add olive oil, mix gently.

4. Mix fresh and roasted tomatoes, bring to a plate, garnish with shredded basil and serve.