Catching sunset on the way back from Malacca on 3rd Syawal
Through my shades, from my room across the balcony, soon after I reached home
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Through My Shades, The Sun Set
3 October 2009, Saturday (14 Syawal)
Catching sunset on the way back from Malacca on 3rd Syawal
Catching sunset on the way back from Malacca on 3rd Syawal
Cakoi
3 October 2009, Saturday (14 Syawal)
It's now 4:49 p.m. Our house is very quiet. The gastronomic attack is over and done with. Khairi's friends left about 30 minutes ago. And he has gone to the Cyber Cafe with his close friends. Cyber Cafe? Why in the world would anyone go to the Cyber Cafe if they have access to computers and laptops at home??? Beats me!!!
There's only my husband and I left at home. Earlier today, my second son Khairil had left for Penang to attend his boss' Hari Raya do.
And Khairul too has gone out to meet his friends after buying kueh (tea treat) for us. We had assumed he would buy goreng pisang or curry puff (the usual tea treats you can find around the neighbourhood) but instead brought back Cakoi.
Whenever I have Cakoi (which is extremely rare), it will always remind me of Ayah. Whenever Ayah came to my house, he would never fail to buy Cakoi or whenever he was in KL and staying with my sisters, he would still ask us to buy the Cakoi from Bandar Tun Razak. Chakoi happened to be one of his favourite tea treats. No matter where he tried or bought the Cakoi, he would always boast that the ones in Bandar Tun Razak are the best Cakoi in Malaysia. The texture and the outer layer enveloping the fried dough is simply perfect and the taste is just heavenly.
And the same stall also sells Cakoi with red bean filling and it's just as great.
After Khairul bought the Cakoi, I remembered the Kuah Kacang and Sambal Tumis Sotong which I had prepared earlier for Khairi's Hari Raya gathering.
Without a moment to lose, my husband and I finished the Cakoi (huhhhh... don't be taken in by the above picture!! Of course we didn't eat a mountainful of Cakoi! - it was only 4 pieces between us...) which we had both dipped in the Sambal Kacang and Sambal Tumis Sotong. Cakoi had never tasted so gooood... with these two tantalizing dishes!!! Oh my!!! It's really yummy!!!! And I try not to think too much about how Ayah had loveed the Cakoi. It always distresses me........ Ayah. I miss you.....
It's now 4:49 p.m. Our house is very quiet. The gastronomic attack is over and done with. Khairi's friends left about 30 minutes ago. And he has gone to the Cyber Cafe with his close friends. Cyber Cafe? Why in the world would anyone go to the Cyber Cafe if they have access to computers and laptops at home??? Beats me!!!
There's only my husband and I left at home. Earlier today, my second son Khairil had left for Penang to attend his boss' Hari Raya do.
And Khairul too has gone out to meet his friends after buying kueh (tea treat) for us. We had assumed he would buy goreng pisang or curry puff (the usual tea treats you can find around the neighbourhood) but instead brought back Cakoi.
Whenever I have Cakoi (which is extremely rare), it will always remind me of Ayah. Whenever Ayah came to my house, he would never fail to buy Cakoi or whenever he was in KL and staying with my sisters, he would still ask us to buy the Cakoi from Bandar Tun Razak. Chakoi happened to be one of his favourite tea treats. No matter where he tried or bought the Cakoi, he would always boast that the ones in Bandar Tun Razak are the best Cakoi in Malaysia. The texture and the outer layer enveloping the fried dough is simply perfect and the taste is just heavenly.
And the same stall also sells Cakoi with red bean filling and it's just as great.
After Khairul bought the Cakoi, I remembered the Kuah Kacang and Sambal Tumis Sotong which I had prepared earlier for Khairi's Hari Raya gathering.
Gastronomic Attack in Bandar Tun Razak
3 October 2009, Saturday (14 Syawal)
Today, my house will be attacked by Khairi's friends, more specifically attack of the gastronomic kind.
After several days of suffering from pounding headache and feeling blue and lethargic, miraculously I woke up with a clear head this morning. I feel so much better. Thank God.
Last night, my husband suggested that we have breakfast outside this morning as I've been cooped up in the house the last 5 days. As a matter of fact, this is the first time, since my retirement that I've stayed put in the house without going anywhere. This time the flu and fever had really floored me. In a way it was good as I could rest my tired body and aching spine.
But when he suggested it again this morning, I declined citing all the preparations that I needed to complete before Khairi's friends attacked our house after Zuhur prayers.
So, my husband went to the nearby mamak shop to buy roti canai and tosai. Usually, I'm passionate about such type of delicious breakfast, but this morning, I only savoured a little of each. Perhaps, my stomach was still trying to adjust to a non-fasting state, as I had been fasting the last two days.
Right after breakfast, I fine-tuned the Kuah Kacang and Sambal Tumis Sotong.
And the Baked Macaroni was ohhh... so cheesy and spicy. Really yummy!!
While my maid was preparing the ingredients for the White MiHun@Kinsella that I was going to cook later, I started filling up the cookie jars with snacks, cookies, chocolates, and candies.
And later Khairi (after a little push by my husband as he was still swathed in his comforter in his bed), came down to help me with some of the cleaning up in the dining area and living room.
Once I'm done with the cleaning up, I went back to the kitchen to cook the White MiHun@Kinsella. I decided to cook two separate dishes - one with beef and the other without as some of Khairi's friends cannot take beef.
The two Mihun dishes turned out really well and yummy too. And my maid started to cut the Nasi Himpit into dices and cubes. Kak Pah had given me some tips on how to ensure the Nasi Himpit turned out well, and thanks to her, the Nasi Himpit turns out aromatic (pandany), with just the right texture and moisture.
I was really happy and satisfied with what I had whipped up today. It was a simple fare that I had prepared but all the dishes turned out wonderfully. I must say I'm a satisfied cook as I lay all the food on the table.
I completed all the cooking by 12:45 p.m and it was time for me to serve lunch to my husband and my two boys, Khairul and Khairi (who wanted to eat before his friends came over).
My maid brought up all the dishes to the family hall, so we helped ourselves to all the delicacies first.
I was really touched when my husband commented after savouring the Nasi Himpit, Kuah Kacang, Sambal Sotong, Mihun Daging and Mihun Udang and Sayur, "Sayang, the food is really good and delicious." He surely made my day. And my reply to him was, "Sayang, that was cooked with abundance of one extra ingredient, i.e. LOVE."
So, my tips to all the wannabe cooks out there, "Be very generous with that one extra ingredient, sprinkle it everywhere!"
The recipe again:
6 cups love 5 spoons hope
2 cups loyalty 2 quarts tenderness
3 cups forgiveness 4 quarts faith
1 cup friendship 1 barrel laughter
Take love and loyalty, mix it thoroughly with faith. Blend it with tenderness and hope, sprinkle abundantly with laughter. Cook it with sunshine and serve with generous helpings and abundance of love.
Today, my house will be attacked by Khairi's friends, more specifically attack of the gastronomic kind.
After several days of suffering from pounding headache and feeling blue and lethargic, miraculously I woke up with a clear head this morning. I feel so much better. Thank God.
Last night, my husband suggested that we have breakfast outside this morning as I've been cooped up in the house the last 5 days. As a matter of fact, this is the first time, since my retirement that I've stayed put in the house without going anywhere. This time the flu and fever had really floored me. In a way it was good as I could rest my tired body and aching spine.
But when he suggested it again this morning, I declined citing all the preparations that I needed to complete before Khairi's friends attacked our house after Zuhur prayers.
So, my husband went to the nearby mamak shop to buy roti canai and tosai. Usually, I'm passionate about such type of delicious breakfast, but this morning, I only savoured a little of each. Perhaps, my stomach was still trying to adjust to a non-fasting state, as I had been fasting the last two days.
Right after breakfast, I fine-tuned the Kuah Kacang and Sambal Tumis Sotong.
And it's really yummy and finger-licking good. The Kuah Kacang was a recipe given by my eldest sister, Kak Pah. Thanks Kak Pah, it's really delectable. I'm glad you shared the recipe with me.
And my Sambal Sotong was, ooohhh.... so scrumptious and will definitely whet my poor appetite.
While my maid was preparing the ingredients for the White MiHun@Kinsella that I was going to cook later, I started filling up the cookie jars with snacks, cookies, chocolates, and candies.
And later Khairi (after a little push by my husband as he was still swathed in his comforter in his bed), came down to help me with some of the cleaning up in the dining area and living room.
I was really touched when my husband commented after savouring the Nasi Himpit, Kuah Kacang, Sambal Sotong, Mihun Daging and Mihun Udang and Sayur, "Sayang, the food is really good and delicious." He surely made my day. And my reply to him was, "Sayang, that was cooked with abundance of one extra ingredient, i.e. LOVE."
So, my tips to all the wannabe cooks out there, "Be very generous with that one extra ingredient, sprinkle it everywhere!"
The recipe again:
6 cups love 5 spoons hope
2 cups loyalty 2 quarts tenderness
3 cups forgiveness 4 quarts faith
1 cup friendship 1 barrel laughter
Take love and loyalty, mix it thoroughly with faith. Blend it with tenderness and hope, sprinkle abundantly with laughter. Cook it with sunshine and serve with generous helpings and abundance of love.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Bullied in My Kitchen
2nd October, Friday (13 Syawal)
Despite not recovering fully from my bout of fever and flu, I fasted for the second day today. Since last night, I've been having this pounding headache.
I woke up with a head as heavy as rock. The back of my head is pounding and I feel as though my head is swollen. It feels distended.
And I remembered that I'm supposed to start preparing for my youngest son's Raya gathering with his friends at our house tomorrow. If truth be told, I'm quite reluctant to cook for a big group as I'm still feeling horrible. But, Khairi bullied me into agreeing. He bullied me to go to the kitchen, instead of resting in bed, particularly with the pounding heading I'm nursing.
Right after sahur and Subuh prayers, I left instructions with my maid to prepare for me all the stuff before I come down to cook after Zuhur.
After Zuhur, I went down to cook Kuah Kacang and Sambal Tumis Sotong@Kinsella.
And later today I'll cook Nasi Himpit.
And tomorrow morning before Khairi's friends arrived, I would cook
Mihun Putih@Kinsella and heat up the Baked Macaroni@Kinsella which I
had cooked earlier.
Urgggghhhh... domestic drudgery which I quite enjoy!!!
Despite not recovering fully from my bout of fever and flu, I fasted for the second day today. Since last night, I've been having this pounding headache.
I woke up with a head as heavy as rock. The back of my head is pounding and I feel as though my head is swollen. It feels distended.
And I remembered that I'm supposed to start preparing for my youngest son's Raya gathering with his friends at our house tomorrow. If truth be told, I'm quite reluctant to cook for a big group as I'm still feeling horrible. But, Khairi bullied me into agreeing. He bullied me to go to the kitchen, instead of resting in bed, particularly with the pounding heading I'm nursing.
Right after sahur and Subuh prayers, I left instructions with my maid to prepare for me all the stuff before I come down to cook after Zuhur.
After Zuhur, I went down to cook Kuah Kacang and Sambal Tumis Sotong@Kinsella.
And later today I'll cook Nasi Himpit.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
12th Day of Syawal
1 October 2009, Thursday (12 Syawal)
Aside from the devastation that mother nature is wreaking on some parts of the world, it's been another quiet day on the home front. Today, both my husband and I are fasting. Even though I'm still not completely recovered, I decided to fast as I don't really have any appetite to eat, so I reckon what better way to skip meal than to fast.
Later part of the morning, I received a call from one of my ex students who wanted to pay me a visit. She came over around 11:00 a.m and spent a couple of hours with me, reminiscing about her time in the college and talking about her future. She wanted my views on certain things and I was happy to share with her my two cents worth of thoughts. She left with a promise to visit me again in future.
Aside from the devastation that mother nature is wreaking on some parts of the world, it's been another quiet day on the home front. Today, both my husband and I are fasting. Even though I'm still not completely recovered, I decided to fast as I don't really have any appetite to eat, so I reckon what better way to skip meal than to fast.
Later part of the morning, I received a call from one of my ex students who wanted to pay me a visit. She came over around 11:00 a.m and spent a couple of hours with me, reminiscing about her time in the college and talking about her future. She wanted my views on certain things and I was happy to share with her my two cents worth of thoughts. She left with a promise to visit me again in future.
Angry Earth - Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Typhoon Wreak Havoc
1 October 2009, Thursday (12 Syawal)
"Angry Earth - Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Typhoon Wreak Havoc" screamed the headline in Star. It was really sad and devastating to read about the earthquake in Padang, Indonesia, the tsunami in Samao, and the typhoon Ketsana which blew away the whole villages in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Phillipines.
Have you ever wondered why mother nature is so angry?
"Angry Earth - Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Typhoon Wreak Havoc" screamed the headline in Star. It was really sad and devastating to read about the earthquake in Padang, Indonesia, the tsunami in Samao, and the typhoon Ketsana which blew away the whole villages in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Phillipines.
If the earth spoke what would it say to humans?
Oww!!! Stop hurting me!! And Earth would further roared, "Hey you! People on my surface I’ll have my revenge on you! Don’t you know that crime does not pay! You have done a crime! You have disfigured my body! I have given you food and water and shelter and this is what you do to me!"
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