Of Hari Raya

Given that this would have been Feisal's first Raya in Kuching, it would totally be new. However, it was not to be. I had to capitulate to my parents' wishes of wanting to celebrate Raya here, instead of the usual Kuching. In need of a nice break they chided.

Raya will still be a totally new experience this year, nevertheless. As much as I miss the breezy air of my hometown, the kek-lapis baking and the storming in my neighbour's house at any time; I am grateful for this will be my first Raya together with Feisal and His families.

My Father has already planned what to do and where to go to with Feisal the night of Raya. Mummy and I, on the other hand will be cracking in the kitchen, overlooking the gigantic KLCC. Something different ey.

It will be different as both my brothers and SIL won't be here to share with us the joy of Raya. Different as we will only be surrounded by families instead of our lovely neighbours and friends back home. Different as the short and colourful Raya lights will be hung on the balcony of our apartment as opposed to the countless bulbs needed for Kuching's home. Oh ya, Feisal and I bought ketupat-like lights last night.

*Raya with the crazy in-laws*

Although I miss the comforts of Kuching and its people, InsyaAllah, Raya this year will bring a whole new meaning to a whole new life of Ours as husband and wife, Amin (*wink*).

Eid Mubarak to all.

Walnut!

Since we had nothing else better to do other than idling at home on a public holiday, I decided to drag Feisal this morning to buy walnuts and butter at the bakery's. Got this recipe last month from a cook book, which I believe looks better than mine!

* Cream 150 gm butter until white and fluffy.

* In a seperate bowl, cream together 135gm castor sugar, 135 all purpose flour, one tspn baking powder, 3 eggs, 23 gm ovelette and 35 ml water.

* After mixing, pour the batter into the butter mixture.

* Lastly, add in 125gm walnut (baked for 5 minutes and chopped coarsely).

*Bake for approximately one hour at 175 celcius.

A simple meal

I hate cold sores, especially those appearing right on my inner cheeks. It hurts to talk, much less chew and bite. So I prepared chicken porridge for buka puasa yesterday. A simple yet tasty meal. Furthermore, I was eager to watch the newly downloaded One Tree Hill Season 6. So, cooking cut short led to this :

* Prepare chicken broth : Chicken parts in a pot of water with cloves and cinnamon. Salt to taste.

* Pour the broth in 1.5 cups of rice. Add in sliced ginger and garlic. Cook until 'porridgy'. Right before it's cooked, pour half cup of coconut milk. Season with pepper.

Served ours with fried potatoes, shallots and ikan terubuk masin. Yum!

Fish Tycoon

I'm hooked up on this game. You breed the fish, find seven magic breeds, sell the fish, buy supplies for the fish, feed the fish and care for them. They breathe and eat just like real fish do.

It is so addictive. Last midnight saw Feisal sleep talking, mumbling 'ape lah orang jual ikan tu, mumbling je'. haha. He's hooked too. So much so of wanting to install this game at His office's PC. A calming screen saver too I must say. The sound of oxygen tank. *Bluurp bluurp*

Favourite!

May I present to you, my 'top of the list' favourite dish, soto; or chicken soup for that matter.

This was prepared even before I got married. Now that my brother is abroad, (who, come weekend, loves to 'order' soto from me) soto will only be prepared as and when I like. The last I prepared for one was last month when my parents came by.

* To make chicken broth, boil chicken breasts and carcass in a pot of water, together with cinnamon and one cube chicken stock.

*In a separate pot, place the usual spices (cloves,cinnamon etc.) into hot oil. Then add in shallots,onion,ginger,garlic (blended), and slightly crushed lemon grass and galanghal (lengkuas) . Lastly, add crushed fennel and coriander (jintan manis,jintan putih & ketumbar). Saute for few minutes.

*Add the prepared chicken stock and extra water into the mixture, one 'sup bunjut' and salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer.

*To go with the soup, fry sliced potatoes (fries-like). I don't like 'begedil' so I opt for fried potatoes. Also fry glass noodles (suhun).

* To prepare soto, place shredded chicken breasts on top of few cubes of nasi himpit, potato fries and suhun.Garnish with coriander leaves and fried shallots. Pour the hot soup. Trust me, heavenly!

For chicken soup, I have not the patience to prepare chicken stock. So I just fry the spices and blended stuff, add chicken and lastly water. I love chicken soup. Last week, I had three healthful bowls of chicken soup in between berbuka and midnight. Insatiable indeed.

I don't mean to sound condescending, but I love my own-made soup/soto. I am proud to say that my Mum loves my soto/soup much!

Monstrous Truth

Queer, repulsive, unbelievable, funny and shocking; on the sexual orientation of those two boys. What more could possibly happen on this Holy Month.

There is something about the Swoosh

My brother, who will be back from Doha for a short break asked me if there is anything that I want him to get me. He offered Nine West handbags as they are cheaper there. Also, perfumes as they are also sold at much lesser prices. But I thought, I do not need more than five handbags, unlike most, if not all girls. And boy, five perfumes at present should suffice.

He bought a pair of Nike sandals for Feisal, adding to the latter's plentiful Nike collection. So I thought, why not channel my brother's generosity towards our love for anything Nike. A couple of Nike baby-Ts would be great, so I could waltz my way around at home in them everyday. Yes, I normally wear them at home only, for reasons I can't seem to ascertain. Or a nice big Nike luggage bag to go along with our Nike toiletries bag, our Nike carrier bags and backpack.

I am eyeing at two Nike shirts I saw last week at Subang Parade. *drools*

On this Holy Month

It has become hard for us to feel at ease even in our own country. Worst of all, improprieties are common.

People want to listen to fighting talks, but Malaysian politicians have been fighting a losing battle, whichever side they are at. Hence my inmost believe, in no uncertain terms, that these people are shallow. It would be ludicrous to think that things will take a turn for the better sometime soon. For all I care, I don't.

And what happened in Shah Alam is heartbreaking. Unwarranted. But they have been chosen to brave it as they are indeed brave. Oh we need more good hearts. Hearts unladen with hate, vengeance and bad faith.

Just like the politicians' discursive manner of talking and behaving, I too have a discursive style of writing.

Feast!

Feisal and I decided, on a Saturday, to have a 'kenduri' like berbuka. As if the kenduri food in Penang last week wasn't enough. Insatiable, indeed. So what better way than to spend my hungry moments with cooking.

So I cooked these dishes for us (except for the salad of course). Savoured every bite, so much so that I had two plates of rice during sahur. So there, mutton curry, ayam masak merah, perut masak kicap (always has been a favourite) cooked for four (berbuka plus sahur).

*Perut masak kicap - Boiled for 30 minutes. Then saute blended onion, shallots, garlic and ginger, together with the spices (cinnamon, cloves,cardomom). After a while, add in oyster sauce, soy sauce, tomato sauce, one tspn of honey and water. Let it simmer, lastly add in the boiled perut.

*Ayam masak merah- Fry the chicken. Into hot oil, add in spices, blended garlic, ginger and two tbsp chilli paste. After a while, add in a small can of tomato puree, two tbsp chilli and tomato sauce, 1/4 cup of evaporated milk (didn't have any so I used coconut milk) and a pinch of salt.

*Mutton curry-Opt for mutton instead of chicken from the chicken curry recipe. But cooking mutton takes quite some time as its meat is tough.

There you have it. A kenduri-like meal for one pelahap couple.

My aunt-in-law and I just shared lots of recipes this morning and I can't wait to try them out. Anyways, I have been meaning to post this recipe even before I got married since this picture was taken then, so here goes.

*Fry chicken parts (coated in turmeric and salt) until crispy.

* Into hot oil, saute chili, dried chili, shallots, ginger and garlic (blended together).

*Add chili sauce, one tbsp oyster sauce, 3 tbsp tamarind juice and a pinch of shrimp paste.

* Add in the chicken and onion. Done!