It's my first time. Making rendang from scratch! No MSG. No colors. No preservatives. And most definitely no perencahs =)
Well, it turned out ok. While I personally think mama's version is much, much nicer. Adil n Haz thinks it tastes the same like hers. So I sms mama, told her how it turned out and how I think of it. She replied, 'Of course la tak sama. Mana boleh lawan pro and amateur. It takes time. Org semua puji my cooking, you should be able to take over the appreciation like me and my mother. Our only daughter.' Adoi.. pressure.. pressure..
I do enjoy cooking. While both Mama, Makcha, my late grandmother (Mama's mom), Mama's half sisters and most women I know on Mama's side could expertly with no doubt cook up a storm, I'm no where near a drizzle of rain. Well, I'm maybe just a few drops. Mama's cooking has been and still am, the talk of her in-laws. Papa comes from siblings of 13. Now with most of them married, with kids and some with grandchildrens, I'll leave to your imaginations how large my extended family on Papa's side is. Sometimes I don't remember their names or how I should address them. Whenever we hold an event, Mama's cooking is what they all look forward to. Come to think of it, Papa's sisters (only 2 of them left now, from 4) are also excellent cooks. Cik Ton's opor, Mak Ngah's kuih bakar (the talk of the town, in Pekan), to name a few. My uncle Bi (Mama's cousin, i think), was a cook for the royalties in Pahang. He used to live in the castle.
So I am surrounded by great cooks. Somehow, at 12 I wrote down in my small book how to make Milo. I only learnt how to fry an egg at 12. Rice, maybe 13 or 14. I first learnt to make nasi goreng (it was horrible!) at maybe 16 or 17. And a dish of chicken pieces with lots of soy sauce to feed Tok Cha (Makcha's mom, yes, she's still alive with severe dementia) at 16 or 17, which sadly, I don't think her taste buds are working too well at the time.
So how did I come from such an ignorant brat to being able to say I'm enjoying it?
Living to feed myself on my own, with very limited budget, overseas (this highlights it) and to have once had made the most crappy and spicy chicken masak merah for dinner. I tried to finish it but the next day I had to throw them away (wasted food and money). I had also made this horrible, horrible dish once that made me feel like throwing up.
I think it all started in April 2005 when Papa and Mama came over to visit. They brought all the perencahs I've never set my eyes on before. So very slowly I learned by looking at the ingredients they have on the packet expecially when that's the last perencah left in my stock. Also having to know this girl back in Magill. Emma. She loves Asian food and spicy. Her tastes are also more towards Thai cuisines. That's where my search, practice and a lot of common sense to cooking starts. While I don't mind cooking, she doesn't seem to mind requesting meals. So I reckon, that's where it all started.
Although I was totally ignorant with cooking, I took a lot of interest in baking. Everytime Raya comes, I'd make batches of kuih raya and cakes for my old uncles and aunties. They look forward to them every year till I came here. Every Puasa month, numerous recipe books my mom bought when we were in US would spread our kitchen table while I search for cookies to make. I most love the time when my cousins, nephews and nieces come over and started pointing out which cookies they want. Our open house every year would always be filled with my kuih rayas and cakes. The famous Blackforest Cheesecake, a highlight.
It's been 2 years now since I've stopped making kuih rayas. Maybe I should start again this year. Since I'll be starting a family soon. Maybe I should..
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