Tummy-ache

Today I just realized that my gastric problems might come up again. It had never been a problem before except one time when I had dengue fever. Today somewhere in between dawn and morning, it tugged and screeched so bad. Usually I just brush it away and it'll pass by, no biggie. Today it decided to linger around a bit longer. Good thing we decided not to go to Kate's gig.

As planned, we had chicken salad and seafood leftovers for iftaar tonight. The salad turned out tangy, bitey from the chillies with a combo of sweet-sour-salty taste. A definite Vietnamese dish. Quite frankly, I thought he would take only few bites of the salad (being a man-eater himself), and hand picking on the chicken or gobbling up the rest of the seafood leftovers, leaving me finishing off the salad by myself. Surprise, surprise he handled the salad by himself leaving the seafood platter alone for quite some time before digging them in. I am certain it was the chillies that made all the difference to his taste-buds.

We lost both covers for our butter compartment in the fridge and the management requested $30 for each lost cover! I could've sworn I saw one somewhere on top or on the side of the fridge thinking that maybe others had found the cover to be rather annoying and decided to put them out. I really, really truly remember there were 2 covers in the fridge! Today we searched for it and I found it to be on top of the fridge, broken. Well, the other one is too but luckily Adil saved the broken piece and I managed to glue it back together. I tried looking for the broken piece of the other cover, unsuccesfully. Now we've decided to create some sappy story about the other cover but if they don't buy it (which I don't think they will), its $30 to the management. $30 friggin' bucks!! For a plastic cover! Oh, how they make money..

Yayy!! House is back every Wednesday! I think it's Season 4, well at least that's what he says. I'm too lazy to check that info out. Tomorrow it's labour day so everyone will be home. Maybe I should upload more pictures at my fotopages. It has been neglected for a very long time.

Back!

Yes, I haven't been writing for a long time and I shall unshamely blame my laziness/busy-schedule/not-in-the-mood-for-writing swing.

We're almost halfway through our fasting month and I find it hard to eat heathily. No, I am far from being on a diet (something that never in my short life occurs and hope to never will be), trying to lose weight. But I never fail to try and ensure we get pieces of fruits and veges every breaking-fast time. Fruits and veges will always be on our groceries list. Fish once a week is a must. And because he doesn't like to freeze fish for more than 48 hours, we usually get fish on the day we go to the market and cook them for dinner that night, or brunch the next day.

Menu for fast-breaking this week:
- Nigella's Vietnamese chicken and mint salad with leftover seafood from Scampi.
- Lontong (yummy! Had a good chat with Makcha this morning and she suggested this. Which reminds me to ask her how to make my all-time childhood food favourite, laksam!)
- Lasagne (to finish off our mince from last week's buy)
- Mee goreng mamak (had learnt to make this rather successfully from cravings last week)

Yes, the menu doesn't add up to 7 days and that's because we often dine out or get invited somewhere, somehow. For the few weeks of fasting month, we get invited to parties, get togethers or gigs almost every week/weekend hence giving us free food.

The weekend after my bday, we had a belated bday/coffee party (no, not at the village, thankfully, but at Raelene's instead). That itself had left us with assorted cakes and goodies. Then, it was Tareeq's iftar the following weekend. Then a Moon lantern festival. Then this week of course a quiet bday dinner at Scampi's just the both of us. And supposedly going to Kate's gig at the barton tomorrow but we passed. We'll go to the other one next weekend.



Oh yes, I got these on my bday so I chose 2 recipes from each to make him his bday dinner. He had insisted a no-fuss bday celebration (he didn't want me slaving alone in the kitchen and even said he'll come home early from work to help me cook), and only requested a roast chicken. Which is perfect for me since it's so easy to make, and to be honest, I'm sick of eating red meat (I prefer a softer and lighter version such as chicken or fish rather lamb or beef and he always said my tummy cannot handle digesting them, oh whatever!) and also giving me more time baking a cake! No birthday should pass by without a cake, at least in my life and family, and I intend and determine to continue that tradition to my future generation. And I love, L.O.V.E the time I had by myself, working quietly in the kitchen, making food with love and care even if it means taking up the whole day. That is therapeutic, to me. However, I don't fancy stuffing my chicken and like Ainsley, I prefer my stuffing to be outside my chicken simply for its crunchy outer and soft inner at bite, rather than a mushy stuffing all over from being in the chicken. And his recipe had both of us LOVING our stuffing =)












It took me a while to decide what cake shall I bake for his bday. Something manly. Dark. Mysterious, almost. Intense. And surprising. Until Nigella's creation came up with a rusty, crater-look cake, rich with dark bitter-sweet chocolate which to me resembles the manly side (and of course, the man he is), with a thick creamy cloud of cream which also to me, resembles us. She even named it Chocolate Cloud Cake. I recommend this one to all male species. He also made her bitter orange ice-cream the night before using tangelo and limes which turned out to be the creamiest homemade ice-cream I've ever had. Almost like Bulla. *yum*

So those were our menu on his bday. Oh and of course not to forget roast vegetables and tangelos. While tonight, I made reservation at Scampi's (again) for a quiet bday dinner for him for two. Watching the 'magic hour' run by to indicate it's time for iftar (I'm liking the name), we had our seafood platter for two including lobster, bug, oysters, smoked salmons, prawns, squids, octopus, scallops, fish, and salads with 4 different dressings. The seafood were all fresh and my oh my so yummy, well worth the price. Of course, coffee and desserts later on. I was so full that we had to pack the rest of the food, no matter how slow or long we sit at the table.

One of the advantages of living with Chinese, so far I found to be learning making many things from scratch. I am big fan of making things from scratch. Leave me killing, hunting, butchering my own animal, if I may (this is a HUGE influence from Papa whom hunts almost every night when we were younger, bringing back sorts of animals from the wild. His most favourite past time apart from golf). But no, I did not learn hunting from the Chinese. My dear housemate, Lufee taught me how to make soy bean milk from scratch. A big fan of soy bean milk, we have been making them fresh almost everyday now. If it permits me to get bamboos and huge woks, I'd be making lemang and dodol for raya in my backyard by now. Note to self: learn how to weave 'ketupat' from Papa successfully (trust me, I've been tryin for years). Yes, in our family, sadly, only Papa knows how to. He has been trying to teach me numerous times but I still can't seem to get the hang of it.

To be honest, I don't quite fancy thick, fancy-like, talk-of-the-town recipe books. I prefer recipe magazines with "what's on season" section, tips, hints and guides to cooking and I like the surprise I get of what they're offering each month. I find some of Ainsley's ingredients comes from tubes or canned 'something' rather than fresh or homemade version. Same goes with Donna Hay, Kylie Kwong and Jamie Oliver. Sometimes. This frustrates and annoy the hell out of me. I used to spend hours in book stores browsing well-named chefs recipe books to find them using caramel from tubes, or canned custards. Yes, it is easier, quick, and sometimes even cheap. But I prefer the old way. The things is, everyone is rushing and after recipes that are quick and easy to make. If I am after for something quick and easy, I'd rather eat out. I think my views here are hugely influenced by Mama. I remember back in those days whenever I bake a cake, muffin or brownies from those easy steps boxes, she wouldn't even touch it. She doesn't even go down the aisles at the supermarket. So if you're baking something out of the box, no matter how good you think it tastes, don't mention how you make it. She is a very busy woman being the manager of a rather huge company, not to mention running her own small business all together. Somehow when it comes to baking and cooking, she prefers it homemade with love. This is what I admire most of her. However, with realization now, of my massive ignorance about cooking (also with her great lack of confidence of me.. hey, gimme a break, i'm learning aren't i? =) she stocks and fills my kitchen with countless 'perencahs' from the simple call of fried rice, to variety of rendangs. I am ashamed of myself.

I like the old fashion way. I am even traditional in the sense of buying groceries. Meat at the butcher, fish at the fish monger, fruits n vegs at the stalls. Even buying mushrooms at the mushroom stall. I like the french way. It's the quality and taste that you're after. So you'll feel more satisfied and crave lesser. I like Nigella's idea of using full-fat milk and dollops of double cream, shamelessly. No, I will not allow myself be exposed and influenced by the fast, quick version of cooking. I'd rather have Indo-mee.

Speaking of which, we went Tea Tree Plaza the other day. Spent countless hours just browsing on things we'd like to have when we move out. I can't wait to have a place of our own. He, too. There were days where we sat in front of our lappies just browsing through apartments/houses. I would like to be able to cook and invite my friends over at any time of the day without thinking of others, have my own space without worrying about others, clean and arrange my things my own way, have our own privacy, have lots of cooking equipments in the kitchen, buy decoratives, have some quiet weekends just the two of us experimenting new recipes in the kitchen, be able to celebrate with some of our friends over at any time possible. Can't wait!

Did I tell you we went to the Royal Adelaide Show? Yes, we did. It's his first time, since the show only comes once a year. I had a blast getting showbags.

So I'm done sorting out my visa and its applications. I've some tests to take in November and posting some documents to relevant people. Geez, these people are sometimes asking the weirdest of questions. Tomorrow I need to sort out some documents before posting them off.

*i miss spending time in the kitchen on weekends together*

8 months and going.. =)

Happy 8 month Anniversary, b!

i don't quite remember what we did today =p

September

I didn't realize it's almost the middle of Sept and haven't written for quite some time.

September is the month to celebrate for us. My birthday as the opening, few important dates in the middle and his birthday for closing. Speaking of which, on my bday we had a quiet lunch at the Botanical Gardens Restaurant (you even have to switch your handphones to silent), a loud dine-out at a top rated thai cuisine restaurant (and yes, they deserve it. food we had was superb), had few friends over and another party this weekend! Which I haven't decided what to make yet!

Whenever I feel like writing.. something always comes up to distract me! Geezz..

tbc...

Rendang Ayam Raisins

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..

Mohawk and San Remo

Aroma has reduced it's size and flavour to their San Remo so I decided to try making them at home instead. But of course with lots of alterations to suit with whatever there is available in our fridge =) The avocado oil infused with lime made the chicken extra extra yummy!

It's been awhile since last I had Korean food so for we headed to the Korean BBQ place. But of course it is no comparison to the ones in Korea town *sigh* However, we were SO stuffed and took a walk around, had coffee before a movie night. After watching TV the other day on steamboat, I feel like having some. Any ideas where we can find one?

I've finally chosen a place for a bday dinner celebration with my beloved. And I've also a cake in mind. We've not made reservations yet, leaving me options if I decide to change my mind =) *which is likely, eh?*

My baby has turned mohawk.
And may I say, it really suits him.
*i like!*

Chermoula

Lamb marinated with chermoula spice with homemade salad dressing *yum*

Yes, I'm back to cooking again. Never tried chermoula before and decided to try it on and it was yummy. Went well with my salad dressing. Well, that's what we had for lunch with a movie marathon.

Then we left for Glenelg for a walk and ice cream, watched sunset and dinner at Scampi (and yes, it is pricely and you don't see people wearing thongs and t-shirts in the restaurants). Lucky we dressed well =p That would be a perfect place for a celebration in style, with good, sweet, fresh seafood like no other. No rubbery calamari or flaky scallops. And we had some good, light conversation.

Good walk, excellent view, fresh food, thoughtful conversation, with the one I'm crazily in love with, what more could I ask for?
I'd have to say tonight was one of the highlights of my week ;)
thank you, b

Friday

It's my favourite day of the week (who doesn't?)
Apart from the fact it's the end of the week and the last work day for most people, today is our groceries shopping day! The market here closes late til 9pm tonite so we usually go after he gets off from work.

On a different note.
I came across someone today complaining and whining about not getting along with his/her housemates. So far (as I can recall), I've heard 6 people having problems with their housemates and they all share few things in common. All from 'I'm tired cleaning up after them' to 'they entered my room'. Mama mentioned something to me the other day and got me thinking. This is my last chance of experience living with other people. Approximately half a year from now, I'd be living, running and having my own household! How creepy.

So from my past few experiences of living with other people as little as 1 other to a number of 9 people in the house, here are some things I've learnt to take note upon.

Room
Always try to ensure you have your own space to put your things in the kitchen, fridge and freezer, living room, shoe rack and laundry.
No matter how close you are to your housemates, knock and listen before entering your housemate's room. This is a sign of respect to other's privacy. You don't demand respect from others, you gain them by showing yours.
However messy you like to live in, it is your business, it is your room and no one can make you clean up. (Unless if you're sharing rooms, then good luck! I've only shared my room once before, in high school. I attended a boarding school for 3 yrs and bcos it's a private school, we only get to share one room with another girl. Some say, lucky. Looking at my brother today, I must say, I agree.)

Kitchen
Kitchen area and living area are common areas hence they are shared areas. Try not to leave your dishes washed or unwashed (no one wants to see your leftovers) in the sink or any other areas that you and your housemates may want to use on later on.
Allow time for yourself to clean up after your meal. Cleaning up after yourselves not only allow other people to use the kitchen but also leaves yourselves and other housemates to minimal 'spring clean' when required. Ever heard of the word responsibility? Yeah, well this is where you can work on it.
If you're sharing pots and pans, cutleries, dinner sets, cleaning them up after using them would be a good idea to allow other housemates the chance to use them.
If stove is shared, try wiping up the stove after you cook. Again, if everyone does their fair bit, this can minimize 'spring clean'. Encourage every housemate to do the same. Or you can try doing what we did (while living with 9 other), lay and stick foil over stove (cut up the burner part) and each time after cooking (or once a week), especially when you've made a right mess, lift the foil up and throw it in the bin. Warning: this may increase your budget on foils =)

Living Room
This is the best I can give.
Clean up after yourself! Whatever bits and pieces of paper, food, gum wraps, tissue, anything that is left behind by you, pick them up and throw them in the bin. It's little things as these that can build up and turn into a mess within a week of vacuuming.
Try wiping up the dining table after your meal. You'll be surprised to see how easy it is to be dirty after one meal.

Other Areas
Spring cleaning once a month is fine if the house is dirty. If not, don't bother. Generally, if every housemate do their little bit and not expect other people to clean up after them, 'spring cleaning' once a few months is also fine.

If you can't stand cleaning up, a good thumb rule;
put your dirty dishes, wrappers, tissues, dirt, all in your room. You can live with it, don't expect others to. Then it's up to you to clean whenever you want to. But make sure your dishes are yours though. Or your landlord will be chasing you for them.

Living with other people is not easy. Heck, living with your spouse is not easy, let alone with other people. At home, we are used to maids, cleaners, or family members whom don't mind cleaning up after us (believe me, I have and still am living with platoons of maids/helpers back in Msia, eventhough we have a dryer and a dishwasher, so trust me, I know how it feels). Friends, other people, they are not family so don't expect too much from them. Think about your actions and try to make living together easy by doing to others, what you'd want them do to you. However, if you do other people's dishes to expect them do yours, think again ;)

To avoid any misunderstandings (with a high chance of some 'typical' malays reading this), I will have to add here.
I am NOT a perfect housemate (you may ask Adil n Haz since I'm living with them, at the moment for opinions)
I am NOT a good housemate either. However, I can be the worst housemate you'll ever met if I want to.
I have my limits and wrong-doings.
I am NOT trying to be funny or put other people down.
I am also NOT not proud being a malay myself. I have all reasons in the world to be proud of my own nationality. It is the attitude and perception of some within the nationality that is, to my belief (and only mine, no one else. You may disagree all you want) needs to be improved upon.
This entry is also a mere touch to my understanding and experience from living with other people as a housemate.

*Now how did an entry supposed to be about Friday turned out to be about housemates? I really am nuts..*

Another step

So it's back to normal life again. Another episode closed.

My plants died. One small stalk of parsley trying hard to stand and be strong for me so I watered it today.

I actually have absolutely no idea what to do after this. My status; officially unemployed with lots of food (leftovers from my parent's stay). My options? HUGE! He has widened my eyes into so many choices and showed me how lucky I am. *y'know what, b. I still hope you're right*

Due to May's multiple invitation and the news recently labelling it as 'a waste of time', I had joined Facebook. Still have absolutely not much idea of how it works but slowly learning.

Maybe I should start experimenting new recipes and baking breads/goodies. Yea, that sounds good for a start.

Disclaimer

I have wanted to blog this for quite a long time actually.

This is to those who still doesn't get it.
What I write in here is what I want to write.
It comes straight from the head and heart as I lay my fingers on the keyboard.
It is my own expression of my thoughts, my feelings and my ideas.
This has everything to do with me but if you feel that it has something to do with you, then that's probably because it has to do with me and you.
I do not use names inappropriately or intend to influence other people to dislike anyone.

This blog is my creation, my world, my story, my words, my space.
Hence, this is my right.

Now, how about knowing your rights.
If you happen to not like what I write, then don't read =)

7 months

Still going on.. =)
Since we've the car, we bought cheesecake at the Cheesecake Shop only to disappoint ourselves.
Dear God.
i know i wish for many things.
and to add to the list,
today i wish i can open a cheesecake shop =)

They left

And he cried. Tears welled up in his eyes.
Waving his good hand at me.
I wonder if it's now that he felt the way I did when I left him at the airport with my beloved to come here.
So slowly he wiped his eyes with his fingers and went back to do what he has to do. Gave me one last good look and disappeared.

It is as if there's many things he wants to say.
And somehow couldn't gather the words together.

I know he heard our argument the night before. I know he understands what I meant. I know he knows.. we both know, what she did and is doing. Because that's when he stirred and stroke a conversation. That's also, after a long while before I tuck-in, when he told me what he thinks, as if trying to convince and tell that nothing else matters because he approves.

So I replied, 'ntah la, pa.'
'Kenapa ija kata mcm tu?'
'Takde apa, pa.'

I didn't want to continue. I didn't have to.

Colors

My second colors begins =)

psst.. happy grad day!

l.o.v.e

i am surrounded by people who loves me =)

A Re view

August is here and soon it'll be September,
then with all bustles of puasa and raya,
the year comes to an end and a new year begins.
Here I am, close to reaching 26,
had started this year with something new.
Life changing moments.

The thing is, I do feel like a different person.
Interests change,
priority shifts,
perception deter,
values strengthen,
responsibility increase.

Maybe this is it.
This is the new step.
After all.. I am about to enter a new world.

Perhaps I am ready after all. *cross fingers*

News

So it's all good now =)

Mushrooms

We absolutely LOVE mushrooms.
It's in our grocery list every week.

Enough of Thai cuisines, we viewed Italian cuisines now. So far only 2 places high in our list.

I tried my hands at making 'buah melaka' aka 'onde-onde'. I was nervous cos I like them soft and gooey but I'm afraid it would turn out hard. So I was careful making them. And guess what? The texture turned out nice, soft, gooey and green, but I've put in too little palm sugar in the centre. Sigh.

Bustle

Woke up today with a plan in mind.

Sitting by myself relaxing in a coffee shop at a shopping mall far away from town, letting my mind wander and go off as far as it want to, while watching people pass by.

I was still dreaming.

So today went rather the opposite. Somehow my beloved decided to ditch work and spend time with me off in my far-away land. I need a 'new' environment (as if Sydney and Perth is not enough, eh? hehe). So we went to my far-away land, had late lunch and binge on junk with Simpsons movie. Being a fan of the Simpsons series, the movie was rather disappointing. To me, the least. They could and have done better. But we had good laughs.

When we reach home, I called home and told them the news. We watched some TV then headed for pizza and few drinks.

Trying to swallow my guilt.

Spring Clean

My poor beloved had been complaining so much about the state of it when I was away.
I've returned few days ago and so today without planning, we did something about it.

It was spring clean, indeed!

We cleaned the kitchen and living room upstairs but with no doubt it'll get back to its original state in no time =)

L.i.f.e

Life is a Mystery
to be lived
rather than
a problem to be solved

-Assagioli