My Favourite No.2

Ibu used to scold me for this. I love cold overnight rice with leftover Sambal Belacan mixed with soy sauce. Just had a bowl, though it is not exactly a leftover Sambal Belacan.  Had it made fresh. The taste brought me back to those Sunday morning at home where I used to sneak into the kitchen and made a bowl of this mixture hoping Ibu won't catch me. Tonight, I don't have to sneak around but I still feel a bit guilty while finishing up the bowl. Just one of those things....

Power of Suggestion

 

 Magnum came out with a new advert  which made me crave for one. It is not so much the advert but the way the model just bite into that vanilla chocolate coating ice cream on a stick that made me want one. Of course for those who had taste it, will magnanimously agreed with me how magnificent the taste is. But the advert did its job... it made me think about it so often until I give in and had one today.

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Project 365: No 7 Shallots

Ted love shallots. It can be used as a base for many of his cooking but his favourite are fried sliced shallots which can be use as condiments for whatever. Just made everything tastier and more beautiful...

 

Secret Recipe.

It is a Sunday and it is a day to learn the delicious Cik Miah's Acar Buah. Actually my staff had asked for the acar for the Raya Lunch this Tuesday. How could I say no?

We bought most of the ingredients yesterday. I had the time of my life preparing the raw ingredients and taking pictures of them.
Today is the prep day in Mak's house. Ted insisted that I watch each step carefully. It is not something you can learn from a book. It is a secret pass down from mother to daughter, grandmother to grand-daughter... And in my case mother in law to daughter in law.
   

 

Mak has a lot more recipe that are traditional in her family. I am eager to learn and hopefully I pass it down to my daughter 1 day.

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Counting My Blessings

5 days to Raya and I finally did my shopping. Ted is a great partner to shop with. We liked the first dress we saw the minute we entered Ampang Park but it was a bit too pricey for my pay check. It was elegant in simplicity, just what I wanted. To top it all of, Ted loves it and he compared it to what the late Yasmin Ahmad would wear. That idea itself was a huge enticement.

So I thought what the hell, I worked so hard so I deserve to indulge myself. Anyway, it is not everyday I go shopping for a dress. My "what the hell" attitude went a bit too far down the fiery hole cause I ended up buying 2 dresses and 2 blouses. The best part was we got a pair of Baju Melayu for Ted to match my dress a few shops away. Ampang Park is fast becoming my favourite place to shop.

We wanted steak for dinner and we got the best ones in town...in the old Coliseum, TAR Road. The meat was perfectly grilled and the mash potatoes just melt in my mouth. And I swear, they have the best cup of coffee in town. Well maybe second best, next to the one in Cafe@18.

I suggested a walk to digest the steak and we ended up in Sogo. TAR was packed with shoppers and I think half of them was in Sogo. Mad shoppers filled up every square foot of the place and the 'Mad Hatter' me ended up indulging myself (again) to something that I have been wanting for months. Not a hat but the super sexy "forbidden fruit"....

So my Raya shopping was complete, or so I thought. It would have been complete if only I got this in my size....

But I have to count my blessings. I lived in a country where people are free. We are free to work and free to spend the money that we earned. We are free to be anywhere without having to worry about bombs and curfews and harassment. If you have the means, you have the freedom as a consumer to get almost anything your heart desires.

I am counting my blessings today that I have this freedom in this country. I pray that my children's children would have the same luxury of freedom as I do....if not more. 

p/s...I am getting that shoes tomorrow!!!!!!

Ramadhan Restraints

We are on our halfway mark in this Ramadhan. It has been a quiet one. Hardly eat out and we spend our nights at home. Ted has outdone himself in terms of cooking. He has been experimenting and the results are amazing. I think I have been eating more this Ramadhan then any time of the year. Oh well, at least I restraint myself from gossiping and speaking ill of others. Not that I do that at all any other time.

Ted's lasagna. This after we got our pastry roll machine and Ted was adamant in getting the dough right. He did!

The ultimate Ted's Burger. Had it for sahur.

Grilled Satchi on Spinach Bed, with grilled onion and tomatoes. Ted's signature dish, one of the first he ever cooked for me

Crispy grilled chicken with Fajitas. I love the crispy skin.

Ted's version of the Egg Tart...melt in my mouth. We were excited about the steel mould, got them at a steal in Jusco

Sticky Rice with fried Chicken and Shallots, inspired by our trip to Hat Yai

Popeye Is More Then Spinach

We went to Wangsa Walk for dinner tonight, looking for a nasi ayam place. Ended up in Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen. Aiman's choice. I was a bit sceptical, thought it is going to be one of those fast food restaurant. But I was wrong. The place is cozy but bright with separated areas of dining with different styles.

 Even though the servings were in paper plates and spoon, the food was delicious. Selections was limited to chicken, fish and shrimp but that was enough. Mash potatoes had a tinge of spicy black sauce and the Coleslaw was fresh. The Chicken Fingers were tender and the Fish Finger was delectable. Ibu would have liked it. We will definitely come back.

Oh did I forget to mention the choices of dessert....Tiramisu was one of them, my choice for tonight!