Sunday, September 11, 2011

Ayam masak lemak cili padi

I love curries, chicken curry, rendang, mutton curry, you name it. But my favourite is this: Ayam masak lemak cili padi. Being a lazy bum (and a firm believer of ready-made curries), I cooked this for lunch using ALIF's Kuah Masak Lemak Cili Padi paste. All I need to do is to add chicken, potatoes and cili padi for the oomph!

Ayam mask lemak cili padi (Taken from someone's blog)
Didn't bring back my camera, so I took this pic from someone's blog.

Can't wait for lunch...

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Kacangma

Kacangma is a dish which consist of kacangma leaves, ginger, chicken and langkau/tuak. It is traditionally a confinement dish but is now a popular dish among the people of Sarawak. They can have kacangma for lunch, or dinner or in special events such as wedding or a pot-bless.

Not everyone in the Peninsular (in my opinion) will like Kacangma as it tastes slightly bitter. The one I cooked a couple of days ago had brandy instead of tuak. Never use 'arak putih'..tasted horrible!!
And I put too much of the leaves (which meant for 1 whole chicken not half!) which make it more bitter than the the usual Kacangma. Nevetheless, husband rated it 7/10...hehe..not bad for our 1st attempt cooking Kacangma.

Our 1st attempt: Kacangma

Do read this if you want more info on kacangma: http://harizamrry.com/2008/07/khasiat-kacangma/


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Cooking for loved ones...

I love cooking, especially Chinese food...and for the last 2 days since I was back, I cooked!
Yesterday, I cooked 3 dishes; stir-fry broccoli and carrots, ginger beef and ABC soup. Didn't snap any pictures cos too hungry...
For dinner, hubby fried the left-over rice to go with dishes. Really blessed to have a husband who can cook, willing to cook and help wash up.

Today, I had asked mom and sis to come over for lunch. Actually the initial plan was for me to prepare 3 dishes, and mom to prepare 1 dish, but because she had to attend someone's funeral send-off, sis came over earlier to 'lean how to cook'. She end up contributing 1 dish - potato salad.
I cooked mongolian chicken, fried anchovies with onions and stir-fry broccoli and carrots (again, I know! Just can't get enough of broccoli).

In a while, I will be frying the rice with bacon and mixed vegetables for dinner. Hubby and I usually go out in the middle of church service to have dinner before he sends me off to the bus station. Since Tesco is pack with people around 8pm for buka puasa, it is difficult for us to find any seats and utensils to use at the food court. And dining at the other shops (KFC, Rasamas, Pizza Hut, etc) is rather pricey. So solution? I COOK!

Gotta go, feeling a bit pening..just had some rum and raisin ice-cream (raisins have been soak in rum for over 3 weeks).....tipsy dy...haha...

Love,
Em

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Enough of 'tu-bak'

I had decided that right after work, I would quickly tapau my dinner, then go home and work-out on my kickboxing moves (or aerobics).

But when I arrived at the kopitiam, I stood there thinking for a while, deciding what to eat. And then I remembered that I told Steven last night  of my craving for Klang Bak Kut Teh. And many people say that this kopitiam's BKT is not bad.

So, abandoning my plan to work-out, I sat there and ordered BKT for 1 person. And you know what? It tasted not even half as good as the BKT I cook using the packet (Uncle Sun's or A1). And it costs me RM9!! ( for the yam rice and the eu cha kueh). But the portion is huge..and I think I can safely say...I'm abstaining from tu-bak for the next 1 week or so. Makes me wonder how people in China can eat pork everyday.

Online pic I randomly selected

I'm not a pork person btw, not like hubby. I will anytime prefer beef/mutton over pork.

Now my tummy is so full..and I am still hoping after few hours from now, I can do some kicking and  squatting.


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Food and much more...

We had a small bbq at our place last weekend. Needless to say, it was a porky event.
We had pork patties which was prepared by Jian, salad with vinegrette, pork ribs (marinated by hubby), mashmellows, and our special drink with lemons and mint. The girls prepared the salad and drinks, while the guys took charge over the bbq preparations. After the makan, we played a couple of rounds of card games.
We all had fun!!!

Jian's pork patties
The pork ribs

Salad with vinegrette, sunflower seeds and  raisins
7 up with lemons and mint leaves....loved it~!

Seems happy...eyeing the ribs...
I feel hungry again....
Posing before the food...can hear their stomachs growling...

Heart attack!

Saturday, June 4, 2011

I HATE TICKS!!!

I hate ticks!I hate ticks!I hate ticks!I hate ticks!I hate ticks!I hate ticks!
About two weeks ago, hubby noticed one or two ticks on Brownie, and we thought "Oh well, one or two only, nevermindlah". Then the day before hubby left for camp, he mentioned again that he found more ticks on Brownie, and had bathe him with tick shampoo the last few days. So I thought, small issue.
And when  I came home yesterday (hubby left for camp in the morning), and at night, me, mom and Eve pulled out around 8 ticks. Boy..I was super stressed...even prayed to God so that He can protect Brownie from ticks.
This morning, I found 10 ticks on him...and when I came back from SP more ticks..
I have purchased Frontline...it is said to be effective in  killing fleas and ticks. Really hope this works...

Just a pic, the one I got was FRONTLINE COMBO SPOT-ON for 1-10kg dogs

Sad cos can't hug Brownie..cos he has ticks all over, even in his ears...

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Ramblings of the heart

I really wish that I have an extra day of weekend...I wish I don't have to go back tonight..
I didn't have enough time spent with hubby, he just got back from Jogja 10pm last night, and today a whole day of work, and I'm leaving tonight (again!) instead of Monday morning.

Yes, I am calculative, I calculate the hours I can spend with him each weekend (sleeping does not count), and this week is below adequate. I come to realize (not that I have not realized before) that one cannot have everything in life. I want a job that pays me quite good, yet I can see my husband every day.. but that it ideal right? How I envy those who have good jobs, good pay and have their husbands by their side each day.
I am not talking about those female teachers married to their businessman/doctor/lawyer/engineer husbands. I am talking about cases where both husband and wife works in MNCs. No matter how busy...you still come back home to your other half. I, on the other hand, come back to an empty room. It's not that I don't like socializing or going out, but many times, I would rather spend time doing things (such as cooking, washing car, taking a stroll at the park) with my husband. In fact, if we are both doing our own stuff, just having each other around is sufficient.

I shouldn't be complaining, I should be giving thanks that I have a good job. So am I to just be contented and not want for more? If only, circumstances are different, if only we can catch a glimpse of what God's plan for us are. I honestly do not know whether working in the government sector is good...if we keep thinking that it's secure and one will not be out of job should there be recession... then working in government is good. But there is no bonus, no profit sharing, so you still think it is good? You get free hospital fee, people from private sector pays only RM1when to go to government hospital. Even I go to private clinic, although my dad is a government servant, who can wait?

Many times, I conclude that the only way to see this, is to pray and seek God for His direction. I sometimes, do not know how to pray, to pray that hubby gets transferred to Pg? to pray that he can quit government to work in private? If I pray that he gets transferred to Pg, the problem does not end there, he will still have to move as long as he is with the government. I don't think that I am strong enough (or will ever be) to keep living apart. Then when the kids come along, how? I do not want either one of us to be the 'weekend' parent.

And when I start to think of such complicated things, I am reminded that no matter how difficult I think my life is, there is always someone in a worst situation than I am...the woman whose husband had died, and she has to take care of her child, or the newly-married woman whose husband just passed away, or the couple that is separated by distance as one is overseas.

Bottom line is.....Be thankful...and keep praying..