Soondubu jjigae

I made soondubu jjigae yesterday. Was pretty good attempt but I had no kelp.

Bazaar Ramadhan

You would think they got scared of H1N1, you thought wrong! The mob was so big that even the cars had to stop at the green light to allow people crossing. Me being anal about road safety and following rules gotten quite pissed off even when I am one of the pedestrian. I didn't join the crazy jay walking mind you, I just stood there, waiting for my turn thinking in my head, they must be very hungry to be so impatient. I just don't understand why they can't wait for the crossing signal to go green first, like the bazaar gonna shut down in 5 seconds if they don't get there fast enough. Malaysian can be such dumbasses to something as obvious as crossing the road...

Anyway, these are the photos, I tried taking more but my N80 only has one bar worth of power so it died on me. Never planned on snipping pictures anyway...

Ok, some do try to 'protect' themselves with the mask. But the crowd was something else, at a few points, people could hardly move. If someone suddenly shouted BOMB!! there could be death today. 

Another angle of the madness.  Ooh babies, they should have known better to bring young children in such a highly crowded place like this. 

Colourful choices of drinks from left to right, melon, corn, sirap, keladi and bandung. All with the goodness of added preservatives, colorings and artificial flavours but what the heck, as if I even care about all that!

Ayam percik, the legs. I bought one of this. I haven't eaten it yet, its in the rice cooker being kept warm for sahur. 

I bought one of this too. The breast and side part. 

I could have taken a much better picture quality as there were countless array of kuih muih, all in different colours you can think off. I doubt they can sell all of them in one afternoon, so what happen to the rest? 

The stuff they sell on the stick. The usual food fan fair for pasar malam also on sale during Ramadhan. Fish balls, crab balls, prawn balls, crab sticks, hot dogs, quail eggs, dimsum, wanton wantan, anything they can stuck a stick through is here. 

This is only 1/25 of what on sale, there are repeat shows but there are so many other stuff on sale, tapping on Malaysia consumerism during Ramadhan month. One rejoicing factor to me to have other races joining in the fun, yes, I am all in for the Ramadhan bazaar food escapade. Just have to be careful on your expenditure though. 

For this afternoon alone, I had Kuih tepong komak RM2, Murtabak RM10, Ayam Percik RM9, Soy drink RM4. Just four items and I spent RM25, can't be spending this much daily on bazaar haul. I have another 29 days to go. 

Selamat Berpuasa Ramadhan Al-Mubaraq everyone!

Simple Sunday Lunch

I simply love this tauhu, people usually put it in Mee Curry. It just soaks up the stew, so when you eat it, the stew will spray out in your mouth.. haha. 

I bought a bag of it yesterday and mom made a simple vegetable dish with it. I finished the whole thing in one sitting. 

A very healthy meal ;)

Queen Magnificent, Flying

I just hope she recovers soon. 

My sister send a photo to me. She and an unrecognisable car. The car that she has been planning to buy. 

I asked, Whoah what you're buying it?

She said, Look at d number plate. 

...

Had maggi and kopi 'o' ais for dinner again because I had a major shitty day. While eating, I continued my chat with my sister.  She took the step and got a new ride and is hit by the pang of missing the old one.

I know, the old one has been very loyal to her, the thing takes her to all the crazy places she goes. Its a 4 wheel-drive disguised as a Proton Iswara.

Not her actual old car, photo borrowed from this dude. 

If you have no respect for a National Car, you should know that Silver Blue Spesel Edisen Iswara is in fact a robust machine that can be driven off road on hard rocky terrain, slither through mud, swim across flood water, cruises over grass, floats over sand and has even been taken through a palm plantation like a real trooper. If that's not a good car, I don't know what is!

So I exaggerate, but I don't lie that the car gone through those treatments. It has been a real buddy to my sister. 

I'll miss him too but I bet he will find a better owner that won't take him flying over hard rocks and mud :D It is a good time for him to retire. Don't fret too long, enjoy the new one. Drive safe!

Supper at Maktonglow with Dyb. Quarter pounder with cheese anyone?

What diet?

Tilapia is an evil fish

I'm turning this blog into a food blog, surely. I guess my need to channel as much positive energy by writing all the good things in my life would mean I would always be talking about food. Food makes me happeh. 'nuff sez. 

This is lunch ibu cooked today. What are those mysterious things in the bowls and plates. Look quite alien from here ;) 

The lighting is bad, the angle could be better and I only use a 3MP camera phone, so bare bear with me. 

Top left is familiar, no? That's right! It's yesterday's lunch... my family excel in leftovers and recycling food. There's still lots of yesterday's pari, which has been reheated. Ocras were added in because masak asam podeh is nice when you put ocras in, its like PBJ - they go together. 

Top right is Tilapia masak lomak cili api. Tilapia is a fresh water fish. My sister hates it. The smell she can't take. Its not exactly the fish's smell, its more like the smell of mud that would stuck on it. Ibu is particular of this she would have her vinegar or lime arsenal to make sure this fish ain't stinkin' up her dish! 

Tilapia image borrowed from here

The flesh is white and soft and I would say in term of taste, its quite plain. It basically absorbs the herb and spices used to cook it. Which is why it is important to make sure that it is thoroughly cleaned because you may ended up with a pot of mud smelling fish. 

Tilapia has a nice texture and is not fatty at all compared to fresh water fish like Baung (fresh water catfish family) Tilapia to me is not merely tasty but it evokes fond memories of growing up through hard labour (the hard labour did not involve me though, I just watched) The masak lemak this time is with tempe (soybean cake), which is great! 

Tempe image borrowed from here

You can also accompany the fresh water fish with acidic accompaniments such as belimbing sayur or young mangos. 

Belimbing sayur image borrowed from here

Young mango image borrowed from here

Tilapia is also good by just frying. The rule goes that when the big ones are cut into two, the top part including the head is best to be cooked as masak lemak, while the tail part can be fried, which is the bottom right dish. For those who can't stand the spiciness of masak lemak cili api, can also eat Tilapia by frying with tumeric and salt. Its a simple, innocent dish which I always mentally connect to children. Such a no fuss food. 

Bottom left is sambal ikan bilis. Its green. I know. A sambal ikan bilis by any other name would taste as hot.

Ibu calls it sambal orang gila, referring the cook as the madman =P . So is a neighbour who did this dish recently. Because normally it would be red right? Like the sambal I ate with the nasi lemak at KFC. 

This version is green instead because its purely made of cili padi/cili api. I imagined it would taste different or would kill me in a few seconds once it touches my tongue but frankly, it tasted just like the red hybrids. I guess because Ibu made sure that the chilly paste is thoroughly cooked. Your tongue might be able to take it but not your stomach if its not cooked well.  This one had ikan bilis (anchovies), onion, and special guest star, petai!

Petai image borrowed... from somewhere. 

I don't eat petai on weekdays because I don't want to stink up the stall for the next person when I do the business at work. 

What can I say, ibu is the queen of sambal among other things (rendang, dodol... and on and on and on) Sedap sampai petala langit kelapan. I don't know how to describe it. Its perfect, everytime. The heat, the ikan bilis, the onion, the oil. Everything seems to be like in perfect harmony in your mouth. 

Btw, I left work after 3 hours in. Mom had her hypo spell today. She cooked these and she had a hypoglicemic spell. Mom don't enjoy her own cooking, and believe it, she is a picky eater. Nothing must be too sweet to her palate. It must be just nice so any Kelantanese food she will not take, except for the kuihs.

If not because of an urgent meeting, I skipped work entirely today. I hate to use the excuse but seriously family is number one on my list. I drop everything else when my mom needs me. And the fact that the office people excused me to go home so easily is a plus point that makes me stuck there. Such an agonising dilemma. 

Oh well, that is a different story. Since mom not up to her own cooking, dinner I took her out to her favourite makan place. We had laksa, nasi goreng USA (which is Nasi goreng daging merah plus bulls eye egg makes it a USA fried rice XD  ) and tomyam campur. No picture because my phone went dead. 

Pari asam podeh

My mom, who I fondly calls Ibu is the best cook I've ever known. You would probably say the same thing about your own mom but I really mean that my mom is the best cook ever because, most people I know who tried her food can't stop gabbing about it to me to the point of embarrassment, of course right after the blossoming pride and all. 

You have to see how big I am to understand what a great job she has done. 

Since I almost always talk about the food I normally eat at dinner at the mamak's and my other favourite food joints, I should be featuring what she cook for the day.  

While she would go all out in her entertaining mode, her home cooking is pretty humble since there's only three of us at home and as I would put it, makan nasik berlauk, bukan makan lauk bernasik :P

Today, she did ikan pari masak asam podeh.

She don't know this but I love this dish a lot. Just any asam pedas would do if its her cooking. She doesn't know I like it because if she does, this would be the only dish I would see for the next 2 weeks, so lets keep it a secret OK.  The ikan pari (rays to you mortals hah hah hah haaa) is the perfect fish for this dish.  And being my mom its important that the pieces isn't cut small. She loves big chunky pieces in her cooking (macam anak dia jugak, chunky)

In my life, the only other way a ray is cooked is by frying (selalu tak laku nih, it would ended up becoming stale and smelling like urine after awhile). But I prefer masak asam pedas for this fish. Ibu will also add different kind of spices in and not forgetting belacan (aka prawn paste). Lauk ni, kalau tinggal kuah pun aku makan XD memang best!

Enough of masak asam pedas, but still on food. 

Had a chat at office today about the baldy guy who eats anything bizarre. Andrew Zimmern his name on Discovery Travel and Living

My colleague said that apparently while he was in Singapore, he ate a few bizarre food and one of it was.... *drumrolls*

Rojak...

I don't know what so bizarre about boiled egg, tofu, water chestnut, cucumber, flour cakes and chicken in a peanut sauce...  This one accompanied with my prerequisite Kopi 'O' Ais. 

I am following Awan Okinawa Berlalu. I'm a fan albeit a silent one way back then. Just suddenly remembered her again yesterday so I googled and found her blog. Thought I would say hi this time. 

I think I need to expand my Opera's speeddial from 4 x 4 to 4 x 5 O_O

I love Sushi!

I'm broke, but I since mom not in today, I decided its a good day to go Japanese!

I was thinking for Alamanda but I opted to the closer Jusco instead as I was not in the spirit to visit a mall just for Sushi. 

Restaurant of choice... SUSHI KING!

I'm a big Japanese fan if you can't tell yet. I don't know why. I just think they are really crazy people with culture and mentality that mixes the old and the new, with very distinctive lines at the same time. Its just nuts. At the same time, I'm still haunted by the autrocities committed during WW2, so its a mixed feeling but like I said, a big fan anyhow! One of my dreams in life to visit Hokkaido, Tokyo, Kyoto and Okinawa, spending at least a month in that country. Which is almost impossible because its very expensive and if it does happen, my diet will be reduced to raw fishes only while I'm there =P

Not to be off tangent too long, my lunch at Sushi King were...

Udon is my favourite, its fat, smooth and chewy. I'm also a big beef fan. So beef and fat noodles combination in a cute pot is a perfect meal for me. 

I had a big sushi craving so while waiting, I filled myself up on the sushi from the conveyer belt. I love salmon, because its delicious. It being healthy food is a bonus. I have great respect for Salmon. I watched a lot of National Geographic Special growing up. To me, they are hardy fishes, who work hard for a living. Very spirited, so it tastes really good too. The raw salmon tastes fresh and great while the smoked one has a slight salty taste but I had two plates of each anyways. So greedy XD

The cuttlefish, ika in Japanese is something that I would eat when I feel I'm up to it. Due to its smell I would sometimes feel like I want to throw up once it is at the back of my throat. But like I said, if I feel I want the thrill of it, I will eat it. I just had one plate, if I go for second I would start to feel it crawling up my throat. But I like the texture because its smooth and chewy. I just put extra wasabi on so that the smell wouldn't bother me much. But I put too much wasabi on the cuttlefish today and had an out of body experience when the fume crawled up my nasal passage. I could literally feel it travelling from my throat, up my nose and up through my nasal cavities... my cheeks, forehead. It was gooood. 

Another favourite of mine is inari. Sweet dried tofu. I love chewy stuff so I can't help liking the dried tofu. And its being sweet really agrees to my tastebuds. 

I wish there were these on the belt and I'm too lazy to order them, not sure if its not in season or what. 

Green soybeans is really healthy and refreshing to eat. Its almost addictive at how you have to pop it out of its pods and into your mouth. Being delicious doesn't hurt either.

I love this sushi because the ginger and the marinated mackerel is really fresh and the fish texture is slightly chewy. You can really taste the marinated mackerel juice as you chew :D

I didn't go alone of course although, I had done so before. Tehah had these...

I like the golden ball too, its a fun food, kids love it. But I was not in the mood for it today. 

I usually avoid the stuff they make under the maki section of the menu, because they are quite not so adventurous. 

July is the dessert promotion month.  

I don't usually buy the ice cream. They are really nice but selling at RM7.50 a piece I would usually skip the desert. But I am feeling rather indulgent today so I bought these...

In me and Tehah hands...

When you buy the Macha and Jumbo ice cream, you get to buy the Taiyaki at RM3.50. I just let myself get talked into buying them. 

Macha is actually an Indian word the locals used here to address young men, I think its colloquial. So, I find that really funny so I insist to spell it Matcha instead. 

The Japanese are big on this green tea, read bean concoction. But thank goodness no Salmon or Squid Ink Ice Cream on sale as Sushi King... See this blog to learn more on Japanese Ice Cream. 

They used to have a black sesame ice cream, the wafer is black, shiny black. Its almost blue. They don't sell them anymore. Its delicious and its not often you can put something so oddly colored in your mouth without fearing for your life. 

Hmm... just by going to Sushi King today, I created one long log on it. I go to Sushi King relatively often. What can I say, I love sushi. I even have a member card. This is basically what I would eat here anyway. Drink of choice will always be cool green tea, because I hate eating with hot drinks. 

Getting late, I wanna take a bath and get clean up before bed. 

Hazy day

Such a hazy day today.  If only the air doesn't feel as humid, I would fancy myself in Genting or something.  The visibility is pretty bad too,  I tried to capture it on my N80 but... I don't know, it looked like some random scene photos. 

The building behind the middle lampost should look clearer on normal days. 

Uuuh... random picture of alamanda shrubs. Yeah, my parking spot is pretty scenic despite being so damn annoying and far. I got another parking ticket today for displaying outdated ticket! YIPPIE!!!

Dinner today, we had a pot luck which I had a good time eating. There were chicken, some mysterious other stuff, and pasta which was delicious. But, no picture since its a no no to take photo @ my workplace. 

But... I did went for a late night supper @ 2.00am of...

Nasi Lemak!!! With Pepsi Max... 

Where else if not at KFC!

Its a pretty decent Nasi Lemak if you ask me. I can't remember what it cost (I also bought 4 large Cheezy Wedges to take home) The rice isn't too lemak, the cucumber is fresh and cut pretty thick, the boiled egg is like a boiled egg, the friend chicken is a nice addition. Just the sambal. The make very thick sambal. The ikan bilis is delicious but this batch I guess had a tad too much salt and I am the salty kind. 

I finished all of it of course, because my momma taught me never to waste food! But overall, it is a good nasi lemak and the portion is decent too. Of course, it wouldn't compare to your corner stall nasi lemak with sambal kerang and sambal sotong options but for something different in the early morning at KFC, you can try this. 

Because home has some stove issue at the moment and I am lazy to double back to the market (which opens 24 hours) I went to 7 Eleven to buy some food stuff for tomorrow's breakfast. 

2 loaves of bread
2 bottles of milk (1 choco, 1 fresh)
2 packets of peanuts
1 packet cream cracker biscuit
A small margerine tub
A small peanut butter tub

... cost me RM40.00!!!  I know this is sign of age when I did a mental calculation and deduced that if indeed I actually doubled back to the market, I would only spend RM15.00 on the same thing, not to be extreme. 

I know, I know. Its 7 Eleven, what do you expect. But its funny how wide the counter girl eyes were when I parked in front of the shop. I guess I was too fast and too furious at the break paddle =P

On the last note, I try not to believe in old wives tale. But earlier today my left hand was suddenly itchy for no reason at all. I rubbed it once and try not to think about it much. But when I went to my car, I got a parking ticket. Can't help it if the damn machine being so anal on what kind of coins is accepted. This is my second ticket, totalling RM120 in all. Gila kau! Duit terbang just like that! So sad :(

Maggi Goreng Ayam with Sirap Limau

The dinner take haha! This is getting into an obligatory update what I had for dinner... 

The same thing I always had almost every night...

Maggi Goreng Ayam... what a healthy choice. 

But wait! There is a difference today, albeit slight although you can't see it in the photo above. 

It is... 

Sirap Limau, instead of Kopi 'O' Ais!!

Actually, I am growing sick eating at the same place day in day out. I wanted to eat western stuff namely grilled chicken with whipped potato at The Walk. But my dinner buddy is broke, so I have to deal with this for another week. Blurgh!

Nasi goreng pattaya and fried chicken with Kopi 'O' ais

Since this blog is supposed to be about me loving to eat and sleep, I share you what I had for dinner today. 

Nasi goreng pattaya and fried chicken with Kopi 'O' ais. 

Today I eschew from typicalness by ordering fried rice instead of fried maggi.  It was in fact a very heavy meal as it is but I decided, throw in a fried chicken, why won't you? I was feeling very greedy today, actually I was damn hungry for some reasons. I was like five on the Richter scale of hunger earlier so I got greedy so yeah.

The mortgages kids that always visited the same place as I do but would be sitting at a different table has taken to a habit of looking at my orders when the mamak brought it to my table. They will go oooh! aaaah! Look at me darling, this takes a lot of money to maintain yeah?!

Its definitely something heavy for lunch break, I know! But thank goodness I didn't fall asleep after dinner since I was so busy going all over the place so my presence is 'felt'. Haha, personal joke aside, this is what I had for dinner. YUUMM!

Maggi Goreng Ayam dengan Kopi 'O' Ais. Nonton B13

This is what I had last Friday if I'm not mistaken. In fact, if I do go to Rahim's, this is what I would typically order. Not the healthiest dinner set, I know but its close to being a comfort food I need to last me the rest of the night. 

Anyhow, last friday, the noodles came to me with a surprisingly large amount. It's a lot. Usually, it's half of the amount you see in the picture. Like, the cook got angry or something and put in two packets instead of one. Which is fine either way because I finished them all! Yeah I did! Had another tough day at work, so I am gorging down food like nobody's business. 

I finished this while watching a French movie... what a choice for a Mamak's right? Well, its actually B13. All parkour action, its one of those action movies you must see. 

At least watch this just to check out how ripped David Belle is. *swoon*

How to eat a mangosteen

Dining Etiquette: How To Eat A Mangosteen

I can't remember actually having to go through a dining etiquette eating the delicious Queen of Fruits. Press it between your hands and voila! Pry the two halves away and eat the sweet, soft inside. Of course, this would come with awful purplish juices that should it stain your favourite top, you can say bye bye to the top for good. Heh hee

Wangi dan makan

Dapat Hugo Boss dengan Clinique Happy akhirnya. 125 ml both, the biggest I can afford. I have pledged to smell great for as long as I can afford. Next in my list are Davidoff Cool Water, Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, DKNY Be Delicious dan banyak lagi.

Berjaya blah half day from ofis. Tu pun extra 45 minute. Pastu balik rumah hantar me mom balik, pastu pegi Puchong jemput askar kecik. Pastu pegi Jusco, makan Sushi King, beli botol air ngan 2009 planner. Nak jadi lebih organise tahun ni and drink more water. Dah balik rumah, me mom masak beriani! Gila kau. Makan lagi dengan chicken korma ugh! Mampos! Lepas makan sushi dengan soba, makan lagi nasik beriani! Sedapnya pulak lemak dia sepoi sepoi bahasa. Tak paham aku apa mak aku masuk boleh jadi sedap cenggitu. Bila nasik dah sampai ke idung, pegi pulak pasar malam. Beli lagi jagung kukus, GAH! Fuiyo! Patutlah aku gemuk!

Makan di Mc Donald lagi

Makan double prosperity lagi. Kali ke 4 sejak launched. Aku rasa it shall be my last. I love beef. Tapi udahler for now. Ugh! Nak muntah. Prut boroi.