umidishes

Kari Kapitan

2012-01-23T20:55:00.005+08:00

Here's wishing a Happy Chinese New Year 2012,to all my Chinese readers. May the new year brings peace,prosperity and whatever your heart desires. On this auspicious day I'd like to share a Nyonya Peranakan dish called Kari Kapitan. It's very delicious and not so hard to prepare. You can substitute chicken with any meat that you prefer. As usual, you can reduce the amount of chillies to suit your taste.

Enjoy the video:

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 kg. chicken
1 cup water

Boiled the chicken and keep the stock for later usage.

Chilly paste
20 pcs, dried red chillies ( remove seed and boil)
1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
Pound or use food processor to make the paste

Spices
5 psc candlenut or buah keras (pound/grind)
1/2 in. fresh tumeric (pound/grind)
3 pcs lemon grass
1 big onion
5 cloves garlic
Pound or use food processor, lemon grass,onion and garlic.

1/2 cup oil for frying
200 ml coconut milk
salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat oil in a wok or pot, fry the pounded spices and chilly paste. Fry for few minutes until aromatic and the oil separates.
2) Add the chicken and the stock.If you want the gravy to be thick reduce the stock from 1 cup to half or 1/4 cup.Simmer over slow fire for 10 minutes.
3) After 10 minutes, stir the kari and add in the coconut milk and salt to taste. Let it simmer for another 15 minutes over slow fire.
4) Ready to serve.

Bon appetit.

My apology for the prolonged absence. Unavoidable circumstances. I will try to post regularly though not frequently. Thank you for your support. I appreciate that very much. May the new year be a stable one for us all. Take care of yourself.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
new year graphics
http://www.alegoo.com

(Basic) Rice in Coconut Milk with Sambal/ Nasi Lemak (Asas)

2011-09-16T23:45:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone,

I am sharing with you today the basic recipe of Nasi Lemak or Rice in Coconut Milk. The basic Nasi Lemak comes with Sambal Tumis Ikan Bilis or anchovies in dry chilli gravy,fried anchovies, fried peanuts, cucumber slices and hard boiled egg. In addition Nasi Lemak can also be eaten with curry or rendang and fried chicken.

(Basic) Rice in Coconut Milk/Nasi Lemak (Asas) is usually eaten for breakfast. However nowadays this dish is eaten at any time of the day and night

Here's the video:

Here's the recipe:

The Rice in Coconut Milk/Nasi Lemak

3 cups of rice (wash and drain)
4.5 cups coconut milk
1 tbs salt (or as preferred)
3 pandan leaf (screwpine leaf) essence can also be used if pandan is not available
1 in ginger
1 lemon grass ( bruised)
Method:
1) Put the rice into the rice cooker
2) Place the pandan and ginger into the rice
3) Add salt to coconut milk and stir, pour into the rice and stir.
4) Cover the pot with aluminium foil and place the lid. Cook the rice.
5) When cool stir the rice and ready to serve

The Anchovies Gravy / sambal tumis ikan bilis

1 cup dried anchovies
1 big onion slice into rings
1 lemon grass bruised
1/2 cup tarmaring juice
salt and sugar to taste
1/2 - 3/4 cup of oil for frying

chilly paste
20 dried red chillies
1 big onion
2 cloves garlic
1 in shrimp paste
1/2 cup water
Blend all with half cup of water

Method:
1) Heat oil and fry chilly paste until oil separates
2) Add tamaring juice,salt, sugar, anchovies and onion
3) Simmer until cooked

Serving suggestion:

Serve nasi lemak with the sambal, slices of cucumber, hard boiled egg, fried anchovies and fried peanut.

Enjoy.

Accompanied by hard boiled eggs, cucumber slices,fried dried anchovies and fried peanuts

Nasi Lemak wrapped in banana leaf

A blogger Cowboy Caleb has recently highlighted in facebook a website called Racebending.com.

"Racebending” on this site refers to situations where:
A) A movie studio/publisher, etc. has changed the ethnicity of a character
B) with a resultant discriminatory impact on an underrepresented cultural community and actors from that community (reinforcement of glass ceilings, loss of opportunity, etc.)

This site also explained what the term "Yellowface" means.The term yellowface appears as early as the 1950s to describe the continuation in film of having white actors playing major Asian and Asian American roles and the grouping together of all makeup technologies used to make one look “Asian.”

Kung Fu (1972-75)
David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine

Perhaps one of the most notorious examples of yellowface was the casting of the late David Carradine in a role originally conceived and envisioned for Bruce Lee.This role and concept originated with Asian-American kung fu legend Bruce Lee, but he was cut from the production, or any credit from the studio, in favor of the then non-martial artist Carradine.

(The late) Mako recalls a studio executive’s reaction when asked about featuring a non-Asian in the lead of Kung Fu:

“I remember one of the vice presidents — in charge of production, I suppose — who said, ‘If we put a yellow man up on the tube, the audience will turn the switch off in less than five minutes.’

I let the pictures illustrate the Racebending.

Miss Saigon (1989-1999)
Jonathan Pryce as “The Engineer” a.k.a. Tran Van Dinh
Keith Burns as Thuy

The 13th Warrior (1997)
Antonio Banderas as Ahmad ibn Fadlan

Balls of Fire (2007)
Christopher Walken as Feng

Norbit (2007)
Eddie Murphy as Mr.Wong

Dragonball: Evolution (2009)
Justin Chatwin as Goku

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Jake Gyllenhaal as 6th century Persian prince Dastan
Gemma Arterton as “exotic Indian princess Tamina”

the core cast of The Last Airbender– newcomer Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone (Twilight) and pop star Jesse McCartney. None of the lead actors are ethnically Asian or Native American, resulting in fan outcry.

adaptation of the manga Akira has been sent to a short list of actors.
For the role of Tetsuo: Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy.
For the role of Kaneda: Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix.

Genghis Khan (announced, 2013)
Mickey Rourke as Genghis Khan

Have a good weekend every one.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.racebending.com
https://www.facebook.com/cowboycaleb

Rice Noodle Soup (Bihun Sup)

2011-09-16T13:24:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello,

I am going to share with you a simple and light noodle dish called Rice Noodle Soup (Bihun Soup).I have used and assortment of vegetables and seafood for this noodles including chicken. It is up to you to use any kind of vegetables and meat according to your taste. This is a versatile dish because you can always substitute the Rice Noodles with pasta, spaghetti or instant noodles.

Enjoy the video and bon appetit.

Here's the recipe:

125 gm rice noodles ( soak until soft)
1 chicken breast ( slice into small pieces)
10 pcs prawns (remove the shells and veins)
20 pcs fish balls
1 pc fish cake (slice thinly)
4 pcs squid (cut into 3 pcs)
1 tbs sesame seed oil
1 tbs black pepper powder

Vegetables:
1 cup bean sprouts
3 stalks sawi/Mustard Greens (cut into small pieces)
1 small carrot ( slice thinly)
1 tomato (cut into six wedges)
1/2 cup cauliflower

For frying:
3 shallots (slice thinly)
3 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
1 in ginger (slice thinly)
3 tbs oil

For soup:
1.5 - 2 litre of prawn stock ( boil the prawn shells, remove the shells thru a strainer to obtain the stock)

Method:

1) Heat oil and fry the onions,garlic and ginger until brown.
2) Add the chicken, fish balls, prawns, squid and fish cake. Add also the pepper. Simmer until cooked.
3) Add the stock and salt to taste. Boil.
4) Add the noodles and vegetables. Let it boil one more time.
5) Add the sesame seed oil and stir. Ready to serve.
6) Garnish with cut spring onion, Chinese celery, fried shallots,lime and fresh cut chillies. You can also garnish with chilly pickle.

Enjoy.

Lets watch something sweet while having the Rice Noodle Soup (Bihun Sup)

Funny Cats in Water

Take care of yourself. I see you tomorrow insyaAllah
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of Funny Cats in Water:
http://www.youtube.com/user/SchneiderYuri

Caramel Pudding (Puding Karamel)

2011-09-14T20:58:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello,

Today I am sharing with you an all time favourite of mine, Caramel Pudding (Puding Karamel). It is very simple to make and I am sure many people know how to make this pudding. For those who doesn't let's watch the video and have fun making it and having it with your family.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

4 eggs
500 ml milk/evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence

Caramel:
4 tbs sugar
1 tbs water
2 tbs warm water
Dissolve the sugar with 1 tbs of water until brown over slow heat. Add in the warm water and stir well.

1 mould
some butter

Method:
1) Rub the mould with butter. Pour the caramel into the mould and set aside.
2) Whisk the egg gently. Don't let bubbles form. Add vanilla and mix gently.
3) Heat milk with sugar until sugar dissolves.
4) Pour into the egg mixture and keep stirring.
5) Filter the mixture into the mould.
6) Cover with alluminium foil and steam for 20 minutes.
7) Let the pudding cool down in the fridge before serving serving.

Enjoy

Fried Long Beans with spice (Kacang Panjang Berempah)

2011-09-13T23:22:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello,

What I like about weddings is the buffet. Dishes serve in wedding celebrations varies from rural to urban and from state to state here in Malaysia. The dishes also varies according to the roots of the population mostly for those whose descendants were from neighboring countries. Today I am sharing a dish that is quite popular in certain rural areas during weddings. It is called Fried Long Beans with spice (Kacang Panjang Berempah). Most rural folks would make the best of their rural produce and as such their dishes though simple taste quite marvellous.

In this dish the chicken gizzard and chicken liver can be substituted with any meat or seafood that you prefer.

Here's the video:

Here's the recipe:

Fried Long Beans with spice (Kacang Panjang Berempah)
Ingredients:

14 strands long beans (clean and cut diagonally)
1 big onion (slice thinly)
1 in. ginger (slice thinly)
4 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
3 pcs. gizzard
3 pcs, chicken liver
2 tbs kurma powder (mixed with some water to form a paste)
1 cup coconut milk
salt to taste
1/2 in cinnamon.1 cardamom,2 cloves,1/2 of star anise
4 tbs oil

Method:
1) Heat oil and fry onions,ginger,garlic and spices
2) When slightly brown add kurma paste. Fry for few minutes until aromatic
3) Add in the gizzard and liver,.Fry until cooked
4) Add in 1/2 tbs pepper if you like and salt to taste
5) Add coconut milk and long beans, stir until cooked .Don't overcook the long beans.
Ready to serve.

Time flies ya. We have been innovative and creative to save time. In the kitchen there are numerous gadgets and equipment that help us save time and effort. Ingredients come in packets and tins and what have you. Yet time just speed by. As if we are spinning headlong towards point zero. A reminder for us to make the most of now.Not to forget to smell the flowers and to appreciate those that care for us and need care from us.

The Chestnut by the eaves
In magnificent bloom
Passes unnoticed
By men of this world

Petals of the mountain rose
Fall now and then,
To the sound of the waterfall?

- Matsuo Basho's Haiku (1644 - 1694 / Iga Province / Japan)

Till we meet again, take care of yourself. Hope you will try today's dish Fried Long Beans with spice (Kacang Panjang Berempah). Bye all

Jazkum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of Haiku:
http://thegreenleaf.co.uk

Peanut Sauce with Meat (Kuah Kacang Berdaging)

2011-09-12T22:52:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello,

Still in the Eid mood. I am sharing with you a must have dish for Eid in my part of the world. It is called Peanut Sauce with Meat (Kuah Kacang Berdaging). The meat is optional. Some people prefer the sauce without the meat. This is good to have with Satay (Grilled skewered meat) and compressed rice or Nasi Impit as we called it.

Peanut Sauce with Meat (Kuah Kacang Berdaging) is like 2 in 1 kind of dish. Save us time making the Satay. Of course with Satay it would be marvelous beyond words :)

Here's the video

Here's the recipe
Peanut Sauce with Meat (Kuah Kacang Berdaging)

Ingredients:

The chilli paste:
20 pcs dried red chillies (boiled)
3 big onions
6 lemon grass
2 in ginger
2 in galanghal
6 cloves garlic
1 in shrimp paste (belacan)
1/2 cup water

Blend all with half cup of water

2 pcs kafir lime leaf (slice thinly)
4 pcs turmeric leaf (slice thinly)
400 gm meat (boiled and cubed/bite pieces)
300 gm kerisek (about a cup)
1 litre coconut milk
1 tbs turmeric powder
1/2 cup tamarind juice
2 cups pounded roasted peanuts
1 palm sugar (cut into small pcs) or 1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dried shrimps (pounded)
3/4 cup oil
2 cups water
salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat oil and fry chilli paste until aromatic and oil separates
2) Add tamarind juice,turmeric powder, dried shrimps,half of coconut milk, kerisek and 1 cup of water.Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
3) Add the palm sugar,salt,the rest of the coconut milk and simmer again for about 5 minutes.
4) Add in half of the peanut first and stir. Then add in the rest of peanut,kafir lime leaf, turmeric leaf and meat. Add in a cup of water and simmer again for 5 minutes.
5) Ready to serve after tasting and adjusting the salt,sugar and sourness to your liking.

Enjoy

Explosion at Nuclear Site in France

According to France's nuclear safety body, a man was killed, seriously burned another and slightly injured three others, in an explosion at a nuclear waste site in southern France. The explosion happened in an oven used to melt radioactive metallic waste. For more details read
Al Jazeera

Lets hope the disaster can be contained, with little or no serious contamination occurring. Reminds me once again of Murphy's Law "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong".

Till we meet again take care of yourself and do try Peanut Sauce with Meat (Kuah Kacang Berdaging).

I leave you with this beautiful number Kiss the Rain.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of pix and news:
http://english.aljazeera.net/
source of Kiss the Rain:
http://www.youtube.com/user/zmriri

Dry Thai Chilli Chicken Rendang (Rendang Ayam Kering Cili Api)

2011-09-12T13:08:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello dear readers,

Been awhile since I posted here. However the break has been good. I have had a wonderful Eid and holiday mostly at home and at relatives place. This time I am sharing with you a delightfully hot Rendang called Dry Thai Chilli Chicken Rendang (Rendang Ayam Kering Cili Api). As the name implies this is a dry dish and is usually eaten with compressed rice(Nasi Impit), glutinous rice wrapped in Palas leaf (Ketupat Palas) and grilled glutinous rice in bamboo (Lemang) especially during Eid.

You may substitute chicken with mutton or any other meat that you prefer. Likewise the Thai chilli may be reduced in quantity if you can't take too hot a dish. You may also use boiled dried red chillies or fresh red chillies if Thai chillies are not available.

Enjoy the video.

Here's the recipe:
Dry Thai Chilli Chicken Rendang (Rendang Ayam Kering Cili Api)

Ingredients:

1 chicken (cut into small pieaces, rub with salt and tumeric powder, and fry until just cooked)
1 cup kerisek
3 pcs asam keping (alternatively can use 3 tbs vinegar or half cup of tamarind juice)
1 tbs turmeric powder
5 turmeric leaf (slice thinly)
3 kafir lime leaf (slice thinly)
300 ml coconut milk
1 tbs sugar
salt to taste
1/2 cup oil for frying
1 cup water

Spices:
6 lemon grass
2 inches galangal
2 inches ginger
10 shallots
40 pcs Thai chillies
5 cloves garlic
1 cup water

Blend all with the water to get the chilly paste

Method:

1) Heat the oil and fry the chilli paste and turmeric powder until the oil separates.
2) Add in the coconut milk, asam keping, salt, sugar and kerisek. Stir and mix well. Add in the kafir lime leaf, turmeric leaf, water and chicken. Simmer again until dry (5-10 minutes)
3) Ready to serve.

The open house

Open house in Malaysian context means everyone is welcomed to visit at all time of the day and night without prior appointment or notice. Special dishes,sweet meats and cakes are served all day and night for the guests. This is the time to eat Rendang, ketupat,lemang and dodol (sweet glutinous rice cake) to name just a few.

It is still practiced in the rural areas but in the cities usually most people would allocate a certain date and time for open house. This is because most city dwellers have left the cities and are in their hometown to celebrate Eid. Then there are also open house organised by politicians and royalties in various states.

It is a good culture coz every race can join in the celebration. Open house is no longer restricted to Eid but has also been adopted during other celebrations like Chinese New Year, Deepavali and X'mas.

We just have to have some self restrain during these open house, not to eat until we drop and become anaconda at the end of each day for all 30 days of Shawal. Then all the fasting during Ramadhan will come to nought.

As per a Malay sayings:

Hilang kemarau setahun dek hujan sehari

literally,

A year's drought obliterated by rain in a day.

Happy Eid to all. I hope when we are eating all the good food, just spare a thought for the hungry and needy around the world regardless of religion and creed coz hunger and poverty is the same in whatever language and faith.

Till we meet aagain , take good care of yourself.

Salam Dunia by M.Nasir (Salam to the World)

Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
Umi

source of Upin & Ipin graphic:
http://gengmovie.blogspot.com/
source of Salam Dunia vid:
http://www.youtube.com/user/rajaie81

Away for Eid Mubaraq

2011-08-29T15:08:00.000+08:00

Here's wishing all my Muslim blogger friends and family a blessed Eid Ul Fitr Al Mubaraq. Together let us celebrate the spirit of Mercy, Peace and Forgiveness. May your Eid be a day of love, reflection and celebration of the spirituality of Ramadhan.

I will be away for Eid Al Mubaraq and insyaAllah will be back by next weekend. In the spirit of Eid I hereby seek forgiveness if any of my articles or words that I have used during our interaction here in the blogosphere are offensive or inappropriate.

In the mean time take care of yourself.

The good is from Allah, the bad is from my own weakness
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.commentscod.com/

Beef Chilly (Daging Masak Cili)

2011-08-29T15:07:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone. In this posting I am sharing a dish called Beef Chilly (Daging Masak Cili) which was taught to me by my aunt.For those of you who can't take too much chilly, you can reduce the amount. This dish is marvellous with briyani rice or buttered rice. I hope you will give it a try.

Here's the video.

Here's the recipe:

BEEF CHILLY
Ingredients:
600gm beef (cut into small pieces)
1 litre coconut milk
20 pcs dried chilly (boil and blend with 1/2 cup water)
(this amount can be reduced and the seeds removed if you prefer a milder taste)
10 shallots (slice thinly)
1in ginger (slice thinly)
3 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
1/2 cup oil for frying
200gm kerisek (from 1 coconut,grate and roast until brown and grind)
1 cup tamarind juice
2 pcs cinamon stick
1 bowl of curry leaves
2tbs sugar
salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat the oil and fry the shallots until brown
2) Add in the ginger,cinamon and garlic.Stir for a minute.
3) Add the chilly paste and stir for a minute, and add in the curry leaves.Stir until the chilly is cooked.
4) Now we can add in the beef,coconut milk, kerisek,tamarind juice,sugar and salt to taste.
5) Simmer for 45mins to 1 hr.

Ready to serve.

MY THOUGHTS

So here we are past mid year 2011. Quite depressing so far. The news gets to me. Unrest, protest, fighting, oppression, famine, death..the list goes on. Ever feel like you don't want to know?... don't want to read nor watch the news.

They say ignorance is bliss.

Is it? Hatred and prejudices stem from ignorance. So is bigotry. To say that we live in an era where information is hard to come by is ridiculous. So what is the reason for the ignorance.

There is a saying that a hungry man is an angry man.

People are angry alright. The middle class is shrinking everywhere...not upward but down into the lower income strata. The unemployment rate is high and still climbing. Countries with natural resources are supposedly rich... no? So why do the people earn so little. The people in power are generally educated..some hold multiple qualifications from distinguished universities. So why is the economy so messed up.

But what gets to me most is the hypocrisy..the double standards.But who cares..no one does.......except those who suffer coz of this.

Till we meet again. Take care of yourself.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of clipart:
http://www.phillipmartin.info/clipart/homepage.htm
(free clipart by Phillip Martin)

Red Ruby or Mock Pomegranate in Coconut Milk Syrup

2011-08-25T17:40:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello dear readers,

My favourite dessert whenever I eat at a Thai resto is Red Ruby in Coconut Milk Syrup or in Thai it is called Tab Tim Krob. Today I want to share with you the recipe so that we can also have this lovely dessert at home. The preparation is not too hard. If you can't get the fresh Chinese water chestnut you can use the canned variety.If you can't get tapioca flour, you can substitute the flour with other type of starch flour e.g. potato flour or sago flour.

Have fun trying.
Here's the video

Here's the recipe:

Red Ruby or Mock Pomegranate in Coconut Milk Syrup

The Ruby
Ingredients:

20 pcs Chinese water chestnut (cubed)
1 cup water
1 tbs red colouring
1 cup tapioca flour
Enough water for boiling
1 litre of ice cold water

Method:
1) Mix the colouring with the water in a bowl
3) Add the water chestnut and let them soak for over 10 minutes or longer.The longer the better coz that will make the chestnut redder.
4) Drain the colored water from the chestnut.
5) Put the flour in a bowl or plastic bag.
6) Coat the chestnut with the flour thoroughly.
7) In a pot boil enough water
8) Put the flour coated water chestnut into the boiling water
9) Boiled for about 10-20 minutes until the water chestnuts float to the surface and the flour coating is cooked
10) Scoop the water chestnut into a bowl containing ice cold water.
11) Scoop the red ruby into a bowl ready for serving.

The Coconut Syrup
Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp rose essence or any other essence you prefer
400 ml coconut milk
1 tsp salt

Method:
1) Boil the sugar and the water to make syrup
2) Let the syrup cool down to warm
3) Add coconut milk and salt to the syrup and boil
4) Keep stirring to prevent oil from forming at the top.
5) Ready to serve

Serving:
1) In a bowl scoop some red ruby
2) Pour some coconut milk over the red ruby
3) Add some ice cubes.

Enjoy.

Few days back I had cute visitors brought to my doorstep or rather my flower pots. Aren't they sweet. Hope they will choose to stay with me.

The mother is my cat Abu's sister. Hope she will not move the kittens somewhere else. So my dear friends do try the Red Ruby or Mock Pomegranate in Coconut Milk Syrup, coz I assure you it is an excellent dessert from Thailand.

Till we meet again, take care of yourself
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

Ice Blended Vanilla Coffee ( Kopi Vanilla Sejuk)

2011-08-23T00:20:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone,

Today I am not feeling too good. I have a slight temperature. But I have managed to shoot a short video for umidishes. I am sharing Ice Blended Vanilla Coffee (Kopi Vanilla Sejuk). Try this on a warm day or any day when you feel like having a cool drink.

Here's the video:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 tbs instant coffee
1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream
2 tbs sugar
150 ml warm water
some ice cubes

Method:
1) Add instant coffee and sugar into the warm water. Mix.
2) Pour the coffee mixture into the blender. Add the Vanilla ice cream. Blend.
3) Add the ice cubes. Blend.
4) Pour into a glass.

FINALLY THE FALL OF TRIPOLI

For 6 months the situations were fluid and uncertain. Suddenly over the weekend Tripoli was under siege.And the end finally came. Tripoli has fallen. Throughout the night, the Libyan rebels moved into the centre of Tripoli in convoys of pickup trucks shooting in the air. They were greeted with cheers by thousands of jubilant civilians who rushed out of their homes. Celebrations spilled over from Tripoli into cities around the world.

Col. Gaddafi whereabouts is currently unknown.The whereabouts of other senior Gaddafi officials is also unknown including Abdullah al-Senussi, Gaddafi's longtime intelligence chief (and his brother-in-law), who is wanted by the ICC for carrying out a campaign of murder, mass arrest and torture.

The fate of Gaddafi's sons:

Mohammad: Surrendered to rebel fighters in Tripoli.

Saif al-Islam: Captured by rebel fighters in Tripoli; possibly facing extradition to The Hague.

Saadi: Captured by rebel fighters in Tripoli.

Hannibal: At large.

Mutasim: At large.

Saif al-Arab: Killed by a NATO airstrike in April.

Khamis: At large; unsubstantiated rumours that he was killed.

Read more at Al Jazeera English

The road ahead is certainly not a rosy one for the Libyans but they will be able to rebuild their nation given the tremendous sacrifice they have made to regain their voice and dignity.Most importantly, the youth of Libya has proven that their voice should be heeded and ignoring the issues is only postponing the inevitable.

Till we meet again, take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of pix and story:
http://english.aljazeera.net/

Fried Dry Sambal (Sambal Goreng)

2011-08-22T17:57:00.000+08:00

Fried Dry Sambal (Sambal Goreng)

Today's dish was requested by a subscriber Nurul Ain from Singapore who is now studying in Australia. I hope this Eid, she can try to make this dish.The dish is called Fried Dry Sambal (Sambal Goreng). I understand that her feeling of homesickness make her want to cook special dishes from home especially during Eid. So to Nurul Ain happy trying.

This dish is a specialty from the southern state of Malaysia served in wedding celebration or during Eid. Some called it Sambal Goreng Pengantin (Wedding Fried Dry Sambal). It takes awhile to prepare but it's worth it.

Here's the video.

Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup glass noodles (soak in boiling water)
2 big onions (slice into thin rings)
2 fresh red chillies (slice slanting thinly)
2 fresh green chillies (slice slanting thinly)
5 strands long beans (slice slanting thinly)
3 ml coconut milk
1/2 cup tamarind juice
salt and sugar to taste
4 tbs oil

Fried Dry Sambal (Sambal Goreng)

Fry the following until brown:
200 gm meat (cube)
5 pcs chicken gizzards
5 pcs chicken liver
200 gm shrimps
2 pcs potato (cube)
1 fermented soya bean (tempe) (cube)
2 pcs tofu (bean curd) (cube)

Chilly paste
Blend the following with half cup of water
10 dried red chillies (boiled)
1 big onion (slice)
3 cloves garlic (slice
1 in ginger (slice)
1 in galanghal (slice)
3 lemon grass (slice)
1 in shrimp paste (belacan)

Fried Dry Sambal (Sambal Goreng)

Method:
1) Heat the oil and fry the chilli paste until aromatic and the oil separates.
2) Add the tamarind juice, salt,sugar and coconut milk. Simmer until boiling
3) Add meat,gizzards,liver,shrimps,potatoes, tofu,tempe or fermented soya bean.Stir well and keep simmering until coconut milk is about 90% absorbed.
4) Add glass noodles,long beans, red and green chillies and onions.Stir well for few minutes until dry.
5) Ready to serve.

I want to share with you a song from Morocco by Hindi Zahra. The song is called Beautiful Tango
Enjoy.

source:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ingifrance

VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD

2011-08-22T17:56:00.001+08:00

VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD

I'd like to thank my fellow blogger and friend Rovie of

Anything About Bella

for giving me this award. I am truly honoured and touched by her kindness. This is so unexpected and a pleasant surprise. Thank you Rovie.

As usual I will in turn give this award to my fellow bloggers. The following recipients are required to link back to the one who has given the award and pass it along to other blogger friends preferably post on blog along with their links.

So I hereby pass this awards to the following bloggers who has given me knowledge, joy and inspiration with their writings.

Harry Nizam of MULTIBRAND

Luke of Jakarta News

Namz of Namz Crypt

Ratna of Cerita Ratna

Interesting Photos of Interesting Photos

Pete of Pete Formation Foodie

A Five Minute Vacation of A Five Minute Vacation

Kat of A Woman's Note

Funny as Fcuk of Funny as Fcuk

Sdr. Zulkbo of Zulkbo

Boja of Boja Linuxer

Kakzakie of Titisan Nurani

c2u of c2u

Love of Love to Cook

Congtatulations to the above mentioned bloggers.Happy blogging. The blogosphere is made interesting by your presence.Thank you Rovie once again for the award.

I leave you with this inspirational video dedicated to all my fellow bloggers. Thank you all for being my friend.Love and peace to all.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.youtube.com/user/spiritualstories

Green Beans Sweet Porridge with Durian (Bubur Kacang Durian)

2011-08-22T17:56:00.000+08:00

Assalamuakaikum and hello my dear readers,

Another traditional sweet dish.Green Beans Sweet Porridge with Durian (Bubur Kacang Durian). The durian is optional. The Green Bean Sweet Porridge can be cooked without the durian. I love durian in this sweet porridge. This sweet porridge can be eaten with bread, glutinous rice or on its own.

Traditionally Green Beans Sweet Porridge with Durian (Bubur Kacang Durian) is served in gatherings for thanksgiving at home or in madrasah or mosque even though it is a common enough dessert. I have used palm sugar here because it is not as sweet as the regular sugar. You can use brown sugar or white sugar if palm sugar is not available.In that case you don't have to make the syrup. Just add the sugar to the rest of the ingredients and boil.

Here's the video

Hers's the recipe:
Green Beans Sweet Porridge with Durian (Bubur Kacang Durian)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup green beans (boiled)
2 palm sugar make into syrup (boiled with 3 cups of water)
or 2 cups brown sugar/white sugar (sweetness up to you)
2 tsp salt
1 in ginger
2 screw pine leaves
600 ml coconut milk

Method:
1) Place the boiled green beans into a deep pan or pot
3) Add the syrup/sugar ,coconut milk, pandan leaf, ginger and salt
3) Add durian
4) Bring to boil stirring occasionally.
5) Ready to serve

The countdown to Malaysia Merdeka Day or Independence Day has begun. In a multicultural society like Malaysia unity among the races is key. The Malaysian movie industry has in the past tried to unify the various races in a truly Malaysian movie which at the moment is considered as Malay movie.But this type of movie although delightful to watch is not many.

However lately I saw a movie that I could say a Malaysian one. It was a comedy horror movie. What make it so Malaysian was the multi racial actors whose characters were involved in a very much Malaysian activity like invoking the spirit to give them the winning lottery numbers, right down to the multi racial ghosts.

Now you should know that the Malay has Malay ghosts and the Chinese has their own ghosts and so does the Indian la. Never would a Chinese ghost be the dominant ghost in a Malay horror movie and vice versa. But in this movie I saw ghosts that were neither Malay nor Chinese nor Indian. So I assumed this ghost must be either a Chindian (Chinese inter marry Indian) or a Chinlay (Chinese inter marry a Malay) or any other combinations we could think of.Well what can I say in the bolehland called Malaysia. Anything is possible.

p.s I have never seen an Arabic ghost. Have you?..I have seen their genies in movies and story book but I don't know what an Arabic ghost look like.

Till we meet again take care of yourself.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

Mango Salad (Kerabu Magga)

2011-08-22T17:54:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,
Assalamualaikum and hello. I am sharing with you today a salad dish from Thailand called Mango Salad or Kerabu Mangga in Bahasa Malaysia. I hope you will try this fabulous salad.

Here's the video.

Here's the recipe.

MANGO SALAD(KERABU MANGGA)

Ingredients:
2 mango (I used 1 ripe and 1 young mango. Slice thinly)
1 stalk coriander leaf
1/2 cup roasted peanuts (grind/pound coarsely)
1/2 cup roasted dried shrimps (grind finely)
2 tbs roasted dried shrimps
2 torch ginger (bunga kantan)(slice thinly)
3 shallots (slice thinly)
2 lemon grass slice thinly
3 red Thai chilly (slice thinly)
3 green Thai chilly (slice thinly)
2 tbs syrup
lime juice from 2 lime
2 tbs fish sauce

Method:

1) In a mixing bowl mix all ingredients.
Garnish with peanuts and pounded dried shrimps. Serve.

Note: the quantity of nampla or fish sauce,lime juice and syrup are adjustable according to your taste. Similarly the chillies can be reduced or added as per your preference.

MY THOUGHTS.

WHO LET THE CHICKEN OUT

Today as I prepare the dishes for the pre-dawn meal, I remember how wonderful it was to welcome Ramadhan in the village back when I was a teenager. Mum always wanted to cook Chicken Rendang for the first night of Ramadhan. That was not the problem. Catching the chicken was. Early morning saw me and my bro running around trying to catch the chicken. Bro was not catching, he was shooing the chicken farther and farther coz he loved his chicken. To him they were pets. Problem solved when mum came out and bro had to behave.

And he would be gone all day after that sulking. He wouldn't eat the Rendang either. Hahaha..we were quite happy to have his share. Those were the days..very happy carefree days.

A friend who is now residing in Netherland, Mr. August T informed me that last nite he had tried cooking one of my dishes here called Petai Berlada for a gathering of friends. Turned out well and they had enjoyed the dish. I am so glad to know that. The recipes here are for sharing and sharing is caring. He has sent a snapshot of the dish that he cooked.He is a good cook ya.

PETAI BERLADA COOKED BY MR. AUGUST T FROM NETHERLAND

Till we meet again, happy fasting to all Muslims. Take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source clipart:
http://www.fulllogos.info/

Wheat Sweet Porridge (Bubur Gandum)

2011-08-17T04:00:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello my dear readers,

Just a simple dessert today. It is called Wheat Sweet Porridge (Bubur Gandum). Nothing fancy. It's tasty and filling. Good for dessert,afternoon tea or supper. The palm sugar can be substituted with brown or white sugar.

Here's the short video.Happy trying.

The recipe:
Wheat Sweet Porridge (Bubur Gandum)

1 cup wheat( boil until soft)
600 ml coconut milk
1 pandan leaf (screw pine leaf)
1 tsp salt
1 and half palm sugar (boil with 2 cups water.

WHEAT SWEET PORRIDGE (BUBUR GANDUM)

Method:
1) Boil the palm sugar and let it cool.
2) Add the coconut milk, salt, screw pine leaf and wheat.
3) Bring to boil and serve.

MY THOUGHTS

SATAY SELLER

The wheat sweet porridge reminds me of the porridge sellers in the bygone era. They were quite a regular sight during the pre war days till late 60's. The hawkers would carry one pot containing the wheat sweet porridge or green beans sweet porridge and a rattan basket containing bowls and spoons and assorted stuff like glutinous rice and bread,on a long pole balanced on their shoulders.Some customers would use their own container to take away but the fun was in squatting down by the road side beneath a tree enjoying a bowl of wheat or green beans sweet porridge with bread or glutinous rice added. Better still if there was a durian seller nearby. The durian would add oomph to the sweet porridge.

HAWKER

In those days most food were hawk in this manner; satay, mee, laksa, kuehs etc. Now the hawkers are moved into food courts in malls or a special side walk food stalls or squares. The laid back and slow pace way of life of Malaya and a younger Malaysia is gone.

Take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of graphics:
http://library.thinkquest.org/

Yellow Glutinous Rice (Pulut Kuning)

2011-08-16T12:31:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello dear readers,
Yellow Glutinous Rice (Pulut Kuning) is considered as very traditional and plays an integral part in Malay culture.I am sharing with you the recipe of Yellow Glutinous Rice (Pulut Kuning) today for those who wish to make this for Eid at the end of the month.Well if not for Eid, for any occasion, birthdays perhaps.So hope you will have fun trying.

The video:

The recipe:
Yellow Glutinous Rice (Pulut Kuning)
Ingredients:
3 cups glutinous rice (soak in plain water with half tbs tumeric paste or powder and 2 pcs asam keping or 1 tbs vinegar to prevent the rice from breaking during steaming)
1 screwpine leaf or pandan
200ml coconut milk
1 cup water
pinch of salt

Method:
1) Wash and drain the glutinous rice. Place in steaming tray with the pandan leaf.
2) Pressure cook for 15-20 mins or steam until it's cooked.
3) Add the water to the coconut milk and add salt.Boil for awhile
4) Remove the rice from the steamer into a bowl
5) Add the coconut milk bit by bit and stir to enable the rice to absorb the coconut milk.

Ready ro serve with curry or rendang. Garnish with omelet or hard boiled egg.

Yellow Glutinous Rice (Pulut Kuning)

MY THOUGHTS

Glutinous rice plays an important part in Malay culture as much as betel leaf and betel nut.Royalty and commoners alike.Glutinous rice is an integral part of ceremonies like birthdays, weddings, baby showers, engagement, convocation rituals in martial arts and many more especially Yellow Glutinous Rice. This importance is often reflected in the pantuns (Malay poetic form consists of a quatrain)

Mengapa bising di tepi laut,
Ombak menghempas berderai-derai;
Kusangka tuan beras pulut,
Bila ditanak nasi berderai.

literally

Why the commotion by the beach
Where the waves crashes and breaks
Why I thought you are the glutinous rice
When cooked you are but crumbly rice

The comparison of a man to the glutinous rice is symbolic, indicating substance or strength of character.This pantun expresses the disappointment at finding the true character of a person. Till we meet again, take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

P.S. I simply have to post here the reply to the classic pantun above by a fellow blogger and a friend Kakzakie of TITISAN NURANI

ku sangka tuan beras pulut
bila ditanak nasi berderai
sungguh tak kenal memang tak patut
bukan beras pulut mestilah terlerai

literally

I thought you are the glutinous rice
When cooked you are but crumbly rice
Really not knowing truly not justified
To expect a glutinous rice from a crumbly rice

source:
http://www.blingcheese.com
http://www.scribd.com (koleksi pantun dalam maksud)

Noodles in Sweet Potato Gravy ( Mee Rebus )

2011-08-15T04:34:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello dear readers,
Today I am sharing with you a noodle dish called Noodles in Sweet Potato Gravy (Mee Rebus) It'a not too hot yet spicy enough to make this noodle a winner for high tea or dinner. It can be eaten in fact at any time of the day and is quite filling. In this recipe I have substituted the yellow noodle with spaghetti because I am not a fan of yellow noodle.

Here's the video:

Here's the recipe:
Noodles in Sweet Potato Gravy ( Mee Rebus )

The Noodles

Ingredients:
250gm noodles or spaghetti

Method:

For noodles blanch in hot water and drain. For spaghetti boil as usual

The Bean Sprouts

Ingredients:
400gm bean sprouts

Method:
Blanch in hot water

The Garnishing

Ingredients:
3 red chillies
3 green chillies
3 lime (any type, the best is limau kasturi or kalamansi)
1 stalk spring onion
1 stalk Chinese celery
3 bean curd (fry until brown)
4tbs fried shallots
some hard boiled eggs

Method:
Cut all ingredients into thin slices and cut lime into half.

The Gravy

Ingredients:
1/2 kg sweet potatoes (boil and mash)
1/4 kg meat (boil and cut into small pieces)

1 big onion )
6 cloves garlic )Blend all wtth half cup water
1 in ginger )

3 lemon grass (bruise)
1 in galanghal (bruise)
4 tbs soya bean paste (wash and blend)
4 tbs meat curry powder
150gm dried shrimps (grind)
2 litre meat stock
3 tbs oil for frying

Method:
1) Fry lemon grass and galanghal for 1 minute
2) Add the blended onion,garlic and ginger until brown.
3) Add the curry powder and a bit of stock until oil separates and aromatic
4) Add the rest of stock, meat ,soya bean paste,the shrimps and the sweet potatoes.
5) Simmer until boiling. Ready for serving

Serving suggestions:
Place the noodles in the bowl,place the bean sprout on top and pieces of bean curd. Pour the gravy over them. Garnish with spring onion,Chinese celery,chillies, egg and lime.

Noodles in Sweet Potato Gravy ( Mee Rebus )

Enjoy.

MY THOUGHTS

RANDU TREE

I bought some pillows recently supposedly will prevent neck pain.They were quite expensive from the ordinary pillow. Unfortunately I woke up with a neck pain yesterday.Mmmm...made me miss my mum's home made pillow. She used the "cotton" from the kekapas shaped fruit of the Randu tree or Pokok kekabu as we called it. The pillows and mattress with "kekabu" are cooling and soft.Mum used to put the mattress and pillows out in the sun and beat them and they became fluffy again. Some furniture shops here still sell the "cotton" if we want to make our own pillows. It's quite tedious coz the "cotton" would be "flying" all over the house.

I don't have a particular attachment to pillows. I know some people do; the pillows are from when they were babies..like a safety blanket :)

Till we meet again have a goodnight sleep everyone and sweet dreams.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

SOURCE:
http://ms.wikipedia.org/
http://blingee.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/Ramblexaudio

Simple Chocolate Cake

2011-08-13T22:44:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum Dear Readers,

We have come to the last recipe of Tea With Umi finally.Here is something simple and cheap to make. I am sharing with you a Simple Chocolate Cake. It doesn't require butter and eggs at all. You will be surprise at how moist and soft the cake is despite the absence of butter and eggs. It doesn't take long to prepare either.This cake was taught by a friend during the last Eid when I visited her. She was kind enough to share with me the recipe.

Here's the video. Enjoy.

And here's the recipe.

Simple Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups self raising flour or cake flour
1.5 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1.5 cups water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1.5 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp vanilla
1.5 tsp vinegar
1 tsp salt

Method:
1) Sieve the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl
2) Add the rest of the ingredients and beat them all together into a fine blend.
3) Pour into a baking dish.
4) Bake for 25-30 mins at 350degF

MY THOUGHTS

It's the weekend so let's chill with my cat Abu Bakar. He likes shopping bag :)

BOO IN THE SHOPPING BAG

I leave you with a song from a 2009 Iranian Movie No One Knows About Persian Cats.The film offers perspective of Iran as it explores its underground Rock scene. It won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

Bands and musicians involved in the movies were as follows:

Take It Easy Hospital
Rana Farhan
Hichkas
The Yellow Dogs Band
Shervin Najafian
Ash Koosha
Mirza
The Free Keys
Mahdyar Aghajani
Darkoob
Hamed Seyed Javadi
Nik Aein Band

This song is by Rana Farhan, a unique fusion of classical Persian poetry with contemporary jazz and blues.
Enjoy.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.youtube.com/user/IranIndieMusic

Smash Chicken Rice (Nasi Ayam Penyek)

2011-08-12T22:18:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone.

In most shopping mall now in Kuala Lumpur we can find a Nasi Ayam Penyek outlet or loosely translated as Smash Chicken Rice.Smash Chicken Rice or Nasi Ayam Penyek is of Indonesian origin. A friend gave me the recipe recently and so I am sharing it with you. The recipe consists of the rice, the chicken, the tofu and tempe or fermented soya bean, the soup and the chilli sauce.
The rice and the soup are my own version.

I supposed there are many ways of cooking this Ayam Penyek. Maybe in future I could find a really good one. For now I think this is quite good. So hope you will try this.

Here's the video.

And here's the recipe.
Smash Chicken Rice (Nasi Ayam Penyek)

THE RICE

Ingredients:
3 cups Basmathi rice or any white rice (soak for 1 hour and drain)
3 cups chicken stock
1.5 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
1in. ginger (pounded)
2 pandan leaf(screw pine)

spices:
2 cloves garlic (pounded)
1 big onion slice
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cardamom
2 stick cinnamon
1 star anise

Method:
1) Wash and drain the rice. Place in a pot with the pandan leaf.
2) In a deep pan, heat the butter and fry the onion,garlic,ginger and the spices.
3) Fry until brown
4) Add the chicken stock and the evaporated milk.
5) Add salt to taste.
6) Pour the mixture into the rice. Stir well.
7) Cover the pot with foil. Place the lid.
8) Cook the rice in the rice cooker.
7) When the rice is cook, stir the rice.
8) Put the rice on warm for further 5-10 minutes.
Ready to serve.Garnish with fried shallots

THE CHICKEN

Ingredients:

1 chicken (cut into 4, boil.Keep the stock for rice and soup)
1 big onion (blend with half cup of water)
3 garlic (pounded/grated)
3 in. ginger (grated/pounded)
1 tbs chicken curry powder
some rice flour
enough oil for frying
salt to taste

spicesL
1 tbs black peppercorn (grind)
1 tbs fennel (roasted,grind)
1 tbs cumin (roasted,grind)
3 tbs coriander seeds (roasted,grind)

Method:
1) Place the boiled chicken in a bowl.Add all the spices,onion,garlic,ginger and curry powder. Marinate for few hours.
2) Coat the chicken with the rice flour.
3) Fry until brown.
4) Smash the chicken with a stone pounder or the side of a chopper.
5) Cut the chicken and place in a plate to serve.

THE TOFU AND TEMPE(FERMENTED SOYA BEANS)

Ingredients:
3 pcs. of tofu cut into four
1 pc of tempe slice thinly
enough oil for frying

Method:
1) Use the ingredients for marinating the chicken to marinate the tofu and tempe
2) Coat the tofu and tempe with rice flour and fry until brown.
3) Serve.

THE SOUP

Ingredients:
3 pcs. Japanese egg tofu
3 pcs dried tofu
3 tbs mixed frozen vegetables
1 cup glass noodles (cut and soak in boiling water)
1 piece dried sheet bean curd (break into small pieces and soak in boiling water)
3 cloves garlic (pounded)
1 in ginger(pounded)
2 tbs soya bean paste
1 tbs oil
1 litre chicken stock
some spring onion for garnishing

Method:
1) Heat oil and fry the ginger,garlic and soya bean paste for few minutes.
2) Add the chicken stock.
3) Add dried tofu,mixed veges,glass noodles,dried bean curd and bring to boil.
4) Add the egg tofu and let it boil.
5) Salt to taste.Serve and garnish with spring onion.

THE CHILLI SAUCE

Ingredients:
6 pcs. fresh chilli (remove seeds)
1 big onion ( cut into 4)
1 tomato ( cut into 4)
6 pcs. garlic
1/2 cup sugar
juice from 2 lime
1 tbs shrimp paste
salt to taste
oil for frying

Method:
1) Fry the chillies,onion,tomato and garlic.
2) In a blender place the chillies,onion,garlic,shrimp paste,lime juice,sugar and salt.
3) Adjust the taste and ready to serve.

Smash Chicken Rice (Nasi Ayam Penyek)

MY THOUGHTS
FOLLOW UP ON THE LONDON RIOTS

Yesterday I posted an article on the riots in London.I have not included the real incident that triggered the riots in the first place.I have however posted the link to Al Jazeera English should you wish to read in detail about the killing of Mark Duggan a 29-year-old resident of the Tottenham neighbourhood in London which had spurred some residents to march to the Tottenham police station to express their anger and demand answers about Duggan's death.

I am happy to note that my posting has received a response from a resident in London who is also a fellow blogger. I'd like to share with you his comment which would give you a better picture of what is really happening there.

FunnyAsFcuk. said...

I live in England and the London Rioting started because one guy was shot dead by the police as the young guy had a gun but there was no proof that the young guy tried to used it so the young people thought this was wrong and started the first day of rioting.
Then the Rioters saw that the police was scared to stopping them so they started hitting the town centres and stole and looted the more hight class stores.
I am 20 and go to University do you see me rioting no this rioting cost England over 200 million pounds which I saw in the news so in a time of recession and these young people do this.
I was here and I am young same age as them I do not support what they did at all they where just thieves look for what next to steal.
The looter have killed and bad hared a lot of people for example a old man was trying to stop a fire to help and they put him in a hospital nearly killed him so in my view there rioters where uneducated and heart less people all they care about was stealing so this all started because that young man was shot dead by the police not because of the cut of jobs and other thing but that did contribute to the rioting.
I just want to add my views of the rioting hope you like.

May peace reign again in the street of London.Till we meet again.Take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

SOURCE:
english.aljazeera.net

Pineapple Salad (Jelatah)

2011-08-12T00:51:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone,

I love salads especially if they are chilli hot and crunchy with peanuts. I am sharing with you one such salad. It is called Pineapple Salad (Jelatah). This salad is great with Briyani or Pulau rice or buttered rice. There are many ways to prepare this salad. What I am sharing with you is the way that was taught to me by my late mum.

As usual you can adjust the chilli accordingly. The taste is up to you also,you can adjust the sugar and the lime juice according to your taste. Have fun trying Pineapple Salad (Jelatah).

Here's the video:

Here's the recipe:
Pineapple Salad (Jelatah)

1 small ripe pineapple (slice into small pieces)
1 cucumber ( slice into this strips )
1 big onion (slice into rings)
2 tomatoes (slice thinly)
1 cup roasted peanuts (pound roughly)
4 tbs dried shrimp (soak in boiling water and pound)
10 fresh red chillies ( remove seeds and pound)
juice from 3 lime
2 tbs sugar
salt to taste

Method:
1) Place pineapple in a mixing bowl
2) Add in chilli, lime juice,sugar and salt.
3) Mix and squeeze some juice out from the pineapple.
4) Add shrimps,peanuts, cucumber and onion mix well.
5) Add lastly the tomatoes.Taste the salad to adjust the salt,sugar and lime juice.
6) Ready to serve.

Have fun trying.

MY THOUGHTS

It appeared that the "Rioting for Justice" in London was due to anger born out of alleged police racism, cuts to social services and unemployment.The youth and the community felt that they have been abandoned by the rest of society.

When several youth centers were closed, the youth and their peers have nowhere to go after school. This has led them to join gangs that have the tendencies to dabble in criminal activities. Read more here at Al Jazeera English.

This is something that all governments should take heed. If this can happen in London it can happen anywhere.

It has been said that idleness is the parent of mischief, which is very true; but mischief itself is merely an attempt to escape from the dreary vacuum of idleness.
- George Borrow

Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know - Charles Kingsley

Let us hope peace returns to the street of London

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://aljazeera.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/melankolikhanci
http://www.brainyquote.com/

Mixed Vegetables Nyonya Style/Chap Chye (Sayur Campur)

2011-08-10T22:27:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello dear friends,
Something simple and delightful from the Peranakan Chinese of the then Straits Settlements of Malaya.The dish is called Mixed Vegetables Nyonya Style/Chap Chye (Sayur Campur).

This dish was my mum's favourite vegetable dish for visiting relatives and friends. To her this dish is special and should be served to guests.I have added Brussels sprout to the dish. You can add your own favourite vegetables.

Here's the video"

Here's the recipe

Mixed Vegetables Nyonya Style/Chap Chye (Sayur Campur)

Ingredients:

500ml water
20-30 Brussels sprout (boil)
1 cup glass noodles (soaked in water)
1 cup shrimps (remove shells)
1 cup black fungus (soaked in water)
1 cup dried shitake mushrooms (soaked in mushrooms)
1 cup sheet soya bean curd/foo chook (soaked and cut into small pieces)
1 cup stick soya bean curd/foo chook (soaked and cut into small pieces)
1 tbs salt
2 tbs soya bean paste (taucu)
6 cloves garlic (pounded)
2 fresh chillies ( remove seeds and slice thinly)
1 capsicum (cubes)
3 petals of cabbage (cut into squares)
10 pcs baby carrot (cut into 4)
10 cherry tomato
2 tbs oil for frying

Method:

1) Heat oil and fry garlic. After a minute add in the soya bean paste. Fry for a minute until the garlic turned light brown.
2) Add carrot,cabbage,capsicum, Brussels sprout and shrimps. Stir for few minutes until the shrimps is cooked.
3) Black funges. shitake mushrooms, glass noodles, bean curds,chillies and tomato. Stir well and add the water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
4) Add salt and a final stir, ready to serve.

Enjoy.

MY THOUGHTS

To have a good friend is one of the highest delights of life; to be a good friend is one of the noblest and most difficult undertakings.
- Anonymous

From the bottom of my heart I'd like to say thank you to a fellow Malaysian Blogger zulkbo for promoting my humble blog in his posting today. I am touched and grateful for the honour. May Allah bless you and your family with baraqah and hidayah always and repay your kindness towards me.

Thank you for being my friend.

For you my friend zulkbo and to all my blogger friends,I dedicate this song.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.goodlightscraps.com/friendship-4.php
http://www.youtube.com/user/rismifh123

Glutinous Rice in Sweet Durian Porridge (Pulut Bubur Durian )

2011-08-09T22:51:00.000+08:00

SWEET DURIAN PORRIDGE

Dear Readers,
Assalamualaikum and hello again. A repeat posting from Tea With Umi.An all time favourite of most Malaysians Glutinous Rice in Sweet Durian Porridge (Pulut Bubur Durian).This is one dish that you can never cook in secret :). The smell of durian will permeates the whole house and into the neighbour's as well. The porridge is also good with bread.

I love the porridge to be thick.If you don't like it thick don't put in the corn starch mixture ya. Enjoy the video.

Here is the recipe.
Pulut Bubur Durian (Glutinous Rice in Sweet Durian Porridge)
Ingredients:
The Porridge
Some durians ( I used about 8 pcs.)
6 cups coconut milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbs. corn starch (mix with a bit of santan/water)
1 pandan leaf

Method:
1) Pour the coconut milk into the pot
2) Add in the sugar and durians.
3) Add in the salt and pandan leaf
4) Keep stirring until the porridge boils and some of the flesh of durians have fallen off.
5) Add the corn starch if you want it thicker.
6) Stir until it boils once more and remove from stove.
7) Ready to serve

GLUTINOUS RICE WITH SWEET DURIAN PORRIDGE

The Glutinous Rice
3 cups glutinous rice (soak for 2 hours and drained)
2 cups coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 pandan leaf

Method:
1) Place cut up pandan leaf at the bottom of the steamer tray.
2) Pour the rice and steam until its done. (10-15 mins if using pressure cooker)
3) Place the cooked rice into a bowl
4) Pour in coconut milk and mix well
5) Ready to serve.

DURIAN FRUIT

Serving suggestion:
Place the rice in a plate and pour the porridge over it.

Bon appetit.

MY THOUGHTS

JUST CHILL SPOT

I have been too busy to spend time on my tiny garden.The plants are not doing too good and the grass was dead in patches due to the hot spell. So I have decided to plant new ones. I dug out the old ones and planted new. But the new grass wilted, turned brown and not doing too good either. I kept watering them and I think I have over done it. Now I think I have to get new ones and replant everything again. I am determined to make this garden green and blooming again. Don't like the view much now when I am cycling or reading there. I have to pay a visit to the nursery this weekend.

BIG LOSER WANNABE SPOT

Till we meet again. Take care of yourself ya.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

Glutinous Rice with Spicy Fish Floss (Pulut Sambal)

2011-08-09T01:03:00.001+08:00

PULUT SAMBAL IN BANANA WRAPPING

Dear Readers,
Assalamualaikum and hello all.It is a pleasure to share with you one of my favourite traditional dish.It is called Glutinous Rice with Spicy Fish Floss(Pulut Sambal). This dish is famous in the Northern States of Malaysia especially around the coastal region like Kuala Perlis of Perlis, Kuala Kedah and Langkawi in Kedah.

The traditional way of serving is by wrapping the glutinous rice together with the sambal in banana leaf. The aroma of the spices in the sambal together with the banana leaf is mouth watering. Hope you will try this dish.

Here's the video:

Here's the recipe:
Glutinous Rice with Spicy Fish Floss(Pulut Sambal)
Ingredients:

The Rice:
1 kg glutinous rice
2-3 cups diluted coconut milk
2 tsp salt
1 pandan leaf

GLUTINOUS RICE

Method:

1) Soak glutinous rice for half hour.Drain and put into steaming tray.Pressure cooked for 10 minutes.
2) Place the rice in a mixing bowl and add in the coconut milk.Mix well until the rice has absorbed all the coconut milk.
3) Put into the steaming tray again.Add pandan leaf.Pressure cook for another 5-10 minuts.
4) Ready to serve.

The Spicy Fish Floss (Serunding Ikan)
Ingredients:
1 kg Ikan Kerisi or Red Sea Bream or any white flesh fish.(Boil and remove all the bones)
15 pcs dried red chillies (boil and blend with 1/2 cup of water)
3 pcs asam keping/lime juice from 3 lime
3 cloves garlic (pounded)
3 big onion (pounded)
3 pcs lemon grass (pounded)
2 in ginger (pounded)
600 ml coconut milk
2 tbs fennel (pounded)

SPICY FISH FLOSS (SAMBAL/SERUNDING IKAN)

1) In a wok add fish, chilli paste,asam keping, garlic,onion,ginger, lemon grass,fennel and coconut milk. Add salt to taste and simmer until dry.
2) Serve with the glutinous rice.

Serving suggestion:
The glutinous rice and the spicy fish floss can be served in a plate or wrapped in banana leaf.

GLUTINOUS RICE WITH SPICY FISH FLOSS (PULUT SAMBAL)

MY THOUGHTS

IS THE CONTAMINATION OFF FUKUSHIMA WATERS SPREADING

As I was cooking the Spicy Fish Floss my thoughts flew to Fukushima. Greenpeace had taken samples of marine life including fish, shellfish and seaweed outside Japan’s 12-mile territorial waters and along the Fukushima coast. The samples were found to contain levels of radioactivity above legal limits for food contamination.This results were accredited by laboratories in France and Belgium.

According to the Japanese authorities radioactivity is being dispersed or diluted in the ocean.Let us hope this is true. Else just imagine the damage and the time taken for nature to restore the damage.

Take care of yourself ya.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

I wanna share with you a Japanese song by EXILE.Enjoy.

Note:For more on Greenpeace’s work in Fukushima, visit:
http://www.greenpeace.org/fukushima-data
source:
http://www.thegreenpages.com.au
http://www.youtube.com/user/ichigo0strawberry

Breakfast Bihun (Bihun Sarapan)

2011-08-07T23:06:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

Assalamualaikum and hello my friends. The dish I am about to share with you is a re-post from my now "rested" blog Tea With Umi. It's called Breakfast Bihun i.e Basic Fried Rice Noodles (Bihun Goreng Sarapan). This type of noodles is usually serve for breakfast. Nothing elaborate and is quite simple.If you don't have rice vermicelli/noodles in your area, you can use pasta or spaghetti or instant ramen/noodles. The vegetables are according to your preference of course.

Enjoy the video.

Here's the recipe.

Breakfast Bihun (Bihun Sarapan)
Ingredients:

400gm rice vermicelli (soak in warm water until soft)
250gn lean meat (slice thinly)
1 stalk spring onion (slice coarsely)
1 cup bean sprout
1 bowl chinese cabbage (slice as preferred)
2pcs. tomato (cut into wedges)
4 tbs oil

Soy sauce mixture:
1/2 cup sweet soy sauce
2 cups water
2 tbs black peppercorn (pounded/grinded)
1 pips garlic (pounded/grated)
1/2 cup fish sauce

Mix all the ingredients.

Garnishings:
2 red chillies (slice thinly)
4 lime (cut into half)
1 stalk spring onion slice thinly
1 stalk chinese celery (slice thinly)
Omelette (slice thinly)
10 pcs.green Thai chillies (slice thinly and mixed with light soy sauce) optional
2 tbs. fried onions.

Method:

1) Heat the oil and pour the soy sauce mixture.
2) Add the meat and let it boil until the meat is tender.
3) Add the rice vermicelli,tomatoes,chinese cabbage,spring onions and bean sprout.
4) Fry until cooked.
5) Ready to serve.
6) Garnish and serve

Enjoy.

MY THOUGHT

ALIEN ALERT - SOUND THE GONG

The internet has made it possible for us to have friends from all over the world. We feel the goodwill and the friendship. We communicate easily. We also accept the differences in cultures and the way of life as portrayed in their blogs and find them fascinating and if we don't we tolerate and respect them. The open sky has made it possible for us to find out more about any topics on any cultures in the world. if we care to find out.

So why is it difficult for some citizens in countries that have migrant workers and refugees to accept and tolerate people and culture that is alien to them. Is it easier to accept if they are living where they are i.e their own country and not living next door or across the street. Even if these migrants assimilate and able to speak the language; that seemed to be still not enough. They must totally loose their roots and embrace that of the hosting country.

Maybe our forefathers three to four generations ago and beyond were wiser and more tolerant. If I were to travel the length and breadth of my country I can see villagers with names depicting the root of the community there. The food and even our language are fusion of cultures that had landed on our shores hundred of years ago.Either to trade, to stay or to colonise. And to me that has enriched us today. The descendants still speak their mother tongue and practice their own traditions with no threat to the descendants of the "original" settlers. I believe this is also true for other countries in the world coz human migration is not something new.

I just don't get why is it so hard now. Why people are so full of phobias and prejudices and insecurities now.

Till we meet again, take care of yourself.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

Sharing with you one of my favourite song that I find touching

source:
http://www.youtube.com/user/NoHomoMusicManiac
http://www.turkishforum.com.tr

Salted/Dried Fish with Pineapple in Spicy Gravy(Masak Lemak Ikan Kering dengan Nenas)

2011-08-07T00:38:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello dear Readers.

Another quick and simple dish for lunch or dinner or Iftar.I am sharing with you a dish called Salted/Dried Fish with Pineapple in Spicy Gravy(Masak Lemak Ikan Kering dengan Nenas) If you don't like pineapple, you can use sweet potato or pumpkin. As usual the amount of chillies can be reduced if you wish. I have used Salted/Dried Red Snapper. Dried fish is quite expensive nowadays. My grandmother used to make her own dried fish as were the norm with fishing folks in Langkawi and other fishing villages in Malaysia.

Here's the video

Here's the recipe:
Salted/Dried Fish with Pineapple in Spicy Gravy(Masak Lemak Ikan Kering dengan Nenas)

400 gm salted fish (soak in warm water for half hour and drain)
1 small pineapple (cut into small pieces)
30 green Thai chillies (blend with half cup of water)
2 tbs turmeric powder
2 lemon grass (bruised)
1 turmeric leaf
1 litre coconut milk
salt to taste.

Method:
1) Place all ingredients in a deep pan or pot and slowly bring to boil.
2) Put salt if necessary
3) Ready to serve

MY THOUGHTS
THE TWO MALES IN MY LIFE

They grew up together and play together.The two males in my life, Ali and Abu Bakar. Now they are bitter enemies. Fighting all the time. This morning they fought again. I was asleep on the carpet in front of the TV (as usual the TV watched me instead of me watching the TV)and suddenly they both landed on my head la. I was lucky not to get injured. Abu was injured bad however. Had to take him to the vet. Wanted to leave him there overnight but the vet was full. Pet owners have started leaving their pets there for the coming holiday season of Eid.

I don't know what to do with these two.

ALI

ABU BAKAR

Till we meet again, take care.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TomBoumBam

Macaroni Soup (Sup Makaroni)

2011-08-06T04:38:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello to my Readers,
I am sharing with you a light and delicious soup called Macaroni Soup (Sup Makaroni).I have used beef but you can use other type of meat too or omit the meat altogether.Up to you ya.I have added my favourite vegetables and you can replace the vegetables with your favourite. I have not used beef stock coz I want the soup to be light. If you so desire you can use stock to make the soup. Have fun trying this soup.

Here's the video.

The recipe:

Macaroni Soup (Sup Makaroni)
Ingredients:
1 cup macaroni/pasta (boiled)
1 cup meat (boiled and cut into small cubes)
7 baby carrots (cut into small pieces)
7 cherry tomatoes (cut into quarters)
1 cup processed beans
1 cup fresh button mushroom (cubed)
1 celery stick (cut into small pieces)
1 big onion (cubed)
3 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
1 in. ginger (slice thinly)
2 tbs oil
salt to taste
1 tbs black peppercorn (pound roughly)
Enough water to make the soup.

Spices:
1 tsp each of cardamom and cloves
1 stick cinnamon (break into 2)
1 star anise

for garnishing:
2 tbs fried shallots
1 stalk of spring onion and chinese celery (cut thinly)

Method:
1) Heat oil and fry onion,garlic,ginger and spices for 1 or 2 minutes.
2) Add water, meat,carrots and mushroom. Let it boil to soften the mushroom and carrot.
3) Add tomatoes.celery,processed peas,macaroni,pepper and salt to taste.
4) Let boil for 1 or 2 minutes. Ready to serve.
5) Garnish with spring onion,Chinese celery and fried shallots.
Enjoy.

MY THOUGHTS

KNOWLEDGE IS THE LIGHT OF LIFE

The respect for knowledge consequently respect for teachers used to be inherent in Malayan and later Malaysian society in the pre and early post independence era before the 60's. Teachers were highly respected not only because they disseminate knowledge but they were also the catalyst of change, politically and culturally. Teachers were given a free hand to shape and nurture the pupils. Their status was at par with parents as far as the pupils were concerned. No one would ever dream of suing a teacher for disciplining students. That was the era of mental revolution; to break free from the slave mentality due to colonisation.

As the countdown began towards our independence day 31st August, spare a thought and prayers for those teachers that had played a significant role in our politics,education systems and culture. Their books, plays/bangsawan, poems and writings had mobilised and revolutionised the society from illiteracy into a more informed and knowledgeable society.

Respect knowledge and thus respect the person who give us knowledge. That is the true virtue of a student for we are students till the day we die.We are intermitently a student and a teacher as we journey through life. No matter who we are today, bankers,writers even astronauts travelling into space, it all began with someone teaching us the the 3Rs.

Take care of yourself.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

DOWN MEMORY LANE CIRCA 40-50's
This is a song that urged children to go to school to seek knowledge and be successful.In those days not many parents send their children to school.
A B C by the late R.Azmi

source:
http://www.123muslim.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/allynaaa

Fried Blackpepper and Ginger Beef (Daging Goreng Lada Hitam & Halia)

2011-08-06T00:00:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,
Assalamualaikum and hello everyone. Something quite simple today. Fried Blackpepper and Ginger Beef (Daging Goreng Lada Hitam & Halia). This dish has butter,pepper and ginger aroma. Tasty yet simple to cook. Try it.

Here's the video:

And here's the recipe.
Fried Blackpepper and Ginger Beef (Daging Goreng Lada Hitam & Halia)
Ingredients:

1/2 kg. meat(boiled and pound roughly)
30 gm butter for frying
1-2 tbs salt (according to taste)
2 tbs black pepper corn (pound/grind roughly)
2 in ginger (pound roughly)
3 cloves garlic (pound or grated roughly)
2 big onions (cut into rings)
juice from half lemon

Method:
1) Rub salt and pepper into the meat. Set aside for awhile
2) Heat butter and fry the meat. keep turning the meat for few minutes until slightly brown.
3) Add the ginger,garlic,lemon juice and onion rings.
4) Stir the meat well and fry until they are brown.
5) Ready to serve.

MY THOUGHTS

I'd like to share an Indian folklore with you.I make the story short.

Once there lived a man with his wife, a young son and his old and sick father. The wife felt burdened by her sick father-in-law and told the husband to kill the old man.After all he would die sooner or later.

Next morning the man took his father out in the bullock cart to kill him. The son insisted on following. When they arrived at the cemetery the man started to dig a grave. The son asked what he was doing and he replied that he wanted to bury the old man because the grandfather was already sick and dying. The son then took another spade; started to dig a grave. The man puzzled asked his son what he was doing. The son replied that he is following the custom of the family coz he too will bury his father when the father is old and sick. Upon hearing that the man realized his mistake and the sin he was about to commit.

The morale of the story is, always show children a good example for them to follow. If parents treat their elders and family well they too as adult will treat their parents and loved ones well.

Till we meet again, have a productive Friday and take care ofyourself ya.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.digitalbookindex.com
http://www.arthursclipart.org

Sweet Pumpkin Porridge (Pengat Labu)

2011-08-04T02:30:00.000+08:00

Dear readers,
Assalamualaikum and hello everyone,
I am sharing with you today a sweet dish called Pengat Labu or Sweet Pumpkin Porridge. A nice dessert and simple to make. The sugar quantity is up to you to adjust as per your taste.

Here's the video:

Here's the recipe:

SWEET PUMPKIN PORRIDGE (PENGAT LABU)
Ingredients:

1/2 pumpkin (cut into small pieces and boil)
1 - 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 litre coconut milk
2 tsp salt
1 pandan leaf/screw pine leaf (if unavailable use essence of pandan)

Method:
1) Place the pumpkin in a deep pan and add in the coconut milk, brown sugar, salt and pandan leaf.
2) Stir until the coconut milk boils.
3) Serve hot or cold as preferred.

Enjoy.

MY THOUGHTS

I was shopping at a store today when I passed by a playground. I saw some children of various ages playing there. A group of girls, I think about 11 or 12 years old, approached me and asked if I could spare a few dollars. I was stunned. I said did your parents know about this.They said that they just wanted to buy some sweets. I said don't beg for money from anyone.Ask from your parents.They looked scared when I said that, maybe thinking I was going to see their parents. I would too if I know their parents but I don't.

I feel so sorry for them but I can't give them the money and encourage such behaviour. It's a crazy world we live in and there are crazy people who wouldn't think twice of harming children. Parents should tell the children about the dangers of approaching strangers. Begging is also bad.

I remember my dad used to tell us never to look at other people when they are eating. You know how it is with children, especially when they see other people eating ice cream and sweets etc. They will look with longings. If we want anything he said to come to him and never beg for anything from anyone even when we were hungry.

I walked home still thinking about those girls.

Till we meet again take care of yourself.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of anime:
http://www.cyarena.com/

Thai Red Curry (Gulai Merah Siam)

2011-08-03T08:20:00.000+08:00

Here's the video

And here's the recipe.

Thai Red Curry (Gulai Merah Siam)
Ingredients:
1/2 chicken (wash and cut into small pieces)
4 pcs bamboo shoots (cut into small pieces)
500ml coconut milk
1 cup roasted peanut (grind coarsely)
sweet Basil, coriander leaf,kafir lime leaf

Chilly paste

2 cardamoms (roasted and grind)
1 tbs coriander seeds (roasted and grind)
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbs salt (to taste)
1 tbs shrimp paste
10 pcs red Thai chillies
10 pcs dried red chillies (remove seeds and boil)

Cut the ingredients below coarsely
5 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1in. galanghal
2 pcs. lemon grass
2 pcs. coriander roots
some kafir lime rind

Blend all with 1/2 cup of water

Method:
1) Boil the coconut milk in a deep pan or wok.
2) When it has boiled add in the chilli paste, chicken and bamboo shoots and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
3) Add the peanuts, sweet basil, kafir lime leaf and the coriander leaf.
4) Stir for few more minutes. Ready to serve.

MY THOUGHTS

I notice that food prices has increased rapidly month to month and with the coming of Eid another increase is inevitable.Are we heading for a global recession. U.S. economic recovery has slowed down and Europe is facing major debt crisis. Japan is already in recession after the unfortunate mega disaster.

China could be duplicating the Dubai real-estate bubble. Apparently a few Business Rating Services have reported the existent of massive problematic loans and that non-performing loans could be as high as 30 per cent of the loan portfolio. If I recall correctly the root cause of the recession in the 90's in some parts of Asia,Malaysia included ,was the massive non-performing loans.The situation after the Arab Spring is no better with unemployment and the inflation of food prices remain the same.

By the way I heard that the price of banana in Australia is AUD12.This is due to shortage after the cyclone hit Tully and Innisfail, which supply more than three-quarters of Australia's bananas.That is very expensive.

Till we meet again, have a peaceful and productive week ahead.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.allgraphics123.com/

Traditional Malay Banana Pancake (Lempeng Pisang)

2011-08-02T01:11:00.001+08:00

Dear Readers,
Salam Ramadhan and hello everyone.

I am sharing a very common traditional Malay sweet dish for breakfast and afternoon tea called Banana Pancake or Lempeng Pisang in Bahasa Malaysia. It can be eaten as is however it is better to have it with curry. The banana that I have used is the sweet Sugar Banana or Pisang Emas. If you prefer this pancake to be sweeter you can always add sugar.This banana is already sweet so I didn't put any sugar.

So here's the video.

Here's the recipe
TRADITIONAL MALAY BANANA PANCAKE(LEMPENG PISANG)

20 pcs. banana (mashed)
1 and 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
2tsp salt
150 gm flour
some butter/ghee for frying

Method:

1) Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl well.
2) Heat the pan and place a bit of butter to grease the pan
3) Scoop the batter onto the pan and smooth it to a round shape.
4) When both sides are brown with slight burnt mark remove from pan and serve with curry.
Note: There will be a slight burn due to the bananna so keep the fire at medium low.

Enjoy

MY THOUGHTS

First day of Ramadhan and I am so tired after the breaking of fast. So I see you soon. Take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

Mushroom Fritters (Cucur Cendawan)

2011-07-31T04:47:00.000+08:00

My Dear Readers,

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone.

Yesterday I have shared with you Squid Fritters. Today I am sharing a variation of the same called Mushroom Fritters or Cucur Cendawan.The Mushroom Fritters taste great with hot Thai Chilli sauce. We can also use the batter for frying other vegies like eggplant,cauliflower, bitter gourd or spinach.

Finger food like this is also great for children parties or a small get together with friends and family.

Enjoy the short video.

Here's the recipe:

Mushroom Fritters (Cucur Cendawan)
Ingredients:

15 pcs mushrooms
2 eggs
4 tbs corn flour
2 tbs butter
some oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1) Beat the eggs,flour,butter,salt and pepper together until smooth.
2) Dip the mushroom in the batter.
3) Heat oil and fry the mushroom
4) Remove from oil when brown and drain on kitchen towel or rice paper. Ready to serve.

Bon appetit.

MY THOUGHTS
WOMEN

It is with deep sadness and sorrow when I read that there are places in this world that pose danger to women. Women that are supposed to be cherished and protected live in fear and despair.Top of the list is Afghanistan. The ongoing conflict, NATO airstrikes and cultural practices pose a serious danger for women there.

Next is The Democratic Republic of Congo.The women have suffered during the 1998-2003 war that killed 5.4 million people, due to staggering levels of sexual violence that continues till today.

Pakistan ranked third.The cultural and tribal practices are harmful to women. These include acid attacks, child and forced marriage and punishment or retribution by physical and sexual abuse.

And the fourth place goes to India.In 2009, it was estimated that 100 million people, mostly women and girls, were victims of trafficking.90 per cent of trafficking took place within the country.Consequently, some 3 million victims were turned into prostitutes, of which about 40 per cent were children.Apart from trafficking there is the problem with murder of women and baby girls.Around 50 million girls are thought to be "missing" over the past century due to female infanticide and foeticide in the country,

Sad isn't it. I leave you with the following poem.

Li Qingzhao—Outstanding female writer and poet of Song Dynasty (1084 - 1151)

Seek ,seek find , find , cold ,cold ,
Lonely , lonely , sad , sad , miserable ,
Miserable, woeful , woeful” .
I look for what I miss ;
I know not what it is .
I feel so sad , so dreary ,
So lonely , without cheer .
But I’m afraid the craft floating on the two creeks
Cannot be loaded with so much sorrow .

Till we meet again. Take care of yourself.Be safe.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.china-fun.net/c
http://www.mid-day.com/
http://classroomclipart.com/

Squid Fritters/ Sotong Goreng Tepung

2011-07-30T00:56:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Hello Dear Readers,

In this outing I am sharing with you a popular snack or finger food usually sold in Thai food outlet.The dish is called Squid Fritters (Sotong Goreng Tepung). I hope you can now prepare this at home especially during the Ramadhan. It's quick and not hard to prepare. The crusts is tasty and light and taste so good when dip in chilly sauce. This finger food is great for snacks and parties and should be served hot.

Have a look at how Squid fritters is prepared.Here's the video

Here's the recipe:

Squid Fritters/ Sotong Goreng Tepung

Ingredients:

6 squids (clean and wash, pat dry and cut each one into 3 segments or as preferred)
enough oil for deep frying

Batter

4 tbs corn flour
4 eggs (if the eggs are big reduce to 2 or 3)
1 tbs vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Beat all until smooth.

Method:

1) Place the squids into the batter. Use a fork to make sure the squids are fully covered by the batter.
2) Deep fry in hot oil.
3) Remove when the squids are golden brown.
4) Garnish with tomato and cucumber slices and serve with chilly sauce.

Bon appetit.

MY THOUGHTS
HEALING EFFECTS OF FASTING

Muslims in Malaysia will be welcoming the Ramadhan Al Mubaraq on Monday. Let us exercise some restrain during iftar so as not to nullify the benefits of fasting. From ancient times fasting has been considered as a natural therapy for so many ailments.Allow me to share with you the opinions of historical figures and modern medical and health professionals about the healing effects of fasting.

Kripalu Center for Holistic Health, from their book The Self-Health Guide

"When we fast, energy is freed for a thorough housecleaning of the system. The body becomes lighter, more flexible; the mind becomes clearer and more creative. Greater intuitive powers may develop and deep spiritual insights may be experienced after a period of time. A feeling of well-being arises when the energy is freed in this way -- problems suddenly become solutions and ideas flow from nowhere."

Gabriel Cousins, M.D. (psychiatry)

"I often observe in the fasting participants that by four days of fasting, concentration seems to improve, creative thinking expands, depression lifts, insomnia stops, anxieties fade, the mind becomes more tranquil and a natural joy begins to appear. It is my hypothesis that when the physical toxins are cleared from the brain cells, mind-brain function automatically and significantly improves and spiritual capacities expands."

Joel Fuhrman, M.D., in Fasting and Eating for Health

"The body's wondrous ability to autolyze (or self-digest) and destroy needless tissue such as fat, tumors, blood vessel plaque, and other nonessential and diseased tissues, while conserving essential tissues, gives the fast the ability to restore physiologic youth to the system. By removing or lessening the burden of diseased tissue, including the fatty tissue narrowing the blood vessels, fasting increases the blood flow and subsequent oxygenation and nutrient delivery to vital organs throughout the body."

Elson Haas, M.D. in Staying Healthy with Nutrition

"Fasting is the single greatest natural healing therapy. It is nature's ancient, universal 'remedy' for many problems. Animals instictively fast when ill."

Hippocrates

"Everyone has a doctor in him; we just have to help him in his work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. ...to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness."

Paracelsus
"Fasting is the greatest remedy --
the physician within."

Mark Twain, in My Debut As a Literary Person
"A little starvation can really do more for the average sick man than can the best medicines and the best doctors."

I leave you with a quote from Prophet Muhammad(pbuh)

“Shall I not inform you of a better act than fasting, alms, and prayers? Making peace between one another: enmity and malice tear up heavenly rewards by the roots”

Take care.May we all strive for peace.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:

http://www.allaboutfasting.com/
http://thinkexist.com/
http://www.theholidayspot.com/ramadan/
http://www.webdesignhot.com/free-vector-graphics
http://www.youtube.com/user/ETMinternational

Tapioca in Palm Sugar Syrup (Sira Ubi Kayu)

2011-07-28T20:51:00.001+08:00

Hello my dear Readers,

Assalamualaikum.In this outing I am sharing with you a sweet dish called Sira Ubi Kayu or Tapioca in Palm Sugar Syrup.This dish doesn't take long to prepare and it is also cheap. Sira Ubi Kayu is also very popular during Ramadhan. If palm sugar is not available,we can substitute it with brown sugar.Tapioca in Palm Sugar Syrup makes a nice treat for afternoon tea. You can reduce or add more sugar according to your preference.One thing to remember, choose tapioca that is fresh,to get a soft fluffy texture after boiling.

Enjoy the video.

Here is the recipe:

SIRA UBI KAYU

Ingredients:
3 tapioca (cut into small pieces wash and boil until soft)
3 palm sugar
1 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
pandan leaf (substitute with cinnamon if not available)
1/2 liter water

Method:
1) In a pot put in palm sugar,sugar and pandan leaf.Add in water and boil.
2) Boil until the sugar dissolve and add salt.
3) Let the syrup simmer until it is reduced by 3/4.
4) Add the boiled tapioca and simmer further until the tapioca have absorbed the syrup.
5) Remove from stove.Ready to serve.

Have fun trying.

MY THOUGHTS

I felt like having dinner while watching the news on Al Jazeera.

I made this simple dinner of Black Pepper Beef Hailam Style. The weather has been extremely warm,I didn't feel like eating much coz I have been drinking plain water all day.Feel so thirsty and dehydrated.

I want to share with you the news.

North Korea stricken by flood.

About 46,000 hectares (113,666 acres) of fields in South Phyongan and South Hwanghae provinces also known as the "main granaries of the country."were destroyed by the flood.The flood was caused by the heaviest rains ever recorded in North Korea.At least 600 people are dead or missing , approximately the homes of 240,000 families were detroyed, leaving some 900,000 others flood-stricken.Unfortunately about 200,000 hectares of cropland was submerged and buried under silt or washed away just before the farmers could harvest.

South Korea hit by deadly mudslides

Heavy rainfall of about 400mm in 17hrs has hit South Korea this week starting on Tuesday afternoon.More than 250mm fell on Chuncheon in the last two days causing two landslides in separate areas.Five people were killed and two are missing in the landslide that occurred in a mountain resort in Chuncheon. In the second landslide which occurred in Southern Seoul,there were five casualties and 800 houses were flooded.

My sympathy for the people of North and South Korea.How unfortunate.This come at a time when the leaders of the two countries are supposed to meet for talks in a landmark summit between the two Koreas sometime end of August.The summit is now postponed to early October.

I am still hoping for some rain.I am positively wilting here.I see you soon.Take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source & pix from:
Al Jazeera English.net
umidishes album

Chicken with Bamboo Shoots in Spicy Gravy (Ayam Masak Lemak Rebung)

2011-07-27T19:05:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone,

The dish I am sharing with you today is called Chicken with Bamboo Shoots in Spicy Gravy or Ayam Masak Lemak Rebung in Malay. This dish is quite simple to cook and does not take too long. Unless the chicken is old in which case the chicken has to be pressure cooked first to tenderised it. As usual the quantity of the chilly is flexible;you may reduce it.

So here's the video.

And here's the recipe:

Chicken with Bamboo Shoots in Spicy Gravy (Ayam Masak Lemak Rebung)
Ingredients:
4 pcs. of chicken breast (cut in half or smaller pieces)
1 litre coconut milk
1 turmeric leaf
2 kafir lime leaf
2 lemon grass (bruised)
1 in galanghal ( bruised)
2 pcs. asam keping (alternatively juice from 1 lime)
2 tbs. turmeric powder
salt to taste

Chilly paste:
Blend the following ingredients with half cup of water.

3 pcs of fresh red chillies (remove the seeds if preferred)
10 pcs of fresh Thai chillies( quantity may be reduced or omitted )
5 shallots
3 cloves of garlic
1 in ginger

Method:
1) In a pan put in the chicken and the chilly paste with about 1/2 cup of water
2) Simmer for about 5 minutes
3) Add in the coconut milk, turmeric powder, bamboo shoots, lemon grass, kafir lime leaf, turmeric leaf and asam keping/lime juice.
4) Keep stirring the gravy to prevent it from curdling for 10 minutes.
5) Ready to serve.

MY THOUGHTS

Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism means the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation.

I can't speak for other people in other countries.I can speak about the multiculturalism in mine. I went to a Convent school which was multiracial. I am still a Muslim. No one tried to convert me..in fact we have Islamic lessons for the Muslim students. I grew up in a village which was also multiracial though the majority was Malay. My mum's best friend was an Indian lady. They trade recipes very often.and went to watch Hindi movies together often too. The Chinese fish monger was every one best friend. The highlight of the mornings was when he came in his small lorry and the women congregate to swap village gossips while buying fish on credit.He has a small book for everyone.

Fast forward,in my urban neighbourhood the majority is Chinese. There are also the recent immigrants staying here. By recent I mean those that come here to work in the last 20 years or so. The immigrants, either legally or illegally are from Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, India and very recently Africa and Middle East. Just the other day I met my friend's maid, an Indonesian,in the store. She was going back to Indonesia to celebrate Ramadhan there and later will go to Mecca to perform the Haj. Over the years we have become good friends and this parting was very sad for us both.

My point here is, look not with fear and suspicions at the person that is different from us culturally and belief wise but look at his/her humanity. They have hopes and dreams like everyone else and also the capacity to make a difference to the community.

“Toward no crimes have men shown themselves so cold-bloodedly cruel as in punishing differences of belief”

James Russell Lowell quotes (American Poet, Critic, Essayist, Editor and Diplomat, 1819-1891)

“There never were in the world two opinions alike, no more than two hairs or two grains; the most universal quality is diversity”

Michel de Montaigne quotes (French Philosopher and Writer. 1533-1592)

Take care of yourself in the meantime.Peace.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan,
Umi

sources:
http://www.youtube.com/user/markalson1938
http://www.sendscraps.com/
http://thinkexist.com

Black Glutinous Rice Sweet Porridge

2011-07-27T02:14:00.000+08:00

In this outing I am serving you a humble sweet porridge called Bubur Pulut Hitam (Black Glutinous Rice Sweet Porridge). This sweet porridge is ideal for afternoon tea as well as for Iftar (breaking of fast). There's two type of glutinous rice.The white ones is sticky and widely used. The black ones are less sticky and so is used to make porridge or mixed with the white to make lemang i.e rice cook in bamboo.

Enjoy the video.

Here's the recipe.
Black Glutinous Rice Sweet Porridge(Bubur Pulut Hitam)
Ingredients:

2 cups black glutinous rice (soak in water for 2 hrs.)
1 pandan leaf ( for the glutinous rice)
5 cups coconut milk (boil with 1 tsp. salt and 1 pandan leaf)
1 liter water

Syrup:
1 cup white sugar (add more according to taste if you prefer sweeter)
5 pieces palm sugar (substitute with 2 cups brown sugar if palm sugar is unavailable)
1/2 liter water

1) Boil the sugar and palm sugar until all is dissolved)

Method:

1) Boil the glutinous rice with 1 liter water until the rice soften.
2) Add in the syrup and pandan leaf. Bring to boil and remove from stove.
3) Serving suggestion:
Pour over the porridge the cooked coconut milk.

MY THOUGHTS

Ramadhan is so near..just a few days more.Time like this I miss my dear departed very much. My late mum and brother. Hasn't been the same without them.AlFatihah.

GoodLightscraps.com

Take care of yourself. I see you soon.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of graphics:
GoodLightscraps.com

Taro Cake/Kuih Keladi

2011-07-24T20:05:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum dear Readers,

Most of my favourite sweet dishes and savouries are those of the Nyonya or Peranakan Chinese dishes. In this outing I am sharing with you one such dishes called Taro Cake or Kuih Keladi. This kuih is great with chilli sauce and ideal for afternoon tea or gathering.

Here's the video:

Here's the recipe:

TARO CAKE/KUIH KELADI
Ingredients:

Batter:
80 gm tapioca starch flour
340 gm rice flour
600 ml water

Mix the flour with water.

Taro mixture:
2 small size taro (cubed)
6 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
6 tbs oil
1/2 cup dried shrimps (soaked in warm water and drained)
1 breast of chicken (boiled and cubed)
10 pcs of dried Chinese mushroom (soak in boiling water until soft and slice thinly)
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp 5 spice powder
1 tsp salt
600 ml water

Method:

1) Heat the oil and fry the garlic until slightly brown.
2) Add the dried shrimp until aromatic.
3) Add in the mushroom,chicken,5 spice powder,white pepper,salt and water.
4) Simmer until boiling and taro is cooked.
5) Add in the batter and keep stirring until thick and the mixture comes away from the sides.
6) Lined the tin with plastic sheet to make the removal of the cake easier and to prevent the cake from sticking to the side. Place the mixture in the tin and smooth the top.
7) Steam the taro mixture for 45 minutes.
8) Garnish the top with spring onion, fresh chillies and fried onion.
9) Serve with chilli sauce.

MY THOUGHTS

HABITS

A habit cannot be tossed out the window; it must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time.
~ Mark Twain ~

I have to thank my dad for training us early to eat vegetables.Now it has become a habit to have veges daily for us. Habits good or bad, can be discarded and can be developed. Its a matter of deciding what we need to do to make our life better especially in bad economic situation.It will not be easy to discard some habits but its not impossible. Eating habit is one of them. Another is spending habit. My friend has a funny way to discourage herself from using her credit card unnecessarily. She sticks cellophane tape around the card. So every time she reach for her card to spend, she couldn't use it. So she pay cash.She now use her card only for emergency purposes.
Admittedly if habits turned into addiction then we will need professional help to kick it.

UPDATE ON NORWAY MASSACRE

A Norwegian citizen has been arrested.Investigation is still going on. He will be brought to court on Monday.

This is also a case of habit.The AlQaeda and similar so-called Islamist group were in the habit of conducting bombing and killing activities. So when the news of the tragedy in Norway broke, every one assume this was a terrorist attack. Funny when the perpetrator was caught the "terrorist" tag was dropped. Another habit of labeling any violent act from Islamist as terrorism and a similar act from others as not. But that is another story.

I don't condone any violent act from any one regardless of creed and religion. My heart goes out to the families of the victims.It is a senseless and brutal act.

Till we meet again take care of yourself.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

SOURCE:
http://facs.phillipmartin.info/facs_consumerism.htm
(Free Clip Art by Phillip Martin)

Two sweet dishes for Iftar - Sago Pudding & Corn In Sweetened Coconut Milk

2011-07-23T20:02:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone,

Assalamualaikum. In view of the coming Ramadhan I am sharing with you two sweet dishes which is great for Iftar(breaking of fast).The first is Sago Pudding and the other is Corn In Sweetened Coconut Milk.They were previously featured in my other blog Tea with Umi.They are both delicious hot or cold and are usually eaten during afternoon tea and as dessert after meal. Enjoy the videos and hope you will try them.

Here's the video for Sago Pudding.

Here's the recipe:

SAGO PUDING(PUDING SAGU)

1.5 cups sago (boil)
2 cups coconut milk (alternatively evaporated milk can be used)
1 tsp salt
1 pandan leaf

SYRUP
2 pieces rock sugar
6 pcs palm sugar (small size)
(alternatively 2 cups brown sugar)
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 pandan leaf

Method:
1) Boil sago.Place in mould and let to set.
2) Boill coconut milk with pandan leaf and salt.Let it simmer slowly and boil only once.Set aside
3) Boil rock sugar and palm sugar with 2 cups of water.Boil until it's reduced to 1 cup.
4) Add salt and set aside.
5) Remove the sago from the mould onto a serving dish.
6) Pour coconut milk and syrup over the sago.

Happy trying.

CORN IN SWEETENED COCONUT MILK

Here's the video for Corn in Sweetened Coconut Milk (Bubur Jagung)

Here's the recipe:

BUBUR JAGUNG

4 cups fresh corn
8 cups coconut milk
1.5 cups sugar
1/2 cups boiled sago
1 tsp salt
1 pandan leaf

Method:

1) In a pot put in corn,sugar,coconut milk,sago and pandan leaf.
2) Simmer slowly until the coconut milk boils and corn is cooked.
3) Add salt and stir. Ready for serving.

Bon Appetit

MY THOUGHTS

Ramadhan is just around the corner however I am sure most families are already thinking of the coming Eid after the Ramadhan. With the current escalation of food prices there can be little joy in the preparation. I know this may sound a bit cliche but we have to place more emphasis on the spiritual aspect of the celebration rather than the merry making with lots and lots of food and everything-must-be-new mind set.It's time that we take the middle road in Eid preparation with more emphasis on the spiritual aspect of the ibadah of the fasting and Eid itself.

May this Ramadhan brings about the change for the better as the ibadah is intended to.

UPDATE ON DROUGHT SITUATION IN SOMALIA

A child is dying every 6 minutes.There are about 380,000 Somalis in the UN controlled refugee complex of Dabaab with 30,000-40,000 more living on the outskirt of Dabaab.The Kenyan government is opening another camp to receive another 80,000 refugees within 10 days.Elsewhere, 93,000 refugees are sheltered in Mogadishu,Ethiopia with refugees numbering 1,700 arriving daily . The latest report is more than 3.7 million Somalis are affected by the drought.

Unfortunately there is virtually very few relief agencies providing humanitarian assistance inside Somalia itself due to the security situation there.Hopefully, with the lifting of the ban on international aid agencies by the Al-Shabab, help could now be on the way to the worst affected areas of Somalia.

TRAGEDY IN NORWAY

I'd like to express my sympathy to the families of the Utoya Island shooting victims and the Oslo bomb blast.As it stands 7 were killed in the blast and 84 were killed in the shooting.

(For detail news on the above visit http://english.aljazeera.net/)

Till we meet again,take care of yourself.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of news and pix:
http://english.aljazeera.net/
http://www.scrapsforever.com

Crab Soup (Sup Ketam)

2011-07-22T03:27:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone.In this posting I am sharing with you a simple yet delicious soup. It is not time consuming and doesn't require much ingredients. It is called Crab Soup(Sup Ketam) It is an excellent dish as a starter or for the breaking of fast.

For those of you who aren't too thrill over seafood,may substitute the crab with vegetables. Have fun trying the soup.Here's the video

Here's the recipe:

Crab Soup(Sup Ketam)

Ingredients:
6 crabs ( remove the shells and cut the edges of the claws and legs and wash)
3 cloves of garlic (slice thinly)
1 big onion (slice thinly)
1in. ginger (slice thinly)
1 lemon grass (bruised)
juice from 1 lemon
2 tbs of cooking oil (as per your preference)
1 stem of lettuce (cut roughly)
1 stem of coriander leaf or about 2 tbs when cut
1 stalk of spring onion (cut roughly)
1 tomato (cut into small wedges)
1 jug of water (or as much as you want the soup to be)
salt to taste

optional:
some mushrooms
some thai small chillies or pepper

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a pot or non-stick deep pan.
2) Saute the onion, garlic, ginger and lemon grass for a minute until a bit soft.
3) Add water, crabs and mushrooms. Let it boil for few minutes.
4) Add lemon juice,salt, tomatoes,all the leaves and chilies or pepper.
5) Let it boil for another minute or so.
6) Ready to serve.

Enjoy with hot rice or just have it as is with bread if you prefer.

MY THOUGHTS

THE GIFT OF LIFE
(REMEMBERING SOMALIA)

To me the gift of life is water. As we speak tens of thousands of Somalians are flooding into Kenya and Ethiopia to escape the famine that has befallen their homeland. The country has not had rain for several seasons killing the livestock and destroying all their crops. Children, the sick and the old died by the thousands daily. This is the worst drought and famine the world has ever seen in a long long time.

I hope in this hard time, God knows we are all facing some problems of our own too, we could still in a small way help to feed the dying people of Somalia.

Somalia is a country besieged by war, malnutrition, poverty and diseases...and now famine.May Allah give us the means to ease their burden and hardship.

Something to ponder about generosity:
Allah (SWT) says in the Noble Qur'an: "By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love; and whatever thing you spend, Allah surely knows it." (3:92)

Till we meet again. Take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

I DEDICATE THIS SONG TO US ALL

sources:
http://www.goodlightscraps.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/XRanoushaX

CUCUR BADAK ( SWEET POTATO FRITTERS WITH SPICY COCONUT & SHRIMPS FILLING)

2011-07-20T16:56:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

Assalamualaikum and hello. Of all the "kueh" that I have shared in Tea With Umi, this is my favourite. So, I am sharing this kueh again with you my readers in umidishes. This kueh is called Cucur Badak ( Sweet potato fritters with spicy coconut and shrimps fillings). This is also another winner for breaking fast.Some people prefer to place a shrimp onto the kueh. The sweet potato dough can be replaced with tapioca. My late mum preferred tapioca dough. The tapioca has to be grated and the liquid squeezed before it is turned into dough.

Hope you will have fun trying. Here's the video.

And here's the recipe.

CUCUR BADAK
Ingredients:

Fillings
2 1/2 cup coconut
1 cup shrimps
3 tbs. vegetable oil
1 tbs fennel (grind)

Blend:
10 pieces red chillies
1 big onion
2 lemon grass
1 in. ginger
3 pieces fresh tuneric
salt to taste

Dough:
4 cups mashed sweet potato
2 cups flour
5 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

Method:

Filling:
1) Heat oil in wok and fry the blended ingredients.
2) Add shrimps,salt and coconut.
3) Fry until the shrimps are cooked and the liquid are about dry. (Let the fillings be a bit moist)

Dough:
1) Mix the mashed sweet potato with the flour and knead until all flour are well mixed with the
potato
2) Pinch a bit of the dough and make into a small ball. (rub palms with flour to avoid the dough sticking to palm)
3) Flattened the ball in the centre and fill the centre with 1 tsp of the coconut filling.
4) Close the dough into a ball and press the top a bit to flatten it.
5) Heat oil in wok and deep fry the kueh until golden brown.
6) Drain the oil on a kitchen tissue or dish towel.
7) Serve with tea.

Bon Appetit.

MY THOUGHTS

Battle of the Bulge

glitter-graphics.com

The problem with "the Bulge" is that it is positioned at the most strategic and highly visible terrain. Kinda hard to camouflage either. Hence the battle. A friend confided that she tried getting help from professionals to combat the bulge. So she went for a "trial" treatment. However she was quite unhappy over the "hidden cost". The treatment seemed quite reasonably priced in the advert. But the hidden cost were staggering. Whats worse; the hidden cost is not an option if you want to win the war. Its necessary. So she decided to forget the treatment.

Cellulite is hard to get rid of.Its a combination of fat globules,waste matter and water trapped in connective tissues.
Here are some suggestions to help us win the war.

glitter-graphics.com

1) Eat more fruits and veges. Fruit and veges juices could also do some detox on our system.
2) Eat a healthy balance diet.

glitter-graphics.com
3) Rest well
4) Constipation usually is one of the causes of cellulite. So we have to make sure this is out of the way. Some of the old folks remedies is worth trying ...fibers lots and lots of fibers, drink at room temperature, chew your food well and yes no midnite snacks.
5) Clear the exit on our skin so hopefully some cellulite can escape. Drink a lot of water and watch the salt intake coz salt retains water.

6) This is going to be hard ,speaking for myself hahaha...muscle-toning exercise.You have to ask the expert on how to do this.

glitter-graphics.com

7) Gentle kneading massage on the spot of trouble after the exercise.
8) Learn proper breathing technique to get as much oxygen as possible. I think yoga has very good breathing technique..I have to look this up too.
9) Last but not least try to stay calm. Cellulite builds up when the muscles are tense. Again yoga is good in this area. The discipline helps in our breathing, stretching and overall relaxation.

The above may not make us the biggest looser but I hope we stay healthy while we loose some weight.Take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.glitter-graphics.com
The Doctors Book of Home Remedies

Sweet and Simple - Bubur Cha Cha

2011-07-18T19:03:00.017+08:00

Dear Readers,

Assalamualaikum and hello to all.

What better way to end a good meal than with a sweet dish. However during fasting month Muslims break their fast with liquid, dates or fruits and a sweet dish.I am sharing with you a dessert called Bubur Cha Cha; an all sweet potatoes in coconut milk plus other treasures like corn,sago,yam/taro and ripe jack fruit. Of course the main ingredient is the 'tepung cha cha' or cha cha dough. It is made from simple coloured dried dough and. To use them we have to boil until they are soft but not too long. In northern Malay slang cha cha means a mixture of everything..and this sweet dish is certainly a mixture of everything.

Do try this simple sweet dish. As usual we can substitute coconut milk with milk or diluted cream or evaporated milk. It is alright if you couldn't get hold of "cha cha dough". The taste would still be awesome with sweet potatoes,corn,taro and sago or just plain sweet potatoes. Serve this sweet dish hot or cold as dessert or for your afternoon tea.

Lets watch the video.

Here's the recipe:

BUBUR CHA CHA

Ingredients:

5 cups coconut milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pandan leaf
1 cup sweet potato of various colours (cut into cubes and boiled)
1 cup yam/taro (cubed and boiled)
1 cup fresh corn
1 cup jack fruit (optional)
1/2 cup sago (boiled; this is a thickening agent; can be substituted with corn flour)

Method:

1) Pour the coconut milk into a pot.Add in sugar,sweet potatoes,yam,corn,sago,jack fruit,salt and pandan leaf.
2) Under medium heat slowly stir the bubur cha cha mixture until boiling.
3) Remove from stove and serve.

I hope you will try this colourful and interesting sweet dish/dessert.

MY THOUGHTS

BITES

I went down with fever when I was about 7 years old. I didn't go to school,off and on for almost 3 months. It was a terrible fever. The hot alternating with extreme cold. Mum called in the 'bomoh' or village doctor to cure me. He said I had contracted "Demam Kura" loosely translated as Turtle fever i.e. malaria. Besides the herbal concoction that I had to take he also prescribed a change of name. He said my name was too 'heavy' for me to carry..so he asked mum to change my name. I hated that name. So I pretended not to hear whenever people call me by my new name. Well, did I tell you that he also said that my mum and I weren't compatible, which was why I was prone to sickness, and therefore mum has to 'give' me away to someone else. Just as a token mum gave me away to a family friend. Not for real though LOL.

Dad took me to hospital and I got cured.And soon no one call me by my new name anymore. And off course the culprit was identified..the mosquitoes. Nowadays, we have dengue to contend with as well. What's more the mosquitoes seem to be immune to pesticides too.

So what do we do when we are bitten by mosquitoes.Disinfect the bite.Wash the bite area thoroughly with soap and water. Then apply antiseptic.

Alternatively, if you are not allergic to aspirin, as soon as possible, after you are bitten, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water and rub in an aspirin tablet right over the bite. It should control the inflammation and swelling and itch.

Here are some ways to help relieve the itch.
1) Oral antihistamine
2) Calamine lotion
3) Ice packs
4) Salt and water. Moisten it into a paste and apply on the bite.
5) Baking soda. Dissolve 1 teaspoon in a glass of water. Dip a cloth into the solution and place on the bite for 15 to 20 mins.
6) Epsom salts. Dissolve 1 tablespoon in 1 quart of hot water. Chill then apply as above.

We can also use insects repellents to avoid being bitten. Thiamine chloride taken orally will secrete insect repellent through our skin. But do consult the doctor for this coz some people are allergic to this vitamin B causing rashes and itch etc.
We can also use strong smelling herbal ointment or vaporubs.

Most important of all keep our surrounding clean. Till we meet again take care of yourself.

Michael Buble - Fever

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:

http://www.youtube.com/user/FrancesKeating
The Doctors Book of Home Remedy
http://clipart-for-free.blogspot.com/
http://all-free-download.com

Savoury French Toast (Roti Goreng Pedas)

2011-07-16T12:25:00.016+08:00

Dear Readers,
Assalamualaikum and hello to my readers.In the last post, I have shared with you the Baked Chicken Bread. This time, the bread is fried instead of baked.

I am sharing with you the recipe for a delightfully simple to make,Savoury French Toast. This savoury dish is suitable for afternoon teas and tea parties. I just love finger food and this one is so good to eat as is or with chilli sauce. We can use tuna or sardine. For those who are not partial to fish can use mince chicken or mince meat. Lets watch the video.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

10 pieces of sandwich bread (remove the sides and cut into 4)
7-8 eggs
1 tin sardine/tuna
1 big onion (chopped finely)
1 fresh red chilli (chopped finely)
1 fresh green chilli (chpped finely)
1 stalk spring onion (chopped finely)
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
enough oil for frying.

Method:

1) Place the sardine in a mixing bowl. Mash them with a fork.
2) Add in onions,spring onion,chillies,salt and 1 egg.
3) Fold the mixture until they combine well.
4) Using a fork, place a small amount of the sardine mixture on the bread pieces.
5) Whisk the 7 eggs and dip the bread pieces.
6) Heat the oil and fry the bread pieces until golden brown.
7) Drain on rice paper or muslin cloth before serving.
7) Serve with chilli sauce.

Enjoy.

MY THOUGHTS

The kitchen can be an accidental prone area; ovens, stoves and a myriad of utensils that if we are not careful can be hazardous.

Recently I bought a book called The Doctors Book on Home Remedy. It's a good book and I think it is a should have a copy kind of book. Allow me to share with you some tips on how to treat minor burns i.e first and second degree burns.1st or 2nd degree burns includes scalds from boiling water, burns caused by brief contact with hot pot,oven coils and splatters of hot oil during frying etc.

1) The first thing to do is to stop the burning process.Use lots and lots of water 15 to 30 minutes until the burning stops....don't use ice or ice water..it will make the burn worse.If it's a contact burn run it under running water.If it's splattered hot grease or oil,remove the affected clothing and wash the grease off the skin. However if the clothing sticks to the skin, don't ever attempt to remove it ourselves. This has to be done by a doctor.

2) The water acts as temporary pain killer. Don't smother the burns with butter,vinegar,honey or any other food stuff. It might cause infection.

3) Gently wrap the burn in clean gauze pad at least for the first 24 hrs.Let the burns start the healing process.

4) After 24 hrs we can wash the burns once a day with mild soap or solution like Betadine etc. Keep it dry and clean between washing.

5) Now we can use aloe, fresh from the plant or cream bought over the counter. We can also use Vitamin E cream or liquid from the capsule. This will sooth and prevent scaring.

6) To prevent infection and to speed up healing process, we can also use antibiotic cream.

7) Leave the bubbles on the skin intact..that is actually nature's own bandage. If the bubbles pop, clean the area with water and mild soap and smooth over it with some antibiotic cream.

See a doctor for larger burns or burns that you aren't sure whether they are 1st or 2nd. degree.Minor burns on infants or very old family members shouldn't be treated at home.Don't delay seeing a doctor when the burns show signs of infection and is not healing after a week or more.

I shall share with you henceforth tips on home remedies as our first aid quick help before going to the clinic.

Till we meet again.Take care of yourself.Get well soon to all my friends that aren't well. Seems to be the season for fever,cold and chicken pox and whatnot.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
www.cuddlycomments.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/Pakcummy
The Doctors Book of Home Remedies

Baked Chicken Bread (Roti Ayam Bakar)

2011-07-14T10:22:00.021+08:00

Dear Readers,

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone. I'd like to remind my umidishes friends that I am currently in the process of importing all the recipes of Tea With Umi over to umidishes.For those of you that are familiar with the recipes in Tea With Umi, I hope will bear with me during this process because I am merging all my recipes into one blog only i.e umidishes.

The recipe for today is called Baked Chicken Bread(Roti Ayam Bakar). This is an afternoon tea treat and is also good for picnics or small gathering. You can substitute the minced chicken with mince meat or prawns as you wish. So here's the video.

Here's the recipe.

Baked Chicken Bread (Roti Ayam Bakar)
Ingredients:
1 loaf bread ( buttered and cut diagonally)
2 eggs beaten (add 1 tsp salt)

Topping:
5-6 potato (boiled and mashed)
1 cup chicken (boneless and cut into small pieces)
2 tbs Lea & Perrins sauce
1 cup processed peas
1 big onion (cubed)
1 tbs pepper
1 cup diced Chinese celery
2 tbs butter
salt to taste

Method:
1) Melt butter and fry onions for 1 min.
2) Add chicken,peas,pepper,salt,sauce Lea & Perrins and chinese celery.
3) Cook until a bit dry.Takes about 2-3 minutes.
4) Remove from stove.
5) In a bowl containing the mashed potato,add in the cooked chicken.
6) Mix well.
7) Place the mashed potato mixture on top of the bread.
8) Brush or spooned some beaten eggs over the topping.
9) Place in a baking dish lined with aluminium foil.
10) Baked for 5 minutes.
11) Ready to serve. (with chilli sauce)

Enjoy.

MY THOUGHTS

An Apple a Day

-

..keeps the doctor away. I don't really like apples..the juice is alright though. I prefer durian,banana,watermelon,papaya and all the lovely seasonal tropical fruits. Hope that would also keep the doctors away .

I went for a medical checkup recently. I don't like to go actually. Make me nervous. I am afraid of the outcome... diabetes, high blood pressure, breast cancer ...etc..What would I do if I were diagnosed having one or any of those. I don't know. Scary thoughts.

Then I regretted not having a regular check up.Early detection is important. From now on I will. I also will try to watch my diet and exercise regularly. The latter is kinda hard...I will also make a point of finding out more about symptoms and alternative remedies of diseases.

mmm..this clnic is more like a spa. All kind of products being sold. Beauty and skin care products, slimming products, hair loss treatment product, hormones supplement..very soon clinics might turn out to be like Watson LOL.

To all my friends that are not in the best of health..get well soon.Take care of yourself ya

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

THE THREE DEGREES = DIRTY OLD MAN ..hahaha..enjoy the jazzy breezy song.

source:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ytgm00
http://www.graphicshunt.com/

Fried Kuey Teow By Popular Demand

2011-07-12T12:42:00.016+08:00

Dear Readers,
Assalamualaikum and hello to all.I am bringing back the recipe for Fried Kuey Teow for umidishes readers, which was previously posted in Tea With Umi,due to the numerous request from friends for the recipe.This is also a favourite dish for breaking fast even though it is a common enough dish, consumed by Malaysians at all hours of the day and nite.

Like all dishes in Asia, there are various ways of preparing Fried Kuey Teow, Chinese style, Mamak style, Malay style and also Thai style. This is my favourite style, taught to me by my mum, coz of the taste of the crunchy peanuts used in this dish. If Kuey Teow is not available in your area you may use pasta or spaghetti or noodles.

So I hope you will give this dish a try. Enjoy the video.

Here's the recipe:

Fried Kuey Teow (Kuey Teow Goreng)
Ingredients:

900gm Kuey Teow (wash and drained.Alternatively you may use pasta or spaghetti or yellow noodles)
20 pcs dried red chillies (boil and blend with 1/2 cup water)
1 big onion (slice thinly/pounded)
6 cloves garlic (slice thinly/pounded)
2 pcs tofu (fried and slice thinly)
1 cup meat (slice thinly)
1 cup shrimps
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup peanuts/groundnuts (roasted and grind coarsely)
1 cup chives (cut roughly size of matchstick)
4 tbs black soy sauce
2 tbs tomato sauce
1/2 cup fish sauce (salt if fish sauce is not available)
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
4 tbs oil for frying

garnishing:
3 fresh red chillies (slice thinly)
1 cup fried onions
4 pcs kalamansi lime (ordinary lime can also be used)
1 stalk spring onions (slice thinly)
1 stalk chinese celery (slice thinly)

Method:

1) Heat the oil and fry onions followed by garlic
2) Fry for few minutes until slightly brown.
3) Add in the chilli paste and the meat.Add in half cup of water to tenderised the meat. Let it simmer until the meat is tender.
4) Add in the prawns and tofu. Let it simmer for few more minutes.
5) Add in the fish sauce or salt to taste.
6) Add the Kuey Teow and stir until all the ingredients are well mixed.
7) Make a space in the centre of the wok and pour the egg. Scramble with a fork.When the eggs are about to set cover them with Kuey Teow.
8) Add in the bean sprout and chives. Stir for few more minutes.
9) Ready to serve.
10) Garnish when serving.

Bon apetit

MY THOUGHTS

POLYGAMY

Allow me to voice my thoughts on the issue of polygamy which of late has been a hot topic of discussion especially in Jordan.Recently an agricultural engineer,Muhammad Hajaya married his 3rd. wife in the southern city of Karak,170 miles south of the capital Amman. What was unusual about the wedding is that the event was held to promote polygamy Muhammad Hajaya has established the Association to Advocate Polygamy as a solution to the growing numbers of single woman in the country by collecting money to hold mass weddings because dowries are high in Jordan which prevents men from marrying.Point to note is even though polygamy is legal in Jordan,it is rarely practised.

Polygamy had been on the decline in the Middle East throughout the 20th century, but the trend shifted in Saudi Arabia in the late 1970s and polygamy is on the rise there as well as in the rest of the Muslim world.

I don't have any polls or statistical details on polygamy in Malaysia but I believe it is not a rare practice here. Often we heard of wives and children being abandon by husbands who have taken on a new wife.On the flip side we also have heard of happy and successful polygamy household.

POLYGAMY IN ISLAM

Before the Qur’an was revealed, there was no restictions
on the number of wives a man could marry.With the reavelation, Islam put a cap on four wives. The permission to marry more than one wife is given under highly exceptional circumstances and with stringent conditions attached.

Having said that,it is important to remember that polygamy is not the rule,but rather the exception.Many people has the misconception that it is compulsory fora Muslim man to have more than one wife. To underscore this point we have to go back to the reason as to why the surah was revealed.

There are two passages in the Qur’an that mention the practice of polygamy i.e. Surah An Nisa(4:2-6; 4:127-129).

In the early years of Islam, after the Hijrah to Medina,there were 3 major wars that were waged against the Muslims by the people of Mecca i.e the battles of Badr (624 AD), Uhud (625 AD), and Khandaq (627 AD).

As a result there were many widows and orphans.Many men at that time, either marry the widows or became guardians of these orphans and some subsequently marry their wards.There were also the captives that became slaves whom the men could also marry.What happened was, the men misappropriated the wealth of those widows and orphans and mistreated them, And thus the surah was revealed.

Surah 4: An-Nisa’: 2,

“Render unto the orphans their possessions, and do not substitute bad things (of your own) for the good things (that belong to them),and do not consume their possessions together with your own: this, verily, is a great sin.”

Surah 4: An-Nisa’: 3:
“And if you have reason to fear that you might not act equitably towards orphans, then marry from among (other) women such as are lawful to you — (even) two, or three, or four: but if you have reason to fear that you might not be able to treat them with equal fairness, then (only) one — or (from among) those whom you rightfully possess (i,e the war captives). This will make it more likely that you will not deviate from the right course.”

What does this surah means?

1) The welfare of the orphans come first
2) Their property must be safeguarded and not misappropriated nor consumed without their permission

and

3)if a Muslim man is confident that he is able to treat the women fairly and selflessly, and is not fearful of the retribution in the court of Allah should he failed to do so, then — and only then — is he allowed to marry more than one woman, and up to four.Hence doing justice to orphans as well as to all the women whom a Muslim man marries is mandatory.If he cannot do justice to all his wives, he must have only one.

Therefore polygamy in Islam is permitted based on this surah — only as the last resort,in a situation of great social hardship and on humanitarian ground.It is very important to note that in Qur’anic context polygamy was allowed for the benefit of orphans and the women who were their guardians or caretakers.

It is also important to state here that Islam is a way of life and hence addresses life’s problems in a practical way.In cases where the wife is unable to conceive or is suffering from illness which is preventing her from performing her wifely duties,the man may resort to polygamy. In this way he can still continue to provide for her needs and care, without forsaking her.

In a polygamous household,a Muslim husband has complete legal obligations and responsibilities towards his second, third, or fourth wife and their children.Dealing justly with all his wives is an obligation and this applies to housing, food, clothing i.e in terms of his time and wealth as well as kind treatment.

The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: “He who has two wives and does not treat justly in dividing his self and his wealth between them, he will be raised on the Resurrection Day while he is chained in punishment and half of his body is not straight until he enters Hell.”
[Sunan Abu Dawud, Reported by Abu Hurairah (RA)]

. Imam Sadiq (a) said that when Uthman ibn Maz’un’s wife announced to the Prophet(SAW) that her husband was always busy fasting and praying day and night without paying attention to his life and wife, the Prophet(SAW) went unto his house and found him praying. When ‘Uthman finished his prayer, the Messenger of Allah (SAW)said:

“O’ ‘Uthman, Allah has not sent me for monkery but appointed me for a fluent, easy religion (which protects the rights of the body and soul). I fast, keep up prayers, and associate with my family. Then, he who likes my way and my creed, must follow my way of life, my Sunnah; and, verily, marriage is of my Sunnah.”

However, we must admit the fact that love is destined by Allah (SWT) and the depth of feelings and affections towards each wives may varry and man must use his wisdom in this case to not show his favouritism openly and causing discords and jealousies.Each individual marriage contract carries the same amount of weight in an Islamic court of law and thus men are not allowed to openly attach greater importance to one at the expense of the other.

Allah (SWT) says:

"…and know that Allah comes in between a person and his heart…"
(Al-Anfal 8:24)

Allah (SWT) also says in the Qur'an:

"And He had united their (i.e. believers’) hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise." (Al-Anfal 8:63)

While on the subject of equality and just in treatment,the equality referred to in Surah An-Nisa 4:3 is referring to time and money.

"…If you fear that you will not be able to deal justly (time and money) with them then only one…"
(An-Nisa 4:3)

Whereas, the equality mentioned in Surah An-Nisa 4:129 refers to that which no man or woman has control over but which belongs exclusively to Allah’s (SWT):

"…You will never be able to do perfect justice (love and sex) between wives even if it is your ardent desire."
(An-Nisa 4:129)

In Conclusion:

There are men who abuse this option and use polygamy for personal gains and sexual desires. then indeed they will be punished by Allah.

The purpose is absolutely not for man’s sexual pleasure nor privilege, It was revealed to prevent major sins such as illegal sex and prostitution.If a man cannot make enough to provide a fair quality of life to all his wives and children, then he has no business practising polygamy because it would be disastrous to the ummah and be very afraid of the punishment on Judgement Day.

Wallahuallam.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

(Song & Original Singer P.Ramlee)

sources:
http://www.forpeoplewhothink.org
http://www.suite101.com/
http://ourislamicweb.blogspot.com
http://www.missionislam.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/RanHemn

Welcoming Ramadhan

2011-07-09T16:54:00.007+08:00

Assalamualaikum and hello to all my readers,

Very soon Ramadhan Al Mubarak will be with us again. As per the custom in my family we usually do a spring cleaning of the house...discarding all the stuff that has long exceeded their usefulness but somehow can't bring myself to throw them all away. Likewise I have also done some pruning online. Tea With Umi is shelved temporarily at the moment until I decide it's future course. And I will be sharing the dishes of Tea With Umi with you here especially for the Ramadhan. Apart from that, my facebook account Umihoney Azizan will also undergo a transformation. It will be known as Umidishes henceforth.

The first recipe from Tea With Umi that I am sharing with you here is Cucur Udang Utara or Shrimp Fritters

CUCUR UDANG UTARA (SHRIMP FRITTERS)
(pix from teawithumi collection)

Cucur Udang or Shrimp Fritters is one of the favourite 'kueh' for afternoon tea or supper in the northern states of Malaysia like Penang, Kedah and Perlis. This fritters is also a favourite 'kueh' for the breaking of fast during Ramadhan. The cucur in the north is normally served with fried tofu and cucumber slices dip in peanut sauce. In other places the cucur is not served with cucumber and fried tofu; and chilli sauce usually accompany this cucur instead of peanut sauce.

Enjoy the video.

And here's the recipe

CUCUR UDANG UTARA
(pix from teawithumi collection)

Ingredients:

Peanut Sauce
3 cups peanut (fry in oil and grind/pounded)
20 dried red chillies ( fry in oil and grind/pounded)
1 in shrimp paste (fry in oil and pounded)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup tamarind juice
2 big onions (quartered and fry lightly in oil and pounded)
salt to taste

Method:
Mix all the ingredients with some water. The gravy shouldn't be too runny nor too thick.

SHRIMP FRITTERS
(pix from teawithumi collection)

Batter

500 gm flour
1 cups bean sprout (wash and drain)
4 stalk spring onions (wash and cut into small pieces)
1 tbs tumeric powder
1 cups shrimp
1 egg
salt to taste
enough water for mixing
5 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

Method:

1) Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with some water. The consistency shouldn't be too thick nor runny.
2) Using a spoon scoop the batter and deep fry the batter until golden brown.
3) Drain on tissue or dish cloth. Cut into bite pieces and serve with fried tofu, cucumber slices and peanut sauce or Chilly sauce if you prefer.

MY THOUGHTS

Ramadan Comments

Ramadhan will be here soon. As always we will undergo a one month compulsory training programme. The question is are we a better Muslim now than we are last year and the year before that and the year before that. Have we make a difference to our fellow human beings regardless of religion, colour or creed. Have we become a good embassador of Islam especially Muslims leaders ,following in the footsteps of our beloved prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who was just,fair, kind,loving, forgiving and tolerant to all mankind. He upheld the right of the masses, men and women, young and old, rich or poor. believers and non-believers alike. I am positive if we do that, dictators in the Muslim world would be non existent.

This Ramadhan may we take the time to do a much needed Jihad within ourselves. What is this Jihad? I am not asking anyone to take up arms. The Jihad that is most pressing is the acquisition of knowledge.Seek the knowledge within Quran. Don't be a Muslim by birth only. Learn the true teachings of Islam. Read the Quran and understand the words of Allah that will guide us here and beyond. Self-improvement is also key. Make a point to learn new things and new skills.Pursue knowledge so that you may be honourable and respected. Do not hate what you do not know; for the greater part of knowledge consists of what you do not know.That is why man is at enmity with what he does not know.

Allow me to share with you some quotes from Saidina Ali (r.a)about knowledge:

1) The man the most secure in his knowledge is he, whose convictions are not weakened by doubt.

2) Choose the best part of each science, as the bee sips the most delicate part of the flower.

3) Gain knowledge: it adorns you, if you are rich, and feeds you, if you are poor.

4) By knowledge you are saved; by ignorance, lost.

5) Riches diminish by expenditure, while knowledge is increased by dissemination.

6) The rare a thing, the more its value increases, except knowledge: the more diffused it is the more valuable.

However do remember that:

7) The knowledge the most useful is what one puts into practice.

Last but not least I leave you with this reminder:

That knowledge is very superficial which remains only on your tongue; the intrinsic merit and value of knowledge is that you act upon it.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

p.s. Each day think,reason,reflect and ponder.

source:
- Imam Ali (r.a)
Book Reference :
Quoted from "Maxims of Ali"
Talkislam.com

Happy Birthday Abah

2011-04-08T12:12:00.005+08:00

Dear Readers,

Here's wishing a very happy 79th birthday to my dad Haji Azizan Ahmad.May Allah bless him with rahmah,good health and happiness for always.My gratitude and love for him is endless.

On 6th April,2011 we organized a birthday dinner for him and I'd like to share the occasion with you my dear readers. On behalf of my dad I thank you all for the get well wishes and doa. His health is better and I hope he will continue to get better insyaAllah..he continue to ride his bike though..can't stop him doing that unfortunately.

For you my readers, this song is for you;Jamal Abdillah with Kasihnya Ibu. This song always make me cry. Theres no love apart from the love of Allah and his prophet (pbuh) for us; greater than mum's and dad's. Make them happy while they are still with us.

Till we meet again,take care of yourself.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
http://www.allgraphics123.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/Phaeez

Chicken Varuval

2011-02-06T01:06:00.019+08:00

Assalamualaikum Dear Readers,

I am so excited to share this Chicken Varuval dish with you; my umidishes readers. A friend on the facebook has taught me how to cook this dish. Her name is Carolyn and she is currently residing in London. Chicken Varuval according to Carolyn is a Madurai Tamilian dry dish. The recipe that she shared with me was for Mutton Varuval. I couldn't find any in the supermarket so I have substituted the mutton with chicken. I am sure Mutton Varuval would taste just as marvelous.

The first time I tasted Chicken Varuval was when I went for a holiday a few months back in Port Dickson. It was so good that I wanted to try cook this dish.When Carolyn shared this recipe with me it was like a wish come true. I thank you Carolyn for sharing this recipe with me.

So here's the video. Enjoy.

Here's the recipe:

4 breast of chicken (wash and cut into cubes)
1 tomato (cubed)
1 stalk coriander leaves (chopped)

For marinate:
1 tbs yoghurt
4 cloves garlic (pounded)
1 in. ginger (pounded)
2 tbs chilli powder
1 tbs corriander seed (grinded)
1 tbs black peppercorn (grinded)
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp fennel (grinded)
1 tsp cumin (grinded)
salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients and marinate the chicken for few hours.

For frying:
4 cloves garlic (pounded)
5 shallots (pounded)
1 in ginger (pounded)
2 cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cloves

For last frying to pour over the chicken:
5 dried red chillies (slice thinly)
5 shallots (slice thinly)
5 stalk of curry leaf

Method:
1) Heat 3 tbs of oil. Fry the spices, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom until aromatic.
2) Add in the onion. Fry for a minute. Add in the ginger and garlic paste. Fry until slightly brown.
3) Add in the tomato and fry for a minute.
4) Add in the marinated chicken. Cover and let the chicken simmer.
5) Let the chicken cooked until all the juice is all absorbed or you can also choose to have some gravy.
6) Fry in a separate pan, onions, dried chillies and curry leaves until brown.
7) Pour over the cooked Chicken Varuval and stir in the chopped coriander leaves.
8) One last stir and the chicken is ready to serve.

Bon appetit.

MY THOUGHTS

Rain

My sympathy for the people in Queensland Australia.Fierce winds and driving rains brought by the most powerful storm ever to hit Queensland. Yasi was classed as a category five cyclone as it crossed the coast, then to category three, but still it was as dangerous.Tully Heads in far north Queensland was hit the most.Houses were torn apart, trees shredded by winds that roared like jet engines.The cyclone follows the worst floods in Queensland's history, triggered by tropical storms.

In the home front, flood hits the southern states of Melaka,Negri Sembilan, Pahang and Johor.However the flood situation is reported improving with more victims returning home and evacuation centres closed today though some roads in Johor are still only passable by heavy vehicles.

In Pakistan, seven months after the devastating flood hit the country, millions remain without food or shelter, and the situation could get from bad to worse now that winter has set in. Nearly 20 million people are affected.The floods submerged one-fifth of Pakistan, an area the size of the United Kingdom.Large numbers of people in the flood-affected provinces still desperately need assistance – including hundreds of thousands of Pakistani children who are now battling malnutrition.With the arrival of winter, the need for shelter, safe drinking water, food and health care has become more acute, whats more donations have already slowed to a trickle.There is a danger that we might forget that Pakistan still need a great deal of help.

So far the first month of the new year has been plagued by natural disasters and unrest. Earthquake magnitude 6.9 hit Argentina,earthquake magnitude 5.2 hit Southern XinJiang, China,earthquake 7.1 magnitude hit Chile,earthquake hits south-east Iran, heavy floods leave at least 35 dead in Brazil,earthquake 4.5 magnitude hit California earthquake, measuring 7.4 hit Pakistan and huge waves destroy homes on the coastal area of Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

What will the next few weeks bring.Wallahuallam. I pray for peace and safety for us all.

To all my friends I dedicate this song to all of you. Name of song is Teman Terulung by Anuar Zain.

I see you soon,take care in the meantime.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source of:
Floods in Malaysia: (themalaysianinsider.com)
Queensland: (BBC News Asia Pasific)
Pakistan: ( unicef.org)
Anuar Zain video:(youtube.com/user/Zeeajijah)
Rain graphics: (allgraphics123.com)

Gong Xi Fa Chai

2011-02-02T14:55:00.011+08:00

Here's wishing all my Chinese readers a happy and prosperous New Year. May the days ahead bring peace and stability to us all.

MY THOUGHTS

EGYPT OH EGYPT

I have been following the events in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt since January 25th,2011 i.e. the historic moment when unprecedented protests with tens of thousands of protesters taking to the streets calling for an end to President Mubarak's 30-year rule.And yesterday February 1st,2011, Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, has announced in a televised address,which aired at 11pm local time on Tuesday, that he will not run for re-election but refused to step down from office - the central demand of millions of protesters who have demonstrated across Egypt over the past week.

The turmoil, in which more than 100 people have died, is affecting Egypt's tourist industry, the oil price and unsettled financial markets around the globe. Internally the crisis deepened with Egyptians facing lawlessness on the streets with the army and citizens trying to stop looters and robbers from rampaging the cities and homes. Banks and shops are closed indefinitely causing shortage of money and food except for shops selling locks and keys which are doing brisk business.

The interesting thing about the protest is that it is not instigated or organized by any political parties. It is an organic and spontaneous protest by the people from all walks of life, young and old, men and women and children,Muslims and Christians alike.

Earlier I was touched by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speech when he addressed members of his AKP party in parliament, appealing to Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president: "You have to listen to the wishes of the people in order to create security and stability. First you must take steps that are good for Egypt. You must take steps that satisfy the people.Everyone has the right to fight for freedom, but without violence.You must not forget that the people who oppose you are still human, still your brothers."said the Turkish PM. In what he said was both a warning and piece of advice for Mubarak, Erdogan said, “We are all passing, and we will be judged by what we left behind.”

This is so true. As the Malay proverb says:

Harimau mati meninggalkan belang
Manusia mati meninggalkan nama

literally:
The tiger dies leaving behind its stripes
Man dies leaving behind his name

How we wished to be remembered when we have passed away depends on our deeds when we are alive. There's nothing else we take with us when we die except the shrouds that we are buried in; the palace, families, wealth and power are left behind.

Whatever power we posses now are ours because Allah has willing it.

"Say O Muhammad (sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam): "O Allâh! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endow with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.

You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day to enter into the night (i.e. increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during winter and summer), You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit (measure or account)."

(Al Baqarah 3:26-27)

Let us not be possessive of power because with power comes responsibility and accountability. Ultimately rulers have to answer to the Almighty for the use or misuse of the power that have been given to them.

Will the people of Egypt has a better government if their current President stand down?

Islamic wisdom says the conduct of the people determines their destiny, and based upon the same Allah changes their rulers.I hope and pray that Allah ease the path for a better government for the people of the great nation of Egypt.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source :
Bloomberg
english.aljazeera.net

Nasi Dagang

2011-01-25T19:28:00.011+08:00

Assalamualaikum Dear Readers,

In this outing umidishes presents Nasi Dagang literally means Trading Rice. I don't know why it is called that. Perhaps someone could shed some light on this.It is a popular dish in the East Coast states of Malaysia i.e Kelantan and Trengganu as well as Southern Thailand. In Kelantan the rice is prepared using the Nasi Dagang rice while in Trengganu the rice used is a ratio of 1:3 i.e 1 part of glutinous rice is mixed with 3 parts of Thai scented rice. The rice is eaten with tuna gravy,boiled egg and vegetables pickle and chilly sambal. Nasi Dagang is a breakfast dish actually but nowadays it is eaten at all times.

If you don't like to use fish you can substitute the fish with chicken and use meat curry powder instead of fish curry powder.

Here's the video.

Here's the recipe:

NASI DAGANG

The Rice
Ingredients:
3 cups Nasi Dagang Rice or
1 cup glutinous rice mix with 3 cups Thai scented rice
(soak overnight or 6-7 hrs)

3-4 cups coconut milk (boil with pinch of salt)
1 in. or thumb size ginger (slice thinly)
6 shallots (slice thinly)
1 tbs halba or fenugreek

Method:
1) Wash and drain rice. Steam for 1 and a half to 2 hrs.
2) Place the rice in a bowl. Add the shallots,ginger and fenugreek.
3) Stir in the coconut milk a bit at a time until the rice has absorbed the coconut milk.
4) Place in a steamer and steam again until rice is cooked.

Ready to serve.

Tuna Gravy or Gulai Ikan Tuna Nasi Dagang

Ingredients:

2 pcs. Tuna fish (clean and wash. Boil with 5 asam keping or 2 tbs. vinegar and salt)
6 cups of coconut milk
2 tbs fish curry powder
salt to taste
1 tbs sugar

Chilly paste:
20-30 pcs of dried chillies (boiled until soft)

1 in or thumb size galaghal
6 shallots

Blend all ingredients until fine.

Method:
1) Boil coconut until bubbly and oil surface on the top.
2) Add in the chilly paste and curry powder. Boil again for 5 minutes until the chilly and curry powder are cooked.Keep the fire at low.
3) Add in the fish and boil for few more minutes.
4) Salt and sugar to taste.
5) Lastly add the Thai fresh chillies. Ready to serve with the rice.

MY THOUGHTS
CHOW KIT ROAD

The other day I went to an old part of Kuala Lumpur; Chow Kit Road. This is an amazing place to shop. I went to the wet market section. Here I can get food supplies from all over Malaysia. I don't have to go to Penang to get authentic Penang prawn paste or belacan nor I have to go to Kedah to get fermented fish or ikan pekasam. The arrays of herbals in any form be it roots or shoots found here could make me a jamu/traditional herbal medicines producer if I want to.

Here too I can see the extent of immigrants influx; Indonesian,Phillipinos, Bangladeshis, Africans and so on. They seemed to like to congregate here. Most likely because the prices are cheaper here due to the many bundle traders and wholesale malls and shops as well as the numerous cheap lodgings.

The shops and stalls are old and some are downright derelict. It would be a good idea to rebuild the market area. Make the area free from fire hazards and most importantly a hygienic and healthy place for all to trade and shop.Cleanliness should be the order of the day.

Till we meet again take care of yourself.I leave you with an oldie by our late Sudirman.May Allah place him among his beloved servants.AlFatihah.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

1)source of Chow Kit road photo:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/

2)source of video on Chow Kit:
http://www.youtube.com/user/bentuckee

3)source of pix: umiazizan album

Happy Thaipusam

2011-01-20T14:08:00.002+08:00

Wishing my Hindu readers a Happy Thaipusam. In Malaysia, since 1892, the Thaipusam festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai (which falls in late January/early February) at Batu Caves. Batu Caves is said to be 400 million years old. Originally the caves were inhabited by the indigenous Temuan Tribe and later around the 19th century was frequented by the Chinese to excavate guano for fertilisers. A Tamil trader K. Thamboosamy Pillai, inspired by the veil-shaped entrance of the main cave,dedicated it as a temple to Lord Muruga. Wooden steps up to the Temple Cave were built in 1920 and have since been replaced by 272 concrete steps. It's pretty steep to climb. So if you want to burn some calories and see the splendour of the caves at the top of the steps have a go at climbing the steps of Batu Caves.

Happy holidays to all Malaysian.

See you soon,
Umi

source:
pix :http://travelmalaysiaguide.com/

Chicken Thai Green Curry

2011-01-18T19:17:00.007+08:00

Assalamualaikum Dear Readers,

My first dish for 2011 in umidishes is Chicken Thai Green Curry. Preparing this curry require patience but the end result is very satisfactory. As we are all aware eating out is becoming costlier and so I hope you can try this at home for the entire family to enjoy.

Here's the video.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

3 boneless breast of chicken (cut into small cubes)
10 pcs baby eggplant or apple eggplant (if not available cut into small pieces 1 eggplant)
500gm thick concentrated coconut milk
2 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
salt and palm sugar to taste(optional)
a stalk of basil leaf for garnishing

Spices:

1 tsp cumin
1 tsp corriander seeds
1 tsp white peppercorn

Roast and grind all.

Paste:

2 fresh green chillies
20 Thai small green chillies
1 lemon grass
1 in. galanghal
1 in. fresh turmeric (2 tsp turmeric powder if fresh ones are not available)
1 kaffir lime leaf (remove the vein)
1 stalk coriander leaves and roots
kaffir lime rind from 1 kaffir lime
4 pcs. shallots
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tbs shrimp paste

1) Wash and cut each ingredients roughly into small pieces

2) Pound in a stone mortar each ingredients according to the sequence above until the last one i.e shrimp paste.

3) However if a blender is being used put all ingredients into the blender and blend with half cup of water or less.

Method:

1) Mix the spice mixture with the green chilly paste
2) Heat the oil and pour in the green chilly paste. Remember to maintain slow fire the entire time.
3) Fry for few minutes. Add in few spoonful of coconut milk. Let it simmer for few minutes.
4) Add in a few spoonful of coconut milk again and let it simmer for few minutes. Repeat until the coconut milk is finished.
5) Add in the chicken and let the chicken simmer until its cooked.
6) Add in the baby eggplant and add in a quarter to half cup of water (depending on how thick you want the curry to be) and let the curry simmer for few minutes.
7) Add salt and fish sauce to taste and palm sugar if preferred. Finally add in the basil leaves and simmer for the last time a minute or two.
8) Ready to serve.

MY THOUGHTS
TRUST

What is on my mind right now is the upheaval in Tunisia. My heart and sympathy goes out to our brothers and sisters there. May Allah bless the people with guidance,wisdom, peace and prosperity in the days to come.

In Islam, every believer is a brother or sister to the other; we are one body, one nation, one Ummah. Each of us is entrusted to uphold another's right. Islam holds people’s rights in high esteem. The guidelines and regulations in Quran and hadith are intended to uphold the rights Islam gives to the believers.Islam strongly condemns the violation of God-given rights. Trustworthiness is therefore an essential characteristic that must be evident in all our actions. Being trustworthy implies being honest, fair in dealings and keeping promises and commitments in every aspect of our life be it moral,social,business,politics or religion.If we claim that we are a believer we therefore must be reliable, honest and trustworthy.

From the man in the street to the mightiest ruler all are equal in Islam, the only thing that makes any of us better than the other is his piety or righteousness.

Trustworthiness in Arabic is amanah. The opposite of amanah is betrayal i.e failure to keep the trust or amanah in the way the person/citizens who entrusted it expect or want bearing in mind the needs, the well beings and aspirations of all its citizens. This is a reminder to me,to you and all leaders whether you are the head of a household, a club, a village or a nation,when God commands us to keep the trust, to be trustworthy, we must take this seriously. Be very afraid of the court of Allah on judgement day.

Till we meet again .Take care.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

pix: umiazizan album
pix on riots: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/

Adieu 2010 Welcome 2011

2011-01-01T19:57:00.011+08:00

Dear Readers,

It's good to be back. I have had a pretty long break during which I had worked towards realising my dream of having my own catering business. InsyaAllah it will be launched very very soon. I am also happy that other business projects will be taking off soon as well, very likely by mid-year. I will try my best to find time to blog.

Here's to a wonderful New Year and a warm adieu to the old.To happiness,good times,good cheers and joys yet to unfold. As always it's also the time to assess past successes and failures.

Having said that I'd like to share with you my thoughts. You may agree or disagree.It's a matter of opinion. As the clock strike midnight millions of people around the globe took to the street, dancing and rejoicing, to usher in the new year. The reason for celebrating actually defeats me. Take 2010. Has it been a peaceful and bountiful year for the citizen of our good earth. I don't need to go into details on the plight of the people in the war torn countries. I don't have to paint you the faces of hunger and poverty in Africa. I don't need to mention the unjust and oppressive governance of many nations. Neither do I have to regale you with the tales on the sufferings of women and children due to men's obstinacy to relinquish customs and traditions that are not even tolerated by any human values and faith. We are all aware of that fact.So how will 2011 be.

“ The Originator of the heavens and the earth.

When He decrees a matter, he only says to it:

'Be' – And it is.”
Holy Qur’an 2:117

That is how I see 2011. I leave it up to our Creator.As we say Allahu Akbar, Allah the almighty 5 times a day we must have the firm believe that He alone can make possible what we may think impossible.Only Allah the almighty, not America not Israel nor any other force on the entire universe. Let us strive to do our best to make this world a better place for all of us and the next generation to come.

On that note I take my leave until we meet again.Take care of yourself ya.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan
Umi

source:
pix http://www.coolfreeimages.net/
video http://www.youtube.com/user/michaeljacksonVEVO

The Joy of Ramadhan

2010-08-17T06:49:00.004+08:00

Dear Readers,

How time flies. Ramadhan Al Mubarak is entering the first week. Alhamdulillah that I am by His Grace and Mercy able to meet Ramadhan again. Forgive me for being stingy with my time in this holy month. I am devoting my time more offline now and savouring the pleasure that is unique to Ramadhan. Even the air that I breathe seems different and already I am dreading the end of Ramadhan. InsyaAllah, I shall return to blogosphere after Eidul Fitri.

Take good care of yourself and forgive me if I have unintentionally thus far have offended you my readers or made any remarks that were inappropriate and hurtful in anyway.

All good is from Allah & mistakes were from myself.
Salam
Umi

p/s: This Nasheed is for you my dear Readers.

MY UMMAH BY SAMI YUSUF

source of video : http://www.youtube.com/user/IslamBestReligiion#p/a

Nasi Daging (Meat Rice)

2010-07-30T13:34:00.007+08:00

Dear Readers,

The last several days have been very trying for me and have prevented me from being online.Alhamdulillah, everything is back to normal and by His grace and mercy I am able to post new recipe again.

In this outing I am sharing with you a rice dish which I think is very suitable for Ramadhan or even Eid. It's a complete meal by itself if you were to add some vegetables to it as well like carrot or cauliflowers or green peas or even mushrooms if you like. The rice dish is called Nasi Daging or Meat Rice. You can substitute the meat with chicken or seafood or just vegetables if you are not a meat eater. Garnishing is totally up to you.The side dish can be salad or curry or both.

I'd like to point out that the cup that I am using in all my recipes is the standard measuring cup used in cake making.Same goes for the spoon measurement,they are the standard measuring spoon in cake making too. For the rice you can use any available measuring utensils that you have at home as long as the ratio of rice to liquid is 1:1.For example if you use a bowl to measure then its one bowl of rice and one bowl of liquid..and so on.Another thing is, this recipe and for my other recipes,normally its for 5-6 people average..depending on how big an eater the people are in your family or friends :) Therefore if we are cooking for one or two persons then reduce the amount of the ingredients proportionately by half or quarter.The reason I normally prepare for 5 or 6 people is because I am taking a standard number..not too many and not too few.

This is my late mum's favourite dish. Whenever any of us visited her in Penang she would always have this Meat Rice waiting for us. We can smell the aroma as we enter her house..so welcoming and so full of love.I am very happy to share this recipe with you hoping that your house would also be filled with the aroma of this lovely rice dish and also with lots of love.

Enjoy the video.Forgive the slight inaudibility and noises in the background. Have to bear with the neighbours' dogs barking for no reason, must be asking for TLC from the owners..and my cats can be so naughty sometimes asking for food when I am shooting :)

Here's the recipe:

Nasi Daging (Meat Rice)
Ingredients:

5 cups rice (any rice is alright if you don't have Basmati rice.Note also 5 cups=1Kg)
5 cups meat stock
1 Kg meat (boiled,cut into preferred pieces and set aside 5 cups of the stock for the rice)
1 cup evaporated milk (can use fresh milk if evaporated milk is not available)
2 tbs yogurt
5 tbs ghee or butter
1/2 cup oil
1 big onion (slice thinly, use 10 shallots if you don't like big onion)
6 cloves of garlic (slice thinly)
1 in ginger (slice thinly)

Spices:
2 pcs cinnamon (kayu manis)
1 tsp cloves and 1 star anise (tied in a pouch)(cengkih & bunga lawang)

Grind:
1 tsp cumin (jintan putih)
1 tsp fennel (jintan manis)
1 tsp cardammom (buah pelaga)
1 tsp nutmeg (buah pala)
1 tbs corriander seeds (biji ketumbar)

some curry leaves,coriander leaf,spring onions and pandan leaf (screw pine)
3 pcs fresh green chillies (halved,remove seeds if you prefer)
6 pcs candlenut (grind) (buah keras)
1 tbs salt (to taste)
2 tbs sugar
some fried onions for garnishing.

Method:

1) Heat oil and ghee. Fry onions until brown.Add the garlic and ginger and cinnamon and curry leaf.
2) When the garlic and ginger are brown add in the spices.
3) Stir for one minute until aromatic and add in the stock, evaporated milk,yogurt,candlenut,salt,sugar,spice pouch,green chillies,the corriander leaf and spring onion and the meat. Stir and let it boil for a bit.
4) Add in the pandan leaf and rice. Let it boil until 3/4 cooked and closed the pot with aluminium foil.Cover and place something heavy on top to prevent the steam from escaping.Lower the fire to very low and cook for 20-25 minutes.
5) Open the lid and stir the rice well before serving. Garnish with fried onion or any other preferred garnishing.

Bon appetit.

KITCHEN TABLE TALK

MY PC AND I...wuvya

The last few days has brought home to me how important is the internet to me. I have online friends that I want to keep in touch with, I have blogs that I need to maintain, blogs I need to visit, mails I need to look at etc etc.I have this online life that I have probably taken for granted.

I logged on Saturday morning and I have no internet connection. Could I have missed paying the bills. Called up the net provider. Nope.No missed bills. So kindly tell me whats the problem. It could be your modem said the all learned one at the other end of the phone.The noob me went out to buy not one but 2 modems..just in case la...one with a separate router and one with inbuilt router.So if they come I have the new modem ready. Then the waiting game began. No one came till evening. Call up the learned one. Sorry Maam, its half day today and tomorrow is Sunday so we can only settle this issue on Monday. Ah well..can't do anything about that.

Monday noon called the learned one. Maam you can log on now everything is ok now..just a problematic port at our end. Wow thats a relief..I got my connection back 2 and half days later plus 2 new modems including the current one ..hahaha..I was kinda hysterical for a while. Now I can finally post my new recipes. I have also bought a few thumb drives..wanna back up some files.Will do that Tuesday la..been wanting to do that for sometime but I am always so busy and kept postponing. So this time will definitely do it.

Tuesday afternoon was a lovely afternoon. Perfect for posting a new blog entry.Perfect for doing backup. Logged on. Voila I got the blue screen of death. Disc crashed.HAHAHA (hysterical laugh)

Till we meet again take care of yourself.I see you all soon insyaAllah.

Salam,
Umi

source:

pix from umidishes album
clipart from:
http://www.hasslefreeclipart.com/clipart_compusers/page1.html
http://www.horton-szar.net/clipart/computers.php
http://www.amazing-animations.com/animated-computers3.php

Chicken Kurma (Kurma Ayam)

2010-07-20T21:44:00.008+08:00

Dear Readers,

In this outing I am sharing with you a spicy dish called Chicken Kurma. The reason is because this dish is versatile.You can eat Chicken Kurma with almost anything. If you don't feel like eating it with rice you can eat kurma with Nan bread,Prata or Chapatti, Roti Chanai,white/wholemeal bread,buns or any other type of bread.This dish would make a lovely dish for Iftar in Ramadhan.

You can use meat if you like as well as vegetables instead of chicken. My mum used to make Cabbage Kurma.It tastes as good as the meat variety.There are various methods of preparing this awesome dish.I am sharing with you my family recipe.

Enjoy the video.

Here's the recipe:
Chicken Kurma (Kurma Ayam)

Ingredients:
6 pcs. chicken
5 pcs. potatoes (cut into half or quarter)
1 pcs. tomato (cut into wedges)
2 big onions (cut into wedges)
3 fresh green chillies (cut into half)
1 stalk coriander leaf and spring onion
1 stalk of curry leaf
1 cup Kurma powder
2 tbs butter
3/4 cup oil
1 cup coconut milk (can be substituted with fresh milk or cream)
3 tbs yogurt (plain)
1 tbs black pepper (grind)
1 tbs kaskas (poppy seeds)(grind)
1 tbs almond (grind)
1 tsp spices: cloves,cardamom
2 pcs cinnamon
1 star anise
10 shallots or small onions (slice thinly)
6 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
1 in ginger (slice thinly)
salt to taste
1 and 1/2 litre water (or according to the quantity of gravy that you want)

Method:
1) Heat oil and butter. Fry the small onions,garlic,ginger and curry leaf
2) Add cinnamon,star anise and the spices.Fry until brown.
3) Add the Kurma powder,almond,kaskas and pepper.Stir for a minute or two.
4) It will be aromatic.Now we add the water.The quantity is up to you as to how much gravy you want.
5) Stir well. Add in the potatoes. Let it simmer until the potatoes has soften.
6) Now we add in the chicken,tomatoes,green chillies,raisins,cashew nuts,fried onions,cocomut milk and yoghurt. Stir well and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked.
7) Add in the spring onions and coriander leaf. Stir and its ready to be served.

KITCHEN TABLE TALK

AHLAN WA SAHLAN RAMADHAN AL MUBARAQ

GoodLightscraps.com

I was asked recently by a friend and a fellow blogger Luke of Jakarta News.

about Ramadhan.Therefore I am taking this opportunity to introduce in brief the holy month of Ramadhan Al Mubaraq to him and to all my fellow non Muslims readers.

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This means that each month begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon. A lunar year is 354 days long whereas the solar year is 365 days.As in solar calendar lunar calendar has 12 month.

Ramadan is the name of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar; meaning "scorching heat".

Even though a scientific calculations can predict exactly when the astronomical new moon occurs, and can predict with accuracy when the first crescent will be visible, there are many factors that can complicate this, such as the weather. For this reason, the rule is that the new crescent moon must be sighted by human observers. This is to allow ordinary Muslims who are not astronomers to take part.Hence, we don't know exactly when it will appear until it's seen.

What does Ramadhan signifies.The first verses of the Quran were revealed in the month of Ramadan.The entire Quran was revealed over a period of about 23 years, starting in 610 CE and ending in 632 CE.

So why do the Muslims fast.

Quran Surah al-Baqarat verse 183 states that the purpose of the fast is to develop a quality called in Arabic "taqwa". Taqwa may be defined as, "Worshiping God as if you see Him because if you don't, He sees you."

Nobody but God and the person fasting know if that person actually observed the entire fast or not.Thus one has to remember that God is always watching and will see any lapse.

The fast is from dawn to sunset each day of Ramadan. The fast involves refraining from food, drink, and (for married people) sexual relations during the daylight hours.

Note: In addition as pointed out by my friend and fellow blogger MULTIBRAND we should also refrain from anger and bad feelings toward others. It was an oversight and I am happy that he had noticed that. I'd like to add as well that during fasting we must also watch our language and refrain from talking bad about others.

GoodLightscraps.com

Who has to fast?

The fast is obligatory on all sexually mature adult Muslims except:

1) Those who are mentally handicapped or insane.
2) People who are ill do not have to fast if it would further damage their health.
3) Women who are pregnant or nursing are considered "ill" because fasting would harm their babies.
4) Women who are having their menstrual period or who are experiencing post-partum bleeding because it is feared that the combination of blood loss and fasting could damage their health.
5) Children who have not yet reached puberty are not required to fast.
(However, it is good for them to practice, and for this reason many Muslim children are trained as early as age seven or nine to fast.)
6) People who are traveling may also break their fast if they feel that keeping it would harm them.
7) Soldiers on guard duty for whom maximum readiness is a must may break their fast.

(In all cases of illness or fear of illness, the missed days need to be made up later.)

GoodLightscraps.com

What is special during Ramadhan that is not found in any other month.

1) Recitation of the entire Quran, in imitation of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who did so. This is usually done for the community from the mosques or (in Muslim countries) on the radio or TV; individuals or families may also get together for their own recitation

2) Observance of special night vigil prayers in the late evening or middle of the night called tarawih.

3) Withdrawing to the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan for prayer and Quran recitation, which is called itikaf meaning "seclusion".

4) Celebration of the "Night of Power" marking the specific date of the beginning of the revelation of the Quran on the 27th of Ramadan

5) The fast is broken each evening with a meal called "iftar" (meaning "breaking the fast"), and the last meal in the morning before dawn is called "suhur" (meaning "morning meal").

In Muslim countries it is quite common to have feasts that last all night and run from iftar to suhur. These feasts are a time of celebration and community. There is also a special holiday marking the end of Ramadan, called Eid al-Fitr.

GoodLightscraps.com

What's Eid al-Fitr?

The name Eid al-Fitr means "feast of the fast-breaking". It takes place on the first day of the month that follows Ramadan. There is a special salat (prayer) in the morning, which the whole community should come together for. As well, those who can afford to do it should provide a small amount of food for the needy so that everybody can celebrate. Most communities have a variety of festive celebrations and meals to mark the day.

I hope this info has been helpful for Luke and my fellow non-Muslims readers, in understanding Ramadhan.

Till we meet again,take care of yourself.

Salam,
Umi

GoodLightscraps.com

source:
http://www.muhajabah.com/ramadan-faq.htm
pix:
umidishes album
http://www.goodlightscraps.com/

Sambal Ikan Tenggiri (Mackerel Fish Sambal)

2010-07-14T20:57:00.007+08:00

Dear Readers,

How time flies. Very soon the Muslims will be welcoming the month of Ramadhan al Mubarak. In view of that I have decided to share with you a simple dish to prepare either for Iftar (breaking fast) or for the dawn meal or sahur.

The type of fish is really up to you. The amount of vinegar is also as per your preference. So have fun viewing the short video.

Here is the recipe:

Sambal Ikan Tenggiri (Mackerel Fish Sambal)

Ingredients:

4 pcs. Mackerel fish steak (rub with some tumeric and salt and deep fry until brown)
30 pcs. dried red chillies (boiled and blend with 1/2 cup of water)
5 small onions (slice thinly)
6 cloves garlic(slice thinly)
2 big onions (slice thinly into rings)
1 in. ginger (slice thinly)
1 tomato (cut into wedges)
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbs sugar
3 lemon grass (bruised)
salt to taste
oil for frying the fish
3/4 cup oil for frying the sambal
1/2 cup water

Method:
1) Heat the 3/4 cup of oil and fry the small onions and garlic until brown.
2) Add the lemon grass and ginger. Fry for one minute.
3) Add the chilli paste and half cup of water. Fry until oil separates and bubbles are formed.
4) Add sugar and salt to taste and vinegar.
5) Stir and mix well.
6) Add the tomato wedges and onion rings and the fish. Stir and mix well for few minutes.
7) Remove from stove and serve.

KITCHEN TABLE TALK

GoodLightscraps.com

I am so looking forward to Ramadhan Al Mubarak. All my memories of Ramadhan has been good and beautiful. Ramadhan in the village is not the same as in the urban areas. The exchanging of food between neighbours contributed to the excitement of Iftar (breaking fast)...and the food prepared during Ramadhan are extra special coz they are not often cooked at other times.

Of course in the urban areas those food will be available at the Ramadhan Bazaar..however they are quite pricey too. If you know how to prepare those dishes then I feel it's better to cook them at home. The reason is simple..when we visit the food bazaar with an empty stomach, we tend to over spend. More often than not we end up throwing away the left overs coz we will be fasting and will not be able to eat them anyway.

I hope to share with you some special dishes for the Ramadhan in my future postings.

So till we meet again, take care.

GoodLightscraps.com

Salam,
Umi

source:
pix from umidishes collection
graphic from: http://www.goodlightscraps.com/ramadan-kareem.php

Spicy and Hot Fried Chicken

2010-07-11T16:28:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

It is raining heavily outside. This is a good time to prepare something spicy and hot. I'm sharing with you a marvelous finger food called Spicy and Hot Fried Chicken.It is good to eat with chilli sauce. Perhaps you can have this fried chicken while watching the World Cup Final :)

Don't fry the chicken for too long coz that would make them too dry.

Enjoy the short video.

Here's the recipe.

Spicy and Hot Fried Chicken
Ingredients

1 chicken (cut into small pieces)

Pound/grind
6 cloves garlic
1 big onion
2 lemon grass
1 in ginger
1 in galangal
15 dried red chillies (boiled)

grind coarsely
2 tbs coriander corns
1 tbs cumin
1 tbs fennel

2 eggs
3 tbs corn flour
lime juice from 2 lime
salt to taste
oil for frying
some curry leaves

Method:

1) Prepare the marinate mixture
a) In a bowl mix well the pounded ingredients and the spices.
b) Add in the curry leaf and the eggs. Mix well
c) Add in the corn flour. Mix well again
2) Rub into the chicken the lime juice and salt.
3) Rub into the chicken the marinate mixture
4) Set aside for about 2 hours.
5) Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the chicken.
6) Remove when the chicken is brown (don't fry for too long)

Bon appetit

KITCHEN TABLE TALK

Why do some men (some women too) prefer not to watch the World Cup matches at home. In Malaysia they congregate at cafes, Mamak's Restaurant and some watering holes that provides big TV screen. My guess is the fun of watching together with friends..besides the endless supplies of "pulled tea" (Teh Tarik). It has become a ritual not only for World Cup but for any major sports events. You got to admire the mamaks for their brilliant idea of putting up humongous TV screen every time a major sports event is screened live.To all the soccer fans,have fun.

Till we meet again, take care of yourself.

Visit TEA WITH UMI for a new sweet recipe.

Salam,
Umi

source:
cartoon :http://www.fotosearch.com/SUE117/sccl0003/
pix from umidishes collection

ANGEL FRIENDS BLOGGER AWARD

2010-07-09T16:07:00.000+08:00

Friendship is always a sweet responsibilty, never an opportunity - Kahlil Gibran

I'd like to extend my deepest appreciation to TK for this lovely award. You are an angel yourself for always being so thoughtful towards your blogger friends. I am passing this sweet award to the following bloggers and hope with this award we will continue to support each other.

It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us - Epicurus

1) Nensa Moon

Her blog reflects love and kindness that is inherent in her. She is always pleasant and friendly towards everyone.

2) MULTIBRAND
His blog reflects his intellectuality and his world view.. unbiased and without prejudice.

3) Zainal Buang Hussein
He has contributed so much for the progress of cartoonist in Malaysia. His sense of humour underlying his social criticsm has been his trade mark.

4) Bojalinuxer
A blog dedicated to disseminating knowledge in Bahasa Indonesia. A very noble effort.

5) Sara
She has a lot to contribute with her blogging and I hope this award will spur her to greater heights.

6) Man Kucai (Aku Sedang Bermimpi)
His blog reflects his social awareness. His concern for todays degradation in social values should be applauded. I hope this award will encourage him to be a good social critique.

7) Celupar
A recorder of inspirational Islamic stories.A noble effort indeed.

8) coolingstar9
A blogger dedicated to motivate his readers with good values and inspirational articles.

9) It's My LIFE
Her blog reflects the society and the injustice that is happening around her.Truly an eye-opener for her readers.

10) JoURnALs oF oUR LUrvEs...
A young mother with all the anxieties and trials of balancing a career and a homemaker.

Keep blogging and keep making a difference my dear friends.

I leave you with a beautiful song from Datuk Sheila Majid.May our friendship lasts.

Hop over to Tea With Umi for a new recipe.

Till we meet again,take good care of yourself.

Salam
Umi

source of video: http://www.youtube.com/user/faralala

Petai Berlada (Chilli Petai)

2010-07-07T15:07:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

Alhamdulillah we meet again here. In this outing I am cooking a very simple dish called Petai Berlada (Chilli Petai). What inspired me to cook this dish. A blogger friend who recently wrote about Petai mentioned my name ..cough cough. Read more about it at Aku Sedang Bermimpi by Man Kucai. He wanted his readers to get the petai recipe from yours truly. So here we are. This dish is very quick to cook and quite delicious for the Petai fans. If you don't like or couldn't get hold of petai then you can just cook the shrimps without them :)

Enjoy the video.

Here's the recipe:

Petai Berlada (Chilli Petai)
Ingredients:

1 cup petai (only the seeds)
600 gm prawns (shelled and clean. Marinate with tumeric and salt for few minutes)

Boil and pound coarsely the followings:
10 fresh red chillies
10 fresh green chillies
10 fresh green thai chillies

1 big onion (cut into rings)
4 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
1 in ginger (slice thinly)
2 lemon grass (bruised)
juice from 3 lime
1/2 cup nampla or fish sauce
or salt alternatively
1/2 cup oil

Method:

1) Heat the oil and fry the prawns for a minute or so.
2) Add the garlic,ginger,onions and petai. Stir for few minutes.
3) Add the chillies. Stir and put in the fish sauce,lime juice and tomatoes.
4) After stirring for few minutes add in the coriander leaves and spring onions.
5) Give a last stir and serve.
6) Bon appetit :)

KITCHEN TABLE TALK

Cooking is like falling in love. You have to go all the way or not at all. Its not only an art but it is also a science. We must not only know what ingredients to use but we must also know the chemical reactions therein. Knowing all these will give us the confidence to cook anything. Assuming we have a piece of meat that is not lean and would not be so tender when cooked. What do we do? Use some pineapple to marinate the meat and the meat will be tender. Why pineapple?..it has high acid content (perhaps malic and/or citric) which will tenderised the meat.

Till we meet again take care of yourself.

Salam
Umi

p.s. for Man Kucai here's a song for you,my appreciation for mentioning my blog.

source:
(pix from umidishes collection)
video :
http://www.youtube.com/user/Adeputera

Friendship is a sheltering tree.

2010-07-07T15:05:00.000+08:00

More Orkut Scraps, Graphics - GoodLightscraps.com

Friendship is a sheltering tree - Samuel Coleridge

I am truly blessed with the friendship of my fellow bloggers. For the umpteenth times I received two more awards from Boja Linuxer . Thank you for this honour my friend.

I Love Your Blog Award

I am grateful for this award and I am happy if my blog has been beneficial and helpful to you my valued readers. I hereby pass this award to the following bloggers coz I truly love their blogs.

1) MULTIBRAND
2) cheqna
3) Luke
4) rt
5) TK

Keep on blogging my friends. Thank you for making a difference with your writings.

Bonk AVA Award

The next award is called Bonk Ava Award. Thank you once again Boja for this award. There's a few questions that came with this award, so here goes:

Q - How Many blogs do you have and how long has it been in existence.

A - I have 2 blogs. They are Tea With Umi and umidishes. They have been around for almost a year and half.

Q - When did you first start to blog

A - A year and a half ago.

Q - What is the factor that interest you to blog and why do you blog

A - I love to write if I could but I know I am not best seller writer material. Blog has given me the platform to write thus fulfilling my dream. I have chosen to share what I love doing most with everyone in the blogger-sphere coz as the saying goes:

"Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, "This is the real me," and when you have found that attitude, follow it." - William James

Q - What in your opinion makes your blog better than the other blogs and what is lacking about your blog?

A - This can only be answered by my readers. I have and will always try to give the best and hope that all of us have fun and knowledge in the process. Personally I don't think my blog is better than the other blogs in the blogger-sphere. Likewise I am sure there's room for improvement for any deficiencies.

I am happy to pass the award to the following bloggers:

1) PeteFormationFoodie
2) NGDlover
3) MULTIBRAND
4) Laughter
5) zulkbo

Tag Enjoy About Me from Nensa Moon

This is hard la..hahaha..Feel like I am being interrogated by the police la. Thank you my dear Nensa for tagging me.

1. When do you first started blogging?

answer: Year and a half ago kurang lebih

2. Name of blog?

answer: I have 2 blogs. They are 1) Tea With Umi and 2) umidishes. They have been around for almost a year and half.

3. What do you look at first when you log on to your blog?

answer: shout box and visitors widget...reply comments and shout box and return the favour of those that visited and proceed with blog walking if time permits there and then..if not do it at a later time.

4. What kind/genre blog you prefer.

answer: Almost all kind of genres.I'm not choosy for we can learn from anyone.

5. Town of residence?

answer: Petaling Jaya,Selangor,Malaysia

6. Occupation?

answer: Rearranging my thoughts about everything and everyone..hahaha..I live and work in my thoughts mostly...$$$$$$$$$

7. According to your friends, whom do your face resemble most?

answer: The last time I checked, I look like this from what ever angle and distance:

8. Which part of your anatomy that you like most?

answer: All... hahaha

9. Who contributed most in your life?

answer: Parents,siblings,Quran teachers and people who loves me at different stages and phases of my life.

10. Funny incidents in school?

answer: There was a bully in class. He always bullied me. I was a skinny and short girl then. Couldn't fight him physically. So I waited for him around the corner of the school building. Since this was a rural area we have chickens all over the compound. So I took a thin piece of coconut stick from the leaf and dip the end into a chicken poop. When this boy passed by I smeared his back with the poop without him realising it. So for the whole morning he smelled shitty and was sent home...:P

11. Memory of first love?

answer: Cannot be disclosed..eat your heart out...hahaha

12. What kind of man/girl you find attractive?

answer: mmm..in view of the current World Cup season I would say sexy legs..hahaha

13. How many kids you wish for?

answer: If I could have all the orphans in my area that would be too few.

14. What will you do if your spouse/partner cheated on you?

answer: mmm...I think I would just walk away. I don't fight over a man...more precisely I don't want to have to fight for affection. Love me only or leave me.

15. What was your recent dream?

answer: sorry I can't remember even if I had one.I don't dream often..coz I normally sleep like a log.

16. What will you do with a 1 million dollar gift?

answer: I hope I will do the right thing.

17. The kind of exercise that you often do?

answer: Ride my exercise bike.

18. Things that could make you laugh?

answer: When my loved ones laugh..funny sketches in print or visual, watching my cat's funny antics..reminiscing funny incidents in neverland with my dear Sifu.

19. Your hope for the blogger world.

answer: That we remain steadfast and sincere in our contribution and we could remain united and harmonious no matter where we come from.

So I am passing this tag to:

1) PeteFormationFoodie
2) NGDlover
3) MULTIBRAND
4) Laughter
5) zulkbo

have fun answering hahaha

By the way I have posted a new breakfast dish at Tea With Umi. So hop over there to pick up the recipe if you like. Bon apetit every one and take care.

Salam
Umi

source:
pix
http://cooptoons.com/
http://www.clipproject.info/
http://www.ahajokes.com/
http://www.blog.joelx.com/
vid
http://www.youtube.com/user/k155w4ndry

Sweet Sour Meat Balls

2010-07-04T18:56:00.001+08:00

Dear Readers,

Alhamdulillah we are able to meet again here. In this outing I am going to share with you a dish that is simple and fast to cook.If we are busy and don't have much time to spend cooking elaborate dishes than this is the dish for you. It is called Sweet Sour Meat Balls. You can substitute the meat balls with meat,fish,chicken,sea food or egg or just plain vegetables if you like.

Enjoy the video.

Here's the recipe:

Sweet Sour Meat Balls

Ingredients:
450gm meat balls (fry in 50gm butter and 2tbs oil until brown)
6 pcs small potato (cut into wedges and fry)
1 cup baby carrot (boiled)
1 cup cherry tomato
1 cup young corn (slice thinly)
1 cup fresh mushrooms (slice thinly)
2 pcs fresh red chiili (cut into four)
10 pcs green Thai small chilli (optional)
1 stalk spring onions (cut as you wish)
1 tbs black peppercorn (grind coarsely)
1 big onion (slice thinly)
3 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
1 in ginger (slice thinly)
4 tbs oil for frying

Sweet Sour Sauce:
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tbs corn starch
1/2 tbs sugar
salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
for garnishing:
cashew nuts.fried onions,raisins and spring onions

Method:

1) Heat the oil and saute the onions,garlic and ginger until aromatic.
2) Add the sweet sour sauce.Let it boil for few minutes and add in half cup of water when it thickens.
3) Add in the vegetables; mushrooms,carrots,corns and tomato cherries.Boil for few minutes until the vegetables are cooked but not too long.
4) Add in the potato,meat balls,chillies and spring onions.Stir for few minutes.
5) Ready to serve.
6) Garnish with cashew nuts,fried onions,raisins and spring onions.

Bon appetit.

UPDATE ON MY DAD'S CONDITION

Thank you for all your doa.He has come home and is recuperating at home. However he is suffering from stone in the bladder and is in pain due to that. Alhamdulillah at the time of writing the pain has eased probably some of the stones have come out due to the medication. His tongue swelled because he is allergic to the stone medicines, so kinda difficult to eat.... he doesn't eat much anyways and this problem compounded that. We are hopeful that he will get better. On behalf of the family and my dad I thank you my fellow bloggers and friends for your prayers and doa and concern. May Allah reward you for your kindness. Thank you so much my friends.

Till we meet again, take care.

Salam
Umi

(pix from umidishes album)

It Never Rains but it Pours

2010-06-05T23:35:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

For this coming week or so I may not be able to post a new recipe nor visit your blogs. I am sorry. I may not have the time to do both for awhile. My dad is in hospital recuperating from a recent operation. He was involved in a motor accident. They have fixed the joint of his elbow with a metal joint. He has a heart condition and is still under observation after the ops. They might continue with his heart treatment soon after. I am not sure...have to wait and see.

I hope to blog soon when time permits.InsyaAllah.My thanks go out to rad and H.Nizam for the doa..appreciate that so much.A special appreciation and thanks to dear Sifu Li for his support and strength during this difficult time.

Take care folks.I see you soon.

Salam
Umi.

(pix of my dad from umidishes album)

Mee Rebus Sungai Dua (Sungai Dua Gravy Noodles)

2010-06-02T13:18:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. This time I am sharing with you a dish called Sungai Dua Gravy Noodles or Mee Rebus Sungai Dua. For those of you who have no idea what Sungai Dua is, it is a town in Penang, Malaysia. It is located in the east part of Penang Island. The nearest town from Sungai Dua is Gelugor. The name Sungai Dua is because it is located between two rivers hence the name Sungai Dua (Two Rivers). It grew in population as a result of the opening of USM (Science University of Malaysia) in 1969. The site of USM was originally the British military barracks and also served as the Japanese military campsite during World War II. The majority of early settlements were Chinese Hokkien.

Few years back I visited some relatives who are residing in Gelugor,Penang. I was served with this noodle dish and I took the opportunity to learn how to prepare this noodle dish. Now I am sharing with you this delicious dish.

Enjoy the video.

Here's the recipe:

Mee Rebus Sungai Dua (Sungai Dua Gravy Noodles)
Ingredients:

Gravy

5 pcs large sweet potatoes (boiled and mashed)

5 pcs potatoes (boiled,peeled and cut into small pieces/cubed)

3/4 kg meat (with some fats,boil and set aside with some of the stock)

1 cup meat curry powder

20 pcs dried chillies (boiled and blend with half cup water)

1 cup dried shrimp (pounded)

1 large onion (pounded)

10 cloves garlic (pounded)
2in ginger (pounded)

2 pcs. lemon grass (bruised)

1/2 cup oil

2 bulbs of spring onions

salt to taste

enough water for gravy

Method:

1) Heat oil and fry onions,garlic,ginger and lemon grass until brown.
2) Add in the chilli paste until its cooked (the oil will starts to bubble and separates)
3) Add in the meat curry powder and some water. Fry until the curry powder starts to boil.
4) Add in the meat and the stock and the shrimps.
5) Keep stirring until boiling.
6) Add in some more water as much as you want the gravy to be. Put in the mashed sweet potatoes.
7) Keep stirring until boiling. Add in the boiled potatoes and more water if necessary. Add in also the spring onions bulbs.
8) Salt to taste and remove from stove when it has boiled.

The Noodles:

1) 1 packet spaghetti or yellow noodles (boil the spaghetti)
2) 1/2 kg. bean sprouts (blanch)
3) For garnishing:

a) 3 pcs taufu/bean curd(fry and slice thinly)
b) 3 pcs. fresh red chillies (slice thinly)
c) 1 stalk of spring onions and Chinese celery (cut thinly)
e) 3 hard boil eggs (halved)
f) 1/2 cup fried onions
g) 2 lime

Serving suggestions:

Place spaghetti in a bowl. Add a bit of bean sprouts and fried taufu. Pour the gravy over the spaghetti. Sprinkle some fried onions,spring onions and Chinese celery and cut chillies. Top with hard boil egg and lime.

This is a complete meal. It is also great to serve this Mee Rebus Sungai Dua on special occasions like parties or social gatherings. Bon apetit.

Take care and salam,
Umi

(pix from umidishes album)

FRIENDS ARE THE SUNSHINE OF LIFE

2010-06-02T13:17:00.000+08:00

Friendship is the golden thread that ties all hearts together. - Unknown

Thank you TK for the Sunshine award. It is an honour and I truly appreciate the award. I am happy if my presence in the blogosphere has make a difference with what little I have to share.

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.- Ralph Waldo Emerson

and I have been inspired by all of you my friends from reading your blogs.Thank you all for the support and encouragement. I am proud to pass the Sunshine Award to the next 16 bloggers who have contributed a lot with their writings and articles and make our life so much richer thereof.

( Note: As usual the recipient of the award has to pass over the award to the next 16 (or whatever number of bloggers he/she seems fit) with their link shown in your blog and inform them of the award that they are given.)

1. Nensa Moon
2. Boja Linuxer
3. MULTIBRAND
4) rt
5) cheqna
6) Danilo
7) booyakamix
8) caktal
9) CreaTivity
10) NGDlover
11) GreatViet's Channel
12) Kartunmania
13) Laughter
14) Kiri Jalan Terus
15) PUTERIKU SAYANG
16) zulkbo

Keep on blogging guys. All of you deserve the award for the sunshine that you have given us.

Last but not least I leave a quote for my best and special friend who is responsible for my presence in the blogosphere. I owe him a lot. From the bottom of my heart I thank you Sifu Li.

A simple friend thinks the friendship over when you have an argument. A real friend knows that it's not a friendship until after you've had a fight. - Unknown

Next one up is another award from TK. This is a tremendous honour and I am rather at a loss for words to express my gratitude.

Everyone in my book is a top blogger.It's a hard decision indeed to choose from the many. I hereby pass over this Top Blogger award to the following bloggers.

1. Nensa Moon
2. Boja Linuxer
3. MULTIBRAND
4) rt
5) NGDlover
6) PeteFormationFoodie
7) Jakarta News

I hope we shall all contribute and share with the cyber communities and make a difference.

Salam
Umi

source of quotes and video clip:
http://www.allgreatquotes.com/friendship_quotes.shtml
http://www.youtube.com/user/Bozang

Masak Lemak Pucuk Ubi

2010-05-26T06:27:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

Alhamdulillah with His grace and mercy we meet again here in umidishes. Today's posting,to be honest with you, is inspired by another posting by a friend in his blog called PepSaya entitled Genjer Genjer Ubi Kayu. He talked about the hardship suffered by the masses throughout South East Asia during World War II. The lack of food usually in my opinion, brings out creativity and ingenuity in all of us. Food was scarce then and people were forced to fall back on tapioca,sweet potatoes and edible shoots and herbals like Pucuk Ubi (Tapioca Shoots),sweet potato shoots,wild ferns,wild mushrooms,papaya shoots,bamboo shoots etc.

Thus today's dish is the traditional dish called Masak Lemak Pucuk Ubi (Tapioca shoots in coconut gravy). It is simple with minimal ingredients. The Pucuk Ubi can be substituted with wild ferns or any other edible shoots.I have added sweet potato to give the dish a tinge of sweet flavour to counter some of the hotness of the Thai chillies. The dried anchovies gives body to the gravy. However you may substitute it with dried or fresh shrimps or omit it altogether.

Here's the video.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

Tapioca shoots (shredded and boiled, approximately a big bowl after boiling)
5 cups coconut milk (slightly concentrated i.e the 1st squeeze)
20 pcs. Thai green chilli/bird chilli (pounded)
4-5 pcs. tumeric (pounded)
2 pcs. lemon grass (bruised)
2 pcs. tumeric leaf (cut thinly)
2 pcs. sweet potato (cut roughly and boiled)
1 cup dried anchovies (soaked in warm water for 5 minutes and pounded lightly)
salt to taste

Method:

1) Pour coconut milk into a pot. Add in the chilli,anchovies,tumeric,tumeric leaf and lemon grass.

2. Keep ladling and stirring the coconut milk until it boils.

3. Add in the sweet potato and the tapioca shoots. Add in also salt to taste. Boil a further few minutes and remove from stove. Ready to serve.

I hope you would try this simple traditional dish, Masak Lemak Pucuk Ubi. I leave you with a Malay Pantun:

Orang Aceh sedang sembahyang
Hari Jumaat tengah hari
Pergilah kasih pergilah sayang
Pandai-pandailah menjaga diri

translation:

Achinese are in prayer
At noon on Friday
Good bye my love good bye my dear,
As for yourself, take good care

Please visit my other blog Tea With Umi if you can spare the time.It is undergoing a face lift with a new section added highlighting matters that concern us all as citizen of the this world called Earth..:) and share your thoughts with me.

Salam
Umi

source of pantun:
Persuratan Melayu 2
Pantun Melayu Sastera Rakyat
Pantun Serbaneka
Pantun Adat dan Resam Manusia
Kumpulan Pantun Melayu, DBP 1983

(pix from umidishes album)

Love is a many splendoured thing

2010-05-18T16:53:00.004+08:00

To all my readers, my apology for the long absence. I was indisposed and I shall update the blog with new recipes in a day or so

Love is a many splendoured thing

MOTHER

A mother's love is one of those splendoured thing.

Mother o’ Mine

If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine
I know whose love would follow me still,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine
I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o’ mine, 0 mother o’ mine!

Rudyard Kipling (1891)

To all mothers I dedicate this song with love.The song is called Umi Kam Ahwah.

FRIENDS

I feel so loved and blessed to have you my wonderful readers as friends. Nensa Moon thank you from the bottom of my heart for naming me and my blog as The Most Friendly Blogger

It's hard to name 5 other bloggers as the Most Friendly Bloggers coz everyone has been wonderfully friendly and kind to me. So here are the 7 that I have chosen...hahaha..extra two.

1. Boja Linuxer
2. MULTIBRAND
3. RAD
4. TK
5. Luke
6. PeteFormationFoodie
7. collin

To all of you my readers and friends heres a song for you by December called Love is so original sound track of a Korean serial drama Iris

I love you guys.
Salam
Umi

Source:
http://www.youtube.com/user/anioooable
http://www.youtube.com/user/happilyeverafter1990
http://poetry.about.com/library/weekly/blkiplingmother.htm

Laksa Asam

2010-04-25T00:39:00.000+08:00

Dear readers,

Asam Laksa is a Malaysian favourite especially in the northern states of Malaysia. It's chilly hot and sourish very much akin to Tom Yam. The fish that is being used actually determines the taste of the soup. In my opinion the best fish to use is Ikan Parang (wolf herring) coz the smooth and white texture of Ikan Parang makes the soup tastier.However the fish is very bonny and quite tedious to remove them.

Enjoy the video.

LAKSA ASAM
Ingredients:

400 gm laksa (boil and drained)
1 kg kembung fish {(slimy mackerel/rastrelliger kanagurta)clean and wash}
40 dried chillies (boil)
1 big onion
1 in shrimp paste (belacan)
some daun kesum
3 bunga kantan (torch ginger)
10-15 asam gelugur
2 liter water

for garnishing:
1 cucumber (cut into match stick size)
1 stalk salad (cut thinly)
few stalk mint leaves (remove from stalk)
1 big onions (cut into quarter rings)
2 red chillies (cut thinly)
5 thai green chillies (cut thinly)
1 lime (cut small pieces)
3 hardboiled egg (halved)

Method:

1) Boil Laksa noodles until soft.Drained and set aside.
2) Prepare the soup.
a) Blend chillies,onion and shrimp paste.
b) In a pot boil fish with daun kesum and 5 pieces asam gelugur.
c) When the fish has boiled remove the fish and strain the fish stock from the leaves and asam gelugur.
d) Remove the bones from the fish and pound finely.
e) In a pot containing the fish stock, add in the fish, blended chilli,daum kesum,bunga kantan and asam gelugur.
f) Cook until the soup boils. Add salt to taste.
3) Serve the laksa noodles with the garnishings and the soup.

Till we meet again take care ya. Bye.

Salam
Umi

(pix from umidishes album)

Terima Kasih for the Award

2010-04-09T12:08:00.000+08:00

BEAUTIFUL BLOGGER AWARD

Thank you Luke from Jakarta News for this award..I truly am not expecting to be nominated again.I appreciate this very very much Luke.

So here's the rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award
2. Paste the award on your blog
3. Link the person who nominated you for the award
4. Tell 7 interesting things about yourself
5. Nominate 7 bloggers or less
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominated.

The following are the names and links of the 7 bloggers that I am passing the award to:

1. Datin El
2. lunaticg
3. Rachel Heath
4. The Scribe
5. walkyria suleiman
6 Sinh Khuong
7. Andi(Animation)

As usual the hard part hahaha..7 things about me.

1. Love to have a rose garden coz I love roses..sadly rose plants always die on me.

2. Cat lover...and cat loves me :)

3. Dream of having my own cafe one day,insyaAllah.

4. Would be great to live simply up in the mountain...with internet connection of course hehe

5. Wish I could write a book but somehow I have an everlasting writer's block.

6. Would be awesome to have a travel blog and share with you the various dishes.

7. I'd like to die in Mecca.Amin

Enjoy this song that means a lot to me "Cinta Antara Benua".

(source:http://www.youtube.com/user/drmyrisstyca)

I leave you with my favourite quote "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car" - anonymous

I see you again soon. Take care.

Salam
Umi

source of quote: http://www.quotationspage.com/
source of cartoon: http://www.clipartof.com/(Royalty-Free (RF) Cartoon Clipart & Illustrations)

I'VE BEEN TAGGED

2010-04-06T19:06:00.000+08:00

I've been tagged by Nensa Moon. Thank you my dear.I am honoured that you considered me worth tagging hehe. However this also means that I have to answer a few questions..well not a few. 14 questions..oh my.I am not good at talking about myself but for Nensa's sake I will do my best.

Here are the jackpot questions HAHAHA :-

1) Do you think you are HOT.
2) What is your current wallpaper.
3) Comment on the wallpaper.
4) When was the last time you had pizza.
5) What is the song you last listened to.
6) What else you do besides answering to the these tagged questions.
7) Your nickname besides your real name.
8) Tag 5 other friends.
9) Who is number 1 to you.
10)Say something to number 5
11)Who is number 3's currently having a relationship with
12)What about number 2
13)A love message to number 4
14)List 5 things about the person who has tagged you.

There you have 'em. Pretty long list ya.

So here goes:

1) Do you think you are HOT

How to answer this la. I'd like to quote a wiser and learned man Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, in Physiologie du Gout, ou Meditations de Gastronomie Transcendante, 1826:

"Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es." [Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are]....

Since I like hot and spicy food, I guess I am hot HAHAHA (joking guys).

You tell me if I am hot or not.

2) What is your current wallpaper

3) Comment on the wallpaper.

I took this pix on a holiday at the Glory Beach Resort,Port Dickson,Malaysia...from the apartment window around dusk.Lovely place to relax and rejuvenate.

4) When was the last time you had pizza.

mmm..last week..it was one of my once a week lazy day hehehe...kitchen closed.

5) What is the song you last listened to.

(source:http://www.youtube.com/user/ayul79)

6) What else you do besides answering to the these tagged questions.

Lots of other things like reading mails,going to social sites and bloggers sites, surfing the youtube,watch classic movies, play mmorpg and if I'm not online I love gardening or just curl up on the sofa with my cat to watch TV or catch up on my reading.

7) Your nickname besides your real name.
Umi :)

8) Tag 5 other friends.
TK
MyFairLady
Squirly.
Rachel Heath.
Amina.

9) Who is number 1 to you

TK is a wonderful person who blogs from her heart. Her sincerity shines through.

10)Say something to number 5
Amina has a friendly personality...make me feel like we have known each other for a long time.

11)Who is number 3's currently having a relationship with.

LOL..don't know about that. Squirly is an awesome blogger if you ask me..visit the blog and you will agree with me.I am a fan :)

12)What about number 2.
Ahh..MyFairLady. She is one strong lady.I love her gut and her sense of humour.Her tongue-in-cheek articles never fail to make me smile. Certainly my all time favourite girl :)

13)A love message to number 4
Rachel Heath. When you think about beauty you think about her.Her life is surrounded with beauty that is her art. Her creativity permeates her blog and her family life. My message to her is thank you for sharing and giving so much of beauty.

14)List 5 things about the person who has tagged you.

Nensa Moon.
1) She came to my blog and capture my heart. I couldn't have asked for a better friend than her.
2) Nensa is humourous and fun to talk to.
3) Sincere in giving friendship.
4) Her inner beauty shines through her words.
5) I am so lucky and blessed to have known this woman called Nensa Moon. Umi sayang Nensa.

My message to the 5 dear friends that I have tagged, have fun.Love all of you.

Salam
Umi

Rendang Daging (Meat Rendang)

2010-04-02T22:51:00.001+08:00

Dear readers,

One of our favourite and famous dish is Rendang.I am happy to share with you this time Rendang Daging or Meat Rendang. I have used beef here.You can substitute the beef with any other meat that you prefer.Rendang is not hard to make but you need to stir this dish constantly to prevent the dish from getting burnt. The best way is to cook it under low fire and keep stirring until it's done. If you want it dry then keep simmering for 1 and half hour.However if you want the rendang to have some gravy then you can cook it until the meat is tender and serve.

So here's the video.Enjoy.

Here's the recipe:

RENDANG DAGING (MEAT REANDANG)

Ingredients:
1 kg. meat (cut into small pieces)
35 dried chillies (boil and blend with 1 cup of water)
2.5 cup coconut milk
1 cup kerisek ( roast the grated coconut and pound/grind)
1 tbs tamarind (make a juice with 1/2 cup of water)
salt to taste
some kafir lime leaf
some tumeric leaf

GRIND/POUNDED

2 small pieces of fresh tumeric
3 in ginger
3 in galangal
5 pieces lemon grass
15 small Bombay onion
5 cloves garlic

Method:
1) In a wok put in the meat,chilli,the pounded ingredients and coconut milk.Stir well to combine them.
2) Boil over low fire.
3) After about 5 minutes add in the tamatind juice and kerisek.
4) Stir well and simmer for another half to 40 minutes.Constantly keep stirring.
5) Add in salt,the kafir lime leaf and tumeric leaf and stir again.
6) If you wish the rendang to be dry keep simmering and stirring until it's as per your liking.
7) Serve.

Do try the Rendang Daging (Rendang Meat). It's good with any type of rice and bread.Take care.

Salam
Umi

(pix from umidishes album)

Kari Ikan Tenggiri Cik Jah (Cik Jah's Mackerel Fish Curry)

2010-03-29T13:27:00.000+08:00

Dear readers,

I am happy to share with you a recipe that was handed down to me by my late mum Cik Jah. So I named this dish Kari Ikan Tenggiri Cik Jah (Cik Jah Mackerel Fish Curry). Cik Jah was a demanding teacher :)..she was a perfectionist when it comes to cooking and housework. Her curry was famous among our family and friends. The secret is in the curry mixture and slow cook. The fire has to be low and the curry has to simmer slowly. Usually she used the earthen pot. Mine has cracked recently and so I used normal pot this time.

Here's the video.Enjoy.

Here's the recipe:

KARI IKAN TENGGIRI CIK JAH

4 pieces Mackerel steak (wash and clean)
10 pcs small Bombay onion (slice thinly)
5 pcs garlic (slice thinly)
1 in ginger (slice thinly)
2 tsp mixed halba spice
1.5 liter water
1/2 cup tamarind (mixed with the water to make tamarind juice)
1 cup coconut milk
2 tomatoes (cut into wedges)
10 pieces ladies fingers
5 pieces green chillies (cut lengthwise)
3/4 cup oil
some curry leaf
salt to taste

curry powder mixture

1 cup fish curry powder
2 cloves garlic
5 small Bombay onion
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp black peppercorn
1 tbs salt

Method:

1) Prepare the curry powder mixture:
a) Pound the onion and garlic until fine.
b) Add in the cumin and black peppercorn.
c) Pound until fine.
d) Add the onion mixture and salt into the curry powder.
e) Mix the curry powder with the tamarind juice.

2) Heat the oil.Fry onions,garlic,ginger,mixed halba and curry leaf.
3) Fry until brown. Add the curry powder mixture.
4) Add a little tamarind juice and let the curry mixture boil until the oil separates and bubbly.
5) Add some more tamarind juice,half of the tomatoes and half of the green chillies.
6) When the curry has boiled add the rest of the tamarind juice and the coconut milk.
7) Add the fish. Let it boil and and add the ladies fingers and the rest of the tomatoes and green chillies.Check the taste.If needed add some salt.
8) Boil for a further few minutes.
9) Ready to serve.

Do try Cik Jah's Mackerel Fish Curry.It can be eaten with rice,bread or prata or chappati etc. We used to dip the butter crackers biscuits with this curry..awesome.Till we meet again,take care.

Salam
Umi

(pix from umidishes album)

Pajeri Nenas (Pineapple in Spicy Gravy)

2010-03-26T13:33:00.000+08:00

Dear readers,

It's good to be back.Thank you for visiting me while I was away. I'm sharing with you now a popular dish that is served during wedding reception. It's called Pajeri Nenas or Pineapple in Spicy Gravy. This dish is interesting because it has a sweet fruity flavour and spicy at the same time. It's best to use a very ripe and sweet pineapple. Other fruits that can be used as pajeri is mango, cashew fruit and buah kedondong.(also known as Ambarella (spondias dulcis)/Great Hog Plum/Otaheite apple,Tahitian quince/Jamaica plum).

Enjoy the video everyone.

Here's the recipe:

1 small ripe pineapple (remove the skin and the "nose",cut into small pieces - see pix below.
note: thats not me cutting the pineapple LOL)

(source:http://maona.net/archives/2005/01/how_to_cut_pine_1.php)

1 cup meat curry powder (mix with some water
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup kerisek (roast coconut flakes and pound)
1/2 cup dried shrimp (pound coarsely)
10 pieces small Bombay onions (slice thinly)
5 cloves garlic (slice thinly)
1 in ginger (slice thinly)
1 tbs black pepper (grind)
3/4 cup palm sugar (brown sugar alternative)
1/2 cup oil
2 cups water
spices (1 in cinnamon,1 tsp cloves,1 tsp cardamom,1 star anise)
some curry leaves
salt to taste

Method:

1) Heat the oil and fry the spices,onions,garlic,ginger and curry leaves.Fry until brown.
2) Add in the curry powder.Add half cup of the water.Fry until the curry powder is cooked and the oil separates, forming bubbles at the top (about 3-4 minutes).
3) After that we add in the pepper,dried shrimp,palm sugar,kerisek and another half cup of water.Let the sugar dissolve and the mixture boils.
4) When the mixture has boiled add in the coconut milk,salt and 1 cup of water.Stir.Add in the pineapples.
5) Let the pajeri simmer slowly until the pineapples soften and the gravy thicken and reduced.
6) Ready to serve.

Do try this lovely dish.Pajeri Nenas is fruity sweet and spicy at the same time.Take care of yourself and thank you for making the time to watch the video and read my blog.

Salam
Umi

(pix from umidishes album)

I'LL BE BACK SOON

2010-03-16T13:24:00.000+08:00

My dear friends,

I will be away visiting families for a couple of days.I will be back soon.In the meantime take care of yourself ya.I will be missing all of you.

I leave you with a favourite song of mine.Enjoy.

Salam Sayang Buat Semua
Umi

source:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RhythmediaChannel