Drunk With Festive Food

Hey all,

I am back again! Sorry , I didn't do much writing last month since it was Ramadhan, Muslim fasting month. Most of the time I was lazing around and do some soul-searching... Sounds deep eh?

After a month of fasting we finally celebrated the Eid on the 17th.July. It was heart-warming, at least for me since this is the first time  I celebrated the Eid by visiting relatives and friends houses. In previous years, when we were in Langkawi, I usually cook for friends who would stop by at our house during our open house.
This time around, I was the one making the rounds all over Selangor. I got to enjoy other's cooking and festive food at all the houses we visited.

Talking about food, after shedding just about 2 kilograms during fasting month, my weight shot back to it's normal self. What can I do? I can't refuse all that good creamy, fatty and oily meals that was served right before my eyes and what about my hosts? They'd be offended if I were to refuse their festive- meal cooking cooked under a considerable amount of time, now wouldn't they?

So, here I am back to my old weight but I'll keep it a secret this time. I am not gonna tell you guys how much do I weigh now.
The problem that I am facing right now is not about my weight (I'll worry about that later), it's about the fruits season. That means there are loads of tropical fruits being sold and displayed along the road all over the country.

There are mangoes, mangosteen, jack fruits, rambutan, and last but not at all least is durian. For those of you who had never tasted or come across durian, here's how it looks.

Durian

This fruit has a strong smell that most foreigners especially the Westerners can't stand. That was before they tasted the flesh. The fruit barely touched their tongue when some of them would puke badly. Some of them would even pair/liken the smell to that of a shit!

But worry not. To us Asian, this fruit was touted as King of the fruits. People would go over their budget just to savour that soft creamy flesh of this fruit.

I would say this fruit required an acquired taste. Just like us Asian trying to get used to some of those strong-smelled cheese.     

Me? I loved this fruit to the core but as usual, I can't take too much of it since it contained high sugar level in it.

The rambutan, mangosteen, mangos, papaya, banana, they are everywhere. It makes one tempted to buy all type of these tropical fruits and stock it up inside the little fridge.
It's okay to eat lots of fruits but not to overdo it, especially for people with diabetes like me. I had to be able to train myself and take it in a small quantity.

The festive food was surely created for food sinners. How can anybody refuse that mouth watering beef rendang during the celebration. It is one of the most delicious recipes one could ever create. The beef that melted inside your mouth, the taste of dozens of herbs blend into one dish and cook for hours to produce that heavenly taste.
And then there was a variety of rice to go along with the beef rendang. There is Briyani rice, Tomato rice or Buttered Rice, to name a few. All these rice are high in calories but that what makes it delicious and a food that no one can say no to.

As if all of the above are not enough, there was these festive cookies. Loads of cookies in every Malay Muslim homes during this celebration. These cookies are rich with butter, eggs and sugars!
In some homes, instead of making cookies (which takes incredible days and hours to bake), many would opt for daily desserts such as Kuih Talam, Pulut Seri Muka, chocolate cakes or some sweet chilled jelly. Salivating... God Forbid! I have to take a hold on myself.  

To top it all up, there was open house everywhere. One just had to choose which house one wish to present oneself and make oneself a glutton for that day. Many of the politicians would throw an open house within their constituency to show their appreciation towards their voters. So one can imagine the amount of food lined up in the chaffing dish ready for thousands of people from all walks of life to flock the involved MP. Again the food was surely to be high in calories and cholesterol but who the hell cares. People are there to eat. One of the most popular food served during open house would be satay, doesn't matter whether it is beef or chicken or lamb. It would be the most sought after among all others.

After a week of eating rich food, many would finally came back to their senses and make amend to try and live normally..but it's a little too late. Many would have carry some hard to shed calories and a little heavier than they used to be.
Me? I am a person who stick to my trivial diet ( a little bragging to boost myself will not harm anybody, right) and so I am safe from the aftermath of the festive season. My sugar level never rise above 8. Yayy!! I did wonder to myself.

So, happy Hari Raya everyone! Do not overdo with your consumption and stay healthy!

Love,
Rose
 

Puasa, Raya Dan Buffet Di Rumah

Salam Aidil Fitri buat semua kenalan dan pembaca semua,

Alhamdulilah, selesai sudah kita mengerjakan salah satu daripada 5 rukun Islam iaitu berpuasa dibulan Ramadhan. Hari ni dah masuk hari raya ketiga. Sepanjang bulan puasa tahun ni, suhu panas yang melanda tersangatlah mencabar iman. Terasa bahang panas seawal pagi lagi, apa lagi diwaktu tengahari!

Alhamdulilah sekali lagi, tahun ini puasa saya penuh 30 hari, al-maklumlah dah senja-senja ni, dah menopause pun, jadi dapatlah mengerjakan sepenuhnya. Tapi yang saya terkilan sikit, saya tak dapat nak buat terawih  seperti yang dihajatkan. Nak cerita pun malu juga, tapi tak apalah bagi cik-puan2 yang membaca diluar tu buat tak tahu aja lah ya.
Saya ni setiap kali bulan Ramadhan, untuk minggu pertama saya akan mengalami sakit kepala yang teruk dan kronik. Saya pun tak tahu kenapa tapi macam tu lah saban tahun. Jadi untuk mengelak daripada berbuka sebab teramat sakit, waktu sahur saya makan panadol siap-siap. Tapi saya tak makan lah setiap pagi cuma bila terasa sikit sengal-sengal dan sakit dikepala, baru saya makan, jadi dapatlah saya 'komplit'kan puasa saya tu.
Yang keduanya, saya akan mengalami cirit birit setiap kali selepas berbuka. Ini bukan sehari dua punya cirit birit tetapi selalunya lebih dari seminggu. Pulak tu, bukan sekali dua saya harus kebilik air tetapi lima atau enam kali. Tahun ni cirit birit saya sehingga tiga minggu.
Jadi bayangkan macam mana saya nak pergi terawih dalam keadaan macam ni. Jadi terpaksalah buat dirumah. Kalau dah namanya buat dirumah tu, maknanya tak penuhlah jawabnya.
Satu perkara yang baik yang dapat saya lakukan bila saya tak dapat menunaikan solat terawih ialah saya dapat mengkhatam Quran tahun ni. Saya dengar ustaz kata, baca sekurang-kurangnya 4 helai Al Quran selepas setiap solat fardhu. Itu yang saya buat dan alhamdulilah, saya dapat melakukannya. Saya bukan seorang yang tinggi ilmu agamanya, jadi bila saya dapat melakukan sesuatu seperti ini, saya sangat berbangga dengan diri sendiri.

Sepanjang bulan Ramadhan tahun ni, kebanyakannya saya masak dirumah. Dah terlalu banyak kali kami sekeluarga kena keracunan makanan yang teruk. Si Sophie sampai tak ingin langsung nak beli makanan yang berasaskan ayam atau ikan yang dijual digerai gerai atau dibazar Ramadhan. Kami cuma beli makanan seperti murtabak atau kuih muih. Yang lainnya semua saya masak dirumah. Jadi saya dapat berjimat dengan lebih banyak.

Ada kalanya teringin juga nak berbuka diluar tapi bila direnung dan dibelek harga harga yang terpampang di akhbar-akhbar harian, rasa "mengkelan" pula nak buang duit sebanyak tu. Mau nya tidak, orang tua macam saya ni makan nasi separuh pun belum tentu habis, kuih muih pun setakat dua tiga biji, macam mana nak pergi makan kat restoran yang menyediakan buffet dengan harga yang tak masuk akal. Bayangkan satu kepala RM68.00, kalau didarab lima kepala dah berapa? Itu belum makan dihotel lagi yang harganya melebihi RM150 seorang!

Jadi apa yang saya buat, setiap malam saya masak hidangan dan menu yang berlainan supaya nampak berseri dan seolah makan diluar.

Ini salah satu hidangan yang saya buat pada satu malam. Semua hidangan saya sediakan serba sedikit supaya tak membazir. Agak meletihkan sebab banyak kerja yang diperlukan tetapi alhamdulilah tak ada pembaziran langsung.

 Semua saya buat sendiri, dari nasi ayam, karipap, tart telur, pulut durian sehingga ke pencuci mulut iaitu sago gula melaka. Semua bahan dah ada dirumah, saya hanya perlu beli durian untuk dimakan bersama pulut. Itupun saya dapat RM10 untuk enam biji durian kampung. Best dak?

Hari seterusnya pun saya buat begini. Macam karipap tu saya buat banyak-banyak sekali, simpan dalam freezer. Bila nak goreng baru keluarkan 6~7 ketul untuk digoreng. Kalau saya buat pulut seri muka, saya akan agihkan ke rumah jiran terdekat. Dengan cara begini meja saya selalu ada makanan yang berbagai variasi tetapi tidak berlebihan.

Alhamdulilah, Hari Raya tahun ni pun sangat menggembirakan hati saya walaupun anak sulung, Ariff tidak dapat bersama kami sebab tak dapat cuti. Ini kali pertama selepas berpuluh tahun saya dapat beraya dengan meriahnya sebab dapat bertandang kerumah saudara mara yang mana selama ini saya tidak dapat melakukannya disebabkan kami tinggal diLangkawi. Maklum sajalah, sesekali kalau nak keluar dari pulau tu memerlukan duit yang banyak. Jadi selalunya kami habiskan raya di dirumah saja.
Berbeza dengan tahun ni, saya dapat beraya dirumah sepupu di Kota Kemuning, kemudian kerumah mertua anak saudara di Subang. Hari kedua pulak kami ke Beruas Perak untuk melawat emak saudara saya iaitu Mak Lang saya yang paling saya sayangi. Dia umpama emak saya. Saya sanagt rapat dengannya sewaktu kecil dulu. Kesemua anak-anaknya adalah anak lelaki dan saya juga sangat rapat dengan depa semua. Dah macam adik dan abang sendiri bukan macam sepupu lagi dah.

Raya ketiga, kami berehat sat. Letih sangat dah berjalan. Hari ni saya masak sambal petai dengan sotong, buat sikit paceri nenas, masak ikan taucu dan goreng sikit ayam. Sedap makan macam ni. Dah muak tengok daging untuk beberapa hari ni.

Buat semua, salam dari saya dan saya mohon ampun dan maaf sekiranya ada kata-kata dan tulisan saya ini ada menyentuh perasaan dan mengguris hati sesiapa.

Sekian ikhlas dari saya,

Rose
19th.July '15