261. Pasar Malam Bulatan Seberkas

After getting back Aya's laptop from Amidem shop near Boulevard, the three of us (Aya, Noormy and myself) went to the 'Pasar Malam Seberkas'. This 'Pasar Malam' or night market is at the Seberkas roundabout and in front of the SESCO office.
Easy to find if you are in Miri, just drive up towards Lutong around dusk, you won't miss the bright lights at the roundabout. Be early otherwise it will be difficult to get a parking space and the night market only opens on Friday and Saturday nights.

If you are hungry and lazy to cook on these 2 nights, again, just drive to the spot and you will find all sorts of things to eat and drink :)

This picture is a section of the 'Pasar Malam' (night market). This was still early when we went there earlier on this evening. As it got darker, more and more people will come and in the end you won't be able to walk fast as the place gets crowded.




This is 'Pegedil Daging' (meat balls) which is delicious to eat with chilli sauce. Next to it, the green kuih is what I called 'Kuih Lenggang'. It is too sweet and I don't really like it. But I love the 'kuih' on top of the 'Pegedil Daging', that's 'Pulut Sambal'. It is steamed glutinous rice with some spicy fried grated coconut on top ot it.


This is called 'Kuih Kosui'. What do you called it? This is made of rice flour (I think) with 'Gula Apong' (brown sugar) and sprinkled grated coconut on top of it.


This is called 'Kuih Cara Berlauk'. I called it 'Kuih Daging' because it has some cooked minced beef on top of it, garnished with chopped onion leaves



My favorite of all favorites, 'Tapai' :p


Besides those 'kuih-muih' that I have mentioned above, we also 'tapau' these fried noodles, 'Mi Goreng' and ' Kueyteow Goreng' home



Aahhh...we had a feast later at home :)

Have a nice evening everyone!


Cheerio.

260. Back From KK

I slept the whole day after coming back from KK.

I was already sleeping in the plane.

Zu and family picked us up from the airport. And as soon as I reached home I was already upstair, changed into a house dress, washed my feet and went on my bed. As soon as my head touched my pillows I was already in dreamland!

Arrrghh...what bliss to come home. Today I feel like Garfield LOL...


Cheerio.

259. Still in KK

Finally, I did go to visit the Daiso Stores in KK. Now I could see the smart creativity of Japanese people. The stores sell all sort of stuffs ranging from kitchenware, makeups, stationery etc, etc.

This Daiso Store had just newly opened at the Palm Square Center Point Sabah







Noormy & Aya choosing a lunch box for Alif, their nephew :)


This is the other Daiso Store at One Borneo


I think I could have spent the whole day browsing at that store. All the things are so pretty to me :)

Credits to my blogger friend TK for introducing Daiso Store to me.


Turning to another pretty thing is us eating 'Egg Tarts' and 'BBQ Chicken Puffs'.


Sold at the same shopping complex is a small kiosk called 'Dotts Egg Tart'


And the egg tarts will be packed nicely in this box if you 'tapau' to bring home. And we did brought some back to the hotel :)


Aya likes the BBQ Chicken Puff but Noormy and I just love the egg tart. It is so delicious, and much much better than the ones I can get in Miri.


Time flies and the short vacation is over soon. Our flight back is later in the early morning at 655am!


Cheerio.

258. I am in KK!

Hey there! :) I am in Kota Kinabalu. Three of us! Myself, Aya & Nono.
We arrived KK this afternoon at 1230pm with Air Asia flight.

Right now feeling very very tired LOL..We went out the whole day and just came back to the hotel at 820pm.

Ok...I need a good shower then laze in bed after the delicious 'Bakso' we ate at the night market earlier on.

Bakso


Delicious Bakso depends on the Bakso balls, they should be tasty and that will make the whole bowl of Bakso delicious! We think this man's bakso balls are homemade.


And eating Bakso with hot, hot cili padi was just heaven!


And they lined the bowl of Bakso with a plastic sheet sheet. After use they just throw away the plastic and need not wash the bowl for the next person. Clever :)

I am blogging using Cititel Express WIFI right now, charged RM10 for 24 hours.

We checked in, earlier on in the afternoon at this hotel called 'Cititel Express' & was given a Superior Triple room on the 12th floor!


This hotel is new, the counter people said, only opened last year 2009.


Before paying and checking in, Noormy asked the counter people if she could see the room first, so I went up with her.
First thing I wanted to see was the bathroom, I am particular about that :p It was okay and has a good shower room.


The beds looks comfortable and are comfortable :)


And a flat screened Tv


Okay la tu!

257. Kinda Tired

I am feeling kinda tired this afternoon.



The whole morning from 8am - 12noon spent in my kitchen, helping Zu cooked 'Mi Kari' & ' Mi Laksa'. Zu wanted to get some friends to come home and eat today. Zu asked and told me of her wish last Friday. She can't cook those so in the end I was the one making the 'kuah' (soup or sauce) for both. She did the errands and the slicing of the chillies, tearing the cooked chicken meat, getting the boiled eggs peeled etc.

I asked her why not just cook one of them? Either Mi Kari or Mi laksa? Hish, she said one of them 'sik pandei' (local Sarawak language, means do not know) eat Mi Kari. And she could not cancel the Mi Kari because she has mentioned it in the first place.

Now, I am someone who do not like people messing in my kitchen. Hah, sounds like a stern person, am I? Yea, I hate don't like people using my kitchen and not leave it spotless clean later.
I always like putting things in their own place each time after use. Unfortunately Fortunately none of my girls are like me on this part :P

My son Farouk is. Surprisingly. No wonder the girls nicknamed him 'The Monk'.

How about your children? Any of them that follow any one of your bad good streaks?


On another note... It's been quite some time I'd wanted to add the FOLLOWERS gadget on this blog of mine.

TODAY, I have just added and you can see it underneath my HEADER up there :) It would be a pleasure to have you my dear blogger friends, as one of my favorite readers!

I hope you will sign in and I'll make sure I will sign in yours !



Cheerio.

256. One Old Picture

This picture was taken way back in 1973 when 6 of us were attached as Trainees Nurses to Serian MCH (Maternity Child Health) Clinic, Kuching. We were also attached in between to the 7th Mile Kuching Mental Hospital, looking after it's inmates.

Now this small town called 7th Mile or 'Batu Tujoh' is called Kota Sentosa. I am sure there has been a lot of changes going around that part of Kuching.
I hear this area is now a commercial hub for people from Batu Kitang, Kg. Haji Baki and surrounding areas. Kota Sentosa has also grown its importance due to it's vicinity of Army Camps. And now the Mental Hospital is called Kota Sentosa Mental Hospital. No more it is called the Mental Hospital Batu Tujoh.

During that year of our 7 weeks attachment there, we mixed with mothers and children from the rural areas, caring and looking after their welfare. And even the inmates of the Mental Hospital can become our friends. In their queer ways, I learned they were like us too, people who needs love.

Browsing in my picture folder, I found some old pictures which brought great memories. This one picture brought great memories among old friends. Standing right next to me, on my right is Dayang Betty from Sibu, next to Betty is Asma from Kuching and next to Asma is Tan Gek Eng (I think from Sibu). At the front sitting on their knees, nearest to me is Fatimah Otet from Kuching and next to her...Oh dear! I am trying to remember her name... It's Jama'yah, from hmmm... I think she is from Sri Aman. Yes, Sri Aman.

Today...these friends of mine must be either already retired, having grandchildren or maybe they are still working... most of all I hope they are safe, happy with families of their own.

Tetak buluh panjang suluh
Mari jolok sarang penyengat
Angkat doa jari sepuluh
Doa minta biar selamat

Tuailah padi antara masak
Esok jangan layu-layuan
Intailah kami antara nampak
Esok jangan rindu-rinduan.

Cheerio.

255. Ketchup Chicken Drumsticks

I was cleaning my big refrigerator's freezer compartment last night when I found 4 pieces of chicken drumsticks in a plastic bag. I almost forgot I have them there. Immediately I thought why not cook 'Ketchup Chicken Drumsticks' tomorrow? ( He he...if that's a name for a dish menu). So I started rummaging inside my vegetable fridge compartment and found some other things to add, 5 pieces of fresh red tomatoes and some fresh green chillies.

So that's how my dish of 'Ketchup Chicken Drumsticks' came about today.

I cut and cleaned the drumsticks, put them aside in a sieve.


Here comes the magic word, 'to cook, as always simple!' :)

I know I always says those words. Some thinks simple cooking are lazy cooking. But not for me. For me, simple cooking saves time and as long as the food I cook are good, fresh, nutritious and those that the whole family like to consume, that will be great for me! Plus the whole family loves what I cook and they know I cook with love. Ha ha...what am I doing? 'Angkat bakul sendiri ke??' :P

I do not any 'rempah tumis' to my cooking because my children do not like them. Once in a blue moon, if I think I MUST put them in, I will only add just a few of them inside the dish I am cooking.

Okay...to cook :-

Ground 3 garlic, 1 small red onion & a 2" ginger.
Heat some cooking oil in a big pan.
Saute those grounded ingredients into the pan.
Then add the cleaned cut drumsticks.
Pour 5 tablespoons of local dark soy sauce onto the drumsticks.
Stir well.
Add 2 glasses of water.
Let the chicken drumsticks come to boil and cooked.
Add 5 tablespoons of Maggi tomato sauce.
Add 2 teaspoons sugar.
Add salt and ajinomoto to taste.
Lastly add in the cut fresh tomatoes and the green chillies.

My homemade 'Ketchup Chicken Drumsticks'


Happy cooking!


Cheerio.

254. Half Day Gone

I put my hp alarm clock at 6am this morning. I only heard it at 10 past when it rung again after it snoozed for 10 minutes. I searched for my pair of spectacles to look at what it was. 6.10am I said to myself,' I wonder if I have enough time to get dressed, plugged some music to my ears, put on my Adidas sport shoes, go down stair put the laundry in the washing machine and unlock the main door and gate. Ok, I still have to go, it has been almost a month I had not exercised.

Having done all that, I get on my new Honda motorbike, start the engine, put on my helmet and off I went.

I felt like I want some fresh air blowing on to my face so that was why I decided to use the motorbike instead of drive the car. The morning fresh air will do me good I told myself.

My usual places that I went to brisk walk are either at the City Fan in town or to the hill which was just apposite 'Taman Awam Miri'. I chose the later as it was almost 7am (a bit late in case the sun has risen too high) and as it was nearer to my place.

I parked my motorbike at the bottom of the hill under a tree, making sure it is a safe place. Then I on my hp radio to listen to my 2 favorite Dee Jays at FM88.9 and got ready to walk briskly uphill.

I noticed there were already some house construction on my left side as I walked uphill. Things had come up fast here. I didn't see it when I last brisk walked this area.


I saw many cars belonging to joggers parked alongside of the road as I was brisk walking downhill


Soon after, as I returned back to where my motorbike was parked I took this view. Far ahead I could see the trees and hills still covered with the heavy morning dew. I stopped for several minutes to enjoy this view before I got on my motorbike to ride for home.


I reached home at 745am.

I felt energetic after that brisk walk. I should do this more often I told myself. The thing is, if I need to wake up early I should turn in early at nights but more often I did not :p Too much tv!

Anyway, I remembered Aya was on afternoon shift. I would make some potato soup with eggs and let her cook the vegetables today.

My Potato Soup with Eggs


This is just like making Egg Soup but I added some cube potatoes in it.

Ingredients & how to cook :-

Slice a 2" ginger thinly.
Ground 2 small red onions & 3 garlic.

In a pot, heat some cooking oil.
When hot, add in the ginger and the grounded onions & garlic.
Stir well until ingredients are aromatic.
Add water(how much soup I want) and bring to boil.

Meanwhile skin and cut 5 pieces of potatoes into small square cubes.
After cleaning under tap water, add the potatoes into the boiling water.
Let them become almost cook before breaking 3 eggs to the soup.

When cooked, add in 1 sliced red and 1 sliced green chillies.
I add a little white pepper to the soup as well.

Add salt and ajinomoto to taste.

So...that was half of my day gone.


Cheerio.

253. Beef Radish Soup

This is called Radish or 'Lobak Putih' in the Malay Language.

For some reasons, when I looked at this vegetable it brought back old memories to me and for many years I have nicknamed it 'Sayur Duit'.
Sayur Duit came about when I was a Staff Nurse trainee living in the hostel of Kuching General Hospital, way back in 1972. Almost everyday we ate this 'Lobak Putih'. The cook at the hostel sliced it thinly and cooked it in water without adding even anchovies or meat to it. We were eating just plain radish soup. So after duty in the hospital or back from the class rooms we would ask each other what was for lunch. The answer,'Sayur Duit!' ha ha ha...

I got so 'jelak'(bored) of eating it for too many years (3 years actually :P ) that when I got married I didn't want to buy it.

So... it happened I was browsing for vegetables at the Imperial Mall Supermarket last Sunday and saw it!
I forgive it! and bought these 3 pieces of radish (Today it's RM3.90 per kilo only).

I have some red meat in my refrigerator and meant to add only some minced red meat to it to make 'Radish Soup'. And I am glad I did, it taste nicer with some minced beef :)


Some minced beef


To cook, as always...very simple :)

Boil the minced beef in a pot of water.
When boiled, add grounded of 1 small red onion, 3 garlics and 2" of fresh ginger.
Let the meat become tender.
Add in the thinly sliced radish.
When the radish are soft, add salt and ajinomoto to taste.
Add some white pepper.


Homemade Beef Radish Soup



Serve hot.


Cheerio.

252. Bread Pudding For Desert

Last night Aya text me while she was at work, asking if I can make 'Bread Pudding' for desert today. Today she is off.

So, this morning first thing when I came down stair to the kitchen was to make the 'Bread Pudding'. It's quite a long while since I last made one. This is my late mom's recipe. A very simple one :)

My ingredients :-

5-6 pieces of bread
6 moderate eggs

1 glass of sugar

2 packets of 'Cocolin' powdered coconut milk (or fresh coconut milk)
2 glasses of water (to mix the powdered coconut milk with)
1 teaspoon flour
A pinch of salt


Methods :-

Before mixing the ingredients, I get ready and put my steamer on the fire.

I smear some butter on my Pyrex plate and arranged the slices of bread on it. Put it aside.


Then, I mixed these 2 packets of Cocolin powdered coconut milk with the 2 glasses of water. Put it aside.


After getting those ready, break and whisked the 6 eggs and the sugar in an electric blender.
Add in the pinch of salt. the coconut milk, and 1 teaspoon of flour.
Mix well.
Pour the mixed ingredients on to the plate of bread slowly, making sure all the mixture touches all parts of the pieces of bread.

I have divided my mixture into 2 plates, one plate I have 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence added to the mixture.
The other (the green one) I have added half a teaspoon of pandan paste to it.

That was just for different taste :)

The 2 plates of bread pudding were steamed for 35 minutes. When cooled, I covered them with my clear plastic sheet and refrigerate them.

After lunch or dinner everybody including Aya can have their share of my 'Bread Pudding' :)

Cheerio.