284. At Half Price!

I love going to 'One Stop Stores', and look what I found at the 'One Stop Store' at the new Center Point, Miri!

These 'microwave safe airproof' plastic containers! One only costs me RM1.25 each, at half price!

I make it a point to visit this store especially when any festival celebrations is going on. Then I get lots of thrifty buys !!

Like now another celebration is going on this coming 1st June, the 'Gawai Celebrations'. These containers are useful to store food in the fridge or even serve them on the table. These in my picture are the smaller ones, which I use for my cendol stuff. There are also a bigger ( about 5" in diameter) version of these same containers which cost only at RM2 each (I bought 2 for my food).

What I like about these containers is because it has 2 small holes at the lid which you can open and close. So if you want to microwave heat your food, just open the lids of the 2 small holes so the food won't spill over when it is heated.

The lid has 2 small holes at the side

Plus it is my favorite color, green! LOL..

I am going to buy some more of the bigger version of these containers before the sale is over so I can store my other food in my fridge :)

Cheerio.

283. Daging Ketchup

Now that I have started to do my 'Cendol Business', I can't all the time be at the kitchen to cook :p

So, what I decided to do is, cook one dish which I can always keep in the freezer and when there ain't enough 'lauk' (menu) on the table I will scoop out some of this dish to add to on the table. Do you get what I mean? :)

I cooked a meat dish I called 'Daging Ketchup'

My 'Daging Ketchup'


Ingredients :-

2 kilo meat (cut into medium cubes)
1 cup dark soy sauce

1 cup Maggi tomato sauce

3 tablespoons of sugar or according to your taste

2" ginger
3 shallots

3 garlic

Ground ginger, shallots and the garlic.

Saute the grounded ingredients in some oil in a big pan.

Add in the clean cut meat cubes into the pan.

Add in the dark soy sauce.

Let the meat boil and become tender.

Add some water in the process of letting the meat become tender.

Later add in the Maggi tomato sauce.

Let it boil, the ingredients mixed well and at the end process not too much sauce.

Add the sugar.

Add a pinch of salt (already salty due to the soy sauce) and ajinomoto.

When cool store in containers and freeze. Keep some for eating at the table.

My 'Daging Ketchup', I keep in one or two of these containers to be freeze :)

p/s. If you are wondering where I am blogging this, I am down stair in front of my old pc, in between attending and watching for 'cendol' customers he he... sempat!! LOL

Happy Holidays everyone!

Cheerio.

282. Still On Cendol

Sorry for this late entry :)

These 4 items are for my cold drinks which I called 'ABC' . There are lots of other types of cold drinks I sell but this is my basic, utmost important or theme of my small humble stall he he...


The green one is called 'Cendol' in the Malay language. I do not make this myself but I got to know a friend who made this quite commercially when I started selling my cendol in 2005. She also send to many other supermarkets (almost all the supermarkets in Miri e.g. Boulevard at the Imperial Mall, the Servay Hypermarket, even at Kenyalang) . The best part is she sells me at a lower price than the Supermarkets LOL.. she says,' Buy from me la, no need to spend time making it'.

She also make the 'Cincau' (the black jelly) . So I also get this from her each time I ran out of the 2 items.
I get these 2 items direct from her house and I know exactly when to get them fresh. Usually she finished cooking these 2 items around 3pm everyday and those are to be sent the next morning to the supermarkets.

So I only make the red colored 'Sago' pellets myself. I also make the big 'Sago' pellets (not in the picture).


These small sago pellets are white when I buy them. I cook them in hot boiling water, rinse dry and then I colour it with food coloring (any color but I prefer this bright red ).

My Red Sago Pellets



Back to the top picture, can you see the red beans? I like to buy these. They sell in tins, called 'Kidney Beans' . I used to cooked the red beans which I bought in kilograms before but now I prefer these kidney beans because they are more tastier :)

Well, the other ingredients to mix these four, all I have to do is add evaporated milk, some sugar solution (measured, otherwise I wouldn't know how sweet) and add my machined ice!

For ABC drinks I used 'Gula Apong' (brown sugar) solution.

I also sells 'Pop Ice' drinks. Ever seen or drink them?

Pop Ice in Many Flavors


Strawberry Flavored Pop Ice. My chocolate flavor has ran out!


Other cold drinks beside ABC are 'Fruit Cocktail' with milk, 'Special', ice 'Laici', ice 'Longan', ice 'Air Bandung', ice 'Asam Boy' and many flavored ice syrup drinks. I gradually want to add more and improve on the present drinks as much as I can :)


This is a view of my present stall cabinet :p Today I've started to sell 'Rojak Buah' (can I say fruit salad?) too!



Fruits I've cut and displayed in my cabinet, pineapple, cucumber, buah 'sengkuang' (yam bean?), buah kedondong (great hog plum) and buah asam (mango, from my own tree).




This is my Rojak Sauce. If the sauce is nice and tasty then the 'Rojak' or fruit salad will be nice and tasty too :) I add some sesame seeds in mine. When I serve or 'tapau' (bring home) for the customers, I sprinkle some crushed groundnuts to make it even more tastier!


I was too busy serving and 'tapau' the 'Rojak' today I forgot to take a picture of it!

The next time ok :)


Cheerio.

281. Selling Cendol

Today is quite hectic. I keep on going out and spending money. Why, because I decided to start again my 'Cendol Business' he he...

I know, I know, most of you my dear friends didn't know that in 2005 I started selling cold drinks at my stall in front of my house gate. I still remember the date, on 6th March, that year. Business was slow at first but gradually by 2007 it was good. Well, it was fun, I enjoyed myself, kept busy and it was fun handling money in my hand LOL...

Of course ada 'rezeki' dari hubby end of the month, but I was used to work for my own money, so I do feel better saving my 'own' money too. What say you? :p

Unfortunately, Noormy, my youngest daughter who was helping me at that time got a job at Marriot Resort & Spa in November 2007 and at the same time Zu my eldest daughter, who was married had just delivered her son (Alif) and had asked me to look after him when she was working. So I did, and stopped selling.

Now she had stopped working so I asked her to help me start again my 'Cendol Business'. We started today. That's the reason I was so occupied yesterday shopping for the 'Cendol' stuff. I still have my old stall and the ice machine, so that was easy. All we need was to clean the stall up and re-oil the ice machine.

Ok... I should be turning in a bit early tonight as I need to wake up tomorrow as usual but more work to do.

till then, I'll be posting more about this tomorrow evening!

This is an old picture of my 'Cendol' stall which I took last time I was selling, just to let you have a glimpse of it :p

There is no big change with the stall & my ice machine (can you see it? :) The stall is facing the roadside.

Cheerio.

280. For Rent

Okay...I've got my new small house for rent now.




There is one young couple coming in end of June.

My new tenant came yesterday to pay a deposit of 3 months. He and his newly married wife will be staying in then after their 'bersanding' in their hometown Perak.

Many wanted to rent since I put up the notice for 'rent' 2 months ago. At first I was not sure what to do with the house, to rent or not to rent. Initially, I thought of doing some renovations but later made up my mind to rent for a year or two then only do some renovations.

Perhaps I was not sure to rent it to who. Now I know. I prefer either a young Malay couple or single Malay men who came together to share one house. Preferably teachers, like those who came previously.

Hmm...reason? because if there aren't any children there wouldn't be any scribbling on the walls :P

Now at last I feel I've got a suitable couple to stay in :) My tenant is a teacher, polite and nice when talking to me.

So yesterday things were settled and we signed a simple M.O.U.

He told me he will be going back to Semenanjung to 'bersanding' this 27th May. He and his wife have already 'bernikah' before he came to Miri. After 'bersanding' he will returned to Miri with his wife on the 20th June.

I told him that was cute! Over here in Sarawak Malay marriages are done a little differently. Usually a young couple 'bernikah' on a Saturday and immediately 'bersanding' the next day, or both done on the same day :)

I think either ways are the same, right? Correct me if I am wrong please :)

The most important thing is the 'bernikah' part because then a couple is pronounced husband and wife in front of the Kadi ( a Malay Religious judge) according to the Islamic Laws.

Having those thoughts in my mind, I wish my tenant and his wife 'Selamat Bersanding'.


p/s. 'Bersanding' is a couple sitting close next to each other doing the wedding rituals.


Cheerio.

279. AF8

Shahir is the Winner of one of the top Malaysian reality shows in tonight's concert. Actually I haven't been following this year's 'Akademi Fantasia 8' weekly shows like I did in the last year's 'Akademi Fantasia 7'.

Why, it's because I find the students of this year's Af aren't that good or as daring and as challenging as last year's. No one came out of their 'shell' :) . Almost right from the start I knew that Shahir would be the winner. And he is.

The 5 finalists in tonight's final night. from left :- Shahir, Iwan, Maulana, Daus and Adira.

Congratulations Shahir! I like you!

p/s. Pictures are from Astro.

Cheerio.

278. Books I am Reading

When I go travelling or going out somewhere, for example to pay bills at the Post Office where I need to wait I will bring a Reader's Digest with me in my handbag. If there is a long queue until my number is called I will take a seat and open to read my Reader's Digest. I prefer reading it at these time because it contained short stories.

There are a selections of articles. one on 'Laugh', 'Quotes', 'Puzzler' and 'Last Laugh' which I enjoy reading. The best article is 'My Story'. This is a regular feature about moving, challenging or amusing true personal experiences above and beyond the call of daily life. And if you get your story published they will pay you $350 Singapore Dollars for it.

Nowadays, a copy of Reader's Digest costs me RM16. Expensive. The one in the picture is my February edition which I bought when I was on my trip to Kuching. Lately I go to my local library which is only a 5 minutes walk away from my house to read the latest Reader's Digest. I will buy one when I am off for my next trip to Kota Kinabalu in November :)

Reader's Digest


Now I am a member of the local library, have been for the last 5 years. As a member I am entitled to borrow 3 books at any one time for 2 weeks. I only wish I can finish all the 3 books in 2 weeks. Often I have to go back to the library to get a re 'chop' so I can borrow the same book for another 2 weeks!

I like to read local writers. I find it is easier to apply the tips they gave me. For example this gardening book here, it is written by a female writer who is born in Malacca. And the plants are all those that I can find around in my hometown. I am not an ardent gardener myself, but these are tips especially for beginners and are useful to know :)

Tanaman Hiasan Ruangan

This is another book I borrowed. This was written by a Malaysian lady Cecilia Tan.

I don't read all what's written in this book, just here and there where I find good. For example there's one topic on tips to 'stay calm when driving' and there's another topic called 'Happiness is managing your thinking style'. Some I know but there is no harm reading them and knowing that I am on the right path, right? :p

Mom's Tips for Happiness

My third book is an English novel. I love Jackie Collins books.

This book is called 'Drop Dead Beautiful'. This is about the continuing adventures of the Santangelo family. The first book was called 'Chances', which I have read not once but twice LOL..

Drop Dead Beautiful

Surprise, surprise, I also read Malay novels! I have this book by Nia Azalea called ' Seredup Kasihmu'. I like Nia's books. Her Malay language well put and simple.

Seredup KasihMu

I usually don't read Malay love stories but if the writer is Nia Azalea I do.

If you have any other writer on Malay novels or even English novels (that you know & think it is nice ) do let me know :)

Until then, happy reading!

Cheerio.

277. My 5 Cats

Of all my 5 cats, Wiwi is my favorite. He is my own male cat which I adopted from my son Farouk (he owned a lot of cats which he sold to some Bruneians who wants to have cats as their pets). I adopted Wiwi five years ago.

Wiwi is half Siamese half Persian. His mother Wini was a Siamese cat and his father Tomi was Persian.

Wiwi

It rained the whole day today, since early this morning, until now. When it is a cold day, Wiwi likes to sit at any corner of the kitchen floor while waiting for me to finish my cooking. He seems to know by 1pm or 130pm I will be going up stair to my room. That's when he wants to be let into my air conditioned room to sleep.

This is Pinky ( I called him 'Baby') . He is such a baby. He is scared of everyone except me. And he doesn't like anyone except me LOL... He wasn't mine initially. He belonged to Zu my eldest daughter. After she had her son she doesn't seem to have time to look after Pinky, so I said give him to me and she did.

Pinky is a grouchy Persian cat. He likes to be alone most of the time. Good thing too because his right eye is always troubling him. Every morning I have to clean his eyes with warm water and drop eyedrop in his right eye.

Pinky (Baby)

This is Cemi, a male ordinary cat. I found him at the shop where I always buy my cats' Whiskas and litter sands from. He was for free. I like his 2 big eyes that was why I adopted him. At first he was such a noisy little cat who didn't like to be in his cage at night. Now he is used to it. On a cold day he loves being cuddled. Here hubby held him for a while after his lunch.

Cemi

These 2 are Siamese cats, brother and sister whom I adopted from my son as well. Actually the female (on the right with the black nose) belonged to my 3rd daughter Aya, who now seemed to be too busy with work. She is called Mili and her brother (on the left) is called Melo. On a cold day like this, these 2 likes to cuddle together.

Melo & Mili

Their favorite place to laze is under my kitchen table

Only Wiwi gets his 2 hours sleep in my room ha ha....& what a pose!

Recently I told hubby I would like to give away one or two of the four cats to anyone who'd like to give them a home. I wanted to only keep Wiwi with me. But hubby disagree, he says it is good to keep them, 'Murah rezeki' (Good things always come your way) he said.

Is that true?

Do you like cats?

Cheerio.

276. What's Up Today

Noormy and I had 'Mi Kolok' for breakfast this morning. We went to our favorite Mi Kolok shop situated near the Centre Point.

Mi Kolok is very popular in Sarawak.
It is the famous mi in Sarawak beside 'Laksa Sarawak'. Make sure you try it when you visit Sarawak :)
There is a few types of Mi Kolok. The common two are 'Mi Kolok' basah (wet), the soup and mi mix together and 'Mi Kolok' kering (dry), one eats the mi and then follow by the soup.

'Mi Kolok' garnished with beef slices, fried onion slices and salted radish slices.



Noormy eating Mi Kolok :p Both of us prefer to order 'Mi Kolok' kering with the soup aside in another bowl.


The soup is just a simple soup, beef soup with some 'taugeh' (bean sprout) in it. But what we like is the chilli 'sambal' that we eat with the 'Mi Kolok'. It is sparingly hot and sourish. It's blended chillies with garlic and some tomato sauce in it.


The 'Mi Kolok' Sambal, see...it was almost full earlier on LOL...



It was almost like 10 o'clock when we first sat at the shop and it was a hot day today. So I was feeling thirsty so I asked for this drink, fresh lime juice. Very refreshing.
 


We arrived home late, about 1130am and straightaway I went to check my 'Sardine Fish' which I left grilled with low fire in my oven.

My Grilled Sardine Fish, just out of the oven!



Lucky, I still have some fish soup which I stored in my refrigerator. I quickly heat that up. I looked at the wall clock, my son and hubby will be coming home for lunch at 12 noon! I barely have enough time to make some soy sauce with chillies to eat the Sardine Fish with he he....

This consists of 4 big red chillies plus 3 'cili padi' (very hot small chillies) grounded with 3 garlic. Then I add in some dark soy sauce and sprinkle some white vinegar in it.

Walaaa...I have something to dip in the sardine fish with :p



Last but not least, (I happened to have this in my freezer today) some chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavored icecream for desert!


Have a wonderful day everyone!


Cheerio.