Everyday Malaysian

This is just like the Everyday Italian where the beautiful host Giada De Laurentiis show you how to make a very simple Italian dishes for everyday eating. Well, I'm just so much Malaysian that I couldn't live without eating rice. Of course I can survive by eating bread or pasta everyday but since you have a choice so you just end up eating Malaysian dishes everyday. After all, our local dishes are so rich in flavors and oil too. It just kind of make you addicted.

So, today's lunch is a quick and easy one. Fried fish and fried shrimps. Everything fried, how unhealthy. Well, I just made fresh salad few days ago and that will balance back for the whole week. Fair enough, huh?

Fried Shrimp With Chillies

Quick and easy and super duper delicious too! Just sprinkled the shrimps with tumeric powder and lil' bit of salt. Fried the shrimp on high heat with sliced onions and garlic. Keep aside and on the same skillet, fried some onions and garlic again, add in Sambal Olek and stir well, add in some dark soy sauce and oyster sauce, add in some sugar and stir until the chillies thicken, you can add a dollop of butter to thickens it, then put back the shrimp into the skillet, mix well and it's done!


Fried Fish with Bell Pepper

As easy as 1,2,3.. marinate the fish with tumeric powder, paprika, salt and fish sauce. Let it sit for 1/2 hour. Then, fry the fish. I love crispy fish. Put the fish on the plate. Using the same skillet and oil, fry the red and green capsicum, onions and garlic (cubed em while frying the fish). Fried until the onion and garlic has turn light brown. Dashed in some light soy sauce, sprinkle some black pepper and let it simmers for a while. Pour the whole things on the fish and you're good to go.

Back to school!

To honor the request from my best friend's Farie, I am now created this entry because she wanted to know how's it like study abroad. To Farie..

To begin with, I had finished my first degree in December 1999 and started worked seriously in July 2000 with a consultant firm in PJ. I worked there for 2 years and I met great people there like Serena, Jennifer, Anita, Amudha, Shan and several others. It was great working in a small company, we had about 40 staff then, and it was a great experience too. Unfortunately, I'm getting tired of keep changing my designs due to the change in landuse and elevation as the clients keep changing their minds and you have to keep changing the levels and all. We don't use any robust software except for the old Windows spreadsheet and I was getting sick of it. Luckily, I was so much in love with my husband (boyfriend then) that you know, girls in love always kind of doped up with drugs and all that made not so nice job and rented apartments seems such a very small matters. Anyways, I end up married and 2 months later I was pregnant. I was about 3 months pregnant when I started to prepare several application letters to several firms thinking that I will send those after 9 months.

Then, the interview letter from JPA came. Well, I had received several interview before like for PTDs, for Vocational Officer but I want to be a civil engineer and I don't give a heck whether I'm a good one or not as long as the job title is engineer. Hey, I had to shove some sands making concrete block and dumped it in a septic pond only for nothing? I know I'm not doing great in my undergrads but that was because I don't know what I want then but I do know that I wanted to be an engineer for better or for worst. OK, back to the letter, it was an interview for an engineer post at JPS. I always fond of water. Water simply such a fascinate substance to kind of fall in love with. So, I went to Putrajaya for the interview with nothing to lose for. I declined every questions to post me at any other states than Klang Valley. I can't even answer anything about Ministers and all (that will certainly disqualified me for a PTD) and amazingly I got the job. Reason is I believe they need staff and I got some experience too. I did answer very well for any technical related questions they asked me so I can work but my political knowledge sucks! Surprisingly, a week after, I received another letter from JPA for JKR interview. I'm bad at structures and working with highways also not such a job I'm looking forward to so I'm stick to JPS. It was like I meant for it because a year before that I got myself fall into a main drain in Greenwood. I realized later that it was like kind of a sign or something. I believe that because to my knowledge, my friends who are now engineer in JPS, all of them had kind of incident with drains and I don't asked each and every single engineer in JPS of course, but it was kind of bonding I suppose. Yeah, I know it was just a coincidence! But, isn't it obvious and kind of freaky, don't you think?

My first office in DID was HTCKL. I liked the office very much but after sometimes I kind of tired doing the same collaboration and organizing events and whatnot. I wanted to be the presenter not the organizer anymore. So, after 3 and 1/2 years in HTC, I was posted to Hydrology and Water Resources Division at Ampang Branch. I was placed in Information Management Unit which deals with hydrological data and the operation of National Hydrological Network. It was very interesting to learn types of data and how do we collect and process the data but I wanted to know more than that and working there somehow had limited your time to learn more because we have so many other things like meetings..meetings...meetings.... and ISO..ISO..ISO... or people come to ask for the data. Hmm, that was pretty tiring and you end up doing nothing actually.. or maybe it was only me who end up doing nothing...LOL!

Anyway, a few months there and I already filled up the form to request a scholar for further my study. I even asked permission from Hubby if he's willing to sacrifice his job and come abroad to accompany me and the children of course. So, I submitted my application somewhere in June 2006 and I got the news from JPA on December the same year. I was ready to accept that I did not make it but I was so happy that eventually I did. I was offered a place at Delft, Netherlands. Well, that's where I would like to go at the first place before I changed it to USA. All in all, it took me a year later to come here. I was supposed to come here in Fall 2008 but I had postponed it to January 2009. Finally, on January 7th 2008, we flew from KLIA to LAX to DIA. So, here I am and here we are. I like CSU very much but somehow I wonder what will it be like studying in Europe. I have a wonderful advisor, Prof. Dr. Pierre Julien, a great man with a great heart and I have full support from my husband and the kids fine although they don't understand much. Well, at least they don't crying their heart out to go back to KL or so, so practically you can say it is understanding enough.

The study here is awesome! You can arrange your own schedule based on your interest and the subjects offered. CSU has plenty of choices and you can even widen your selection to other school like Natural Resources and they also have cool classes too. I like the system here that you keep doing your test and even carry some percentage for the total grade. It's not like Malaysian system where the finals normally will carry 70% to 80% of our total final grade. It's killing you and almost suicidal if the subject a hardcore. The resources is plentiful and even the teacher is knowledgeable that you feel at ease learning with them. Well, there are not so good teachers so being graduate student, I have more power to choose my subject and who I want to learn from. One thing excellent about CSU is, the subjects are plenty and so you don't have trouble choosing your classes based on your interest.

Wantan Mee Wannabe

I had a craving to have a good Wantan Dry Mee like I used to have it in Amcorp Mall, PJ. I saw the noodles in Viet Hoa so I bought it. I made this on Thursday and browse the recipe on the net and came out on my own conscience. It is not really Wantan because I don't make any Prawn Wantan or Chicken Wantan like the Chinese so this is more like Wantan Mee Wannabe. It was inspired but the Wantan Mee style but more like a fusion I may say.

The prep is tedious but it's a good turn out. There's a lot of things to prepare and you only have limited equipment and limited spaces too. The recipe is easy but a bit tedious to people like me.

1 chicken leg, boil it to make some sort of chicken soup. I throw some chopped ginger, onion, garlic and carrots to add some flavor. I even sprinkled a tiny dust of Garam Masala. Now, that's not really Chinese when you add in Garam Masala ok! Cooked well and after that use a fork or your own fingers to make shredded chicken similar like we make it for Soto Ayam.

For the sauce, well the Chinese don't eat hot and spicy like the Malays. I like hot and spicy but I don't want to make separate sauce. So, I just fried some onions and garlic, put in 3 tbs of Sambal Olek and stir well. Put in some Oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and some sugar because it's bit too hot. Add in some of the chicken soup to it and bring it to boil. The viscosity is to your own liking. I like it not too thick and not too thin.

The condiments, fried shallot, spring onions/green onions, lightly blanch mustard greens. As for the shrimp, I just drop it in the chicken soup for a while. Blanch the noodles for while and rinsed it with cold water then lightly rinsed with warm water again for seconds before you served. Well, you can serve it with chillies too but my sauce was too hot already. Just pour in some of the soup and eat. Bon Appétit

Seri Kaya

On my recent grocery trip to Denver last Sunday, I bought a can of Yeo's Kaya at Viet Hoa Supermarket for $2.28. It was rather cheap. I just bought one because I wanted to try it out first. Well, back home, I never bought any Kaya except for Gardenier's Aunt Rosie Kaya. Who want to eat a Kaya from a can where you can buy a better one? Even Aqil was asking me why don't I buy the one like I used to. So, I told him those are not available here. When I opened up the can, the color of the Kaya looks too bright but hey, you don't have a choice right? The taste are nice and it turned out that the boys loves the Kaya so much that they finished the whole can in a week. Aqif can eat up bread with Kaya up to 7 slices a day, ok?

So, the boys loves the Kaya and I ran out of it. I don't want to go to Denver just to buy a Kaya and so I was thinking hard to make the Kaya on my own. I never made a Kaya before. Heck, you can even count how many times I cooked in a year before and now, making my own Kaya? Isn't it too ambitious? So, today after lunch, I was so sleepy for over-eating ( I made Sambal Sotong and Ayam Goreng Berempah), I was trying hard not to sleep and so I said to myself, hey, let's try make the Kaya! So, I quickly browse for the recipe and try to find the easiest one.

I found one from Mak Lang. I think she had posted the recipe in Cari forum. I modified it to suit my taste and my degree of laziness and the availability in my kitchen. This is the original recipe:

1 cup of sugar + 3 egss (beaten until mixed well).....(1)
1.5 cup coconut milk....(2)
2 tbs corn starch.....(3)
1 cup of sugar + 1 cup of water (caramelized)...(4)

All the ingredients have to be mixed in order based on its number and cooked on a low heat until boil.

This is how I do it:

The recipe requested for gula hangus (caramelized sugar). Now, how on earth do I know how to caramelized the sugar? When I cooked it, it became granulated and I just don't know when it's going to melt and all I know is we are not supposed to let the sugar burn so I cooked it in a medium heat and started to curse myself for all the troubles just to make the Kaya. I could just let the boys eat the bread with jam and butter. So, after consider it might be a disaster anyway so I just pour in the water into the granulated sugar just like you make air gula. The color of course is clear brown and I keep on stir it until all the granulated sugar melt. Then, I let it cool on stove.

Next, I beaten the eggs and the sugar. Ohh, I did not measured the sugar correctly, well my style of cooking is always based on my own pleasure. So, I just used whatever amount I think is equivalent to a cup of sugar. Reason is, I am too lazy to take a cup and take a ladle and then spoon the sugar in a cup to make sure it is a cup of sugar. Anyway, so the eggs was beaten.

Then, I just mixed the Adabi Instant Coconut Milk (the small packet) mixed it with some warm water, also not measured accordingly and stir it well. Well, just use your common sense.

Now the cooking, in a pot (make sure the heat is set to low-med), pour in the beaten eggs and sugar, then in goes the coconut milk, next, quickly mixed wheat flour with some warm water and pour it in the pot, ( I don't have corn flour), after that sieve the caramelized sugar liquid and pour it in the pot. Stir well on the medium heat until it thickens. My mixture was too watery that I thought I just failed it but I keep on stirring the mixture. Now, because of my laziness for not measured the sugar, my mixture was too sweet I had to add another helpful of wheat flour into the pot to reduced the sweetness. It took me almost an hour to get something that looks similarly to a Kaya.

Well, I did it at last. I am so surprised and so pleased too. Here's the look. Finally, it worth the time and the trouble to make your own homemade Kaya. It is free from any artificial coloring or artificial flavor. Except, maybe from the Adabi Instant Coconut Milk but it tastes good. I gave Aqil a try and he loves it. So, I hope the supply will last for another 2 weeks or longer.

Click click

This is my workspace.. The Sony VAIO from Amazon.. printer from Office Max. Books all from CSU library. The pencil case from home, (used for QA4 at INTAN). The desk lamp from Target. The black computer desk, from Craiglist. The writing desk come with the apartment. This is my desk at its best so you can imagine when it's not. Not bad, eh?



These are my boys. Well, although they are boys, Mommy had decorated it with garlands of pink flowers. Well, Mommy loves flowers and since Mommy don't have any girl of her own to put in pretty pink flowers on, so, I'm sorry boys, you have to deal with it. Like it or not, it seems soothing to my eyes.. Although, Mommy know it's a NO-NO to boys..

Anyways, meet Aqif and Aqil. Aqif the little one looks a bit reserved and Aqil seems to flash his dolly eyes and somehow peculiar smile.. So, Aqil and Aqif.. sorry for the flowers and the pink buttons, OK?


Muhammad Aqil Muzaffar
January 12, 2003
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Favorites:
roti canai, pizza, burger, coke, orange juice, cakes, chocolates, daging masak kicap

PS2 games- God of War, Ben 10, Avatar, Naruto 3, Ninja Turtle, Jack II, Black, Spiderman, Bully,etc


Notes:
Mommy would not allow you to own an X-BOX
Mommy was sorry to break you Bully disc into 2 bcos you are too young to play Bully



Muhammad Aqif Muzaffar
June 24, 2005
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Favorites:
roti canai, cereals, fresh milk, orange juice, cakes, jam, chocolates, nasi kicap

Power Rangers, Teletubbies, Blue's Preschool, Mickey Mouse, Barney, and science fiction movies


Notes:
Mommy was sorry for selling the Apple PC because the Apple was too old and too slow.
Mommy will buy you a laptop, OK?

Geert Wilders Hates Islam

So, who the hell is this guy? Why he is so hateful to Islam? Why he is such a mess?

I think his popularity is declining and he needs to get it back. It's similar to celebrities who need to create a havoc to attract people attention and this freak learned from his past lesson that he earned an extra 3 seats in 2006 following his mocking to Muhammad SAW by drawing cartoons. Now, no more cartoons but a provocative film called Fitna and this was the most insulted movies ever made. He said his intention was to tell the truth and to hell what others think. For me this man does not know the truth. Perhaps by making this movie, may be his wish of becoming Dutch Prime Minister might come true then. Do you want this guy to be your leader? Ewww, that must be really gross!!

I am a Muslim and I love peace. I believe everyone in this whole universe loves to be with people they loves and to be respected for who they are. Although there are cases with maniacs who kill people for nothing or in this case who hates people for nothing. This guy had extract a few of the Holy Quran verses and only portrays what he wanted to portray. The truth is people can't just take out bit and pieces without showing the whole things. It's like the scene you see in the movie where the killer walked away while the innocent was found holding the bleeding knife or whatsoever and was put to jail for the crime he did not committed. Or just like the advertisement with nice sexy looking skin that at first look you thought it was a woman bottom but it turned out it was her feet!

There you go.. in this case although I do admit there are people out there who was a bit too extreme but why are they acting like that? If you were living in Palestine, poor and suffering with a never ending war, you might hates Jews as much as Hitler hates Jews or as much as Jews hates Hitler. Take the case in Bosnia or something else which involves the massacre of Muslims in the hands of Christians or Jews. There are people in this world who always being a victim to an extremists. Now, why this man hates Islam so much?

Gee..I don't know. What I know is the Jews thinks they are the most finest men on earth, the Arabs thinks they are the most finest too and the rest falls apart. For me, let's live in peace, don't bother about others and let other's don't bother about us. Islam teaches all Muslims to be nice to their parents and family, be nice to your neighbors and be nice to your fellow friends. In Surah Al-Kafiirun, the Muslims are taught to respect other religions as well as we wanted others to respect Islam. The translation as follows:

1. Say you, O infidels!
   
2. I worship not that you worship.
   
3. And nor you worship what I worship.
   
4. And I shall not worship what you worshiped.
   
5. And nor you shall worships what I worship.
   
6. For you, your religion. and for me my religion.

So, obviously this Dutch politician should learn more thoroughly before making a "fitnah" to Islam. All Muslims loves peace and we respect others like we wanted people to respect us. All religions wanted their believers to be nice and good. Good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. So, make your choice and be nice and good. Treat others as you would want people to treat you and respect their belief as you would like people to respect yours. The world itself is full of diversity. You have diverse cultures, foods, weather and what not and of course you have diverse religions and belief. Choose whatever suit yours only don't ever insult others.

So, shall we call for a boycott Dutch products? I guess we shall. Here's the list:

Foods
Dutch Lady - Milk/Diary Products
Ferrero Roche - Chocolate
Wall’s - Ice Cream
Planta -Margerine
Lady’s Choice -Margerine
Lipton -Tea
Knorr -Food Additives
Sunlight - Margerine
Kieldsens -Chocolate
Lego -Raisin
Duyvis -Junk Food
Gouda -Cheese
Pickwick -Tea
Venz -Chocolate Butter
Kinder Bueno -Chocolate
Unilever -All products
Dumex -Milk Powder
Nutricia -Baby Milk
Doriana -Cheese Cream
Bertolli -Cooking Oil

Households
Breeze -Detergent
Sun -Detergent
Surf -Detergent
Wishbone -Detergent
Sunlight -Dishwasher Liquid
Cif -Floor Detergent
Robin -Floor/Apparels Cleaner
Ariel -Floor/Apparels Cleaner
Omo -Floor/Apparels Cleaner

Personal Care
Dove -Bathing
Radiant -Deodorant
Rexona -Deodorant
Ponds -Beauty Product
Slimfast -Slimming Product
Clear -Shampoo
Sunsilk -Shampoo
Fair & Lovely -Cosmetics
Lux -Bath/Shower Soaps
Vaseline -Lip Balm
Labello -Lip Balm

Others
Shell -Petrol
ING -Insurance
Philips -Electrical Products

PLEASE BOYCOTT DUTCH PRODUCTS. THANK YOU.