Ramblings2...

I was away from blogging as the dry spell seemed to continue.  The  'IT' is not there yet I suppose...So let's see whether the following pictures will give me any credit for my silence.

The following pictures were the spread that we had for our office potluck last Friday except for the last picture, that was my lunch last weekend.  Pure bliss sipping on my terung asam and daun singkel masak asam.   

 Laksa Penang contributed by Lia

 My contribution Fried Seafood Pasta

 and this one too, Potato with ikan bilis 

 Nasi goreng seafood

Terung Asam & Daun Singkel Masak Asam

Batik Perdani aka Kek Batik Arora

Lazing around with nothing to do last weekend prompted me to bake this simple cake. As the other food bloggers has baked this wonderful looking cake, I said to myself, why not?.. I just need to get that baking itch out anyway. At times I find it hard to decide to choose what to bake. Of course it depends very much on what is available in the pantry. Which reminds me of Nigella's pantry...berangan la nak dapatkan pantry like that huh?..

Well, you never knowkan, just becareful what you wish for sometimes as it may come true ***grinning***
So much for introduction kan. 

Sources:  Mamafami, CMG, Kak Yati & originally from Cida

My disastrous layering, at times I have a knack of trying to be sooo smart  hence the outcome of the so-called smartness.  Oh well, next time just go by the book huh..Dunno la what was in my mind when I started to do the layering.   

The cake was still quite hot and due to my impatience this is it..Taste wise was nice and not too sweet, mum loves it and I added 1/4 cup of almond meal(which  was due to expire in a months' time) so I might as well get rid of it before it ends in Mr. Bin.

So this is my version Kek Batik Arora but my mom called it Kek Perdani(means carpet in local Sarawak dialect). When I look at my cake, I cringe, obviously theirs look much more attractive and vibrant than my choice of colours.  Whatever la kan, I've tried it and it was a success indeed.  So who cares about the outcome, it was gone sekali duduk kata orang Sarawak. 


 

Missing but full of actions...

Been away and was actually experiencing a dry season of ideas. I am truly loss for words once I start to touch the keyboard. Yeah, I was away missing but full of actions. I was busy too here and there and acted as a tour guide to a friend who came to spend her weekend in Kuching last week. Glad that she managed to destress herself during the short visit. Well, sometimes you just have to get the stress bug out one way or another.

By the way, the following pictures is not at all related to the above.  I just found out that I have loads of outstanding pictures in my handphone, so am gonna share some of it here. 

These square cakes were simply delish, a colleague bought these at the Student Pavillion (a new food court in campus)  Frankly am not a fan of this kind of cake but I was wrong and I took a second helping of this. 

I tried this chocolate cake recipe a week ago, overall it's nice but the next time am gonna bake this I will substitute the oil with butter instead.  This recipe is definitely a keeper as mum has commended this cake, and since that she is very2 cerewet on my attempts of baking and trying out new recipes from the internet, that is good enough for me.  However mum has asked me to cut down on the baking soda though..hehehe.  I came across this beautiful recipe from Kak Paty's kithcen

Aha!! one of my favourites,  Mee Jawa Special.  I have been patronising this Malay stall at Chong Choon Cafe since my banking days at Jalan Abell.  I don't know how some are eating this, but I will take this with dashes of soy sauce and loads of cilipadi...andddddddd I always attack the gravy first (gosh!!! I'm salivating as I type this...)

My breakfast  the last few weeks, Mee Goreng Kapuas Mi with chilli padi and some Basil leaves. And so when the lazy bug strikes,  this is what I have instead of the ocassional fried rice or any heavy breakfast that I would prepare for the whole family on weekends. Pathetic?!!! No?...

There goes my entry for today.  Very lazy kind of entry...hmmmmm

Hello April

Alhamdulillah, April is here again. Thank you Allah for everything and the happiness in March and I pray April will be better....Amin Am in a good and jovial mood today and frankly I don't want to get myself carried away with the Monday blues thingy.. I am happy.................... I am dead tired but I am happy, happy, happy.............

Credit to Mr Google for the image

Infidelity

KEYWORD: MY FRIEND (N) HUSBAND (MR H) WIFE (MDM W)

The last thing that you expect to happen is to be dragged into a couple's marriage problem indirectly and sooner than you realised it their problem becomes your problem. This happened to a friend of mine. So now the scenario is like this, N is torn between two, Mr H is her boss and Mdm W is her friend(not a close friend either).

And what do I think of the whole situation?!!! As an observer I have strongly advised N to stay away from their problem and leave them be. I am not the right person talking about this kind of stuff and I may be right and wrong about this; but whatever it is I believe that any problematic marriage couple can sort it out for themselves without any interferences from any third party(not all of course but some.) I had one such experience and I lost the friendship of two friends. What started as sympathy for a friend whose husband was having an affair with his colleague(we were all colleagues then except for the wife who works at a different company) I never thought that things went out of control and by the end of it, I was being blamed for meddling too much but no point being defensive about that now, that happened a long time ago and some people just love to point fingers at somebody. I am definitely not proud of what I have done but being blinded by my sympathy for the wife I did all I could to help her save her marriage.  I believe I did the right thing then but I realized much later that there is a limit to everything.  Yes, both of them are together now. For all I care what's done is done, fine with me you won't admit your mistakes and holding your ego high up in the air. I just don't care at all. God knows best.

So, back to N, I told her to put a stop to everything. Just try to keep her distance from Mdm W. Easier said than done though, she's in the same office with Mr H and like I told N, sooner or later Mr H would find out that  Mdm W has been communicating with N about their problems.  Often, we are told to get the opportunity to do good deed in life and  there is no harm in extending any form of assistance  whatsoever but there is a limit to everything. Sometimes, one's noble act is another one's misery.  Apparently Mdm W has confided in  N and another friend about her troublesome marriage and I find some of the details of her story rather revolting. ***sigh*** the things women do to keep their men, mmmmm...My heart goes out to her after hearing what she went through all those years and the things she did to get his attention.  She has everything a woman could possibly want in this world, but not Mr H love.  Money certainly can't buy you happiness. On the other hand I don't want to be judgmental for both Mr H and Mdm W either.  I believe everything happens for a reason and these reasons are only known to both of them.   So who are we to simply justify their actions.  I pray that everything would be settled amicably between both.

As both of us are single and being surrounded by married friends, the thought of marriage does scares us especially when we hear a lot of similar stories such as the above couple but that does not deter us to keep on hoping and praying that our knights in shining armour would one day appear and sweep us off our feet. ***tsk***tsk***tsk***   
So to dear N, your border starts here and might as well end it now. It's not easy, I know.. but no means no.. 

Happy birthday Mak.

It was Mak's 60th birthday yesterday but we celebrated it quietly as Mak is not the type that goes out to eat as she is very2 particular how the food is prepeared outside etc..but anyway dear sister brought this beautiful mixed fruit cake with fondant icing courtesy of her dear chef friend.

To Mak, here's wishing you a very happy 60th birthday. Alhamdulillah, after all those years of experiencing some of the most difficult times in our lives, your high spirit and independence has managed to help this family unite despite of the many obstacles that came with it. Being the eldest though not the closest to you I have witnessed some of your weak moments, though you tried very hard to hide them from me but I knew that most of the time you would cry your heart's out alone in your room.  You have steered the family to some very stormy situations though some were settled amicably and some failed, I love the fact that you always keep your head high up though your heart is twisted with anguish and frustrations.

Semoga mak panjang umur, dimurahkan rezeki, dikurniakan kesihatan yang baik dan dirahmati Allah swt selamanya.

Hugs......    

 

Phewww!!!

Today was a deadlock situation for me, datelines to finish and I'll be on leave tomorrow to accompany mom for her errands. My boss is having this meeting tomorrow and he needed loads of input, it was a heavy task today but all done and over with. So I hope to be on leave in peace tomorrow, no phone calls or anything
emergency from the office tomorrow.

Cherry tomato salad

Made this last weekend, surprisingly this local cherry tomatoes were very sweet.  I just made a very simple salad with dash of grapeseed oil, squeeze of lemon juice, sliced shallots and black pepper.  Very refreshing on a hot day indeed!!!  

Note:  this particular entry was supposed to be out last Tuesday but the internet was chaotic that day hence a delayed entry..tsk! tsk! tsk!