Potluck Party & Moroccan cooking

Kak N just moved to a new place and called for a potluck party the other day... on Good Friday. By the time I arrived, the dining table was filled with soo much goodies, there was no space for my Arabic Bread and Keema.

Kak N made Swedish sandwich, a special request from AJ. It was delish! Really really rich!
Kak S made Pilaf, Kak H made Satay Goreng and S made Briyani. There was also fried chix wings, salad.... Kak N even prepared some appetizzers. I could sit and eat forever! The highlight of the night is Kak N's infamous cheese cake. Kinda regretted that I didn't take pictures. Didn't cross my mind to bring camera....

Everyone got to bring the leftover food home. Heheh.. F was soo looking forward to the food when he came back from his night shift. We had a huge brunch. I saved the Satay Goreng and the leftover Arabic bread in the freezer. Planning to make a wrap with lettuce and onion and salsa. Hahaha....

Mum gave some Mee Rebus gravy earlier (Saturday). And MIL is having a religious feast today (Sunday), that would mean more food! I have more cooked food in my freezer than non-cooked items. That's a load off me brain for a week I guess.....

But I have been researching for new recipes. I borrowed two books from the library the other week... Moroccan Cooking and Thai Curries. Thai Curries in anticipation of our upcoming trip.. I know overly enthusiatic. But hey.. that's me!!

Moroccan cooking is so amazing. The ingredients are easy to get since they are quite common spices in Malay cooking. Things like Cumin seeds/ powder, Flat Parsley, Cilantro. Even if your nearby Mama shop doesn't sells it, I'm very sure Mustafa would. I like how their recipe combines meat and veg in one dish. And they combine a sweet veg with spices for a balanced flavour. There's lots of beef and lamb recipe which is what I was looking for. I'm trying to cook less chix and more beef and lamb. I am trying to wean F from chix... heheh. and Oh! Most of the recipe calls for you to pop the dish into the oven. Me likey!! That way, you just put it in the oven... and I can sleep (after night shift) or do other stuff... and do not have to worry. But have to stock up on the alu-foil. I might just get my own book!

Indonesian Caramel Cake aka Kek Span

I've been glued to the TV since Monday morning when I opened my eyes at MIL's place. And I continued the saga at home.. watching a new... well not new NEW... but it's called Weeds from Showtime. It's desperate Housewives cross SITC cross something... But i supp Showtime won't described it like that, cos most of the reviews goes something like... it is better than anything on HBO. Oooohhh....

F pulled me away from TV to retrieve a work file just a few minutes ago. And I thot... OK might as well update the blog. I owe Kak S this recipe for the longest longest time. Here goes:

Indonesian Caramel Cake aka Kek Span
**yields a 8X8" cake

6 eggs
80 g Butter (softened)
200 g sugar
210 g all purpose flour
1 can of evaporated milk
2 tsp bicarbonated soda

150 g sugar with 100 ml water... to make golden syrup. yields abt 180ml golden syrup.

Instructions
1. Beat eggs and sugar. Mix well.
2. Pour in the flour and bicarbonate soda and evaporated milk and beat well.
3. Then add in the Golden syrup and beat quickly
4. Sieve the mixture and add the softened butter
5. Leave mixture for at least 4 hours... preferably overnight
6. Bake using the bottom heat first until it rises
7. Then use both top and bottom heat

The recipe comes from my mum. And the above was translated from her cursived handwriting in Malay. I hope I did well in the translation. Esp. the part abt pouring the Golden syrup in quickly. Her exact words were "...masukkan gula goreng kacau dengan cepat baru ditapis masukkan pula mentega.." No fullstop, commas.

I am yet to try the recipe. At least by putting it in here, I know where to find it when I decided to make it... and misplaced the recipe again.

Good luck Kak S!!!

Cakes fior SIL and a TERRIBLE Migrane

OK. I managed only about 100 little sunflower cupcakes just like the ones I made in Oct for Eid Celebration. I also managed about 30 little choc tarts, before the TERRIBLE Migrane hit me realll bad. I've already got 2 batches of the tart dough in the freezer. And I could not take it anymore. I made one big tart and that was it.

F managed to arrange to visit NATAS Fair and we got our trip to BKK arranged. Yeay!!! MBK here we come. Younger BIL just returned from his second trip from BKK and he has maps and lots of tips for us. Mum gave me leftover Thai Bahts from her last trip. Shessh... it's like everyone had gone there before except us.

F stuck to the plan and research that my colleagues and I had made. He took up Thai Airways and choose for us to stay at Baiyoke Suite. Yeay!!!

Our plan is to go there with empty bags. Just the clothes on our back and shop shop shop!! I'm even gonna get toiletries from the Boots Pharmacy there... rather than bringing from SIN.

I've already got a list of stuff to buy:

- Fake Birkenstock and fisherman's pants for Fourth Month

- A retro sling handbag for SIL

- A bunch of clothes for Ulfah

- A bunch of clothes for First Bro youngest son

- Possibly curtains and cushion for this year's Eid celebration

- Clothes for me me me

- F's prob want those fisherman pants too

More updates after April on our BKK trip. Yeay!!

Oh oh oh!! and K, you'll be glad to know that we will be using the GBP that you gave us for our wedding pressie as spending money for the trip. Nope, have not changed it to SGD yet. We are holding on to it till we go to BKK in April. It'll be money well spent!!!