GROUP O: they can't stand people who hide the truth

Interesting findings noted about people with O-type blood. How do they come out with these I don’t know, but it quite accurate.

Basic Behaviour:
* Make objectives clear
* Posses great deal of confidence
* They are honest, optimistic and energetic

Tolerance
* Their strength and endurance depend on their aim.
* They can give up easily when they find a job meaningless

How do they see their future and past
* They are positive about their past thus they normally don't regret about their past.
* They seek financial stability for the future.

How do they express their emotion
* They are usually stable and calm
* But they are very sensitive towards sincerity
* They give straightforward opinions

How do they work
* Their concentration varies from time to time depending on their aim
* They mostly prefer to lead
* They tend to overlook details

Tikar Mengkuang

It is pretty hard to find tikar mengkuang today. I think it is slowly being replaced with the plastic mat. It took me ages to find somebody that can make one for me and my quest to find tikar mengkuang had brought me all the way to Terengganu. I remember when I was small, an old lady used to come door to door to sell tikar mengkuang, but not anymore. I’m not sure whether she is still around but I haven’t seen her for ages. In my opinion, not only it the art of weaving tikar meangkuang is dying, the mengkuang itself is hard to find today.

Some people frowned when I asked whether they know of any place/people that sell tikar mengkuang. They think that I’m old fashion girl. I don’t care what people think but I know that I love the smell of tikar mengkuang and I want one for my room. It feels so comfortable to sleep on it on a hot day and it also reminds me of my childhood.

The whole weaving process is a dying art and not many from our young generations are keen to learn it. I think the Craft Center is making the effort to preserve the skill. I saw some tikar mengkuang being displayed at the center in Kota Bharu. The tourists seem to appreciate it but our own people….

Bring on the dessert

I saw this glossy photo of Chinese dessert that incorporates snow fungi, red dates in the Food Magazine. It looks pretty nice but I’d never really have one from the restaurants here as I don’t know if they serve one. Maybe they do, but I still want to make one for my Sunday’s lunch.

I bought the dried snow fungi, red dates and longan from Tesco. As I was leaving the aisle, I spotted a pack of Chinese dessert ingredient (pre pack) that is touted to be able to cool the body. Well, that sound interesting and I bought a pack to try. According to the instruction at the back, the ingredient can be added into bird nest, red bean and other concoctions to make a wonderful dessert. Hmmm.. I think cooking it with the snow fungi, red dates and longan doesn’t sound that bad either and that is exactly what I’d done.

I soaked the dried ingredient until it is slightly softer before simmering them together with few cups of water. I admit that the result doesn’t disappoint me at all. I put some ice in there and it taste great. The slight crunchiness of the snow fungi is a delight. Maybe next time I can consider making the one using the rock sugar.. hmmm…

Not a good day

I woke up last night at 3am, hot and sweaty and the thermometer in my room registered 33 degree Celsius. It was too hot and the fan is already at maximum. Damn I suddenly feelt queasy. I’ve got runny nose and kept sneezing. Was it the haze or dustmite? I don’t know.

Today I’m slightly light headed and still having a runny nose. My throat aches and I think my voice changes a bit. Not good...

It is nearly lunch time now and I feel like eating something hot and spicy. So, tomyam will satisfy me. I feel so tired and cannot wait for the day to end. Gosh.....

Check this out...

Japanese rice with omelette and teriyaki chicken

Miso Soup

Omelette and teriyaki chicken

My Sunday Lunch

My housemate just went out for lunch and I have no plan of eating out. My mind is fixed on this glossy page of my Japanese cookbook. It would be lovely if I have a plate teriyaki chicken or some futomaki for lunch. But I just don’t want to go out and spent huge amount of money on Japanese food in the Kampachi Restaurant or Shushi King. Well, at least not today.

After checking out my tiny pantry, I came out with some eggs, Japanese rice, chicken, shoyu, some leafy vegitable and a packet of Miso soup. That would do for today’s lunch. I’d decided to make Chicken ‘Teriyaki’, Miso Soup, and fried egg and eat it with fluffy Japanese Rice. Few cups of Green Tea will follow later.

Typical teriyaki sauce will require shoyu, sake, mirin and some caster sugar. So, I cannot really buy one of those imported teriyaki sauce as it won’t be halal. So, I’ve just mixed some shoyu and sugar and add in some honey. This will make the chicken shiny when I used the marinating mixture for glazing later. I’d also add in some ginger and garlic to it. The chicken was marinated for about one hour before I grilled it.

For the Miso Soup, I’d added in some fishball, fishcake, shiitake mushroom and some mustard leaves or shungiku in Japanese (I think that is what it is called in Japan). The soup tastes better and full bodied after the entire combo was added in. I cooked the Japanese short rice as I would normally cook my normal rice but with slightly less water, else the rice will be mushy and damp. I’d added in some chopped seaweed and freshly ground peppercorn to the egg mixture and pan fried it like an omelet.

After eating all that lovely food, I washed it down with cold green tea. Uhhhu… I have a nice Japanese lunch today….at a fraction of the normal cost. That is what people called, live frugally….

What a lovely dessert

Thais are creative lots. Give them coconut milk, fresh fruits and some sticky rice, and they’ll whip out a wonderful desert for you in minutes.

I saw my office mate bought this lovely mango dessert in from Thai’s corner in Tesco last week but I think it was too sweet to my liking. So, I tried making my own mango dessert for the first time last night and the result wasn’t too bad. Though I admit that a little more sugar would improve the overall result, I succumb to the thought of eating anymore sugar especially at night.

I cook the sticky rice with pandan leaf. The sticky rice that I ate in Tesco was cooked with sugar – so it was a little on the sweet side, which I don’t like. So, I’d decided not to add sugar in mine. I prepare the coconut sauce by simmering some coconut milk with sugar. I did not add in any thickener in it as I want to taste the freshness of the coconut milk itself. Some diced mangoes complete the whole ensemble. I served it cold by topping the sticky rice with diced mango and some coconut sauce. Hmmm….

Squids in fermented bean sauce

I bought some squids over the weekends and was not too sure what to do with it. While watching a food program on the television, a thought occurred to me. Why not fried the squids in fermented bean sauce? I made my own sauce by frying some fermented bean paste or taucu as the Malays fondly called it with pounded red onions, garlic and some chilies. After seasoning it with some sugar and ketchup, the dish is ready to be served. The sauce is not too overpowering and coupled with steaming rice, the simple dish make a statement on its own. I’d definitely cook it again in the future.

Know yourself

I was reading an article in Life and Times by NST yesterday that I feel close to my hearts. It said that tolerance is the capacity to go beyond the superficial things that divide us. It is the results of turning within and coming to know the self. How true could that be??? So, if I can deal wit my own ego, then my anger can be resolved. Hmmmm…
With ego out of the way, I will be able to handle anything.

It will also be a good start by introducing positive words to the mind. For example instead of “I should be understood”, I should use “I should understand”. What is needed is humility, the quality that makes one ignorant of any credit or acknowledgement for the self. I think, only when I have learnt to value others as my equals, can I be said to be truly humble. Maybe I would be wiser if I can step away from my own feelings and opinions and genuinely listen to the experience of others. I know it is not easy to do but I will try. Sometimes I just need somebody to listen to my story. Just listen, and that is all I need.