Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Pokok Buah Nona aka apple custard tree

 (close-up of the buah nona)

 



This nona fruit tree aka apple custard, grows just outside the rear entrance of Rumah Liza.  According to my husband, this is the first time the tree bears fruit.  It can only be eaten when it is ripe enough i.e. when the fruit is soft when touched.  So, every time we pass by the tree, we would touch and squeeze the largest fruit we could reach.  Hehehe......




My dad's 82nd Birthday

 
(my dearest father, mother and me)


My father, Idrus Bin Rahmat, celebrated  his 82nd birthday on October 13 2012.  He worked with the Port of Singapore Authority before I was born.  He retired in his forties and have been receiving his monthly pension to-date.  

His pension is in Singapore Dollars, and  the amount remains the same all these years.  Then when the Malaysian Government increase its pension for all civil servants and those in uniform, my father always asked me why his pension never increase. So I told him, "abah, you worked in Singapore, not Malaysia, thats why your pension never increase one....".  Poor abah (father in Malay).

Every year, in December, abah has to take a photo of himself holding the day's newspaper.  Any newspaper, with the front page, and then post it to the PSA quarters.  The first time abah had to take the photograph, the photo studio photographer thought my father was crazy.  Then abah had to explain to him about the new regulations (actually PSA wants to ensure that my father still alive).  So now, at every year's end, abah will go to the same photo studio to take his photo.

Alhamdullilah, at 82 years old, my father is still healthy.  He does not suffer from hypertension or diabetes.  He exercises by walking around the neighbourhood every morning.  He reads the New Straits Times everyday, that's why he could write and speak English fluently.

He reads the holy Quran every day after Magrib prayers until Eshaq, and the Surah Yaasin every morning.  

During his school days, at Tun Mahmud Secondary School in Kuala Pilah, abah played football, rugby, and hockey.  He represented his school at the district and national level.  Then, when he was working at PSA, he became a body builder.  

Now, all my three sons are also involved in various sports.  Khairulzaman plays football, Wahiduzzaman plays the skateboard, and Badruzzaman is now a bodybuilder.

I love my father very much.  I pray for his good health always and I hope and pray too that he and  my mother will perform Umrah and Hajj with me.  Amiinn.



Minced Fruit Fudge



400g rich dark cooking chocolate, chopped coarsely
395g can sweetened condensed milk
50g unsalted butter
1/2 cup mixed fruit, chopped (available at major supermarkets)
1/2 cup silvered almonds, plus 1/4 cup extra

Lightly grease a 20cm square cake pan.  Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm down pan edge

In a saucepan, combine chocolate, condensed milk and butter.  Stir over low fire for 4 to 5 mins, until smooth.  Remove from heat.  Stir chopped fruit and almonds through.

Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing top.  Sprinkle with extra almonds.  Chill overnight.  Serve cut into squares.

Note:
Fruit fudge can be made a month ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.  To toast almonds, toss them in a dry frying pan over medium fire for a minute or two until golden.  Remove at once to prevent them from burning.



Thursday, October 25, 2012

Lighting - Bulbs and chandelier...


 (close-up of the chandelier)

  (the lighting around the kitchen area)

 (the only fan within the kitchen and dining area)

(the chandelier above the dining area)


All lighting, a fan and also electrical switches have been installed.  Thus, our family definitely could spend our Raya Haji at Rumah Liza, InshaAllah.  There are also two emergency lighting, one in the kitchen and the other in the bathroom area.  

Well, I could now rearrange all the furniture, but then, we still need to purchase a dining table and chairs..... But then, until we do, we may have to sit cross-legged on the mengkuang mat on the nice tiled floor....



Wahid's uniform




Hubby and I visited Wahid in Ipoh Wednesday October 10.  We stayed at Heritage Hotel and Wahid came to the hotel after his classes.  He showed me his uniform which he had to wear everyday during classes.  

I had not met Wahid for almost a month and I truly missed him so much.  He looked thinner, I guess, having not met him for such a long time.  But hubby said, no such thing lah, Wahid more handsome....

Wahid drove us around Ipoh town after dinner that night.  We had Arabic food at Greentown.  We saw this hotel in the middle of Ipoh - the French Hotel - and, InshaAllah, on our next visit we might stay there.  According to Wahid, it is better to stay at the French Hotel, since we could do some shopping along the streets in Ipoh, and also hunt for antiques at a road close to the hotel too.  But, it opens only during weekends.

So, Wahid stayed with us that night, and the next morning after breakfast, he bade farewell to us since he had classes to attend.  I gave him a big hug and kiss his forehead, and as he drove away, I wiped my tears which was rolling down my face... 




Saturday, October 20, 2012

Rice Pilaf



125 ml ghee
10 shallots, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled ande sliced
2 pandan leaves, shredded and knotted
2cm cinnamon stick
2 star annise
4 cardamon pods
6 vloves
10 almonds
125 ml chicken stock
4 tbsps evaporated milk
125g basmati rice, washed
4 tbsps rose water


Heat ghee in saucepan and stir fry shallots, garlic, pandan leaves, cinnamon, star anise, cardamon, cloves and almonds until fragrant

Pour in chicken stock and evaporated milk.  Add rice and rose water, boil until rice is cooked.



Friday, October 19, 2012

Chocolate and Nut Truffles



2/3 cup thickened cream (available at supermarkets)
200g dark chocolate, plus extra 100g melted
1/2 cup crushed peanuts
1/2 cup cocoa powder


Pour cream into a small saucepan.  Bring to boil over high fire

Add chocolates, stirring until melted.   Cool to room temperature.  Divide mixture into two bowls.  Add nuts to one bowl.  Chill for two hours until firm.

Roll heaped teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls.  Toss half in cocoa and remaining half in the extra melted chocolate.  Chill until ready to serve.



From Lizas Homestay to Rumah Liza






(the cute old fashioned dish rack)




(the jering tree from the kitchen window)


Well, after attending the Homestay Course in Terengganu last 2nd October, and found that I do not qualify to call my kampung house a 'Homestay', I now name my kampung house, "Rumah Liza".

The kitchen/dining area are now completed.  The furniture shown in the above pictures, are temporary arranged.  Lighting has yet to be installed.  The rattan chairs we bought from my son's friend.  So, it is also recycled... 

The refrigerator, tv, two bar stools and deck chair are from my studio unit at Silka Maytower.  My current tenant, a lovely Pakistani couple, does not need the items.  They also requested for a flat screen tv, so I bought one for them, that was why I had to bring the huge 29" tv to my Rumah Liza.

Well, InshaAllah, my family and I could spend our Hari Raya Haji at Rumah Liza next week.


Kiki's toilet


 (Kiki's poo box)

 (snoozing in the car....)

(flat on his stomach......zzzZZzz.......)


Kiki is getting bigger everyday.....ever so playful...... Nowadays he would venture into the garden whenever we open the front door..... He would chase anything that moves......and we love to use the shoe lace for him to chase.....

He would sleep in my son's, Badruzzaman, room, cozy at his feet.  Then, when my son woke up at dawn for Fajr prayer, Kiki would run to his poo box and.....



Thursday, October 18, 2012

Little Fruit and Nut Cakes






500g mixed dried fruit
125g butter, chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
2 eggs,lightly beaten
1/2 cup halved pecans
1/2 cup macadamias
1/3 cup silvered almonds

TOFFEE
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup water

Preheat oven at 150 degreesC.  Lightly grease 2 x 6 hole Christmas tree-shaped mini cake pans.

In a saucepan, combine fruit, butter and sugar. Stir over low fire without allowing it to boiling, until all ingredients are melted and sugar dissolves. Cook for about 4 to 5 mins without stirring, until thickened slightly.  Remove from fire.  Stir in bicarbonate of soda.  Transfer mixture to a large bowl.  Leave to cool.

Sift flour and mixed spice together and fold into fruit mixture with eggs.  Divide among recesses of cake pan.  Top evenly with combined nuts.

Bake for 30 to 35 mins until cooked.  Leave cakes to cool in pan for 5 mins before turning onto a wire rack placed over a paper lined oven ray to cool off completely.

To prepare toffee, combine sugar and water in a saucepan.  Stir over low fire without boiling, until sugar dissolves.  Bring to boil over high fire.  Boil without stirring for 8 to 10 mins until golden.  Drizzle toffee over cakes.  Cool.  Wrap in cellophane and tie with ribbons.



Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Fruit Mince Tarts


2 cups plain flour
2 tbsps custard powder
1/3 cup caster sugar, plus extra to sprinkle
185g cold butter, chopped
1 egg yolk
1-2 tbsps ice-cold water
1 egg white

FRUIT MINCE
400g mixed dried fruit
1 green apple, peeled and grated
1/4 cup glace apricots, chopped finely
1 tbsp plum jam
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 finely grated orange rind

Preheat oven at 180 degrees C.  Grease 2 x 12 shallow patty pan trays

Sift flour and powder into a bowl.  Stir  in sugar.  Rub in butter using fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add egg yolk and water to make firm dough.  Knead dough lightly.  Wrap and chill for 30 mins.

To prepare fruit mince, combine all ingredients and set aside.

Roll pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick.  Using a 6.5cm cutter, cut 24 rounds from pastry.  Ease rounds into holes.  Chill for 15 mins.

Cut long strips from remaining pastry

Spoon 1 heaped tbsp of mince into each pastry shell.  Brush edges with egg white  Top with 6 intertwining strips of pastry.  Press to seal and trim ends.  Brush lattice tops with egg white.  Sprinkle extra sugar.

Bake for 30-35 mins until golden.  Place on a wire rack to cool completely.




PMR preparation




Dato' Dr. Haji Mohd Fadzilah Kamsah
 · 884,045 like this.
5 hours ago · 
  • As salamu'alaikum anak2 yg akan hadapi PMR esok. Antara tip utk hadapi pep esok:
     1. Mlm ni lepas solat isya, solat taubat, istighfar, solat hajat & istikharah utk mudah jwb soalan;
     2.Doakan ibubapa, guru & kwn2 agar ilmu jadi berkat,
     3.Tidur awal & baring mengiring ke kanan,
     4.Sblm solat subuh, solat hjt,
     5. Pastikan sarapan agar ada tenaga
     6.Pakai perfume & deodorant utk rangsang otak,
     7.Elak bincang di luar Dewan, takut jadi lebih panik,
     8.Doa berramai2,
     9.Masuk Dewan dgn Bismilah, senyum, beri salam & masuk kaki kanan dulu, 
    10.Baca doa penerang hati termasuk Al Insyirah,
    11. Bila bingung, istighfar & selawat byk 
    12.Habis jwb, lakukan doa kesyukuran, 
    13.Elak bincang dgn kwn lepas exam. 
    Terus bersedia utk subjek esok pula. Moga Allah luluskan kalian dgn cemerlang. Aamiin, wassalam.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Surah Al-Isra' (17:23-24)


Lepas solat zohor tadi terjumpa Dato’ Shukri, Mufti Negeri Kelantan. Beliau adalah ayah kepada Ustaz Mohd Nabil kawan sekelas kami di Ma’ahad Muhammadi Lelaki dahulu (batch 1987-1993). Ustaz Mohd Nabil sekarang bertugas sebagai Qadi di Bachok, Kelantan. Alimnya sama seperti ayahnya. Dato’ Shukri hadir ke UIAM hari ini menyaksikan majlis graduasi anaknya. Malangnya tak sempat pula nak bergambar!

Ramai sekali ibu bapa di UIAM hari ini. Mereka hadir dengan rasa gembira terpancar di wajah menyambut majlis graduasi anak-anak mereka. Bukan semua rakyat Malaysia bertuah memperolehi ijazah dari Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia...saya pun tidak berpeluang. Yang pasti kegembiraan ibu bapa anda pada hari ini adalah salah satu manifestasi arahan Allah dalam ayat ini:

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَ
رْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا (23) وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا (24)

Dan Tuhanmu telah perintahkan, supaya engkau tidak menyembah melainkan kepadaNya semata-mata, dan hendaklah engkau berbuat baik kepada ibu bapa. Jika salah seorang dari keduanya, atau kedua-duanya sekali, sampai kepada umur tua dalam jagaan dan peliharaanmu, maka janganlah engkau berkata kepada mereka (sebarang perkataan kasar) sekalipun perkataan "Ha", dan janganlah engkau menengking menyergah mereka, tetapi katakanlah kepada mereka perkataan yang mulia (yang bersopan santun).Dan hendaklah engkau merendah diri kepada keduanya kerana belas kasihan dan kasih sayangmu, dan doakanlah (untuk mereka, dengan berkata): "Wahai Tuhanku! Cucurilah rahmat kepada mereka berdua sebagaimana mereka telah mencurahkan kasih sayangnya memelihara dan mendidikku semasa kecil." (al-Isra’[17:23-24]).

Doa from the heart...




Sunday, October 7, 2012

Homestay Course @Terengganu

(Introducing myself on stage...)

(Group No.3, preparing our presentation)

(Course participants with Encik Abdul Ghani Harun (Timbalan Pengarah Negeri PDNKK, Terengganu) (seated third from left)

(me with Badruzzaman and a course participant)


Badruzzaman and I flew to Kuala Terengganu on board Air Asia from KLCCT at 6.55am Tuesday 2nd October 2012.  Hubby sent us to the airport at 4.30am.  We reached KLCCT at 5.20am and did a self-check in at an Air Asia kiosk.  We then had our Fajr prayers at the surau in the departure lounge.  

We landed safely at Kuala Terengganu 7.55am.  My bff, Datin Norizan Zakaria was already waiting for us at the arrival gate. She then drove us to Hotel YT Midtown in Kuala Terengganu.  Datin's kindergarten was just across the road from the hotel.  We plan to meet again for dinner in the evening.

When we arrived at the hotel, we registered ourselves at the ballroom.  Most of the other participants were already seated.  They came as far as Johore, Kedah, Selangor and also Penang.  Most  were from Kelantan and Terengganu too.  I was the only one from Negeri Sembilan.

The course was officially launched by Encik Abdul Ghani Harun, Timbalan Pengarah KPDNKK Terengganu.  (KPDNKK is Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan). (www.kpdnkk.gov.my) Maktab Koperasi Malaysia (www.mkm.edu.my).

The facilitators were Encik Dino Faizal bin Abdullah and Encik Ju Samsuddin bin Safian from MKM.  Encik Mohd Azmi bin Abdul Aziz (Persatuan Homestay Negeri Terengganu).

According to Encik Dino Faizal, to qualify for a homestay status, you have to have at least ten houses within the village and each house must have a family living in it, and that their guests will live with them during the tenure of their stay.  As hosts, they have to entertain their guests e.g. by organising cultural event, cooking local dishes, introducing traditional games etc.

As for the house which the guests will be staying, it should have attached bathroom (with a proper WC, not the squatting type) for each bedroom. The bathroom must be clean at all times. The hosts themselves must be friendly and knowledgeable and also internet savvy.

Well, I can no longer use the name 'LIZAS HOMESTAY' because I do not qualify.  Instead, I could change the name to 'Lizas Kampung House', or 'Pondok Kak Liza' or 'Teratak Norliza'.  Any suggestions??  If I continue using LIZAS HOMESTAY, it is illegal, and I could be fined up to RM500,00 by the Tourism Ministry. 

When my kampung house is ready, I will let it out, first to my family, relatives and friends.  Then only will it be open to the public and hopefully, international visitors.  Well, until I get a new name for my kampung house, LIZAS HOMESTAY is here to stay in my blog's label....hehehe......



Thursday, October 4, 2012

Ayeshah's bday

(decorating the living room with balloons)

(balloons stuck to the ceiling...lovely)

(me among the balloons....peace....)

(with dear kiki romeo adiddas)

(me with the lights dimmed....hehehe....)


Well, Ayeshah's 27th birthday was celebrated on 21st September 2012.  I received a call from her bff Rita, informing me that she and Ayeshah's bff, Dee, Sue, Manja and Yeh would like to celebrate Ayeshah's birthday at our abode.  Ayeshah told them that she would like to have lotsa balloons on her birthday.


So, in the evening, they all came (except Dee, who had to slow down Ayeshah from coming home early) and with them were the staff from www.partynballoons.com who decorated our living room with lotsa pink and red balloons...

I cooked ketam masak lemak cili api (which is Ayeshah's favourite dish) and sambal terung (which is Rita's favourite dish (special request from her)), omelette and also salted duck eggs.

Anyway, while waiting for Ayeshah and Dee, Rita and gang, watched tv, all the while communicating with Dee informing them of their distance from our abode.  Chaos erupted when Ayeshah's car was seen coming into our residential area, and her bff were outside our abode wanting to go to Rita's car to collect her mobile which she left in her car.

It was so funny when they all came running into our abode, all breathless...luckily Ayeshah did not see them hiding along my neighbour's fence and parked cars.... 

When Ayeshah opened the front door, they shouted 'SURPRISE' and sang the Birthday song..... Ayeshah was so surprised and delighted (and also 'curse' her bff) for being there on her birthday.  

Then, we all had dinner and ate the birthday cake for dessert.  Ayeshah, umi loves you very much.



Gathering with Neighbours Eid Mubarak 2012

(all my neighbours enjoying their dinner)

(our former neighbours were also invited, Norehan Nor of Butik Drenjis seri pengantin, with her children)

(delicious food by Kantan Tiga Katering)

(our cute neighbour, Puan Zahrina wife of Haji Roslan, Tabung Haji Malaysia)

(the bbq kambing (hot favourite))

(my son-in-law helped to carve the bbq kambing)

(my husband, the expert.... clap clap clap..)

(barbequed ribs....yummy yummy YUMMY...)

(really enjoying their scrumptious dinner...)

(another cute neighbour, Hjh Dasimah aka Nomi)


On the last day of Syawal (Sunday 16th September), with all our neighbours in our small taman, we had a Hari Raya gathering.  Kantan Tiga Katering cooked our dinner of Nasi Beriyani, ayam masak merah, jelatah, dalca and papadom.  It was delicious.

Our main dish was barbequed kambing.  There were two. The kambing were from our farm, Syarikat Perniagaan Haji Budin.  



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