Note : Thousand apologies if you’ve tried to leave me a comment and kept getting that error message saying that you had to go back to fill up the math spam protection column. It’s totally my fault as I forgot to add in the code when I changed templates. My most deepest and sincerest [got ka this word?] apologies!
Although I’m not Chinese and I do not practise Buddhism [if there is a connection between the two], I respect this festival all the same. All this thanks to living in a multi-cultural and multi-racial country. Qingming or Cheng Beng as I normally call it is a day to remember and honour one’s ancestors. I think it’s almost the same as the Catholic’s All Souls Day. This afternoon, Mum and I took a drive down to Ah Ma’s place because I had not visited her in a long time and thought that this would be the best time to drop in as the whole family would gather together to celebrate this festival. [I assumed that all the prayers had taken place before we arrived.] Ah Ma is my uncle’s mother in law and although I’m not directly related to her by blood - she treats me like her own. Ah Ma = Kuih Kapit!
Anyway, back to the story…..true enough, almost the whole gang was there! The kids have grown so much that I can hardly recognise them, and them me. We were greeted with warmth especially from Ah Ma since she seems to have this liking for Mum and she was also ’talking’ Kecik while rubbing my almost non-existent tummy. Heh. I thought it was really weird coz she’s the first one to EVER touch my tummy, except Ted of course. I wasn’t surprised to note the amount of food that was on the table for a group of people less than 15, half of which were kids. This is very typical of Ah Ma, Tua Ee and gang, they never stinge on food and are always on the look out to ‘tambah’ a second helping of rice for you.
Today was also the first time that I ate more than 2 pips [correct or not??] of durians - I ate FOUR! This is highly unusual as I’m not really a durian lover but I couldn’t help myself because it was SO good! It was just nice - not too fleshy and simply so sweet. Something rather odd since it is out of season at the moment. Ah Ma prepared her most famed sambal belancan/spicy shrimp paste and I managed to catch her in the act. *grin* She even posed for me too. Such a sweet old lady…..
Ah Ma [stil able to squat] pounding away…
Ah Ma taking a break to pose for me. *grin*
THE sambal in the making and if you look close enough, you can see the shrimp paste/belacan in the mix coz it’s brown in color.
Tua Ee famous for her nyonya cakes also brought a variety of kuihs to tempt my taste buds - if only I had 7 stomachs like a cow!!
Ma Khor and Uncle Chai busy hacking the roast pork, duck and chicken. Based on the mess they made, I now know why Ah Ma wanted to do this herself! Lol
The array of dishes Ah Ma & her daughters prepared : [clockwise] Crabs, pork & chicken soup, pork tripe soup, tau eu bak [pork cooked with dark soy sauce] and joo hu char [shredded sengkuang cooked with carrots and dried cuttlefish also thinly shredded and is normally eaten with fresh lettuce. You can add the sambal in as well to give it a 'kick'.]
As you can see, with these kind of food all around me, how not to put on 2kgs in one week??? Yes, people - after one week of being home, I’ve put on 2 kgs and trust me, it ain’t Kecik!! *pengsan*
Ps. One more week before Easter and the end of my Lent sacrifice before I can return to blogging daily!!! How slow time flies when you’re suffering in silence…..*shakes head sadly*
by Sweetest Sin, on April 2 2007 @ 9:00 pm
No wonder got no one commenting on this post. If not at least ONE person would have said something right? After all, it’s about FOOD mar!! I know I a bit perasan la but have to wad…..
by cindy, on April 2 2007 @ 9:41 pm
Finally I can comment!!! :laughing:
by Vien, on April 3 2007 @ 8:53 am
Tried to comment yesterday but gave up after umpteeth times. I was gonna say the food looks so yummy and I will gain 2 kgs just by looking at it.
Btw, your ah mah has a very nice grandmotherly face.
by cmos, on April 3 2007 @ 11:18 am
Yum yum… yum… yum… yum yum yum…
by Kunstemæcker, on April 3 2007 @ 3:07 pm
I remember Yng Lyn’s mother made me try durian when I visited Kuala Lumpur. They have the foulest smell, but the taste, I can live with the taste.
by Chiwi, on April 3 2007 @ 6:13 pm
:praying: Thank God… Can Comment liao!!!
Other than Yummy Food~~~~ Can’t remember what I wrote yesterday.. hehehe
9+3 = to what ar?? have to bring my toes into this~~ fingers not enough le
by lilian, on April 4 2007 @ 12:25 am
Aiyor…I struggling to complete Lent on vege fasting and thinking of tau yew bak with sambal belacan makes me wanna bukak puasa ledi. Happy Easter, in case you don’t make a new posting.
by simple american, on April 4 2007 @ 1:31 am
Ah Ma is so cute. hehe
Looks real spicey too. I want eat some Malaysian food. *drools*
by LB, on April 4 2007 @ 7:06 am
Ha finally!!! Another new look!!! Wheeee…. and all that yum yum stuff too… HUGS XXX
by Yvy, on April 4 2007 @ 11:55 am
Sorryla gang! My fault, my fault…..teh tarik for everyone who commented long-long and it couldnt post before this!! Condition is must come to Kulim lar! :tongue:
Happy Easter to all!!! I think I can post on Saturday after Mass coz aftr midnite liow mar!!! :praying:
by Che-Cheh, on April 4 2007 @ 12:56 pm
Uhhh sedapnya espcially the sambal belacan! :drool:
by dawn, on April 4 2007 @ 8:09 pm
that’s the best thing about balik kampung, the food taste extra good.
by snglguy, on April 4 2007 @ 10:24 pm
Hmm, that Tau Eu Bak looks like our own Hong Bak, did they also include mushrooms in that?
BTW, are you going to fast this Friday?
by Yvy, on April 5 2007 @ 8:15 am
SG : Mushrooms? Not that I know of but you can if u want to. As for fasting…..hhhmmm, dont know if I can since I’m hungry every few hours or so. I might cut down a whole lot but I dont think I’ll fast from dawn to dusk. :worried
Dawn : I know!! Tell me about it….that’s why me have been stuffing my face with as much as I can WHILE I still can!!
Che-cheh : OOoooo…it’s VERY teh sedap lor!!!! :drool: :drool:
by simon, on April 5 2007 @ 9:05 pm
hi yvy! long time no see & hear!! OMG the white chicken and roast pork looks sinfully good. and hv a great easter too.
by cindy, on April 5 2007 @ 11:47 pm
Almost Easter liao! Tomolo Good Friday odi.. :praying:
by Chiwi, on April 6 2007 @ 4:52 pm
:hug: Happy Good Friday!!!!
by Yvy, on April 7 2007 @ 10:35 am
Easter eve and I may just post something interesting….for the sake of Easter, I’m sure the Lord will forgive me breaking my Lent sacrifice. :praying: Ppsstt….I didn’t fast yesterday…..so bad!!! :nailbiting:
by Winn, on April 8 2007 @ 9:34 am
omg. food food again . i wish i cld taste the sambal belacan. i can never stock sambal belacan at home coz i tend to eat mroe n more and more!!!!
hows ur holiday when u comin kl happy easter gal!
by simmie, on April 8 2007 @ 12:25 pm
your Ah Ma reminded me of my grandmother (poh poh)….always cooking more than enough food to feed an army!! Now I’m hungry for food from home!!! :crying: