Hubby is 28!

I love it when husband is 28 and I'm still 27. Hah. Indenial much?

First year as a wife, I decided to splurge a bit on husband's birthday, so yes, we went ahead of ourselves and celebrate just the two of us.

Had dinner at the newly raved fine and dine restaurant, Thirty8, Grand Hyatt, and we had a lovely time. 

Food was obviously great (Zaim had M7 Wagyu beef and I had pasta) though a tad expensive but I guess we are paying not just the food but also for the ambiance. The moment I made a reservation for a birthday celebration, they already reserved a spot for us comfortably and strategically overlooking the twin towers. When dessert came (with candles and all), the jazz singers came by and sang a birthday song for hubby which I didn't remember requesting for. All of that goes without saying. Such impeccable service!

The highlight of the night, the food to our soul. A dessert you cannot miss if you dine here. 

Thirty8 signature cake - A cylinder shaped chocolate cake, banana ice cream, raspberries served with butterscotch sauce. The cake is a three layer soft chocolate cake and each layer gives a different surprise and it gets better. The top is the moist chocolate cake, the middle layer is a chocolate and hazelnut mousse with bits of caramel brittle. The last part is dark chocolate cake base. It's overwhelmingly yummy. Hubby is not a sweet-tooth but he was seen licking off the last bit of the cake. 

Anyway, hubby is a year older and I hope a year wiser, healthier and richer. Wishing my darling a lifelong happiness, contentment and success filled with barakah.  Looking forward to more meaningful birthdays to celebrate in the future dear. 

Of Miso Soup and New Year!

January 2013. Amazing how time flown so swiftly last year and we are now embarking to another 365 days of journey. 

Thank you Allah for another year. 

I anticipated New Year within a low key ambience; the whole family decided to celebrate at home. Nothing extravagant but it wasn't dull as well. We decided to cook at home (my parents hate dining out for dinner) so they requested to us to make something for them. We don't want the typical BBQ, laksa or even beriyani to the least, we decided  to cook something that we have never cooked before.

Sister No. 3 suggested Japanese.

Hmmm.

The only thing that I could think of making for Japanese are

tenpayaki (masak nasi and goreng ayam je)

shashimi (potong je salmon tu)

So tak nak kalah budak tu, she decided to call one of her best friend (cum our neighbour who has lived in Japan many years ago)for recipes. 

Menu:

1. Okonomiyaki 

2. Salmon shashimi
3. California Temaki
4. Miso soup


I cringed when I looked at the receipt of the ingredients that were bought by my sisters. Japanese's ingredients are expensive. But you cant't deny those are good healthy stuff.

Anyhow, some pics to feast your eyes!

 While making the Okonomiyaki!

The end product!

Can't have enough of those!

The usual temaki

The feel good Miso soup


Oh, it was filling and we surely had a good time cooking those food. We end the night by watching fireworks at Publika and glad that it wasn't as pack and crowded like what we thought.

Akemashiteomedetogozaimasu!

Everything Chocolate

I am not a really a dessert person, but I just had to try this. Lately, KL has been raving about this place called Dip & Dip. And I am in DEEP shit. Haha.

Dip and dip is a franchise from the Middle East and the one in Telawi, Bangsar is the first one in KL. 

It's basically a cafe that sells EVERYTHING chocolate. Even the cafe smells chocalatey too. If you're a crazy choc addict, you can submit yourself here for some good chocolate loving. I had mine during my menses, the chocolate actually softened my moodswings.

Oh, they have coffee too. 

To those husbands and boyfriends who don't fancy chocolate, you can actually teman your wife or girlfriend have their chocolate while you have your coffee. Don't sulk ya.

The menu is divided into three sections; Sweet sweet, cold drinks and hot drinks. They have everything in chocolate like crepe, pancake, waffle, fondant, brownies, marshmallow dip, dip sticks fondue, hot chocolate, chocolate shots, milkshake and the list goes on. They even have unusual dessert such as fettuccine crepe, kebab and dip & dip pizza. Talk about chocolaty goodness invention!

What Sheena and I had:

Sheena's brownie crepe. A good RM 25. A thin layer of brownie between the crepe with white, milk and dark chocolate sauce. Very very sweet for me. But Sheena being the greatest sweet-tooth-chocoholic person that I have known in my life managed to finish this. 

Banana crepe. Banana stuffing crepe with milk and white chocolate. Small and simple. This was just nice, I think I will  order just this the next time I come. RM 20. 

Fettuccine milk chocolate with vanilla ice cream. It is actually a piece of crepe that was shredded into the shape of fettuccine. It was quite interesting as you eat it like a normal pasta.  Sheena's sister ordered this for a good RM 20.

Drinks? I wanted to try the milkshake but Sheena gave me the glare. Uh-huh.. Ok ok.. one iced water please. 

All in all, I would say that I will come back for second or third but this is something you would not eat everyday or every week. Unless if you are an ultimate chocoholic then I should rest my case. Teehee.

It's a bit high on the pricing side but then again, this is not your everyday meal. They can only accept cash. 

Try and go during the the rainy days at night. Feeling-feeling London gitu. 

Paradigm Shift

Everyday feels like Friday this week. Kerja, cuti, kerja, cuti.. how nice if we can have this every week!

Anyway, what have I been doing these past few days?

1. Third sister's 23rd birthday, so I made her favourite tomyam steam boat with peanut butter sauce!

Not to miss Mom's scrumptious laksa Johor during Deepavali. Oh gosh, I really need to learn this. It's just so good! Can't get this anywhere else.

Not just that, I am always at my in laws for makan-makan. I've learned to cook new dishes and boy, my husband's family is making me fat (in a good way I mean!). My parents came for lunch yesterday and they have been fed well as well. Alhamdulillah. Bugis-Padang food. Burp. It's good to know that my mak and mama, ayah and dad are getting along fine.

One of my MIL signature dish that she learned from her bugis MIL; Udang galah masak darat which is also hubby's favourite.

2. I had been hanging out a lot with my two younger sisters and sometimes it makes me so sad that they are not 'young' anymore. There are times when husband and I just want to go out and have coffee, they will be like:

"Along nak gi mana? Can we follow?" 

and my respond would be like 

" No way kiddo, tomorrow is school night". 

" Along! We're in college already laaa!"

And yes they are. I always forgot that they are above 18 and not little girls anymore. I can actually carry any adult conversation with them. From health to boys men to food to world issues to travel etc etc. 

My third and fourth wheeler. 

Always tagging along whenever I'm on my coffee date with hubby. Selagi boleh.

3. With all the eating and lazing around during public holidays, I made an effort to ... work out. This time it's a no joke as I  myself feel (like finally!) the importance of being healthy and fit. Sigh. Whether I like it or not, I just have to do this, even I'm at the  slowest pace. So, this whole week has been productive with work-out and health activities.

My two health-junky buddies persuaded me to join them for hiking at FRIM. Hiking???? On public holiday where we are supposed to sleep? Gosh.

"Nak jadi Milf or Makcik? You choose!"

 Those were their words when any of us starts giving excuses and just lazy! So, off we went and I actually love it!  

 Putting aside we had soto daging after 3 km of hiking, I think it's totally worth it. 

I survived a session of bootcamp by the Metcon X group! Oh gosh. Can't believe it right? A friend, Amirah (she's also another health-junky - read her blog as she shares her experiences and sentiments on keeping fit, clean eating and being motivated)introduced this group to me. There are many other bootcamp group in Klang Valley but because of Amirah and her persistence and consistence (as well as her hot bod!), I gave this a try! 

I had fun. It was nervewrecking at first but this is something  that I should consider. I was nervous because I was scared they would force me to do something that I couldn't do, but it was alright. I was one of the slowest but  I survived! 

Thanks babe. 

Last but not least, I was introduced to an super awesome product by Hai O, Biozone Food Purifier which still amazes me at times but also reminds me to be more cautious on the things I will eat in the future. Sigh to those lost years. 

All in all, everything falls into places and Alhamdulillah for the rezeki that has been handed to us. 

It's a paradigm shift, a whole different ballgame altogether.

Anyway, signing off now. Wifey duties! Toodles!

Different Folks Different Strokes

I was fortunate to watch the Qurban inside the house, not having to hover around under the hot sun because my in law's house is just next to the surau. And to make things more interesting, the cow went amuk and ran inside our compound, so the Qurban people had no choice but performed the Qurban there. Alhamdulillah.

Was at my MIL's house in the morning, and knowing my MIL, she's a great cook and just love to spoil her family with food, food and more food. She told us 'ala ini cincai-cincai aje', well, which part of this is cincai la Mama? Every Raya food is there from lontong to kuah kacang to rendang to mee kari to ketupat palas to nasi impit to ayam masak merah etc etc. 

Oh boy. I have a lot to do and to learn man. *looking at husband*

My Aidiladha did not just end there. We went back to Johor at night, started our journey at about 9-ish pm. It was very unusual for me (and a first time again) because my family rarely (more like NEVER) starts the journey very late at night. My dad would be like  "after Subuh, we shoot" kinda person and yes, we will arrived at our destination way before noon. Less stressful perhaps? On the other hand, Mr. Z's family is totally the opposite but I was appalled that I didn't see any sign of stress in them. Different folks, different strokes I guess.

Arrived Benut at 2 am. I  was sleeping the whole journey I did not see or hear a thing. Tahu-tahu dah sampai. As I opened my eyes, I saw that we were in this huge beautiful compound with many trees and fairy lights all over. There's a gazebo parked beside the house and it was decorated with fairy lights as well. The compound of the house was huge; I think it can parked more than 10 cars kot and the house? All I can say was WOW. The exterior was a bit fusion; classic meets modern Bali style with fancy woods, stones and bricks but the interior is modern. This is the first kampung house that I've been which is fully air-conditioned. Love every sense of it and all I can say is that the house is very very very COSY. 

 Sorry no pictures. Too excited and jakun sampai lupa nak snap. Next time?

But I managed to snap this instead!

Mr. Z's family is from a Bugis ancestry, so here I am presenting to you their famous wajib dish; Burasak which is made out of rice and coconut milk. Lots of coconut milk. I can feel the ooze of fat running inside my body mannnn! You either eat with rendang or sambal goreng but I discovered another way of eating it; with asam pedas lobak masin ikan parang.  

 Chilled freshly made pineapple juice and sugar coated butter toast on a very hot day. Such simple snacks but memorable to your palate. Oh gosh, where can I find this in KL?

Spicy Corned Beef Pasta

Aildiladha was different this time around because I'm celebrating it with none other than my husband as a first time. Time management is crucial between two families as we wouldn't want to hurt any sides and boy, we really had to strategized it  carefully. Phew.

So, we were at my parents' home during the eve of Aidiladha, and Allah is Great to locate us at my parents' home at that time  and not husband's because my sister had to be rushed to the emergency room. She had a sudden severe attack at her lower abdomen so we suspected that her appendix might .. burst?  Erm, gory thoughts creeped into my mind so off to SDMC Subang Jaya we went. When checked, everything was fine and the ONLY problem with my sister is that she RARELY eats and the ONLY thing she eats is MAGGIE mee. Pftttt. Doc suspected it was just gas and Alhamdulillah nothing serious is going on and doesn't have to be warded. 

Anyway, back to Aidiladha, we were at my parents' house in 

the morning, I woke up very early and crept downstairs to help Mom prepared Raya dishes but tengok-tengok she was done with everything and was ready to go back to sleep. 

Gosh, how can we not love her? And how in the world I can be like her? 

To make myself useful in the kitchen, I made the family spicy corned beef pasta and I was very happy to see that it was gobbled down by many. Let's share the recipe. Sharing is caring!

Ingredients

- 250g packet of your favourite pasta

- 1 can of corned beef (For more healthier choices, try to use lean or minced meat!)

- 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

- 2 red onions, finely chopped

- 7 dried chilies, seedless and finely chopped

- 1 can of button mushroom, diced

- 120ml olive oil

- salt and black pepper to taste

- Shredded basil leaves.

Methods

1. Cook the pasta according to the instruction on the package.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and when it is medium hot, add the garlic and onions as well as dried chilies. 

3. Throw in the corned beef and stir-fry until fragrant.

4. Add the diced button mushroom in the pan. Stir it well.

5. When the pasta is cooked, drain and toss with the stir-fried ingredients in the pan. Top the pasta with the shredded basil leaves.

6. Season with salt and pepper. Ready to serve!

My siblings and Mommy on the way to see the Qurban. Where was I at this point of time? Pfftt. Left out! I was already making my way to my in-laws.

Life lately... according to my Instigram

Happy Friday everyone! Have a good one!