One of my daughters had decided that there would be no cooking for this Raya, so we dialed up 019xxxxxxx that belonged to Wan so and so to purchase some NASI DAGANG and NASI MINYAK Trengganu for a specified number of pax. Hah! Sounds practical ain't it?
She said,
"I do not want to cook for this year's Eid celebration. It's tiring, I just want to buy the food!".
So buying we shall.
"Hello Kor! This is K.P. How about the Hari Raya this year? Are you going home to KT for the Eid?" .
Eager as I was ... shooting a polite question the infamous WS who is our expert in ND and NM. We seldom miss those great food of Terengganu in Subang Jaya on week ends. Once, I remember having them on two consecutive days and at the same time spotting him sitting in his favorite chair close to the entrance smoking and burning away his internal organs.
"Kor, what did you put in your Nasi Dagang?" I asked jokingly which he quipped with a sharp response...
" I letok (put) ganja (drugs) inside... Hahahahahah" he went on laughing continuously for a few good minutes.
His most prompt response had almost took me by surprise but of course I do not doubt this former banker's intelligence who at one point turning into a remisier which subsequently turning into a very successful businessman teaming up with his beautiful partner, Nah whose cooking of beautiful, aromatic, soft-long-grain nasi dagang ever found in the Klang Valley have attracted us all. Rain or shine, their special Nasi Dagang and Nasi Minyak would surely go into our noisy plastic bags despite the campaign against using the later. I normally get discounts or a box of extra Nasi Dagang each time I patronise their food stall which of late has some added exotic delicacies like laksam, pulok gaow nyor, roti paong/bluda, tepong kapo, rojok betik, nasi kapik ssamba to name a few.
To my earlier question, he gave a rather unwelcoming answer (sounding so especially to me).
"This year I rasa nok balik beraya di KT aaa. Lama doh dok balik. Dok wak nasi dagang aaaa. But I would let you know in case of any changes". Was his answer... (he was going back to his home town -same as mine, for the Eid celebration).
"But could I place my order before you go off and place the food in my freezer?" I gave him some mind-shooting queries.
"I would not guarantee that they would look and taste the same as very fine delicacies". Was his replies.
" Oh, okay then, please prepare me the dishes (lauk) if you could and I shall cook the nasi myself. I think am good enough at handling them". Was my not-giving-up response and some compromising "a quick-try-question".
"Well, I would let you know of this outcome if I were to change plans". There you go... some hopeful answer which was worth the try, thought I!
While we were going through this fasting period comfortably, a few days ago, there was this happy news coming through my mobile from a very familiar number.
"KP, I just wanna tell you that I dok jadi (not) going home for the Raya. Too many people requesting for them food and I guess you could now place your order through the SMS and I shall take note"...
WOW! Some happy news to share with my children. After confirming with my daughter, I placed the order and we were supposed to go to his house collecting the food early morning of the Eid which would be Friday the 10th. That solved the "NO COOKING" order from my daughter, Za2.
But this morning, I already went to the 100 percent Halal Shop called Metamorph in Pantai Dalam which sells almost all the consumer items required, to get some Organic Halal Chicken, fish, prawns and squids.
The "No Cooking rule" was "broken". I have prepared the "ayam masak merah's sauce", half fried the cleaned, skinned and well cut up pieces which I rarely do... Normally the skinning, cutting up and even de-boning would be done by the chicken seller but this shop offered nischt such services. This is the first time ever, I managed to pull them internal organs through with my own hand, cleaning them up, putting them by the chopping board waiting to be bathed under the tepid water with its last rinse accompanied by recitation of Selawat. Once done, I counted how many pieces I have already cut them into and placed them in the metal colander to drain the excess liquid before marinating with salt, turmeric powder and a few squeezes of line juice to enhance the taste.
Busy, ain't it? Yes, indeed I was. With a helping hand from Dee who is now, as I am writing this, already fast asleep and already away in her dream land beside me, I managed to even prepare Kuoh Rojok Betik which is quite tedious to prepare. With yet another extra hand to look after little Harith, who by now could relate stories from his own experience and from him observing others doing, Hafiz also in his capacity managing well with the de boning of 8 pieces of banana leaf-wrapped-grilled Ikang Selayang (Sardines) to be pounded (?) and added into the boiling chilly and bones of kurau salted fish to enhance its taste. Some tamarind juice were added with salt and plenty of sugar to offset the hot burning chilly taste. They were left to boil on the stove for a good an hour and more to ensure that the sauce devoid any uneasy stomach-ache which might be encountered by my guests.
A couple of dishes for breaking of fast were also prepared. Sambal Prawn and Petai adding to the list of menu to wet the appetite together with Grilled Fish in mild coconut sauce.
Well, by night time am done with them all. Dee was helping to pack them up and away into the freezer they all went, stacking up on top of other already frozen food... ready for consumption in two days time...
Who says then that there is no cooking??? I have two more uncut chickens from the four I had bought this morning to be cooked as rendang on Thursday (?)...
Lets see what's happening then. Meanwhile, I better get some rest and sleep. Come tomorrow I should imagine the unending chores already waiting.
