Xmas treats - failed

A friend threw a X'mas party at their house on this year Xmas. It wasn't a potluck dinner, but I just wanna whip something from my kitchen. Been staring at cooking website for days before the event. Bought SO-MANY ingredients - sigh, I know this's my "bad" habit; was planning so many cute sweet holiday treats...(such as meringue, berries in chocolate, etc) but...

The 1st disaster was the mixer didn't work (it was a gift, brand new, but it's a lousy one)

Then the oven's knob simply broken, so I couldn't make a guess of the temperature - couldn't adjust it. Haha.

I even couldn't melt chocolate properly, it just turn lumpy and sandy. Tell me why??!!!

Whole day of kitchen disaster.

I didn't give up, I went to my maid's house and made a mess there... She has a decent mixer and an oven, which works. This's so lousy, why me as the boss don't have anything that works properly? Hahaha

Anyway, the only "successful" things was this "Cupcake with Strawberry buttercream, topped with Strawberries or Mulberries"

My in-law insisted to bring it for the party, I didn't make much, so it's only natural that it's all gone. I wouldn't say it was a hit. It's obviously not. 

The only part that I am proud of is the mulberries, it's our garden's produce. Harvested the day before X'mas.  

Look how pretty they are - just like a blunder of black caviar :)

Feeding Frenzy

Chocolate and her 4 boys. They are about 1 month old now.
Cute, huh?

Tape Singkong

This is my first successful experience to make tape/tapai (fermented cassava).

So, this is how I made it (thx to Ling for teaching me how to make it + giving me the yeast tablets) :

1. Prepare a cassava. This one was freshly harvested from our garden, I just love the size!!! Of course you can just get it in the market rather than growing it yourself. Haha.

2. To de-skin the cassava, make a long slit vertically, and (pic 3) push your finger through the slit; the the skin will just come off easily, leaving you a white cassava rod. Wash with running water.

4. Cut to smaller pieces; preferably cut in in shorter rods. In this pic, I simply cut it into quarters, which isn't aesthetically appealing :( Oops...

Next step is:

1. Steam the cassava for about 10 mins or so (just try to stick a skewer, if it's easily poked, it's done)
2. This is what mine look like, it has a transparent edges, but the mid part is still white, but soft enough for a skewer to go through.
3. Prepare the yeast. What I have comes in tablets, so I need to grind it into fine powder
4. Then it need to be sprinkled evenly. In this pic, I put way-too-much yeast! It won't do any harm, but please just sprinkle lightly and evenly.
5. You need to put them in closed container, keep it in cool dark place for about 3-4 days. So how can you tell if it's done or not? Poke it with a skewer again; by now it'll have a texture similar to boiled-eggplant. Soft, but still holding up its shape. 
6. It tastes sweet, abit acidic with a slight alcohol punch. Yum!

Jasmine

I guess the most productive plant in my garden is Melati Putih - JASMINE.
I started it from a cutting, and it now turns into crazy bushes and still growing.
Almost everyday I harvested a box of these fragrant jasmine. I only pick the bloomed ones. Some people harvest the buds rather than the blooms; said that buds has stronger fragrance - well, only true if you are after its oil.
Usually I'll put it in our vihara's altar.
Pretty. Fragrant. Calming.

PS: According to Mr. Google, the jasmine in the picture is belonged to Jasminum sambac - Maid of Orleans.
I dunno why it named that way, not even originated from there; it's local, it's Indonesian's. It's even our National Flower :)

Seedless Guava

Guava with seeds

Have you ever had guava? The usual one will have a core of thousand little seeds. Such a mess, hate it! especially when it has more seeds than the flesh.


But not Dad's Seedless Guava :) it's literally SEEDLESS.
I love it when it's not fully ripe, just when it still have the "apple" crunch; it'll taste so sweet with abit of sour hint.

Of course you can consume it when it's fully ripe. It'll have softer texture and tastes just sweet, without tartness - not my fave, but some people prefer it this way



Here are some pics of the fruit stages:

1. The flower to be, still very tiny.
2. All swollen up, ready to bloom in 1-2 days.
3. The beautiful white flower. Only bloom for 1 day, need helps from some bees to fertilise it. Bees love it :)
4. Sign of successful fertilisation: the flower will lose all the petals and it'll grow some hip.
5. Still growing :)
6. At this stage, the fruit is huge enough to start releasing enough scent to attract fruit flies; start wrapping the fruit to avoid the attack.
7. Dad wrapped the fruit with plastic bag (inside lined with papers). Plastic is actually not a good wrapping media cos it'll trap moisture - paper is a better choice; if you still wanna use plastic, poke some holes for sufficient draining.
8. Here what's they look like when dad harvested it. Plump!
9. See!!! I told you, it's totally seedless :)

Red Srikaya

A sweet surprise in our garden. We had a Red Srikaya, member of Annona squasmosa family.
This's the first time the tree bears a fruit. We didn't expect it to be red.
And it tastes awesome, just like the green ones.

 I guess it was our mistake that we hardly label our seed-initiated plants.
But, it's always a nice surprise to see what they turn out to be :)

Series of Fortunate Events

On 2 of Dec, one of my customer's parents passed away at nearby town.
Since my parents weren't around; being polite, I attended the funeral myself (+ my manager ofcz)
We tried to fit in all schedule in: visiting other customers at that town.
But series of fortunate events showed up:

• I managed to meet up with my dear friend
• She took me to visit their vihara, 1st time ever to visit this place :)
• She also showed me which place to have nice Nasi Kapau

things are getting better!!!

• Ling recieved a sudden call: Bhante Jinadhammo Mahathera is approaching (I wasn't sure that I could catch him, but "luckily", my staff still stuck with his customer, leaving me just enough time to meet Bhante)
• I managed to meet Bhante, and invited Him to stopover at Padang the next day (all happened in 10 mins, then I had to leave)
• Arrived at Padang just in time to take care office stuff. Fuih... lucky 

At night, I recieved a call from other Bukittinggi friend, saying Bhante changed His mind about visiting Padang, due to landslide on alternate road. Well, I didn't put much hope that He'll come... so be it

But right in the morning, I got a call, Bhante is on the way to Padang!!! OMG!!!
I rushed my staff to harvest some fruits and veggie for His lunch.

• And there He is, in Padang :)
• I had a chance to prepare his lunch.
• I felt more honoured when He decided to stay overnight at our vihara. HUA!!! 
• He also asked me to prepare His breakfast next day (I woke up at 4 to prepare it :)
• During His short stay in Padang, He visited a few laymen's residences. He didn't do any blessing on my premises, but I guess it's not important :)

I am very grateful that He accepted my invitation; very grateful of all the opportunities that I had to serve, to accompany and to discuss with Him.

Things can't be more perfect :) This's really a series of fortunate events.

I forgot to add up, Porkie just had a near-fatal-incident. Porkie is fine, but I'm glad that Porkie didn't even get a scratch :)   Lucky you, Porkie...

Yummy Nasi Kapau

Had "Nasi Kapau" for lunch today at Uni Er's stall. Guess she's quite famous, since her stall is the most crowded one compares to others at the same venue - Los Lambuang, Pasar Lereng, Bukittinggi.

Btw, this place was recommended by Ling, a local Bukittinggi-er; well, if the locals are crazy about it, it must be really nice, right?

I am not a connoisseur, so I can't really tell how and why her cooking sells better than her competitors. But overall, I had a good and satisfying lunch.
I heart for the sweet-potato bits in her chicken rendang.

Here is some of the picture:

1. Here she is, Uni Er (= sister Er), the owner of the stall

2. Bowls of gulai Kapau. Uni Er will scoop your orders using her long wooden spoon

3. Ikan Raya Batalua (Fish with roes cooked in Kapau style) I wanted to have it, but I didnt. Next time I will.

4. Tambunsu (Intestine stuffed with eggs and tofu). I know it looks scary, but it wasn't as sinful as it looks. The intestine was just like a sausage casing - some people removed it before eating the stuffing.

5. Gulai Kapau, this's what differentiate gulai Kapau from other Padang cookings. Mixture of local cabbage, snakebeans, young jackfruits, bamboo shoots, etc in light coconut curry. Yum!

6. This's my plate. This's how Uni Er served it.  Simply Delicious.

Note: There are more dishes than what I showed here. Check this site out for more info.

3-D chocolate!

Look what I've got today: Cute 3D chocolate figurines :)
Thanks to dear friend, Ling. So generous :)
Btw, I don't dare to eat it yet... Too cute

Note: more pics on Ling's blog entry here