Thursday, July 17, 2014

Sewing thread

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Okay readers. Please ignore this particular post, because it is just to serve as my reference so that I wont be buying two of the same ones

Cap Kuching. (Purchased from Macy's)



Cole's. Bought from Ace Hardware. They only sell in package of three. Pre-packaged, cant choose colors

And finally the most sought after. Gutermann, bought from Spotlight. Sold in various shades, various length, various type :)



Another sad love song

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I have this bad habit, if I want something die2 also must try to get.

Especially if I am being denied of it.

In this case, apam balik.

I went to two differnt Pasar ramadhan with the sole intent to get an apam balik and went back empty handed instead.

Totally disappointed.

So I googled and found that ramai je orang buat homemade apam balik.

Next thing I knew, I have gone to jusco to get me the ingredients for apam balik (pilot mode la kononnya). Anyway, original recipe is from www.myresipi.com/top/detail/627, and upon quick glimpse, it seems that the ingredients are easy enough to get and most of it are already in the baking-container i have at home.


So here goes (by the way I halved the original recipe)
1 cup of Fluor - Checked. ada kat rumah
1/2 tsp Baking Soda - Checked. ada kat rumah
1/2 tsp Baking powder - Checked. ada kat rumah
180 ml water - Ofkos checked.
1 x Egg- Checked. I didnt half this one, tak reti camana yang put in setengah aja.

For the fillings:
Peanut - I bought the packed salted peanut. Tak larat nak prepare from fresh
Sweet corn with creamer - Never knew this thing exists! but easily found in any supermarket
Sugar

Making the batter:
-Mix Eggs and Sugar
-Add baking soda, baking powder
-Add water and flour
Beat until mixed well. The recipe did ask to leave the batter for half hour. Not sure why so I leave it for about 15 mins sampai dah nak dekat2 buka time.

1.Using my pancake pan - I pour the batter (about 1.5 ladle) and wait for the bubbles to form.

2. Once bubbles are form, sprinkle the fillings in.

3. Fold in two.


Okay, I buat two times. First time wasnt very appetising

Second time - looks better.

But the final verdict?
FAIL. I wouldn't buy an apam balik from me! seriously tak sedap. Rasa tu ada la sikit2, but somehow memang tak sedap. Maybe the batter wasnt right, maybe too much filling, and maybe the pan memang not suitable.




Monday, July 14, 2014

Cravings!

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Let me tell you about the start of my love affair with Mr Apam Balik.


When I was schooling, My grandma used to take me to this pasar tani, which starts as early as 4pm.

Its a weekly affair, every tuesday, and each time after collecting me from school, we would make a pitstop at this pasar tani. And every week as well, i would be buying apam balik.

Now, I havent realised how much I actually liked apam balik. Its sort of always there, and boleh je lah kalau nak beli kat mana2. And most of the time, rasa pun quite ok kat mana2 pun. Except ada kedai kedekut the fillings, ada kedai generous sikit.

Anyhow, jarangla nak ada cravings for apam balik. In fact after school, I think I hardly eat apam balik. 

Until recently. When I used to go to pasar malam at Tmn Maluri. I think thats when I rediscovered my love for apam balik.

Macam suddenly I terjumpa old flames. Haha. Sungguh over.

So now. Its bulan puasa, and out of nowhere tetiba teringin nak makan apam balik.

I have been looking for it at both nearby pasar ramadhan, and tak jumpa jugak apam balik. Like, suddenly every one has no interest in apam balik anymore, and semua sibuk nak jual all the complicated and hard-to-find kuih muih instead.

U name it, nasi kerabu ada.. Nasi tomato ada, kuih lagi lah memacam ada.. Tapi apam balik, takde. Apam balik yg usually ada je kat mana2, boleh disappear from the face of the earth during ramadhan.

How la like this? 

Kena tunggu lepas raya la nampaknya 




Sunday, July 13, 2014

Of Ramadhan and bubuk lambuk

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My stomach hasnt been very well these past few days, ever since I had that real bad food poisoning.

Because of that, I am still wary of eating macam-macam and somehow teringin nak makan bubur je. Tapi tak syokla makan bubur kosong, and in the fridge pun ada some meat. 

And I have always liked the masjid Kg baru bubur lambuk, so when i found this recipe here http://www.myresipi.com/top/detail/5478, and ingredients are also something that I can easily get from my grocery store, and walla.. Here u go..


I made some adjustments, and below is what i use instead of the original recipe


  • 1 cawan beras
  • 1 sudu besar minyak sapi - i skipped this
  • 2 sudu besar minyak masak (I put in 3, since I skipped the minyak sapi)
  • 1 kulit kayu manis, 1 bunga lawang, 2 bunga cengkih, 2 buah pelaga
  • daging
  • segenggam udang kering
  • 2 helai daun pandan
  • 1 sudu kecil halba
  • 1 sudu kecil jintan manis
  • 1 biji bawang besar 
  • 3 biji bawang putih 
  • 2 inci halia - i used ginger powder instead
  • 1 sudu kecil serbuk lada hitam
  • 2 cawan santan pekat (i used only 10ml)
  • 6 biji bawang merah - buat bawang goreng
  • daun sup dan daun bawang
  • Air dan garam secukup nya
  • Diced vege ( I just use the frozen mix vege)

Prep work:
- Dice the meat
- wash rice and put aside
- blend the ginger and get the juice (2 inch ginger and 2 cups water)
- sliced onion and garlic
- blend udang kering ( i didnt blend but i think would taste better if i did)

Method:
- Panaskan minyak
- Tumis bawang, garlic 
- Add kayu manis, cengkih, lawang, pelaga and halba
- Add the meat and a bit of water, add jintan manis, and udang kering
- when the meat looks well seasoned, add more water
- add rice
- put in daun pandan , pepper, garam
- add in the vege
- cook sampai beras jadi bubur-like
- once get the bubur texture, add the santan, let it boil few more minutes.


meanwhile tgh bubur nak masak, can prep the garnishing, buat bawang goreng and daun sup and bawang.


The verdict:

Hub says, its the best he ever tasted. Tak tahula cakap saja nak kasi encouragement or he was just being nice. In any case, he is not a fan... So cam takleh nak pakai sangat kot his feedback. Haha

My verdict pulak, its good - kena citarasa lah jugak. But then, sendiri masak of course la ikut citarasa sendiri kan kan kan...





Okay. Puas hati ku!

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Since I have recently acquired a sewing machine, and learnt how to use it, I am indeed very pleased with it - and at the same time felt like kicking myself in the butt.


Macam like, duh, why didnt I do this sooner??

It is soo unbelievably fast okay. I remember I used to sew all that pillow cover and stuff and how it took me weeks to complete, when I could've learnt how to use the darn machine and have it over with within minutes! Tsk tsk tsk...

Anyhow, with this new hobby, I have started to read more to learn the ropes. Of course, part of the process is to also have the right tool.

Little that I know that it is not so easy to come by. 

Because of this, I am dedicating the post for newbies like me, on WHERE to find your tools.

First item I wanted was this L shaped ruler, this fella here:

I actually went to soo many places (not craft shops) and none of them carry it. In the end, I found it in Ace Hardware. Ace also carry the straight ones, so you have two options.

Next up, was to find sewing threads. The good ones.

I read that one of the reason the stitches break or don't last could very well caused by a poor quality thread. Now, this is a real tricky one. The thing is I have no idea how to tell if the thread is any good. I mean, not like you are able to see with naked eyes if the fibres on the thread is any good. The only way is to basically stick with well known thread brands, such as Gutermann, coal, etc. Which is another ghost hunt on its own. Kat Malaysia ni manalah nak jumpa semua tu. I tried Macy's but they also only carry china brand, which I suppose is still good but I wasnt sure. I tried that craft shop in Ampang Park, also they dont carry Gutermann nor Coal. Again, just some other brand. 

So it became an obsession pulak trying to find this apparently superb thread, in the hopes that my senget benget sewing will improve (as if!) , to a point that I wanted to order it all the way from UK.

Then, one fine day, I found a site which was giving away Gutermann thread as gifts, and I asked the blog owner where can I find those, and she said, Spotlight - the australian craft and party one stop center is spreading its wings to KL, and will carry those.

After a long wait (for the shop grand opening), finally I got my hands on them: 




And of course a whole bunch of other stuff which is scarcely available elsewhere.

So there, peeps if u ever need any sewing related items, scratch your head no more, just head straight to Spotlight in Ampang Point and you will surely go gagagaga like I did :) 


Note:
For those wondering how much are Gutermann thread selling over here, its RM8.99. Yeah, pretty steep compared to the brand selling in Macy which is RM1.99. Time will tell, if it is worth it...