Selamat Hari Raya!!

Hey...

How is everyone?.. i just got back from Melaka. was there since Friday for Hari Raya (the rest of the world calls it 'Eid', but i prefer the Malaysianised version). Had lots to eat since day 1. For those unfamiliar with Hari Raya, it's basically a celebration after a long month of fasting during ramadhan. i think.

anyway, this is the time of the year where you get to see different types of biscuits, family get-togethers, colourful clothes, and ridiculous amounts of people at shopping malls. For descriptions on what people do during raya, google it. shall not bore you with what other people can type better.

what i look forward to every year during raya is the food (surprise, surprise). My grandma makes the best chicken rendang, urap (some dried coconut thingy) and fish sambal.. delicious to have during the first day of raya with ketupat...yummmy...

growing up, i've noticed that most people (well, my relatives anyway) will have a standard menu that they prepare throughout the raya weekend. the first day everyone would definitely have the rendang, ketupat and just some slight variation / signature dishes. i've got an aunt who makes the best beef cooked with coconut sauce.. hehe..

then on the second day, people cut down on the rendang and ketupat combo and switch to something that's easier to prepare.. most notably fried mee. My aunts / and mum calls it Mee Berderap which i think means fried noodles. hehe.. anyway, every household that i visit somehow just coincidentally fries noodles on the second day.

come the third day, it's back to usual malay dishes. these would cover rice with whatever dish they feel compelled to cook on that day.. For this particular year, my grandma managed to top everyone else by cooking a dish which i really love... Masak Lemak Ikan.. its this yellowy spicy dish thats just excellent (sorry, my vocab in describing food ain't that extended). pair this with clam sambal and fried fish..mmmmmmmm... well, i actually had 4 (yes, you read that correctly) servings of it.. and this was 4 in the afternoon!! hahaha.. it's one of those dishes where you just don't wanna stop.

so basically, every year i fast during ramadhan and lose some weight (very very little) and gain it all back and some during raya. i guess fasting during ramadhan kinda builds up the appetite for raya as well. ahaha..

now i'm back in KL and will be on holiday for the rest of the week... to re'adjust' my tummy. first step to this was futsal!! the rendang kinda took a toll on my running though, everyone around me seemed to be moving abit faster than me. oh well.

i guess that's how my raya went.. as you can see, the highlight of the trip was basically the food (there were some relative visiting sessions, but they provide food as well). Here's a list of the things i ate over the weekend:

List not in any particular order, just whatever comes to mind. i may have left things out..

• Asam pedas (one of grandma's specialty..mmmm)
  
• Fried fish (there's something about eating kampung styled fried fish)
  
• Ketupat
• Lemang
• ChickenRendang
• Nasi Lemak (breakfast)
  
• Roti Canai (breakfast)
  
• Roti John (went to the same restaurant 2 nights in a row. haha)
  
• Roasted chicken (went out with relatives, ordered 3 whole chickens)
• clam sambal
• Masak Lemak
  
• Beef rendang
• Beef with coconut sauce
• Urap (coconut thingy. i only see it during raya at my grandma's place.. eat it with sambal and ketupat)
• Fried noodles
• Fried rice (breakfast)
• a few types of cookies (this year, i kinda cut down on the cookies, trying to watch my figure! hahahahaha)
• KFC (had some people over at our house.. this was OUR specialty!!)

guess that's all i can think of.

have a good week guys! and Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir dan Batin to those celebrating raya!!!..

take care!

f