Saturday 28 February 2009

Ex SMTJB

On 16 Feb, I received more than 100 e-mail, turn up, my ex class mates at Sek. Men. Teknik Johor Bahru forming a group to keep in touch with each other after 23 years. The joy of reading all those e-mail bring back all the memories when we were young, of how we tease each other, nick name we gave to the boys. Well now all of us have our own career and family but the cheekiness still there. But for us the girls, Dila, Ilah and Gie and me, we always keep contact. This photos taken last year at my house in JB when we have a gathering.

Ilah, Dilah and Gie





Thursday 26 February 2009

What Do You Think?

You Really Don't Need Toilet Paper in Toilets

by excellentvision, Nov 18, 2007
There is one way which is more hygienic than using toilet paper for you to clean yourself in toilets. It is a lot simpler too!

You may have heard some people said that they could not live without toilet paper (or some people call it “toilet rolls”). Do you believe me if I say that we don't need toilet paper at all in toilets? You may find it very difficult to believe. But let me just tell you a story about a friend of mine named Danial and his landlord, Jack. Danial was an Asian student
studying Accountancy in University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Illinois while Jack was an American.

Danial rented a room in the basement of a house owned by Jack in Champaign. The room was a bit unique as the kitchen, bathroom and toilet were not inside the room but instead, they were right outside of it. That enables Jack to do his regular checking of the kitchen, bathroom and toilet as Danial locked only his room when he was not around. There was something that made Jack surprised and curious whenever he checked the toilet. He noted that there was no toilet paper in it every time he checked. Not even one piece! He did not think that Danial kept toilet paper in his room as the tenant did not share the toilet with any other tenants in the house. He wondered how Danial cleaned himself or to say it straight forward, cleaned his buttock after doing the normal stuff people do in toilets. One day, Jack met Danial by chance when he was checking the kitchen. After greeting each other, Jack suddenly asked, “Danial, why is there no toilet paper every time I checked the toilet?”

“I don't need to use it actually,” replied Danial.

“Then how do you clean yourself in the toilet?” asked Jack.

“I just use water and my bare left hand,” said Danial.

Jack was shocked with the answer and then asked, “I hope you don't mind me asking but isn't that disgusting to use your bare hand to clean?” Danial felt a bit embarrassed by that question but he managed to keep his cool. He then replied by asking Jack a question. “Jack, let me just ask you this. If you got some mud on your hand or on any other part of your body, is it enough for you to clean it only by wiping it off using some pieces of paper?” “Or, would you prefer to use some water and clean the mud off using your bare hand? I am sure you feel more comfortable to use water as it will clean the mud off much better”

Jack was, once again, shocked. Feeling ashamed, he did not really answer the question but instead, he right away said to Danial that he did sometimes clean himself using water and his bare hand in the toilet. Danial smiled as he knew that Jack was not telling the truth. However, he just nodded and didn't say anything more as he didn't want to further embarrass Jack. Well, guys. Did you see the logic for not needing to use toilet paper in toilets? Do you feel disgusted when you heard some people clean themselves in toilets using just water and their bare hand?

Don't be surprised when you travel to other parts of the world, especially to most part of Asia, and you find out that there is no toilet paper in most public toilets there but instead, you only have a water tap and a short tube. Don't worry guys. Toilets at their hotels, especially those graded with more stars, do have toilet paper for their customers who come from different culture. The main point here is that we should realize that some people have their own way to keep their personal hygiene. In fact, their way may make some other people to re-think of their own way.

So guys do you really need toilet paper in toilets or are you more comfortable with Danial's way of personal cleaning which seems to me to be more hygienic? You may even have your own different way of personal hygiene in toilets! Feel free to let me know of your thoughts.

Note: this article was written by my old school friend

Saturday 21 February 2009

Friday 20 February 2009

Wednesday 18 February 2009

Monday 16 February 2009

How to make chilli paste


20 - 30 dried chillies (more if you like it hot)
5 - 6 cloves garlic
2 onions - cut into small
1 tbsp turmeric powder
2 cups water
(optional - 50g belacan/shrimp paste)

Cut dried chillies using scissor, remove the seeds and soak the chillies in hot water for 15 minutes, rinse in cold water and sieve the water out
In a blender put 1 cup water, onion, garlic and turmeric (and belacan) and blend it for 2 minutes than add the chillies and another cup of water and blend it until super fine

Store in bottle and keep in fridge up to a month
You can use the chillie paste to cook lot of malay lauk like sambal tumis, curry, mee goreng etc

Sunday 15 February 2009

Malaysia Night at Reading University

Organised by RUMBSA a play title Negaraku on 13th February 2009
Aimi was the Executive Producer and one of the cast. She is a good actor. We proud of her. It was good to hear, and stand stright and sing along when Negaraku (Malaysia anthem) played in the Myra McCulloch Theatre@ Bulmershe. I was in tears. Thank you RUMSA.


Saturday 14 February 2009

Wednesday 11 February 2009

Mee Goreng



250 gm yellow noodles
4 tbsp veg oil
2 tbsp chilli paste
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato sauce
200 g prawn/squid
1/2 cup stock
salt and sugar season to taste

1. scald the noodle in hot water. Drain well.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the chilli paste until fragrant
3.Pour in all the sauce, salt, sugar and stock
4. Add prawn and squid adn cook for 2 minutes
5. Add the noodles and mix thoroughly and stir fry for 2 minutes

Tuesday 10 February 2009

Marshmallows

From :River Cottage Recipe

2 tbsp icing sugar
2 tbsp corn flour
A little vegetable oil from oiling the tin and knife
1 small peeled beetroot (for natural colouring)
25g (about 2 sachets) gelatin powder (or vegetarian gelatin)
500 g granulated sugar
2 eggs white

1. sift the icing sugar and cornflour together into small bowl
2. rub a shallow cake tin about 20x20cm with few drop of veg oil and shake a little of the icing sugar mixture around the tin to coat the base and the side
3. grate the beetroot into a small bowl and pour over 125ml of nearly boiling water and leave to infuse for 30 seconds. Strain the pink, nearly boiling water into a bowl and sprinkler the gelatin on top. Stir until all of the gelatin has dissolved
4. put the sugar into medium sized saucepan with 250ml of water.Warm over a low heat, stirring until all of the sugar has dissolved, allowing the mixture to boil fiercely without stirring. Remove from the heat and pour the beetroot gelatin mixture into the hot sugar syrup, stirring until everything well blended
5. beat the egg white until stiff using a mixture. With a mixture going at low speed, slowly pour in the sugar mixture in a gentle tricule. After added all the syrup, leave the machine to carry on beating until the mixture turn really thick and bulky but still pourable when you lift up the beater, it should leave a ribbon trail of the mixture on the surface which taken few second to sink back down into the mix.
6. pour the marshmallow into the prepared tin, leave to set i a cool place ( do not refrigerate) for 1 -2 hours
7. Dust a chopping board with the rest of the icing mixture. Coat a knife with little oil. Carefully case the marshmallow out of the tin into the board, helping it out when necessary with the knife. Make sure all of the surface of the marshmallow are entirely dusted with the icing sugar mixture. Cut it into square. Oil and dusting the knife as needed. Store in an airtight tin line with baking parchment

Daging Masak Paprik



Beef Paprik

500g beef - sliced
4 tomatoes - cut into pieces
1 carrot - sliced
100g broccoli/cauliflower - cut into pieces
100g long bean - cut in 1 in length
2 kaffir/lime leaves
3 shallots, 2 cloves garlic and 1in ginger - all sliced thinly
2 tbs chilli paste
4 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs soya sauce
2 tbs chilli sauce
sugar and salt- season to taste

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry the ginger, garlic and shallots for 3 minutes than put the chillie paste and cook for another 3 minutes.
2. Add the sliced beef and oyster and soy sauce and let cook for 5 minutes than put all the vegetables and the kaffir leaves and let everything cook for another 4-5 minutes.
3. Lastly add the chilli sauce, season to taste and serve

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Monday 2 February 2009

Snow in Longford

Monday morning at 6.30am, it was snowing outside, beautiful snows dropped toward the lawn. Not everyday it snowing in London during winter. I'm lucky my husband not working today so he can drop me to work. When I reach my office, my manager, Paul was happy I turn up as there were no public transport running this morning.





It was around 4in of snow in the morning, we have to wade ourself to the car. I love it. Our car was cover with thick snow and iced. It took my husband nearly 20 minutes to uncover and clean the windscreen and all the car windows. The roads were very slippery so driving slowly is a must as you can sway at any moment as the road were slushing and icy.




It still snowing in the afternoon. It just like in winter wonderland. The view at our garden change from green to white.



3.15pm - reach home, the snow getting thicker, so I made small snow man within 10 minutes. I love you Mr. Snowman 2009
As today lot of school close and no public transport, most people got day off but not me but good news tomorrow I don't have to go to work, I got day off.