The Lessons We Learn from Our Childhood

My eldest daughter always comes to me with a question. It's like Mommy always knows the answer. But I tell her, its not that I know the answer, its just certain wisdoms that we posses as we get older.

Like the malay saying - "I eat salt waaaaay longer than you have"

I also tell her, there so many things in life that are gone that I wish I could have back - like being in school - PRIMARY school to be exact.

Every time my kids fight with me about something that will add that wisdom pot of ours (nap time especially) , I try to tell them they'll regret it later in life. However, what I say just isn't sinking in yet.  As for me, I'm left wishing I could take back all the naps I ever passed up on as a child.

My eldest daughter once in a while is suprised that Mommy is still up at 3 a.m. I tell her, "me time - when I can do my own thang" The time she refuses to take anap, I tell her that she will regret it later in life, because as she becomes a Mommy - there are times when she will still be up at 3 a.m for me time :D

My youngest is 10 Months today

They say time flies when you're having fun...and it sure has been with Mimi.

Though I do wish that time slows down...so that she'll still be my sweet innocent little baby.

Its getting hot out there..so take out the yogurt and dumpling

When large arrivals of Indian migrants were brought into the country as contract laborers to work in rubber estates and on the railways in the 19th century, they also brought along their food. The influences can be divided into two mainstreams, Northern and Southern Indian cuisine.

My influence with the love of Indian Food came largely because I used to work with an all Indian staff as a litigation clerk at a local law firm in Ipoh

Then later I married my husband who's father hails from a family who's decendents where these Indian migrants. You can clearly see this in their features. So when I married my husband, curry, sambar and such were very common dishes that I cook. For the moment, my daughter Syasya is the curry enthusiast and anything with yogurt is always a family favourite.

True is also for the love of Dahi (Indian Yogurt) or Tairu as they call it here. On an extremely hot day, a snack like Dahi Vada is just something I would crave for.

Dahi Vada is Lentil Dumpling in Yogurt with spices but I just like to keep my Dahi Vada simple (soak it in Dahi for a few hours and grate some carrots and spring onions on them).

Dahi Vada is also sold in most Indian Restaurants here in Malaysia and is known as Tairu Vadai (Vadey). This dish has a very cooling effect on the body during hot days such as today.

If you would like to learn to make Medu Vada (which is a base for the Dahi Vada) - this is a good instructional video to do so.

 

Over here Anchovies are to die for - The Anchovy Nugget

This is my usual morning. The usual Anchovy Nuggets for breakfast.
That's got to be gross for other side of Earth...but not this side.

It's a staple just like rice. You can do all sorts with it.

Mind you the Anchovies here somewhat differs from what the other side of Earth gets.
Here it is salted and sun dried.

Anchovy Nuggeets or Cucur Ikan Bilis as they call it this side of Earth, is packed with natural goodness. It will keep you full until lunch time and you get to dip it in ketchup.

Yes. We have ketchup. We also love ketchup. Lots of it that we hog every ketchup we can get from McDonalds because it taste better.

Making it is simple. You just need plain flour, eggs, big onions, a bit of salt, anchovies of course and warm water. We also add loads of other stuff as well like spring onions, red chillies etc

I like ours with diced potatoes and big onions.

Of course the anchovies have been soaked from last night (left in the fridge) to get rid of access salt. After rinsing them, I would usually grind them a bit since its better for Mimi to digest.

This is when Syasya bugs me to give her a go at the mixture.

And this is when she gets bored and starts playing with it...

The mixture is then mixed with hot water so that the nuggets are crispy outside while still retaining moisture inside (so its soft as you bit into it)

I don't deep fry them like some people do. Just shallow frying so its less oily.

I would also put aside a bit for Mimi before I add hot water. Hers will be just hot water, while the rest of the batter will have hot water mixed with a bit of salt. 

Great BLW (baby led weaning) recipe right?

This is nice to have in the morning...and it usually is a hit with the kids :)

D is DISCOVERY on a FIELD TRIP

I wouldn't call this a field trip...its just 3 steps away from the front door :P

But it's as organic as you can get this side of Earth. My side.

This is Aromatic Ginger or Cekur widely use around the south of Malaysia (which is where I am from) for dishes cooked with fish and coconut milk.

My dad transferred these over a few months back and I have been putting them near "wet" places in our very small garden to thrive.

and thrive they have :)

I asked Syasya if she wanted to tag along for the "harvesting" & she looked at me puzzled. Harvesting seems to be a pretty unknown concept for a city kid like her (which just means I should plant more things and "harvest" them with her often)

Pretty hard to coax her into getting her hands soiled...but at least I try to make a point that not everything grows on a supermarket shelf (or hypermarket which is always where we shop :P)