Back to Egypt : Thanks Teh!

teh is going back to egypt tonight!

ms diyana shereen, or fondly known as teh in the family is my sister-in-law. she has been staying with us in dubai for the past 2 months. she came to from cairo to dubai originally to spend the winter holiday, just days before the devastating unrest and demonstrations began in cairo. read about my take on it here.

now weeks after president mubarak stepped down, malaysian students in cairo are already gradually sent back to school. this goes for her too, as classes in cairo university will begin next week. i hope things are getting better, business as usual and most of all SAFE for them to return.

 

teh : future dentist, insyaAllah!

 

to me, teh is funny, and smart. keeps silent when she chooses to, yet can be the life of a party. she’s a firm aunty, and a helpful sis-in-law.

i will miss our borak-borak, and having her help around the house especially with the difficult kahfi (who currently in the ‘terrible two’ phase!).

 

i know she will most definitely miss her favorite nephew, khaleef.

 

teh and i @ dubai global village. here we are in front of the egypt pavillion

 

thanks for everything teh.

for bathing the kiddos (and kazim too!), and making toasted waffles for khaleef. for picking him up from the bus after school, and patiently tending to kahfi’s tantrums. and for what little conversations we have had. we will really miss having you around.

be safe in cairo, and always stay in groups! good luck in your studies, and have a fun flight. we’ll see you again when we all come back to malaysia for raya okay!

p/s: by the way, on more than one occasion, people had been telling us that we look alike, and they thought teh was my sister! well, that can only mean one thing : that teh is as super gorgeous as i am! hahaha.

TGIF Dubai Mall : Nice View of Dancing Fountain

there are 2 places i know where you can dine in view of the world’s tallest building burj khalifa, while you enjoy the light, music and water ‘show’ of the ‘dancing fountain’ :

1. the row of restaurants on the LG floor of dubai mall, the dancing fountain side (one of the restaurants i tried was ‘wafi gourmet’, with my in-laws. click here for my review)
2. souk al-bahar, an arabesque shopping mall with waterside cafes (one of the cafes i tried was ‘shakespeare cafe’, with my sisters syida and azi. click here to read our experience there)

 

for those not in the know, the ‘dancing fountain’ opposite the world’s largest mall, dubai mall is no regular fountain. it has the highest shooting fountain in the world, with a play on awesome music and the brightest lights than can be seen from miles.

the shooting water moves with the music, hence the name ‘dancing fountain’.

 

me. hihi. behind me is the base of the tallest building in the world

 

well, we just found a great spot to see all these wonderful landmarks, while eating delicious yummies at *affordable* price.

i say ‘affordable’ because though you can see the fountain from the line of posh restaurants at the LG floor right in front of the fountain (wafi gourmet, fusion restaurants – to name a few) and at the souk al-bahar (also another upscale spot with posh cafes) – this place that we found is just your average american diner, with ‘cheaper’ cheeseburgers and sodas!

TGIF!

 

 

teh. behind my sister-in-law is ‘souk al-bahar’, with a bridge connecting dubai mall

 

 

burj khalifa. too tall for my lense!

 

the peach building is dubai mall, with the fountain in front and the burj khalifa on the side. setting sebijik macam suria klcc, fountain and our twin towers kan?

 

 

the ‘calm’ fountain before the show starts, and in the next picture, the shooting fountain that dances with the music and light. fantastic show!

 

the dancing fountain starts at 6pm, with consecutive shows every 30 minutes. so if you really want to sit, eat and enjoy – come around 5pm (because it’ll be full by 5.30) and book a seat on the balcony to get a good view!

eat slowly and wait till 6pm when the show starts. sit for 3-4 more shows, and then be considerate to leave the table for other people, okay! hihi.

 

kazim enjoying the ‘dancing fountain’

 

* * *

 

 

oh, why were we at TGIF? it’s a treat for mr. khairul’s birthday from his younger brother angah. thanks bro! i had cheeseburger. nyum. but i think chilis make better cheeseburgers, and the best is surely from fuddruckers!

TGIF dubai mall is on the 2nd level, waterfront atrium. it’s above dean & deluca cafe.

Abg Kahfi & Cousin Wafa

meet wafa.

she is the boys’ only cousin on their bapak’s side (they have 6 other cousins on my side). she is the only daughter of mr. khairul’s younger brother, fondly known in the family as ‘angah’, and naturally, my boys call him pak ngah.

to wafa, mr. khairul and i are pak long and mak long since my husband is the eldest in the family. felt ‘old’ and so classic to be called ‘mak long’ – since on my side, my nephews and nieces call me aunty gim – rock sikit! haha)

sigh wafa, wafa. don’t you just wanna pinch her cheeks?

 

 

kahfi & wafa : like two peas in a pod!

 

i’m not being bias and say my boys are angels with each other. all three are mischievous lot with cheeky tricks up their sleeves – but i’ve never seen kahfi fight and quarrel and bicker and hog toys with his other brothers, as much as when he’s with wafa!

yes – they’re such great friends, and such terrible enemies!

 

 

mornings are incomplete if wafa had not woken up yet. kahfi would creep closer and call out her name to wake her up! they can just sit together side by side watching disney cartoons.

 

lepak-lepak tengok cartoon

 

…and yet, war would soon begin as battles for cookies, toys and even the x-box controllers rage on! both of them would definitely be crying at one point or another in a day!

 

 

wafa is staying for a few more days before flying back to malaysia, so kahfi – play nice!

Happy 32nd Birthday, Honey!

i’m still 31 nyeh nyeh. until june that is.

this birthday boy is a genuine guy’s guy who’s not afraid to scream when he sees cockroaches and dares wear pink. buys me chocolates when he travels and shower endless i-love-yous. the boys can crawl all over their father in play, yet can cower when he’s firm. dedicated to his job, and eager to do more. be honest and sincere with him, and he’s your friend for life.

this birthday boy is doing okay!

as usual, every 8th of march, my blog is incomplete without a birthday dedication to my mr. khairul, syigim style. check out my birthday poem for mr. khairul on his 30th birthday, and for his 31st.

enjoy this latest addition; specially for his 32nd birthday.

 

 

32 Years of Khairul
by syigim, your smokin hot wife

you're 32 so what is new?
grey hairs are peeking out
don't worry though it's just a few
need not get all freak out

you're 32 so how's it hangin?
your tummy expands an inch
no worries hon, don't go head-bangin
there's more of you to clinch

you're 32 so what's up doc?
forgetfulness persist
you left your keys you mix your sock
but i'm there to assist

you're 32 so how are things?
always been the same great man
grey hair, amnesia, tummy expanding
oh, just enjoy life as you can!

you're 32 so here's the deal
have so much more to thank for
a loving wife that's for real
3 boys whom you adore

you're 32 ok that’s that
enjoy this happy moment
give yourself a nice good pat
for another year of excitement!

 

* * *

 

have great fun and just let loose today, mr. khairul. and this year, may you get that ‘sexy italian babe’, or the ‘wild american chick’. whichever looks good on you, i give my blessings. haha. just as long as i get to hitch a ride…

happy birthday!

Nasi Kandar in Dubai?

believe it!

 

nasi kandaq in dubai!

 

the self-confessed kandaq-freak mr. khairul was clearly the happiest to have nasi kandar for dinner in dubai. he was savagely enjoying his plate of nasi kandar, and in a few blinks, everything was gone from his plate. and this is in the comfort of our home in dubai marina.

me? let’s just say i still don’t get what’s all the fuss about! kari? kari is kari la. apenya yang baguih sangat nasi kandaq tu! hihi.

nasi kandar is a popular northern malaysian dish, which originates from penang. it is a meal of steamed rice which can be plain or mildly flavored, and served with a variety of curries and side dishes such as fried chicken, curried spleen, cubed beef, fish, prawn or squid and okra (lady fingers). nasi kandar is seen on most tamil muslim or "malaysian mamak" restaurants and indian-muslim stall meals.

a mixture of curry sauces is poured on the rice. this is called 'banjir' (flooding) and imparts a diverse taste to the rice. ~wikipedia

 

the happy penang boy enjoying his plate

 

where the heck did that nasi kandar come from? a newly opened mamak nasi kandar corner in dubai marina? has his prayer been answered? hihi.

to malaysians staying in dubai, don’t get too excited yet.

actually, mr. khairul’s mom, his younger brother and family just arrived for cuti-cuti dubai. upon my sis-in-law’s request, they had actually brought along neatly packed curries and nasi kandar dishes from their favorite restaurant in puchong. like, for real!

 

my sis-in-law teh (also the happiest little clam to get nasi kandaq since she’ll be going back to egypt soon insyaAllah), mr. khairul’s younger bro angah and my mom-in-law

 

it’s no ‘line clear’, or ‘nasi kandaq beratoq’, but from an equally established ‘brand’ of nasi kandar – ZNK, or ‘zainol nasi kandar’. this is also mr. khairul’s favorite nasi kandar haunt, apart from the two restaurant i mentioned previously.

we usually go to the one in pj – which is the first ever branch. this one in puchong is a branch ran by the original owner; mr. zainol himself! the one in pj is now manned by his children. if you want good nasi kandar in the klang valley, with taste closer to penang, try ZNK (attention to ica! hihi). read about my review of ZNK here.

i’ve heard of malaysians ‘smuggling’ in durian to dubai from malaysia, but nasi kandar? this is a first!

my mother-in-law were sniffing the curries to make sure they survived the 6-hour flight – and they’re still okay! as she heated it up, the lovely smell of kari nasi kandaq filled our dubai home.

unbelievable!

 

there’s the must-have gulai ikan (fish curry)…

 

…along with the fish curry’s perfect partner – the thick gravy of daging masak hitam…

 

 

..complemented by the crunchy crispy ayam goreng kunyit berempah!

 

 

oh, and don’t forget the telur mata! lagi lembik lagi kaw! – btw, ini masak kat rumah ok. kalo ni pun nak import dari malaysia tu malampau la kan haha.

 

tada! mr. khairul’s plate!

 

actually this plate was very mild compared to what it’s supposed to be – hot steamed rice, checked! kari mamak, checked! but the rice should be more soggy, soaked in thick curry. it’s also compulsory for the rim of the plate to be comot with smudges of poured curry! pinggan nasi kandaq nih kemas sangat ni! hihi.

sigh. if it were mine, the gravy would be much, much less – and on the side!

anyway, mr. khairul even saved the curry for lunch the next day. yes, that’s how sayang he is with the kari nasi kandaq! thanks a bunch to my mom-in-law for flying in the dishes all the way from a humble little restaurant in puchong.

thanks!

Batoola : Traditional Arab Mask

ever seen anyone wearing their tudung with this kind of mask?

no, she’s not wearing a solar-powered face covering. and no, she’s not on her way to a mardi gras ball. and no, definitely not wearing that to stop her from nagging to her husband!

this is actually a traditional arab mask, called the ‘batoola’, or ‘batulla’ – normally worn by *bedouin women.

the bedouin (from the arabic badawī (بدوي), pl. badw) are a part of the predominantly desert-dwelling arab ethnic group…the term is now often applied in many ways either to arabs in general or to desert dwellers or nomads.

~ wikipedia

 

 

the first time i saw a makcik arab wearing it, i was quite taken aback. it was fascinating because i've never seen one. even in books, or pictures or documentaries on tv – never! it's said that this is a dying cultural practice, and still uphold by those traditional bedouin people.

 

the lady at the back wearing ‘batoola’ with her black tudung

 

i was remembered of this ‘batoola’ when we went to dubai global village few weeks back.

the dubai global village itself covers an extensive ground, but in a few corners you will see wooden tents. there are cooking stations in there – complete with hot frying pan, and the works. these are actually home-like stalls for beduoin women to sell freshly-prepared food for sale.

they will have all the ingredients in there. they will prepare the raw materials there. they will mix and stir and roll and knead dough – they will prepare the dishes from scratch, for tourists to see.

kuih yang macam cakoi ade. tapi cicah dengan madu. macam capati pun ada. roti telur macam kat mamak pun ada, tapi lain sikit. macam-macam makanan tradisi masyarakat beduin.

 

 

now, if you notice, the lady with the black tudung sitting at the back wore gold-color cardboard-like 'mask' to cover her face. this is the traditional veil called 'batoola', worn mostly by makcik-makcik and opah-opah arab, especially in the village.

fascinating!

* * *

i read a few wonderment about this ‘batoola’ over the net. many questions the actual purpose for the ‘batoola’ – is it JUST to cover the aurah? if so why is it gold colored, and shaped like so? why couldn’t they simply use a black cloth?

is it to display or enhance beauty? is it to protect these women's modesty or is it a symbol of status? some say that, because the voice of a woman is her aurah, so traditional arab women wear the ‘batoola’ to ‘cover’ their voice? really?

if you ask me – it’s just their tradition, the tradition of the beduoin women. and they wear it as part of their hijab (tudung). just like victorian ladies wear corset as part of their dresses, and men wear the skirt-like sampin as part of their baju melayu or the unnecessary ‘tie’ around their neck when they wear suits!

nobody questions those!

 

the many gold-colored batoola (image : google)

 

what is it made of? contrary to what you may think, it’s not made of shiny metal – it’s made of soft cardboard, and sometimes just cloth.

 

source : here

 

well, we all learned something today! eh, pernah nampak pelancong arab di malaysia pakai ni tak jalan-jalan kat klcc?

The Famous Ikea Meatballs : 1st Try!

yes, yes – we’ve just jumped onto the bandwagon of ikea meatball-lovers, after practically everyone we knew had already tried it!

we went to festival city dubai, where the ikea is.

 

 

ikea meatballs, ikea meatballs. what the heck is this dish? is it a pasta dish? but it doesn’t say spaghetti meatballs. so what, there’s JUST meatballs on the plate? what the—? what kind of dish is that!

so went my sceptical self before this.

turned out, my plate of meatballs consists of 10 meatballs in cream sauce, with a huge chunk of potato and steamed veggie – all for 10dhs a plate.

to be honest, it looks like a ‘poor man’s steak plate’ – instead of a big fat steak, you got meatballs. instead of rich creamy mash potato, you’ve got that bulk of potato. and instead of crisp salad and avocado, you’ve got the instant mix veggie with peas and baby carrots.

all this, for 15dhs. we bought one plate and share, because sharing is caring haha.

 

 

the dish is SO simple, and yet, with one bite – so delicious! the juicy meatballs, the salty marinade cream sauce, the sweet potato – they all complement each other well.

in malaysia, instead of that potato bulk, this dish is served with fries, am i right? actually i’d prefer fries than the potato!

but i LOVE the veggie. i’ve always loved green peas with my lamb chops, steaks or burgers. i can eat lots and lots of green peas, so no complaints there!

 

 

mr. khairul bought this cake for JUST 7dhs. and on top of that, gets a complimentary coffee to go along with it. that’s a fantastic deal, in dubai terms. really.

mind you, in dubai you’re probably dreaming if you pay less than 10dhs for a cake. oh, you can actually get very cheap (and yummy) cheesecake and choc cake at kfc for 7dhs.

…so to get a deliciously fancy cake like in the picture, along with a free coffee – all for 7 dhs – is something you got to have!

 

kahfi doing sniffing test. as usual. :P

 

naughty kahfi

 

 

khaleef did an impromptu storytelling, while kazim listened intently

 

my youngest prince

 

being in a middle east country, there’s also chicken shawarma (like kebab) sold, alongside the western hotdog. but i’d try the swedish meatballs again the next time we come by!

what did we buy? a wooden kitchen rack, coat hanger, some kiddy placemats (with the mouse driving the chilli? cute and whimsical!), and the plush sofa cushions. *seronok!* ok, everybody let’s just shout – i love ikea!