Cookworks

Had a blast celebrating a friend's birthday last night. Yeah my first outing after... a very looooooooong time. We only had dinner, really, no parties but I enjoyed the conversation and goofing around! We only left because the restaurant was closing.

And, because we chatted so much, only the brithday girl could finish her food. The rest of us had to tapau ours. Can't blame us, we had so many things to share, and the portion was GIGANTIC! I remember when our food arrived, we all had our mouths opened! And I bet we were all wondering the same thing "How on earth am I going to finish that?". Here's a tip: If you're going to Italiannies at The Gardens, make sure you order something that everyone can eat. Don't bother to have one for each person, unless you have four stomaches! Owh, and the bread pudding cake (I forgot the name) is delicious! Hihi. We had this at the end, when the staff sang Happy Birthday to this friend.

I took my pasta home and vowed to finish it during sahur. Ok, TRY to finish it. I normally wake up very late, but because of the pasta, I couldn't sleep! Haaha! You see, I'm very sensitive when it comes to wasting food. I would cry when I have to throw any leftovers - that's why my sister had to do it for me everytime. I don't know why, even at 28 I still cry when I have to throw my food. Must be something my parents or grandparents said that's stuck in my head. Or maybe I'm just a food hoarder... yucks!

O well, this morning I woke up an hour earlier than usual, so I have enough time to reheat and eat. That was a nice change from my usual tuna sandwich. Really, I was already starting to look and smell like tuna! Anyways, that was great, the reheated pasta for sahur. And I wish I can eat real food more often. Maybe I should consider getting a stove. Yeah, I don't have a stove. I only have a rice cooker and microwave oven at home. I never thought I'd be spending enough time at my place to cook - my life is all about work, yoga and sleep. Oh, and eating out. So why bother getting a stove right? Afterall, I live in a studio apartment, not that I have a real kitchen anyways.

Honestly, I haven't been cooking for years. Not that I can't, I just never had time and opportunity. I was away in boarding school for a few years, then there was college. After that, started working. Yeah, I lived with my parents the first 3 years of my working life but I got out around 7, and got home around midnight. Where got time to cook? I used to help my grandmother in her huge kitchen when I was little. Help? More like bug her. I normally help to pass things around - never cutting, her knives were very sharp, my grandfather didn't want me to cut myself. But most of the time, I'd be asking her so many questions that sometimes she forgot what she's put in her periuk belanga. I remember when she forgot if she's put the salt in her soup. She decided to not put salt again, in case she has. And that day, we had to bear with this tasteless soup!

Hurmmm, now I starting to think that maybe I should cook something for Raya. Let's see, briyani, maybe? That'd be great. If I can get the recipe right, that is. Or maybe something simpler - nasi minyak with ayam kurma. Less hassle, and less risk to get things wrong. But wait, we normally have nasi impit with kuah kacang for raya, my mum's must-have. Maybe just that? Even simpler. Yeah, that and some kuih raya... maybe buy some lemang. Gosh, so many kinds of food! But wait, I can't take leave until after Raya. I have to work even on the Saturday before Raya. When am I going to buy the stuff to cook? Oh crap...