Raya Wishes Fulfilled!!!

I approach raya this year with somewhat apprehension. My first worry was finding clothes that will fit me for Raya, then I started worrying about getting raya-worthy (read: bling-bling) shoes and ditching the boring totally flat totally black Bonia pumps I have been wearing the whole of my pregnancy. And then came the anxiety that this raya won't be much of a raya since I won't have enough energy to bake any cookies and won't make it through the normally 6 hour car ride to Pahang, Malaysia to meet my relatives there. (it normally takes 6 hours to get there but could possibly stretch to 10 hours due to massive jam)

I'm happy to say that with the exeption of the last wish, everything else was fulfilled! *grin* Rummaging through my cupboard I realised I have a black beaded abaya (arab robe) Umi bought for me when she went for Haj two years back. It's long and flowy and way too big for me when she bought it so it has remained stashed away literally untouched in my cupboard. But with my now egg-shaped tummy, it looks just nice for me. All I needed to do was get a matching black baju melayu for the Don and we're ready for Hari Raya!!! One problem solved! I fell in love with another similiar abaya in red with very intricate sequin detailing at the most unlikeliest of places - the Geylang bazaar (and very cheap too!!) and voila! My baju raya problem was solved.

Despite being like ayam-kena-sembelih for most of the Ramadhan, I found Herculean strength in the last two weeks to make my usual die-die-must-do raya favourites of cornflakes honey and pineapple tarts and even baked biskut suji & pistachio butter cookies. (although I was under strict instructions from the Don to only make for personal consumption and stop being Mrs Santa Clause!) And my dear friend M baked for me my favourite Choc Chip Walnut Cookies !!!!


This year's raya was special in its own way, I guess. One especially touching gesture was when my father-in-law went to the midnight lelong at the Geylang Bazaar and bought for me a whole stash of "kuih tunjuk" (ready made cookies) as he thought I was too pregnant to make my own cookies. Among the ones he bought were the much talked about kuih tembikai and mama carries.

So from the worry of no kuih, I think I ended up with more kuih than last year raya. Hehe.

I was quite dissapointed though that we didn't manage to travel to Pahang. This year's raya was less special since I didn't get to feel the "kampung atmosphere" and eat my favourite lemang and rendang but with my heartburns, inability to sit for long due to the vigorous movements of Baby Muhammad, and hearing the horror stories from my cousins being in 20 hour drive to get from Kota Bahru to KL (normally 8hrs) and my uncle in 6 hour drives from Kuantan to KL (it's normally 2hrs), I guess we made the right decision. After all, we have a whole lifetime of rayas to go back to Pahang for. Insya'allah.

Ramadhan With A Difference!!!!

I felt very different this time last year. I looked forward like an eager beaver last year to the fasting month not just because it was the first time I would be breaking fast with The Don as his wife but also because it was the chance for me to hone my culinary skills with new recipes come weekends. And Ramadhan was bliss what with the times we went for Terawih prayers at Ba'alwie and the many many times we went around Geylang and Town looking for new household stuff & clothes for Hari Raya.

This year Ramadhan & Raya is much much more subdued. Apart from the obvious ie: the inability to splurge since the baby is on the way (bye bye new curtains and the new dining table!), I have also very very limited energy. (Did I mention I feel like I swallowed a watermelon?) Looks like there will be minimal baking this year (just the usual pineapple tarts and cornflakes cookies which The Don loves to bits) and very minimal shopping (hur! hur!)

So far we've been to the Kg Glam Bazaar once (and trust me there is no need to go there again!) and once to Geylang. I might need to go to Geylang one more time since both The Don and I didn't find any clothes we fancy the first time. But I guess that will be it. Usually 4 trips is the absolute minimum for me. OOhh I'm such a goody girl this year!

Usually I reach home from work less than an hour before breaking fast and after a whole day in the office, all I have the energy for is a short 15 min nap before I start preparing for breaking fast. (Thank god for Umi cooking if not we'd probably eat take-out or fried rice/noodle every single day! hehe!) After Maghrib, The Don usually leaves for the mosque alone. Before you know it, its the end of the day and then its bedtime before we have to wake up for sahur.

I do make an effort to cook on weekends however but instead of my zest to try out new recipes, I usually stick to the tried and tested. One reason is that since I have been pregnant, my tastebuds have somewhat changed. Everything tastes tasteless to me and when I cook, I tend to overdo the salt bit. There have been many times when The Don takes one bite then spit it out again hehehe. As a result this fasting month, I become overly cautious when I cook and refrain from trying out anything new in case it turns out disastrous.


Still, I managed to cook some of the Don's and mine favourites.

Roasted Chicken

Mee Soto

What shall I cook this weekend? Let's see... Roti Jala ?? hhhmmmm......I wonder what Ramadhan and Raya will mean for us next year when we have a kid in tow. More grande than last year maybe ? I guess we'll have to wait and see.....