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Sunday, 16 January 2011

Red velvet cupcakes

Butter, sugar and eggs

Add red color

Add flour, cocoa, milk, sour cream, salt and vanilla

Bake at 350 deg F for 20-22 mins and let cool

Ice with cream cheese frosting and add sprinkles!

Saturday, 18 December 2010

Rendang Daging Pn Mashitah (aka Mama)
1 lb beef

A)

2 in ginger

1 in turmeric root

2/3 in galangal root

1 stick lemongrass

3 medium shallots

4 small garlic

1 tbs (level) chili powder

1 tbp (heaping) curry powder

B)

1.5 small can coconut milk (diluted with 1 can of water)

2 tbs kerisik

2 pcs asam keping (tamarind peel)

2 pcs lime leaf
1. Slice beef to about 1/4 inch thick
2. Chop or blend all root ingredients in (A) and mix with chili and curry powder
3. Marinade sliced beef with (A) for 30-45 mins
4. Using low to medium heat, heat marinaded beef in a pan. Beef will start to get juicy
5. Once beef almost gets entirely brown, pour in coconut milk. Reduce heat to low
6. When beef gets tender, add kerisik. You can see that sauce is thickening
7. Finally, add tamarind peel and thinly sliced lime leaves
8. Leave on low heat until sauce almost entirely evaporates
9. Final product:

Sunday, 07 November 2010

Tent city - how lucky I am to have a home.

http://dailyme.com/gallery/geography/petionville.html

This is what a tent city looks like in Port-Au-Prince that was setup after the earthquake back in January. As we know, the earthquake devastated this city and country and they are still facing lots of problems today, almost 11 months after the disaster took place. Over 200 people have already perished due to cholera that broke out last month and then this past week, the island was swept with Tomas, the tropical store/hurricane. It's like Haitian couldn't get enough of mother nature and things just keep happening to the people of this poor (economically poor as well) country.

http://www.udistrictdaily.com/files/2010/08/nickelsville1012.jpg

This is Nickelsville. Its a tent city that moves around a few different locations in the Seattle area. Currently, they are located by a church, right outside the UW. Think America is so great? Well, think again. If this country is so great, why are there people still living nomadically, in make shift camps without proper amenities? So, if you hear anyone telling straight in your face that America is the "greatest country in the world," please say that it's bullshit. Self-centered politicians and greedy bankers in Wall Street have caused people to be squatting in their own land.

I happen to pass Nickelsville almost everyday since they moved back to the U-District last August. First, I thought, why did the church offer their space to these people? It looks really bad and of course, these people might just contribute to more crimes in the area. Well, I didn't know better. I could have ended up living in one of these tents too. If I were in these people's shoes, I'd be angry at those who say that I cause problems.

The thing is, we never really realize how lucky we are. Right at the point where I feel like I am at the very bottom and there is no more below that I go to, I am still not in these people's position. I still have a roof over my head, and enough food to feed the two of us. These people are my only comfort when I feel like I have nothing.

Sometimes, when all else fails and you have no option, you just gotta do what you have to do. And if that means living in tents like nomads, I guess that's what you have to do.

ps: America is not that great. Americans think they are, but its about time they woke up.

Wednesday, 01 September 2010

I have been thinking if I should change my legal name to adopt Idrus' last name since a) Ahmad-Shukri is long and b) then we can have our cheques say Idrus & Aimi Syed for our shared bank account. However, I feel it's kinda stupid being Aimi Syed, since Syed is obviously associated with male and sometimes I feel like Syed is exclusively reserved for the prophet's descendants, which I'm obviously not.

Well, I changed my name on FB to Aimi Syed to stay under the radar. Last week, I was at an event where I met some new people and was identified as Aimi Ahmad-Shukri. They asked me if I had FB and I conveniently said yes. No one has tried to add me since. SCORE (that means they never found me)! I really dont feel like adding people that I meet once and probably dont have any other interactions for the next year (or ever). They just clutter my newsfeed.

However, there are these people from way back in high school that have been trying to add me. Sometimes I wonder how they find me anyways with me being under the radar. What wonders me more is why they even bother trying to add me because a) we were never in the same class, b) we never hung out together c) we probably never even talked to each other d) I was considered unholy for not wearing tudung for most of my school days and e) why is it important that you contact me now after almost 10 years out of school. WEIRD. Dont add me just because you have a target of having 1000 people on your list. That's pathetic.

Ok, so back to my original question - to change or not to change my last name.

Monday, 02 August 2010

The Bachelorette

I have a dirty secret to confess: I have been following The Bachelorette TV show all this season with Ali. It's a guilty pleasure knowing how shallow the show gets sometimes but at the same time, I look forward to Monday nights to find out who will "get the rose" at the end of the show.

Please don't judge me for watching the show. I am officially a housewife who besides doing house chores, has nothing better to do! *wink*

Tonight was the finale and all I can say is......WELL DESERVED......