Fresh Part 1 - Meatballs & The Simplest Tomato Sauce Ever

Fresh is a series I hope I will post each week about new stuff I do that I had not tried before. I came up with this because lately things have been rather monotonously bland. I thought I need something new to improve myself, make myself more knowledgeable and make life more interesting in a way (btw a doctor told me when you do / experience something new, new brain cells bercambah / tercetus; however to describe that?) Saya terfikir juga, dunia kat luar sana punya lah besar takkan lah saya di takuk yang sama selamanya. Enough said.

This particular one is for last week. I've gotten the recipe for quite some time and been meaning to try it out since the last few weeks. I've been busy though.

The meatballs are beautiful, but takes some time to roll them. And the tomato sauce is the simplest, with only four ingredients; canned plum tomatoes, butter, pepper and salt (you can add other stuff if you like - garlic, basil, olive oil etc). I served them with spaghetti.

After eating, Ilyas who was supposed to do a practice run for a tournament said, banyak lah pulak makan - macam mana nak lari nih.

It is something worth trying, I tell you that. And I love the fact that I tried it. Iman, who sometimes likes cooking the least said she will keep this recipe close to her. I have yet to post the recipe..

I am already thinking what fresh something I should do for next week. I thought I would be running this weekend (I know, whaat?) Iman had registered herself for a night run. I earlier thought she had put in my name also; but not apparently. It is going to be raya next week, maybe I can bring down a lembu or something!

Selamat mencambahkan sel otak anda (haha, this definitely sounds very weird)

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Bonda

Late Sun evening my sister asked if I'd like to spend Mon visiting mum di kampung. I have already made plans for Mon - I am taking leave to send Eirfan for his exams and then see the orthopaedic (the bones are creaking again!) But later I thought I can visit the doctor any other time and Eirfan should be okay with his dad for the day.

We left home Subuh sepe'i lagi and got to mum's mid-morning (thank you to my sister who drove her Touareq beautifully despite of the rain throughout the journey). Her gates were closed but she was reading the newspaper on the patio. When she saw us four she smiled ear to ear and that made all the effort to see her worthwhile.

We visited my MakTeh in Matang (where you get your mee udang Mak Jah or whatever) and then took her to a beautiful place di kaki Bukit Maxwell for lunch. Unfortunately the cafe was closed; so we went to Doli instead (the kuay teow wasnt too bad actually; it was my first time ever at Doli, maybe I should visit their branch in TTDI also). We stopped and packed popiah basah and pasembor too (a family favorite). And then at my sister's place for a quick house check. We drove round the Lake Gardens for old times' sake. The old trees were as mesmerising as ever.

(my sisters and mum)

We left mum later in the afternoon. It is always sad to leave her; I suppose it is even worse for her to see us go. Tapi kalau ajak datang ke KL sememangnya she will just say no.

Semoga Allah sentiasa melindungi ibu saya dan peliharanya di dalam rahmatNya (tolong ameenkan).

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BB&MB Part 42 - Mendidik Hati Mendekati Allah

Somehow reading has been a bit slow lately. Although I do try to pack in as much as I can.

Kata ustaz, challenge yourself and maybe finish 200 pages or so in a day. Jadi makcik2 dan kakcik2 dalam kelas gasped and said unbelievably, dua ratus? So did I (uh, I may fall into the makcik category, heh-heh) But seriously, I dont think I can do 200 pages in a day (takde masa, tak cukup will power dan tiada concentration to get that far). Buku cerita boleh la (ada pulak masa tu), although it seems like days when I speed read my novels are long gone. I have two fictions sitting on my almari for ages and I havent even removed the plastic covers yet.

But anyway I finished this book by Imam Ghazali. It took me months to finish this 400+ pages. Janganlah kata 2-3 hari. Saya recommend buku ni buat mengisi hati yang kosong. Dan of course, masa kosong anda.

Buku2 yang diakhiri dengan wafatnya Rasulullah saw semuanya sedih. Termasuklah yang ini.

I already have a few books lined up for next reading. In fact, yang sebenarnya dah start pun on a couple of others. I always read books concurrently, ikut sedap hati.

Dan saya terjumpa satu blog the other day. Very powerful words and writing, on various topics. The writer, a Korean American if I am not mistaken, said you must read at least a (non-fiction) book each week. He must have been doing that cause it shows in his writing and the way he that thinks. Unfortunately I didnt bookmark the site.

I am actually on the PMR leave. And people have asked what'll you be doing at home while Eirfan goes for his exam. I thought it was a no brainer kind of question; I have plenty to do. I need to do the groceries, pay bills, blog, bake cookies (I've got orders for aqiqah gifts) and try new recipes (I have the - best, I was told - spaghetti meatballs and chunky chips to try. Btw, I promise myself I will try new recipe and / or eat, try something new every week. I should blog about this too).

I need to visit the bunga reben store; I have to get started on the hantaran / bunga telur / bunga pelamin trilogy already (I hate last minute things, I tend to lose my cool). I also have a thick strategy report to go through (my boss gave that to me so I have to read it. Otherwise I wouldnt bother I suppose). I have stuffs that need mending (namun, kata Rasulullah saw dan InsyaAllah saya tak silap, jangan ingat disebabkan kita tampal baju kita ingat itu sudah cukup baik; or something along that line. Tampal baju tu sefaham saya is just a prerequisite to other bigger things).

And most importantly I plan to read (of course) big stuff and to take time to slowly reflect on the purpose of being. Big, I know.

You have productive days ahead too, darlings.

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Sedih

I am spending my weekend reading (other than being busy with Ika's wedding). And I came across this (bacalah yang seterusnya dengan hati):

.. Abu Bakar lalu keluar dan berkata di hadapan orang ramai, "Wahai umat manusia, barangsiapa yang menyembah Muhammad, baginda sudah meninggal dunia. Namun, siapa yang menyembah Tuhan Muhammad, Allah Maha Hidup, tidak akan mati".

Dan Allah telah berfirman,

وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ أَفَإِنْ مَاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِكُمْ

Ertinya : Dan Muhammad itu tidak lain hanyalah seorang Rasul yang sudahpun didahului oleh beberapa orang Rasul (yang telah mati atau terbunuh). Jika demikian, kalau dia pula mati atau terbunuh, (patutkah) kamu berbalik (berpaling tadah menjadi kafir)? (Ali Imran 3-144) 

Dalam satu riwayat diceritakan:
Setelah mendengar berita kewafatan Rasulullah saw Abu Bakar masuk ke dalam rumah baginda lalu menyembahyangkan jenazahnya. Air matanya bercucuran kerana kesedihannya. Setelah itu, dia memeluk jenazah Rasulullah saw, membuka penutup wajahnya, lalu mencium kening dan kedua belah pipinya, serta mengusap wajahnya. Abu Bakar kemudian berkata, "Demi Allah, hidup dan mati anda sangat indah. Dengan kewafatan anda, terputuslah apa yang tidak terputus dengan kematian nabi manapun. Akhlak anda sangat agung sehingga menjadi pengkhukhusan anda, lalu anda mengharuskan agar kami menauladani anda. Seandainya kewafatan anda bukan kerana pilihan anda, pasti kami sangat berduka. Seandainya  bukan kerana larangan anda untuk meratap, pasti air mata kami ini sudah kering menangisi anda. Namun kami tidak dapat menafikan dan mengalahkan kesedihan kami ini. Ya Allah, sampaikanlah selawat dan salam kami kepadanya. Wahai Muhammad, semoga selawat dan salam dilimpahkan bagi anda. Ingatlah kami di sisi Tuhan anda, semayamkanlah kami dalam hati anda.Ya Allah, sampaikanlah salam kami kepadanya, peliharalah ajarannya dalam jiwa kami dan sucikanlah hati kami agar dapat menauladaninya. Ya Allah, gantikanlah keburukan-keburukan kami dengan kebaikan. Gabungkanlah kami dengan Nabi Muhammad saw dalam iman kerana itulah harapan kami. Segala puji bagi Allah Tuhan semesta alam".

Wallahualam.

Setiap kali membaca kisah Rasulullah saw wafat, semestinya air mata akan berlinang. Tidak kira walau versi yang mana sekalipun, yang panjang maupun pendek. Teramat sedih rasanya. Ya Allah, doronglah kami untuk mencontohi Rasulullah saw dalam semua keadaan. Ameen.

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A Family Wedding - Ika & Hazwan

Ika, niece, got married. I'll let the pictures tell the story (btw, the mini pelamin for the akad was seriously gorgeous, Ika looked sweet, the hantaran was pretty and the pelamin at reception was beautiful). Love.

 

 

 

 

 

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Sorrows

20 Most Powerful Photographs Ever Taken : #15

Erik Refner captured one of the most mournful moment in a refugee camp close to Peshawar, near the Afghan border. A one-year-old boy had died in the camp after death dehydrated.

  “There is the strong contrast between the white cloth and the dark arms. The child looks like he has a little smile around his mouth - as if he has finally gone to a better place…Then there is the fact that it is old people burying a young child - it should be the other way around. There is a lot of symbolism in that picture. All these things make it very powerful…” 

He went into the tent where the male members of the family had started to prepare the child’s body for burial according to Muslim tradition. 

  “I briefly paid my condolences to the father, than I asked him if it was okay for me to take the pictures. According to tradition, it is the men who prepare the body. In this case, it was the child’s father, his brother and an imam. Those are the arms that you can see in the picture. Everything happened very quickly - the ceremony took around 10 minutes. I was sitting on the ground shooting pictures and then taking them from above. It was a difficult situation - there was a lot of sadness.” silfarione


Things that come to my mind:
1. I couldnt believe he was dehydrated.
2. Will I be smiling when I go? Please.
3. May my preparation takes 10 minutes too and by similar caring hands. Ameen.

Browse the site for other photos. They'll make you cry. And make us thank Allah for each and every blessing we never realise we've got. (Ya Allah, jadikanlah kami umat yang sentiasa bersyukur). 

Thanks Zana for sharing.

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