Nov
27
Posted under
Masakan 
Twisted Sausage Rolls
Haish… I gotta tell some story lah today…
Last night I baked my first ever bread loves, buns, or whatever you call it. Hish, I honestly thought that it would be hard without the breadmaker. I also thought that it would be so, oh so very hard trying to knead the dough. I am wrong on both accounts lah. Breadmaker is good if one wanted to waste money on it, though it is not at all compulsory. It seems like the hand is good enough a kneader lah (is there such a word as the kneader? I have to check the dictionary lah). I made Braided Sugar Loaf (recipe on the recipe list). Thought of taking a picture of it, but alas…seemed like the husband managed to get on hold of the bread first (ditto the daughter, though she only had a few biteful).
How long did it took me to make the thing? First kneading, 20 minutes (I used up all my shoulder and arm muscle, I tell you!). Then for the first proofing, up to two hours for the dough to rise twice its size. Then, second kneading, just a moment, then shape into whatever you’d like (I made it it into braid, ditto Braided Sugar Loaf), time for second proofing for like an hour. Then bake the loaf for 15 minutes only. Siap!
How did it turn out to be? I gotta say, I am pleasantly surprised. Never thought that I would be able to make my own bread, and never thought that the bread would turn out so nice (bukan naik elevator then tekan butang up nooo…). Wah seronok… So bersemangat that I then make another dough for Twisted Sausage rolls. I made it during the night, then in the morning, couple of hours ago, I baked it. Waiting for the husband to taste it sekejap lagi saja…
Then, dengan penuh yakinnya, I made my second batch of the sugar loaf. I am not gonna make more braid, but this time I am going to put the dough into individual loaf pan, the small teenie weenie one that I bought from Ebay for just like £5 (including shipping ya… cheap tuh). Proofing the dough right now. Would divide up the dough , then proof it for another 30 minutes. Then bake it. That would be tia’s lunch…
Tia is quite sick, by the way. I would blog about that later on…
Sugar Loaf
OK this is what the result for the Sugar Loaf, supposed to be Braided Sugar Loaf, but I was so darn lazy to braid the thing because I have yet to master the art of kneading the dough till it became elastic, thus making it pliable and not sticking to the counter top. Just look at the individual loaf’s top, not round like it should because I did not any individual round tiny dough. Instead, I try (Read- try with all those sticky dough and all) to make it round enough to fit into the small mold. The end result is not too bad, I must say. (aren’t those individual mold cute??)
This is the loaf cooling down on a rack. I’ve tasted one. Yum yum… not bad, if I may say so myself *lol*… The husband said “eh cutenyer….”, he has not tasted yet hehehe (bodek la tuh). But he liked the same loaf that I made yesterday, plus the twisted sausage rolls. So all is well, I guess.
I am supposed to be cooking lunch, too. Was talking to my kid sister, told her that I was gonna cook Ayam masak lemak cili padi, make some sayur, plus sambal belacan. Better get on with it….Nanti I would post up more pictures, insya Allah…
11.50pm
I cooked. We ate. I did not take any pictures. The end. Heheheh… I only cooked the usual fare, so no pictures needed lah. When I cook the EXTRA ordinary foods, I would put up them pics, ya?
Adik! Sughuh abang upload gambaq ghaya kat aloq staq itu yah? Kakakmu tingin nak tengok the whole family together nieh 
Nov
23
Posted under
Happy days 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATHIRA!
Well, today mark the 1st milestone of my daughter’s life. She turned ONE. Yeay…one year old Athira. She turned out to be such a cheeky little pumpkin (that’s what her daddy calls her), just by being such a precious bundle of joy to me, my husband and my family.
Maybe if there is someone who would read this blog wonders why I do not rhapsodize about my darling angel like some other mommies do. Well, that is too passe, from my pov. Everybody love their angels, full stop. It is nice reading about how perfect your darlings are once in awhile, but to read it in every single line? That is too nauseating, and definitely not my cuppa tea.
I will, however, rhapsodizes about my darling sweetheart once in a blue moon. Like today. When she turned one.
Athira is a gift to me and my husband. After all that we had gone through ( though our history might not be long, nor as complicated as the next couple), we tied the knot, and did not wait long to be presented with our bundle of joy. Too early in the marriage, some would say. But heck, I am the one who had to carry her to full term, and gave birth to her (sakit oii… amek epidural la kalau kata tak sakit tuh kan..), so I decide whether it is too early, or not, ok? I however, did not carry her to full term. She was born when I was about 30 weeks gestation, meaning she is more than 2 months early.
Saying that, I must also establish the fact that I know nothing about labor pain, about going into labor. Thus, it comes as a surprised because it being too early and all. We did not even buy all the necessities yet at the time, and I had to rely on my husband’s good sense when buying all the things that Tia would need. Alhamdulillah, he managed.
I remembered the day I broke my water vividly. It was Friday, around 3.ooam, and I had this sudden feeling to go pee. Get off the bed, and all of the sudden, water started gushing down my legs. I remembered looking down and thinking, “….bocor ni apesal… hish..” , and wondering why I can’t seem to manage to hold it in. Woke up my husband, asking for some towels to wipe up all the water. He looked on the floor and casually informed me that I just broke my water. I flat out refused to believe him. I really don’t. Isn’t that too early, was what I asked. Only the day before we were at the hospital meeting the midwife to check on the progress of my pregnancy. All is well, or so we though.
My husband called the hospital, and they asked him whether I am bleeding etc. Since I am ok, no bleeding whatsoever, the midwife asked me to be sent to the hospital around 9am, and to rest. I can’t, for goodness sake. My water just broke! I did, however, manage to get some shut eye for a few hours. I was getting worried, I have to be honest.
Morning came, off we go to the hospital. Was sent to a suite for a midwife to check how much I had dilated (I was not aware that that’s how it is done. Very uncomfortable, and quite painful I have to say). Only 2cm dilated by 11 am. Wait again. And had been checked again. Read– sakit. Then, because my water already broke, I was hospitalized for fear of infection. I was sent to this ward, where I share the room with another three lady that had given birth few days before. I was given three doses of antibiotics daily, and then some other pills, which I forgotten for what. My baby’s heartbeats are monitored three times daily, too, to check for irregularities. Alhamdulillah, all is well.
By Sunday, nothing changed. The doctor informed me that I could probably be discharged by midmorning comes Monday. So come Monday morning, I packed all my stuffs, and the husband picked me up around noon. Was told that is I do not go into labor by Wednesday, I was going to be induced. So kinda worry, taknak kena induce. Sakit katanya. Was told to keep on taking my antibiotics (for fear of infections), and off we go. First destination: High Street. To get some stuffs for Tia (Read– we did not prepare beforehand). Walked for like 20 minutes. Had to go to the loo. In the loo, started getting cramps and back pain. Foolishly thinking how similar my pain is to when I had period pain (Read–that ignorant about labor pain). Literally had to sit in the loo for like 10 minutes, until my husband started calling my cell phone. Walked out. Then had to hold on the husband because every steps was that painful. The husband insisted we go back to the hospital. I insisted that we did not. I kept thinking that it would go away. He called the hospital. They told him to take me back to the hospital pronto. So, off we go back to where we came from.
Back at the hospital. Send to the delivery wing. A doctor came, told me that I have not dilated much. By this time it is already 5.oo pm. The anesthician came, try to administer drip. My labor pain started to make itself felt starting around this time. And the anesthecian had to wait till the pain goes away, then try finding my veins (susah jadi gemok ni….). Two hours, and like 20 tries and two anesthecians later, managed to get one drip on my left hand. BUT I was advised against taking epidural. The logic : If it is hard for them to administer drip, even harder to administer epidural. Haih…nak buat mcm mana kan? I had to go natural all the way…
By 7.00pm, I was sent to my own delivery suite. The labor pain comes in few minutes interval, didnt’t give me any reprieve. Ya Allah sakitnya den sorang saja yang tahu. At this time, I screamed. I yell. I almost (but not quite) cuss at my husband. I remembered my midwife repeatedly saying “…don’t forget your gas… yes… suck your gas…” … Laughing gas that is. I was still in pain, but thankfully, I got one heck of a midwife. She calmed me down. Talked to me, make me laugh (or yes, and that was not due to laughing gas, mind you… *lol*). I remembered thinking, ” Ya Allah… how much longer do I have to go through this…”. Then I called my mom. She was at her office. She was shocked when she knew my water broke, and she was calm when I talked to her. I cried, asking for her forgiveness etc etc…Talking to my mom calmed me down somewhat…she reminded me to ask my husband for his forgiveness…which I did. In his own ways, he had been there for me. At times it felt as if I don’t tell him how much I appreciated all that he had done (or had try to do, or had thought of doing…) for us.
Around 11.45 pm Monday, 22nd Nov. I started getting this urge to push, like you wanted to go to the loo and do the No.2 . Thankfully, Tia had started to crown. Alhamdulillah. I heard some horror stories where women in labor had to go through up to two hours of this period–where they wanted to push but can’t because the baby had not crown yet. Alhamdulillah, I was given such a reprieve. And alhamdulillah, in like 15 minutes of this stage, Athira was born. My perfect little angel was born.
Right at 12.03 am, Nov 23rd 2004. My precious little angel was born. And today, my angel turned one.
Darling, mommy loves you so much.
Darling, you have such a long way to go.
Darling, mommy and daddy always pray for the best.