What's cooking, baybee?

I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the
Top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing
as the real world
Just a lie you've got to rise above

- John Mayer's "No Such Thing" -


last week i cooked two different dishes that i have never prepared before...albeit, they are just variations of other well-known *senang* recipes, but i'm glad that i gave it a try..at least, its something other than sambal ikan bilis/udang/telur, nasi goreng orange *the colour, according to Ainor is orange*, cheese omellete, tomyam sejam, oh, and the occasional meehoon/maggi goreng..this time i made fried rice ala belacan with green chilli paste..and twisty pasta bake with mature cheddar topping...that turned out ok, as well..

i think throughout the year, well the 9 months of me being here, i have improved in that sense..no longer do i seem clueless in the kitchen, and i now actually know what to do when it comes to the action of cooking :p back home, i don't cook *oh, what a great self-advertisement kan*..well, my mom insists on cooking and besides, i'm such a klutz that she keeps me away from the stove whenever she can..but, man, is it an insecurity booster..going back to my grandma's place and everyone would be busy in the kitchen, all seem to know their role and where they're supposed to be, and there i stood, at the edge of it all, not even sure where to start..

growing up, i think i have made attempts at cooking..the fried rice back then was a triumph, i think, judging by how the bowl would be cleaned out by my brother, but then again, budak tu makan everything..hmm...my late grandfather taught me how to boil rice, when he took care of us, so that was something i did know..other than that, cooking was limited to helping my mom chop up stuff, and stirring..itu pun kena marah, cuz the klutz i am, stil managed to make a mess...but i did manage a few attempts at some dishes...

i guess i was inspired back then by what i read..once, i read this kiddy book about this girl who made ice lollies out of jam, and ape ntah *can't remember, but i remember the jam part*, and it turned out fabulous laa..so, ape lagi...i rummaged around my mom's kitchen, but finding nothing much, i concocted something that includes jam...haha..cam ape je..i left it in the fridge to freeze, but it looked too disgusting, so i left it there...then my mom came up to me saying, eh, u don't want to makan aa? semacam je bau die :p

then there's the brownie attempt...i bought my mom Chef Wan's recipe book for Mother's Day, but it remains with other women magazines in the living room..so, while salivating over some of the pictures, i decided to make some chocolate-fudge-brownie-cake thing...which turned out really weird..but edible...then again, i was the only one who finished it up...

once, i attempted baked macaroni for the family, and it turned out ok..they ate it for lunch! the repeated performance for a good friend's potluck party, yielded an ok result, but, as one of her aunts commented, "ade jumpe kulit telur dalam Dalilah punye macaroni.."....gah!!

back in school, one incident that prolly was the reason why i stay away from the stove, was in Form 2 *ala, during those KH times*..and my partner, this chinese girl named Christina, was not a bad cook la..so, i thought, pheww, that's easy for me..unfortunately, during our KH practical exam, and we were supposed to prepare a meal, so we decided on Kuehtiow Goreng, she was in charge of the whole thing..and i mean, the whole thing...i don't even remember what i did..all i remembered was, she ordered me around, telling me to put the wok on the stove, and all, of which i was ok with *heck, die yang terrer, i'm just following the orders to pass!*...so, while i was hovering over her, panicking *walaupun tak buat amende*, she was like, omigod, the kuali panas already, put oil, put oil! so i curah-ed some oil into the wok..and the smoking hot kuali, in contact with the oil, gave out a big flame..sheeshhh! i was practically screaming....but everyone buat donno je..oh well, not enough drama to sound the fire alarm then hehehhe...

and tomorrow, we're supposed to help cook in a neighbour's place for a kenduri she's having...all my insecurities are floating to the top...ye gad, i don't even know this lady...i don't make regular acquaintances with her...this is the first time i'll be in her house, let alone her kitchen..and, to top all that, i'm expected to help cook....

help...

p/s: i'm actually compiling a portfolio of "pictures to be shown to potential Mak Mertuas"...what prompted me was, somehow, i had images of an aunt, with glittery bangles, selendang, and heavy makeup showing my picture to a complete stranger, saying, haa, nie laa die anak sulung Puan Rohayah...just like in Hindi movies *sejak bile laa pulak my life cam Hindi movies nie??!!*..and if that happens, i would want to be prepared kan? :p