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Buka Puasa [ Breaking fast]..

A cyberpal from across the continent ask me what I had for Bukak Puasa. Well, down here we Buka Puasa and not Bukak Puasa. Well, that is the beauty of the Malay language, you pronounce it differently but the meaning remain the same. Like the word Belacan, on the east coast State of Terengganu it is Belacang. So it is like that with language. The Kelantanese speak Malay so different in that if you are not use to it, it would baffled you for a while. So as to get to the true meaning of what they are saying you have to listen carefully or ask them to do it in standard Malay. Anyway that is the nature of things as far as communicative language is concern. Here I am Pak Idrus, in Terengganu or the east coast part of Pahang it would be Pok Idrus. Just like this blogger is well known as Pok Ku. That's what made the spoken language so colorful.

Well, coming back to the subject of Buka Puasa. It is the first meal you get after fasting all day long. You have not eaten or drinking from the time of sunrise to the time of sundown. The number of hours depend where you are fasting or the time of the year. If you are fasting in winter in the northern atmosphere then the time of fasting is short but if it is in Summer it would be a long day. Anyway fasting is only in the day time and at night you are forbidden to fast. So as soon as the sun set and the call for the Magrib prayer is heard, you must break the fast and start to eat and drink. That is what we call Buka Pusa.

My ritual is like this, nothing special. It is like the normal day except that dinner is the first meal of the day. This first meal is fixed at just after the Azan for the Magrib Prayer. With that I would take my place at the table and together wtih my spouse would break the fast. I start with having some Dates and a glass of cold sweet drink. The drink could be just an Ice lemon tea or Orange Juice or a rose syrup. Anything that is sweet is good enough for me. With that first food and drink you can feel that you are getting the energy back and would felt afresh. I do this slowly and then would take a break to do the Magrib prayer, which just take about five minutes. After the prayer I then again sat at the table and continue with the second phase of my breaking fast dinner. My dinner would be of what Nenek [my spouse] put on the table. I have decided long ago to leave her alone as far as deciding on the menu of the day is concern. She did very well indeed in preparing food for the table whether it is for the normal day or during the fasting month. Except now that we have grandchildren, sometime these kids would rang her up and request for this and that dishes. And believe me she enjoyed to do whatever those grand kids requested. It is one of those things that grandma love to do and enjoying doing it. As for me after more then forty years of marriage we began to think alike in most things. So whatever she put on the table would be perfect for me.

My second phase of breaking fast is to eat rice with whatever prepared for the day. It could be any of these dishes. Asam Pedas Ikan, Kari Ayam, Masak lemak cili padi, Daging goreng berlada, Ayam goreng belada, Ikan Cencaru Goreng berlada, Ikan Kembong/Bawal Goreng, Ikan Masin Goreng, Telor Masin and other foods plus the usual mixed vegetables. We have done away with Sambal Belacan for health reason. In those days we are never without Sambal Belacan. But with age catching up you have eventually to give up some of the foods or appetisers that you love like the Sambal Belacan. For an after dinner snack we sometime have Bubur Kacang, Pengat Pisang or Bubor Jagong. Having such snack is not a normal thing in our home. Of course fruits that are in market are also part of the dinner spreads.

After enjoying my breaking fast dinner I would take time to just relax and watch the TV and then would drive to the local mosque to do the Isyak Prayer as well as the Trawih Prayer. Trawih Prayer is a congregation prayer that is only done during the Fasting Month. The Trawih Prayer in today's term is actually a sort of a social get together and a recreation in the evening after going through a whole day of fasting. By nine thirty the Trawih Prayer is completed and I would be back at home. And that my friends complete my day of fasting.

Cempedak Goreng..

Well, I not translating the title of this posting for a simple reason that I am not sure of what Cempedak is in English. Moreover the mystic of this enchanting tropical fruits would be lost in translation, just like this traditional Pantun of ours ' Buah Cempedak diluar pagar, ambil galah tolong jolokkan. Saya budak baru belajar, kalau salah tolong tunjukan' . Anyway it simply say that I am a kid just learning and if I am wrong do correct me.. So Cempedak is Cempedak to me. It is one of those tropical fruits that come once a year when it is in season. You would know it when this fruit is around. You would surely not missed it. Like the Durian, it is that smell that attract us to it. Unlike the Durian which has a very strong aroma, the Cempedak has a very soothing sweet aroma. It is that unique smell that you would fell in love with. I believe it is because of the smell of this fruit that made it so special. Otherwise you would not take a second look of this fruit in the market. It is a fruit that you do not really enjoy eating it raw. It is a fruit that you have to deep fried it to get the flavour out. If you done it right, which is rather simple, Voila!! you get to enjoy the taste of one of the heaven of fruit. You not only get to enjoy the fruit but the smell as well. That sweet and smooth smell that only Cempedak gives. No other tropical fruit give such an exotic smell. So what are you waiting for, go get this Cempedak, which is in season now and get going and Have fun...

That little bird again..

I never like to see bird in cage. It is cruel to keep such a lovely work of nature caged. Birds are created for us to enjoy the beauty of flying. To me if we create the right environment this little wonder would just come and go as it pleased and in those beautiful moments in times we would get to enjoy its grace and beauty in its natural form. I had nurtured my little garden to look as real as the one in the wild and it do works to attract all kind of birds and little animals and insects to made it their home. Or at least their garden as well. The flora and fauna that grows well in such environment complete the eco system. These in return gave us the luxury of having a paradise of a sort in our own backyard. In my garden a small brown squirrel do come from time to time to get its meal of cut apples that I had placed on a small plate. I have yet to get a snap of it but like the bird I believed that one of these days I would get that opportunity. The little bird that is in the above image seem to love the colorful banana tree that are in my garden. Every morning it would come and have it breakfast of the nectar. Giving me to enjoy its presence, adding color to the already colorful day. Enjoy.

Rahmadan 2007..

It is the beginning of Ramadan in Malaysia. Muslim start to fast today. We wake up for the Syhor [an early breakfast] this morning and had a light meal. The beginning of the first fasting day. Fasting is actually the state of the mind. Once you set your mind to fast during this month of Ramadan you would not find any difficulty of fasting during the day. Actually you just have to change your eating and drinking habit from the normal ritual. During this month instead of eating and drinking during the day you just do it during the night, from after the sun set until the time of the sun rise. It would not be difficult if you set your mind to do just that and focus on fasting. Fasting is not just abstaining from not eating or drinking, it is a total discipline of the body and the mind. You must have Love in your heart all day long and only with that would your fasting served its purpose.

The Prayers gathering for TDM....

Rocky SMS about this. I was in Malacca then and SMS back that I just could not make it. And on returning to KL I got a call from Pok Ku saying that he is already there at the Blog House for the occasion. I told him that I just could not make it but my heart is with them all. To me this occasion that is organised by Malaysian bloggers which includes the daughter of our former PM is a right move. Our former Prime Minister has just had a second heart operation, a second by passed done successfully at the Kuala Lumpur Heart Institute. He did his first by passed some eighteen years ago. He has been in good health all those years and of late his heart is in not that a good condition, thus this new operation.

Everyone are praying that he get well soon. One of the many ways that Malaysian do is to Pray for his speedy recovery, thus this gathering of multi faith. I heard from Pok Ku that the gathering went very well indeed. I hope more such gathering of this nature are held from time to time, for I believe that people of different faith should get together for a common cause, especially in keeping peace and harmony. After all faith or religion teaches us all to be a good person and help each other in time of needs.

If only people of different faith interact more often this world of ours would have more peace. All the teaching I believe wants it followers to go on living in peace together, making this world of ours a better place to live and enjoy life. Have a nice day.

Nasi Goreng..[fried rice]

This evening my spouse ask me whether I would like to have Nasi Goreng [fried rice]. I said yes and in the next instance she said that it is ready. Well she must have read my mind. I went to the kitchen and there I saw the fried rice on a beautiful white china. Ready to eat. She presented it very well indeed. It look great and tempting. As usual when food became a work of art, I decided to take a snap of it. About is the image of my dinner tonight. Perhaps this image would trigger your thought to do a Nasi Goreng for yourself today!!!.

Nasi Goreng to us Malaysian is a simple but complete food, in one go. It could be taken as a breakfast, lunch or dinner. Even at a buffet table this delicious helping of fried rice is available to everyone. No matter what the other spread on a buffet table are, the Nasi Goreng always get its due attention. For Malaysian of all walk of life love the Nasi Goreng. So for me this evening dinner is that sumptuous Nasi Goreng as displayed above. It look great and indeed it taste great too. Have a nice day.

A Sunday in September..

Wake up to a beautiful Sunday morning. I went out to my patio to do the daily ritual of cleaning it up and see that things on the outside of the house are in a perfect condition. I like to see all those things like the furniture, those works of art and those deco items are in harmony. Creating a beautiful scene that pleases the eyes. It made me really happy when things are harmonized.

Feed the fish and water the flowers. With everythings done perfect, I then sat to read the morning Newspaper at the Kopitiam table and browse over both the papers. Nothing special to read since all the news had been on the TVs and Radio. There are many articles to read from the Sunday paper. I would just leave the Newspapers there and would read it later.

While I day dream of what to do next, I saw that little bird again perching on the same banana bud, enjoying it morning breakfast of nectar. I slowly went into the house and got my camera, hoping that when I am out again this little bird is still there enjoying it meal. Ready!! I went out quietly and there the little bird is still there. I sat down on the mat beside the Kopitian table and took as many snaps as possible. Voila!! I got it this time in flight. The images about are some that I took on this gorgeous Sunday morning. Enjoy and Have a nice day.