Flashback #2 - Final Raya Preparation

I know, I know... this title is almost out of date now. But, come on, I was so busy with the final preparation and the Raya do that I manage to find time only today, to flashback on what happened then. Seriously there was hardly any time for me to sit and write cos' by the time I wanted to do so, its always long past midnite and I could easily doze off with just a blink! Anyway, while reading this, just imagine yourself watching a movie with flashback stories, ok? mua ha ha ha ha.....

Esok Hari Raya! Esok Hari Raya! ... the excitement is in the air… and as usual beginning dawn, past dusk till way past midnight, I was busy in the kitchen. While my mum and my sister were busy with the ketupat, I was busy with baking cakes. Btw our ketupat is the Kelantanese style i.e glutinous rice with coconut milk and sugar and wrap using ‘daun palas’. My mum made three versions, one portion plain without sugar, one with sugar and ‘black-eye pea’ (not the rap group!) or we called it ‘kace cetok’ in Kelantanese and the other one is also sweet with fillings of ‘serunding daging’. They are delicious and high calories! But, very famous among my mum’s siblings and close relatives because everybody said my mum’s ‘ketupat pulut’ is on par with the one made by her late mother.

I started baking at about 11.00 am, beginning with the Arabian Chocolate Cake (with cocoa, dates and coffee), Fruit Cake (I normally baked this much earlier but due to time constraint this year, its just a day before Raya) and some cupcakes (about 63 pieces). In between waiting for the cakes to be taken out of the oven, I assisted mum later with all the ‘lauk pauk’ for the ‘nasi hujan panas’ that she’s going to prepare as the main Raya dish. Helped her make ‘ayam masak merah’, ‘kerutup daging’, ‘kuah dalca with tripes and beef, ‘sambal lada’ and ‘acar mentah’. We also made 'nasi impit' and 'kuah kacang'.

I also helped my mum to prepare food for the final break fast for this year’s Ramadhan. A simpe one simply because we were busy with the big day preparation. Am happy for the Eid Mubarak tomorrow, but also sad to leave Ramadhan and the Tarawikh prayers. Hmmm… will I be alive to experience next Ramadhan? Insyaallah. Btw, my other sisters were busy spring cleaning the house, rearranging the furnitures and putting the cookies and snacks in collective cookie jars. All of us hardly watch the various interesting tv programmes

Btw, remember the sofa set that I sent for upholstery? Well, they were not ready on time. So the shop owner sent us another sofa set on loan for the time being and of course with loads of apologies for not fulfilling her promise to deliver before Raya. I was quite upset, but since the sofa that she sent for us to use temporarily were quite nice and elegance looking, we kind of okayed with the situation. No hot steam shed, only cool vapour… A win-win situation, I guess, in a way.

The fruits of my labour!

I finished with the butter frosting/toppings for the cupcakes at about 3.00 am. My whole body was so sore that I had difficulty to fall asleep. I was tossing left and right to get a good position but the body was aching at all angles. Guess it must have taken me hours before I dozed off. But, after all the tiredness, I am happy and satisfied with my bakings and helping my mum in the kitchen. All these are like an annual routine for my family.

Another batch. Phew...quite a tedious job la!

The final preparation for the recent Hari Raya was indeed a tiring one but full of love and joy. Everything were made with love blooming in the air. Its really the joyous moments., especially when family gathered together, nieces and nephews screaming here and there and the tv was mainly tuned to cartoon channel! We look forward to Hari Raya the next day with full of anticipation and happiness, though there were moments when we missed our beloved father...

Kalambicara needs a good rest, for tomorrow is a big day. Am quiting bicara now...