Liza on the map ~ the overdue Penang trip

I remembered when I was younger, someone asked me what do I want to be when I grow up. I was only 7 at that time, if I'm not mistaken. Innocently I responded, I want to be someone who can take my mom for a holiday and to buy her whatever she wants. She just need to choose and I will pay for it. She don't have to look at the price tag. Why? Cause my mom worked very hard and everytime she go and buy stuff for herself, she will look at the price tag and usually she ended up putting it back because we can't afford it.

Hence, this year when I got to take her for a holiday, although only in Penang, I was very happy.

When you go to Penang, the usual thing you will look for is FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! Penang is a food heaven. So, forgive me if this entry is populated by food images.

I booked the flight and hotel via Air Asia package combining hotel and flight. The chosen hotel was Hard Rock. The price for 9 of us was SUPER CHEAP. Will share the price later.

Must eat

This one can go on and on and on.

Of course, Nasi Kandar is a must and my favourite has always been Line Clear. Tried few other outlets before, I still come back to Line Clear. Alhamdulilah, my parents love it too.

Apart from that, Pasembur is also in the checklist. We had the one at Gurney Drive. We also had Sup Hameed. As the trip was too short to enjoy other famous Penang food like Laksa and Char Kuey Teow.

Must shop

Actually, Penang is not a place to shop. The only thing that can be bought would be jeruk from Chow Rasta. Other than that, takde kot

Must See

I had few things in the check lists but did not get to do it cause Mom was too tired. One of it is the Pasar Malam Batu Feringghi. Apart from that is the Toy Museum. Since this trip was made for my mom, we are quite flexible about it. Apart from that since we are staying in Hard Rock, it's a must to enjoy the live band. Only my better half and I enjoyed this. My parents and kids were asleep by the time the show started.

Must Do

Must drive through Penang Bridge. Yes, that's a must and we managed to do that. We also took the ferry to cross the Selat Melaka. Apart from that we also went up the Penang Hill via the new cable car. It was quite a fast ride up and the view from the top was just awesome. We also took the kids for a boat ride along the Penang coastal area. My mom did not want to join us, takut ler teeewwww :)

In total, the expenditure for the whole trip

                                                                          

Air Asia 3 days 2 nights package - Flight and Hotel    -     RM3256.62

(Hard Rock 3 rooms all together for 7)

Car rental (2 days)                                                           RM350.00

Food and sightseeing                                                        RM556.00

Parking in LCCT                                                              RM75.00

Total                                                                                RM4237.62

Bebaloikan? So apa tunggu lagik....pilah melancong!!!

And don't forget this entry. Yes, we can make this change!

Signing off,

liza365.blogspot.com

                  

Liza goes to movie ~ Ombak Rindu The Review

Yes, I know. Many would say "Baru nak tgk ke" or even, "Too latelah to give review"

Well, I don't get to go to cinema that much nowadays, infact, the last movie I saw in cinema was Cars2 like months a go. And yes, despite this movie has been shown in Astro First for quite sometime, I only saw it 2 days ago. Why? Of course time constraint and given the level of emotional intensity based on those who have reviewed the movie, I thought I must wait until the right time and moment to watch this. And that right time and moment was 2 days ago.

What I think about it?

Let's see from various perspective

Casting

To be really honest, I don't really like the actors/actresses lined up for this movie. Having Maya Karin plays a gadis kg is something I have difficulty to sink in my head. Not only because of her pan asian look, also her malay accent which made me struggle to see the kekampungan in this. IMHO, perhaps this can be played by the likes of Nabila. As for Aaron Aziz, still acceptable lah *drooling*. I love Bront Palarae's acting, just that his role was not properly expanded in this movie. And another wish list would be for the Dato' role to be played by other actress, certainly not Azizah Mahzan. I think she over did it. I would prefer to have this role played by Liza Abdullah, she was awesome in Tentang Dhia. Lisa Surihani was oklah, this was one of her better acting, not that she has many.

Storyline

To be frank, I was quite disappointed with the flow. I read the book and somehow, the book touched my heart, unlike the movie. I was trying to find a scene which can really shed tears in my eyes and the closest I can think of was when Hariz when for a kenduri at Zaidi Omar's house and he hugging Izzah, telling her how much he misses her. Yes, that's the closest but still no tears. I was trying to dive into the sensitive emo part of me and still could not find one. Until the end of the movie, mata sekering-keringnya

Soundtrack

What soundtrack? There was only one song played from beginning till the end. My boss said watching this movie is like watching a long video clip. Takde lagu lain ker

I can't comment about editing, cinematography and all that techie aspects. Not my area lah, and won't pretend to know all that.

Final verdict? Quite a disappointment. Was expecting something impactful, something which can cause me to at least shed a tear or two, but I can't find the spot for that in this movie.

What I love the most about this movie? The design of Hariz's house ; both the one with Maya Karin in it as well as the one he stays with his mom. Cantik! I want a house with that design too!!

Thought of watching Songlap tonight. Look out for the review, Insyallah.....

Signing off,

liza365.blogspot.com

Liza Can Cook - Dhal Curry Recipe

I am married to a man from Banjar clan. This is a clan originated from Indonesia. That is why, despite being a Johorean, the culture and norms that are practised day to day are some what different from the normal Johorean.

In MBH's kampung, I can safely say almost everyone is related to each other either by birth or by marriage. MBH is the only who got married to someone out of Johor hence I need to learn and try to adapt to his culture. One of the things which his family loves doing is kenduri i.e. to feast the kampung with delicious food.

Last weekend, another kenduri was held. And this time, the chosen dishes were one of Banjar speciality i.e Nasi Gaul. This is some sort like Nasi Minyak served with either boiled beef or chicken with salad and coconut milk with Dhal Curry as the gravy. And that was my assignment, to cook Dhal Curry for about 300 people. Not just normal people, but people in his kampung aka his relatives aka S.T.R.E.S.S!!!

Let's see how to cook it

Ingredients

*Shallots

*Onions

*Garlic

*Ginger

* to be blended

**Shallots

**Garlic

** cut into thin slices

Rempah tumis (spices)

Curry Powder

Potatoes (cut into 4)

Dhal (boiled until soft)

Coconut Milk

Chicken (cut into small parts)

Brinjal

Tomatoes

Red Chillies

• First, heat the pot and once it's hot add the cooking oil. Once the oil is hot enough, fry the items ** with the rempah tumis until this turn golden brown with awesome aroma.

• The add items * and fry until the aroma of the ginger comes out

• Next, add the curry powder which has been pre-mixed with water. Not to thin, not to thick. At this stage, you need to stir quite frequently to ensure it will not be "hangit" and stick to the pot. Fry until it is cooked. If the curry powder is not cooked properly, this may caused people to get stomach ache.

• Add potatoes and chicken. Add some water as well and wait until it boils.

• Once the potatoes are half cooked, add the dhal into the mixture. Again, don't forget to stir.

• Add the santan and some water so that it will not be too thick
• Once the potatoes and chicken are 3/4 cooked, add the brinjals
• Add salt and seasoning
• If you see the curry starts to boil then it's time to add the tomatoes and red chillies.

There you go, the curry is ready. I was so nervous when this was served. Gila kau, satu kampung nak makan! Harus dikata orang menantu Haji Hamzah tak pandai masak!

Alhamdulilah, it turned out well.

I enjoy cooking, perhaps this passion can be turned into something profitable one day, Insyallah.

Signing off,

liza365.blogspot.com

Liza on the map ~ the overdue Terengganu trip

We wanted to start this new tradition. Tradition of bringing our parents for a holiday. At first, we wanted to have one trip combining both my parents and in-laws. Then we thought we need to understand the traveling patterns of our parents to ensure compatibility. Yes, I am that detail when it comes to traveling.

So, we started of by taking my in-laws to Terengganu. Lucky us, MAS was having massive sale, we get to purchase the tickets at a super cheap price. All bookings done and I have prepared itinerary for the 3 days 2 nights trip which suit my in-laws. Not too heavy, and not too much walking.

We covered many places in Kuala Terengganu. We went to Taman Warisan where we got to see the replicas of famous mosques in the world. When Abah and Mak saw Masjidil Haram and Masjid Annabawi, they become quite sad and missing the time they saw this mosques when they perform their haj. This Taman is really wide. You can choose to walk, or rent a bike. We opted for buggy rental instead with private tour. Apart from that we also visited a place where boats (big ones) are made.

Some info for those who wish to plan a trip to Kuala Terengganu

Must eat

• All type of Terengaanu dishes like Nasi Minyak, Nasi Dagang, Ikan Celup Tepung and of course Keropok Lekor
• It's better if you get opinions from friends who are familiar with KT. This is to ensure you get better deals with better tastes.
• As much as you love to have breakfast in the hotel, consider having breakfast at stalls instead. Cause, breakfast in KT is usually when the best food is served

Must shop

• What is a trip to Terengganu if you don't buy Terengganu batik. There's Pasar Payang for that. Make sure you bargain for the best deals.
• Buying keropok is also a must. We tried out about 4 stalls, and all I can say it tasted some what the same. So, don't be too deceived when people recommend you to buy at certain outlets

Must see

• Taman Warisan is a total must.
• Near Taman Warisan, there's cruise ride. If you are lucky like us, you get good boat guide who told us the history of Kuala Terennganu and its landmarks

Some photos for you to enjoy.

Ultimately, the main goal of this trip was met. That is to make Abah and Mak happy...and that's what matter the most!

Signing off,

liza365.blogspot.com

Liza Can Bake ~ 1st attempt baking muffin

One of my 2012 wish list is to bake as frequent as I can. I don't bake very well. In fact, several attempts made earlier turned out to be disaster. It can either be the cake did not rise or it tasted like feet!

For 2012, I want to take it slow. Do simple ones before exploring to do something more complicated. So, that's what I did last night, a ready mixed muffin just to give me some confidence.

It's simple, really. If an idiot like me can do it, anyone can do it!

Ingredients

Ready made muffin mixed flour

2 eggs

quarter cup of cooking oils

quarter cup of water

Step 1

Mixed all ingredients using mixer until all are mixed well (that's a lot of mix in one sentence)

Step 2

Put the mixed ingredients in the muffin cups, fill only 3/4 of the cup. I added some colourful sprinkles.

Step 3

Heat the oven for about 5 minutes before putting all the cups in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes in 190 degrees.

Oklah for 1st attempt. I am actually happy with the outcome. The tastes are good, but the look is not as good as the taste pulak. Takpe, next time will improve on this.

Total cost - about RM5

Total muffins made - 15! Good value right?

Come and try. It's a good feel good therapy :)

Signing off,

liza365.blogspot.com

Liza Got Taste ~ Holiday Villa Dim Sum Buffet

I love eating, I think that's not a secret given how big I am. I love exploring new makan place however, I am not adventurous about food. I am willing to try things I am familiar with and things that look weird and funny, as well as don't smell so good, I will give it a pass.

For 2012, I thought of start reviewing the places I eat. Some pointers for those who wish to give it a try. But remember, people have different tastes, what tastes awesome to me, may taste like crap to you and vice versa

On New Year's Day, we tried out a new place for dim sum. Usually we frequent the one in Quality Hotel Jalan Raja Laut. But this time, we thought of trying the dim sum in Holiday Villa Subang Jaya. I called to make reservation, just to make sure we will not be disappointed.

The spread there were quite large. Lots of variety compared to the one in Quality Hotel. The way the buffet works, you don't have to go to the buffet table and get the dim sum. The buffet spread, all in a trolley are pushed to you and then you can make your choices. There are 2 types of selections ; the steam dim sum and the frien ones on 2 separate trolley. You will only need to get up for dessert.

Apart from that, there are also other selections you can order which is also part of the buffet. We had chee cheong fun,. porridge and cantonese kuey teow. All are really good.

Some tips if you want to try this place :

• Must try the porridge. It's really good that I had 2 bowls of it. The portion is just nice for one person
• Caution if you wish to order the fried dishes (quite a range of choices from noodles to rice). The portion is big, enough for about 3-4 pax considering you had dim sum earlier. Thank God we only ordered one, otherwise would be a challenge to finish.
• Drinks are not part of the buffet. They will offer juices and chinese tea which will be charged separately. Of course, Chinese would go very well with the dim sum
• 2 choices of chee cheong fun available : chicken and prawn. Must order and it will be sent to your table
• Washrooms are quite a walk from the dim sum place. Make sure you go with your kids if they need to go
• Parking is RM5 per entry. However, please get your parking ticket validated before you leave the restaurant
• Price is reasonable. RM39.99++ per pax. If you are a Villa Gold Card holder, you'll enjoy 20% discount (which I am)
• Dim Sum Buffet hours for weekends and public holidays would be from 9am to 2.30pm.

Overall, the rating is 3.5/5. Satisfying and made us leave with a smile on our faces. Service was ok, just that one of the waiter don't understand English or Malay so he will need to call his other colleague everytime we ordered.

Give it a try and share with me what you think!

Signing off,

liza365.blogspot.com

Liza can cook - Sup Tulang Recipe

I have always wanted to share recipes in my blog. However, I was reluctant to do so cause I don't want people to think I am trying to show off as if I am the only one can cook. Yes, that was the old me. Not anymore, the new me don't really gives a damn what people think. Yes, I can cook. I may not be good at it, but I can cook good meals for my family.

So, here goes.

Today, I made Sup Tulang. This is one of the favourite dish for my family. Though I said I cooked this today for lunch but the process started last night. It is important to cook it for hours until the meat got separated from the bones.

Ingredients

2kg of bones preferably from the ribs ( this portion is enough to feed us, the family of 5 the whole day)

To grind ( I use lesung batu, not blender, just my preference I guess)

5 shallots

5 garlics

5cm of ginger

Potatoes

Half of quarter cup Tamarind juice

2 packets Sup Tulang Bunjut Adabi

How to do cook this

• After washing the bones, boil it for about 15 minutes. Then throw the water and replace it with another pot of water. This time, boil it for at least 4 hours
• Using another pan, after you heat the oil, first fry the rempah tumis which is part for the Sup Tulang Bunjut Adabi pack for about 15 seconds and then add together tje grinded ingredients.
• Fry until the smell appear and the ingredients turn golden brown.
• Once that is done, transfer the whole fried ingredients to the pot. Add potatoes and the tamarind juice
• Boil for another 2 hours
• Add salt. I don't add salt at the early stage as it may cause the meat to be hard and not tender

And the soup is ready to be served. Best served with hot white rice or bread. And if you have extra time, do the sambal kicap. That will make the soup more awesome!!!

Blum try belum tahu!!!

Signing off,

liza365.blogspot.com