Sunday, August 23, 2009

First of Ramadhan 1430

If you've read my blog in previous years, you'd know that my first day of Ramadhan usually ends in chaos. I would usually still be cooking when the adzan maghrib is called.
Well, guess what, this year I was all ready!! I actually got to sit at the table to break my fast :) yay!
What's different?
This year all my kids helped out.

I got Ilham and Ihsan help me make the samosas (Ilham made the potato ones, Ihsan made the cheese ones). I laid everything out on the kitchen table - the samosa leaves, a bowl of water (to soften the leaves and act as glue to seal the edges), the cheeses and curried potatoes at different 'stations'. I showed them how to carefully peel the samosa leaves, how to position the filling, ow to fold it into a neat triangle, how to seal it and how to arrange then neatly in tupperwares. I now have enough samosas to last me .. maybe 3 days.

Anis helped me peel garlic for the sambals (sauces) and bumbu (spices) for chicken rice. She also helped out in miscellaneous tasks as in taking out required ingredients from the frdige, and re-arranging the samosa in the tupperwares because somehow her elder brothers do not have the aptitude to 'arrange neatly'. She also helped prepare the salad to go with the chicken rice we were having, and helped me make air cincau (grass jelly drink).

Most suprisingly, though, was Izani. I guess watching everyone help out, he wanted to help out too! His motor skills are not adept enough yet for folding samosas, and it took him forever to peel one clove of garlic, so I got him to do something I knew he'd enjoy thoroughly. I got him to pound garlic and ginger with the mortar&pestle.
You should have seen him, sitting cross-legged on the floor, holding the mortar with both hands, just pounding away. After a few minutes of pounding while sitting down, he decided to do it while lying flat on his stomach. I kept asking him if he was okay or if he needed any help, but he said he was doing fine. At one point Anis asked if she could try pounding and he possessively said "No! I do it!". He did quite a good job, actually. I only needed to pound it a few times more to make the ginger&garlic finer, but he definitely did most of the work. While I did the actual cooking, he went upstairs and fell right to sleep!



At the dinner table, everyone was so proud of their work. They pointed out to Taufik which dish they helped make. (I had to point out to Anis which dish had her garlic in it).
Alhamdulillah.
Perhaps I could have them make murtabak today.
tee hee.

Ramadhan Kareem, everyone!

12 comments:

  1. Oh my Kak Elisa, ur kids are so rajin! How you described their determination and pride of their work made me smile myself silly. So cute =)

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  2. i am soo lookin forward to the day when our kid(s) can help out in the kitchen..!

    no pictures and/or recipe samosa..? ;)

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  3. It's really great when the kids reach an age where they're able to help out in the kitchen, it makes mom's task so much easier. And by the looks of it, you're having a good Ramadaan so far, Alghumdulillah!!

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  4. i am telling you, i am really enjoying my children at this age. I thought dah over the cuteness and baby masamness, children would be boorrinng. tapi my oh my they are now little helpers.

    in one way i really love cooking masa bulan posa because they are with me. sya particularly look forward to be in the kitchen.

    i tengah bayang izani menumbuk. mesti menggeramkan.

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  5. Hazlinda Hamzah8:08 PM

    Salam and Hi T. Elisa,
    How are you? Had bumped into your blog accidentally after I realised that your sis T. Elida had her blog spelled out in one of my frequented blogs now adays.
    Ramadhan 2009 must have been really different for you now that the kids can help you manage the 'buka puasa' moments together. That sure is great...help that comes naturally with love.
    Am spending Ramadhan here with my kids in Malaysia, had tomato rice and 'ayam masak merah' today. Visited the bazaar ramadhan just for some 'tepung pelita' and 'pak tonku.'
    Anyway, take care and have a good Ramadhan and Syawal with your happy and loving family.
    Wassalam.

    Hazlinda Hamzah
    @ hazlinda89@yahoo.com.sg

    P.S. - I am on FB too.

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  6. Bravo! lepas ni boleh la u buat frozen semosa for sale now that U have kitchen angels! heh.. heh....
    Salam ramadan to you guys in Khobar!

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  7. ehh so cute laa izani dok menumbuk on his tummy, cross leg n all..u should post his pic here.

    bilalah nak anak2 i boleh menolong kat dapur nie? heheh..

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  8. Myra,
    First day.. berkobar2 lah sikit. Semalam, only Anis helped me with murtabak, Ihsan helped basuh pinggan and kopek kulit udang. Ilham... hm... :P
    Tengoklah harini camner.

    Boon,
    "kids"?? expecting another one kah? tee hee.
    Alahai.. samosa easy peasy je..
    here's the link: http://elisataufik.blogspot.com/2008/09/extremely-easy-peasy-cheese-samosa.html

    Shahieda,
    So far, it has been a good first 2 days, alhamdulillah. Hopefully it'll last till the end!

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  9. Lollies,
    Kan, kan, kan?
    Anis pun sangat suka menolong.. semalam dia tolong I buat murtabak.. siap salin resepi! hee hee.
    I rasa when they help out, beriya sikit diorang nak makan.

    Kak Linda!!!!,
    Masya-Allah Ya Hajjah ...! *hugs* You know I lost your business card after we unpacked after haj. Sedih sangat. But then I got to know Kak Pah Latif is still in touch with you, so I was planning to get your number from her when we come back for good.
    Thankyou so much for visiting me here. Nanti I cari you on facebook, senang sikit nak keep in touch!

    Sham,
    adehh tak kuasa lah nak jual.. nak makan sendiri pun tak lepas.. hee hee.
    Kalau kuih2 yang boleh masak sebijik *bok* macam tu, okay lah kot. hee hee.

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  10. Fida,
    Time tu I dok sebok memotong cili api, tak sempat nak ambik gambar dia menumbuk. Petang ni I nak buat bubur lambuk, maybe if he's still interested in helping me tumbuk bawang&lada hitam (eh tapi takut pedih mata lak, ek?), I'll get the camera ready.

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  11. comelnya... I can imagine Izany meniarap sambil tumbuk bawang..
    part crossing legs tu.. macam ikut bonda je.. ye ke? heheh..

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  12. Pandai u delegate! Good job hot mommy!

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