Spaghetti With Meatball in Simple Tomato Sauce

After a long period of hesitance and delays, I feel that it is about time I get back on the road, of my blog, I mean.

As I have mentioned, one of my main hobbies is cooking. Despite getting a degree in Travel Industry Management, I never formally studied cooking. However, due to my interest and curiosity, I try to emulate and evolve methods and styles of cooking. Firstly, I used to watch my mother cook in the kitchen. She dishes out some of the best, and whose mum doesn't? Copying her cooking methods and recipes, adding to the fact that I was studying in Hawaii where I have to cook for myself, I started out with simple dishes and later on moved on as my confidence grew.

One of my favorite comfort food will be spaghetti with a simple tomato sauce. Actually, I can always substitute the spaghetti for any sort of pasta. Here's a simple recipe for Spaghetti with Meatball in Tomato Sauce:

Ingredients

One packet Spaghetti - cooked al-dente
1 medium onion - chopped
1/2 cup olive oil (Normal cooking oil is ok if you don't have olive oil)

A. Meatball Ingredients
500gm minced beef
1 medium sized onion (Indian or french is ok)
About 1 cup of breadcrumb (Better if you make it yourself)
Half cup of milk
Salt & Pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 egg

B. Tomato Sauce
1 can of whole tomato in juice
2 cup of Beef/Chicken Stock
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of oregano
Salt & Pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

Making Meatball

1. Combine breadcrumbs with milk. Let the breadcrumb absorb the milk. If you make your own breadcrumb from bread, skip this part.
2. Place minced beef into a bowl, mix in onion, cumin, egg, salt, pepper and the breadcrumb and mix it all together. Do not over-knead them.
3.Using your hands, divide the combined mixture and roll them into medium sized balls. You can make between 10-12 meatbals, depending on size.
4. Set them aside to rest

The Sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients into a blender and blend them all into a smooth, slightly watery paste.

Heat oil in pan/wok
When the oil is hot enough, fry the meatballs, browning both sides.
Once done, place the meatballs into a bowl/plate with a napkin to absorb the oil
With the same oil, sautee the chopped onions until soft (or slightly brown if you wish)
Pour in the blended sauce and put the meatballs back into the pan/wok.
Let the sauce simmer for the next 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened up, depending on how thick you like your sauce to be.

Place spaghetti in a bowl or on a plate, pour in the sauce and meatballs.

Enjoy.

Note: I am not a chef or a certified gourmet/cook. My recipes will differ from professionals and definitely have no garnishings. Actually, I never believed in making food look good, i believe that we should let our ever-ready senses should do the work.

Al-Fatihah: Syed Arif bin Syed Alfandi Barakbah and to those who have passed.

Nobody can see nor guess what the future holds. There is a strange "superstition" or "thinking" in certain members of our clan who stated that, whenever one member closest to you passes away, there will be 2 more. In short, whatever they were trying to say was that when death happens in a particular clan/family, it will happen 3 times, and 3 members of that clan/family will pass away. But why would anybody believe this? I'm not the one to believe such matters. I always believe that everything that lives, passes on, in accordance to the plan and system devised by God.

In December, my 79year old aunt, Sharifah Rofeah bt Syed Salim Barakbah passed away after a battle with lung cancer. Not even one week later, another uncle who was also my primary school teacher, Syed Faisol Barakbah, passed away. I must say that the most tragic news received was when we lost 2 cousins, Sharifah Hasanah Al-Junid and her sister, Rafeel(their mother is one of our aunts) in the horrifying Sani Express double decker bus accident in Perak which also claimed 8 other lives.

It was on the 23rd of January 2010, I was cooking while at the same time listening to the news when i received a call from my sister in law, Suraya Yaakob. She was frantic and near-hysterical and I couldn't understand much of what she said, but the last part was clear when she said, "Arif meninggal."

The news floored my wife and me. As my brother was still at the hospital arranging for his son's body to be released, I had the arduous task of informing my father, mother and sister of this news. No matter how the news is, we accepted the fact Syed Arif has passed away. It seemed that Arif had an accident on the morning of the same day and was only known somewhere in the evening. He had cycled to his friend's house and was hit while on his way back. The scene was about 1-1.5km away from his house, on the notorious Jalan Kuala Kedah which is always busy and dangerous. The police and hospital did notify the public for assistance in identifying him through Radio Alor Setar.

Syed Arif is the second son of my brother, Syed Alfandi Barakbah and his wife, Suraya Yaakob. Suraya is the Assemblywoman for Sungai Tiang, under the parliamentary of Pendang. Arif seems to be more like the father, usually shying away from people apart from his friends and quiet as well.

Guests flooded my brother's house since 9pm, and I was making calls andreceiving calls from relatives, friends and individuals who were inquiring. The body arrived at the house somewhere around 10pm, along with my brother. Suraya arrived about 15-20 minutes late. Both of them, understandably, thoroughly distraught.

The funeral process proceeded well amidst the sadness in the atmosphere. The body was brought for prayers at Masjid Aman at Jalan Kuala Kedah and was later brought to the Kawasan Perkuburan Islam Kompleks Al-Bukhary and was laid to rest at 11:30am. Among the dignitaries who attended were the DYMM Sultan and Sultanah of Kedah and Tengku Intan Safinaz. Also present was the Menteri Besar of Kedah and (I think) several state assemblymen.

I spent the whole night thinking about the incident and how my son is growing up, being over-active, scheming to get his way through. Just like any boys, he loved cycling. I live in a housing area which is not that far from the main road, which also connects the Alor Setar Utra-Selatan highway exits and the road to and from Perlis. It is horrendously busy. There is always that fine line between controlling my son and letting go. I am just hoping that he might just learn from what had happened.

Alfandi and Suraya still have Afiq, their eldest son and Aiman, the youngest. I only have a son. Some people never understand why I can be a bit overprotective.

Ucapan takziah kepada Syed Alfandi Barakbah dan Suraya Yaakob. Semoga Allah mencucuri rahmat ke atas Allahyarham Syed Arif.

Al-Fatihah

The Road So Far...Am I That Far?

Believe it or not, my son's finally in Standard One! Yes, I find it hard to believe that 7 years have passed by...which also explains the lack of hair on my head nowadays.We registered him for the Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Taman Rakyat, Alor Setar, Kedah. It is one of the top 2 schools in Alor Setar...or is it in Kedah? It seems that the Taman Rakyat school competes with Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Taman Uda for the top spot in UPSR results. Last year, it was Taman Rakyat, and this year, it's Taman Uda.

Anyway, after 2 years of preparations, such as kindergarten, pre-school, headaches and hypertensions, we managed to get our son to the basic education...yes, the one he'll be doing for the next 15 years or so.

I was at the school this morning, checking out the usual hurly burly concerned parents who came to make sure their children's entry into the school system goes well as planned. There weren't any crying this morning as I'm sure pre-school has prepared them for it. It's nice to see the change: no more children feeling hard to let go their parents when they go to class for their first time...although i did notice that there were some parents who find it hard to let go. Anywhooo, my son's day started with an assembly and a speech by the Headmaster. I find him quite interesting as he reminds me of my Principal back in MRSM Balik Pulau. Yes, they tend to talk on and on and on. The difference is, nobody really knew what my Principal was really babbling about back then. One of the basic similarity they held is, when they say, "To end this,..." that means another 10-15minutes minimum.

My son seems to be happy, and he didn't really want me around. I don't interact much with him at school, I just stayed on the sides, watching until recess, after which I left for office before coming back to fetch him around 1:15pm.

A groundbreaking day for a late parent like me, but like I always do, treat it as another day. I pray my son will be a good student and grow up wise and intelligent to chase his dreams. My wife? I think she's slightly over-excited as I saw her clicking pictures away early this morning of my son in the uniform.

Still Waiting

Salam

At first, we were told that it's not going to be more than 2 weeks. After the 3rd week, I was informed that it shouldn't take more than a month. After a month, i still find myself in my office downstairs, instead of my room upstairs, using the shared PC while my own PC (complete with much-needed data) is upstairs, locked away.

Yes, my office is being renovated, and building in a safety design. this is because, this year alone, our office was broken in 3 times and computers along with printers were stolen. The perk of having an old PC for my own use is: the thieves never stole it. Stealing PC might hurt our pockets, but the data stored inside, such as database of our property clients, hurts us worse.

The first week, they were putting up new ceilings, my "office" was temporarily located at the car porch...hey, work must go on. That, and despite the fact that the rainy season started.

Three weeks later, as my room is still not ready, I had to relocate to the office lobby. It's not as private as my room but, it's "progress." Cooler, drier but at the same time noisy and dusty.

It's been a month since I updated anything on this blog, despite preparing some excellent recipes and excellent restaurants visited. Now I still have to wait until my room upstairs is fully ready.

Not that I stay in the office that long anyway; the pounding and drilling usually drives me nuts and I usually concentrate on my work outside the office.

I'm hoping that these works will be done soon so that I can start updating my blog.

Can You Smell It?

We still remember November 2007 when some politicians and public marched to Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar to hand over a memorandum on the issue of uncollected garbage in Alor Setar. The politician chided the council, in the name of the people of Kedah, for this act of negligence and vowed changes.

It has been almost 2 years since that event, and a year after his party became the new state government, still, nothing has been done. The rubbish seems to pile higher and in some places, spread wider. What's shocking is the fact that the same politicians chided the public for being responsible in creating too much garbage. Well, I guess whoever the state government is, it's just the same. The theatrics' over, nothing done, just finger-pointing actions taken.

It's embarrassing that during Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, relatives and friends from out of state keep asking why most places in Alor Setar stinks. They are not from Kedah, that is good enough, what about the people who lives here? I go out to the grocery shop, there's stink coming from the huge trash bin by the road; I went to Pasar Malam, the stench was quite unbearable as i destroyed the aroma of food being sold there. In some places, you can't even see the water in the drain as the surface is saturated with bottles, plastic, diapers, wasted food and every now and then, dead animals.

In certain areas, garbage has not been collected for more than 3 months. So you can actually imagine how it looks.

I do hope the state government would actually stop politicizing and actually tackle this issue. Kedahans use to mock Penang as "Darul Sampah", but at this moment, we are getting closer in wresting that title from them.

The rainy season is coming up fast, that's not a good sign if the state fails to take care of the

situation. Garbage might just clog up the drainage system, and we don't want that to happen, do we?

Do something, or we might end up "stinking in the rain."

My Private Stash - Misai Kuching

It has been more than a year since I planted my first Misai Kucing. Not that many, about 6 pots, but I have harvested them more than 3 times. Since I make my own Misai Kucing tea to my own design, I never buy any of those pharmaceutical products anymore.

What is the Misai Kucing plant? Well, here's a brief description of it:

Misai Kuching (Orthosiphon Stamineus) is a medicinal herb found mainly throughout South East Asia and tropical Australia. It is believed to have antiallergic, antihypertensive, antiinflammatory and diuretic properties. It is used as a remedy for arteriosclerosis (capillary and circulatory disorders), kidney stones, diabetes and nephritis.

It is trusted for many centuries for treating ailments of the kidney, bladder stone, urinary tract infection, liver and bladder problems, diabetes, rheumatism and gout. It is also used to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.

Misai Kuching has a mild diuretic action, so it is very useful for flushing the kidneys and urinary tract. It also relieves spasms of the smooth muscle in the walls of the internal organs, making it valuable for gallbladder problems. Researchers have found it to be mildly antiseptic as well.

Misai Kuching (misai kucing) is also known as Kumis Kuching (kumis kucing) or Remujung. Other names for Misai Kuching are Orthosiphon Stamineus Benth, Orthosiphon Aristatus, Orthosiphonblaetter, Indisher Nierentee, Feuilles de Barbiflore, Java Tea, Javatee, Kidney Tea, Koemis Koetjing and Yaa Nuat Maeo.

The plant is from the family of Lippenblütengewächse /Lamiaceae / Labiatae.

One thing about making your own Misai Kucing tea, it has a very distinct flavor and/or aroma. There are people who treat it like normal tea, with milk, honey and/or even lemon/lime. Me? I like it plain, no other additives and flavorings, it is refreshing.

After some research, I managed to make Misai Kucing tea on my own. Let me share it with you:

1. Harvesting

The leaves are harvested, usually along with its branches. Take care to leave some so that it can grow back. This will ensure continuity. The leaves have to be cleaned first, first by submerging them under water for a minute or so to remove dust, dirt and grit. Then use running water to clean them.

Leave it overnight or so to ensure the water dries off from the leaves.

2. Drying

Spread the leaves on a clean, flat surface and leave them out under the sun for the whole day. Every 2-3 hours, turn or spread them to make sure all the leaves get the proper heat.

3. Picking

Once the leaves are dry, it is easier to strip the leaves from the small branches. If there are flowers, do not discard them. Put them along with the leaves.

4. Oven-Roasting

This particular process seals the flavor and gives the leaves a unique smoky flavor. Depending on the heat of the oven, which should be around 150-180F, roast them on a flat baking tray between 8-20 minutes or until the leaves are fully dry/roasted.

5. Once the roasting is done, leave for about 2 minutes, then you can start crumbling the roasted leaves into powder. It doesn't

have to be fine, just make sure your hands are clean. Place them in a clean, dry container for storage.

Enjoy it. 

Note: I was reminded by my cousin that I did not specify the fact that you should always use the plant that hasn't produced any flowers yet. This is true, but if certain other brach of the plant has, don't worry about it. I usually cut off any flowers that starts to sprout, leaving only one. A check with another friend who is doing the same thing confirms this.

SELAMAT HARI RAYA

To all visitors of this blog and all my friends, we wish you a Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir dan Batin. May this Aidilfitri bring peace and prosperity to all of us, and to all our brothers who might not share the same atmosphere of this joyful occassion, such as Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, let us not forget them.

Let's make this celebration a safe and peaceful one, let's not be a statistic on the roads or in hospital beds, be it from overstuffing ourselves or exploding firecrackers.

All in all, again, have a safe and pleasant Hari Raya from all of us.