One Nasi Lemak Please!

"Nasi Lemak....nasi lemak....20 sen satu!"

A glimpse of a boy carrying a basket selling nasi lemak from door to door flashed to my eyes. He put his biscycle againt the wall and took out a few folds of nasi lemak and put them in a plastic bag.

"Jual ya kak!" he took the money and pulled his bicycle away in haste, cycling and making rounds to ensure that his nasi lemak would be sold before noon.

As I drove my car this morning after sending my daughter to her school, the reminiscene of that little boy and his bicycle and nasi lemak brought back old times to mind. While his image was still flashing in my mind, I stopped by a roadstall almost knocking a sign post that was too near the road. I watched. A few stalls stood erect alongside one another. A few people were choosing and looking. Some gushed inside their car with a few plastic bags. Hungry perhaps. Or maybe there were visitors at the house.

Hesitantly, I picked the nearest stall to me. I got out of the car. A woman greeeted me with a smile.

"Nasi lemak, kak?" she asked without hesitation. A few drops or perspirations were trickling down her forehead. She flipped a row of plastic covers and exposed varieties of delicacies to choose from. One by one, I stretched my eyes covering from the nearest to the farthest that I can see. The woman waited patiently. I was still hesitant. Hmm...No, not today. No kuih for today. No sweet desserts....Just simply nasi lemak.

"Nasi lemak 4." I opened my purse.

"Ya kak," the woman quickly put the folded nasi lemak into a plastic bag.

I took the bag.

"Empat Ringgit kak," the woman flashed her teeth.

"Eh...dah naik lagi harga?" I was not amused.

"Beras dah mahal kak," the woman explained.

"Yalah," I paid the new price.

My thoughts were flying everywhere. Everything has changed. The oil price. The political scenarios. The crime levels. The good and the bandits. The cements. The food. And now the rice. My eyes flashed back to that little boy and his nasi lemak. Cycling peacefully. Only God knew what was in his mind at that time. But I was sure it was not about the hike in pricings. Maybe to him, what matter was he sold his nasi lemak and made his mom happy. The whole family can eat and live at peace.

Now, we buy our nasi lemak sparingly. Eventhough RM1 or RM 1.20 for one folded nasi lemak is still reasonable, still the price is hike. To reduce some spendings on nasi lemak bungkus, why not cook some at home for all to enjoy. Share mom's secret recipes above!

Cheese over Nasi Lemak Anyone?

Oh Yes...I woke up yesterday morning with a Birthday wish from my two little angels. I was overwhelmed. They gave me a kiss each on my cheek and that was enough to keep me smiling all day. My mom wished me a happy birtday and cooked a delicious nasi lemak. Her nasi lemak is one of the best nasi lemak I have ever eaten. In the cooking department, this is one of her signature dishes that I still cannot come at par with. Her nasi lemak or coconut rice is always rich and flavourful, with a distinct ginger aroma. Her sambal ikan bilis always turn out beautifully.

When mom cooks nasi lemak, I will always have a second serving...Not good for those who are dieting or on a strict diet, but, well...who cares...it's not that you get to eat mom's nasi lemak everyday anyway. On my birthday, she cooked nasi lemak and so I enjoyed the taste every minute I put the rice and the sambal in my mouth. No cakes, no balloons....only nasi lemak. Lemak or not, the empty stomach neeeded some filling...

And so I enjoyed my meals oblivious to my two little angels. I have put a plate each for them but they refused to eat the rice.

"Mummy...it's rice again....I want fries,and sausages," my eldest muttered, complaining in between her breath. The younger sister was echoing the same sentiment.

"Today, opah cooked nasi lemak. You like nasi lemak. Why not today?" I was baffled.

"No...I want fries....pleasee....and sausages," the eldest went to the fridge and looked inside the freezer. To her dismay there was only a packet of chicken nuggets. She took the packet out and 'ordered' me to fry them for her. And opah, her grandma, came to the rescue and took the packet away.

Hmm....is it my fault or are the younger generations today are more interested in fast food that are not too healthy for them? My eldest daughter sometimes refuses to eat rice at all. She prefers biscuits dipped in MILO, or tuna sandwishes, sausages and fries...and mashed potatoes. She eats cheese by itself like we eat the rice. She likes to lick salt and bites lime. Or is it in her genes? Hmm...maybe....maybe it's in her genes...she is not 100% Malay anyway...eventhough I prefer to think she is. We cannot live without rice...my mom even worse...Eventhough my eating habits have changed a lot over the years, I still must eat rice at least once a day.

Anyway, the younger generations have more choices and exposure in their eating habits and preferences. Even the older ones, like me have changed a lot in the way we look at food. I will never eat biscuits or cookies at tea-time but now I do. I eat bread like I eat rice now. Sometimes I do not eat rice in a day at all. Hmm...maybe it's my fault. What I eat will be an example for them, wouldn't it? Anyway, I will give them a few days...after that, they will be asking for nasi lemak...I bet they will!

I reluctantly took out the nuggets and fried them anyway!