My Random Ramblings: #culture

International Cultural Day at Mariya School

Date : 10 February 2017 (Friday)

Yesterday, was the international cultural day at Mariya International School. My children are required to dress up in our national costumes and also had to prepare for a short speech about something important in the country. Need to also bring some traditional delicacies of the home country - which for us is Malaysia.

The thing is, the school gave instructions 1 day before yesterday, which was on Wednesday requesting for all the above. The traditional costume and the important picture part is definitely easy as we can just print out from google and my children do have Baju Melayu and Baju Kurung as their traditional dresses during last Eid 2016. Here are my children yesterday with their traditional attire. Fatini had already outgrown her Baju Kurung and thus she is wearing dress in this picture. Faiq is wearing Baju Melayu a traditional malay dress for men. The weather yesterday was warm and cosy around 16 degree c. It has been very cold around 9 degree c these past days but luckily yesterday was warm enough.

But the traditional food part, oh mannnnn I am not good with cooking especially those traditional deserts. So, I quickly searched the internet for some sweet traditional desert in Malaysia and decided to make Seri Muka. Saudian like sweet deserts that one I know for sure thru my interactions with my Quran class which I attended since 1 and a half year ago ( will blog about my Quran Class later as this is new this blog). Referred to the following food blog for my kueh seri muka.

http://aziejaya.blogspot.com/2014/09/kuih-seri-muka-istimewa-azie-kitchen.html

Since I only have the steamer but do not have the plate called 'talam' to make kueh seri muka, I started to google for easier recipes which is sort of similar but I can use oven. Found out that BIngka Bakar is of the similar taste as kueh seri muka minus the glutinous rice part layering underneath. Asked my neighbour for the talam but they have yet to reply me. I need to act quick or else I will have enough time to cook. Here is recipe for kueh bakar:

http://aziejaya.blogspot.com/2016/06/kuih-bakar-pandan-mudah-dan-sedap.html

So, I decided to make kueh makar instead of the famous Seri Muka. The soaked glutinous rice I planned to do 'Pulut Kuning' for our meal at home since my children loves the dish. Half way thru making the barter for Bingka Bakar, my neighbour sent the talam. since I already made double the size of barter for Bingka Bakar, and really want to try making seri muka, I have to split the pandan layer into 2 sets.

So here are the traditional delicacies that I made, Instead of 1 dish, it became 2 dishes. Alhamdulillah the trial cook was successful.

Kueh talam baking in the oven

Kueh Seri muka in the steamer

The end product after cooled

Straining off the pandan barter to make both talam bakar and kueh seri muka.

The children came back from school very happy. Faiq said that at school he was filmed for this speech about the Petronas Twin Towers - KLCC which is the tallest twin tower in the world. Happy children makes a happy mommy. Signing off now as it is already 4 am in the morning.

Lot's of Love,
Nor Farihan Mohd Yatim
Jubail, Saudi Arabia

Desert ATV

Throwback post originally dated : 11 April 2015

We planned to go to al-Khafji desert ATV play area but the day was windy and a mind sand storm. But this post is to capture my 1st time viewing the ATV playing area and desert camping area. We went to another ATV play area instead which is within Royal Commission Area.

This place is situated midway between Al-Jubail, Saudi and border of Kuwait. I captured some 1st time picture of the desert and ATV area here.

snippets of the desert camping area

car tyre got stuck in the sand

This is the map location area of the ATV area at al-Khafji

Camel sightings

Car Wash service in Saudi

Throwback post originally dated 13 April 2015

Thru my observation, there are two options on how cars are being washed in Saudi,

1) Wash at dedicated car wash centre normally situated at Petrol Station

2) There are also many part-timers such as people who came to saudi as labourer that wanted to find extra money who did car washing too. These people are literally everywhere. Waiting by the roadside and also at the parking spaces near housing areas and shopping mall/ hyper markets. These people also offer help in practically anything - washing house, lifting furnitures, cleaning rooftops and compounds areas or even bringing our shipping bags to our house. you just pay them like 5 to 10 riyal per service.

Cars are being washed in saudi using roughly 1.5 litre of water. They practically bring along only a large bucket of soapy water, damp cloth and 1 bottle of mineral water to clean the cars. The car cleaner will then wipe clean the car with the dampened clothes.

Am impressed with the dedication of these people and how hard working they are to earn money. May All bless them and all of us InshalAllah.

Ladies Street Dammam

Throwback post originally dated: 27 March 2015

My neighbour brought us to the famous ladies street in dammam where they claimed to be selling Saudi Abaya in lower then market price. It is situated at the heart of Al-Dammam city centre. I went there with 2 other families whom are my compound neighbours. Verdict : dammam's ladies street do have more choices compared to ladies street jubail. The the prices are attractive too.

Situated at Damman centre

there is this paragon thai restaurant nearby the ladies street area

cars lining up to enter the ladies street area

some of the shops at ladies street dammam. They ain't call it ladies street for no reason. Of course because it sells a lot of household and ladies related items.

we parked at the parking area of a small shopping mall. I forget the name. easier to park there than finding parkings by the street as it is super full.