The Wonder Fruit

One of my favourite tropical fruits is papaya. I think most us know the health benefits of papaya. Papaya is packed with all the vital nutrients -vitamins and minerals. Papaya actually contains more beta carotene than carrot and more vitamin C than kiwis! I actually prefer unripen/green papayas especially when they are made into papaya salad. Papaya actually loses some of the enzymes as it ripens, so it's actually good to have unripe papaya. I also found out that the papaya enzymes called Papain are mainly concentrated in the half green fruit, the ripe seeds as well as in the leaves of the plants..So far, I have never tried the leaves yet. Selalu org tua2 makan buat ulam.

One of my favourite food made from green papaya is Som Tam. Som Tam is kicking tasty, tangy, spicy and peanuty papaya salad. Som Tam which a very popular Thai dish, is made from simple ingredients which includes shredded green papaya, tomato, dried prawns, roasted peanuts, chilies, garlic, lime juice and sugar. Once in a while, when my taste buds cry for help, especially for sweetness, sourness, and spiciness at the same time, Som Tam is what comes to my mind!

Som Tam which I bought at a stall in Rantau Panjang near Thai border...Enak banget!..

Terengganu Papaya Salad

Terengganu papaya salad is one of Terengganu traditional dishes. Anyone have tried it before? Terengganu papaya salad is actually something new to me. When I first tasted it, I did not really like the taste. Rasa pelek je because the gravy is made from fish. I have never seen it outside Terengganu and not even in the neighbouring states ( Kelantan or Pahang). The sauce of the papaya salad is actually made from sardines (grilled and shredded), palm sugar, shrimp paste, chili paste, vinegar/tamarind. The papaya salad is supposed to be eaten with fried fish crackers (keropok kering). Now, after 3 years in Terengganu, I'm begining to like the papaya salad.

Next- it is the only thing that I can prepare on my own - papaya pickles! I actually made the papaya pickles last week. It's quite expensive if you want to buy the ready made papaya pickles. 100 gm dah beringgit2. So, it's better to prepare it on your own and it's free from food preservatives or food coloring . I actually jolok betik tu kat belakang rumah my mother in law! To make papaya pickles you actually need to look for unripen papaya which is firm and the flesh is white to light orange in color. Yang I buat tu dah termerah sikit. I just put some vinegar, sugar and salt. Usually, I would keep it in the fridge for a day and have it the next day. Skali hadap je.

Well friends, eat lots of papaya. A papaya a day keeps the doctor away! It's also good for your skin..


Have a beautiful Sunday everyone! Thanks for dropping by..

At The Monument Park...

Taman Tamadun Islam

Taman Tamadun Islam (TTI) is just 15 minutes drive from my house. The monument park which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Terengganu, features 21 great Islamic monuments that reminisce the rise of Islam into a global religion.

Even though it's very near to my house, I don't really have the time to bring my children to TTI except during the school holidays. Most of my Terengganu friends pun have never been to the park.

At the entrance to TTI, you'll be a given a passport - blue passports are for children and red passports are for adults. Everytime you enter the park, you'll get a stamp on your passport and also some vouchers. The value of the vouchers depends on the number of visits you've made. The entry fee to TTI is RM15 for adults (for first timer) but it was only RM10 for me as it was my second visit. For children it's only RM5 for every visit.




If you don't feel like walking around the park, you can take tramp rides, buggy rides or simply go for bicycle rides. Siapa yang dah lama tak naik basikal tuh..really should go for bicycle rides..bukan slalu bole naik basikal... Bicycle rides are for free during the second visit. As soon as we entered TTI, my children quickly grabbed the bicycles and in a minute they were out of my sight!. I had to scream my lung out nak suruh dorang slow down.. . Mak dia dahlah berat, penat nak kena kejar2 as the park covers a very huge area.

The first stop was at Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin mosque in Brunei. The golden domed mosque was designed by an Italian architect .

I think this is the smallest monument at the park. It's Xian Mosque in China. It was built during the Tang Dynasty by Admiral Haj Cheng Ho.

Baru sampai 2 monuments, my son complained that he was starving. So, we had to turn back and headed towards the cafe which is near the entrance to TTI. Biasalahkan, budak2 especially my boy yang sihat tu- asyik ingat makan je. Nak kene isi tangki dulu baru dia happy... The cafe is nice and clean while the food and beverages are not bad at all. We did get some free meal coupons so oklah..

Next, we went from one monument to another...There are 21 monuments altogether. You also get to watch educational video shows and visit the exhibitions at some of the monuments.

Kubbah As-Sakhrah, Baitul Muqaddis

Pattani Central Mosque which resembles Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal, Agra, India, from afar

Left: Kalyan Minaret, Uzbekistan-made of baked bricks is an example of civil engineering and superior architectural creation

Right : Great Mosque of Samarra, Iraq (just north of Baghdad) which was built entirely of bricks and clay

Abu Nasr Pasra, Afghanistan -dedicated to an eminent theologian, Khwaja Abu Nasr

Top: Suleyman Mosque Turkey -built during the Ottoman empire

Bottom : Great Mosque of Qairawan, Tunisia -the oldest minaret in Tunisia

On the way back, we saw some big, old trees which were left untouched during the construction of the place..macam berada di hutan..As I am a nature lover, memang appreciate sgt suasana hutan ni..

We stopped at the art gallery. My daughter and I tried our hands at Batik. Berangan jadi pelukis Batik jap..

There are some beautiful paintings on display and I fell in love with the banana painting by a local artist. Cantikkan? Such a beautiful painting. Boleh ambik buat goreng pisang??

There are a few gift shops inside and outside the park.

When we left the park, my boy tu complain lapar lagi so we stopped for lunch at the restaurant outside the park. You can also have your meals while enjoying the sea view at the open space just outside the restaurant. Again the food is good.

The famous Crystal mosque



Tak penah lagi try TTI river cruise. Next time aje la.. Dah letih sangat..

Can't believe that we visited 21 monuments in 21 countries in just 2 hours!...My children enjoyed themselves so much. Just nak pesan, tak sesuai datang sini masa panas or in the afternoon..it's really really hot!

A Little Bit Of Malaysian History

Memorial Of The Second World War or known as Bank Kerapu

Two days ago we stopped by at the 'Memorial of the second World War' (War Museum) in Kota Bharu. My son who is very interested in anything to do with 'war' and 'the army' had always begged us to bring him to the war museum. For many years, we passed by the building but never really bother to stop and to see what's inside the historical building. When we finally made our first visit to the museum 2 days ago, my son was so happy and repeatedly thanking us for taking him to the museum. I have to admit that I myself was so glad that I visited the museum that day. It was an enjoyable visit and I had certainly gained some knowledge and insights on what actually happened during the Pacific War in Kelantan. It also makes me appreciate the peaceful life that we have now.

The memorial of the Second World War is also known as 'Bank Kerapu'. It was the first stone edifice in Kelantan (bangunan batu pertama). 'Kerapu' in local dialect refers to the rough and uneven surface of its walls. Bank Kerapu was built by the Mercantile Bank in 1912 on a piece of land that belonged to Nik Yusoff bin Nik Abdul Majid, a famous local chieftain.

The location map of the War Museum . It's at Jalan Sultan

Photo from Militaryforces.net

Japanese troops in Malaya

Photo from virtualmalaysia.com

The bicycle used by the Japanese soldier

Today, Bank Kerapu houses an interesting display of photos, articles and artefacts of the Second World War including a bicycle used by a Japanese soldier upon entering Kota Bharu . The bicycle reminds me of 'basikal tua' zaman dolu2.

Though history points to Pearl Harbour as the start of the Asia Pacific War, historians now say that Kelantan was where it all started. On the morning of Dec 8, 1941 at 12.25 a.m , Japanese troops landed on the beaches at Kuala Pak Amat, Sabak, near Kota Bharu, marking the beginning of the Pacific War (1941-1945). It was 90 minutes before the attack on Pearl Habour in Hawaii. At Kuala Pak Amat, Japanese soldiers swam ashore as well as used small landing boats despite the monsoon. Southeast Asia fell to Japanese invasion just two months later. In the memorial you can see some pictures during the landing assault and also pictures on the Japanese occupation of Kelantan during the war. I saw some of the photos which were snapped by one of the Japanese soldiers during the attack at the beaches. Really amazing! I was wondering, camera apa agaknya mereka bawa-Canon? Fuji?

Photo from Raykinzoku fotopage.


One of the pillboxes found at a beach in Kelantan. The pillbox was built by the British troop, to counter Japanese attack tapi tembus juga.. The British were caught by surprise as they had thought the Japanese would first attack Singapore and definitely not during the monsoon season.

During the Japanese occupation, Bank Kerapu was also used by the Japanese as their secret police station (Kempei Tai). Some of the rooms in the building were used as torture chambers for the war prisoners. The first floor of the building is quite dark and eerie. Rasa semacam je..tegak bulu roma. I didn't dare going into the dark rooms where all the old artefacts are displayed. I had to call my husband (who was on the ground floor) to accompany my children who were so eager to enter all the rooms while I quickly ran down and didn't look back. (Takut pandang belakang) I ni penakut sikit..bukan sikit actually tapi banyak.

There are more than 1,000 exhibits relating to the war, including photos, articles and artefacts. After the war, and following the return of British forces, the building continued to function as a bank until 1992 when it was turned into a war memorial by the Kelantan State Museum Corporation.

Cameras are not allowed inside the museum but I did snapped some photos outside the memorial. The Lanca exhibited outside the building had somehow caught my attention.

Teringat belajar Sejarah tentang Lanca masa sekolah dulu. My late grandmother used to tell me that when she was young, she saw Chinese men with ponytail pulling the lanca/cart in Kuala Lumpur .Today the services of lanca stands as a memory of the past. My late grandmother was one of those who witnessed it those days.

2 in 1

You are tagged!

It's 2 tags in 1 post. Here are tags from Shariz and Lady Of Leisure

Tag from Shariz.... Baru nak buat.....

1.When did u first met your hubby n where?
About 19 years ago infront of a bookstore

2. Love at first sight?
Nope...after berkali2 tengok dari dekat dan jauh

3. Who is he the first time u met him? A student

4. How long it takes for him to ask u out on a date?
about a week after we first talked..

5. Where was your first date? At McDonald Bukit Bintang

6. How he proposed?
x propose cam mat salleh tu....He brought me to see his parents

7. Special Date with your hubby? No special date. Every moment with him is so special.

8. Changes that he asked u to do?
A lot! Attitude yg x elok - I ni sometimes kurang kesabaran!

9. What is about him that u love him so much?

He is caring, responsible and honest.

10. What is about him that u wish he would change?
I wish he would stop worrying about things. I want him to be like me - Ada masalah pun buat mcm takde masalah je but then semua org tak samakan...

11. U will lose ur mind n crack ur head when he?
He is away from me..I'm not that independent

12. U will smile thru ur eyes for the whole day when he?

bought me what I wanted/ I like

13. Complete sentences below 'My love towards my hubby is as big as..?undescribable..

Nak pass Tag ni kepada?

Ann

Nana

She Loves Pink

Che Puan Idot

Ummi Hanie

Ila ali

Myza

Tag From Lady Of Leisure



No.1 Aperkah jenama Deodorant yg korang pakai skang? Biotherm

No.2 Brand ikan Sardin dalam tin yang paling digemari?

Sardine cap ayamlah , to me takde sardine lain yg boleh challenge

No.3 Apakah bahagian badan anda yg paling anda rasa SEKSI & SEKSA

Rasanya takde apa yg seksi dan takde mana2 bahagian yg menyeksakan. Biasa2 je

No.4 Aper hadiah yg paling 'HAMPEH' yg korang penah terima dr yg tersayang?

Mmmm...Kalau bg yg hampeh nak kenelah org tuh!

No.5 Korang akan rasa diri disayangi bila.........? When you are pampered and appreciated

No.6 Apakah hadiah yg korang akan kasik pada bakal mak mentua pd kali pertama berjumpa
Kasi buahtangan yg sesuai dengan bakal mak mentua and sesuai dengan budget kita :-D

No.7 Antara Belacan, Cencalok & Budu...yang mana lebih wangi dan sesuai dibuat perfume? (Yang mana lebih wangi dibandingkan dengan bau kentut anda)
Tiga2 ni saya suka makan-paling busuk belacanlah kot. Tiga2 tak sesuai jadi perfume. Sesuai dimakan saje, wokeh!

No.8 Jenama kasut paling banyak yg anda miliki?
Hush Puppies - senang jumpa and selesa turun naik tangga sekolah

No.9 Sekiranya anda menjadi Menteri Pembangunan Masyarakat & Perancang Keluarga apakah yg akan anda lakukan demi meramaikan rakyat Malaysia? Sekiranya ditawarkan anda berminat utk memegang jawatan menteri ape?
Menggalakkan org berkahwin dan sape yg takde pasangan tu kita ikhtiar carikan jodoh. Rugi tak kahwin.....

Nak jadi Menteri Alam Sekitar because I am a nature person. Nak tanam banyak2 pokok, nak wajibkan recycling, haramkan plastic bag ?? sokong jangan bunuh ikan paus??.

No.10 Sila Tag kepada 5 orang yang sangat anda rasa sesuai menjadi menteri di atas!

Azmiezas

Mizara

Ermayum

Nishalim

Aisyah Hani

Shariz

If you have done this tag, abaikan je..

Postcards From Me

It's the school holiday again! I am sure all of you have planned the holiday activities for your children. Some maybe balik kampung ke, jalan2 ke Terengganu ke or go for a holiday abroad ke. Have a wonderful time with your family , OK...

As for me, I wish to have island holidays sebenarnya (berangan) but I would have to wait until the next holiday. Best sgt mandi kat pulau and it's safer! By the way, this week, I have two weddings to attend and my best friend is coming to Terengganu to spend her holidays here. So, I'll be happy to be the tourist guidelah..

As we are in the holiday mood, I have some awesome photos of some of the beautiful islands in Terengganu. They were captured by a friend who is a professional photographer sebab tulah gambar dia lawa sangat ,ok. When I see those photos, I felt like packing my bag and escape to one of the islands sekarang jugak.

Well, these photos are postcards from me in Terengganu to all of you wherever you are.

For everyone travelling, take care and have a safe journey...

Thank you for stopping by..I am so grateful

Bougainvilleas

As the weather gets hotter, I noticed that the bougainvilleas around the school compound are in spectacular blooms. At home, I don't see any flower-( bunga plastik je ada) so I just enjoy looking at the flowers around the school. The beautiful bougainvilleas are certainly a feast for the eyes! I was told by the school's gardener that those bougainvilleas have been around for more than 2o years and the school is 60 years old. There were mostly planted during the 80's and 90's when bougainvilleas used to be Malaysians favourite flower. Nowadays it's very hard to find Bougainvilleas in large cities. I think most people are more interested in Orchids. In Terengganu, I noticed that Bougainvilleas are still very popular. You would see lots of bougainvilleas at many homes in Terengganu especially in the villages.

menyejukkan mata di hari2 yg sgt panas ini..





found the name of this one-It's called Torch Glow

.
and this is called Raspberry Ice

There are also some hibiscus plants around the school. Hibiscus ni dah jadi mcm barang antik, nowadays. It's supposed to be our national flower but nobody is planting it, anymore. It is almost impossible to see it in large cities. In Terengganu it can still be found in the villages. I hope one day, I will plant all these beautiful flowering plants and bring colors to this world.