#salamperantauan from cardiff

They say we celebrate Raya for a month right, so Selamat Hari Raya from Cardiff! I apologise if there's anything that I did that might have hurt you directly or indirectly. May our deeds in Ramadhan are accepted by the Almighty and we'll have a blessed Ramadhan.

If I were back in Malaysia, I would wake up, shower and get ready to visit Nenek's grave and head to Eid'ul Fitri's morning prayers. After prayers I would change and get ready to entertain our guests until everyone's left.

This year, it's different. Although I'm away from my family and always at the edge of bursting into tears, I am thankful I have friends to celebrate it with. One of my friends, M, invited me to stay at her house pre-Raya and have a cooking session. 

Our last meal for Ramadhan

I also took the opportunity to cook nasi impit (compressed rice) with kuah kacang (peanut sauce) all with the help of mama over the phone (thank you technology!).

Kuah Kacang turned out a little bit salty but nothing that cannot be fixed

My pot was too small so I had to split these nasi impits up

M and I made carrot cake, roti jala, chicken curry, beef rendang, and peanut sauce then went off to bed at 2AM. Woke up the next morning at 7AM to get ready for Eid'ul Fitri's prayers organised by the Malaysian Cardiff Community (MCC) at Cathays Community Centre.

Oh we also almost didn't make it since most taxi drivers were off in the morning for the prayers as well (or at least that was our theory). We managed to get a taxi at the last minute and arrived just in time :D

Apart from that, I also accidentally cut my fingers from trying to unlock the bathroom door. It was so hard to open it that I exerted extra force. Unknowingly, my right thumb was cut during that process and I only noticed it when I was in my room trying to open the door. Out of all days.

Wearing Bella Ammara's sequin jubah and satin silk Duck Scarves in Peppercorn (I think).

My doctor E. Gah! Can't wait to see you again

I was surprised to meet my best friend, E there too! We were supposed to meet few days before to catch up on things but I had to help my aunt and cousin pack their things before they move out hence the cancellation. But Alhamdulillah we managed to meet before her graduation ceremony! So good to see you E.

I was FaceTime-ing and texting my family the whole morning too. Had to hold my tears back when I saw Atok on my phone screen. That feeling when you want to just reach out your hands to your family but you can't is one of the most frustrating feeling ever. 

My handsome Atok

Atok saw me wearing the head scarf while we were talking on FaceTime and he blurted out,

" Keep that on! You look good with that"

:|

Inshaa Allah Atok. Will do once I'm ready :p

M and I head back home to catch some sleep before we take the train to Treforest for Raya celebration with the Malaysian community and students from University of South Wales. Then it was picture time! 

Baju Raya from my favourite online store, FashionValet! Purchased on Wednesday morning, got it on Friday afternoon. Even faster than Poslaju okay. Free shipping to UK for orders over RM200. Go shop there now!

Most beautiful packaging of all!

Outfit from MalaquexFV

Selamat Hari Raya from South Wales. I'm enjoying all the #salamperantauan hashtags on Instagram I had to post one too. Once in a lifetime rightttttt.

One with M! Thank you for being such kind soul. May Allah bless you with all things wonderful :*

When I was feeling all happy, then my family decided to send a picture of them. Ish, now I'm about to cry again T_T

We had another invitation by Kak Faizah, a lady I often place my order from if I'm craving any Malaysian food. Had Assam Laksa and it was SO GOOD! Thank you Kak Faizah for inviting. 

Another thing I love about Raya is that you get to meet people that you have not met for months or years. I finally met Kak Laila who turned out to be my grand-aunt's colleague. We planned to meet earlier on but something came up and it just didn't happen. But lo and behold, I met her at Kak Faizah's house :D

All in all, I'd say it's not too bad having Raya here. It is first time being away from my family but when you have friends around, they sort of make up the missing members you always have back home. I'm so going to miss all these experiences. For now, shall we enjoy our last moments here.

#SalamPerantauan from Izzah at Cardiff, representing Cardiff University in Wales, UK.

Update: Two months til I head back home. Can't wait! :D

19 hours: it's ramadhan!

With Aunty Inn and Ika during our first tarawih

Referring to the title, more or less, that's the duration of time I am not allowed to eat or drink during the holy month, Ramadhan that I have been waiting this year *looks left and right anxiously*. I was quite scared that I might not be able to fast that long at first, but I did a few of the sunat fast prior to Ramadhan just so I know how it will feel like. Especially when it is the first time I'm fasting away from home, my family and friends. And it turned out okay! :D

Alhamdulillah, I've been granted to grace Ramadhan with my cousin and my aunt with me in Cardiff. Of course it feels different to be fasting longer but somehow, it has been bearable (it must have been the big, juicy Medjool dates). Mind you, those in Cardiff need to fast from 3am and break fast at 9.45pm. That is long for someone who is used to not eating for only 13 hours during Ramadhan back in their home country.

The trick for me to not feel like the clock is ticking slowly is by keeping busy. I'm at the stage where I'm writing my literature review and jotting my findings hence it keeps me off from the rumbling tummy. Oh and couple of watching movies and series somewhere in between. Okay fine, it's not good to lie. It's more of watching those rather than writing but I'm doing it bit by bit :p

Apart from keeping busy to let our minds off the act itself, the most important thing that all Muslims should strive for this month is to increase our deeds for Allah s.w.t. It's the month where we should read the Quran more, increase our charity efforts, and make full use of the time that we have to do all the good things. Oh let's not forget tarawih! It's the only month we can perform the special prayer leading up to Lailatul Qadar. 

Speaking of which, yesterday, during my first tarawih at a mosque nearby my house, I've been blessed to witness a new member of the Muslim community announcing his faith to Islam. MashaAllah, it was one of the most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed. 

He was a young man, probably around my age, all with his confidence said that he know what Islam is and how we live as a Muslim and he wants to be a Muslim. He then recited the syahadah in front of everyone. That second, he officially becomes a Muslim, Alhamdulillah. It was so magnificent to me I teared a little. Such brave soul. I have never seen a person converting in front of me and to be able to witness this is blissful.

We then had our 8 rakaat tarawih prayers which ended at 12am, rushed home to my cousin's place and prepared for sahur. No time to sleep! Had subuh and off we go to sleep. This is how I foresee how my days will go by this month. Wish me luck!

To all Muslims everywhere in the world, Salam Ramadhan al Mubarak. May we be blessed with the holy month, fill our days with good deeds and strengthen our iman, In shaa Allah. Until then, toodles! 

making fish nets aka roti jala

Roti Jala says hi!

Being a true Malaysian, it's absolutely understandable for you to bring all kinds of spices and food you can get from our beloved Malaysian to the country you'll be living. It is as if you will not survive without having a bit of Malaysian food. The funny people we are haha

I'm not excluded. In my case, I brought a whole box of serunding, sambal belacan my mom prepared for me, curry leaves (as if they don't have it in Cardiff), pandan leaves, Milo and anything you could possibly imagine a Malaysian would take with them. Cili api! Let's not forget that :p

But the most important thing I asked my mom to prepare for me was a bottle with three outlets for me to make these fish nets aka roti jala! 

I have never loved a bottle as much as this

My version of roti jala

It's one of the Malaysian dishes we make, eaten with chicken curry. Deeeeelicious I tell you! The recipe is so simple I could whip it up in 5 minutes! Just mix these ingredients together:

2 cups flour
1 cup fresh milk
1 egg
1 cup water
1 tablespoon melted butter
a pinch of salt and turmeric powder

Then blend it all in a blender until it becomes smooth. Easy!

But! What makes it slightly difficult is making the fish nets or jala-ing itself. You need to make sure the consistency of the batter somewhere between thin and thick to make sure it doesn't become too runny. 

I had a craving for roti jala during that one cold winter day and I had chicken curry, a leftover I made the day before. So I thought, why not I just try to whip this out. It was my first time making roti jala using the bottle my mom gave me. 

First time trying this out. Okay la hehe

And it turned out to be SO easy! Such a lifesaver! 

By the third round of making it, I felt like such a pro. Squeezing the batter out from the bottle, watching it oozes out excites me! I even decided to make it squared as opposed to the usual rounded shape.

Talking about them makes me feel like making them again. Maybe I should... 

Until then. Toodles!