Day 3 - preparation of Khau Jhum

The day, 19 May ie Wednesday, with the works to be done for the day, I thought I had better start early and finished early too. Mmmmmm ..................

After sending my son to school, I went to the wet market at Krokop Lorong 10 to buy long beans and cucumber. The quantity bought depended on the number of orders received for Khau Jhum on 20 May.

Then I proceeded to the back of Canada Hill where the farmers are planting their vegetables in the kampung area. This is where I normally plucked the herbs. Oh my goodness, they have cleared a massive area of the hill! One of the herbs is nowhere to be seen! Thank goodness, I still have another spot where I can plucked this particular herb. I still managed to pluck some herbs from this area too. Thereafter, I drove to Tamu Muhibbah where I bought the rest of the vegetables like daun kesom, bunga gantan (this time around, I managed to buy some), kunyit flower and its roots.

From there, I drove back to Krokop Lorong 10 and in one of the small lorong, I plucked this particular herb. I drove slowly back to my home in Taman Desa Seri and plucked some more herbs along the way. I have some of the herbs growing in my backyard too. After that, I sorted out and washed the herbs.

As I still have some time prior to picking up my son at noon today, I packed the required number of packets of 'budu' (fish) sauce.

Took a quick shower and then headed off to my son's school. That day, it was Teachers' Day celebration in his school and school finished at 12noon. A quick lunch at home and then I started to continue with the works.

I dry-fried the deboned fish in a saucepan under a low fire. This takes one and half hours. It was good to be in the kitchen as the day was rather warm and in a way, I had a sauna. I felt good after the sauna ^-^.

My son was engrosed in playing his psp. Its a form of relaxation for him, just for that day only as he had just finished his school exam.

I continued with the rest of the works. Grinding and/or blending the herbs and then straining the juice as well. The quantity of juice strained was dependant on the total number of orders for Khau Jhum.

Prepared a simple dinner. My son and I had egg & salad tortillas wrap for dinner. My dear hubby was away on biz and came home at night the same day.

After making sure that all things are ready for the 'day' ie Day 4, it was time for an early night. A very early day began for Day 4.

The 'day' - Day 4 of Nasi Kerabu 'Khau Jhum'

My day begins early at 3am. My cleaner comes in early too. Yes, thereabout at 3am.

First the rice are cooked, followed by washing and slicing of the vegetables. We shared out the slicing of vegetables. This time around, I managed to find the kunyit flower. It adds extra flavour to 'Khau Jhum'. It tasted better eating it whole than sliced up. Hence I left it whole! ^-^

All the vegetables and/or condiments are ready to be packed by 6am on the 'day'. They are all laid out on my dining table.

Top from Left to Right: Plastic spoons & rubber bands, grinded fish (they sure smelled fragrant!), sliced cucumber, sliced daun kesom, kunyit flower, cooked green rice

Bottom from Left to Right: Packed budu sauce, taugeh, grinded coconut, sliced long beans, sliced onions, sliced serai and 'hot' pounded chili plus an empty bowl

Then, the packing began. I started off with my list of clients on whose 'Khau Jhum' are to be packed accordingly to the time of requested delivery. First, clients from my dear hubby's office as he helped me to deliver them to his workplace; clients from Lutong and Curtin University and then to the rest of clients from and around town/Krokop area/Pelita Commercial area.

My youngest sister helped me to deliver the packed 'Khau Jhum' to my clients in Lutong and Curtin University. A big 'thank you' to her.

I took a short break to have my breakast after I completed the packing for clients of Lutong and Curtin University. Its normally a hot cup of coffee and 'take-away' kueh tiaw which my dear hubby had bought for me. ^-^

After that, I continued with the rest of the packing. By 10.30am, I finished packing and cleared the table. My cleaner helped to wash the used containers.

I am off to deliver the packed 'Khau Jhum' around 10.45am and this driving covered a total distance of around 20km for delivery to clients around town/Kropkop area/Pelita Commercial area.

By 11.30am, I am back at home. On the way back, I stopped by at the vegetarian shop in Boulevard Commercial area to buy 'take-away' lunch for my cleaner and myself. A quick lunch for us - my cleaner to continue with the cleaning works and myself, organised my son's lunch. I am off to school by 1pm to pick up my son who finishes school at 1.30pm. I have to go early to find a good parking spot.

I takes things leisurely in the afternoon. Some afternoons, I packed 'Khau Jhum' for clients who like them for their dinner.

My family and I had 'Khau Jhum' for dinner too. Yummy, yummy....