Taste of Childhood

When I was a kid, the whole family looked forward to nasi lemak day. Mum would cook everything from scratch, and we would help out a bit. The day before, we would be tasked with cleaning the ikan bilis (anchovies). Armed with trays, we would sit in front of the TV to pluck off the heads, and clean out the innards. Loved snacking on the mix crispy fried ikan bilis and salted peanuts. On the day of cooking, we would also help with the preparation of the sambal but peeling lots of shallots and garlic, and mashing them all up with a pestle and mortar. Mum's sambal is savoury and spicy, unlike the Malay style where sugar is a must. And you know what? We would have mum's signature nasi lemak  for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (usually gone before that). With multiple servings. Bwahaha. And in between meals, we would munch on the crispy ikan bilis, or make canapés out of sliced cucumber, sambal, and ikan bilis.



These days, mum rarely cooks nasi lemak anymore. So when she does, its a big deal! And SK added on the nostalgia with tebosa from Terengganu. Think of it as curry puff but with fish filling. Oh so yummy!