Dad the chef

We skipped church today and drove to Kota Belud. I absolutely had to have my 'nyiru'. The Civil Service Games is just round the corner and I've been put in charge of the opening parade. I plan to have 9 beautiful young girls ( which leaves me out - the young part, I mean) wearing the traditional costumes, depicting the different ethnic tribes in Sabah. They will carry the 'nyiru' emblazoned with the names of each division of the civil service. It's going to be the best and most colourful parade, you'll see. I've gone round to the different districts and identified the girls to carry the 'nyiru'. I've booked the costumes from the Sabah Cultural Board. So, I absolutely need the 'nyiru'.

Kota Belud is a quaint litle town. The tamu is colourful, vibrant, myraid of sights, sounds and smell - oh the smell !! We were there last week with Serene n Meng How - but we went late and by the time we reached the town, most of the vendors had packed their wares and gone home. This Sunday, we made sure to reach there early - it was worth the effort. There were stalls and stalls of traditional handicrafts, local fruits, jungle plants and lots and lots of vegetables. The fish was fresh. we bought crabs. I found the 'nyiru'. The vendor was a pint-size Kadadan woman. She could barely converse in Malay. We had no problem haggling over the price of the 'nyiru', but when she tried to explain the finer points of her handicrafts, she wasstumped for the right vocab. - so we ended up smiling and nodding at each other.

Tonight's dinner is going to be special. Dad's the chef. He's spent hours in the kitchen cleaning the crabs. I told him that I can't help him as the credit must go to him. We are yet to decide how the crabs' to be done - chilli crab ? black pepper ? with wine ? or just plain steam and savour the sweetness .... drool....drool...drooling. We will pickle the green chillies we bought and canned
them. Yum !!

We've just finished feasting on the durians...... double yum !!