Ratatouille ala Kerotia

Ratatouille is a traditional French dish. Made of vegetable, it is cheap and easy to make. Therefore, it is often called peasant food.

The ingredients of ratatouille are tomato, zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, carrot, onion, garlic, mixed herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. In my recipe, I add mushroom and tomato paste, and omit the bell pepper (due to unavailability at the moment).

First, slice the vegetables thinly. Then cook them separately (because each vegetable cooked at different length of time) until tender. Meanwhile, chop garlic and onion. Peel, de-seed, and chop the tomato as well. Saute the chopped garlic and onion with olive oil in a large pot. Add the tomato, and cook until you have a thick tomato sauce. Add tomato paste, salt, pepper, mixed herbs, and the vegetables into the tomato sauce, mix thoroughly. Serve with rice, pasta, or bread. Et voila! Bon appetit!!

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Ratatouille became so popular after an animated movie with the same name in 2007. In that movie, Remy, the rat-chef, made and popularized Confit byaldi, a version of ratatouille.

Confit byaldi basically uses the same ingredients as ratatouille. But instead of tossing all ingredients in one pot, the ingredients are arranged in layered fashion and then baked slowly, covered in parchment paper.

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Anyway, I introduced this dish to my family years ago. And last year, when my Mom and Dad went for Umrah, they were served ratatouille on flight. Mom tasted the food and later wrote in her journal, "I had ratatouille for lunch on the plane. It tasted just like my daughter T used to make. I miss my kids. Ya Allah, please keep them safe while we're away."

*sobs* I love you, mom..

Kiss from Heaven

God will show you His love in the most surprising way.

When I was in college, I was so bored with school. Everything seemed to go wrong and I lost my motivation. Then on one fateful day, I went to my mother’s Daycare and Pre-school to get some documents from the teacher for my mother (she was one of the founders). Unintentionally, I went to the toddlers’ room to play with the kids. There was this really cute boy with big eyes and long hair (I thought he was a girl) who was crying out loud. I sat on the floor, and this crying boy immediately got up and came to me. Of all the adults in the room, he hugged me –a stranger! I sang him a lullaby, and he stopped crying! Waaah… I was astounded.

After that incident, I started to come to the school more often. I played with the kids, read them stories, and sang them children’s songs (I happen to know quite a number). After a while, one of the senior teachers asked me to be a regular. I said yes, and that was how I become a part time tutor since 2003 to 2006.

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And last night, during Tarawih prayer in the mosque while the Imam was preaching, a beautiful little girl came up to my sister, Chacha. The little girl held Chacha’s unfamiliar hands and kissed her! Ain’t that sweet?

Cha, I think it was a very good sign.. ;) Semangaaatt!!!