Heart (jantung) on my pisang kerang (praying hands banana) tree

On the evening of 28 January 2025, I noticed the heart (jantung) on my pisang kerang (praying hands banana) tree. 

The banana fruits will eventually look like the one shown below. Picture from Google search. 

I planted the tree on November 2, 2023, which means it has been 1 year, 2 months, and 27 days, or 454 days. I haven’t given it much attention since planting.

Enjoy tracking the progress of your own pisang kerang tree!

Reference:

[1] https://serinurulbeauty.blogspot.com/2023/11/drill-attachment-that-helps-to-dig-out.html

Flower Buds on My Harum Manis Mango Tree – A New Beginning

18 June 2025, Morning Reflections

This morning brought a beautiful surprise, my Harum Manis mango tree is filled with flower buds once again. It’s a joy to witness, especially since the last time it bore fruits was back on 2 October 2024.

While my neighbors’ trees had already entered their second flowering phase, mine remained quiet. But now, after 8 months and 18 days of waiting, nature has answered with a fresh promise of fruit. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, and I’m truly grateful.

Watching these buds bloom gives me hope that the tree will carry these flowers through to fruiting. Fingers crossed for a bountiful harvest in the months to come.

The look of food that I consume during a very long and hectic day

This is taken on the morning of 21 February 2025.

I have self peeled and sliced milk mango (pelam susu) and chocolate muffin. 

My lunch food.

Initially I wanted to make egg sandwich. However I am too hungry to make it. Which is why I decided to eat chicken Maggie first. 

The look of eaten chicken Maggie before lunch meal. Since my lunch companion reply late. I just eat to avoid gastric.

I noticed that the steamed eggs left 4 from the initial 7. Means my lab mate eat 3 eggs with his Maggie. Fortunately I follow my gut feeling to steam 7 eggs instead of only 4.

The initial process of selecting 7 eggs. 

My asam boi drink around 10 pm. Since I am feeling very parched. 

My sunquick drink around 8 pm.

My tea break of rojak tauhu bakar.

For me it is crucial to take lots of fruits during day of heavy work load. It helps me to stay alert and fresh throughout the day.

Until then, take a good care of yourself when doing work until late night.

Lunch with the usual recipe with Qurban beef and steamed rice

🍛 Cooking Qurban Beef with Herbed Steamed Rice (10 June 2025)

This warm afternoon on 10 June 2025, I decided to make my usual Qurban beef recipe, a comforting and flavorful meal. This time paired with gently herbed steamed basmati rice. It’s a simple dish, made using what I had on hand, but full of richness and aroma thanks to the fresh leaves and butter-based sauce.

🍚 Steamed Rice (Herbed)

Ingredients:

130 gm basmati rice (±)

1 bay leaf

1 pandan leaf (4 cm × 5 cm)

3 curry leaves

300 ml water (±)

Method:

1. Rinse the basmati rice at least twice to remove excess starch.

2. Steam the rice with the leaves until fluffy and infused with fragrance.

🥩 Qurban Beef with Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

400 gm Qurban beef (roughly chopped)

30 gm salted butter (divided into 2 parts)

30 gm BBQ sauce

30 gm black pepper sauce

3 medium potatoes (peeled & cubed)

4 okra (bendi), chopped

275 ml water (±)

1 pandan leaf (4cm × 5cm)

3 stalks curry leaves

1 turmeric leaf (4cm × 6cm)

3 bay leaves

1.4 gm dried rosemary

Method:

1. Set your 6 liter Elba pressure cooker to the "Meat" function, timer 1.0.

2. Melt 15 gm butter in the inner pot. Add the beef to sear it, followed by the remaining butter.

3. Once browned, add water, sauces, potatoes, and all the aromatic leaves and rosemary.

4. Close the lid, lock the pressure, and let it cook.

5. After pressure cooking finishes and the pressure naturally releases, open the lid and stir in chopped okra.

6. Close the lid again and leave on ‘Keep Warm’ to gently finish cooking the okra without over-softening it.

The sliced beef. Next time need to slice it thinner.

New watch face to my smart device

This is taken on the morning of 30 March 2025. I just loves the watch face option for this smart watch.

What matter the most is the sleep tracking feature in this smart watch. 

Last night I am able to get total sleep of 5 hours 51 minutes. Where deep sleep 1 hour 52 minutes, light sleep 2 hours 46 minutes and REM sleep 1 hour 13 minutes.

Until then, have fun in using watch face in your smart device and closely monitored your sleep.

Care pack for friends who go for Hajj (Haji)

🕋 Hajj Care Pack: A Simple Gift from the Heart (30 April 2025)

On 30 April 2025, I prepared two sets of Hajj care packs for a dear friend who will be embarking on their sacred pilgrimage to Makkah this 9 May 2025.

Each pack is lovingly arranged in a handy hook bag, which is practical for hanging inside tents or hotel rooms. Inside each bag, I included:

• 🧴 4 containers of 4g cocoa butter — perfect for dry skin in the desert heat

• 🌶️ 2 packs of 4g hot balm — to soothe sore muscles after long walk

• 🪝1 portable door hook — lightweight and useful for organizing garments or bags

This care pack is similar to the one I prepared for my aunt during her Hajj in 2024 [1]. That version was also well-received, so I decided to recreate the same thoughtful bundle this year.

It’s always a joy to give something both meaningful and practical, especially for a once-in-a-lifetime journey like Hajj. May their pilgrimage be blessed, safe, and spiritually fulfilling. 🌙✨

📌 Reference:

[1] Hajj Care Pack for My Aunt & Her Family (2024) https://serinurulbeauty.blogspot.com/2024/05/making-cocoa-butter-nourishing-cream.html

Muffin chocolate in waffle mould

This is taken on the morning of 28 May 2025. Where I finished off balance of muffin chocolate batter into my 5 parts of waffle mould. Since I am too lazy to use muffin cup. Cook for 30 minutes with temperature 150°C. It turn out lie soft yet crunchy cookies. My colleague said like Famous Amos. I feel similarities to Subway soft cookies. Love the soft yet crunchy outer layer.

Finished the balance with mango yogurt smoothie. 

Egg bites for tea break

🍳 Egg Bites Recipe with a Twist. Made on 29 May 2025

This simple and satisfying dish was made on a calm Thursday evening using just six ingredients, all conveniently found in the fridge. Here's what I used:

🧾 Ingredients:

1. 2 Grade B eggs (104.5g, cracked and beaten)
2. 5.2g salted butter
3. 4.6g BBQ sauce
4. 4.8g Greek yogurt
5. 2 Ramly beef sausages, sliced
6. 4.6g grated cheese mix (Parmesan and mozzarella)

I used my waffle mold for baking, simply because it makes it easier to remove the egg bites once they’re cooked. Surprisingly, my friends said it looked a bit like mini pizza!

🔄 Prep Steps:

1. Mix the eggs with Greek yogurt and BBQ sauce.
2. Add in sliced sausages and half the cheese.
3. Pour into a mold (triangle or square) depending on your bread shape.
4. Drizzle chili sauce and top with remaining cheese.

🔥 Cooking Instructions:

1. Microwave for 2 minutes for a quick set.
2. Transfer to preheated oven at 150°C for another 2 minutes to crisp the top.

*Tip: Always preheat the oven before starting — it helps give that golden finish.

Arrange from triangle to square shape to accommodate bread shape.

After added chili sauce. 

After added last touch of grated cheese mix (Parmesan and mozzarella).

🥪 How I Ate It:

I paired it with whole grain bread for a fulfilling tea break. My colleague even had chili sauce dripping down his chin while eating and still finished it without complaint! (Normally, I’d be the one left finishing leftovers, so I consider this fussy-eater approved).

That night, I even went to bed early, feeling full and satisfied without needing dinner.

Until then, have fun experimenting with easy fridge-friendly egg bites. Great for tea breaks, brunch, or lazy dinners! 🧇🧀🌶️

Correct way to get Grab in Melaka Sentral

On the afternoon of March 15, 2025, I was at Melaka Sentral and mistakenly waited at the wrong taxi pickup area. Fortunately, a kind Grab driver picked me up and informed me that the correct waiting spot is at the taxi stand near Mydin, not the one facing Courts Mammoth. Ideally, after being dropped off by the bus at Melaka Sentral, I should walk toward Marrybrown to reach the correct location. Lesson learned. Thankfully, I arrived safely at my sister’s house in Durian Tunggal after a 30-minute drive with the Grab driver.

Until then, stay safe and ensure you wait at the correct pickup point at Melaka Sentral.

Meeting with old matriculation friend after his work

Captured on the evening of 20 May 2025, this moment marked a meaningful reunion with an old matriculation friend after his work commitments [1]. He was in UTM to evaluate Master's students from the Biomedical Engineering programme at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FKE) during the evening session.

Our previous meeting was on 11 December 2023.

His significant weight loss is clearly visible in this photo. I regret not documenting his last visit, but seeing his transformation now is a reminder of how unexpected changes can lead to blessings. With his improved health, he is now eligible to perform Hajj (Haji) next week, truly a blessing in disguise.

Until we meet again, may you continue to care for your health and well-being.

Reference:

[1] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YTfSPYIAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao