BBQ

Muslims all over the world observe Eid-ul Adha last Thursday. This festival is celebrated in conjunction with the pilgrimages performed by Muslims, called the Haj and to commemorate Prophet Abraham's spirit of Qurban or sacrifice. (Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his elder son, Ishmael, when God commanded him to do so as a test of his commitment to his faith. And at the last moment, God miraculously replaced a ram in place of Ishmael).

It was a quiet affair for my family. On Eid-ul Adha morning my hubby went to the mosque for prayers. The boys suppose to follow their father to the mosque but the amount of excitement they had the evening before with their cousins at K. Long's house left them exhausted. Or they would have waken up so early either to play their Play Station or surfing the TV channels for Cartoon Network/Nickelodeon/Ceria etc. If waking up to school would be this easy…

At night, we had a small BBQ at the house. We were toying between the normal dishes-rice dinner vs BBQ and decided on the latter on the morning itself. Great … now on with the shopping or … so we thought. We got all our ingredients in Giant store the same morning–chicken, lamb, sausages for grilling; honey & mint leaves for marinate; cabbages, carrot & mayonnaise for coleslaw; tomatoes, mince meat, mushroom & spaghetti for spaghetti & sauce of cos’; French fries and 3 bottles of ice-cream soda & pineapple syrup to mix for the drinks. All except for the beef. It was sold out and it was only 1015 in the morning. I guess we have ourselves to blame for doing everything at the last minute. The Giant’s store attendant said they only had limited supply for the day. Who can blame them, it’s a festive day!! After dropping me & groceries home to start with the preparation, my hubby was given the task to search, beg, borrow, steal beef for the night’s menu. Luckily he didn’t has to go far. He found some beef in Tesco but not exactly the right portion/section for grilling but as they said beggar’s can’t be chooser. So any part will have to do.


So our guests – all my in-laws including parents, brothers, sisters and their children arrived. The gathering started with takbir recital by the children lead by their grandmother (my mother in law). And as reward, each received RM2 for their effort from their Puan-grandmother.


Alas, we under estimated the chicken portions (talk about hostess nightmare!!). Luckily we have another bird in the fridge which was quickly thawed and cut and tossed into the marinate sauce and onto the fire. Needless to say, it got into the disappearing act by many still hungry stomachs lol.



My husband did most of the grilling and cooking that night. At the end, he passed it to several of his young nephews who divided the task to the griller, the fanner, the inspector, the awaiting in-line and of cos the many spectators!



Our guests left the house close to 1130pm after the usual ritual of Nescafe. During the clearing and cleaning up, I realized my feet and soles were killing me. So after rubbing some medicated ointment I asked the kids to apply pressure to my feet by stepping on them but still that didn’t do the trick so at the end it was my husband turn to relieve me of the pain by applying harder pressure with his hands. I could ask him to go on forever but both of us were already too sleepy.

And I have to wake up early the next day to pack bcos we are driving up to Lumut to my hometown for the weekend and as for hubby, he has to drive all the way while the whole family snoring away…hi!hi!

Ooh my feet!!