Quick updates : How I spent Hari Raya

Hi everyone!

Hope that you had a lovely weekend! As for me, I’m so exhausted at hosting a dinner at my house. Nevertheless I had a lovely time 🙂

Anyway, quick updates :

Friday, we went to the Mosque in Rome to do our zakat. It was strange because all we had to do was to pass some money to the needy directly or put it in a box. Very different from what I was accustomed to in Singapore.

Saturday, I spent the entire day cleaning, mopping and tidying up the house. Prior to that, I downloaded some raya songs! So while doing the housework, I was blasting raya music. And because I was a meanie, I put the netbook right next to the still sleeping Cart. He could still continue sleeping despite all that hullabaloo.

I was also tuning in to the live stream radio in Singapore and listening to people giving dedications. I was considering to give a call through skype, but I know that I’d get nervous and then end up being tongue tied. It would be such a surprise if my family get to hear my dedication though.

On Eid itself, it was such a busy day rushing here and there. I wish that we would have done this earlier during the week so we don’t over exert ourselves in one day and I’ve told this to Cart numerous times. But every year is the same. These are the times when I feel extremely frustrated, but what could I do?

But first Cart insisted that we go to a bar to have coffee as he didn’t have any at all in the entire ramadan. We then went to Piazza Vittorio to one of my favourite Chinese Alimentari to get some Soft Tofu and Tempeh to make Sambal Goreng. But it was closed!

So we quickly decided to go to a Bangladeshi shop. Unfortunately we didn’t find the things that we needed there, so I guess we had to cancel out the Sambal Goreng.

I also got this drink though. So yummy! The fruit is white inside, and has large black seeds. Guanabana is such a funny name. It’s commonly known as soursop in Asia.

Then we headed to  the butcher where we found out that fresh chicken meat was over. We had to get frozen ones. And finally we headed to the supermarket to get our groceries.

Check out this giant nutella jar. I love it!

By this time, I was feeling nauseaus and bloated, probably from the latte macchiato that I had earlier on. I felt like puking and dizzy from all the vigorous walking and turning my head around, desperately trying to find the groceries that we needed.

So the first thing when we reached home at about 3pm, Cart made me a glass of brioschi for my stomach and I immediately started prepping as I knew that the food that I wanted to make takes a while to cook. Despite not wanting to cook Malay food, I did it in the end, because I really wanted to eat eat Ayam Masak Merah. It was something that I’d always eat during Hari Raya.

Cart fried some bell peppers. And together, we made quite a lot of food. I intended to give the neighbours some, but we didn’t have time to do so as when we were finally done, it was already 8 pm. The time when the guests are supposed to arrive. I guess we could do it the day after.

I also made Nasi Kunyit Tomato, just for fun.

Our guests arrived slightly after 8 pm. It was a simple, but really pleasant evening, talking, gossiping over dinner. It’s a pity that Claire and Alex couldn’t make it though, as she was really sick.

Alessandra and Arianna actually made and brought Torta Rustica and a sort of pie with pear and chocolate with ricotta cheese! So yummy! I was so inspired that I made Masala tea to pair with it 

And after the guests left, the evening ended with me exhausted, my limbs SCREAMING and yet feel obliged to clean up the kitchen and wash the dishes as I really do not want to see a messy and smelly kitchen when get up in the morning.

And then I fainted on the bed at 1.30am. The end.