Makan-Makan Raya 2013

This is our first experience with Raya Open House which involved families, neighbours and friends on the same day, since we moved in. Last year, we organised separate session for each category.

We cook everything with love :)

(The photos are not in a particular order. I captured them in between entertaining our guests and topping up the food)

For main dishes, I made spaghetti bolognese and rice porridge (considering some of our friends have toddlers - and I love rice porridge). My husband made chicken soup to be eaten with rice noodles, kuey teow and of course, rice porridge.

For the porridge, I have prepared some garnishes - roasted peanut, fried anchovies, salted fish, salted egg, soysauce, fried sambal, pickled carrot, fried shallot and freshly chopped cilantro and scallion.

For side dishes, I prepared mini beef samosa, grilled chicken salad, corn and green apple salad.

For dessert, I made fruit cocktail custard with mango pudding, chocolate cake, lychee jelly, apple crumble and Malaysian ice-cream (chocolate and sirap bandung).

I also prepared ingredients for Mexican quesadilla should we ran out of food. Fortunately, the food is enough for everybody. 

After Maghrib, we ordered a few hundreds of satay for our guests. Alhamdulillah, quite a number of people arrived after Maghrib, including my uncle, aunts and my in-laws.

At first, it was manageable. Around 4.00pm, a lot of people started to arrive and I never seen my house THAT FULL. Every inch of the porch, living room and reading area were full with friends. My kids' room was full with kids. Hobby area filled with kids playing games. Dining area was full with cousins (and my brother) who lend their hand doing dishes, slicing the grilled chicken, peel some apples... THANK YOU guys.

It was a day full with blessings. Nearly 200 people came. A few of my KAED classmates which I rarely seen since we were graduated, came with their families. My ex collegues from MHLG came all the way from Putrajaya / Kajang. I manage to prepare all the food. And everyone likes it very much... Alhamdulillah.

I also grateful to receive these gifts from my friends. Thank you Zatul Himmah & family for the hamper, Nurhasnadira & family for the bananas and Saifulizam from Cake Bros for those lovely red velvet cupcakes!!!

....and thank you Dr. Shahrul Yani & her family for this baby pillow! 

E P I C.

Someone asked me why bother going through all troubles cooking for 200 people whereby I could just order the food and spend time chatting with the guests. Well, I love to cook. No trouble at all. I just need to improve on chatting with the guests part :)