Cooking for A Cause

Sardines. One of the most delicious fish variety in the world. How do you like yours? Fried, grilled, baked or raw? Personally, I like mine in a can. Saves Mama the energy of cleaning and cooking it for me.

However, last weekend, I learned that sardines mixed with a myriad of ingredients like rice, coconut milk, vegetables and herbs make a very delicious porridge. OK...some people call it congee. In Malaysia, this type of porridge is called Bubur Lambuk, usually prepared in the fasting month. I guess because the smooth texture is easy on the stomach, especially after it's been empty due to fasting. The sardines are grilled first, scrape the flesh out and there you have the most delicious porridge flavouring. Of course, don't forget the salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

I learned all these from Chef Zam. He's a well known celebrity chef in Malaysia and is the Principal of Silverspoon International Culinary School. He teaches many types of cooking as well as costing and management. I'd love to learn more from him at his school but Mama said I'd be a hazard to other students as everyone will be distracted by my good looks. I can't help being good looking, Mama. And all the ladies may even slice their own fingers instead of the onions, eh? Oh well....

But it's OK. I'm fine with other people cooking for me. I'm used to being served anyway.

What happened last weekend? Mama's office had a fundraising do at the Farmers' Market in Shah Alam, the one near the soccer stadium. Y'all know how I loooooove soccer (and food). What a purrrrfect combination, eh? Mama and her cohorts of beauties prepared two humongous pots of the delectable sardine flavoured porridge. It took hours to cook them but all contents of the pots were gone in a short time. It was worth the hard work of planning the event, seeking for sponsors, preparing the ingredients, organising the volunteers etc etc. Took about a month of planning. Mama said we're lucky to have a group of dedicated interns and staff who were willing to slug it out.

Chef Zam (right) snoopervising Uncle A while he boils the rice in the pot. Usually the rice gets boiled and broken down and soft before other ingredients were mixed in.

The promo tent was located next to the market's secretariat tent. So it was easy to locate and get directions. No need for GPS to find me on that day.

The packed porridge ready for distribution. With a donation of just five bucks, you may take the delicious porridge home.

Chef Zam ladling the porridge into containers. He was happy with his handiwork.

There he is again, cooking in front of a TV crew. Oh, did I mention that the media was there too? Not the pawpawrazzi I have at home but the actual TV and newspaper people.

People say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. In this case, Chef Zam was happy eating his own porridge. "If I may say so myself, it's very delicious. It's my grandmother's recipe," he said.

Volunteers cleaning up at the end of the day. I did a lot of TLC duty on that day....so many girls needing cuddles and massages and sardine breath kisses....

Besides Chef Zam's version of the porridge, another version from Myanmar was also prepared. However it uses beef instead of fish. A group of Myanmar refugees came and helped cook two pots of the porridge. This version takes an even longer time to cook as the beef has to be boiled until it's tender and melts in the mouth. Then, spices are added, with tons of nuts (five types) and vegetables too. I don't know the Myanmarese name for it but we called it Buburma (bubur Burma). Oooooh.....I'm drooling as I write this.

Mama said the funds raised from this programme will be used to give food aid and feed the needy during the coming fasting month. She's concerned that the rising costs of food will render many families to go hungry all over the world. Thus the need to raise as much funds as possible.

Brad says: So, come on, let's put our hands together, dig deep and feed the poor. har har har *solemn laughs*