Twentytwo13

Another quiet Easter, enjoying Serani goodies

Before 2020, Easter was as grand a celebration as Christmas in our household.

But the last big feast was in 2019, as Covid-19 has changed how we celebrate the most religious of Christian holidays.

This year will be the same, with just a handful of relatives at home, munching on Serani goodies such as sugee cake and jam tarts.

The main meal, however, will be a traditional Malay dish – rendang tok and lemang – which we plan to start cooking later tonight.

We will have a couple of other dishes, but to me, rendang tok is the bomb and something I can have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

A confession, we now make rendang tok with buffalo meat instead of beef. As it takes hours to prepare the dish, the tougher meat does not break down as much, so you can still get a nice bite in each spoonful.

The sugee cake is from our cousin, Deborah Sta Maria, who runs Cheeky Monkeys 3, and the tarts are from a friend who shares a surname with Debbie – Sara Frederica.

Sara has been keeping the Kristang language and tradition alive, via her dance troupe, and lessons, on YouTube. Kristang is a mix of languages – predominantly ancient Portuguese. It has not evolved as rapidly as modern Portuguese. You can read more about the Serani people here.

Sara advertised her tarts on Facebook. Although she lives in the Portuguese Settlement in Melaka, she delivered her goodies to the Klang Valley last week.

Although we usually get our tarts from Debbie, we wanted to show our support for Sara, whose tarts have the traditional ‘flower’ in the middle, with three ‘petals’.

Mum said that people from her generation joked that the petals signified the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – the Holy Trinity.

For those who do not know, the concept of the Trinity states that although God is one, He exists in three distinct Persons – the Father, the originator and sustainer of all things, the Son, who came to Earth as Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, who is God’s active presence in the world and the force that draws people to him.

With or without the ‘flower’, I love tarts.

Twentytwo13 would like to wish all those who celebrate Easter, Bong Pasku.

SELANGOR NEW VILLAGE-ING FEST

A three-day event – ‘Selangor New Village-ing Fest’, started yesterday at Piazza @ Pavilion Bukit Jalil.

Besides exhibitions from Selangor’s 12 new villages’, there are performances and over 60 booths featuring food, culture, and more.

Best of all, it is free. Do visit it to learn more about the new villages.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) celebrated its 75th birthday on April 7. This year’s theme is ‘Health for all’.

WHO hopes its theme will create opportunities for the public to take the necessary actions which can help tackle health challenges, today.

To join in the conversation on social media, use these hashtags #HealthForAll #WHO75.

SPORTS DIRECTORY

If you are into sports and want to find a venue near you, you might find this directory useful.

EASY SMALL-BATCH LASAGNE

Almost everyone I know loves lasagne (or lasagna, if you prefer the American spelling).

The problem is that we usually over-make it (although in our house, that is not a problem). If there are only three to four people in your home, why not try this recipe?

I’LL HAVE A NEW BODY (I’LL HAVE A NEW LIFE)

To end this week’s Diary, here is a Hank Williams classic that embodies the spirit of Easter – ‘I’ll Have A New Body (I’ll Have A New Life)’.

Coincidentally, it is the third consecutive year I have chosen a Williams song for the Easter Diary. It looks like I have started a new tradition!

Until next week, stay safe.