Function/Night Make-up (Solekan Majlis/Malam) for Harian Metro @ Bangunan NSTP, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Assalamualaikum Stylistas of Abaya Suraya!

This was the step by step makeover that I was most excited about out of all the 3 ones I did for Harian Metro. This was done on another best friend of mine and it was meant to be a glamourous Aidilfitri Open House ala Middle Eastern make-over. However disappointingly, when it was published the printing work of the main photo gave a terrible impression to my original work. The shading was much harsher, and the eyeshadows were so badly smeared under the eyes. To make matters worse, the title printed was Simple Make-up, which resulted in me receiving SMSes of negative remarks on my make-up work sadly. Nevertheless, it was definitely and experience to learn and I still appreciate the opportunity given by Harian Metro although I was a fresh newbie then. =) Nevertheless hope you can compare my original work with the one printed in the newspaper here. =)

_________________________________________

Assalamualaikum Stylistas of Abaya Suraya!

Solekan langkah demi langkah ini adalah yang paling Sue teruja daripada 3 solekan yang Sue lakukan untuk Harian Metro. Solekan ini dilakukan kepada seorang lagi kawan baik Sue dan sepatutnya bertemakan solekan glamor ala Timur Tengah untuk Majlis Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri. Namun mengecewakan apabila solekan ini diterbitkan cetakan foto utama tersebut telah memberi gambaran buruk untuk kerja asal Sue. Shading kelihatan terlalu ketara dan pekat, dan pembayang mata pula kelihatan terlalu garang dan comot di bahagian bawah mata. Untuk memburukkan lagi keadaan, tema yang ditulis ialah Solekan Sederhana, natijahnya Sue menerima pelbagai SMS mengkritik solekan Sue secara negatif. Walaubagaimanapun, ia merupakan pengalaman berharga buat Sue dan Sue masih menghargai peluang yang telah diberikan oleh Harian Metro untuk jurusolek baru seperti Sue pada waktu itu. =) Namun Sue berharap anda dapat menilai dan membandingkan kerja asal Sue dengan yang telah diterbitkan di dalam akhbar di sini. =)

Make-up for Dara.com's beauty spread @ Karangkraf, Shah Alam (Monday, 26th November 2007)

The photographer preparing the backdrop in the studio

Salam,

I was assigned by a reporter of Dara.com, Aida Rofiza, I just call her Kak Ida to do a step-by-step makeover for the magazine’s beauty spread. The article will be featured in Dara.com January 2008 issue.

Ummi checking out the preparations

My sayang...

She asked me to do a make-up on a plus size model, teaching the ways of how to make a chubby face looks slimmer with make-up. And she wants it to look beautiful yet natural. is a I was happy to do something different. It’s always much more challenging and satisfying to do make-up on someone who’s not naturally given with sharp features. It shows that make-up can do so much to enhance your look, anyone can look more beautiful with the proper make-up.

Suraya & Suhail :)

My model before her makeover

To view the model after her make-up is done, please log on to my website www.surayanuar.com and click MY WORK IN THE MEDIA under MAKE-UP EXPLORATION. By the way I will publish her photos on my website after Dara.com January 2008 is released.

____________________________________________________________________

After I was done with the Dara.com beauty spread make-up, Ummi, Suhail and I went to Alamanda, Putrajaya. My mother has never been to Alamanda so I was happy that finally I could bring her there.
FYI, Alamanda is the only shopping mall in Putrajaya (it means a lot to the residents of Putrajaya since Putrajaya is located in the middle of nowhere, thus it is far from KL). We arrived there around Maghrib so the place is quite packed with the residents of Putrajaya since it was after office hours. I quite like the stores here, I think the Alamanda administration does quite a good job by providing good quality boutiques such as Sommerset Bay, Hush Puppies, Crabtree & Evelyn etc. I also like the architecture of its interior.
One favourite store of mine is, Ok I am not exactly sure of what it is called, Archipelago something, but it resembles Aseana in KLCC. It is a place where it gathers different stores with similar concepts which sell Asian especially Malaysian traditional products and art pieces such as clothes, home decorations and accessories. Since it is more from the high-end collections, thus the prices are pretty pricey, but indeed the collection shows that each artiste has put good taste in each piece of art.

Home decors

Various collectible items with a splash of Malaysian culture

Fine paintings

Batik

Hand-painted Kebaya Nyonya on plates

Decorative boxes made from sea shells

Delicate and elegant Kebayas

Bridal Make-up (Solekan Pengantin) @ Istana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Assalamualaikum Stylistas of Abaya Suraya!

This was actually for my client's company Annual Grand Dinner, with the theme

'Around the World In One Nite'. She chose a heavily beaded Indian Lhenga in a very gorgeous goldish orange colour. She chose me to do her an Indian bridal make-over which I did. Her over-all appearance obtained her 3rd place in the Best Costume competition that night. =)

______________________

Assalamualaikum Stylistas of Abaya Suraya!

Solekan ini sebenarnya untuk Majlis Makan Malam Tahunan syarikat pelanggan Sue bekerja., bertemakan 'Seantero Dunia dalam Satu Malam'. Beliau memilih sepasang Lhenga India yang berperincian sarat berwarna jingga keemasan yang sungguh cantik. Beliau memohon untuk disolekkan bak pengantin India. Rupa keseluruhannya telah menempatkannya sebagai pemenang ketiga untuk pertandingan Kostum Terbaik pada malam itu. =)

Dari Dapur Ummi! Ketam Goreng Bercili dengan Telur (Fried Chillied Crab with Egg)

Salam,

This time I have cooked one of my family's favourite dishes which is Fried Chillied Crab with Egg. It's hot, spicy and of course the crab is so tender and juicy! Have a try! :)

Ingredients:

• 5 Crabs / 5 ekor ketam
• 3 red chillies / 2 cili masak
• 3 red onions /3 bawang merah
• 3 slices of garlic / 3 ulas bawang putih
• 1 lemongrass / 1 serai
• 1 egg / 1 bji telur
• Salt / Garam
• Oil / Minyak
  
  

Cut chillies and pound them with salt according to your liking / Potong cili dan tumbuk dengan garam mengikut kesukaan anda

Pound the chillies with onions and garlic / Tumbuk pula bawang merah dan bawang putih bersama cili tadi

Pound the larger part of a lemongrass with the previous ingredients / Tumbuk pangkal serai bersama bahan-bahan tadi

Stir fry the ingredients in a wok / Tumis bahan-bahan di dalam kuali

Masukkan ketam dan gaul bersama bahan-bahan / Put in the crabs and stir fry with the ingredients

Cover the crabs with a lid, wait until it is a little cooked / Tutup kuali dengan penutup, tunggu sehingga ketam menjadi sedikit masak

Put in the egg and stir it together with the crabs. When the crabs are cooked, your dish is ready to be eaten. / Masukkan telur dan gaul dengan ketam. Bila ketam sudah masak, hidangan anda sedia untuk dihidangkan.

ENJOY! =)

Dari Dapur Ummi! Gulai Tempoyak Udang (Prawns in Fermented Durian Gravy)

Salam,

Gulai Tempoyak or Tempoyak gravy is a sweet and sour (and could be hot too if you add up the cili padi) dish made from fermented durian paste. Durian is a fruit with sharp torns on its external hard surface, but with tender, sweet and milky fruits inside. Some people love it like crazy, some people hate it to the maximum. For further information about Durians, please google it ok :p

Alright tempoyak is a familiar paste to be eaten with rice in the Malaysian states which are blessed with Durian trees, most likely Perak and Pahang. The paste, is extracted from very ripe durians which are too sour for you to eat just like that as a fruit, but from the paste we could cook its gravy or like I've mentioned have the paste to be eaten with rice together with other dishes. Gulai tempoyak is then very infamous in those states especially the Gulai Tempoyak Ikan Patin (Ikan Patin is a type of fish of the river) of Temerloh, Pahang. Since my father is from Perak, I am not excluded to be a fan of gulai tempoyak as well :) As for today, the recipe I am preparing today is Gulai Tempoyak Udang or Prawns in Fermented Durian Gravy.

Ingredients / Bahan-bahan:

• Prawns / Udang
• 18-20 Cili Padi ( Ummi told that the old folks' tip for you to have very hot but tasty dish is by preparing the cili padi in odd number)
• 1 turmeric with the size of a thumb / 1 kunyit sebesar ibu jari
• Turmeric powder / Serbuk kunyit
• Turmeric leaves / Daun kunyit
• Tempoyak paste / Tempoyak
• Salt / Garam
• Sugar / Gula
• Water ( according to the thickness you desire) / Air (bergantung kepada kepekatan yang anda ingini)
  

Turmeric and cili padis / Kunyit dan cili padi

Pound the turmeric with salt until it becomes very fine since it is to make gravy/ Tumbuk kunyit dengan garam sehingga sangat halus kerana ia hendak dijadikan kuah

Then pound the cili padis with the turmeric, make it very fine. / Kemudian tumbuk cili padi dengan kunyit sehingga menjadi sangat halus.

This is the result of the pounding. The rationale for the ingredients to be pounded very fine is for it not to float on the surface of the gravy. / Ini ialah hasil tumbukan. Bahan-bahan perlu ditumbuk halus supaya ia tidak terapung di permukaan kuah.

Put the ingredients in a heated wok, without oil. Then add in water according to your liking. / Masukkan bahan-bahan ke dalam kuali yang dihangatkan tanpa minyak. Kemudian tambahkan air mengikut kesukaan anda.

Turmeric powder / Serbuk kunyit

Turmeric leaves after they are cut / Daun kunyit yang telah dipotong

Add in the turmeric powder according to your liking to add taste and colour. Then add in the turmeric leaves. / Masukkan serbuk kunyit mengikut kesukaan anda untuk menambahkan perisa dan warna. Kemudian masukkan daun kunyit.

Put in the tempoyak paste (the whitish lumps you could see in this pic) according to your liking, the more it is the sourish the gravy would become. Then add in a little sugar to give the sweetish hint in the gravy. / Masukkan tempoyak (ketulan putih di dalam gambar) mengikut kesukaan anda, semakin banyak kuah akan menjadi semakin masam. Kemudian tambahkan sedikit gula supaya kuah menjadi sedikit manis.

Finally put in the prawns and stir the gravy until the prawns are cooked. / Kemudian masukkan udang dan kacau kuah sehingga udang masak.

ENJOY! =)

Dari Dapur Ummi! Kacang Buncis Tumis ( Fried French Beans)

  Fried French Beans with Beef Chunks /Kacang Buncis Goreng dengan Cebisan Daging

Fried French Beans with Shrimps & Fishballs/Kacang Buncis Goreng dgn Udang & Bebola Ikan

Salam,
Ok people one of the things which I love to do is cooking. When I was done with my SPM and hung out at home most of the time, I was trained by my beloved Mum, Ummi to cook Malay cuisine; usually with a touch of extra spice and hotness since it is a Minang kitchen :p

I even made my own 'recipe book' which consists of the photos of each and every dish taught by Ummi and their recipes of course. Since now is the holidays, which enables me to be a more frequent inhabitant of the kitchen, I think perhaps it would be a good idea to take step by step photos of how to cook these everyday dishes (according to what we prepare on that day) for the viewers of The Real Curhat Sue. Who knows that you might be interested to try these simple but insya Allah tasty dishes taught by Ummi. FYI, Malay cuisine is not that difficult to prepare as it seems, in fact once you try it, it is actually pretty easy. According to my personal opinion, cooking is only tough to those who are to afraid to attempt (or most of the time they are just plain lazy to cook!) cooking :p

So insya Allah, I'll try my best to update the recipes (if I am not lazy to update) and I'll prepare the recipe both in English and Bahasa Melayu titled under 'Dari Dapur Ummi!' (From Ummi's Kitchen!' :) What else, yes MUST REMEMBER that in my household, lesung batu is essential in replacing the blender, because Ummi believes that the mixture of the ingredients are much tastier if you pound them rather than blending them in a blender.

To start, below is the recipe of Kacang Buncis Tumis (Fried French Beans) which we cooked today. Hopefully it'll become menjadi if you try them and hopefully you would enjoy them :)

Ingredients/ Bahan-bahan:

• Fresh French Beans (Cut in a slanting way) / Kacang Buncis segar (dipotong menyerong)
• 1 red chilly / 1 cili masak
• 2 red onions / 2 bawang merah
• 2 slices of garlic / 2 ulas bawang putih
• Chopped beef (may be replaced with chopped prawns or anchovies) / Potongan daging (boleh digantikan dengan udang yang dipotong atau ikan bilis)
• Salt / garam
• Oil / minyak
  

Cut fresh french beans in a slanting way / Potong kacang buncis secara menyerong

Cut the chilly and pound it with some salt according to your liking/ Potong cili dan ditumbuk dengan sedikit garam mengikut kesukaan

Next, pound the red onions and garlic. / Kemudian, tumbukkan bawang merah dan bawang putih.




Pound the beef together with the other ingredients. / Tumbuk daging dengan bahan-bahan lain.


This is the result of the pounded ingredients. / Ini ialah hasil tumbukan bahan-bahan.

Heat some oil, then fry the ingredients in a wok. / Panaskan sedikit minyak, kemudian tumiskan bahan-bahan di dalam kuali.

When the ingredients are cooked, mix in the french beans and fry it with the ingredients. / Bila bahan-bahan sudah garing, masukkan kacang buncis dan goreng bersama bahan-bahan lain.



Cover the wok with a lid, wait until the dish is cooked and the dish would be ready to be eaten. / Tutup kuali dengan penutup, tunggu sehingga masak untuk sedia dimakan.

ENJOY! =)