Selamat tinggal

Today I sent 1 thing away from my life. A thing with lots of memories in 2 years. That shows me the world. In a heavy rain, it left me far from my sight. Thank you for your sacrifices. You will always in my mind. Forever. Hopefully she/he will take care of you better..

2 stage of khazanah scholarship

Despite of the 2 interviews i have to choose, i went for khazanah and leave miracle to happen for uni scholarship. Miracle because I well understood how is the management will mange my conflict. Really want khazanah to know how important for me that I chose for them.

So, what happened? It was at PNB Darby Park. Session 1 is interview with 2 execs responsible for scholarship. Questions like describe yourself and what are going to do for research. It lasted for about 15 minutes. Lunch at 39th restaurant. Food was amazing, but because I was alone so, it turned out to be not exciting. Then the next session was in the afternoon. We were grouped into 2 groups. Mine was pink. Did some tasks about MATRADE. The only curiosity in my mind was why the assessor did not ask me any questions while to others she asked like throwing bomb? All in all I think it was a great experience for me. Getting the chance until 2nd stage was good enough because I am the first candidate from my university that reached this stage until now. So, no need to be tension anymore, life goes on, aim for your dreams.

Meeting Discussion & Interview

In every 2 weeks, students under my supervisor's supervision will meet up to discuss everyone's progress.
It really benefit us because in a group, we can exchange ideas and commented to each one's project. Today was the first meeting I went. There were about 20+ students. Most of them guys and only me local girl. The other 3 girls are international students. Well, nothing I can review as I did not know that we should prepare a slide presentation, so my turn will be next 2 weeks. Plus, my research progress is not very good as now my brain is busy for 2 scholarship interviews.

I did mentioned that I am waiting for another interview for scholarship under my university, they announced the shortlisted applicants today and alhamdulillah I am selected. But, the problem is both interviews will be on the same day. So, I can't go for the university interview as I have confirmed with Khazanah first. After contacting some Profs and officers, they will KIV my session and maybe will call me on early November for interview. What ?? maybe?? They nominated me for Khazanah scholarship and I should go for it and also the one I applied under university. It is really unfair if they ignore my chance. I hope they will call me later.

Oh life so stress!

Penang Laksa

Laksa is a type of noodle. This time I am sharing Penang laksa. I think every state in Malaysia has its own laksa. Among them, Penang laksa is the most popular. Sour and spicy gravy with refreshing condiments. Its recipe differ person to person, and here is my recipe.

Ingredients:

~ Laksa noodle. There are 2 types of noodle. If using dried noodle, you need to boil to soften it. Another type is ready to eat noodle.

For gravy:

~ 1 kg mackerel

~ 6 dried chillies*

~ 6 fresh red chillies*

~ fresh turmeric about 1 inch*

~ fresh galangal about 1 cm cube*

~ 20 shallots or 3 onions*

~ 2 cloves garlics*

~ 1 tbsp belacan*

~ 5 stalks laksa leaves

~ 2 ginger plant bud cut half

~ 5 lemon grass, bruise

~ 8 tamarind slice

~ 1 cup of tamarind juice

~ 2 liter water

Methods:

~ Boil fish with some salt. Remove from stock, flake, grind until smooth.

~ Grind * ingredients

~ Add *, fish, laksa leaves, ginger bud, lemon grass, tamarind slice, tamarind juice to the fish stock

~ Boil and then simmer with medium fire until the gravy a little thick. 

~ Salt, msg and sugar to taste. It should have all taste, sour, spicy, a little sweet.

Condiments:

~ Cucumber

~ Pineapple

~ Chillies

~ Onion

~ Bean sprouts

~ Lime

For serving, put noodles in  a bowl, garnish with the condiments, pour gravy, bliss!

Selected for 2nd Stage

Nervous for next Monday which I will attend the 2nd stage for Khazanah Watan Scholarship. Need to write 300 words essay to be submitted upon registration. Anyone want to help me? Its about why I deserve this scholarship and how I will contribute in the development of nation. At the same time, lots of articles to be read. Have meeting with supervisor this Thursday, what should I tell him about my research progress?

Oh life..oh life..

P/s: Bff went for minor surgery for his cyst. The pain ended finally. phew! recover soon dear.

Appetizer Torshi Vs Budu

Today I want to share 2 different so called appetizer because it make meals more delicious to eat with.

For Persian, I like home made torshi. 

Ingredients:

~ Coriander leaves

~ Tomato

~ Onion

~ Lime juice

~ Salt

~ Sugar

Method: Blend all together not too finely. 

Best to eat with kababs

For Malay, I like budu. Budu originates from Kelantan, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. But, nowadays budu has been commercialized and it has become one of Malaysia's popular foods. Budu is a fish extract liquid. Mix it with slice onion, chilli and lime juice. Good enough to fill my empty stomach. Best serve with grilled or fried fish.

Dilemma

Shall I go for it or no? Is this the right choice for me? What if I make a wrong decision? Will I regret later or better I lose now? Why in this life we have to face dilemma? It would be better if we have only one choice. No decision making process. How beautiful life before when mom was the one made choice for me. When I cry for toy, she will make decision for me, even if I do not get it, i wont blame myself.

Long term relationship is really challenging. Will we end up tying the knot or no? Putting effort to maintain it is stressful. Does he doing the same like me or no? Looking back the pasts without smile. Is smiling and looking future is guarantee of happy life? 

Again the bad sounds is here, next to my ear. Only God knows and keep me away of this hard time...when it will end..

Stir Fry Lady's Finger a.k.a okra - Bamieh (Persian)

In Malay cuisine, most of the time, we stir fry vegetables, which is contra with Persian where they stew or deep fry mostly. Bff hates okra but I love it. When choosing okra, make sure it is the "young" one for a soft texture.

Ingredients:
~ Okra
~ Mince Garlic
~ Fried anchovies
~ 1 tbsp oyster sauce
~ oil

Methods:
~ Heat some oil, fry garlic until fragrant, add in okra, pour some water, add oyster sauce. Adjust salt to taste.
~ When okra soften, turn off heat, garnish with fried anchovies.
~ Done!

Jujeh Kabab - Chicken Kebab

I loveeeeeee my homemade jujeh kabab. I am very particular in eating jujeh kabab because outside restaurants jujeh kabab always torsh (sour) and they do not use much saffron to marinate it and sometimes substitute it with zardchubeh (turmeric). This is my recipe of juicy-delicious-jujeh kabab:

Ingredients:

~ 2 chicken breasts - cut into 3 cm cubes

~ 1 large onion - thinly slice

~ 2 cloves of garlic - mince

~ 1 tsp blackpepper

~ 1 tbsp salt

~ 3 tbsp of saffron liquid

~ 1 cup of yogurt

~ juice of 1 medium lime

Methods:

~ To marinate, mix all of the ingredients and marinate for 1 night

~ To grill: grill on small fire, rubbing with a mixture of butter, oil and the remaining marinate liquid, once in a while until the meat is cook.

~ Yummy. Oh, if you dont like boneless kabab, you can use this recipe for chicken wings or drumstick or any part of chicken you like.

Tas Kabab - Persian Meat Stew

I ever mentioned that Persian food is not easy to make. You must know when is the right time to put the ingredients, to use low or high heat, to make sure the meat is tender, to make sure the gravy have the right consistency etc..But, I found this recipe that is really simple. Let me share the recipe here.

Ingredients:

~ Meat - cut into 1 inch cube

~ 1 large onion - thinly slice

~ 2 potatoes - cut into 2 cm cube

~ 2 tomatoes - slice round

~ 2 tbsp tomato paste

~ 1 tsp black pepper

~ 1 tsp turmeric

~ 4 cups water

Methods:

~ Fry onion until golden, add meat, fry until all sides brown, add turmeric and black pepper.

~ Add water and tomato paste, bring to boil.

~ Lower the heat, simmer for an hour.

~ Add tomato and potato, simmer for another half an hour or until the meat is tender.

~ Serve with rice

Sabzi Polow ba Megoo (Vegetables Rice with Shrimp)

Ingredients:

For Rice:
~ 1 half cup of basmathi rice - soak 2-3 hours prior to cooking with 1 tbsp of salt
~ sliced potatoes for tahdig
~ half cup of dried vegetables for polow - soaked with luke warm water for 15 minutes
~ 5 garlic cloves
~ 1 medium onion
~ pepper
~ salt
~ oil
~ 2 tbsp saffron liquid

For Shrimp:
~ Shrimps
~ 1 tsp curry powder
~ half tsp italian dried mixed herbs
~ half tsp dried mint
~ salt
~ pepper

Methods:

Rice
1. Boil rice until al dante, rinse and drain
2. Fry sliced onion and garlic until yellow, set aside
3. Mix vegetables, fried onion and garlic, salt and pepper.
4. In a pot, sprinkle some oil, place sliced potatoes on bottow layer, follow by rice and mixture of vegetables. Repeat until finish.
5. On top, mix some rice with saffron liquid and srinkle on top layer.
6. Put the pot on gas with medium heat until steam come out, close the lid, lower heat and leave for another 30 minutes.

Shrimps:
1. Mix all of the ingredients and stir fry.

Khazanah Watan Scholarship Postgraduates 1st stage

As mentioned before, UTM kindly nominated me for this scholarship. I never dream to apply for the most prestigious scholarship in Malaysia. Maybe its my chance that  this time Khazanah asked university to nominate the candidates not through advertisement. If follow the normal selection process, candidates have to apply by themselves, which means there will be thousands of applications, and definitely most of them are best students from all over Malaysia. And if I applied by myself, I am sure i will not be selected :P

So, I grab this one in a lifetime opportunity and today I went to the first stage of the selection process.Took flight to LCCT, then skybus to KL Sentral. The venue was at Mercu UEM building, Level 7, Odyssey Hall. It was 5 minutes walk from KL Sentral. Supposedly it should started at 2.30 p.m., but a couples of candidates arrived late and it started around 3 p.m. Approximately 20 candidates took the test and actually they expected more than this. Will this means we get better chance to get the scholarship?? In the first stage, its all about IQ test. There are 6 sections. I can't remember what are the names but what I can say is, time is your main constraint! You can go to this link to find more about the sections. The last section need to answer 40 questions in 11 minutes! For me its crazy. So, after 1 and half hour, the test ended. After that they open for Q&A session. At 5, I headed to LCCT again by skybus that I ticket bought online from KL Sentral.

Overall I think I did "good" to the test. I will not put high expectation to the result. They will announce it next week. By the way, I am also waiting for another scholarship that I have applied.

So, this is my journey in getting funding for my PhD studies. I will keep trying because when I believe I can, I will get it..

Call me student

I want to share my new journey in my way to become doctor of philosophy...

So, this blog will be my diary and I will update my PhD studies story besides my other stories in life..

The decision to apply for PhD did not come easily. Bff had been asking me to further my study after my Master study. But, knowing me, I always think that I cannot do it. After a year of nothing but being among PhD students that sometimes make me jealous, I decided to give it a try. Why they can, why I can't? So, I contacted several lecturers to find suitable project and finally I found a cool lecturer whom before this taught me one subject during Bachelor Degree. He proposed me a project regarding airline industry and what a surprise, I really interested to do it! Before this I hate so much research but now I have passion on it. So, in 2 days I prepared my proposal to get admission and submitted my documents. After 3 days, I got my PhD offer letter and on 22 September I registered as a PhD student. Here, I want to sat thank you so much to bff because he inspired me continue my study for the sake of my own life! In 3 years, Insyallah I will become a doctor.

On 28 September I had my first meeting with my supervisor. We discussed further for my project and I think my supervisor is really cool in his way.

Studying PhD means I will lose my source of income as I am doing it fulltime, so I applied for a scholarship under my university. It is still in process and I will update about it. Besides that, the university also contacted me and nominated me for Khazanah Watan Scholarship. Today I received an email for first stage selection. Also i will update about it later..Hopefully, I can get any one of that as I really need $$ now..I believe Allah will open way for me..Insyallah..