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The Aftermath
Today, I realised two things. One - I had no freakin' idea that there was a damn tapioca tree growing in my sister's backyard and two - my first attempt to bake "kuih bingka ubi kayu" may as well had given an archaelogist hypertension.
The day started when my mom to grate the TAPIOCA. I was all, "When did you buy this?" and my mom went, "We have a tapioca tree growing at the back!". Apparently, when she was cleaning out all the weeds in the backyard (which was just one lalang away from resembling a damn hutan belantara) she stumbled upon a big ass root thingy and pulled it out and Eureka! We have tapioca! It was like striking oil ... only .... not. My former maid had obviously put her gardening skills to good use when she planted the tree last year.
So, after grating about 10 pieces of tapioca and ending up with a measly bit, I followed my mom's instructions and put the baby in the microwave, since my sister did not have the conventional type. Within 30 minutes, pungent scents of vanilla, coconut and butter filled the air in the house. Mmmm ... smells delicious, or so I thought. After another 30 minutes, things turned ugly. The sides of the bingka in the baking dish were charred and my mom was all, "That's why I said cannot use microwave to bake this. Must use the normal oven." We both looked at each other and ended up laughing. I think I cracked her up after I said that we might need to borrow a "gerudi" from the construction worker to cut the bingka. The bloody thing did not wanna budge! Needless to say I manage to salvage a few pieces, well, crumbs actually.
Sigh ... looks like I have to go out and buy some kuih from the Ramadan bazar now cause my aunty and her family are coming over. If not, I'll be all ... "Radioactive bingka for dessert?"
