Bayam Merah Pah Aisyah

Yesterday morning I found myself at the PB market. I had planned to go buy some things for some curry mee but as usual, I loved to browse all stalls. In the end, in addition the the things actually needed for my curry mee (which I bought in excees sbb kunun bleh freeze and use next time), I also bought some bananas and some vegetables.. particularly red spinach!

Usually there are so mane people at the market that no matter how early I go, some veges have already left the shelf by the time I arrived (even klau sampai there at 7.20am, ok!) This time I was lucky, they had a large fresh supply and without hesitation, I bought some.

Why am I talking about 'without hesittion'? Its because I very seldom cook leafy vegetables. I prefer the non-leafy ones (cucumbers, tomatoes, baby corn, green peppers, mushrooms and such) coz they are longer lasting in the fridge since I sometimes take time to even consider what to do with them haha..

Nway, since yesterday I'd already done my curry mee, I decided to make something different today and remembered the bayam merah I bought yesterday. I decided to try and see if I could make a respectable dish outta it. Yeah, I know, takat bayam merah je pun, not rocket science. But still..

In the end, I managed to make something that looked like what my arwah Pah would've done for us when she was still alive and strong.. tadaaa~~

I remember the first time I was introduced to this leafy vegetable. We had just come back to Malaysia and were staying at Kuala Kangsar for the time being. Pah had made lunch and I was suprised to see some red vegetable soup. It intrigued me that it was red in colour and I assumed Pah had put some red colouring in it.

A few months later, after entering school, I had learnt about the fable Raja Bersiong and instantly, my mind went to the bayam merah dish.

It worried me a bit and somehow Pah noticed this the next time we balik kampung. She then asked me if I wanted to help her prepare the dish and since my curiosoty was very high, I went along with her.

It was like magic when I realized the red colouring came from the spinach itself and Pah must've been amused seeing me so relieved that it wasn't actually cooked in blood, as in Raja Bersiong haha..

So thank you, Pah, for that lesson in kitchen magic. I always think of you whenever I see bayam merah, cooked or uncooked.

My first try at preparing bayam merah 

Alfatihah..