Welcome Reader to this issue of Laila's Kitchen.

Thank you for allowing me to visit your inbox in this weekly newsletter.

Most of this issue is dedicated to the legendary Technoblade. I can't let you go on with your week without knowing who he was. Not because he's epic at the video game, but because he's a brave young man with an amazing attitude to life and death.

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Roti Canai

Last month I discovered Sheldo's Kitchen. The YouTube algorithm knows what to suggest on my page and one day I saw Sheldo's video for Roti Canai. I had just published my Martabak Telor video, and the process of thinning the dough for roti and martabak are identical.

I followed Sheldo's recipe. He suggested refrigerating the oiled dough balls overnight for best result. I tried that a couple of times, but the dough still tore for me. Not a big deal for Roti, but I'd like to get it nice and thin without tearing. On the third try, I decided to not put it in the fridge, and cover the ball completely in oil like when I make martabak. I left the container on the kitchen bench for the afternoon. This made the dough more pliable and tear proof.

The dough is easy to make. The thinning is where it gets tricky. But the final result is totally worth it. Sheldo gives suggestions for you in the video description, if you want to make your Roti vegan. You can also freeze it before it is panfried, so you can have your Roti cooked fresh in minutes.

Last week I swapped a stack of fresh Roti for a smoked trout. My friend who supplies me with the best smoked trout worked in Malaysia years ago. He mentioned once that Roti was his favourite breakfast there. He said mine were a lot better than the ones from the Malaysian restaurant here. The stack of roti was demolished in 90 seconds by the family. That is a huge endorsement.

Technoblade

Technoblade is a legendary Minecraft YouTuber. Ten months ago he posted this video talking about being diagnosed with Sarcoma. On 1 July, a new video was posted on his channel.

His dad read out the message he wrote for his followers about eight hours before he slipped away.

I found out early Friday afternoon from Jaime. She was making bread in food tech class when she heard. Her and a friend sobbed over their kneaded dough. Best bread she ever made she said later that day. But, it has been the only bread she's ever made. So I'd hold back on handing her the trophy.

The rest of Friday afternoon I just felt deflated. As a Minecrafter myself, I've watched a LOT of Techno's videos. He was one of the best players, very self-deprecating and had a great sense of humour. After hearing the news I binge watched his videos to hear his voice and to laugh out loud at his story telling and gameplay.

Just so you get his sense of humour, in a video titled I almost became an amputee from December last year, he was talking about getting his right arm amputated to remove the tumour:

If you only watch one video from Technoblade, let it be that video. Don't worry if you don't get what's happening on screen. Just listen to the dude. Here, I'll add it below so you don't have to go anywhere.

What followed the next few days was up lifting. His channel went from 10M to more than 13M subscribers in five days. His videos have fundraised US$150K for Sarcoma Foundation (as of sending out this newsletter).

Hypixel, the Minecraft server he played on the most, is holding a special tribute for him. Players can write a message in a Minecraft book and quill, sign it and give it back to the book keeper. Hypixel will then moderate and print all messages in a physical book for his family. Even Minecraft remembered him by adding his crown in the game launch screen:

His fellow gamers paid tribute in their own ways. WilburSoot streamed on Sunday chatting with Philza recounting stories about being with Technoblade. On Saturday, Philza streamed for five hours building a memorial in his Minecraft world. To give you a sense of scale, a person in Minecraft is two blocks high. The sword is 38 blocks high.

All of the materials for the monument was mined, crafted and placed one block at a time. He even built the island the diamond sword is standing on from under the water. That's commitment. He typed in chat saying that he teared up several times building this. Even I teared up.

Video gaming is a social activity. These players met each other while playing the video game. Yet their friendship transcends the screen.

Technoblade's legacy will continue as long as there are people who remember him. His famous quote in game is "Technoblade never dies!" and fans refer to him as immortal. Sadly, Alexander is not immortal. His real name was only revealed in the farewell video.

There will be new generations of YouTubers/Gamers who will say that Technoblade was their inspiration, and he would've liked that.

I'll leave you with this tweet from Dream (the biggest Minecraft YouTuber ever to exist):

dream @dreamwastaken fuck cancer. hug the ones closest to you July 1st 2022 41,191 Retweets 606,683 Likes

See you next week :)

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