My Taste of Trengganu

Food tastes best when savoured at the place of origin, no doubt about it. During our four-day stay in Trengganu we had the best, whether cooked by our gracious hosts, bought, or eaten out.

Our hosts, Datuk Nazli and Datin Badariah, spoilt us no end while we were staying at their Villa Casuarina in Paka, Trengganu. The lunch that greeted us when we arrived was a sumptuous spread of Nasi beriani Arab with chicken, and accompaniments of dalca, kerabu, sambal, etc. All cooked with the Trengganu touch. Really delicious! I even tried eating watermelon 'Geganu style with the rice, not as the usual dessert. For dessert, it was the man of the house's specialty - tapai with ice-cream. Truly, really delish!

                                                                     Our first sumptuous lunch spread

                                                        This tapai with ice cream was just divine!

                                         My lunch plateful of nasi campur on our second day

If our lunches were sumptuous spreads, our late afternoon teas and dinners were served alfresco. With the soft sea breeze around us and later at night, under the moon and stars, food and friends were a heady mix. Euphoric, even.

There was keropok lekor (the best I have tasted), cucur udang (also the best), ketupat sotong* (my first time trying this and I like it). Then there was a night barbecue of the freshest meat, especially seafood (including the sotong of course).

One teatime we had the pleasure of being guests of DB's mother in Kuala Trengganu. Our very elegant host prepared a whole table-full of goodies including a very delectable creme brulee. Another good friend in KT added laksang to completely satiate us.

*Ketupat sotong is the highlight of our visit here because it is squid season and the time for the International Squid Jigging Festival in Kuala Trengganu. At least three of us have expressed an interest to go squid jigging next year. We were not prepared (or scared?) for this year.

                                          The best cucur udang and keropok lekor for tea

                                          My plateful of ketupat sotong

                                         Dinner of mee goreng +, under the moon and stars

Our last dinner was even more special, because not only were we joined by our friend DR and husband, but the chicken chop was specially prepared by our host DN and served with a secret sauce. It was indeed very, very good. (So DN, when do we get the secret recipe? Just kidding!)

                                                       DN's specially prepared chicken chop with secret sauce. Yummy!

And what is a Trengganu visit without a breakfast of the ubiquitous Nasi dagang? Of course our hosts ensured we had the best in Paka during our first breakfast at their Villa Casuarina. Other breakfasts included pulut with kelapa, nasi lemak, nasi goreng, etc.

                                          The best Nasi dagang in Paka 

                                        Breakfast pulut + kelapa to eat with ikan masin or serunding

Then there was the pre-lunch snack of more sotong during our day trip to Kuala Trengganu. This time sotong bakar at the Pantai Batu Burok. Although this is not my snack of choice, some of my friends really love this.

                                                       Julia is ever smiling and ever ready to serve you from her truck

Are you drooling already? Then get up and go holiday makan-makan in Trengganu!

29 May - 1 June 2015

Nasi Kandar Kampung Melayu

Just where in Pulau Pinang do you find the best nasi kandar? Hands down for me, it is the Nasi Kandar Kampung Melayu!

The Line was Clear at Nasi Kandar Line Clear

There are quite a few food blogs that have written about the nasi kandar here at Line Clear, so I will just say that when we went to have lunch there recently during our island getaway, the crowds were not yet there. So we got our table and our food in very good time. I must say that the place has been spruced up after some of the bad press it got.

Thank you See Toh for the treat! We all enjoyed our meal there, yum yum!

Our Island Getaway

The recent long four-day weekend (i.e. the weekend plus two public holidays) was our chance for an island getaway. To balik kampung actually, to Pulau Pinang (PP). We did not drive but flew with Malindo Air there (and Firefly back). It was my first Malindo flight and it was good, smooth all the way. Just the way I like any flights I take.

We had no car to go around, but we had very kind friends of B (Santhi and See Toh) to drive us places. Santhi (and niece) fetched us from the airport (seriously I have always thought that PIA stood for Pakistan International Airways, duuh! But then I recall PIA advertisements during my childhood years when Penang International Airport did not exist yet!).

We had our nasi kandar fix at two popular eateries - the Line Clear and Kampung Melayu. Also tandoori at Kapitan's and banana leaf rice at Passions of Spices. We walked along the Esplanade, checked out the History Museum and went on the inner city street art trail. I went on the trail twice this time, the second time with my niece SR, introducing her to the delicious cakes of China House.

I felt almost like a tourist during this visit because I visited the Rat Island/Pulau Tikus Market for the first time (despite having lived in PP for more than thirty years). With Santhi and niece, we bought some delightful nyonya cakes for breakfast there. But then again, I also felt most at home because I got to spend some time with my two older siblings for that long weekend.

P.S. I have lots of pictures of our PP getaway but then something is not right with the computer and I cannot upload anymore for now. Sheesh!

A Favourite Eatery: Pho Hoa

I love noodles of nearly every kind, and the noodle soups at Pho Hoa (Vietnamese) restaurants are firm favourites with the family. We get to choose the cuts of meats (steak, brisket, tendon, flank, tripe) we want, and enjoy the meal with the accompanying platter of fresh herbs/vegetables (coriander leaves, bean sprouts, basil leaves, lemon wedges and chilies). To complete the Vietnamese dining experience, we usually go for the drip coffee or lotus tea.

We mostly dine at the outlet in The Curve, Mutiara Damansara whenever we find ourselves there. I understand the pho or rice flour noodles come from Vietnam. But interestingly, the global Pho Hoa restaurant chain was started in 2001(?) in the United States.

(In progress)

SA Garden Catalogue: Fragrant Pandan

The Pandan family is one "of sparsely branched trees, shrubs and vines, with parallel-veined, longitudinally-pleated leaves bearing spines on the margins and on the back of the midrib. The leaves are arranged in tight spirals. Most species produce prominent stilt roots. The best known species is the fragrant Pandan, Pandanus amaryllifolius, used in Thai and Malaysian cuisine. The leaves of many species are used for weaving mats. The fruits of several species are edible.

The plants are separately male or female, with tiny flowers crowded into heads. Sepals and petals are absent or rudimentary. Male flowers bear numerous stamens and the female flower heads develop into pineapple-like compound fruits. The family is concentrated in tropical Asia and Madagascar, with outliers in the African mainland and out in the Pacific as far as New Zealand".

Other Pandan species include the Pandanus dubius, Pandanus pygmaeus, Pandanus sanderi (pic) and Pandanus tectorius (pic).

I have always had fragrant Pandan in my garden, both on the ground and in containers. If you note how much the leaves cost in the supermarkets, you will know why I grow this 'food flavouring and colouring' plant. It is so easy to grow anyway and the leaves are very beautiful. I have used countless leaves not only for flavouring foods including nasi lemak, but also in drawers (said to keep out cockroaches).

The weather in March has been hot, hot, hot, but late afternoon showers do occur on some days.

 Note: Its the Spring Vernal Equinox 2015 and so Nowruz/'First day of Spring and renewal of nature' is being celebrated in many countries.

Ref: Tropical Horticulture and Gardening/Francis S P Ng (Ex Libris CNB 1866)                         
(In progress)

Batu Pahat and 'Mee Racun' Part 2

My taste of Johor continues in Batu Pahat (after Johor Bahru) with the unique 'poison noodles' or Mee Racun. This three-generation-old concoction may be enjoyed from three eatery outlets and my Bro AG got our takeaway dinner from the eatery below (serendipitously captured when I clicked the camera randomly as B and I arrived into Batu Pahat town).    

The next day we were treated to lunch at the cafe/bakery, Cuppacake B'Licious in Taman Flora Utama, BP. Although their specialty are cakes obviously, my sister-in-law recommended their Laksa Johor and Asam Pedas. We had both, and the dishes were rather delicious although I still think that the best Laksa Johor was the one made by my sister-in-law's mum a long time ago when we visited Batu Pahat the very first time in 1990.

After our lunch we went on a short tour of Batu Pahat town, stopping by the rather kitschy 'chisel and rock' monument in the town square. Kitschy or not, of course we abadikan the moment at this BP landmark and its surrounds.

We also noted the many new shop lots, three big shopping malls and new housing estates for BP's 500,000 residents. Looks like big-time development has come to this one-time sleepy, backwater town of Johor.

Later, on our way back to get on to the North-South highway (and home), passing through town again, we did spot a spruced-up Crystal Inn where I'd stayed in 2008 to attend Bro AG's daughter's wedding reception. Oh, also that rather infamous hotel The Katerina, which involved a certain politician in a certain incriminating video there. But of course I don't remember who and what?! I must be suffering from selective amnesia!

28 Feb-1st Mar 2015

Batu Pahat and 'Mee Racun' Part 1

                                             Floating hands chisel a rock in Batu Pahat

After the International Kite Festival in Pasir Gudang (Johor), we drove up to Batu Pahat town, second largest urban area after Johor Bahru. Because we have family there - my Bro AG and his Batu Pahat born-and-bred wife. Batu Pahat is also known as Bandar Penggaram, both conveniently 'BP'. But Batu Pahat is also the district which includes BP and Yong Peng.

Anyway Batu Pahat means "chiselled stone/rock" and local history (or legend more likely) has it that this name was gotten in the 15th century when an invading Siamese army chiseled rocks at the coastal village of Kampung Minyak Beku (another legendary story to this name?), in the hope of finding fresh water. Another story is about the Portuguese building a fortress of granite rocks from quarries near the (Batu Pahat) river mouth.

My Bro AG's late father-in-law was a local historian of sorts but unfortunately I never had the opportunity to find out more about Batu Pahat from him*.

Now on to the food, yum yum. Only quite recently, I had heard and read about the famous 'Mee Racun' (or poison noodles!) in Batu Pahat. So that very evening, we got to taste this uniquely-named noodles cooked in a chili & tomato-based sauce and enhanced with bones. Huge 'gearbox' bones with some meat, and marrow you can suck out with a straw! So, so sedap! (Thank you Bro AG for sportingly going out to buy this especially for us. We were too tired to bother to dress up and leave your beautiful home to get to the Mee Racun eatery.)   To be continued...

* Note: My librarian DNA says I have to get on with doing more research about BP. I will update when possible.

My Taste of Sri Lanka

When in Sri Lanka, I forgo my usual continental breakfasts in favour of the local. So I mostly eat dosa (thosai), hoppers or appa and string hoppers with the various curries (fish, parippu/dhal, polos/young jackfruit, potato, squid, shrimp, etc.), and sambols (Gotukola/Pennywort, Pol/spicy coconut, Lunu miris/onion, etc.). Then usually there are the various breads like Paratha, Pittu (flour & coconut funnel cakes), and Pol roti (like our lempeng kelapa). I also like the other Sri Lankan traditional food of kiribath (milk rice) which you eat with sambols, although I prefer the sweet, especially the one with the mung beans.

I really like the breakfast at Mount Lavinia Hotel (MLH) because they make the iconic appa fresh on request. It is rather odd (read: different) though, that you can have an egg sunny side-up in the middle of the appa. I still do prefer our Malaysian version of a sweet centre.

As at MLH, our breakfasts at the Berjaya (Malaysian) Hotel were also mostly local Sri Lankan dishes.

Then there are many kinds of fruits in Sri Lanka, and so many are similar to ours, both our countries being in the tropics; banana, papaya, mango, rambutan, avocado, durian, pomegranate, carambola, water melon, mangosteen, lime, pomelo, dragon fruit, jack fruit, etc. There are passion fruits of both the yellow or purple variety, and really sweet ananas or pineapple. There are the Kilo Pera or Kilo Gram Guava (known to weigh 1 kilogram mostly) savoured with chilli powder and salt.

A rather unique tasting fruit juice I discovered is that of the Wood apple (mostly growing wild), with its slight taste of sweet and sour but quite nice. Some describe its taste as that of blue cheese with tamarind. I like to eat blue cheese so I guess I am okay with wood apple. (I have just found out that we do have wood apple in Malaysia - gelinggai/belinggai - but I have never seen or tasted one before this!)

Our favourite drink in Sri Lanka is of course the Thambili or King coconut (water), which we try to get at every opportunity. The heat makes thambili the drink of choice. It is good that you can find this orange coloured coconut in many places on the streets. And it only costs 50 rupees!

One evening we dined at the Rasa Malaysia restaurant by the ocean. Okay, the Chef was Malaysian, especially flown out from Pulau Tioman, so the food was not quite Sri Lankan, yet not quite rasa Malaysia. Anyway A was feeling under the weather and wanted to 'cool down'. But there was no thambili on the menu. Then we spied a tree in front of the restaurant that had coconuts on it. We asked and they obliged! Thank you for the sweetest thambili ever. Or is it sweetest because it was gratis?

                            Thambili @ Rasa Malaysia                            Thambili @ Pinnawala

Mostly the thambili is consumed au naturel but sometimes I go for sweet, so jaggery (like our gula melaka) is added.

                                          Kurumba hora - Thambili with jaggery @ The Shore by O!

On our road trip to Kandy we passed by Cadjugama/Kajugama, where kaju or cashews grow in abundance. You can buy these nuts from roadside vendors (usually ladies in colourful attire) or some little shops. Eat them roasted and also spiced with chili. We bought enough to munch our way throughout our stay in the island.

                                          Cashew nuts of Kajugama

Sri Lanka is a spice island especially famous for cinnamon. There are many spice gardens to visit throughout the country, and again the herbs and spice plants are rather similar to what we have in Malaysia. But they do grow the second most expensive spice in the world (vanilla) rather more successfully than us.

When we visited the Island Grove Spice Garden, it was lunch time. I had fried rice which is not really Sri Lankan food, but is now ubiquitous in most eateries. My prawn fried rice was served with the local condiment of mango chutney.

                            Island Grove Vanilla                                       The Village Restaurant fried rice

With so much tea fame, of course Sri Lankans do drink a lot of tea. Our driver/guide stops for our bio-breaks at eateries or places that also serve tea. Quite Anglophile really... Visits to tea plantations and factories are a must for tourists, including us (although a train ride in tea country still eludes me). 

                                          White tea at Glenloch Tea Factory

                                          Tea and cakes at Barefoot

Then of course you have to have your last cup of Ceylon tea at the airport where there are many tea pavilions/cafes to choose from. Bon appe...tea!

10-15 February 2015

The Glenloch Tea Factory & Museum

The Glenloch Tea Factory & Museum is sited in Katikitula in the district of Nuwara Eliya. We visited it on our road trip to Kandy from Colombo.

At the factory, we were greeted by Vishaka and she graciously guided us through the several processes fresh tea leaves (picked from the bushes of Camellia sinensis) go through before they are graded and finally packed for us to enjoy our cups of tea.

Did you know that tea, whether black, green, yellow, blue (oolong) or white, all come from the same tea plant? 75% of tea production end up as the popular black tea. English Breakfast Tea is my favourite black tea, with a dash of milk and honey. Slurp! Oops, I mean... sip!

In the factory we saw how the plucked tea leaves are first withered/wilted. This is for the purpose of removing excess water from the leaves. This process promotes the breakdown of leaf proteins into free amino acids and increases the availability of freed caffeine, both of which change the taste of tea.

Then the leaves are rolled, i.e. chopped into tiny pieces or macerated by the machines shown below. This is to promote oxidation. Some of the leaf juices are released that aid in oxidation which (again) change the taste of tea.

The leaves are then left to ferment/oxidise. Oxidation turns the green leaves to a copper colour. Under or over-oxidation produces the type of tea desired. Black teas are 100% oxidised.

After drying with hot air the tea leaves change colour to brown or black, then undergo the final process of sorting by size and grade.

At the end our tour we got to enjoy little cups of white tea. I'm no tea connoisseur so for me its the first I've seen, let alone drink white tea. I had only been familiar with green tea or black tea.

We then visited the Tea Museum in an annex building. There are exhibits on the history of tea in Sri Lanka and machinery previously used in the processing of tea. The pioneers of Ceylon tea, James Taylor and especially Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton made this Indian Ocean island well known to the world at the end of the 19th century. Lipton was also a marketing genius who has made his name synonymous with black tea the world over.

Anyway this particular visit reminds me to revisit our own tea plantations and factories in Cameron Highlands. Because there is so much more to tea than just enjoying a cuppa!

Ref: Victor H. Mair &  Erling Hoh. The True History of Tea. Thames & Hudson, 2009. Ex Libris CNB 2086
12 February 2015