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.

Muzium Layang-Layang at Pasir Gudang

Here are some pictures of the rather unique Muzium Layang-Layang (Kite Museum) and its exhibits at Pasir Gudang, Johor.

Our very own beautiful kites...

Posters of the annual international kite festivals since the very first 20 years ago...

Kites from around the world... Australia, Japan, China, etc., etc.

How to makes kites...

28 February 2015

International Kite Festival at Pasir Gudang, Johor

The International Kite Festival at Pasir Gudang, Johor is in its 20th year in 2015, held recently on the 25th February till 1st March. But for me, it is the first time ever that I was able to gaze in awe at all the flying 'objects' in the dusky evening of the 27th, and the next day in the blue skies, on the hilly fields of Bukit Layang-Layang, Pasir Gudang*. It may have been pretty hot in the day, but the cooling breezes make it bearable. Kites need winds to fly after all!

The formal opening ceremony of the Festival (graced by the Tunku Mahkota Johor) was held in the evening of 27th February. There were kites with led lights flying above and fireworks lit up the balmy Johor night sky for a good 8 minutes!

The international participants number around 180 from about 40 countries, among them Turkey, Bhutan, Slovenia, Japan, China, Thailand, Indonesia, etc., etc.

Being at this Festival has made me realise that kites come in so many shapes, forms and sizes. Of course, apart from the interesting and colourful kites in the air, there are the various goodies on the ground to shop for. There are kites galore, and food, food, food and even fruits on a tree! (No, the fruits on the tree below are for decor only to advertise the Orchard/Fruit Farm concerned). There are also cultural and artistic activities you can do, like making capal (leather slippers), batik painting (like we did), etc., etc.  You can also visit the Muzium Layang-Layang Pasir Gudang (Kite Museum), which is conveniently on site.

* Pasir Gudang is an industrial town located 35 km east of Johor Bahru, and at the eastern end of Johor Bahru metropolitan area. Population 100,000. (Wiki).

27 & 28 February 2015

My Taste of Johor

During our recent road trip to Johor Bahru (JB) our first food stop was the Pagoh R&R. Since it was lunch we were after, A had a nasi campur while I rooted out the quintessential Johor Jawa meal of Nasi Ambang/Ambeng. Actually I like mee goreng, so it is the bonus in the Nasi Ambeng set combination (composition?) of white rice, fried salted fish, fried chicken, stir fried vegetables, kerisek (fried coconut shreds), tempeh (soya bean cake) and tofu, topped with spicy sauce/sambal gravy. This 4-ringgit packet that I had was quite tasty, though there was no tempeh or tofu.

                                            Nasi Ambang at Pagoh R&R

Our breakfasts in JB were the usual hotel coffeehouse buffet fare, but for late lunches we sought out kopitiams downtown. We found the Hua Mui Coffee Shop in Jalan Trus. This kopitiam is reputedly the first and therefore oldest kopitiam in JB, run by the Chiang family since 1946. It still retains some colonial era decor and an antiquated pulley system dumbwaiter to transport food to the top floor of the two-storey building. The serving staff here are most friendly and some are very long-serving (30 years!)

Despite having had breakfast earlier, we couldn't help ordering the charcoal grilled kaya and butter toast with Hainanese coffee (kau! - strong in Hokkien). Think of this as dessert before the main meal! We of course, tried their famous signature dish of the Hainanese Chicken Chop. A loved it so much that when we revisited the next day, she had the same thing. I varied between a so-so Mee Hailam and very generous Hainanese Fried Rice. Icing on the cake here for us once, were musicians busking outside. Good food, good music and old-world ambience... bliss!

                            Hua Mui downstairs and the antiquated pulley system dumbwaiter

                                 Hua Mui's Hainanese Chicken Chop                        Kopi kau!

                              Mee Hailam                                                         Hainanese Fried rice

One dinner we had was at the Berjaya Waterfront area, at a Restoran Sayam. Other than the main dish of tomyam, there was otak-otak as well. Another dinner was at the home of my niece in Skudai, where we had some delicious home-cooked bihun with seafood and vegetable soup. Dessert was a bread and butter pudding. Sedap. Sedap. Terima kasih!

We also went to Banafee Village (at Jalan Dato' Abdullah Tahir) one evening to meet up with B and her colleagues. They had come down to JB for a business meeting. Since they had eaten earlier at the Banafee Restaurant nearby and we'd had our dinner at my niece's, so we just had drinks and enjoyed the live golden oldies evergreen music being played there. No taste of Johor here because no food was had, hahaha! Maybe next time.

The late morning before we left JB, we went downtown again, this time to seek out another (Malay) kopitiam in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, the Dapur Jendela. Unfortunately it was closed or rather not yet open, because, as we later found out, they operate between 6 pm till 2 am! So we walked around the area admiring the old shophouses, some of which had been nicely renovated to house coffee hangouts, even an art gallery (with coffee). To quench our thirst, we conveniently spotted a unique cafe, Johor-born.

The first container cafe, Chaiwalla & Co. started business in JB at the beginning of 2013. (Their branch opened at the end of the same year at The Curve, and became Klang Valley's first container cafe). We were quite attracted to the set-up of the container 'building'. The real attraction was of course all the chai (tea) that you can choose from. You customise your own drinks, choosing your preferred flavour and toppings for the bases of tea, milk tea, or coffee.

If the best Nasi kandar is to be enjoyed in Pulau Pinang, then the best Johor foods must be enjoyed in the state of Johor (simplistic logic? or is it the water? huh??). Foods like the unique Laksa Johor, and Telur pindang, we have had before. Johor Asam pedas too, at Anisofea Restaurant at Mount Austin JB, We have yet to try the supposedly best Mee bandung (in Muar), and Nasi briyani gam (in Batu Pahat). Then there are other dishes; Lontong, Pecal, Soto, Halwa maskat, Arisa, Kacang pool, etc., etc. So much food to savour, so little time...

21-23 January 2015

A Road Trip to Johor Bahru

                         
We are just back from a road trip to Johor Bahru (JB), capital city of Johor, doing our part in promoting local travel by 'staycationing' in our southernmost state of Malaysia. At first we planned to stop by Tangkak (in the district of Ledang) to visit friends and spend a night in nearby Muar. But then we drove straight on to JB, only stopping by the Pagoh R&R for our lunch and bio-break. The drive along the North-South highway was pleasant as the weather was fine and the vehicular traffic light in most places.

In JB we checked into the Berjaya Waterfront Hotel in Stulang Laut for a 3 day/2 night-stay there. From our window, we see Singapore just across the Selat Johor/Tebrau (Tebrau Straits) and spot the causeway to the island, also the ferry terminal for Batam Island, Indonesia. So near and enticing, but then we are reminded that we are really on a 'cuti-cuti Malaysia' trip, so no foreign countries to be involved, please.

                                           Sunrise over the Straits of Tebrau (from Room 1308)

I have been in JB only twice before on rather very short stints, so this time its more of a familiarisation visit. We have family in JB so we (A actually) 'Waze-d' our way to Skudai to visit my niece and her young family. There we also met up with my nephew Iman (the one who lives in Kota Tinggi).

We went into downtown JB to check out the Chinatown and Little India areas. The former although small, is most interesting (especially Jalan Tan Hiok Nee) because we came across some street art there, a 'red house' and a wedding party, also an art gallery cum cafe and 'old school'/colonial era kopitiams including the rather famous Hua Mui (where we went twice for late lunch, once because the other famous Dapur Jendela was closed/not yet open).

Any travel, even if locally, will surely involve new foods to savour or to try. I will save 'my taste of Johor' for the next post.

21-23 January 2015     

The Unique Orang Seletar

I have been ignorant of the Orang Laut Seletar of Johor, although I had known of the orang laut or sea gypsies of Semporna (Sabah), having had the opportunity to meet them during the Regatta Lepa in 2011 and 2012. It was certainly a privilege to get to meet the Orang Seletar recently. These unique and proud people were brought all the way from their village of Kampung Sungai Temun to the KLGCC for the launch of a book about them. Although it was a very short meeting, yet their charm and friendliness was most obvious. I hope I will have the chance to meet them again in their kampung in Johor.

The Orang Seletar performing at a book (about them) launch

Perusing through the newly launched book* about the Orang Seletar, I find information and facts that I need to set down (verbatim) in this blog entry to remind me about their history and origins, and make me much more aware of their current social conditions; of their "fragile and vulnerable position ... in their quest for survival and livelihood amidst a wider region of rapid progress and economic prosperity ... " (of Iskandar Malaysia).

"History reveals that they had a glorious past as an important societal component of the Malay sea world, patroned by the powerful Malay Sultanate in the Riau-Lingga area. These sea gypsies originated within Nusantara, the Malay ethnic territory that encompasses a vast geographical region that includes what is now Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, parts of Hawaii, New Zealand, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Southern Thailand and other countries of the Asia-Pacific."

"Early historical records prove that the Orang Seletar were originally from Singapura (which since the late 16th century had belonged to Johor), from an area called Seletar, where they served the Johor royal family as hunters, trackers and able seamen. Pulau Seletar was their 'docking' grounds whenever they needed to come ashore. But in the 1960s, due to various restrictions imposed on them by the Singapore authorities - especially with regard to their movements in the territorial waters - they were invited by the then Johor Sultan, HRH the late Sultan Ismail, to migrate to Johor. They have called the Straits of Tebrau their home ever since."

"However, looking at these peace loving aborigine communities existing as they do in the present day, with their placid, indolent way of life, living under primitive and very poor conditions, marginalised and underprivileged characterised by poverty, low-levels of education and health, we would indeed find it very difficult to identify them with their dynamic historical past and civilisation. They are together with other Orang Asli in Malaysia, the poorest and the most marginalised and underprivileged group in Malaysian society."

"The Orang Seletar of Johor are a small subgroup within the indigenous ethnic minority group in Malaysia, the Orang Asli. While most Orang Asli are known to be forest dwellers, the Orang Seletar are traditionally seafarers and have, for generations, lived on boats and thrived off the sea. They have always been fishermen and, to this day make a living from marine produce. The clean water of the sea (and the riverine mangrove swamps) provides not only their main source of livelihood but also forms a central basis for their sense of identity, 'sense of space and place' and culture."

The Orang Seletar and water cannot be parted

The Orang Seletar community inhabit eight villages in the Johor Bahru district within a 25 km radius of Johor Bahru city. According to the 2008 figures of the Department of Orang Asli Affairs, their population of slightly more than 1,700 people and about 370 heads of households live in eight kampungs (Kg); Kg Simpang Arang, Kg Bakar Batu, Kg Sungai Temun, Kg Teluk Jawa, Kg Pasir Putih, Kg Kuala Masai, Kg Teluk Kabung and Kg Pasir Pasir Salam.

Some Orang Seletar youth at the KLGCC

The culture of the Orang Seletar is steeped in animism, although there are among them who have converted to Islam, Christianity, or Buddhism. Their ties with the water and nature begins even at birth, when the placenta of a newborn is wrapped and hung among the mangroves (see the first picture in this blog post, taken from the same book mentioned above).

 JAKOA officer, Penel & me with the Orang Seletar after
the book launch at KLGCC

Note: The Orang Asli (Original or Indigenous Peoples) of Malaysia (JAKOA/Dept of OA Devt.)
1. Negrito/Semang (North): Kintak, Kinsiu, Jahai, Mendriq, Bateq, Lanoh
2. Senoi (Central): Temiar, Semai, Che Wong, Jahut, Semoq Beri, Mah Meri
3. Proto Malay: (South): Seletar, Kuala, Kanaq, Jakun, Semelai, Temuan

*Ref: My personal journey in observing the dynamic Iskandar Malaysia and its forgotten sea gypsies; economic development contradictions and cultural change/ Jamilah  Ariffin. iRESOLVE (International Research Institute for Economic Progress and Social Well-being), 2014.  Ex Libris CNB 2048