Showing posts with label Penang. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penang. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Splendid Spread

Street Food


PENANG
NEW LANE
Open 1pm-late. Traders’ day off varies but most close on Wednesdays

NEW Lane is one of the best places in town to get a feel of Penang’s grastronomic offerings. With about 40-odd stalls operating on both sides of the lane, the choices are seemingly endless – from noodles to satay, freshly made apom balik to piping hot kuih dadar. Take a walk around the stalls before making that difficult choice of what to eat.



Many come here for the intestine porridge or chee cheong chook. Pork intestines are marinated in sugar and sauces and then smoked before being deep fried. The crunchy, peppery intestines are served on mushy, smooth porridge with offal added. The only stall that offers this opens at 1pm, and the porridge usually runs out by 7pm.

Also good is the pork satay from the Satay & Ayam Panggang stall (opposite Maxim Cafe). The pork satay is succulent while the peanut sauce (tangy thanks to the addition of tamarind juice) will perk up your appetite for more!

Some stalls on New Lane open early in the afternoon, while most only start their business after 5pm.


KAMPUNG BARU, KUALA LUMPUR
Nasi Lemak Raja Abdullah
15, Jalan Raja Abdullah, Kg Baru
Open 7am-10pm. Closed during Raya

THE first thing you’ll sniff out at this 21-year-old stall is the aromatic rice, steamed in a wooden bucket with coconut milk and pandan leaves. Join the morning queue to pick what you fancy – chicken rendang, sambal sotong, etc.



The sambal ikan bilis here tends to be sweet rather than spicy. The deep-fried paru (beef lungs) are especially good, served with a mix of shredded deep-fried lemongrass, ginger and galangal. You’ll need to get here early if you’re after this dish, as it tends to run out quickly.

For lunch, a variety of dishes are served, including asam pedas and masak lemak cili api, as the owners hail from Malacca. In the evenings, nasi lemak is served from 5pm.


KOTA BARU
Yati Ayam Percik
847, Jalan Long Yunus (Jalan Pekeliling). Tel: 09-747 9867
Open Saturdays to Thursdays noon-11.30pm / Fridays 3-11.30pm

SURE, the ayam percik here is fantastic – but the nasi kerabu is simply to die for! Most folks swear by it. The fluffy rice comes with heaps of vegetables such as bean sprouts, finely cut cabbage and polygonum leaves, as well as budu (fermented anchovy sauce), kerisik, sambal and fish crackers. Mix it all together for a wonderful burst of flavours in your mouth.

There are three colours of rice available – white, yellow and blue. The daging bakar or roast beef is tender and aromatic. Kerutup ayam – a type of rendang synonymous with the East Coast – is another good choice; the chocolate-coloured kerutup is full of spices with a tinge of sweetness but isn’t spicy.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Going Bananas!

By WINNIE YEOH


DID you know that the pisang nangka (jackfruit banana) tastes sourish when it is ripe? And that pisang susu (milk banana) is named as such because its shape is like a feeding bottle?

These were among the things that some 20 primary school children learnt at the ‘Going Bananas’ workshop organised by the Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society at Botanika Outreach on Jalan Kebun Bunga, Penang, on Tuesday.

When asked what ‘Going Bananas’ meant, one of the children shouted merrily: “Like going into the banana,” which instantly drew smiles and warmed up the workshop.

Retired biology lecturer Dr Liew Kon Wui, 62, taught the children about the different types of bananas available in the country, the structure of the banana plant, as well as its different uses.


Dr Liew showing the various bananas available in the country.

He showed and dissected a banana plant to enable the children to better understand it.

“The tender part of the jantung or the floral bud of the plant is edible but usually doesn’t taste good,” he explained.

“It won’t taste good if the sap turns dark brown when it is cut in half,” he said.

Dr Liew also related a legend of the pisang udang (prawn banana) which has maroon-coloured skin.

“There was a prince in the olden days who fought and got badly injured in a war. He took refuge under a banana plant in the jungle and fainted.

“When he regained consciousness, he found out that his wounds were already treated and there was also a young lady tending to him.


Nur Nelisha, 10, learning to weave a rope using banana plant fibre.

“He later discovered that she was a spirit of the banana plant, after which, he returned to his palace. When he went back to the plant later, he found out that it was bearing bananas with maroon-coloured skin.

“Being grateful to the plant, he ordered his subjects to never eat the fruit or chop down the plant,” Dr Liew said, adding that this superstition was still prevalent among the Malay community who refrain from eating pisang udang.

On the workshop, he said it was an opportunity to provide exposure to the children on nature’s wonders.

“We want to get their hands dirty and let them experience what we used to do back in the days when we were small,” he added.

The children were later taught how to fold banana leaves into square moulds which are useful in kuih-making as well as weaving ropes using fibre from the plant.

They were also treated to banana shakes, fried banana fritters and banana chips.

T. Shivaani, nine, said she learnt valuable knowledge about the banana plant, adding that the workshop was more fun than she had expected.


Fried bananas anyone?

“I love bananas and this is really fun. I’m enjoying myself in the rope-making!” she said, barely concealing her glee.

The children were also taught to make their own art prints using banana stems.

The society will hold two more programmes for children this week.

They are Rainforest Walk (aged 8 and above) today and Seeds Safari tomorrow.

Both programmes will run from 9am to 10.30am.

For details and registration, call 04-2279915 between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Archieve: Friday March 20, 2009

Monday, March 23, 2009

Top Local Picks

Street Food
Favourites from The Star Street Food Guide


Malaysians simply love street food and are constantly debating which outlet serves better Hokkien-style noodles or whether this Mamak stall or that restaurant serves better Roti Canai.

Penang
LAM MEE


LENG NIA COFFEE SHOP

Taman Lip Sin (Off Jalan Sungai Dua), Bayan Baru. Open 7.30am-12pm. Closed fortnightly on Thursdays.


The Lam Mee stall in Leng Nia coffeeshop uses rice sticks instead of the usual beehoon.

Lam Mee is also known as “birthday noodles” because it is often served during birthdays in Peranakan households.

Interestingly, the omelette is often coloured pink as a sign of auspicious tidings.

Crab meat is also part of the ensemble, though many hawkers find it too expensive to be included in their daily offerings.

Lam Mee seller Yeang Suan Heoh gets around this snag by substituting Japanese crabsticks for crab meat; the red markings on the crabsticks serve the double purpose of symbolising good tidings.

She also uses thick rice noodles instead of the usual yellow noodles or beehoon.

The noodles are served in a soup made with chicken stock, mushrooms, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, rock sugar, salt and seasoning powder; stir in a dollop of sambal for more kick.


Klang
GLUTINOUS RICE BALLS


STALL NEXT TO ECONSAVE

Jalan Raja Muda Musa, Port Klang. Open 8pm-11.30pm. Closed on Sundays.


The glutinous rice balls at this stall are served in either a ginger or palm sugar syrup.

Sandwiched between two wantan mee stalls, this stall has been selling glutinous rice balls (tong yuen) for the past 20 years.

The tong yuen (RM1 a bowl) comes plain or with crushed peanut filling, in either ginger or palm sugar syrup.

The plain version comes with two ping pong-sized balls.

They also sell an almost-forgotten Hainanese cake called bek tak buak (50 sen each), a plain boiled dumpling, eaten with grated coconut cooked with palm sugar, or ground peanuts and sugar.


Kluang
KLUANG TRAIN STATION CANTEEN


Jalan Station. Open 7am-12pm, 2-6pm. Closed on Thursdays.

There is something romantic about train stations, even tiny ones. And a train station with good coffee to make the waiting pleasant is a sure formula for love.

The fame of the Kluang Train Station Canteen has been carried far and wide, and many have been bowled over by its charms.

The wooden building with wired windows is the scene of much activity, as waiters dart in and out of the kitchen to meet the orders.


Lim Jit Chiang, 34, is the thirdgeneration owner of Kluang Rail Coffee shop.

Opened in the 1940s, the canteen offers simple fare - coffee, toast, curry puffs and nasi lemak bungkus - with one major difference: the bread and buns are toasted over a charcoal fire.

The runny kaya for the toast is made three times a week and the TV brand coffee powder is supplied by a local dealer. Jack LIm Jit Chew is from the third generation of his family to take charge of this remarkable canteen.

If you want to see harmonious Malaysian life in all its glory, this is the spot to head for - people of all races and walks of life sit side-by-side, trading gossip and stories over a cuppa or two.

Lim also provides food for thought on a long journey; he has a white board where he pens his “quote of the day” every other day.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Top Favourites

Text by FARIDAH BEGUM

The first anniversary of Sunday Metro is on May 6 and to celebrate, we reveal our top 10 foods for the year!


1. Egg Tart

Recommended:
Choy Bee Biscuit or Simee in Kampung Simee market, Ipoh;
Fung Wong Biscuits, Jalan Hang Lekir, KL;
Tong Kee Confectionary, Jalan Tun HS Lee, KL;
Nam Heong Restaurant, Old Town Ipoh;
Yuen Garden Dim Sum, Jalan Kenari, Bandar Puchong Jaya, Puchong, Selangor.


2. Ais Kacang

Recommended:
Swatow Lane Ice Kacang, Penang;
Mustafa Cendol, Jalan Teluk Sisek, Kuantan;
Men Kee Food Court, Jalan Tun Ismail, Seremban;
Berkeley Garden Restaurant, Berkeley Roundabout, Klang;
Penang Village, Putrajaya and Hartamas Shopping Centre, KL.


3. Banana Leaf Lunch

Recommended:
Krishna Curry House, Jalan P.P. Narayanan (formerly Jalan 222), Petaling Jaya;
Ashoka, Perak Stadium, Ipoh;
Passion of Kerala, Brown Garden, Gelugor, Penang;
Sri Paandi Restaurant, Jalan Cantek, Section 5, Petaling Jaya;
South Indian Aiyengar Restaurant, Pines Condominium, Brickfields, KL.


4. Nasi Kandar

Recommended:
Line Clear, Penang Road, George Town;
Nasi Kandar Pelita (Headquarters: Taman Chai Leng, Prai, Penang; 21 branches in Malaysia, Chennai, India, and Australia);
Nasi Kandar Kudu, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, KL;
Kampung Melayu Nasi Kandar, Jalan Kampung Melayu, Penang;
Restaurant J.S. Maju, Presint 9, Putrajaya.


5. Nasi Lemak

Recommended:
Zam Zam Nasi Lemak near St Michael’s school in Alor Star;
Nyonya Nasi Lemak at Jin Hoe Café, Jalan Cantonment, Penang;
Nasi Lemak Tanglin at Kompleks Makan Tanglin, Jalan Cendasari, Kuala Lumpur;
Lido Nasi Lemak, Klang, Selangor;
C.T. Garden (C.T. Roses) Nasi Lemak, Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman, KL.


6. Tau Foo Fah

Recommended:
Pasar Malam Jalan Templer, Seremban;
Hawkers Centre, Taiping;
Funny Mountain Tau Foo Fah, Jalan Osbourne, Ipoh;
Small lane next to Wisma Hanifa, Jalan Masjid India, KL;
Stall on Petaling Street across Hong Leong Bank, KL.


7. Murtabak

Recommended:
Murtabak Mengkasar, Pekan, Pahang (also known as the royal murtabak);
Padang Tembak, Penang;
Hameediyah Restaurant, Campbell Street, Penang;
Bismillah Restaurant, Klang;
Fresh and frozen murtabak from sisters Nik Sri Emas & Nik Sah at Jalan Merbau and Banggol, Kota Baru, respectively.

8. Roti Canai

Recommended:
Sri Melur Jaya, SS19, Subang Jaya;
Restoran Miria, Kota Baru;
Zam-zam Kopitiam, Jalan Teluk Sisek, Kuantan;
Vello Villas, Penang Street, Penang;
Buharry Bistro, Asian Heritage Row, Jalan Doraisamy, KL.


9. Char Kway Teow

Recommended:
Pun Heong Coffee Stall at Tebing Tinggi, Jalan Bendahara, Ipoh;
Side of Tin Wah Coffee Shop in 4 1/4 Old Klang Road;
Hai Beng Coffee Shop (Old Man Lim), Jones Road, Pulau Tikus, Penang;
Kedai Goreng Kuey Teow Tong Shin, off Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL;
Kedai Kopi Sin Guat Keong, corner of Kimberley Street and Cintra Street, Penang.


10. Roti Bakar

Recommended:
Kluang Train Station Canteen, Kluang;
Kedai Kopi White House, Jalan Sultanah Zainab, Kota Baru;
Kedai Kopi Hai Peng, Kemaman;
Tong Nam Bee, Jalan Tun Razak, Raub;
Hainan Curry Rice, Bukit Tinggi, Klang;
Kedai Makanan Sun Sun, Jalan Merdeka, Ampang.

Legacy of Love

PENANG
By HELEN ONG

The Hakka Connexion serves something one rarely comes across commercially: home-cooked Hakka food.

THE late Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee was a teacher of humble origins who rose to become the first Chief Minister of Penang from 1957 to 1969.

Of Hakka descent, he was apparently fiercely proud of his heritage, his family initially settling in Balik Pulau where there is a large community, and later moving to Bukit Mertajam.


Warm gesture: Peter Wong inviting you to try some home-cooked Hakka food.

In memory of his late father who died in 2002 at the ripe old age of 92, son Peter Wong Tet Phin, 49, has set up a gallery in Jalan Basawah, behind Giant Supermarket in Burmah Road, which showcases hundreds of photographs from his personal collection collected over the many years he was in office.

The small room is packed with framed pictures and other memorabilia, and a visit there is sure to bring back memories for many.

As entry to the gallery is free, Wong has also established a restaurant next door to help fund this worthwhile project.

The Hakka Connexion serves something one rarely comes across commercially: home-cooked Hakka food.

“Not many outlets serve this kind of food,” he explained.

His cook and partner, Carene Lim, 48, was one of the very few; she used to cook and serve this peasant-food-turned delicacy from a hawker stall in town.

As it is quite different from the sort of sam poey (dishes) we usually eat in Penang, which is more nyonya-based, the meal turned out to be an interesting sojourn into a culinary world of which I knew next to nothing about, despite having had an old Hakka flame decades ago whose family ate such food.

Lim did stress that as, traditionally, Hakka (Khek) people were immigrant visitors from northern China whose nomadic lifestyles meant that they absorbed influences from the various regions they finally settled in, the lines are blurred as to the origin of some dishes.


Mouth-watering: Hakka noodles with minced pork and soya sauce eaten with homemade chilli and garlic sauce.

“Much of Hakka cooking involves pork and fish,” she explained, so we started with one of their signature dishes from their small but popular and reasonably-priced menu, Tu Kar Chor (Vinegar Pork Trotters). Its sweet and sour dark gravy, seasoned with ginger, is very similar to the Hokkien version.

Another is “Lui Cha” or “Ham Cha” or even “Lei Cha” – it has different names, but basically the dish consists of individual portions of, in this case six different types of vegetables, some fried with dried shrimp, chai por (preserved vegetable) and nuts heaped around a helping of white or brown rice.

“Each state serves this dish differently,” according to Wong, but the important must-have ingredient is apparently the green tea soup, which comes in a separate bowl.

It is made with tea and Chinese herbs, and there is a strong overriding flavour of mint camphor, which is unusual but not unpleasant.

The dish is deemed quite healthy as the vegetables give it plenty of fibre, and rather like rojak, you mix everything up, including the soup, before tucking in. At RM6, it’s worth every sen.

I especially liked the spicy and flavoursome Hakka Noodles tossed in black soya sauce, which is a bit like broad, flat konloh meen, but served with a helping of savoury minced pork and eaten with a good spoonful of fried onion fritters and a tasty homemade chilli and garlic sauce.

Their Hakka Yong Taufu, also homemade, is popular too; taufu, bitter gourd or brinjal filled with a paste made with sai to fish, minced pork and a hint of kiam hu (salted fish), served in a light clear soup.


Proud showcase: The gallery dedicated to the memory of the late Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee.

Yet another new dish I was introduced to was the appropriately-named Suan Pan Zi, or Yam Abacus, little round discs made from a dough of yam and tapioca flour which is kneaded, shaped then cooked in boiling water before being stir-fried with minched pork, mushrooms and soya sauce.

Shaped like an abacus seed, they are soft, smooth and slightly springy, and the taste is an odd mix between sweet and savoury, although I’m told some places serve it dry without a sauce.

The opening of the restaurant cum gallery was deliberately timed to coincide not just with Malaysia’s 50th anniversary last year, but also the fifth anniversary of his patriotic father’s demise on Aug 31.

“When we first started, we had only four tables and a couple of dishes,” Wong said, “but even then we had a stream of people coming to eat here. We have added a few new dishes since.”

The Hakka Connexion, based in this modest little shophouse, is pleasant and clean, and interesting pictures of Hakka village roundhouses in clusters from central China line one wall. It can get quite packed at lunchtimes.

The gallery is open daily from 11am to 8.30pm. For details, e-mail them at littleshanghai _penang@yahoo.com or call Wong (016-483 2823).

Helen Ong is a self-confessed foodie who loves to hunt down the best of Penang.

Friday, November 2, 2007

A Passion For Good Food

By HELEN ONG

WHAT started as a passion and hobby for Jane Phung has now become a full-time occupation.

“I love cooking, and my husband used to bring friends home to eat, so we were always having parties,” the 44-year-old restaurateur said.

Luckily, for the rest of us who weren’t fortunate enough to have been invited to her home, Jane finally decided to put her considerable skills to even better use by starting a restaurant with her son Tomy Yeoh, 23.

Six months ago, the Summer Garden Food Bistro, located at the corner of Jalan Lembah Permai and Lorong Lembah Permai 3 in the Vale of Tempe, Tanjung Bungah, was opened to the public.

There is no signboard in front, but the place lives up to its name – the relaxing and serene garden abounds with greens all grown by Phung like bamboos and ferns.

Inside, a mesmerising water feature tinkles merrily and more green plants dotted about the place add to the cool, calm feel.

“There are a lot of restaurants out there, so we try doubly hard to make customers feel welcomed.

“The first thing we impress on our service staff is the importance of a smile,” explained Phung, herself beaming.

With four well-qualified chefs, each with his or her own speciality, strutting their stuff in the clean open kitchen, the menu offers a good spread of not just Western and Japanese food but also some local favourites.

Try the laksa (the lemak version was thick and yummy, although they also have the assam), Mee Jawa, personally made by Jane herself, and Nasi Lemak.


Bursting with flavour: The Lemak Laksa is thick and yummy.

The Sashimi Moriawase, a colourful platter of various cuts of fresh seafood eaten with wasabi and soya sauce, makes an excellent starter for a few people.

If you have a hearty appetite, try the Japanese Curry Set of rice and fried chicken (or fish), different to our local curries and quite tasty.

One of their most popular items is Lamb Shank served with Pasta. Another appealing choice is the Duck Breast with Black Cherry Sauce, but the Wagyu Beef Steak, although pricey, was really superb, tender and succulent.


Succulent: Duck Breast with Black Cherry Sauce.

There are also succulent large king prawns or lobster cooked in a variety of styles including Thermidor or baked in grilled cheese. If you can’t decide, their well-trained staff will be able to advise.

Indulge your sweet tooth and choose from a selection of six to ten freshly-baked cakes – all made by the talented lady – with such delicious-sounding names like Kahlua Moist, Tiramisu and Chocolate Cheese.

You will be hard-pushed to decide which one to go for. The Chocolate Cheese Cake was absolutely delightful, light but full of flavour, and went perfectly with one of their aromatic, full-bodied coffees.

Summer Garden is open from 11am to 10.30pm every day. For details, call 04-890 0977.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Great Perk

By FARIDAH BEGUM

Nothing lifts the appetite like a spoon of chicken curry on your rice or bread.

MENTION chicken curry and you have everyone’s eyes lit up. A great perk to waned appetites, chicken curry in a bowl with steam billowing is set to get fingers itching to work on the mound of rice on any plate.

For many, chicken curry is a dish for off-days and weekends when the whole family congregates and it is equally good with the humble roti canai, white rice and even buttered rice, pilaf and briyani.

Every home has a secret recipe and every restaurant, stall and hotel has its own well-kept yellowed book of ingredients to make the perfect chicken curry.

In Indian food establishments anywhere in the world, each outlet has its own variations and it is not wrong to say in the land where curry was concocted, wars have even been started between households as to what makes an unforgettable chicken curry.

Suffice to say, there are no winners as each variation is special in its own way and every husband and child swears by their own wives and mothers!

In Malaysia, the varieties of chicken curry are endless as you have the Indian, Malay, Punjabi, Chinese Nyonya, Thai and even the Indonesian types.

The most common is the Indian style, which is redolent of spices and lots of secret ingredients if it is home cooked. In retail establishments, the test is in the taste and presentation.

It is a difficult task finding the best chicken curry in the country as it would need gourmets and celebrated cooks and chefs to try and give their comments on the chicken curry presented at a competition or gathering.

Every mother would get votes from her own children and every individual who has chicken curry outside their home will vouch for the one that meets his or her own expectation.

For those who want to try their hand at making a good chicken curry at home, the most important criterion is using your personal favourite of chicken parts. In many homes, it has been observed that the drumsticks and the wings are the parts that create petty quarrels, so it would be wise to get enough of these parts to satisfy every plate on the table.

A secret to getting good chicken curry is in not forgetting to add the concoction of pounded young ginger and garlic.

This ingredient will make a world of difference in lifting the taste of the chicken curry and in giving it the kick that would otherwise be smothered by too much curry powder or coconut milk.

A simple chicken curry can be made with a couple of spoons of meat curry powder, some sliced onions, curry leaves, tomatoes, the ginger and garlic paste, salt and pepper along with some yoghurt and coconut milk.

For the health conscious, substitute the coconut milk for low-fat milk and add natural yoghurt for a touch of the authentic curry flavour.

Potatoes are a must if you have children and young adults and don’t forget to add a sprig or two of coriander leaves, which adds to the flavour and colour of the dish. Please skin the chicken, although some would argue that it is the skin that adds to the flavour of the curry.

Ask any cook and they will tell you that letting the curry mature for a few hours or overnight helps make the curry taste even better!

Since chicken curry is often an indulgence, forget the doctor or dietician’s advice and let a little oil float on top of the curry.

Good accompaniment to chicken curry is fried chicken in any style, salads and stir-fried vegetables, especially sweet Beijing cabbage and French beans.

Of late, chicken curry that can be had in stalls and restaurants have actually failed to meet the exacting standards that KLites approve of but of the few that have met the mark, Sunday Metro recommends Tanjung Puteri in Sri Hartamas, Syed Restaurant in Petaling Jaya and Bangsar and in the various Nasi Kandar restaurants along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

SMS SENDERS’ PICK FOR BEST CHICKEN CURRY

> The best chicken curry sitaram curry house in brickfields same row with 7 11.

> I think de bst cicken cury can be tasted at fok heng restaurant in bercham, ipoh

> Green curry chicken (boneless drumstick) at chilli corner thai restaurant no: 10 jln nagore pg. (behind dorsett hotel)

> The best chicken curry in the country availabe at Maj Stall no.47 ah-quee st 10200 pg. The curry chicken called Chicken Kapitan.

> Lotus Restaurant, Jalan Gasing.Superb curry. Shalini.

> Parames chicken curry in Taman Chi Ling, Klang

> Nair chicken curry occupying a Chinese coffee shop in Jalan Station, Klang over 40 years

> The Best chicken curry @ Vinni Jeyaa Banana Leaf Curry House opposite of Pasar Seni lrt stn, sunther, kl

> Finger licking good chicken curry at Sri Paandi Restaurant in Jln Chantek,PJ

> The best curry chicken can an be indulged at rest. Nts nasi lemak sri muda n k.Kemuning. Taste nice. Absolutely Delicious

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Spoil Yourself In Regal Setting

By HELEN ONG

THE impressive and colourful exterior of this restaurant on Tanjong Tokong Road, Penang, will give you an idea of what to ex-pect inside. And once you enter, the rich, intricate decor makes you feel like you’re inside a Moghul palace.

Attention has been paid down to the last detail, including deliberately aged pillars, soft lighting and arched recesses leading to smaller nooks and crannies. Soft sitar music play-ing in the background adds to the ethnic experience.

The Palace d’India is indeed a re-gal place. What better place to celebrate Deepavali with family or friends?

“The Moghul kings had a rich culture,” restaurant manager Anand, 27, said, “and a highly-developed taste for fine food.

“That’s the kind of food we serve here: good authentic Indian food for non-Indians.”


Good choice:The Bendi Nasala.

The cosy interior belies a large seating capacity of 350, but if you are holding a private function for 30 to 40 guests, they can arrange a special buffet on the first floor. Alternati-vely, they can cater for your party off site.

It’s easy to see why they were named one of Malaysia Tatler’s Best Restaurants for Excellent Cuisine and Service 2006 and 2007.

The service is friendly but dis-creetly efficient, and the extensive menu of old favourites like tandoori and curries, and other more exotic-sounding names created by a team of six chefs from different provinces in India will ensure a wonderful culinary experience.

According to Anand, they are the only restaurant in Malaysia serving 112 different varieties of kebabs, effectively making them a kebab factory.

“They are baked in a tandoori oven at exactly 140 degrees Fahren-heit, and the cooking is precisely timed, otherwise they can be under or overcooked.”

Apart from tikkas, try their Murg Malai, lightly flavoured yet tasty chicken, or their unusual Rashimi, also chicken, served with light and fluffy egg yoke.

Popular main courses include their Sizzling Dishes which are Kashmiri delights – mutton, fish, chicken or prawns served with a chilli and capsicum gravy.

The tender Cauliflower Manchu-rian is a Chinese dish which has been adapted with added spices, and the Claypot Fish Curry, with a me-dium-hot sauce, is another favou-rite.

“Not all Indian food is hot and spicy,” said Anand.

However, the tender Sizzling Lamb is spicy and so is the Chicken Vindaloo. Eaten with one of their many rice dishes, briyanis or pilaus, both were tasty and filling.

They also offer eight different types of bread, including naan and the light and delicate roomali.

Vegetarians have a large selection to choose from as well.

A live three-piece band performs throughout the evening, their per-cussion and stringed instruments twanging in musical accompani-ment to not just Indian, but English and even Chinese songs.

For reservations, call 04-899 9715 or email them on info@palaced india.com.

Harmony Of Flavours

If you've always wanted to try Japanese food but simply don't know what to order,then head for Matsuki Restaurant in Cantonment Road, Penang.

They have two menus available: one for those already familiar with Japanese food and the other comes with photos of the food for people who aren't.

And you don’t have to worry about accompaniments. You'll get a complete meal with the Special Lunch Bento set – chicken teriyaki, unagi (eel), fried vegetables and sashimi together with rice, miso soup, chawan mushi (steamed egg custard) and fruit.

A delicious Sukiyaki Tei Set, served piping hot in a claypot, costs just RM18 and the Seafood Set RM25.


Value for money:The Seafood Set offers a complete meal.

Also try the Gyuniku Kimuchi Itame (sliced beef fried with kimchee) and Adegashi Tofu (deep-fried tofu with sauce) – both very appetising.

Indulge in some Haagen Daz ice-cream and wash it all down with hot or cold sake or Asahi beer.

The food is such exceptionally good va- lue because proprietor Lee Ten Lin, 57, is also a purveyor of Japanese groceries and therefore has access to the raw ingredients at trade prices.

The chilled tuna is shipped in weekly, and the salmon (shake) is flown in twice a week, ensuring the sashimi is as fresh as possible.

“Every morning, I go to the market personally to source for the best produce available,” Lee explained.

He employs experienced local chefs, and service is provided by his wife Judy and daughter Siew Yen, which all go towards keeping quality up but costs, and therefore prices, down.

Matsuki has been going for over 10 years now, and judging by the lunchtime crowd and Japanese clientele who go there to eat and read the papers, it offers not just value for money but also authentic Japanese food (he often gets busloads of Japanese tour groups too).

The pork-free outlet, with its neat, fresh interior and clean wooden furniture, is a pleasant place. It has four tatami rooms which can be booked in advance, and sufficient parking in the front garden.

Matsuki is open every day from noon to 2.30pm for lunch and 6pm to 10.30pm for dinner. For details or reservations, call 04-229 5504.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

A Culinary Trip To India

By HELEN ONG

ONE of Penang island's newest outlets, the Spice 'n Rice Restaurant is something unusual in Penang. They serve good Indian food in a trendy, fine dining environment.

Located at the corner of Green Hall, the restaurant is housed in a historic 19th century building which used to be the headquarters of the North Malaya Chinese Textile and General Merchants’ Association.

The beautifully-restored shophouse is owned and run by former Miss Malaysia International, the gorgeous Andrea Franklin, 31, and her lawyer husband. Her equally lovely sister-in-law Sherina Begum helps out as the operations manager.

The dishes, from different parts of India, are cooked by chefs specially brought in from the sub-continent. They are quite different to our local Indian dishes, but just as delicious.

Instead of coconut, yoghurt or finely-ground nuts make up the base.

A slow cooking process imbues the meat or vegetables with the gorgeous aroma of the spices, resulting in a delicious, thick curry perfect for scooping up with a hot, moist piece of home-made naan or paratha bread, (of which they have a good selection).

The curries are also great eaten with fragrant pilau or briyani made with non-sticky basmati.

The Chicken Parettal, a South Indian dish cooked in spicy masala, is a good choice, and so are the Mutton Rogan Gosh and their special, Pepper Prawn. The Chicken Curry was great, quite hot and spicy, but it can be toned down with a yoghurt raita if you prefer it milder.


Peppery: (clockwise) Garlic Naan, Vegetable Pilau and Chicken Parettal

For starters, what about a tender Murg Masalam, a quarter tandoori chicken topped with a mild, tasty cheese sauce, or a crispy fried samosa?

The Fish Tikka is a good low-fat choice but there are soups and a healthy selection of salads and vegetable dishes.


Roasted to perfection: Fish tikka marinated in yoghurt, herbs and spices.

Aroma Of Fresh Bahulu

By ZULKIFLY MOHAMAD

FAMOUS Mengkuang Titi bahulu (traditional muffin) maker Che Som Man, 63, is fighting against time to deliver orders for her aromatic bahulu to customers before Hari Raya.

She has hired more workers and stocked up some 200,000 bahulu so as not to disappoint her customers.

Her bahulu is not only in big demand during Raya. Orders for the muffin double during the Chinese New Year.

Che Som began selling her bahulu in a small way back in 1982. She was making about 30 pieces daily then.

“They were snapped up immediately when they were put up for sale at sundry shops.

“I expanded my business by buying two ovens to meet the demand especially during Hari Raya,” she said at her Mengkuang Titi home in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.


Watchful eye: Che Som supervising the workers.

She said she bought four more ovens as orders kept pouring in, adding that she had to abandon the slow traditional method of using coconut husks to bake the muffins.

“I would lose customers if I continue with the traditional method. I need ovens in order to deliver the bahulu on time, especially during Hari Raya,” she said.

Che Som said she made 20,000 pieces of the bahulu daily beginning from the second half of Ramadan.

She said she used four gunny sacks of sugar weighing 50kg each, eight gunny sacks of flour and over 2,000 chicken eggs daily.

Her bahulu comes in different shapes and sizes.

She also makes goldfish and fruit-shaped bahulu and other designs as required by her customers especially during wedding ceremonies.

Che Som said she was using five giant modified ovens now. Each can bake 144 pieces at any one time.

Her son Zahari Md Akhir, 30, said the family was planning to market the bahulu nationwide and also internationally.

Zahari said a Chinese businessman ordered 70,000 bahulu from him daily one month before every Chinese New Year.


Neat rows: Zahari and wife Norhana Mohd Noor helping to pack the bahulu in boxes.

Friday, October 5, 2007

Hot Off The Grill

By FARIDAH BEGUM
Photo by BRIAN MOH

The ikan bakar is one irresistible dish not only during Ramadan but all year round.

THE aroma of grilled fish never fails to arouse the growling stomach, especially during the fasting month and at 5pm in the evening.

Grilled fish, or ikan bakar, literally translated from Malay to mean burnt fish, can actually make or break a fast.

It is hard not to imagine the slightly charred fish – fresh, flavourful and succulent – eaten with the delightful kicap or air asam, which is the dark soya sauce or tamarind juice with sliced shallots, bird’s-eye chillies and a dash of lime to go.


Tantalising: The ikan bakar, grilled to perfection, with some chilli to spice it up.

It is also one of the dishes that will ensure you have the second and third helping of rice.

The fish on its own is truly healthy as not a drop of oil is added while it is being grilled. And if the fish is really fresh, it can be had on its own without the sauces.

So, what actually makes ikan bakar so irresistible?

If at all, it is just a fish that has some salt or none at all rubbed over it and then it is placed on the grill, with the heat coming from hot glowing embers of charcoal.

In some instances, sambal or a chilli paste is slapped on to the fish to flavour it. Either way, it is not the ingredients but the slow cooking over the hot embers that brings out the great flavour of the fish.

A word of caution if you are trying to grill the fish at home: Make sure you have glowing embers at the bottom of your grill and not a bonfire as it could turn your fish into a log – hard, dry and burnt.

A good way to ensure that the fish is not charred beyond recognition is by wrapping the fish in a piece of banana leaf. Besides, this would add a nice fragrant aroma to the fish.

Many types of fish can be grilled but the best is the ikan kembung (mackerel), ikan pari (stingray), ikan jenahak, ikan bawal hitam, siakap, kerapu and ikan merah.

Oily fish such as terubok is equally good for grilling, as the fish would be flavoured with its own oil. Terubok is normally grilled with its scales.

The fish must be fresh, meaning it is preferably not from the freezer and its eyes are bright and not bloodshot. If the fish is even just a notch under fresh, it will not be an aroma to look forward to but a stink and very mushy flesh, nothing like the firm flesh that fish ought to be after it is cooked.

At many ikan bakar outlets, patrons are allowed to choose their “catch” and it is immediately cleaned and placed on the grill.

Besides fish, other seafood like prawns, squids, mussels and crabs are also part of the ikan bakar menu.

Good eaten on its own, the ikan bakar is even better with some rice, a hot and sour soup like tom yam or a spicy version such as ox-tail or rib soup and a nice vegetable dish, especially kailan with salted fish to round up the dish.

The fish is done simply enough but to have it with equally simple complementing dishes, it is the pathway to heaven!

Ikan bakar is easily available this month at Ramadan bazaars nationwide. Tom yam or Thai food stalls in most cities and towns serve grilled fish and are often the recommended dish of the outlet.

It is an especially popular dish that has its own dedicated outlets in all coastal towns in Malacca, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

In Malacca, a dedicated seafood complex was built in Umbai, Serkam, where some 20 traders sell grilled fish and seafood nightly accompanied with packets of nasi lemak, piled in sixes on plates at every table.

In Penang, at all night food areas, especially those where you can dine al fresco, grilled fish will definitely be on the menu.

In Kelantan, Tawang is the most popular town where grilled fish is available, besides the numerous Thai food outlets in Kota Baru.

Terengganu has grilled fish outlets scattered all along its coastline and the people here have grilled fish almost on a daily basis.

In Pahang, both sides of the road heading towards Pekan from Kuantan are dotted with fresh seafood outlets, where grilled fish tops the menu. A recommended outlet is Tanjung, where some 20 species of fish are available.

In Kuala Lumpur, The Star Guide to Malaysian Street Food recommends Sri Melaka Ikan Panggang in Jalan Bellamy (behind the Istana Negara) where the fish is marinated in a mixture of turmeric, salt, pepper and chili powder and then grilled.

In city centre, in Jalan Petaling, next to the Hong Leong Bank, is a stall that has a long queue after 6pm where fish and seafood are wrapped in aluminium foil and grilled.

In Kampung Baru, the Juara Tomyam is one of the best places to have grilled fish all year round.

Near the National Mosque in Jalan Cenderasari, Ikan Bakar Pak Din, which is Stall No.5 of the Kompleks Makan Tanglin, is a hot favourite, where the fish is only marinated with turmeric, salt and pepper and then grilled. It is the tamarind sauce that makes the difference here.