Kuih Bahulu pictures (1 of 11)
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Time flies, August is almost over.
August 31st marks the 51st Independence Day of Malaysia and September 1st is the beginning of Ramadan–the holy month of Islam. To celebrate the two important events in Malaysia, I thought I would introduce you to Kuih Bahulu, a traditional Malaysian kuih (or cake).
A favorite among many Malaysians of all races and ages, kuih bahulu is usually baked during the festive seasons such as Hari Raya and Chinese New Year. These sweet and eggy kuih go very well with coffee, and are always a crowd-pleaser during the festive seasons. A few kuih bahulu and a cup of coffee is a surefire way to greet your guests…
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It’s durian season here in Penang, Malaysia and there are durian stalls selling this thorny fruit every corner you turn.
While a lot of people consider the smell of durian as “stinky” and “repulsive”–so much so that they are banned in hotel rooms in Malaysia!–I love this king of fruits. (For those who enjoy durian, we think of the smell as “aromatic.”) Some of the best durians in Malaysia come from the durian orchards in Balik Pulau, Penang, which is on the less-developed side of the island of Penang.
Growing up, my family–especially when my uncle and his family come to visit us in Penang–would drive all the way up to Balik Pulau, into the durian orchards in search of the freshest and just-drop-off-the-tree durians. At the durian orchards, we would sample various kinds of durian and pick the ones we loved the most to take back with us…
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Roti Jala pictures (1 of 8)
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Roti Jala–means “net bread” literally–is another Malaysian delicacy that deserves special introduction on Rasa Malaysia. These lacy and net like pancakes/crepes are very popular during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, where vendors set up temporary stalls selling roti jala to go with various curries offered. Roti Jala is also very popular as an afternoon tea snack. For me, I can eat them anytime of the day as long as I have some curries to go with them. I have always wanted to make Roti Jala, but there is a problem, I didn’t have the mold. Recently I brought one back from home, together with the pie tee mold that I’d blogged about. I got to play with my new toy yesterday and dished out these fantabulous Roti Jala…(learn how to make roti jala with my YouTube video after the jump)
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Penang Assam Laksa pictures (1 of 10)
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Before I start writing this post, I have a confession to make. I have an Asian (Chinese/Malaysian) mouth. In my gastronomic dictionary, it simply means that I can’t live without rice and noodles, soy sauce, sambal belacan, spicy and pungent food–the foods of my Chinese-Malaysian root.
Just this past week, I had a massive Asian mouth attack. Granted, I savored some of the best French foods–foie gras, cheese, mussels, seafood, duck, terrine, and the list goes on. However, three days into eating meals after meals of immaculate French food, I got bored of it…it’s too heavy and luxurious for my cheap taste. No offense to French cuisine connoisseur, I wanted something without cream or butter or sauces or excessive details; I wanted something simple and straightforward such as my Asian rice and noodle dishes–Hokkien mee, fried rice noodles, steamed rice rolls, char kway teow, chicken rice, and especially Penang Assam Laksa…
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If you still recall, I have a thing for mini foods–vegetable, tartlets, or anything small and cutesy.
When I was home last month, I stumbled upon this curvy mini gourd in the market. Called Hu Lu, or 葫芦 in Mandarin, this fruit usually shows up in the market during Chinese New Year. As one of the [...]
Click here to view some pictures I snapped during the first two days of Chinese New Year.
As I am on a painfully slooooow 56K dial-up connection now, I will keep this short. I hate jetlag, I miss my broadband connection in the US, but Chinese New Year has been very fun so far.
I will post [...]
No, I am not a sorcerer and I do not practise black magic. These creepy looking “creatures” with two horns and a monstrous face are not my “sacrifice” or offerings; nor are they skeletons in the closet. As a matter of fact, they are a type of aquatic plant and totally edible (only if you [...]
Along the East-West Highway and interstate highways of Malaysia, one can find many fruit stalls selling various kinds of local fruits. As a fruit lover, I love stopping at these stalls in order to pick out my fruits-du-jour while traveling. There is no better way to tantalize the taste buds than to spend time here.
While [...]
