Rasa Malaysia » Malaysia Guides

My Interview with SilkAir about Penang Food

Rasa Malaysia — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:45:19 +0000

I did an interview with SilkAir (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines) a couple of months ago and the article finally came out! If you are flying with SilkAir, you will see the feature on the Sept/Oct 2009 issue of “SilkWinds”–the inflight magazine. There are some errors in the article: 1) they think I am a *he*, 2) wrong facts about...

Kuih Bahulu Recipe

Rasa Malaysia — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:19:00 +0000

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...

Durian, The King of Fruits

Rasa Malaysia — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:56:00 +0000

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...

Roti Jala and Malaysian Curry Chicken Recipe

Rasa Malaysia — Sat, 31 May 2008 19:42:42 +0000

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...

Penang Assam Laksa Recipe (Nyonya Hot and Sour Noodles in Fish Soup)

Rasa Malaysia — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:16:00 +0000

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...

Mini Gourd

Rasa Malaysia — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 05:40:00 +0000

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 essential items during the festive...

Photoblog: Chinese New Year

Rasa Malaysia — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 06:59:00 +0000

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 more soon, hopefully; the WIFI...

Water Caltrops

Rasa Malaysia — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 05:32:00 +0000

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 dare!). Called water caltrops, these nut-like...

The Fruits of Malaysia

Rasa Malaysia — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 04:37:00 +0000

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 these stalls are basically simple...

An Insider’s Guide to Penang Hawker Food

Rasa Malaysia — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 03:26:00 +0000

Born and raised in Penang, I am practically a living and walking food guide when it comes to eating Penang hawker food or street food. As requested by many readers, I have finally put together this comprehensive “An Insider’s Guide to Penang Hawker Food“ to give you the insider’s tips about the where, what, and who of the best of the...