Bengali Begun Bhaja

Frying and crispiness and all things mouth nice by immediately tucking into whichever fried dish for the matter. Tell me about it? Fried stuffs. Oh-my! Definitely like an immediate pop up in our mouth and Bengali Begun Bhaja, which is sliced brinjal slices (Baingan Bharta, Japanese Eggplant Saute, Eggplant Tikka Masala & Brinjal Stir Fry) coated or dipped in a masala batter and fried should not at all be discounted. Deliciousness mind you. In fact utter delicious crispiness and soft melt inside and the marvelous aroma of spices. Obviously, as the name of this fried brinjal has indicated, Bengali Begun Bhaja is part and parcel of Bengali cuisine I quite know it as well (Bengali Fish Curry). Plus, I must quote other recipes too (Sukhi Aloo Sabzi, Punjabi Sabut Moong Dal, Aam ki Achaar, Tamatar ki Chutney, Shahi Gobi & Tari Wale Aloo). Therefore? God! I don't know when else to say except please tuck into Bengali Begun Bhaja (Cauliflower Fritters & Kurkuri Bhindi). 

Sambal Belimbing Ikan Bilis

The power house Malaysian (Nasi Ulam) sambal is up and about again in this precious space of mine. Sambal? What else do you want me to say or I myself should possibly say (Sambal Goreng Teri, Malaysian Sambal Sandwich, Sambal Udang Kering & Sambal Udang Petai)? Of course, I can go on and on, and blow all the trumpets towards our sambal, especially the various types I have already shared with all you foodies (Sambal Sotong & Sambal Ikan) and much has also already been spoken about Belimbing, or Belimbing buluh in my precious recipe (Malaysian Fish Head Curry). Thus, lets just keep it simple for the intro and keep it boldly spicy for this Sambal Belimbing Ikan Bilis (Sambal Tumis Ikan Bilis). The base, in other words, the sambal base is pretty much the same as in for other sambal as well, but belimbing definitely is the sensation for its sourness and tad bit of sweetness in Sambal Belimbing Ikan Bilis. In fact, Belimbing Buluh is another of our Malaysian powerhouse fruit.

Chili Hummus

How far have I come in this space of mine? Quite far actually. In fact, quite a proud improvement for my cooking and recipe sharing. However, not about copying recipes (Tomato Rice Pilaf, Moroccan Pea Soup & Baingan Bharta/Brinjal Mash). Actually, to tell you the truth, copying is not my ball game, though I admit I do refer to recipes. Recipes from anywhere for the matter and of course, these days, online videos and tv cooking shows are most marketed. If you are asking me, indeed yes and I guess its a good thing as well. We learn, we improve and we can along the way coin our own recipes. Take this Chili Hummus as an example. My own version. If you don't believe me, do your search please and I bet you will believe me. What is hummus by the way? Hummus is basically a dip (Sambal Terasi, Mango Chutney & Creamy Avocado Dip). Dip for anything you like to dip in and we dipped toast into this Chili Hummus made in the blender. Ingredients for this my special style Chili Hummus? Chick pea, yogurt (Cucumber Yogurt Salad), chili flakes, olive oil and believe me, curry leaves (Curry Leaves Rice).

Eastern & Oriental Hotel - Georgetown, Penang (Buffet Breakfast)

 

I definitely looked forward to breakfast in Eastern & Oriental Hotel. I did. I wanted to find out if buffet is gonna be worth, mind you, our premium suite did not come cheap. So, logically, for the price we paid, of course buffet is already billed, next morning (Deluxcious Spa & Red Garden Food Paradise), at about 9.15, after a lazy hop out of bed and showering, we walked into the dining area. Lovely! Akin we have walked into a classic, those days Chinese coffee shop, we decided to sit outside, across the sea. Nice view. Beautiful spot on view for gazing at, while tucking into breakfast. Coffee came cruising soon, we then, I mean what else is there but to opt for our choices between the spread of local and western dishes. Salad, fresh juice, toast, dips, noodles, nasi lemak and the rest.

Red Garden Food Paradise - Leith Street, George Town (Penang)

Returning back to Eastern & Oriental Hotel, I, trust me, I was still fuming. How can I possibly not be? Remember, I told you about my spa disaster in Deluxcious spa? My anger thermometer almost raptured, I just couldn't keep my big fat mouth shut. I had spill all of it to my other half-half, who was still dazed after his sleeping beauty sleep. He in return just smiled, what else can he do anyway, later, we got down to deciding where dinner should be (Coffee Lane Cafe). Restaurants, classy expensive eateries? Neh. What for? We thought we might as well walk the streets, and if we find something, we will decide there and then. And, so we walk, a long walk actually. All the way from the hotel, while looking out for eateries, eventually, once we noticed Red Garden's signboard, we had to decide. How about dinner in this hawker paradise? Sure. I was in for it. Grabbing a table beforehand, once we took a good turnaround, we realise that Red Garden Food Paradise is akin an international food court. Row by row hawker stalls, featuring all sorts of food, all sorts mind you. Not only local cuisines, you name it, Japanese,Thai, Korean, Western and what not. Quite a huge choice, indeed, thrown in with free entertainment from the three piece band.    

Deluxcious Spa - Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah (Penang)

Within an hour, over excitement and jumping on the bed in Premium Suite Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang slowly fizzled off. I was getting restless whereas my other half was trying to catch up on his sleep. To stop me from needling him, he suggested that I should do a spa. Why not I thought since he is paying and I can continue with more luxury which doesn't come always. At E & O Hotel there's no spa but can be arranged. Highly recommended is Deluxcious spa, in fact, I think the one and only, yes, hotel will make the arrangement for you. Screen the spa menu in your room, let the hotel know which is your choice, the rest will be cared for. I opted for the highest and most expensive "Mediterranean Spa Journey" because I really wanted my time to a luxurious pampering session. 

Nasi Ulam (Malaysian Mixed Herb Rice)

Nasi Ulam. Malaysian Mixed Herb Rice. Indeed, a popularity in our Northern states (Laksam Kelantan) and a trip to any of these states is not complete if you don't tuck into Nasi Ulam. I of course as you know, have a profound and tremendous love for rice. Whichever type, believe me, will make me happy and Malaysia and Malaysian proud me (Mee Goreng Udang, Malaysian Sambal Sandwich, Nyonya Acar Fish, Masak Lemak Ikan Masin Nenas & Malaysian Spicy Sour Fish Soup Noodles). Furthermore, rice dishes are not something new to me. I quite have it at the back of my hands and when you grow your own herbs in your garden, what should be confusing in coming up with your version of Nasi Ulam (Nasi Pudina & Nasi Dagang). Honestly, if you are asking me, any combination of local herbs will do instead of specific varieties. You can even coin a vegetarian version, but by far, fried and flaked fish possibly must be one of the it in Nasi Ulam,  and of course for spiciness, nothing can beat our Sambal Belacan or even Sambal Terasi and instead of cooking rice in the rice cooker (Tomato Rice Pilaf) like I usually do, rice must be steamed. Thereafter, all things nice Malaysian herbs - pegaga/pennywort, kacang botol/winged beans (Kerabu Kacang Botol), bunga kantan/ginger torch bud, daun kunyit/turmeric leaf, basil leaves, spring onion, and shallots and salt. Steamed Rice, flaked fish and herbs tossed and in one for a spectacular, Nava-K's version of Nasi Ulam. 

Eastern & Oriental Hotel - Premium Suite, Penang

Quite an action packed, full of activity previous day (Ixora Hotel, Flamingo Hotel, Ayer Hitam Asam Laksa & Kek Lok Si Temple), next day after lunching in Karaikudi Restaurant, family decided to part. In fact, all of them returned to Kuala Lumpur, whereas, we decided to extend our stay in Penang. Huh-huh! Joy to my travel venture, my other half-half literally couldn't say no when I slyly insisted that we stayed on. He also I think was trapped in our marriage love trap because he gave in, again, to our stay in Eastern & Oriental Hotel. Joy on this day, I have always wanted to experience a stay in this, one of the best among the rest, well known and back then to those years hotel (Rasa Sayang Hotel). No booking whatsoever, at an ad-hoc basis, we tried our luck. We were actually only keen in a normal room, but since, we could get none, we agreed for the premium suite. Premium suite? Yes, believe me. So excited I was, not always, akin lottery stuck, of course, with my other half-half's hard earned money, while he sorted out payment and our particulars, we were served the punchy, fruity and extremely delicious juice. Wow! Honestly, the first quench into this juice was proven. I made sure I finished off every drop, thereafter, we were ushered to our suite by the butler.  

Nyonya Acar Fish

Nyonya (Nyonya Mee Siam & Ayam Pongteh) and Acar (Aam ka Achaar & Penang Acar) and Fish (Indonesian Grilled Fish & Malaysian Fish Head Curry). Like a rhyme and rhythm especially for me and I just so somewhat love sour notes. Whichever and however, sourness is something I can't give up no matter what (Cambodian Sour Fish Soup) and this Nyonya Acar Fish? A splatter on our taste buds. In fact, can rekindle your appetite and of course you need a plate of rice. Nyonya Acar Fish made from the quintessential and like must have ingredients for Nyonya cooking or even for our other savory dishes, made ahead and stored in the fridge and the next course of action of course is tucking in during your daily meals.

Coffee Lane Cafe - Georgetown (Penang)

An impromptu visit to Penang, don't ask me why, what and how. Please don't. Its a long story I don't want to dwell upon. Gonna be rather complicated, I am sure won't make sense to you as well. So, skip, lets skip the reason to Penang, let me speak on this dining experience in Coffee Lane Cafe. Accompanied by my cousin, he, in fact is the one who suggested Coffee Lane Cafe he has visited, maybe, lets say two or three times. I of course was extremely keen, why not? Sounded like my kind of food love, we parked, oh god, parking is quite a thing in Georgetown. Blame it on the usual hustle and bustle, rapid development and Georgetown by itself is a major tourism parade and paradise. We managed, we parked, not really close, within a 5 minutes walking distance, prior to crossing the junction for the entry to Coffee Lane Cafe.

Lemon Bars

Made once before but it headed to almost to disaster. Not to say couldn't be eaten, but I personally didn't like how the pictures of the previous lemon bars.  So, I deleted the recipe after leaving it uploaded in this space of mine for a year. Not at all regrettable because when I decided to make Lemon Bars again, I already knew it. Which and what ingredients and also keeping the oven temperature in control for the birth of these Lemon Bars. Lemons of course, tell me about it? Scent and their tanginess and tartness (Lemon Cashew Rice &  Baked Lemon Chicken). Oh my, I can feel my tongue being tickled right now, and pretty much lemons jiving and dancing well in savory and sweet pleasures (Lemon Cream Pie & Lemon Buttermilk Cake). Naturally then, do we have say anything else when these Lemon Bars are a concern? Oh-my-my. Simply the melting and crumbling moment. The moment you daintily bite in and the scent of lemon an ultimate dessert time (Nescafe Ice Cream, Classic Genoise, Mandarin Orange Cake, Saffron Poached Pears & Chocolate Cheesecake).

Mixed Vegetable Soup

And so like they say, if you really can't conclude what to cook for the day (Moroccan Pea Soup, Kashmiri Vegetable Soup, Kenchin Jiru/Japanese Vegetable Soup, Moo Gook/Korean Radish Soup & Caldo Verde/Portuguese Potato Soup) and you also want to clear your fridge, plus the weather is chilling your bones, what else can be a new story in our kitchen? Wouldn't you agree it should potentially be a soup story? A soup as well (Thai Tomato Soup, Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup & Chinese Tofu Soup), for also, like I have already said, for saving all the vegetables in the fridge before they permanently bid bye-bye? Such a waste right? Throwing away ingredients? As if you are throwing away money as well? Of course (Old Cucumber Soup, Burdock Root Soup, Winter Melon Soup & Turmeric Tomato Soup). Moreover, there's no leaps and bounds for a soup. By far, anything goes? Literally whatever, like for this Mixed Vegetable Soup. Of course, we must have aroma and scent for an Indian soup and we can't run far away from spices. All about worthiness. The worthiness of slurping or drenching Mixed Vegetable Soup over rice prior to finger and hand tucking in. I mean, nothing like our fingers leading the way when its an Indian soup in rice instead of soup being a starter (Pumpkin Soup, Creamy Mushroom Soup & Onion Soup). Oh, before I forget, vegetable stock and butter does mountain heaps of luxurious goodness in Mixed Vegetable Soup.

Thai Fried Chicken

Honestly, fried chicken is not a regularity in my house. Most of the time, fried chicken is trended when we have a gathering and also, when family pops by, though I do from time to time cook chicken when its a meal on my own (Chilli Chicken, Chicken Kebab, Sesame Chicken & Sweet Chilli Chicken). Of course, like I have repeated donkey times (Sichuan Noodle Soup), my other half-half will not come any close to chicken and maybe that could be one of the reasons why fried chicken is like every now and then  when he is travelling (Tandoori Chicken, Baked Lemon Chicken, Curried Roast Chicken, Baked Cornflakes Chicken & Spicy Chicken Wings) What was the occasion why I made a different style of fried chicken on this particular day? Family popped by and the kids in the family,  in fact, kids these days just so love fried chicken (Ayam Goreng Berempah). What is the supporting reason for making Thai Fried Chicken?  Pretty much I had stock of the Thai ingredients. You know me right? Me and my love for Thai cooking (Lamb Massaman Curry, Tom Yum Goong, Thai Vegetable Curry & Thai Green Fish Curry). Thai paste made, tipped into chicken and simmered to half cook chicken and then fried to utter crispy on the outside and soft tenderness inside, and aroma taking center stage of my kitchen

Steamed Pork With Salted Fish

Steamed Pork With Salted Fish! Trust me, a rapid explosion and burst of my or maybe even your forever appreciated and loved saltiness and spiciness in tender pork belly. Of course, pork belly and fats as well? Not really healthy, but I guess once a while would massively shake our health (Siew Yoke & Char Siu). Steamed Pork With Salted Fish is really so and very easy to make. Add all the ingredients in a steaming tray and steam, and you are done. My version I believe is somewhat unique and outstanding because I decided to go with my instinct and gut feeling on how I can further spiral and heighten Steamed Pork With Salted Fish to up and away, higher for a major revelation of tastes (Salted Fish Bone Soup, Salted Fish Bone Curry, Salted Egg Chicken, Dried Shrimp Sambal & Bean Sprouts Salted Fish).  Pork belly steamed alongside salted fish, chillies, soy sauce, ginger, and tamarind, garnished with coriander leaves. 

Mee Goreng Udang

Mee Goreng Udang, or prawn fried mee. The frying technic which by far is not a brain cracker, but when we speak about frying noodles on the whole, we must have all the ingredients on stand by and as close to us possibly. Otherwise? We may end up over-cooking the ingredients we have already put in the big wok and then, it can turn out to be a disaster or we ending up stressing ourselves, and let's not forget about sweating when frying. Of course. Ask me about sweating and I can go on and on (Malaysian Style Fried Mee Hoon, Hakka Noodles, Chow Mein & Hokkien Mee & Char Kway Teow). That's about it I think the cooking tips for Mee Goreng Udang which is definitely another one of our Malaysian food show stealer. Noodles fried alongside prawns (Hokkien Hae Mee, Shrimp Pad Thai & Shrimp Pho), cabbage, eggs, garlic, spring onion and soy sauce (Nyonya Mee Siam, Malaysian Sour Spicy Fish Soup Noodles, Mee Rebus, Laksam Kelantan & Malaysian Fried Mee).