Sunday, August 14, 2016

Cempedak Goreng Rangup

Cempedak Goreng Rangup. Like Pisang Goreng. Almost in fact. Only maybe the fruit. Pisang goreng is crispy fried banana cased in crispy batter. And cempedak goreng is cempedak, if I am not mistaken the aunty or uncle of jack fruit, also cased in a crispy batter after frying. My Cempedak Goreng on the other hand? The traditional frying of cempedak given a tiny bit of new lease of food and dessert life. Why?  I added black sesame seeds in the batter mixture prior to dipping cempedak and frying. Not bad right? Most probably. After all, like I always tell you, we don't have cook like others. We can actually set our selves apart. Even in cooking mind you. In which Malaysian food category must cempedak goreng rangup be placed? Of course alongside our, the rest of our kuih-muih/local delicacies (Malaysian Banana Flambe, Pulut Inti, Wajik Pulut, Pumpkin Sago DessertKuih Kosui & Kuih Buah Melaka). Of course, I can go on, and on, and on, and quote the rest of our local delicacies, then again? Cempedak Goreng Rangup. Natural burst of cempedak sweetness inside and like I have already told you, crispy crunchy batter outside.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Colombo - Sri Lanka (Nava K Seen)

Final league. Final road travelling league for our 2 days in Colombo from Galle. Miles and miles already on the road, starting from Negambo, Kandy, Nurwara Eliya and Katagarama, today, its the final loop. Another road loop. Thankfully. Frankly speaking, if you are asking for my opinion how it has been so far,  let me be out-rightly blunt. Basically, honest to goodness, listen, I must agree and I must salute Sri Lanka as haven paradise. But the thing to hours from one place to the other I think made us the losers to time. I really couldn't get it. Road mode of transport literally taking up our time instead of more on sightseeing. According to our tour guide, he kept telling us there is nothing to see for this route we have opted for. Beats me. We still sense this lazy bum of a fellow is taking us for a joyride. Maybe not his fault. He is we concluded merely a driver, not a tour guide. Nevermind. But he is another person who love to sulk and complain. Like the worst one in our tour group, the rest were not too bad, this fellow is only interested in safe guarding his interest. Sulking about sightseeing spots due to lack of parking, so little knowledge on Sri Lanka and coming with it attractions, additionally, his Sri Lankan ascent, through his thick and thin birth. By the third day, we sort of knew. His tricks definitely didn't work on us. So much so we literally forced him to thirst for sightseeing spots we wanted to visit. Imagine ending up this sort of person? Whatever said, he knew he had to pull up his socks. Good. On our route to Colombo, he made it a point in stopping us at the beaches, monuments and he slowed down to driving as well so that we can peep at the whatever which attracted our attention along the way. 

Monday, August 1, 2016

Malaysian Banana Flambe

Banana Flame and obviously from my Malaysian kitchen. Of course, me the Malaysian home chef who somehow will coin even a dessert from our Malaysian ingredients. I suppose the Malaysian in me can't be erased forever and for a fact, I love it that way too. After all, if we are not proud of our mother land, who else will (Malaysian Style Sambal Sandwich) and this is the halal version banana flambe. Meaning, without alcohol, nevertheless, if you feel you want to pour in, go ahead towards the end for flaming up before removing from heat. Ingredients for our Malaysian Banana (Banana Chocolate Cake) Flambe? Clearly listed below (Malaysian Banana Pancakes & Kuih Kodok). Naturally, our local ingredients for this our Malaysian affordable and without compromising on the key crucial dessert delight which is I believe is not sinfulness or guiltiness. Go ahead. Make yourself sugar happy (Easy Banana Bread & Bingka Pisang). 

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Galle - Sri Lanka (Nava K Seen)

Bags packed and loaded into the van before our morning meal in Katagarama. The daily standard routine I suppose unless you are staying put in the same hotel. We in fact, from day one, have been packing daily for heading to one place from the other and from one hotel to the next for the past 3 days (Nurwara Eliya, Kandy Negambo). Mind you, I was already feeling it. Bags packing daily, the long hours to road travelling and sleeping while travelling, like I have already told you, is not my best friend. Let alone during this trip, gosh, the group I was with? The senior citizens and their dramas. Not a shocker actually. I have encountered such people before. But this group, by far, is the worst lot. So claiming they have travelled the horizon, over and over speaking about how extensively they have travelled, yet complaining non stop. One moment this, next minute that, blah-blah-blah, so on and so forth, tipping every Tom, Dick and Harry for no apparent reason, as though trying to show off, feeling sorry for every person we came across and trust me, a whole more stuffs I don't think I should waste me telling you. God! The worst part of it all was, two of them shouting and screaming at each other because they couldn't decide which room to opt for, for their night together. Lesson learned from these people? Not everyone is made to travel, it really matters who you travel with, you can have the money, but if you don't have the right attitude, you will ruin other people's travelling joy, maybe its age and grumpiness too and never ever, if you still must share room, make sure you know the person well. 

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Pork Bulgogi

Pork is my life. Though not in my house. Obviously, for one particular reason. My other half-half and his anti-pork eating. Regardless, to be fair to him, he has no qualms to me cooking (Steamed Pork with Salted Fish). Then again? Cooking a dish for yourself? I can in fact for a matter, yet? I just feel its a waste of time because there's no short of pork meals outside. Of course, every once a blue moon, really once a blue moon mind you, a pork dish is rolled out from my kitchen (Siew Yoke & Char Siu) and on this particular day, I decided. I made Pork Bulgogi (Moo Gook/Korean Radish Soup). Paired alongside a Korean style cucumber tomato salad and as usual, my style of cooking is my own style. Pork Bulgogi made from the ingredients already stocked up in my pantry and fridge instead of, I mean, why bother buying ingredients when you can make do with what you have? Pork Bulgogi. The honey, soy sauce, sticky spicy style. I did it. I bet you can as well.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Kataragama - Sri Lanka (Nava K Seen)

Morning, like every other daily, must, yes, be broken by breakfast. For this Nava K, call her a nut case or whatever. I'll leave it to you. Its entirely up to you how you wanna address people like me who give reasons like laziness and crisis to time managing for skipping breakfast instead of accepting the fact to, of course I am aware breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yet? Pathetic right? Skipping breakfast for lame excuses? But strange or peculiarly, I really look forward to breakfast while travelling. I make sure I pack my tummy with food. Well, what can or should I say? Breakfast is included in tour packages, breakfast is needed for energy me primarily on my legs and breakfast is served, instead of me preparing a morning meal for myself at home. I guess breakfast is also one of the perks to travelling I yearn for by virtue of my hard earned money.  

Friday, July 15, 2016

Vegetarian Nyonya Laksa

Vegetarianism! Seemingly, for whatever reasons maybe, is a big trend these days? Why, if you are asking me? I think we did speak about this before, but nevermind, sometimes its good I repeat myself like a parrot. Personally, I really don't have the answer, but I think for health reasons or reaching out to god. What about me? Me vegetarian? I am definitely not a vegetarian. Of course, into our food picture, the once a week being a vegetarian due to my other half-half. He believing in vegetarianism for his religious belief and I? Like what? No point rocking the marriage boat just because of a vegetarian meal right (Mee Siam Kuah Vegetarian, Maggi Goreng Mamak Vegetarian, Chinese Vegetable Noodle Soup, Vegetarian Chow Mein, Vegetarian Mee Hoon & Chinese Vegetarian Noodle Soup)? What's there to fuss about anyway? No point. I am the chef at home, and can you imagine cooking a vegetarian meal and then cooking a non for yourself? Duh!

Zen Style Chronicles: The Serene Aura of Home Attire

In today's Zen Style spotlight, let's explore the serene world of home attire. Let's start with a simple question: What's yo...