Mee Bandung Muar: My Kingdom For A Decent Plate

In 1982, I was called up to register as a new student at Mara Junior Science College. As our Penang campus was not ready until 1984, I registered at our temporary campus at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara in Bakri, Muar, Johor.

At the age of 13, I have been traveled to Singapore, but never to Johor, let alone to a town on the west coast of the state, also known as Bandar Maharani. Being brought up in the north, I find the food there vastly different from the heavily-spiced, Indian, Thai, Aceh and Palembang influenced delicacies. The food was simpler...it was simply different.

Muar town itself, at that time, was not much of a busy place. The shops were simple, mostly old buildings. I have not been back to Muar ever since I left it in 1983, but I can be very sure that the town has grown massively over the decades. Looking back, I realized that most of the time when I go out to Muar town on the weekends, I either rarely or never eat rice. In fact, there are 2 dishes that I remember vividly (and fondly) and enjoyed so much in Muar: Lontong and my all-time-favorite, Mee Bandung.

Mee Bandung originated from Muar. There was a misconception that Mee Bandung came from Bandung, Indonesia, but I was made to understand that the word "Bandung" is an old Malay language meaning "mixed." The popular "Sirap Bandung" has the similar meaning where sugar syrup is mixed with milk. Mee Bandung is a dish where the ingredients are mixed and cooked together, unlike most noodle dishes where the noodle is blanched separately and only mixed with the gravy or soup before serving.

Basically, Mee Bandung Muar's gravy is made of onions, shrimp paste, dried shrimps, chili, tomato and beef stock/broth. Once cooked together, vegetables are added along with noodles. An egg is added while everything boils and seconds before the dish is served, 3/4 cooked with the yolks still runny. In some versions, crushed peanuts are also included.

I remember looking at the bridge from the stall

In 1982, my all time favorite place in Muar town is an area located next to the Muar River where there are a number of stalls operating there, something like an open air food court. The only stall I visited there was Gerai Mak Limah, and, to me, she made the best Mee Bandung in town. I understand that the stalls are no longer there as the area has been developed, and I never knew whether Gerai Mak Limah is still operating or not.

Mak Limah was already middle-aged at that time, and she ran the stall with either her daughter or son. My menu is always the same when I go there: an order of Mee Bandung and a glass of Sirap Bandung. Today's Mee Bandung sellers usually up the ante by adding chicken, shrimp, fish balls and fishcakes, but back in 1982, Mak Limah's Mee Bandung was much simpler, yet hearty. There are a few cuts of beef, some vegetables and always, that cooked egg yet with runny yolks. I was always amazed by how she managed to prepare the Mee Bandung with taste that's always consistent and the eggs always 3/4 cooked, with the yolk never punctured. As always, it hit the spot.

After leaving Muar in 1983, I could never find the perfect Mee Bandung Muar, except for once. In 2000/2001, I was recommended to try a stall at a food court located next to the Petronas Station behind Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital in Kuala Lumpur. The proprietor of the stall is referred to as Wak, a Johorean. His Mee Bandung was the closest to Mak Limah's although more on the lavish side. In fact, it was served in a clay pot, still bubbling. It was good until after a few trips there, the quality declined. The taste began deviating and we suspected that certain vital ingredients were skipped or skimmed, and that was the end of that.

Between 1995-1999, I was in Johor Bahru a lot, but despite the abundance on the availability of Lontong, the Mee Bandung was a far cry. Being up north, my chances of getting a decent, even if slightly original Mee Bandung is sadly thin. I have tried more than a dozen stalls in Alor Setar and Sungai Petani that claim to make Mee Bandung, which usually not even close. One time I tried Mee Bandung at a restaurant which looked quite posh, but the dish tasted like tomato puree diluted in water. Another stall put my tongue on fire with their Mee Bandung when they put 5 crushed Cili Melaka into the gravy.

Anywhere I can find a decent Mee Bandung here?

Almost 10 years ago, to satisfy the cravings for this dish, I managed to locate a recipe for Mee Bandung and made it myself. Understandably, the preparation was tedious, but the taste managed to satisfy. Still, it was tiring and quite difficult to keep overnight as the noodles were cooked in the gravy and will become soft and soggy if kept over. Furthermore, the taste is best when it's freshly made.

I still look forward to finding an eating place up north that serves an authentic Mee Bandung, it doesn't have to be lavish but the taste must be right. If anybody knows, I welcome your recommendations.

We're Back With One New

Ramadhan is here; here we are again, back to the same area, but slightly ahead of the previous location. Well, we had to, with the new by-pass, people just might not notice usa there.

I was happy to see another stall being set up next to Syed Nasir's Nasi Arab. The stall sells the popular Tepung Talam from Jitra. He used to have another branch at Restoran Mama, also on Lebuhraya Sultanah Bahiyah, but I rarely get the chance to buy the tepung talam because it was sold out before 4:00 p.m.

Now what is tepung talam? Tepung talam is a sweet dish, with 2 layers, usually served during tea time, or any time nowadays. The bottom layer is usually made of brown sugar and flour, cooked until it thicken and becomes the base. The top part is more gelatinous and, what Malaysians say as, "lemak". It is made of coconut milk and rice flour.

I rarely buy tepung talam because I find that the quality has really gone down the drains. They use too much flour, some use very little coconut milk, some use no coconut milk, but try to substitute it with more flour...I mean, it is ridiculous; if you can make a proper tepung talam, do it nicely, and those who don't, go home. Many people I met do not mind paying extra for good kuih, including tepung talam.

Now, Mak Anjang Tepung Talam one of the best in Alor Setar. At RM1.50 a piece, (quite a strip) it enjoyed a a good sales on the first day of Ramadhan. It was doing well before Nasir can set up his tent yet for the Nasi Arab.

I was at Nasir's tent to get some Nasi Arab for my parents, and the crowd is as phenomenal as ever. There was a long line forming at the Nasi Arab stall as I was leaving. Generally I must say that, the crowd will mostly be Muslims, being the fasting season. However, I have seen how more and more Chinese and Indians are beginning to get into the queue through the years. If the food is good, everybody has a right to taste it.

I'll be setting up my stall tomorrow. For those who'd like to take a leap of faith and try what we offer, our location is as below:

Basically, we are just across from Sekolah Mengengah Sultanah Bahiyah, and just next to the Shell station on Lebuhraya Sultanah Bahiyah.

Here's the price list available:

Nasi Arab Pak Tuan: RM7/set

My stall:
Godam (Beef Pie with Potato)    RM1.50/piece
Bengkang Susu            RM0.50/piece
Beef Currfy Puff        RM0.50/piece

New - Tepung Talam Mak Anjang : RM1.20/piece ( not a small piece)

Mee Abu & Popia Jamal : Impressing Thomas

Thomas is a good friend of mine from Penang. He is a property agent from Penang, and despite of still being young, he has proven to be very capable in getting good tenants for my properties in Penang. He was in Alor Setar back in early July 2011, and I must say I was quite in a dilema at that time. When I went to Penang, Thomas took me to a very nice Indian restaurant where I enjoyed a festive spread of dishes, especially the lamb curry. Now that Thomas was in Alor Setar, where should I take him? As it was about 2.30 in the afternoon, I decided to take him to one of Alor Setar's legendary Indian Muslim restaurants, Mee Abu. Nasi Lemak Ali and Nasi Lemak Royal only open in the evening, so Mee Abu was the perfect choice.

According to those who know it, Mee Abu started off in the 1960s in front of the Royal Cinema (where Menara Alor Ria stands now) selling mee rebus and fried noodles. Later he set-up a small restaurant in Jalan Teluk Wan Jah which still is still in operation today and a branch in Jalan Sultanah. A few years back, as I was told, the two shops parted ways in management as the one in Jalan Telok Wan Jah is owned by Pak Abu's brother and the one in Jalan Sultanah by his children. Which one is better depends solely on personal preference, for me, I prefer the Jalan Sultanah branch. I have frequented the shop for years and I found that the particular branch has a better edge in taste. As I have said before, it depends on personal preference and taste.

The Mee Abu Shop is not that big in size as it has about 10 - 12 tables inside, and during busy hours, the atmosphere can be quite stuffy. As of any Mamak restaurants, you can see your dishes prepared at the front of the shop. Located just outside the shop is a lady selling popia, or spring rolls...no, not fried, but the nice, freshly rolled ones. Would you believe that this branch of Mee Abu consist of 2 legends which started out as humble street food?

In the 1970s, an Indian Muslim by the name of Jamal set-up a stall at the very junction of Jalan Putra, just beside the Court building, next to Wisma Negeri and Balai Nobat. At the time, the road were not that busy. In a short span of time, Popia Jamal became a household name in Alor Setar. The generous fillings and his delicious sweet sauce drove Popia Jamal into one the of the legends of Alor Setar delicacies. When development was carried out in the 1980s, Popia Jamal moved out and not much was known of his new locations. In the mid-1990s, every now and then, I would see a Popia Jamal stall at pasar malams in Alor Setar. Today, one of Jamal's sons runs a Popia Jamal outlet at the Tesco Mergong Food Court. Jamal's daughter has a stall at Mee Abu Jalan Sultanah, which is a perfect addition to the already famous eating outlet in Alor Setar.

Thomas and I were at Mee Abu around 3.00pm, and I thought to myself, "How do I get Thomas to taste (almost) everything that Mee Abu has to offer?" Thomas made it known to me that, being from Penang, he is no stranger to Mamak food, but I prefer to let him taste first and judge. In the end, I decided to order single servings of Mee Abu's famous Koayteow Goreng, Pasembor and their trademark Mee Rebus. Of course, a single set of 3 pieces of Popia Jamal as the opener or appetizer, is a must.

The spring rolls, or popia, unlike some other popia stalls, has quite a moist skin, filled with crunchy vegetables such as bean sprouts and a sort of a sea-food flavor. The sauce is just nice, not too sweet and not too hot. The single pieces are quite large in portion, and as an appetizer or snack, the popia is just perfect.

Among the basic items used to make Mee Rebus, Koayteow Goreng and Pasembor is the use of sauces and gravy. Upon entering the shop, you might notice 3 large pots on the cooking stall. One will have the hot sauce, which usually in bright red in color, the second is the sweet sauce and the biggest pot contains the gravy for the Mee Rebus. All these sauces are used in different portions in making the 3 dishes that we ordered, giving each dish its unique blend of taste. Unlike Penang Mamak food, which usually uses more seafood in their dishes, Mee Abu uses cpw lungs, which have been boiled until it's tender, and also gives a different flavor compared to others. Also, the crispy cucur, or fritters complement the dishes with its tasty and crunchy texture.

After all these technical or overly-too-draggy explanation, one thing remains, Thomas really enjoyed himself. Although he is not a big fan of cow lungs, he went all out for the dishes. He loved the pasembor and koayteow, but differed slightly at the Mee Rebus. The savoury fried flat-noodles, the sweet and hot pasembor and the lavish noodle with gravy, all, except the Pasembor, cooked over a charcoal burner. Yes, charcoal, no gas. The Mee Rebus is actually quite hearty, with noodles, bean sprouts, cow lungs, fritters, boiled egg with a rich, thick gravy with a beefy flavor. Even Thomas acknowledged the difference in taste and flavor that distinguish the differences between Penang and Alor Setar Mamak food. In fact, I must say that this also distinguishes the difference between Alor Setar's old school Mamak food and the new ones.

The big names of Kedah have patronized this restaurant over the many years it has been in operation. The former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir Mohamad, tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary and many more, including politicians from government and opposition have eaten at Mee Abu before. Legend has it that Tun M suggested that Mee Abu set-up a branch in KL but they decided not to after considering many factors. Well, politicians can raise hell in state assembly at their allocated time, but when it comes to food, you can see them sitting at the same table.

I promised Thomas that we'll be at Mee Abu again the next time he drops by Alor Setar. There is another dish on the menu that we did not try: the Murtabak. We were a bit too early on that day, and when they started making murtabak, we were way too full. I was very happy to see how pleased Thomas was with his new "food-exploration." I was even happier to see how much he appreciated and identified the differences in the food culture. I am just hoping that he won't be upset with me if he starts needing new clothes after all the food that I introduce everytime he drops by Alor Setar.

For those who would love to try the old-school Mamak food of Alor Setar, Mee Abu will be one of the perfect places to start. They open early in the morning, serving roti canai and nasi lemak, and then their trademark Mee rebus/goreng, pasembor and popia from afternoon till evening. Murtabaks are available around 4.30 in the evening. The prices are reasonable. Who knows, you might just run into somebody who is somebody in Kedah there. Then again, with all the food to savour, who actually cares?

Here's how to get there:

Makmur With The Irreplaceable Ganti Susu

As Ramadhan draws to a close and Syawal waltzes in, almost every Muslim household got busy in their kitchen. My mother will be busy preparing her famous Mee Rebus (Palembang Style) and her home-made Rojak. One of these days, I will try to write down her recipes here for all.

Among the snacks that come abundant during Hari Raya are the Hari Raya biscuits. Various types such as cookies, tarts, self-concocted variations and many others seem to dominate the market. My main target, just like every year, is the Makmur. Many of you, I am sure, have tasted Makmur before. It's a cross between a baked cookie dough with a crumbly texture, rolled in fine sugar. The modern Makmur will have either peanuts or dates inside, but the original Makmur has the delicious and creamy Ganti Susu.

What is Ganti Susu? Well, I never found the actual translation that befits the word, but basically it's sweetened and hydrated milk solids (my apologies to those who actually knows the actual meaning) which is derived from boiling milk and sugar and reduced to solids.

Makmur came about to Kedah in the early 20th century. Nobody can really pinpoint its actual origin, but if my research is correct, it is Middle Eastern/Mediterranean in nature. I watched a tv program called "My Greek Kitchen" a few years back and saw that the host did make a similar dessert treat with a Makmur-sounding name and the dish itself uses reduced and solidified milk as its filling as well. As I have mentioned much earlier in this blog, many of the food item in our long family line have been Middle Eastern/Mediterranean in nature.

Again, Tok Wa Arab, our great-grand-aunt, is credited as the person responsible for bringing this tasty treat here. Just like most of the dishes that she popularized, making makmur is also tedious and more meticulous than one can imagine, despite its simple ingredients. I have never tried making it, as making ganti susu alone involves hours of non-stop stirring. My wife used to take orders for makmur and make them during Ramadhan many years back and I remember too well that she sat in the kitchen from morning to night making makmur.

Historically, the ganti susu is made from buffalo milk, which is richer and creamier, but as time goes by and with the buffalos decreasing in number, cow's milk is used and nowadays, full cream milk is used.

I don't know the exact measurement or the ratio of how much milk is used to make how many kilos of ganti susu, but let me give you a brief walk-through the process, and for the adventurous ones, you can always try it.

Before I proceed, I must tell you that some relatives believe that the recipe should never be released, but i believe that it is up for anybody to try. After seeing this, you might understand why.

To make ganti susu, you will need:

1) 2 cartons of full cream milk
2) 250 grams of sugar
3) Full cream milk powder
4) Ghee (clarified butter)

* Pour full cream milk and sugar into a deep pan, turn the stove on to the lowest possible fire and stir continuously. Ensure the stirring is constant to avoid the milk from getting burnt. Stir until it thickens and solidifies.

* Once the milk solidifies (not dry), turn the fire off. Move the pan away from the stove and use a spatula or spoon to ensure that the solids do not stick to the pan.

* Add full cream milk powder to the mixture, a little at a time, until you get the desired texture, which should be not too dry and not too wet and it should be able to be shaped.

* Once it cools down, you can shape the ganti susu into small, oblong pieces. To do this, you need to smear ghee onto your fingers first.

I used to say that making bengkang susu is a time-consuming and tedious work, but making ganti susu really amplifies on that. In fact, I am not that comfortable giving out a recipe which I have never tried before (by choice). One thing for sure, the fruit of this labour is incredibly addictive. One might find their stock of ganti susu decreasing everytime they turn around, preyed by spouse/children or even neighbours. The combination of milk and sugar, concentrated by reduction of the liquid is something to keel over for. Maybe that explains why makmur with ganti susu is such a hot item in certain households.

It is quite unfortunate to know that the number of people who makes the original Makmur are decreasing in number. In Alor Setar, on our last count, there are only 3 of our aunts who still takes order for Makmur. I understand that in KL, there is 1. If the younger generations do not pick the trade up, then even Makmur might just be a lost recipe that old people will keep talking about while the young ones have no idea. Certain family recipes are already considered lost (I might be wrong, I hope), I am hoping that we can still preserve whatever that we have left...and that's still a lot. Maybe compiling it all and make a cookbook out of it will be a grand idea.

To those who would like to try the ganti susu recipe, I wish you the best, and take a chair to the kitchen and place it near the stove. You'll need it.

Interviewed, Published, Scanned and Preserved

Last week, Chet and I received a visit from Cik Nadia, a journalist from New Straits Times, along with the photographer, Encik Shahrizal. Cik Nadia has visited my blog and it seems that she was curious about the food, and the idea of passing down the recipes to a new generation.

I must say that she caught the basics of what our food is all about, although I feel that we should've sat down and elaborated more. One slight misunderstanding that stood out for me is that I got the godam recipe from Chet's grandmother. In reality, I got the recipe from my mother. But it;s my fault, the interview was quite disjointed due to customers coming to the stall to buy. I did tell her that Chet's grandmother makes the best godam, and almost all the ladies of Kampung Perak learnt the art of cooking from her.

I am happy to see an exposure on the food that was generated by a subculture that came to Alor Setar about 100 years ago. I will be even happier if we can reintroduce these food to the new generation. Below is the news clipping from New Straits Times, 22nd August 2011. Thanks, Cik Nadia.

Passing Old Recipes To The New

It's the 5th day of Ramadhan, and I must say it has been some of the hottest days in Alor Setar. The heat was searing, and I keep drinking more and more water during the breaking of fast to keep myself from being dehydrated. Despite all that, and the problem of location, the sales have been fine.

My niece who is studying at a polytechnic in Alor Setar came by for the weekend. Interestingly, tonight she indicated that she wants to learn to make one of the best-selling item during Ramadhan, the Bengkan Susu, or Milk Pudding. And I was always so willing...after all, I taught her younger sister and cousin to make Godam.

It's not actually a close guarded secret, Bengkang Susu came to Malaysia from Palembang, brought by the Syeds and Sharifahs. My research so far made it a fact that the dish did not origin from Palembang. It is most likely of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean origin, like the Godam which originated from Shepherd's Pie. Even the rich, milky kuih Makmur originated from there as there is a dish very similar to that in the Mediterranean. With the migration of the Ba'alawis to South East Asia, the dishes somehow evolved and localized, turning into the dishes that we have today.

The basic ingredients for Bengkang Susu are Milk, Rice Flour, Sugar and water. In the past, buffalo milk was used to create a very rich bengkang, but with the number of buffalos decreasing, milk powder was used as substitute. The best milk powder would be the full cream one. I'm not sure about low fat, but anybody can always try.

The measurement should be quite exact in making this dish, but one can still adjust the amount of sugar and flour for sweetness and soft texture. Milk on the other hand, should be more exact, after all, it is the main flavor here. Even water must be measured exactly, too much will make the dish watery and less will turn it hard and dry.

Once the ingredients are mixed together and stirred to get rid of lumps, the batter is stirred over a slow flame. The stirring must be continous so that the bottom part will not get burnt. Once the batter thickens, it is poured into a well greased baking tray and straight into a well heated oven and baked at 180 degrees for 30 minutes or until it is well baked with the top part nicely caramelized.

I must say that she does it pretty well, and for once this week, I don't have to bake anything for tonight. I know her mom will be pleased with her, and I really hope that she will be able to do a repeat performance when she goes home a few weeks after this.

Is this the passing of the torch, or simply handing down family recipes? Whichever I see it, I hope the recipe will continue on for generations to come as there have been a number of family recipes that have long gone and forgotten.

I spoke to Chet, my cousin and Nasi Arab Pak Tuan owner, we hope that one day, we might get down and try to get most, if not all, the recipes of the Syeds and Sharifahs of Alor Setar back and reintroduce them to the younger generations.

Back To Ramadhan

amadhan is here again and yes, I'm back in business, next to my cousin Syed Nasir, or Chet, who sells his traditional Nasi Arab.

My menu remains the same: Godam (Shepherd's Pie), Black Pepper Beef Curry Puff and Bengkang Susu (Milk Pudding). Despite the price of its ingredients have gone up, I still maintain the same price as ever, which is:
Godam : RM1.50/piece
Black Pepper Curry Puff  : RM0.35/piece or RM1.00/3 pieces
Bengkang Susu : RM0.50/piece

So I don't make much from the sales, but selling and watching how people enjoy the food gives me such satisfaction.

For those who are looking for Chet's Nasi Arab, please be informed that Nasi Arab is RM7.00/set. It's worth it, I must say.

This year, we are located in a slightly different place, about 100 meters before our usual place. We were in 3 different locations for the past 3 days, although being on the same road and withing a 100-meter radius, but it disrupts our customers' routine as they missed the place and had to turn around on a very busy road. Believe it or not, I am doing more of a bootsale, where the food is being sold from the back of my car. Of course, if I get a table, I would have a better display.

As like every year, I am making sure that the taste and quality of the food product is uncompromised. I am just hoping that the customers are fully satified with the food product that I made. My schedule for Ramadhan is busier than ever; a hectic 9am to 1.30pm, finishing all my work at the office, then head home to bake the godam and fry the curry puffs. After Maghrib and breaking of fast, I'll be stirring the Bengkang and bake them, which usually finishes around 10.30pm, if there are no extra orders for the Bengkang. The bengkang is usually refrigerated when it has cooled down. This is because the bengkang is usually enjoyed slightly cold, but not too cold.


By the way, if things go well, next week, I will be selling lasagna as well. One of my neighbors, Chef Jamal has confirmed that he will be making them, but for a limited time. We have not finalized on the price, but it might be around RM5.00. It might sound pricey, but it is bigger than the godam and its ingredients are more expensive, considering the use of beef, pasta, cream and cheese.

Well, if you are looking for Nasi Arab Pak Tuan and some kuih for the breaking of fast, or even for tea (for non-Muslims), head down to Jalan Sultanah (Lebuhraya Sultanah Bahiyah), we are located in front of the car wash, right in front of Sekolah Sultanah Bahiyah and the legendary Mee Abu.

Sampling in Satun 2 : My Grand-uncle's Little Restaurant By The Highway

My mother told me of some wonderful cooking by my Grand-uncle every time she returns from Satun, and this time, on this trip, I get to see and taste what that was all about. His restaurant is located on the main highway that links Hatyai and Satun. I found out from our tour guide, or the van driver, that my Grand-uncle's restaurant is well known among the Malays of Satun and a popular stop by tourists. For those who are heading to Satun, ask to go to Restoran BangTuan, and they might just know where to head to.

My Grand-uncle, Tuan Mohammad, or Tuan Mat, is 45...although being only 3 years older than me, the family rank placed me as his grand-nephew. Fair and gentle looking, he spent the 1990s working in That restaurants across Malaysia before deciding to return to Satun and operate his own. The restaurant, like most Malay owned restaurant in Satun, is family owned. His wife and daughter and some relatives work there as well.

You can order your food from the menu, or you can have rice with already prepared dishes. I was also made to understand that he also makes noodle and fried rice dishes, but with what I was enjoying, I forgot all about it. Already prepared were the rice, Kari Merah Ikan Keli (Catfish in Red Curry), Kari Hijau Daging(Beef Green Curry), Asam Pedas Ikan Grukgruk (I have no way of translating that) and Daging Goreng Kacang Panjang (Fried Beef With Long Beans). We ordered 2 additional items:  my Grand-uncle's famous Sup Tulang (Beef bone Soup) and plain omelets.

On the subject of omelets, I was always intrigued with the way omelets are prepared in Thai food eateries. They seem to be perfectly done: crispy outside and really moist inside, and all my attempts at emulating that usually end up with either burnt, dry or uncooked inside. I did try to catch how they made it in Tuan Mat's kitchen. Surprisingly, it seemed as normal as I make it: eggs, a dash of fish sauce, stir it a bit, a generous coating of oil on a very hot wok. Strange that the oil seems to be smoking when he finally poured the eggs in, and the eggs never burnt. I guess that no matter how passionate your hobby might be at cooking, you still need to learn and practice.

As the tasting proceeds, my tongue exploded with fire and brimstone with the red curry. The spices are simple, but true to Thai influence, red cili padi was used. For those who can't get enough of cili padi in their diet, this will be a perfect dish for them. The fish was fresh and cooked to perfection. The shocker of it was when my Grand-uncle told me that he made the dish not as hot as it is supposed to be.

The green curry, on the other hand, was extremely mild. You can almost taste all the herbs and spices used in there. The beef was very tender, accompanied by the slightly bitterish taste of terung belanda. I'm not sure what terung belanda called in English though, it is usually mistaken as green peas in general.

The Asam Pedas is quite a pleasant surprise. It is as Malay as any asam pedas you might find, but with a twist. It is slightly hot, and the gravy is thicker. The Malaysian asam pedas usually uses Asam Keping or Asam Gelugor, but this Asam Pedas uses a lot of tamarind, or asam jawa. It's thicker and more sourish, but extremely pleasant to the stomach. The fish makes a perfect accompaniment to the dish.

Apart from the asam pedas, the fried beef with long beans is one of the most common dish one might find in Kedah, although not that many nowadays with the price of beef today. I remember fondly of my mum making it when I was much younger, and how it used to be in nasi campur stalls back then. Nowadays, the beef has been substituted with chicken liver or other bits to create the same dish. Tasting the fried beef with long beans really brought me to the past. The taste of the tender beef, opinions, soy-sauce and turmeric was very evident. Still, there is another twist to that, camouflaged among the long beans are slices of cili padi that might catch you by surprise. I must say that this dish is the only Kedah Malay dish that almost didn't evolve...if it weren't for the cili padi.

The piece de résistance has to be the Sup Tulang, or Beef Bone Soup. One might assume that being in Thai, it will have the smell of kaffir lime leaf, sourish with loads and loads of cili padi. Well, it doesn't. The meat was so tender and falling of the bones, with the cartilage almost melted. The taste is extremely well balanced: sweet, sour, hot and well salted. The broth is clear apart from bits of onions and cilantro. You won't find the "dusty" residue at the bottom of the bowl from the beef being boiled. I was told by Tuan Mat that the water must be boiling for quite some time first before putting any beef into it...I don't know whether that method really works, but I'll be trying it soon. The simple, clean yet rich flavors in the soup made it the only dish that everybody almost never stop eating.

To accompany our lunch, we had iced tea and coffee. Be warned, if you think your favorite mamak stall serves your drinks extra sweet, Restoran BangTuan tops that. Not to worry, there's always a jug of drinking water ready for diluting.

We spent almost 2 hours at the stall before finally leaving for the hotel. With food that simple and good, does it ever surprise anybody that we were back there again 2 days later, on the way back to Malaysia?

Gearing Up For Ramadhan - With A Little Help

The school holidays are here, and it is now almost a month away from Ramadhan. As usual, this will be the time for me to prepare the shepherd pie, or Godam for my Ramadhan sales. However, due to tight work schedules, this year I made a change to my normal practice. Unlike the previous years where I spent night cooking and preparing Godam, this year, as it is the school holidays, I employed 2 of my nieces to help me.

Both girls are actually my wife's nieces, but as in the Syed family, everybody seems to be related in one way or the other, they became my nieces as well. They are Sharifah Nurliyana, 14 years of age, who is the 2nd daughter of my wife's elder brother; and the other is Sharifah Munirah, the eldest child of of my wife's younger twin brother. Despite having to drive all the way to Sungai Petani, I must say it was time, money and effort well invested.

I remember the nights spent making Godam: quiet except for the sound of television. This time around, the nights are noisy with their non-stop gossiping and giggling, and I must say that they are extremely enthusiastic about making Godam. They actually stayed up until 3:30 a.m. to finish them. Even my son was there helping them, only until his bedtime.

The task might sound simple, but as usual with our family recipes, it is not. I'm the only one who makes the filling. The girls will be peeling the potatos, boil them, and mash them with precisely measured ingredients. They pulled that off perfectly, I must say. Making the pie in its cup was carried out by them as well, as I usually get knocked out by 2:00 a.m., well, I'm not what I used to be, I guess. Unlike other teenaged nephews and nieces that I know, these 2 never complained or demanded to go anywhere, all they keep telling me is when will they be able to start producing the next batch.

They were there for 5 days, and despite having problems when the gas was out for almost 1 day, they managed to complete almost 500 pieces of Godam before they left. That's more than 6 kilos of beef, 10 kilos of onions, 30 kilos of potatos, and other seasonings.

I guess I finally found my admiration for these 2 hardworking nieces of mine. Even my son was enthusiastic in helping his cousins. I didn't even mind paying them extra. Anyway, I might need their services next year.

Erah and Yana; Ami, Bibi and Zulkif love you. Hopefully, the two of them will be back next year.

Rose Restaurant Revisited

There were so many Mamak restaurants in Alor Setar in the past with great food to be enjoyed. The older generations remember fondly of Kedai No. 36, the original Nasi Lemak Royal stall at the Royal Cinema building, Nasi Lemak Ali, Bunga Tanjong (Malay restaurant), the Mamak restaurant in front of Market Besar (Main Market) near Tun Mahathir's birthplace, Mee Abu and Rose Restaurant. The modernization or progress in Alor Setar in the 1980s saw these shops of the old either faded away or relocated. There are also some who maintained and became some sort of a legend, such as Mee Abu. Nasi Lemak Royal made a comeback in the late 1990s by opening a few branches. Nasi Lemak Ali remained where it has been for decades and became legendary as it is now frequented by customers coming even as far away from Singapore.

Rose Restaurant, just like Nasi Lemak Ali remained in its same location for almost more than 30 years. My last trip there, located in the center of Alor Setar was somewhere around 20 years ago. I remember the ever so busy restaurant dishing out Nasi Kandar, Nasi Lemak, the various rotis and murtabak. That place was almost never empty. The typical setting of Rose Restaurant back then was that it has the ground floor for normal service, while the 2nd floor is air-conditioned. Anytime people want to eat there, at any time of day, all they had to do was just drive there, park anywhere nearby and go into the restaurant.

Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Rose Restaurant was reputed to have the best murtabak in town. However, in the mid-1980s, people claim that the taste and quality of the murtabak went down because the cook always makes the murtabak in bulk. I never knew whether this is true or not as I was not around in Alor Setar that much at the time.

The development of Alor Setar brought about changes in infrastructrure of the town and with more and more traffic and less parking area, Rose Restaurant became virtually inaccessible to people who drives around in town. With fast food franchises pulling the young crowd away, and with other stalls and eateries cropping up, Rose Restaurant seems to lose its glory.

We happened to walk by near Rose Restaurant a few days ago, and as that nostalgic feeling kicked in, I decided to go into the restaurant, with my wife and son as well. The place had changed so much. Gone is the air-conditioned 2nd floor, there were no mamaks. The owner is Indian Muslim, either 2nd or 3rd generation with a Malay wife and his staff are all Malays. Nasi Kandar is still there, along with the addition of Malay/Thai food and of course, the murtabak.

For those who might not know, a murtabak is a dish made with roti canai pastry, stuffed with an omellette comprising of onions, chicken/beef/lamb, eggs and spices. The Alor Setar murtabak differs from the Penang ones in both ingredients and texture. Overall, the northern murtabak differs a lot from the central and southern murtabak whereby the northern murtabak is always moist as a lot of onions is used. There is a theory that murtabak is derived from a Middle Eastern dish known as Mutabbaq, which is a sweet omelette-like dish stuffed with honey and nuts, and also fried on a griddle.

Back to Rose Restaurant, I must admit that the taste has not changed at all. The owner's son/grandson has maintained the original recipe and none of the ingredients has been substituted. The murtabak is served with a plate of pickled onions and fish curry. Being a traditionalist, I had mine with pickled onions. Frankly, I think his pickled onions are the best, compared to Mee Abu's as it does not only well balanced, but also enhances the taste of the murtabak - a true compliment to the experience.

The price is quite reasonable for a murtabak that size and that good, which is at RM3.50. For those who seeks a good murtabak within Alor Setar town itself, I would recommend Rose Restaurant, located at Jalan Tengku Ibrahim, which is about 5 minutes walk from Pekan Rabu and 3 minutes walk from City Plaza. It is located directly accross Kedah Shopping Centre and next to RHB Bank. Check it out, it is the place where the taste stood out with history.

We Unofficially Announce That Dadih Is Dead...

I guess it's going to be a sad truth that some people might have to contend with. For months, I've been looking for Jo, the dadih maker without much luck. So, will the delicious, creamy, lip-smacking dadih be considered extinct from the gourmet world?

Okay, before anybody starts asking "What's he talking about? Dadih is aplenty everywhere" speech, I'll just clarify this. I'm talking about the original Dadih, and not the commercially-produced Agar-agar Susu.

What do I mean with "original dadih"? Well, Kedah IS believed to be the birthplace of these sweet desserts, and it seems that with the younger generation preferring (or does not know) Milk Agar-agar to the actual dadih, it looks like an extinction of this original treat will take place.

Dadih has been commonly labeled (or mislabeled) as "Sweet Yoghurt." Dadih is actually milk curds, solidified by means of hydration by enzymes derived from the barks of a tree known as Kasinai. Yes, I couldn't find that on google itself, so it's a bit difficult to describe more about this tree. I have seen it before, but it looks so commonly like other big trees, and not being a botanist, I'm not sure whether I can identify it again.

Going back to dadih, this sweet concoction was originally made from buffalo (Kerbau) milk, which is thicker and richer in taste and texture. In the 1970s, the population of buffalos decreased as more farmers turn to modern farming, and cow's milk became the regular ingredient for dadih. The milk is boiled and once that happens, sugar is added. Close to the end, the kasinai bark is added to the mix and stirred to release the enzymes. Once taken off the fire, the still-liquid dadih is ladled into bowls or, nowadays, into plastic cups which were then left to rest. During the resting period, the enzymes react with the milk and sugar mixture, hydrating it. As a result, water dries off, leaving behind a smooth, jelly-like curd. In some versions, the dadih is then steamed in order to heat them up. The dadih is ready to be sold, and enjoyed.

The actual dadih is served hot, or at least warm. If you leave it in the fridge overnight, the dadih shrinks and tastes sweeter as the hydration process continues. Dadih was commonly sold with Pulut Panggang (Roasted Glutinous Rice Wrapped In Banana Leaf). The pulut is dipped into the dadih and usually enjoyed during supper...as Jo usually sells his dadih after 8 p.m.

It is understandable why agar-agar is used: it is cheap and easy, and many have no idea what the kasinai tree looks like, let alone figure out why it was used. The amount of agar-agar used is not that much compared to making the traditional agar-agar, this is to keep the milk agar-agar softer, but watery.

In the late 1970s, I remember a young Jo on his motorcycle with a special made wooden box behind to keep the dadih warm, honking a hand-held horn. It was sold in bowls for less than RM1.00. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, dadih was sold in a much smaller plastic cup for RM1.00. The cup is even smaller than the milk agar-agar, but at least it is guaranteed that you get dadih, from fresh cow's milk, and no agar-agar. In the mid1980s, I remember Jabatan Haiwan & Pertanian started courses for making dadih where they used a type of culture, almost similar to the one used for making yoghurt, but that too requires refrigeration because after a while, the dadih becomes watery.

The milk agar-agar needs to be refrigerated, or stored in a cold place to avoid the agar-agar from melting. The milk agar-agar usually turns me off because the milk they used is usually full-cream milk, either from cartons or powdered. There are even those who uses condensed milk...well, it's condensed creamer. The original dadih sometimes incorporates a little powdered creamer, or even Coffee Mate. If one tries to dip Pulut Panggang into the milk agar-agar, it won't stick, not to mention the funny taste. Worse among all, the milk agar-agar is always too sweet to my liking. The older generation and those who knows, can describe the vast difference in taste and texture between dadih and milk agar-agar.

Nobody seems to know whatever happened to Jo, or where he is, but as far as I know, he is one of the last people who made the original dadih. He did complaint quite some time ago that getting fresh cow's milk was problematic, maybe that's why he stopped. I did try to call but I think he has already changed his number. For a guy who I met since the late 1970s, he didn't look that old the last time I met him in the early 2000s.

I am just hoping that he, or at least somebody else in Kedah still continues the art of dadih making, or we'll end up with the milk agar-agar and dadih becomes a forgotten history. If anybody knows where I can find the original dadih, please tell me.

Kedah's Food Treasures - Nasi Lemak Royal Pantai Johor

I have nothing against mamak food in Penang. They have established themselves as the prominent nasi kandar producers in Malaysia. However, I must say that, after living in Penang for more than 10 years, things have taken a frightfully different turn. The emergence of the "new school" nasi kandar restaurants where they serve a dizzying array of food, ranging from local to western, may have an effect on their own nasi kandar. I am sure that many people love eating at nasi kandar Pelita, Nasmeer and many more. Their brightly lit restaurants, with a festive-like ambience and big television sets and open 24 hours daily are certainly crowd pullers.

I always prefer what people may say as "old school" mamak food. Instead of the usual roti canai with dhal gravy with sambal, I prefer the one with kuah campur (mix gravy). There's one too many choice to be made at these modern nasi kandar restaurants, I'd prefer a simple one.

Alor Setar never escaped the invasion of these modern nasi kandar restaurants. However, there is one dish that these restaurants could not match up with even until today, the Nasi Lemak.

Historically, the Malay and Chinese version of nasi lemak is made with the basic rice, coconut milk and ginger concoction, eaten with the traditional sambal tumis ikan bilis, cucumber and hard-boiled egg. The mamak nasi lemak is different as they have more herbs/scpices and less or never use santan in their rice at all. I recognize the smell of karapolay, or curry leaf, pandan, cinnamon, cloves and even serai in the rice, but nobody can confirm whether there's coconut milk is used or not. The rice is eaten with a selection of curry and meat you can choose from. What makes it even rarer is, nasi lemak is only available in Alor Setar, then and now.

In the 1970s, there were many mamak outlets with their own nasi lemak menu. With the rapid development of Alor Setar town, many old shops were torn down and these shops make way for new buildings. Many of the legendary mamak shops such as No. 36., Nasi Lemak Royal and Nasi Lemak Empire disappeared from the legends of Alor Setar's mamak cuisines. In the late 1990s, there was quite a resurgence of these nasi lemak mamak where they reappeared in numerous places.

I would say that Nasi Lemak Mamak is one of Alor Setar's treasure trove where they have been luring tourists and visitors from outside of Kedah, and even locals to visit them again and again, as it is a taste that they always remember.

Just like any restaurant, nasi lemak mamak's taste differs from one place to another. The legendary Nasi Lemak Ali at Tanjung Chalee is quite known for being very spicy, while Nasi Lemak Mi Abu has little selection for curry but heavenly. One thing in common that all of them have is, their curries are "old school." I'll try to explain this old school curry when I am done studying the cooking method of it. 

One of my favorite mamak haunt for nasi lemak will be "Nasi Lemak Royal Pantai Johor", located in Pantai Johor, about 10km from Alor Setar City, and about 500-800 meters from Istana Anak Bukit, the DYMM Tuanku Sultan Kedah's palace. There are about 4 or 5 other stalls who are selling other type of food in that area. From my observation on my nights there, I can safely say that about 75% of the patrons there go for the nasi lemak.

They have quite a spread of nice side-dishes to go with the nasi lemak. I would recommend the fried chicken. The spices which they use to marinate the chicken penetrates into the flesh and each bite is full of flavor. My selection for the night? Nasi lemak with fried chicken, lady's fingers and "kuah campur"(mixed gravy).

One thing we need to know is that, as a rule of thumb, never tell the mamak what gravy you want, always tell him "kuah campur". For this, the mamak knows which and how much of each gravy to mix into the rice. It's his personal touch that enhances the eating experience at any mamak shop.

As I was saying before, there are quite a number of side dishes. There's chicken, beef, egg, liver in different types of curries and gravy. Strangely, there's not much choice on vegetables though. There were some cucumber acar (pickle) and boiled lady's finger or ochra.

I would say that the food is quite family-friendly. It's not that hot in taste, just slightly spicy. I think maybe that's why there were a lot of families eating there that night. The rice is always hot, and there's always a line. The price is quite standard and you can choose whether you want to eat there or take out.

So, if you are in Alor Setar and looking for a place to eat, I'd recommend Nasi Lemak Royal Pantai Johor for a nice sumptuous treat. See you there.

Spaghetti With Meatball in Simple Tomato Sauce

After a long period of hesitance and delays, I feel that it is about time I get back on the road, of my blog, I mean.

As I have mentioned, one of my main hobbies is cooking. Despite getting a degree in Travel Industry Management, I never formally studied cooking. However, due to my interest and curiosity, I try to emulate and evolve methods and styles of cooking. Firstly, I used to watch my mother cook in the kitchen. She dishes out some of the best, and whose mum doesn't? Copying her cooking methods and recipes, adding to the fact that I was studying in Hawaii where I have to cook for myself, I started out with simple dishes and later on moved on as my confidence grew.

One of my favorite comfort food will be spaghetti with a simple tomato sauce. Actually, I can always substitute the spaghetti for any sort of pasta. Here's a simple recipe for Spaghetti with Meatball in Tomato Sauce:

Ingredients

One packet Spaghetti - cooked al-dente
1 medium onion - chopped
1/2 cup olive oil (Normal cooking oil is ok if you don't have olive oil)

A. Meatball Ingredients
500gm minced beef
1 medium sized onion (Indian or french is ok)
About 1 cup of breadcrumb (Better if you make it yourself)
Half cup of milk
Salt & Pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 egg

B. Tomato Sauce
1 can of whole tomato in juice
2 cup of Beef/Chicken Stock
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of oregano
Salt & Pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

Making Meatball

1. Combine breadcrumbs with milk. Let the breadcrumb absorb the milk. If you make your own breadcrumb from bread, skip this part.
2. Place minced beef into a bowl, mix in onion, cumin, egg, salt, pepper and the breadcrumb and mix it all together. Do not over-knead them.
3.Using your hands, divide the combined mixture and roll them into medium sized balls. You can make between 10-12 meatbals, depending on size.
4. Set them aside to rest

The Sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients into a blender and blend them all into a smooth, slightly watery paste.

Heat oil in pan/wok
When the oil is hot enough, fry the meatballs, browning both sides.
Once done, place the meatballs into a bowl/plate with a napkin to absorb the oil
With the same oil, sautee the chopped onions until soft (or slightly brown if you wish)
Pour in the blended sauce and put the meatballs back into the pan/wok.
Let the sauce simmer for the next 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened up, depending on how thick you like your sauce to be.

Place spaghetti in a bowl or on a plate, pour in the sauce and meatballs.

Enjoy.

Note: I am not a chef or a certified gourmet/cook. My recipes will differ from professionals and definitely have no garnishings. Actually, I never believed in making food look good, i believe that we should let our ever-ready senses should do the work.