Food's Heaven Truly Malaysian!

Assam Laksa-A cool 7th Position Among World's most delicious food!

2011-07-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

Congratulations uncle and aunties who have concocted this famous dish from Penang!

According to a CNN International food survey under its CNNGo guide to lifestyle,shopping,hotels and restaurants,Penang's fame Assam Laksa is one of the dishes worth traversing the world for and this popular dish is also the seventh among the world's 50 most delicious food!

CNNGo describes the dish as "poached,flaked mackerel,tamarind,chili,mint,lemongrass,onion,pineapple.....an addictive spicy-sour fish broth with noddles."

It added that the Penang Assam Laksa was especially great when fused with ginger " that'll have your nose running before the spoon ever hits your lips".

This is the only Malaysian dish that is listed among the great foods of the world although the country is known as a food heaven!So sad lah!

Penang's Assam Laksa ,however, outdid other world famous food like Shepherd's pie from Britain,French croissant,pho from Vietnam and Iranian Kebab.

Singapore got two placings namely its Chili Crab and the Chicken rice.

Auntie Yen Yen,you are not working hard enough on this exotic dish promotion as these two also are available freely in street corners in Malaysia!Too bad!!!

HI Mom and Dad!

2011-07-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

I think you both should have more green tea. At any one time we've always got at least 2 types of green tea in our house. Today in the house, we've got 3 types, because we drink at least 2 cups of tea a day : Genmaicha (Japanese brown rice green tea), Decaffeinated green tea, and Jasmine Green Tea. I think you should buy at least one to have daily.

Read this article below from Uni of Maryland. It's just a simple review of studies done that have found good effects of green tea on the heart, cholesterol, cancer, flu, joint-pain. It's even cited research at the bottom of the page, to list some of the many credible research that's come up over the years on green tea. But most importantly, in my field anyways, it's a wide-known fact that green tea is good for your brain health. I just thought it might be especially useful for you two because of you have joint/leg pain.

"Green tea may also be useful in inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis. Research indicates that green tea may benefit arthritis by reducing inflammation and slowing cartilage breakdown."
So drink up!

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/green-tea-000255.htm
Green tea
Overview:
Botanical evidence indicates that India and China were among the first countries to cultivate tea. Today, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. Hundreds of millions of people drink tea around the world, and studies suggest that green tea (Camellia sinesis) in particular has many health benefits.

There are three main varieties of tea -- green, black, and oolong. The difference between the teas is in their processing. Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. Antioxidants are substances that scavenge free radicals -- damaging compounds in the body that alter cells, tamper with DNA (genetic material), and even cause cell death. Free radicals occur naturally in the body, but environmental toxins (including ultraviolet rays from the sun, radiation, cigarette smoke, and air pollution) also give rise to these damaging particles. Many scientists believe that free radicals contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants such as polyphenols in green tea can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause.

Green tea has been consumed throughout the ages in India, China, Japan, and Thailand. In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, practitioners used green tea as a stimulant, diuretic (to promote the excretion of urine), astringent (to control bleeding and help heal wounds), and to improve heart health. Other traditional uses of green tea include treating flatulence (gas), regulating body temperature and blood sugar, promoting digestion, and improving mental processes.

Green tea has been extensively studied in people, animals, and laboratory experiments. Results from these studies suggest that green tea may be useful for the following health conditions:

Atherosclerosis
Population-based clinical studies indicate that the antioxidant properties of green tea may help prevent atherosclerosis, particularly coronary artery disease. (Population-based studies means studies that follow large groups of people over time or studies that are comparing groups of people living in different cultures or with different dietary habits.) Researchers aren't sure why green tea reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Studies show that black tea has similar beneficial effects. In fact, researchers estimate that the rate of heart attack decreases by 11% with consumption of 3 cups of tea per day. In May 2006, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected a petition from teamakers to allow tea labels to claim that green tea reduces the risk of heart disease. The FDA concluded that there is no credible evidence to support qualified health claims for green tea or green tea extract reducing the risk of heart disease.
High cholesterol

Research shows that green tea lowers total cholesterol and raises HDL ("good") cholesterol in both animals and people. One population-based clinical study found that men who drink green tea are more likely to have lower total cholesterol than those who do not drink green tea. Results from one animal study suggest that polyphenols in green tea may block the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and promote its excretion from the body. In another small study of male smokers, researchers found that green tea significantly reduced blood levels of harmful LDL cholesterol.

Cancer-
Several population-based clinical studies have shown that both green and black teas help protect against cancer. For example, cancer rates tend to be low in countries such as Japan where people regularly consume green tea. However, it is not possible to determine from these population-based studies whether green tea actually prevents cancer in people. Emerging clinical studies suggest that the polyphenols in tea, especially green tea, may play an important role in the prevention of cancer. Researchers also believe that polyphenols help kill cancerous cells and stop their progression.
Bladder cancer. Only a few clinical studies have examined the relationship between bladder cancer and tea consumption. In one study that compared people with and without bladder cancer, researchers found that women who drank black tea and powdered green tea were less likely to develop bladder cancer. A follow-up clinical study by the same group of researchers revealed that bladder cancer patients (particularly men) who drank green tea had a substantially better 5-year survival rate than those who did not.
Breast cancer. Clinical studies in animals and test tubes suggest that polyphenols in green tea inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. In one study of 472 women with various stages of breast cancer, researchers found that women who consumed the most green tea experienced the least spread of cancer (particularly premenopausal women in the early stages of breast cancer). They also found that women with early stages of the disease who drank at least 5 cups of tea every day before being diagnosed with cancer were less likely to suffer recurrences of the disease after completion of treatment. However, women with late stages of breast cancer experienced little or no improvement from drinking green tea. In terms of breast cancer prevention, the studies are inconclusive. In one very large study, researchers found that drinking tea, green or any other type, was not associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. However, when the researchers broke down the sample by age, among women under the age of 50, those who consumed 3 or more cups of tea per day were 37% less likely to develop breast cancer compared to women who didn't drink tea.
Ovarian cancer. In a clinical study conducted on ovarian cancer patients in China, researchers found that women who drank at least one cup of green tea per day survived longer with the disease than those who didn' t drink green tea. In fact, those who drank the most tea, lived the longest. Other studies found no beneficial effects.
Colorectal cancer. Clinical studies on the effects of green tea on colon or rectal cancer have produced conflicting results. Some clinical studies show decreased risk in those who drink the tea, while others show increased risk. In one study, women who drank 5 or more cups of green tea per day had a significantly lower risk of colorectal cancer compared to non-tea-drinkers. There was no effect in men, however. Other studies show that regular tea consumption may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in women. Further research is needed before researchers can recommend green tea for the prevention of colorectal cancer.
Esophageal cancer. Studies in laboratory animals have found that green tea polyphenols inhibit the growth of esophageal cancer cells. However, clinical studies in people have produced conflicting findings. For example, one large-scale population-based clinical study found that green tea offered significant protection against the development of esophageal cancer (particularly among women). Another population-based clinical study revealed just the opposite -- green tea consumption was associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer. In fact, the stronger and hotter the tea, the greater the risk. Given these conflicting results, further research is needed before scientists can recommend green tea for the prevention of esophageal cancer.
Lung cancer. While green tea polyphenols have been shown to inhibit the growth of human lung cancer cells in test tubes, few clinicial studies have investigated the link between green tea consumption and lung cancer in people and even these studies have been conflicting. One population-based clinical study found that Okinawan tea (similar to green tea but partially fermented) was associated with decreased lung cancer risk, particularly among women. A second clinical study revealed that green tea and black tea significantly increased the risk of lung cancer. As with colon and esophageal cancers, further clinical studies are needed before researchers can draw any conclusions about green tea and lung cancer.
Pancreatic cancer. In one large-scale clinical study researchers compared green tea drinkers with non-drinkers and found that those who drank the most tea were significantly less likely to develop pancreatic cancer. This was particularly true for women -- those who drank the most green tea were half as likely to develop pancreatic cancer as those who drank less tea. Men who drank the most tea were 37% less likely to develop pancreatic cancer. However, it is not clear from this population-based study whether green tea is solely responsible for reducing pancreatic cancer risk. Further studies in animals and people are needed before researchers can recommend green tea for the prevention of pancreatic cancer.
Prostate cancer. Laboratory studies have found that green tea extracts prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells in test tubes. In a large clinical study conducted in Southeast China researchers found that the risk of prostate cancer declined with increasing frequency, duration and quantity of green tea consumption. However, both green and black tea extracts also stimulated genes that cause cells to be less sensitive to chemotherapy drugs. Given this potential interaction, people should not drink black and green tea (as well as extracts of these teas) while receiving chemotherapy.
Skin cancer. The main polyphenol in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Scientific studies suggest that EGCG and green tea polyphenols have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties that may help prevent the onset and growth of skin tumors.
Stomach cancer. Laboratory studies have found that green tea polyphenols inhibit the growth of stomach cancer cells in test tubes, but clinical studies in people have been less conclusive. In two studies that compared green tea drinkers with non-drinkers, researchers found that people who drank tea were about half as likely to develop stomach cancer and gastritis (inflammation of the stomach) as those who did not drink green tea. However, a clinicial study including more than 26,000 men and women in Japan found no association between green tea consumption and stomach cancer risk. Some clinicial studies even suggest that green tea may increase the risk of stomach cancer.
Further clinicial studies are underway to determine whether green tea helps reduce the risk of stomach cancer. Although green tea is considered safe for people at risk for stomach cancer, it is too soon to tell whether green tea reduces the likelihood of developing this disease.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Green tea may help reduce inflammation associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the two types of IBD. If green tea proves to be helpful for preventing colon cancer, this would be an added benefit for those with IBD because they are at risk for colon cancer.
Diabetes
Green tea has been used traditionally to control blood sugar in the body. Animal studies suggest that green tea may help prevent the development of type 1 diabetes and slow the progression once it has developed. People with type 1 diabetes produce little or no insulin, a hormone that converts glucose (sugar), starches, and other foods into energy needed for daily life. Green tea may help regulate glucose in the body.
A few small clinical studies have found that daily supplementation of the diet with green tea extract powder lowered the hemoglobin A1c level in individuals with borderline diabetes.
Liver disease
Population-based clinical studies have shown that men who drink more than 10 cups of green tea per day are less likely to develop disorders of the liver. Green tea also seems to protect the liver from the damaging effects of toxic substances such as alcohol. Animal studies have shown that green tea helps protect against the development of liver tumors in mice.
Results from several animal and human studies suggest that one of the polyphenols present in green tea, known as catechin, may help treat viral hepatitis (inflammation of the liver from a virus). In these studies, catechin was isolated from green tea and used in very high concentrations. It is not clear whether green tea (which contains a lower concentration of catechins) confers these same benefits to people with hepatitis.
Weight loss
Clinical studies suggest that green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat. One study confirmed that the combination of green tea and caffeine improved weight loss and maintenance in overweight and moderately obese individuals. Some researchers speculate that substances in green tea known as polyphenols, specifically the catechins, are responsible for the herb's fat-burning effect.

Other uses
Drinking green tea has been found effective in a small clinical study for dental caries, or tooth decay. More studies need to be performed. Green tea may also be useful in inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis. Research indicates that green tea may benefit arthritis by reducing inflammation and slowing cartilage breakdown. Chemicals found in green tea may also be effective in treating genital warts and preventing symptoms of colds and influenza. Studies also show that drinking green tea is associated with reduced risk of all cause mortality.
Plant Description:
Green, black, and oolong tea are all derived from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Originally cultivated in East Asia, this plant grows as large as a shrub or tree. Today, Camellia sinensis grows throughout Asia and parts of the Middle East and Africa.
People in Asian countries more commonly consume green and oolong tea while black tea is most popular in the United States. Green tea is prepared from unfermented leaves, the leaves of oolong tea are partially fermented, and black tea is fully fermented. The more the leaves are fermented, the lower the polyphenol content (See: "What's It Made Of?") and the higher the caffeine content. Green tea has the highest polyphenol content while black tea has roughly 2 - 3 times the caffeine content of green tea.
What's It Made Of?:
The healthful properties of green tea are largely attributed to polyphenols, chemicals with potent antioxidant properties. In fact, the antioxidant effects of polyphenols appear to be greater than vitamin C. The polyphenols in green tea also give it a somewhat bitter flavor.
Polyphenols contained in teas are classified as catechins. Green tea contains six primary catechin compounds: catechin, gallaogatechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and apigallocatechin gallate (also known as EGCG). EGCG is the most studied polyphenol component in green tea and the most active.
Green tea also contains alkaloids including caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. These alkaloids provide green tea's stimulant effects. L-theanine, an amino acid compound found in green tea, has been studied for its calming effects on the nervous system.
Available Forms:
Most green tea dietary supplements are sold as dried leaf tea in capsule form. Standardized extracts of green tea are preferred. There are also liquid extracts made from the leaves and leaf buds. The average cup of green tea contains between 50 - 150 mg polyphenols (antioxidants). Decaffeinated green tea products contain concentrated polyphenols. Caffeine-free supplements are available.
How to Take It:
Pediatric
There are no known scientific reports on the pediatric use of green tea, so it is not recommended for children.
Adult
Depending on the brand, 2 - 3 cups of green tea per day (for a total of 240 - 320 mg polyphenols) or 100 - 750 mg per day of standardized green tea extract is recommended. Caffeine-free products are available and recommended.
Precautions:
The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. However, herbs contain active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, people should take herbs with care, under the supervision of a practitioner knowledgeable in the field of botanical medicine.
People with heart problems, kidney disorders, stomach ulcers, and psychological disorders (particularly anxiety) should not take green tea. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid green tea.
People who drink excessive amounts of caffeine (including caffeine from green tea) for prolonged periods of time may experience irritability, insomnia, heart palpitations, and dizziness. Caffeine overdose can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and loss of appetite. If you are drinking a lot of tea and start to vomit or have abdominal spasms, you may have caffeine poisoning. If your symptoms are severe, lower your caffeine intake and see your health care provider.
Possible Interactions:
If you are being treated with any of the following medications, you should not drink green tea or take green tea extract without first talking to your health care provider:
Adenosine -- Green tea may inhibit the actions of adenosine, a medication given in the hospital for an irregular (and usually unstable) heart rhythm.
Antibiotics, Beta-lactam -- Green tea may increase the effectiveness of beta-lactam antibiotics by reducing bacterial resistance to treatment.
Benzodiazepines -- Caffeine (including caffeine from green tea) has been shown to reduce the sedative effects of benzodiazepines (medications commonly used to treat anxiety, such as diazepam and lorazepam).
Beta-blockers, Propranolol, and Metoprolol -- Caffeine (including caffeine from green tea) may increase blood pressure in people taking propranolol and metoprolol (medications used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease).
Blood Thinning Medications (Including Aspirin) -- People who take warfarin, a blood thinning medication, should not drink green tea. Since green tea contains vitamin K, it can make warfarin ineffective. Meanwhile, you should not mix green tea and aspirin because they both prevent platelets from clotting. Using the two together may increase your risk of bleeding.
Chemotherapy -- The combination of green tea and chemotherapy medications, specifically doxorubicin and tamoxifen, increased the effectiveness of these medications in laboratory tests. However, these results have not yet been demonstrated in studies on people. On the other hand, there have been reports of both green and black tea extracts stimulating a gene in prostate cancer cells that may cause them to be less sensitive to chemotherapy drugs. Given this potential interaction, people should not drink black and green tea (as well as extracts of these teas) while receiving chemotherapy for prostate cancer in particular.
Clozapine -- The antipsychotic effects of the medication clozapine may be reduced if taken fewer than 40 minutes after drinking green tea.
Ephedrine -- When taken together with ephedrine, green tea may cause agitation, tremors, insomnia, and weight loss.
Lithium -- Green tea has been shown to reduce blood levels of lithium (a medication used to treat manic/depression).
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) -- Green tea may cause a severe increase in blood pressure (called a "hypertensive crisis") when taken together with MAOIs, which are used to treat depression. Examples of MAOIs include phenelzine and tranylcypromine.
Oral Contraceptives -- Oral contraceptives can prolong the amount of time caffeine stays in the body and may increase its stimulating effects.
Phenylpropanolamine -- A combination of caffeine (including caffeine from green tea) and phenylpropanolamine (an ingredient used in many over-the-counter and prescription cough and cold medications and weight loss products) can cause mania and a severe increase in blood pressure. The FDA issued a public health advisory in November 2000 to warn people of the risk of bleeding in the brain from use of this medication and has strongly urged all manufacturers of this drug to remove it from the market.

Watercress: The Miracle Food

2011-07-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

Watercress is called 'Sai Yeong Choy' in Cantonese

UK Scientists say watercress is the new super food, able to prevent certain types of cancer.

According to a study published this week in The British Journal of Nutrition, the consumption of a three ounce portion of watercress reduced the presence of a key tumor growth factor six and eight hours after eating the watercress in healthy patients who had previously been treated for breast cancer. The study was conducted by the Cancer Research Center at the School of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital in the United Kingdom.

The study concluded watercress is as therapeutic as traditional drug treatments with tamoxifen and herceptin, commonly used chemotherapy drugs. The study also said that through regular consumption, watercress "has the potential to confer valuable protection against cancer in general."

"Watercress has the ability to turn off HIF1, a signal sent out by cells calling for blood supply," said noted aging scientist Dr. Nicholas Perricone. When HIF1 becomes incorrectly regulated, otherwise harmless precancerous clusters of cells have the opportunity to grow to form invasive tumors. "Scientists have been looking for anti-angiogenesis agents for years because if we can turn off the blood supply, we can kill the cancer," said Perricone.

"And it looks like watercress can do that." Another study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in February of 2007 showed that, in addition to reducing DNA damage, a daily dose of watercress increased the ability of cells to further resist DNA damage that may be caused by free radicals. In the study, 60 men and women, half of whom were smokers, consumed their usual diet plus 85 grams of raw watercress daily for eight weeks. Blood samples were analyzed for plasma antioxidant status and DNA damage in lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. Watercress consumption significantly reduced lymphocyte DNA damage.

In the time of the Romans, Greeks and Persians watercress was used as a natural medicine, prescribed for migraines, anemia, eczema, kidney and liver disorder and tuberculosis.

It is never to late to consume this miracle food which is sold cheaply in the markets!

Tim Sum in Cintra Street.

2011-05-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

I used to eat at this Tai Tong Tim Sum Shop quite often.My family as well as my guests from Japan give top mark for the food in this locality though this Tim Sum shop faces stiff competition from those operating nearby in the Cintra Street and Cambell Street junction.

Their trade mark is that their workers are mostly elderly and they always service you with a smile in spite of the full house especially in the morning.So I tend to agree with Tiberius when he reviews this food joint.here he goes as quoted;

Eat till you drop at Tai Tong

Walk along Cintra Street and there are a number of eating joints to satisfy your palate.

The cargo ships and other vessels are anchored in Penang harbour. Other luxury yachts and an occasional luxury liner can be seen at the Weld Quay area, particularly at Marina harbour.

In other parts of George Town, especially in Cintra Street, local residents and outstation visitors are scurrying around for their favourite eating joints.

I have one in mind but I wasn’t sure there were any empty tables left. It was 8.30pm, after all.

Penang people are always punctual when it is time to eat. By the time, I came a-calling, the Tai Tong Restaurant in Cintra Street was full to overflowing.

But my gang wasn’t so easily intimidated. We have been “trained in the rough streets” of KL. We walked right in as if we own the place and cast our steely glances around. No empty tables, at least for the first 10 minutes.

There were at least two or three tables which looked as if the diners were about to vacate the premises. We bade our time and landed on our target like a bunch of hungry eagles the moment they stood up.

Life’s like that. Very often, you have to fight for your food. Tai Tong Restaurant has been operating for a number of years. Its specialty is dim sum, even though it also offer noodles and rice.

We were not in the mood for rice. Our specific food targets were dim sum and “sang har meen”. The elderly waitress who came to take our orders knew precisely what we wanted. In a busy place like Tai Tong, it’s best to let the establishment know what you want. That way, you won’t waste everybody’s time.

However, we had to wait for the dim sum trolly because impatient diners were stopping the waitress along her route and helping themselves to the dim sum they had in mind.

I leaned over to the other guests and told them that at this rate, there won’t be anything left by the time the dim sum trolly reached our table. Thank goodness, the “sang har meen” arrived first, so we have been spared from starvation.

The sang har meen was good but not as great as some others I have tasted in other places.

We also ordered a yam basket. It arrived minutes after the noodles came. The yam basket of culinary goodness was a sure sign that we have been blessed in Penang.

Optimum flavor

The yam had the right crispiness. The bits of veg, mushroom and other items were well cooked and had the optimum flavor mixed with Chinese sauces.

Finally, the dim sum trolly called at our table but not before two women diners walked over hastily with a fierce determination to grab whatever they could. After selecting about six dim sum items, we spotted a plate of freshly fried radish cakes.

Radish cake is one of my top dim sum priorities. When it is fried expertly with bits of tiny dried shrimps and the proper application of oil, the dish is but a short step away from heaven.

I hereby declare that Tai Tong’s radish cake is one of the best I have ever tasted, and that includes Hong Kong dim sum restaurants.

The pot of hot Ti Kuan Yin Chinese tea came in very handy. To neutralize some of the oil residues from the assorted plates of dim sum, Chinese tea is the best antidote.

By the time we had cleaned the plates of yam basket and sang har noodles, we were quite ready to “surrender” but the younger ones among us soldiered on bravely with the leftovers on the dim sum plates.

But the best was yet to come. When we were presented with the bill, we almost almost couldn’t hide our glee. For all that we have ordered and eaten, the grand total, including that pot of Chinese tea was RM53. Surely, that was more than fair.

Thank god for Penang. What will we ever do with their sense of fair play. What a fine bunch of restaurateurs. We will be back for more. I swear it on my next bowl of hokkien mee!

Tai Tong Restaurant is located at 45, Cintra Street, Penang (tel: 04-2636-625).

Mooncake folklore!

2010-09-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting article with a lengthy comment by Stanley Koh.Since mooncake festival will drawn on us very soon,let's see what he has to say, to quote;

The traditional Chinese mindset is perfectly tuned to folklore and legend. It therefore comes as no surprise that the Chinese, wherever they live in the world, celebrate scores of religious and cultural festivals throughout the year to commemorate events that go back thousands of years.

The lore of the Mooncake Festival—involving the beautiful Chang Er, who stole the elixir of life, and the archer Hon Yi, who shot nine suns—has been tirelessly repeated for generations.

How many of us in this age of advanced science and technology believe that such events actually took place in the ancient past?

Unless we are lunatics, we cannot believe the sad and bizarre tale of Chang Er being banished to the moon with her pet rabbit as being more than symbolic or an innocent piece of entertainment for the sentimental imagination.

But here is a more believable version: the Han people once used moon cakes to carry secret messages in a rebellion against the Mongols.

Well, that does not sound so lunatic. Choosing the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, when the moon is at its full roundness and brightness, to launch a rebellion with secret messages hidden inside moon-shaped cakes does make some sense.

This gist of the story of the overthrow of the Mongols has been repeated year after year throughout the world for generations, or at least since moon cakes became a commercial commodity. However, many of these infomercials ignore the real significance of the celebrative event as a commemoration of the heroism of the Buddhist monk Zhu Yuan Zhang, who toppled the Mongolian Yuan dynasty in 1368.

How many of us, when exchanging gifts of moon cakes, actually mention Zhu’s name or even vaguely remember his heroism?

The commercialization of this festive event has turned us away from the moral significance of the event towards more mundane concerns about prices and the taste of the cakes that are offered for sale.

Today, a piece of moon cake may cost anything between RM12 and RM15, or anything above RM50 for a box.

The actual price, of course, depends on the ingredients inside the cake. And it gets more expensive every year. In years to come, will the price go over the moon?

But the pricing is not my main grouse. I have not eaten a moon cake for years.

Food for thought

One of the main concerns is that today’s approach to rituals and customs is akin to emphasizing the eggshell over the yolk. The outer forms of rituals and celebrations are maintained, but the essential meaning is often lost in the passage of time.

To the traditional Chinese, timeless wisdom, goodness and beauty are more important in legends than the real facts.

However, folklore and legend have also indirectly influenced modern-day food culture. For instance, the traditional moon cake baked in the 14th century would be unrecognizable to us today. Hundreds of regional variants have been created across China.

But let’s not forget the uniquely Malaysian varieties, such as the mashed durian paste moon cake. Whoever invented this should be given a free trip to the moon in recognition of his lunatic contribution to moon cake baking.

So there you have it. Any festival celebration without any emphasis on food indulgence is unimaginable.

In fact, there is a ruthless joke about the obsession of the Chinese with food. “The Chinese will eat anything under heaven as long as its back is facing the sky,” says a familiar jibe, suggesting that even hunchbacked people must be wary of being an endangered species.

Many would probably agree there is a ring of truth to the teasing. After all, the types of Chinese crusine available worldwide is unimaginably variegated.

The wide variety of food for worshipping can differ from simple vegetarian food to expensive gourmet delicacies as the Chinese seldom miss a chance to harvest every opportunity to hold a grand feast for family and friends after the rituals are done with.

So what does it matter whether a festival is celebrated to mark a successful rebellion against a tyrant emperor or a heavenly deity’s birthday?unquote.

When You're down to nothing,God is up to something!

2010-08-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

Another food for thought.On a lazy Sunday,I chanced to come across an interesting article about Jimmy,my namesake!Just to share here:

This is beautiful!

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: 'How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?'

The surgeon said, 'I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it.'

Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?'

The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university..'

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of his hair?' the nurse asked.. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

The mother said, 'It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. 'I said no at first, but Jimmy said, ' Mum , I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mum .' She went on, 'My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could.'

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there.. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car..

The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.

She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said :

'Dear Mum ,

I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say 'I Love You' . I will always love you, Mum , even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know.

Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mum ? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mum ? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'where was He when I needed him?' 'God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mum , no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore the cancer is all gone.. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.

Your Choice of diet - Meat or Vege?

2010-03-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

When Shiau Wen announced and created a new chapter in her life by denouncing meat during our meeting today,she stared at me hoping for more answers.

Really I have none at that very moment but just to console her to take it easy, perhaps by trying it twice a month,namely on the first and the fifteen day of the Chinese lunar calendar month.

Many of us do so in Penang but for me,I did the nine days vegetarian feast on the Nine Emperors Gods' festival and also when I was at BABA's Asram in Puttaparthi in India.

Have I said good-bye to my favourite meat?Let's explore what Colin Boyd Shafer has to say to quote:

"I have not eaten red or white meat for almost a year.Recently, I even said goodbye to seafood.I have completely given up eating animals.

Three main reasons have influenced my decision to stop eating animals in the 21st century: one, consuming meat is extremely harmful to the environment; two, purchasing meat is not worth the suffering it inflicts on the animals; and three, producing meat for mass consumption is simply not healthy.
For me, eating meat is simply unjustifiable.

I just finished reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s provocative new book “Eating Animals” (2009).Preparing for the book, he spent three years trying to decide, through detailed investigation, whether he wanted to raise his newborn son as a meat eater or a vegetarian. He decided on the latter.

His conclusions were my catalyst for change.

The book is full of mind-blowing revelations. For example: Animal agriculture makes a 40 per cent greater contribution to global warming than all transportation in the world combined; it is the number one cause of climate change.

Eating meat has other environmental implications as well. Rainforests are being cut down to make way for these farms — destroying biodiversity.

More fields are used to grow feed for these animals than to grow food for us!

Seafood is delicious, but large scale fishing is entirely unsustainable. As reported on BBC News, if trends continue, all major global fisheries will be depleted by 2050 (Black, 2006).

Eating meat is just not green.

An average American consumes 21,000 whole animals over a lifetime. The majority of these animals are factory farmed.

It’s important to remember that all meat comes from sentient beings. In the movie “Earthlings” (2007), one gets to see the harsh reality of where our meat comes from. Chickens crammed together in cages no bigger than a shoebox, cows skinned alive as they dangle by their legs from hooks, pigs poked, prodded and underfed, and dolphins being clubbed en masse.

Safran Foer spends a lot of time explaining how fish are no different, and just as deserving of our compassion.

However, most of us are disconnected from all of this. What we see is small cubes of meat ready for our consumption.
The whole “pain-filled” process is hidden. Why is it that the pleasure we derive from eating meat is enough to justify the act?
In the words of Safran Foer, “Compassion is a muscle that gets stronger with use, and the regular exercise of choosing kindness over cruelty would change us.”
Our meat consumption even creates disease. Zoonotic pathogens (animal-human or human-animal) result from our close contact with animals.

Safran Foer explains how the 1918 Spanish flu (a form of avian influenza) killed up to 100 million people worldwide in the course of a year and we may be leading ourselves down a similar road. Keep in mind that H1N1 derived from pig farming.
Farmed chickens are no better — with 95 per cent infected with E.Coli, 90 per cent Capylobacter, and 8 per cent Salmonella.
Due to their weak immune systems from altered genetics and harsh living conditions, they are very susceptible to diseases. We are setting up the conditions for the creation of a new super-pathogen.

Films like the Academy-award nominated Food Inc. (2009) demonstrate how dangerous our factory farmed meat can be. One woman in the movie discussed the death of her little boy from a contaminated hamburger. What makes the story even sadder is she is not alone. There are many people who have suffered from eating what appeared to be an innocent meal.

Many Malaysians like meat. It is an important component of the local diet.
About 25 per cent of total protein intake is from meats (Mohamed & Abdullah, 1987). In fact, a 2000 USDA report listed Malaysia as the number one consumer of seafood per capita, with the average person eating a whopping 374 pounds!

According to Maria Divina Sinalubong-Paraguas from Universiti Sains Malaysia (2006) “with rapid population growth and improved per capita income as well as lifestyle changes resulting from urbanisation, it is predicted that there will be further increases in demand for meat products in the country.”

As development in Malaysia continues so will the increase of factory-farmed meat and seafood consumption.

While researching this article, I found statistics — but no mention of how Malaysians feel about the treatment of animals bred for consumption on factory farms or fished from the sea.

Furthermore, there is apparently little concern over environmental impact. A notable exception is a recently published letter in the Sun from the president of the Consumer Association of Penang, S.M. Mohamed Idris.He asked for the closure of all shrimp farming operations. This industry is devastating the local mangrove ecosystem with far-reaching consequences.

Meat consumption is not a necessity for human survival. The vegetarian diet can be healthier than an omnivorous one as you can get protein from sources such as beans and soya.

As reported in the Huffington Post on July 13, 2008, impressive data arises from a study of 1904 vegetarians over 21 years by the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsche Krebsforschungszentrum). The study’s shocking results: vegetarian men reduced their risk of early death by 50 per cent! Women vegetarians benefit from a 30 per cent reduction in mortality! On a personal note, all of my friends who are vegetarian seem to be doing well.

I am afraid of where we are heading. Do we care about the perpetuating effects of global warming? Do we care about our health? Do we care about the treatment of these animals? Do you care?
If you are just eating meat for pleasure, is that just? What would it take for you to live life without your favourite meat dish? I challenge you to reflect on your choice of diet.

Not only should you think about your health, but your role as a global citizen. In the words of Jonathan Safran Foer, “when we lift our forks [chopsticks, hands — whatever you use to eat] we hang our hats somewhere.”unquote.

Good luck Shiau Wen, you have joined the Chronic Self-Righteousness Syndrome group as at today but as for me perhaps I should call my experiences as an Omnivore's Dilemma.Don't you think so???

Eating too full in reunion dinners!!!

2010-01-29T20:32:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year is just two weeks away.As with any merry making, there are lots and lots of food to eat.Eat moderately and things will be fine with your body system as over-indulging in ten course reunion dinner or buffet lunch/dinner may do more harm than good.Ronnie forwarded this article by Dr. Lee for your consumption to quote:

WHAT'S WRONG IN EATING TOO FULL?

Don't overeat and don't encourage your family members and friends to overeat - unless you wish to shorten their healthy living and perhaps die younger!

"The more you eat, the sooner you die. The lesser you eat, the longer you live." This is what Dr Lee always says in his health talk. He also mentions, "Eating too full causes all sort of health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke, etc."

Why eating too full is so harmful to your health?
What can you do about it?

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Mice experiment
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To see how eating habit affects life span, a professor from University of Texas did an experiment on mice.

For the first group of 100 mice, he let them eat without any restriction, just like a buffet meal. The second group was fed only 60% full. And the third group was given food without restriction too. But this time, he reduced protein content to half. After 2.5 years, guess how many mice were still alive out of 100?

* First group (eat without restriction) - only 13 mice was alive.
* Second group (eat 60% full) - 97 mice was still alive. Only 3 mice died.
* Third group (eat without restriction with protein cut half) - 50 mice still alive.

What can we learn from these results?

Firstly, eating too full is really harmful to your body. Secondly, eat 60% full if you want to live longer and healthier. Thirdly, taking too much protein is harmful to your body too. We don't need so much protein after all.

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Overworked body
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Imagine having a small family car. Instead of using it for short travel between home and office, you use it for long distance travel between different cities every day. Instead of using it 1 hour a day, you use it for 10 hours a day. Instead of driving at 70 km/h, you always speed up to 170 km/h, hitting engine's red line.

Can you estimate your car life span? Do you expect having various problems with your car after a short time?

Driving your car at high speed for a long time is like always eating too full. You force your body to always work at its red line.

Do you know digestion is the most demanding work for your body? Think about the organs involved such as your mouth, stomach, liver, pancreas, duodenum and intestine. Think about the length of digestive tract from your mouth to intestine.

Eating too full zaps up much of your body energy for digestion. Otherwise, this energy may be used for other purpose such as enhancing your immune system.

Do you realize you become very tired easily after a big meal? That is the sign of your body working hard to digest all the food you take in.

If you eat an extra bowl of noodle, your pancreas has to produce extra insulin hormone to process the extra carbohydrates you take.

Your liver, stomach and intestine also have to produce extra enzymes to digest and process specific nutrients from that bowl of noodle.

Therefore the more you eat, the harder your body has to work to process it. Of course, we must eat to survive. But we don't have to eat that much!

If you drive your car slowly and handle it gently, you can use it for a long time. But if you always floor the accelerator and drive like a rally driver, you know the consequence on your car life span.

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Side effect of eating
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Your car engine burns fuel to move your car and bring you to anywhere you like to go. As a result, the engine produces exhaust smoke which is toxic. It must be dispersed out from your car.

Similarly, your body cell burns nutrient for energy to survive. In the process, it produces free radicals. Since free radical is toxic to your body, it has to be neutralized and expelled.

"Just metabolizing food especially fatty and carbohydrate-rich fare causes the body to produce free radicals, which attack cells and can promote the development of chronic conditions including heart disease, diabetes and cancer," says Ronald L. Prior, Ph.D.

Of course, your body can control free radicals in small quantity. But the more you eat, the more free radicals your body produces. Without adequate control, these free radicals easily attack your body cells and eventually cause all sort of diseases.

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Good eating habit
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After knowing the harmful effect of eating too full, what's your choice? Do you want to live longer, just like the second group mice in the experiment? Or do you want to risk ending your life earlier, just like the first group mice?

If you wish to live longer, here are some tips you can follow:

1. Always eat until 70% full. Do not exceed 80% full. You may want to stop eating when you feel slightly full.

2. Avoid having buffet style meal which makes it harder to control how much you eat. Instead, prepare the food you want to eat in a plate. After finishing it, don't add anymore food.

3. Leaving the dining table earlier may prevent you from picking some extra food to eat.

4. It is always a good idea to prepare lesser food in the first place. Some people are afraid of having not enough food for everyone. Actually, lesser food is beneficial for everyone..

In a restaurant, order in small amount first. You can always add in some extra order if necessary. But if you can get by with the original smaller order, that's great.

Remember this: You have higher chance of overeating if you serve more food on the table. You have better chance of not overeating if you serve less food.

5. Avoid stuffing your fridge with ice cream, chocolate or other dessert. You cannot eat what you do not have.

6. When someone prepares a big plate of food for you, look at it first. Ask yourself, "Do I want to stuff it all into my stomach?"

If your answer is no, just put aside some food to another empty plate first. After finishing your food, look back at the extra food on that new plate. Say to yourself, "Phew! Luckily I didn't stuff that portion into my stomach."

7. When you get too hungry before your meal time, just take some fruit instead of heavy meal.

The tendency to overeat is very high for modern people. Do you know most monks only eat twice a day?

They wake up at 4am, meditate and say their prayer. Later they have their simple breakfast at 7am. Before 12pm, they have their lunch. That's all for them. They eat no more after that. No tea break. No dinner. No supper. They still look strong and energetic.

Of course, we don't have to eat like them. But it reminds us we can eat less and stay healthy. So remember to eat only 70% full if you want to stay healthy.Unquote.

So to all my friends, a very happy and prosperous Chinese New Year to all as we welcome the year of the tiger.May the God of Prosperity smile on you all on this auspicious occasion!

"KEONG HEE HUAT CHAI"

EATING FRUIT...........

2009-10-20T01:55:00.000-07:00

EATING FRUIT...
It's long but very informative
We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's important to know how and when to eat.
What is the correct way of eating fruits?
IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! * FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.
If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.. Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.

In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil....

So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining - every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!

Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.

There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!

KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher.. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.

Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer! Can u believe this?? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE': (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!) Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack . Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.. Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive...

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

Read this....It could save your life!!

Staying out of H1N1 trouble!

2009-08-13T21:01:00.000-07:00

Ronnie was kind enough to post this short script on my e-mail relating to wearing masks to prevent H1N1.I too saw many people visiting the computer fairs and eateries wore masks in those crowded places.To quote what he had to say so far

RECENTLY, I saw photos in newspapers showing people wearing "surgical masks" at shopping malls, schools, mamak stalls and other public areas. I have even noticed people wearing them out in the open with no one around.
Because of this, I would like to explain why the mask may do more harm than good.
The H1N1 virus is not airborne. To be considered an airborne virus, the microorganism would have to survive or remain in the air for long periods of time. The H1N1 virus does not stay airborne.
I have noticed many people wearing masks in crowded places. However, places like airports, shopping malls and schools are full of germs and bacteria. If a small amount of bacteria gets into a hole in the mask, you will provide a breeding ground for the bacteria, which may lead to an illness or infection. The moisture you produce in your mask is perfect for bacteria and viruses, and may be a recipe for disaster.
The way to prevent exposure to H1N1 virus is to avoid physical contact with people who may be sick or infected. Also avoid commonly touched surfaces like escalator railings, poles and public toilet doorknobs.
The H1N1 virus usually spreads when someone touches surfaces with the bacteria and then touches his own nose, eyes or mouth.
Washing your hands frequently is the best defense against exposure.
And yes, the virus may travel from point A to point B in the air. But it will drop, not stay airborne.
Wearing a mask is only good at helping you not to spread your illness to others if you are infected

You are the champion,Dad!

2009-06-21T23:17:00.000-07:00

It was a Sunday yes, but this was not an ordinary day.So my wife and I decided to take a ride to our usual breakfast coffee-shop at Sungai Nibong.We both ordered our Hokkien Mee topped up with the usual drinks we normally ordered.Then it was time to also 'ta pau' for our lunch and so we ordered two packages of nasi lemak.I expected older people to serve us but here were three young entrepreneurs,one taking the order while the others help to 'bungkus' the rice.The last one apparently a cashier,gave a broad smile while changing the Ringgits back to me.I smiled and gave a thump-up!

Then while at Jaya Restaurant,I managed to greet my good friend,Muthu, with "Vhanakham" and he replied the same with hands clasped inwards towards the heart.We normally made it a point to visit the said restaurant for our usual Tosai Masalla or just plain Chapati.He is only below 35 years but running his family restaurant.Visit this restaurant at Jalan Tengah,Bayan Baru for a hassle free Lunch or dinner.They provide good service.

During this time of great recession,more and more young men will be out on the road opening stores selling Nasi Lemak, Roti Chanai or Char Koay Teow or even Ramli's burger.If I am not mistaken,some of them are fathers too,trying very hard to bring food to the table for their family.Let us patronize their stores whether new or small and encourage them to stand on their two feet rather then to accept handouts from the authority!

Happy Father's day to all of you and I dedicate this poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to you, our Champions:

" A PSALM OF LIFE (WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN SAID TO THE PSALMIST)
TELL me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream ! —
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real ! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal ;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way ;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle !
Be a hero in the strife !
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant !
Let the dead Past bury its dead !
Act,— act in the living Present !
Heart within, and God o'erhead !
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time ;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate ;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait."

Taming the monkey minds with bananas!

2009-06-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

If you experience heartbreaks and shaky marriages in London,Glasgow,Manchester etc ,just call PISANG or the Professional Islamic Support and Nurture Group.They believe that the supernaturals or sorcery play havoc on the minds leading to family breakups, stress and depression. What is this so called 'pisang' in Bahasa Malaysia?Well, its just BANANAS in plain simple english!

I read somewhere that eating banana can give one a cool and calming effect to the mind!Don't believe me, then just try one especially the 'pisang tanduk' variety.There are other advantages of eating bananas,let us explore deeper on this issue to quote:

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression “going bananas” is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Never, put your banana in the refrigerator! This is interesting. After reading this, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again.
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration have just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (England) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found, the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking and Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe it’s time to change that well-known phrase now: “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”

PS: I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe…polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit!

After reading this article,so please do not call "PISANG" before ever attempting to drown your culture shocks or whatsoever when reaching foreign land for the first time but just try to swallow some bananas for heaven's sake!

A little of everything-The Rojak!

2008-12-15T08:13:00.000-08:00

ladies will swear that they are in seventh Heaven when they see a plate of rojak!It's more a lady's starter dish before the main course is eaten.I have seen many men too indulging in this mouth-watering delicacy though many will swear that its one of the 'must have' for the pregnant ladies!!!

What is this specialty that can make our saliva drool like there is no tomorrow?

Rojak, a Malay concoction comprising of a little bit of green unripe mango,nutmeg,cucumber,mankuang,,pineapple and other local fruits/vegetables mixed with thick Hae Kor( black prawn source)and roasted peanuts.Some enterprising stalls also add in small fried prawns and Ee Char Koay(a long piece of deep-fried ancient bread usually goes best with thick black coffee)

Almost all of the rojak sellers claim that theirs are the best but only an expert can tell where to go for such good titillating fruit/vegetable dish. My friend,Paul from Great Britain,dared not taste the thick prawn source or he would get high from it!For my two children, they must have generous amount of the thick black prawn source spilling onto the fruits/vegetables together with lots of fresh roasted peanuts to make the dish look very appertising!

I too have my 'Rojak king' on the island.Try the Hock Kee rojak stall right at the Mccallum Street flat and tell me what do you think?

Daniel's taste-bug was stirred up by GP Rojak at the Gurney Drive Hawker's complex while Paula's Ah Chye Rojak needs a GPS bearing to find him as he is all over the place!Mohan and wife prefer the Esplanade stall and Jong together with Paula concurred this fruit/rojak stall is rather good but pricey. Anyway to each his/her own but if you find a better rojak starter pack,just page me and I will be there!

Jong's Penang food bash!

2008-12-09T07:43:00.000-08:00

Thank you Kensan for the breakfast! I just got back today, persuaded by friends and relatives for food food food. I never miss my hokkien mee in Presgrave St (Snar Teow Lorr). Ask for extra pai-koot or sio-bak, superb. The o-chean(oyster) and tauknua chen are also good. So is its kueh-kark. The wantan mee is also good. I also love the ice kacang.

The pek-kueh tng and heng jin char along Kimberly St are also nice. Too bad we don't have them here in Ipoh.

Amazing you have not visited Ipoh in 10 years? How come, afterall it's only 1.5 hr drive away? My friends and I used to drive all the way to Penang just for the day's food! Once we left at 7 am, returned home at 7 pm and we consumned 11 types of hawker food. We had wanted to eat more but the stomach could not take it anymore. That was years back. Today we are all comparing our middle-age spread, trying not to consume carbs after lunch!

Btw Presgrave St is Snar Teow Lor, not Cheet Teow Lor(7th st) which is Cecil St. That's my territory - I grew up in MacCallum St - Gor Teow Lor(5th st). That whole area used to be gangster haunts but ever since young I will fight to my last breath if anybody ever includes MacCallum St because that's the only one left "clean"! Why? - because that's a street of government/public servants and professionals. We were all so safe, being surrounded and protected by those gangs. They never ever touched us. We were left alone. Imagine walking the dark streets(our lightings were nothing to shout about) late in the night for supper. Not today, can't even walk safe in broad daylight without handbags being snatched!

The ice kacang too is superb!

Kiam-Chye Boey:

We should remember how our elders used to “tapau” every remnance of good festival food on the table to turn them up into favourite of everyone - the ‘kiam-chye-boey’ a chopsui dish in Cantonese it’s called “choy-keok”. Wow I remember how popular they were but today because of health awareness and hygiene to prevent spread of heppatitis, such practice is strongly discouraged and discontinued. Whenever I have cravings for “kiam chye boey”, I’d have to buy the ingredients to ‘artifitually’ churn out ‘kiam-chye-boey’ using half a bird of roast chicken, roast pork, cans of mushrooms, lemon grass, dried chillies, carrots and plenty of kiam-chye and kuah chye! Anyone for this dish? I have a suggestion, can we get Paula distracted from her ’stress’ and pass her this “assignment”? And we will all be there to test it out if she would do a good job of it?!

~jong.-Thanks to youu too for sharing!

Ipoh's hawkers's food anyone?

2008-11-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

I have not venture south to Ipoh since my last posting in Manjung several years ago.I still remember briefly that Ipoh do produce good food.So when Bee Chooi calls me to run errand in Ipoh, I grab this opportunity to do what I really want to do that is to sample and revisit as many interesting eating places within the short time frame. Of course,things would have changed after ten years and so far I do some research on some of the foods and drinks Ipoh is famous for. Let's roll on....

Ipoh is famous for its Chinese food.

.Ipoh bean sprouts chicken"芽菜雞" , which consists of chicken meat, assorted chicken innards and bean sprouts boiled in hard water and served with soy sauce and sesame oil. Ipoh's bean sprouts are very fat, short and tastier than those produced outside Ipoh; thus, Ipoh's beansprouts also receive orders from other states. Famous bean sprout chicken noodles include Onn Kee （安記芽菜雞沙河粉）and Lou Wong (老黃芽菜雞沙河粉） Restaurants, both of which are located at the junctions of Yau Tet Shin Street 姚德勝街 and Osbourne Street.

Ipoh Sar Hor Fun"怡保沙河粉", which are rice flat noodles prepared in hard water and served in clear chicken and prawn soup with chicken shreds, prawns and spring onions. Famous sar hor fun purveyors include Thean Chun and Kong Heng Restaurants, located along Leech Street 列治街 in the Old Town. Other popular food choices include chicken and pork intestines satay, curry pork skin chee cheong fun, and their custard! Custards are usually sold out around 3pm weekdays and noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

Ipoh Chicken Rice. The famous Ipoh Chicken Rice can be found in Bak Gong restaurant located near the Foh San restaurant in the city centre, open in the afternoon.

Hor Hee noodles 河熹粉. This is a very delicious kuey teow noodles with fish balls and fish pastes. The most famous stalls selling Hor Hee include those located in Heng Heung restaurant next to restaurant Sin Yean Lee in Ipoh Old Town (open only at night), and also the "Gao Peng" restaurant at Chamberlain Road in Ipoh New Town (again, night only).

Dim sum“点心”(fish balls, fried items, dumplings, buns, served in small quantities). Foh San(富山) restaurant, located nearby the tauge ayam outlets, is a famous dim sum restaurant. Yuk Fook Moon Lau(玉福满楼） (open in the morning and also at night), located behind Excelsior Hotel, sells excellent dim sum too. Ming Kok （明阁）, which is just opposite, is the best dim sum restaurant in Ipoh. Also try out or take away the Cha Siew Bao", Chinese pork pao (bun) sold in Yuk Fook Moon Lau. Be warned: Go there early in the morning, around 6am-7am, because it is quite difficult to get a table at a later time.

Beef noodles 牛腩粉 The famous Buntong restaurant sells very delicious beef noodles, beef balls and yong tau foo (stuffed tofu). There are three other restaurants in Ipoh famous for Beef Noodles, run by three brothers originally from the Buntong Village of Ipoh: 1) Kong Meng Restaurant in Old Town Ipoh (morning till noon); 2) Taman Rishah Restaurant, between First Garden and Menglembu (noon till evening); 3) Jalan Theatre, near the Rainbow food court, in the Ipoh city (evening till night).

Chinese restaurants (a favorite place for holding Chinese wedding dinners; but also for casual dining) which serve excellent seafood and meat. The famous ones among Ipoh natives are Overseas（海外天） restaurant opposite Excelsior hotel, Mun Zhong （民众） restaurant in Jalan Pasir Puteh, Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant （布先民众海鮮酒家）on Jalan Verasamy (Try their signature dishes: Pan Fried Prawn in Special Soy Sauce, Sweet and Sour Crab, Shark Fin Soup, and Abalone in Chef's Special Sauce), “Tung Hoi （东海） restaurant in Menglembu & branch in Ipoh Garden South, and Lee How Fook （利口福） restaurant on Jalan Kampar. Two restaurants that serve very good Nyonya (Straits Chinese) cuisine are Yum Yum restaurant at Persiaran Greenhill near Excelsior hotel and A-Ssam House restaurant near Jalan Yang Kalsom.

Fish ball noodles鱼丸粉/yong tau foo攘豆腐. Some of the recommended outlets are Nam Fatt （南发） on Jalan Kampar, Tai Kar Lok （大家乐） - the best one in the city centre near Hotel Excelsior - and also one stall located in Pasar Pasir Pinji (open nights only).

Chow hor fun炒河粉 or Kueh teow basah are rice noodles fried in such a way that it is a little wet with dark gravy (as opposed to the Penang char kueh teow which has no gravy but is fried with egg, prawns or cockles and the Cantonese-style wat tan hor 滑蛋河, which is completely immersed in clear, egg gravy). You can get chow hor fun in all Chinese restaurants in Ipoh. The best chow hor fun can be found at a street stall in the Mengelembu town area and one restaurant near Xin Hup Zi (originating from Buntong; only open at night).

Hakka noodles客家麵. A few restaurants around the city sell delicious Hakka noodles with yong tau foo. The most popular Hakka noodles are offered by Yin Yau Kui at Hugh Low Street (Jalan Iskandar). This shop specialises in noodles rather than yong tau foo. Another lesser known favourite, known to local old-timers is located at Majestic Food Centre at Osbourne Street (Jalan Tahwil Azar). This stall offers much better yong tau foo compared to Yin Yau Kui but Yin Yau Kui's noodles are superior. There is one near the Mun Zhong restaurant in Jalan Pasir Puteh and one in a food court behind the Olympia College or Jalan Yang Kalsom (both open mornings only).

Salted chicken or Yim Kok Kai 盐锔鸡. The chicken is baked in salt in such a way that the skin and meat is so delicious that you will finish it all. Whole chickens are wrapped in "oil paper" and then baked in large woks filled with heated salt. The restaurant that sells salted chicken is Aun Kheng Lim Restaurant, located at Theatre Street, opposite Martell house or near Bak Gong restaurant in the city centre. It is so popular that you must call to order before you drop in. Tel: 05-254 2998.

Roasted duck 燒鴨. The duck is roasted in such a way the skin of the duck is so crispy, smells great and tastes delicious. Recommended famous restaurants that sell roasted duck: Yeong Wai （楊威） restaurant in Greentown Business area and Tuck Kee （得记） restaurant in Pasir Pinji, Ipoh. There's also a restaurant called Kedai Hong Kong in the Tasek area. The chef famously studied his duck preparation in Hong Kong. A couple of ex-staff have opened their own duck restaurants in adjacent restaurants.

Curry noodle 咖喱麵. In old town Ipoh, Sin Seng Fatt （新成发）, which is located near Kong Heng restaurant in Market Street, sells very delicious curry noodles. The curry paste of the curry noodle is so good that it's packed and sent to franchises in Hong Kong. They have a franchise at SS2, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. (open mornings and afternoons only). Another famous shop known to the locals is Sin Chuan Fatt (新泉發) on Jalan Pasir Puteh, which is known for its very spicy and thick curry paste, fried chicken and pork to go with the noodles. Lesser known are the restaurant facing the roundabout beside MGS secondary school (open mornings and afternoons only) and a coffee shop called Sin Chuan Fong （新泉芳） on Hugh Low Street.

Prawn mee 蝦麵 or Hokkien mee. This is the same as Penang's Hokkien Mee. This noodle soup tastes spicy and sweet. Recommended for prawn mee is the roadside stall on the road between Yik Foong complex and Super Kinta shopping centre (open from night and until early morning).

Sze Chuan food 川菜. There is a very good Sze Chuan Restaurant located in Fair Park. (There is only one, along the way from Ipoh General Hospital to Ipoh Indra Mulia Indoor Stadium.) They serve some very authentic Sze Chuan-style dishes that can only be described as heavenly. Don't forget to order the deep fried "Man Tou" “馒头” or Chinese "Pau", Cheong Chang Arp (sauce-layered duck), Sze Chuan fried long beans, Taufu cooked Szechuan-style and Tong Por pork meat. These are signature dishes at this establishment.

Chinese Vegetarian Food 素食店. There is one restaurant, Restaurant Sin Meng Kee 新明记, in the city centre that offers good Chinese vegetarian economical rice. It has many dishes in its menu. Main shop located at Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar and branch located at Jalan Lau Pak Khuan, Ipoh Garden and Kinta City food court (open morning until evening).

Claypot Chicken Rice 瓦褒鸡饭. This is a hot and delicious. Ipoh's famous exponent of this dish is located in the Bercham village area, at Lorong Bercham 4, opposite the Old Bercham wet market (open only at night).

Chinese-style Satay 沙爹. This is skewered meat seasoned and flavored with spices and served with cucumbers, onions and a chunky peanut sauce. Please note that the Chinese-style of satay (compared to other satay) contains pork and is thus unsuitable for Muslim tourists. The preferred stall is in Thean Chun Restaurant, Ipoh old town (open mornings and afternoons).

Malay/Indian Food

Laksa Perak 叻沙. This is a noodle dish which is similar to Penang's famous Asam Laksa but with a different taste. Laksa in Ipoh tastes a bit sour and spicy but not as sweet as Penang's Laksa. The ingredients of the noodle soup include prawn paste. There is one very good Laksa stall in Farlim, Ipoh (opposite the Setapak driving institute, on the way to Mengelembu from Ipoh; open Sunday afternoons only). The other one would be the Laksa stall in Kong Heng Restaurant.

Cuttle fish 鱿鱼雍菜, served with kangkung or water convolvulus vegetable and a sweet and spicy sauce on top of it.

Soup and fried rice. Try Darus sup in Tawil Azar stalls in Ipoh town-simply delicious. The best soup in Ipoh.

Samosas. There are great samosas and other great foodstuffs to be found in Little India.

Food courts. If you just want to eat a variety of good Ipoh food in just one place, go to Anika Selera or Gourmet Square and Woolley Centre in Canning Garden. Try bubur cha cha (at the first drinks stall counting from the Woolley Centre) and seafood in Aneka Selera (Toong Koo Theng) 冬菇亭. Try the Marmite Crab or the sweet & sour crab and the fried balitong. Also try the ABC dessert (Ice Mix 杂雪) in Woolley Centre. It is made up of a bowl of sinfully delightful mixture of red bean, cendol (green strands of pandan flavoured rice flour), jelly, peanuts and palm seed kernels topped with shaved ice, rose syrup, evaporated milk and corn. For the more health conscious, there is a fruit variant you can order. The other two great food courts are Rainbow City food court opposite Sam Tet primary school in Ipoh and all the street food stalls in Mengelembu old town (all opens at night only). You can find a lot of choices of good Ipoh food in these food courts.

Note that it is quite difficult getting a table at many coffee shops during weekdays and especially on weekends and holidays, so try to go early, not at busy times.

Drinks

Ipoh White Coffee, which are coffee beans specially roasted (with palm-oil margarine). Its colour is similar to that of cappuccino when served with milk. The best can be found in the few coffee shops located opposite the Kinta Heights flats in Ipoh's old town such as:

- Nam Heong Restaurant (Distributor of "3 in 1 Ipoh Old Town White Coffee")
- Xin Yun Loong restaurant (Open mornings and afternoons only)
- Xin Yuan Hoong and Xin Yuan Foong (All open mornings and afternoons only).
- The aroma, taste & texture of the original thing is definitely superior compared to the commercially-packed sachets or the Ipoh White Coffee sold elsewhere. These coffee shops are likely to be crowded during teatime, especially on weekends. Food-wise, you can get fried noodles/vermicelli, satay, congee, kuih, etc. at these coffee shops. Also order tasty toasted bread with kaya (coconut jam) and butter to complement a good cup of white coffee (known as a "Yin-Yang" toast). Nowadays you can get a good cup of white coffee in coffee shops around Ipoh city.

Tau Fu Fah (豆腐花), or soybean curd. It is claimed that Ipoh or Kinta Valley water makes this drink tasty. This drink is good for the body after travelling on a very hot day. The soya bean is fresh, sweet and smooth. Once you are drinking this soya bean curd, you can feel the smoothness and freshness of the soya bean smoothing down through your throat. It is served steaming hot with pandan syrup. The stall named Kei Foong, or Funny Mountain in English, is located at Osbourne Street (Jalan Tahwil Azar), near Restaurant Foh San. It has a drive-in delivery service. Also try the following delicious varieties:
- soymilk only
- soymilk mixed with cincau
- soybean curd with soymilk.

The Funny Mountain shop is open from 10.00am to 7.30pm. Tau Fu Fah and its variants can also be found in stalls by the roadside in various places.

Tong Sui (糖水), sweet dessert drink that will definitely refresh your body on a hot day. The most famous, located at what locals call "Tong Sui Kai" (糖水街) or Desert Drinks Street, is opposite Sam Tet Primary School (noon till late night). The most popular tong sui at this place would be black sesame (芝麻糊), mo mo cha cha and red bean (红豆沙). Also recommended is one located at Restaurant Cha Yong, behind Pizza Hut in Ipoh Garden South. Another few stalls are located in the Ipoh Stadium's food court and in a food court near the former Ocean (now The Store) supermarket.
Anyone game to join me in my adventure to Ipoh?

Fine Dining in Penang?

2008-11-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

I come across an interesting article from the Business Times Singapore which should be of interest to fine diners as a whole to quote:

"PENANG, Nov 15 — Yes, there's more to the Penang food scene than its famous char koay teow. Here's a guide to boutique restaurants and fine dining along the heritage trail.

When was the last time you went to Penang specifically to eat at a fine dining restaurant? Is there even such a thing as a fine dining eatery in this hawker capital of Malaysia? It's precisely because Penang is so strongly associated with mouth-watering char koay teow (even the patois spelling is different), assam laksa, wantan mee (with thick black sauce), prawn noodles (Hokkien mee) and nasi kandar (Indian-Muslim curry rice) that no visitor or overseas-based Penangite in their right mind would think of anything else the moment they reach the island. Even on a three-day, five-meals-a-day eating trip, you would only scratch the surface of what Penang's hawkers have to offer.

Besides, Western-style dining has always been “second-class” where the local palate is concerned. Considering that whatever Western food being served was usually second-rate and found in touristy spots like Batu Ferringhi, the reputation wasn't exactly undeserved.

But things have been changing over the past couple of years. Now that Penang's George Town has been recognised as a heritage city by Unesco, it looks set to follow in the footsteps of cities like Hanoi with their boutique restaurants.

In fact, such developments have given Penang a new cachet beyond that of “koay teow paradise”. It's now hip to be in Penang, especially when conservation and cuisine add up to a totally different cultural experience. So, if you can tear yourself away from your second plate of koay teow, we show you how to get the best of food and history as we guide you along the heritage trail.

The High Court and Port area

The Sire Museum Restaurant (4 King Street, Tel: 04-264-5088) tops the list of restaurants to check out in Penang, especially if you're an antiques buff. The food there is fusion — think Asian spices and herbs in continental dishes — and done very well. The restaurant is worthy of a fine-dining tag, even if prices are steep by Penang standards. The whole building has been lavishly restored and would have been more authentic if it didn't have Vietnamese paintings in the front room. After lunch or dinner, you can spend over an hour looking through the impressive collection of antiques from the Yeap Chor Ee estate. Yeap was one of Penang's leading tycoons and philanthropists.

This part of town isn't very far from Penang's Little India, but if you want Northern Indian food rather then the more pedestrian Southern Indian, there's Spice & Rice (1 Green Hall, www.spicenrice.com.my, Tel: 04-261-8585), right opposite the handsomely rebuilt High Court. The building used to house the North Malaya Chinese Textile & General Merchants Association in the late 19th century. The Indian restaurant serves both Northern and Southern Indian fare, and the tasty dishes are fairly authentic. We tried dishes like mutton rogangosh, hydrabadi murg and aloo gobi (from RM14 to RM22) and scooped up all the gravy with our prata-like garlic and butter naans.

For Hainanese food with a view, Hai Nan Town (Tanjung Marina or Church Street Pier, 8A Pengkalan Weld, Tel: 04-263-8633. www.hainantown.oomph.com.my) is one of the best in town and is located at a newly built waterfront marina. Enjoy the sight of Penang's traditional ferries going in and out of the ferry terminal while you tuck into curry kapitan, assam prawns (tamarind-coated prawns), and fish head curry. Give the ju hu char (stir-fried jicama and dried cuttlefish) a miss because it's not as good as the Peranakan version, but the sambal kangkung (water morning-glory fried in sambal chilli) is among the best in town.

Around the E&O Hotel area

For some of the best fusion fine-dining fare on the island, 32 at the Mansion (www.32atthemansion.com, Tel: 04-262- 2232) — just look out for the house number — is a must visit. The restaurant is housed in an original Italian-style mansion built in the 19th century, and has a bar/lounge as well. The interior and decor is drop-dead gorgeous, especially the dining area in the conservatory where you can look out to the sea. The owners of 32 were the early pioneers of stylish dining in Penang, and they also run the trendy Beach Blanket Babylon down the road, at the refurbished Garage, an art deco building which used to be the Wearne Brothers' garage that serviced British Leyland automobiles like Austin, Morris and Jaguar, belonging to the rich and famous in colonial Penang. You can of course also pop in for an English afternoon tea at the E&O Hotel, built by the Sarkies Brothers in 1884 who later set up the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

The Armenian Street enclave

Armenian Street is the heart of the heritage movement in Penang. More than a decade ago, conservation wasn't hip but just a battle fought valiantly by non-governmental organisations. But once these organisations started to make some headway, the first wave of state-supported heritage restorations began in Penang, with the restoration of an early Achenese mosque to an upper class Muslim residence (The Syed Alatas Mansion). Sun Yat Sen's base in Penang is also housed here, and the street has three clanhouses, including the poster clanhouse — the Khoo Kongsi — which is hidden away in Cannon Square.

A street once dotted with karang guni businesses, the restored shophouses have been converted into art galleries, architects' and lawyers' offices and a few “heritage” restaurants. Colonial Restaurant and Nanyang Cuisine have Hainanese food but the fare isn't very consistent so you might be better off sampling the hawker food at the corner coffeeshop opposite Yap Kongsi which has a wide variety of stalls.

But if you want to take a break from local specialities and have some Austrian fare instead, check out the Edelweiss Cafe (38 Armenian Street, www.edelweisscafe.com) which is packed with antiques and designed to look like the kopitiams of old — complete with Czechoslovakian-made coffeeshop chairs and marble-topped tables.

Penang Hill

David Brown's Restaurant and Tea Terrace (Strawberry Hill, Penang Hill, Tel: 04-828-8337) is a little off the beaten track — all the way up Penang Hill, to be precise — but it's worth your while to climb up on foot (it'll take anywhere from an hour if you're fit to three if not) or drive up to this faux English cottage (it's new, but supposedly in the cottage style that David Brown, a nutmeg merchant, would have had it built in the 18th century), and enjoy the cool air and hilltop scenery. If you're lucky, the funicular train might be working, but otherwise, hiring a chauffeured car up and down costs only RM80 per car.

The restaurant was opened by the late Peter Lee, who also owned and ran The Smokehouse Hotel in Cameron Highlands which serves arguably the best scones with clotted cream in the country. Everything at David Brown's is typically colonial English, and the food is good although prices are a little loftier than down the hill. Hits include the robust tomato consomme and the spiced mulligatawny soup, while the menu includes English fare like chicken and mushroom pie, fish & chips, and Chicken Maryland (breaded chicken).

If manicured lawns and all that effort to recreate life in 18th century Penang isn't quite your cup of tea, just walk a wee bit up the hill and check out Bellevue Hotel, owned by renowned architect Lim Chong Keat. The hotel which seems to represent the architect's interests and influences — think mystic Bali, exotic animals, architectural innovation — is caught firmly in a '60s-'70s retro time warp but its fascinating view (from the “backside” of Penang Hill rather than the front that faces the city) includes an abandoned building on a hillock which used to be Crag Hotel, also once run by the Sarkies Brothers. Bellevue is for the bohemian naturalist who hopefully has a taste for down-to-earth Hainanese char bee hoon, cooked with gravy.

And if you hang out on the verandah long enough, underneath the bowers of a flowering plant with aqua blue hornbill-shaped flowers, the waiter will point out where the resident wild snake or two are curled up overhead.

Bellevue is almost the complete antithesis of David Brown's, and stays under the radar. For that reason, David Brown's is a breath of fresh air for Penang Hill which has long needed a quaint place serving well-prepared fare — never mind that it's all a bit contrived. It's a blast from the romanticised past, which seems to be the way forward for Penang's dining scene. — Business Times Singapore" unquote.

NO MILK TODAY!

2008-09-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

Phew!Holiday ends so fast and before you knew it, it ended!

But what worries me greatly is the food all babies,toddlers and kids associate with- their milk! With ever increasing numbers of babies being sicked, the latest figure added up to 53000 children sickened with tainted milk and with several deaths reported I have decided to research on this phenomena to update all mothers what caused these lovely bouncy baby to be sick. to quote from 'Doctors 2008 blog':

Mixing Melamine and Milk

If you think that only milk and milk products with only Chinese names are contaminated with melamine, the results released by the Center For Food Safety of Hong Kong as reported by China Daily yesterday raised the possibility that the practice may be more widespread.

Of 65 different brands tested, one contained melamine at a level of 1.4 ppm(parts per million), the safety limit being 6.3 mg per kg body weight per day. While the level detected is below the safety limit, it was enough for the authorities to have it removed from the shelves. However, to allay concerns, this product, named as Nestle Dairy Farm Pure Milk (Catering Use Only), was actually manufactured on the Chinese mainland.

The recent outbreak in mainland China was reported widely in the media the last 2 weeks and to date, 53,000 babies are affected, 13,000 hospitalised and 4 have died , and counting..

Melamine - the high content of nitrogen(blue dots) are similar to that of amino-acids which make up protein

Melamine is used in making plastics and is loaded with nitrogen molecules. Because of the high nitrogen content, this makes milk products appear to have a higher protein count as the current methods of measuring protein are based on measuring the nitrogen content alone. Health experts say that ingesting small amounts does no harm, but sustained use especially in babies and children can cause kidney stones and renal failure, as melamine is insoluble in the human body and tends to deposit itself in the kidneys which cannot remove it from the system via the urine.

But why add melamine in the first place? This allows milk to be diluted with water by the unscrupulous and the greedy to give more volume. The ‘protein’ levels are then built up back by adding the protein substitute (melamine).

A burning issue is that, while the NZ government raised this issue as early as March this year, no action was taken by the Chinese government. One of the reasons quoted by some newspapers was that the Chinese government had issued a 21-point plan to all journalists covering the Olympics to avoid taboo subjects, including food safety issues (point 8). A sort of news censorship to put the Beijing Olympics in a spotless stage. I guess I should add the melamine issue as an addition to my series of earlier posts on “Beijing Olympics Face Major Health Issues”…. unquote.

Curry Mee Anyone?

2008-07-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

This evening I just felt like eating Penang curry mee and the Goodall Hawker stall opposite the Penang Chinese Girl High School at Bagan Jemal was simply ideal.There was this lady with a friendly smile greeting me and off I ordered my first bowl of the tasty curry mee.There are also other stalls all over the island and they are equally famous and mouth-watering! Here we go:

1.This pic was taken at the "seven road" market stall.Don't they look very appertising and spicy?

2.Next to the Island Park Chung Hwa Chinese school,there is a corner coffee shop which sells some of the most delicious hawker's fare among them Char Keow Teow and Wan Tan Mee. A very experienced young man sells the only curry mee in this locality.Try it and tell me what do you think of this curry mee?

In the same shoes!

2008-06-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

After reading my blog on fuelling change and the single mother, a friend asks me what about those in the salary brackets fromRM3000 and below? What about those retirees and those considered as the ' living deads' whose lives have changed forever with the fuel increase? To convince me he lists below the monthly expenses incurred via e-mail to quote:

Can A Family Man With Salary RM3,000 Survive In Malaysia ....!

Can a family man with Salary RM3,000 survive in Malaysia

Let's do some simple calculations here.

In Malaysia , the average family income is RM3,000/month
(where father works, mother doesn't).

I understand there are many families whose
monthly income does not reach RM3,000
but, to make things simple,
let's take RM3,000 as the figure. Ok lah, right?

Okay, let's start rolling with a family which has
Papa, Mama, 1 daughter and 1 son. Ngam-ngam ...

Calculation starts...

Electricity and water bill: RM100
(No air-con, No home theatre, No water heater ... ok?)

Phone bill ( Telekom): RM100

Meals for a happy family: RM775
(3 meals on RM25/day, RM25 for 4 persons...?)

Papa makan / teh-tarik during working hrs: RM155
(RM5/day, RM5 ... can eat what?)

Car repayment: RM400
(A proton saga aeroback, 7 yrs repayment)

Petrol (living in city, traffic-jam): RM300
(go to work, bring son to school,
only can afford one car running)

Insurance: RM650
(kids, wife and myself)

House repayment: RM750
(low cost housing repayment for 30 yrs,
retired still have to work to pay!)

Tuition: RM80
(got that cheap meh? i don't think so)

Older children pocket money @ school: RM20
(RM1/day, eat bread?)

School fees: RM30
(enough ah?)

School books and etc: RM100
(always got extra to pay in school)

Younger children milk powder: RM50
(cannot have the DHA, BHA, PHA one, expensive)

Miscellaneous: RM100
(shampoo, rice, sauce, toilet paper)

Oh wait!!! I have to stop here, so...
No Astro,
no movie @ cinema,
no DVD,
no CD,
no online,
cannot KFC,
cannot McDonald,
cannot go Park walk during weekend (petrol expensive),
no chit chat on phone with grandparents, and etc...

Let's use a calculator to total up... WALAO EH! Shit! RM3,610 already....

EPF belum potong, income tax lagi........oledi RM3,610 ....

How to survive lah tuan-tuan dan puan-puan sekalian ???

Our Deputy Prime Minister asked us to change lifestyle?

How to change? Don't eat? Don't work? Don't send children to school and study?HOW about himself??O ya, he is different...

Besides that, I believe in Malaysia population, there are millions of rakyat Malaysia which still don't earn RM3,000/month!!!

Unquote.

Fuelling change!

2008-06-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

Since the fuel price increase by 78 cents to RM2.70, many lives have been affected in Malaysia.I was rather moved by a single mother who had this to say and to quote:

I have read so many times about the price increases but so far I feel that nobody actually knows or cares about how much we, the general just below-average and under-average income earners live!

In your papers you had an article on how people manage their income but most of them earned RM3000 on average!

What about me? And those in my shoes??

I am a single parent! I am not a charity case (though it looks like I'm being pushed into that), I have one kid 3 yrs going on 4. My ex-husband doesn't support me with anything! I work in a factory as an assistant officer. My net income is RM1300 per month!

To get to work 7 km away and to send my kid to the babysitter, i have to drive because the public transport only decides to turn up when they feel like it!!!!!!!!! Moreover, to get from my house to my job of only 7 km away, i have to travel on 2 buses that will take me 20 km in all different directions before getting me to work. (What great public transportation we have here!) Just for your information, I live in Seremban; not too far off in the rural area but just about 1 hour's drive to KL. But, we have very crappy public transport services. And I imagine most towns have this same crappy service too!

The 13 year old Wira I drive actually belongs to my brother-in-law. God Bless him, he let me use this car when he bought a new one late last year (an Iswara) so that I can get to work on time.

I live in a rented house of which I pay RM280 a month and my babysitter costs me RM270 a month. My utility bills come up to RM100 and my phone bill around RM80. I had to cancel my credit card which I had from my single and carefree days and now I'm paying for it monthly until the year 2010! RM160 every month! Then, I put money aside for my kid's milk, diapers, food, gas, rice, (all these used to be around RM250 a month) and of course, petrol! I used to spend RM120 for petrol a month. And that would leave me RM40 a month for doctor's fees, and maybe getting a new pair of slippers for my kid or whatever is needed for her. (How I've change my lifestyle! I have not had a hair cut in 2 years! Let me just say I've made changes to my lifestyle, drastic changes from 2 years ago when my ex-husband left!) However, still, I used to get by.

But then came the petrol price increase!

Chicken price has gone up (I'm not even going to talk about the rice price!), eggs, milk, vegetables, fish, all up! Even if I sell this old car I still will not be able to cover my expenses for food! How much and how long do you think that RM625 cash will help me?? I'm so sick and tired of hearing them say change your lifestyle! There is nothing more for me to change!

Unless I skip some meals, maybe my breakfast and my lunch?? But then, what if I get sick? Who will care for my daughter? How do I pay for the doctor? And if I don't go to work (because I'm sick), maybe I may not even have work anymore?? Then who will pay all the expenses? Where will I live? Can the Government give me a house?

Now, when I'm struggling with my income, what about my other friends in this factory whose salaries are RM550 a month. Then, there are 2 women here who are widows with school-going kids! Who have worked as operators for 5 - 8 years here and their salary NET only reaches RM650 a month! Lucky for them, they have their own houses and do not pay rent! Lucky for them too, they either walk or cycle to work. But don't think the price of petrol has not affected them! Because they still have to buy food and clothes and pay for their kids' school bus fares as all have increased! But their income remains the same! So tell me, how can they get the RM625 subsidy??? What is the government going to do for them??

All I hear on the government focused news are how they are trying to find ways to help the civil servants. I'm not saying they do not need help, but, WHAT ABOUT US??? Is anyone doing anything for us or would you all prefer we just die off quietly?? Our income will not be increased, and you can bet because of everything, the company will not increase the salaries for next year as well because they need to cut costs or close shop! Then what will we do??

Do you know that you can get welfare help if your family's income is RM350 and below only? This was what my friends were told and because they have work, they are not entitled to welfare help!

So, can someone explain to US, THE REAL PEOPLE, WHAT THE HELL IS THERE FOR US TO CHANGE??? AND DO NOT TELL US TO GET ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE TIME!!!

I really do want a reply from someone who can really give me good, clear answers. Not some "merry-go-round the bush" answer!

Thank you,
A desperate mother!

Unquote.

The Time is Now!

2008-05-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

This month on May 11 we celebrated Mother's Day.On June 15, we look forward to Father's Day. As food for spiritual thoughts,I would like to quote a poem from Robert Paul Moreno which surmise our feelings as a mother and a father:

The time is Now!

If you are ever going to love me
Love me now while I can know
All the sweet and tender feelings
From which the true affection flows

Love me now while I am still living
do not wait until I am gone
And then have it chiselled
in marble
Sweet words on ice-cold stone

If you have tender thoughts of me
Why not whisper them to me?
Don't you know it would
make me happy?
and as glad as can be

If you wait until I am sleeping
Never to waken here again
There will be walls
of earth between us
And I won't hear you then

I won't need your kind words
When the grass grows over my face
I won't crave your love and kisses
In my last low resting place

So if you love me,even a little bit
Let me know while I'm living
so that i can treasure it!
unquote

To our two children,Shu and Jin, we thank you for the laughter and the good time we share. When things gone bad,you will surely have our comforts and shoulders to cry on.

Happy Mother's day and Father's day to all mothers and fathers!

Uniquely Singapore!

2008-05-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

It had been a long time since I stepped into Singapore.There were of course interesting tourist destinations to choose from in Asia such as Bali in Indonesia, Siem Reap(Angkor Wat) in Cambodia or the Niah Caves in Sarawak, East Malaysia.But I chosed Singapore as I really wanted to compare its past and present.It was a long and interesting journey from Penang to Singapore as I decided to travel by bus so that I could also check on the various food-stalls operating along the North-South expressway.The pit-stops were plentiful, the journey eventful and the stalls that served the various varieties of food whether they be Malay, Chinese or even Indian dishes, all were very tasty though a bit expensive.Who cares if you are hungry,anything goes!

I arrived at Woodslands checkpoint around 1900 hrs after a heavy traffic jam from Senai,Johore.Earlier the Malaysian immigration officer was cheerful though overworked and I got my passport cleared within 10 minutes.We rushed towards the Singapore Immigration and Customs complex,there were three to four long lines of people from all over Asia.A group of young tourists from China looked puzzled at the forms to be filled and so were the Philippino and the Indian families behind me.Perhaps they did not understand english,where the crux of the problem was and they were unable to fill in the forms properly or that we tourists all have the look-a-like features of Mas Selamat, the militant fugitive who escaped from prison recently and that was why the Indian lady immigration officer checked all of us thoroughly including comparing my passport and my mycard! I managed to leave the complex only after 2135hrs after being barked at by a pregnant Malay lady immigration officer after my protest to another lady Indian immigration officer who later apologized.At the customs inspection area,I was roared at by the Chinese customs officer as I did not put my Malaysian coins in the X-ray machine!This is what I called 'uniquely Singapore' after getting battered by some ugly Singaporeans and what a good start for my latest impression of Singapore not to mentioned that my bus left us!By the way,aren't all tourists the guests of Singapore,therefore we should be welcomed with open arms?This perception was definitely further from the truth based on our truly unforgettable 'first impressions'!
Once in Singapore,things livened up.The supper at Holland village were superb though it was already 2330hrs.The crowd had fizzled out and most shops in the locality had since closed except for the bars and Mexican fast food chain.We managed to eat porridge at the Chinese restaurant next door.
The next day,we managed to take a bus to Singapore botanical garden.It was really beautiful with man-make lakes and waterfalls, but I still loved my Penang botanical garden for its natural surroundings and its floral and fauna.Next stop was Orchard road and just imagine,things changed completely except for the Tangs and Marriott landmarks that I could clearly remember!The Food Republic food-court ( on the same row as Takashimaya) here was huge and clean and I should say they served very good dry beef noodle and Hainanese chicken rice but not the char koay teow, hokkien mee or nasi kandar which we dearly love to eat in Penang.

At the Lau Par Sat food court, there were certainly much to choose from.Ikan Panggan at stall No.18 was delicious.If you liked Satay Itek(duck satay),you could get this delicacy at Rahim stall No3 and 4.Clarke Quay,another tourist attraction, was our next stop.It was really an enchanting evening to relax here but we also managed to rave with the extreme thrill seekers who rode those GX5 Extreme Swings at the complex.

The Vivo City,another tourist attraction and a great shopping destination was another experience one would not want to miss.If you are there the next time for lunch,rush to the Marche restaurant for an unforgettable food feast.For just SGD28.00 you could vet your appetitites on the various servings and drinks!Or what about a fine dining in a cable car to Sentosa Island/Mt Faber and back?

Anyway, the fabulous Singapore Sale is back with its unbelievably great deals,anyone game to have an unforgettable experience?

Remembering the Dead!

2008-04-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

Only the Chinese New Year and Qing Ming are two very important occasions that bond the Chinese families together.Qing Ming or Cheng Beng happened to fall on April 4 this leap year.The sky is expected to be clear and bright which bears the festival's name.This festival is sometimes called 'clear brightness festival','grave sweeping day','all souls' day' or 'spring remembrance day'.

Chinese families would visit the graves of their ancestors to observe the ritual ten days earlier or after the actual date to pay their respect or to show filial piety to their loved-ones.Normally a date will be set for members of the family to go to the cemetery or the columbarium to pay respect to the patriarch or the matriarch of the family.They would bring along food which their departed loved-ones would usually like to eat while they were alive, joss-sticks and hell money to burn by the grave side.Some richer families burned paper replicas of modern items such as cans of beer,designer clothings, mobile-phones,televisions,refrigerators,paper houses and even luxury cars.To supplement these they even burned a paper petrol station or even a designer's paper bra!

Since my family had all relocated to Penang from the east coast state of Trengganu years ago, we did not visit the graves of our loved-ones but still remember them by setting an altar at the front poach of my mother's house and invited the departed for a feast.Beside the joss-papers,and the burning of joss sticks,we would lay out tray and tray of food that my deceased father,his father and those that left earlier on in time to invite them to eat what we the livings can afford to offer.Normally,we set up vegetarian dishes , a cup of coffee, some fruits like bananas and pineapples etc.After all had prayed,then my brother would take two coins and toss them into the air to 'check' whether all have finished the grand feast and if so by the denoting of the coins,then the joss papers together with the hell notes and whatever paper peripheries would be burned for the deceased.My brother would take a pot of tea to circle the burnt items while at the same time calling our loved-ones to accept whatever were offered by the livings.Of course,once the ritual was over,we too will have a grand feast on the food just to add to our blessings!

For those who visited the graves,they would also bring along the cooked food with roast chicken or roast pork which their ancestors relished together with trays of fruits, to be laid out in front of the tomb.The family members would start cleaning the grave off the weeds and placed pieces of joss-papers all over the grave together with tiny pieces of paper flags.I was told that once the grave was attended to, the relatives of the dead need not have to do this ritual again even if they came to pray later within the set dateline!Once the joss-sticks and candles were lit in front of the tombstone and the food were laid out together with flowers,then the younger family members such as the grand children or children of the ancestor could start lighting up the paper offerings to the departed soul.For most of the graves in the cemetery,new soils or earth would be added to the tomb or grave in the believe that the descendent's would be doubly blessed with further prosperity as the dead was responsible for ensuring fertility in the family as well as in the fields. Sacrificial food and hell notes are offered to the ancestors so that the descendants will receive abundant blessings.

The whole episode sounds like All Souls' day for the Christians but to us Chinese this is the highest mark of filial piety instilled to us by our parents from a very young age to honour our dear departed in the hope that our childrens' children would continue this grand tradition!

A perfect storm!

2008-04-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

For many, the Malaysian election results after 8th march could be considered as a political tsunami but to most of us,we would rather associate them with a perfect storm.Many experienced and well-tried politicians were swept into the abyss just like committing 'harakiri' in Japanese. In the aftermath of the storm, my state of Penang fell into opposition grip and so were the other four states in Peninsula Malaysia.Well, what has this got to do with food,one wonders?
Like food, election is just a matter of choices for the voters. Hawkers' food for that matter evolved from the kitchens of our fore-fathers or mothers.Though time tested recipes basically passing from words of mouths(or should I say through many many mouths)that we got the present concoctions that you and I are presently enjoying the tempting and mouth-watering char koay teow,curry-mee, char hor fun, hokkien char and many more!
But What I would like to share here is the Nyonya restaurant presently run by the third generation Khoo family at Nagore road, off Burma road.
To most old-timers, the previousDragon King restaurant at Bishop street would draw packed crowds for lunch and dinners.Since it was then next to my bank,Public Bank,I would without fail came to the same table reserved by the young miss Khoo either for myself or my clients.I did all the bank marketing and entertaining on the same table every working day of the week without fail and on top of that I get more customers to bank with my bank and they were the same customers of Dragon King! This cute restaurant had a very cozy ambience with proper lightings and superb services.I once told my management that to win more customers,one needed to introduce 'service with a smile"concept and I actually picked it up at Dragon King.
Now after more than 30 years,the young Miss Khoo,the previous supervisor of Dragon King Restaurant decided to continue the fine dining but this time, she moved to Nagore road. Many new restaurants serving nyonya food in the mean-time sprang up but ended their natural death due to the lack of customers or due to keen competitions from the hawkers' food. But Miss Khoo's Nyonya restaurant continued to survive and grow.I had the opportunity to talk to the elderly Khoo who said she learned the recipes from her mother who managed the earlier restaurant together with her aunt and a family relations.When Dragon King was at its peak,she managed it but now her daughter( third generation Khoo family) single-handedly cooks, takes orders and does her own marketing.
So when my wife decided to treat Ken and Yukii for a farewell dinner, I suggested we had it at Miss Khoo's Nyonya restaurant!
We started with the traditional Paiti(vegetable mixed in a cup),Roti Babi(pork spring roll),Kerabu Bok Nee(vegetable with dried fungus),succulant Assam Prawn, followed with chicken curry kapitan,Loh-Bak(another pork spring roll) and turnip fried with small strips of squids(Ju Hu Char).Of course,Yukii enjoyed these dishes as they are not spicy (at the most up three ritcher scale!)My wife and I were very facinated with the way Ken and Yukii managed to take out the shells from these prawns.I also noticed they did not eat the red lining of the prawn which is considered a delicacy here and If I were them,it will be very 'adventurous' to attempt to suck out the juice from the prawns' head!
We ended our meal by toppling up with black glutinious rice with suger coconut palm and pieces of mangos (Or Choo Bee pengat)I have never eaten such a delicacy before and all at the expense of the chef herself.
Thank you Miss Khoo for the fine Nyonya food you and your generations have dished up for us from time to time.Incidentally this cozy restaurant is also mentioned on Tokyo Channel 9 TV programme and the traveller's guide book "The Lonely Planet".

Food for thought in a National Election.

2008-03-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

This is it!Just barely 2 hours to go before Malaysians go to the poll.Today being a national election day,most 10.5m eligible voters will rise early to go to their respective polling stations where they were registered to exercise their national rights as malaysian citizens.Of course,my vote is my right and have I made up my mind as to which party I am going to put a cross(X) on the voting slip?In our land, we have the Barisan National party comprising of juxtaposition of parties based on various races of Chinese (MCA),Indian(MIC) and Umno malay parties.There are also other loose mosquito parties aligned to the major parties linked to this alliance, which has been ruling the country for the last 50 years. On the other end,we have the Oppositions comprising of the DAP(Democratic Action Party),Kealiran and the PAS parties.Before I share my voting secret with you, let me also share with you what we eat before casting our votes.
I would love to eat heavy breakfast in the morning. I would go the an Indian-Muslim(mamak) restaurant to have roti canai with egg or plain,or a tosai or a chapatti.Those are flour based pancakes to be eaten with gravy or with just sugar to accompany them.On my left side of the table there will be a glass of teh-tarik(tea with milk) to wash down these oily food.Most of the time, I would love to go the food-court at the Sungai Ara market to eat Wanton mee(sometimes pronounced as One-Ton mee. No,we do not eat a ton of noddle for a single breakfast,just that some hawker stalls try to be fanciful!There are dry noddles,wet noddles,curry noodles,plain gravy noodles etc.These hawkers will sell them the whole day,so not to worry that you will miss these wonderful concoctions!Try also the hokkien mee or the curry mee.These are more spicy but if you can take them it's O LA LA!
What about our malay friends in the polling centre?What do they eat for lunch?The Election Commision would usually arrange to cater nasi lemak for them.It is actually rice cooked in coconut milk with half a slice of egg and some anchovies to go along.It can be very spicy at times but I believe if you can tell the maker in advance that you do not want the chilli gravy that goes with it,you are perfectly safe!
My wife,one of the returning officer in the center, can opt for a hailanese chicken rice.Her mum cooks this speciality perfectly and I would never want to miss her cooking!AH Fatt chicken rice shop at Fette's Park did a very good job in concocting these hailanese dish.Try the assam pedas or the Kiam chye soup that goes with the chicken rice!I would rather not explain what this soup is make of for this will stir up the food adventure in you. Of course, these officers mostly government servants would be given malay traditional queh(Cake) to go along with their coffeee and tea in between!
Anyway, the center opens from 8am to 5pm.Then the counting officers will take over until the results are known.Good luck to those candidates whom you have seen their faces on the posters or flyers fluttering all over town!
Now coming back to me,who will I vote? The BN or the Oppositions?Wow? A rather difficult decision to make but I will definitely not shriek my responsibility. Or rather would I say that I would vote for the candidate with a PROSPEROUS SIGN and not one with a THIN AND HUNGRY LOOK because the latter would not be able to take care of the country but his own personal pocket!What say you? Voting is your right, so vote wisely!

Penang hawkers food

2008-03-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

For the first timer to Penang,Malaysia, welcome!Those who like spicy food,it should have been no problem but those with weak stomach,just taste these food first and get your taste buds adjusted to the varying degree of spicy temptations that the hawkers here can offer.A Japanese friend of ours,Ms Yukii found these food so tempting but with just a small sip of the gravy would send her to the toilet!Whereas her husband, Ken-san(that's how my blog is named after!) can eat anything in the sun.My wife and I will surely miss this young couple who will be going back to Tokyo, Japan in a week's time.
Just last week too, we met a friendly Australian couple, Wendy and Barry Cooper from Melbourne.An elderly couple who preferred to travel light.At the foothill of Penang Hill, a famous landmark where most tourists will ask their tour guide to take them to.After climbing the Tee Kong temple or popularly known as the God of Heaven temple,my wife suggested to me to climb the Penang Hill as we have not done so for so many years.We happened to bounce into one another and decided that we would make Wendy and Barry remember their holidays on this sunny island of Penang a memorable one.What they wanted to hear,see and taste we guide them to the best of our ability.We took them to our home on Chinese New year and let them taste the love letter,Kueh Bankit,Kueh bulu and many more.To their delights,they took all in their stride including the madarin oranges!We ended up at the New world park for the Kueh Teow thing(gravy noodle),Char Kuey Teow(Fried broad noddle),yam rice to go with yong tow hoo ,ice kachang and lots of fresh juices. The next morning, Barry could not wait to tell his other tourist friends during breakfast at a five star hotel at Batu Feringgi!
Bon Voyage Ken and Yukii, so too to Wendy and Barry Cooper!