Curry Mee Anyone?

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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".