Tuesday, October 20, 2009
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!!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Staying out of H1N1 trouble!
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
Sunday, June 21, 2009
You are the champion,Dad!
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."
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Taming the monkey minds with bananas!
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!
Monday, December 15, 2008
A little of everything-The Rojak!
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!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Jong's Penang food bash!
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
Amazing you have not visited
Btw Presgrave St is Snar Teow Lor, not Cheet Teow Lor(7th st) which is 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:

~jong.-Thanks to youu too for sharing!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Ipoh's hawkers's food anyone?
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?