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RSSWednesday, October 10, 2007
I live next door to Tate Museum but I've never been there
I live next door to Tate Museum and I've never been there
I have so much in my mind, yet all I seem to do is hang around mindlessly
I hate friendster more and more, but I still use it
I have many friends here with me far away from home but I feel lonely
I turn on the heater when it's warm
and I turn it off when it's cold
I keep tossing between 2 choices, when I know I've made a choice from the very beginning
I worked so hard to get here, and yet I have no idea why I'm here
I love my family more than ever, but I don't seem to feel their absence
I hate blogging and poetry, yet I'm doing this (not that this is poetry)
I miss some people, they're just people I don't have to
I am late for an outing, yet I'm still here typing
Oh, I live next door to Tate Museum and I've never been there
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Ahah!
There is something I'll definitely miss once I step on the 747 and leave this birthplace of mine for at least 1 year, next week. Given my great affinity towards food, the likes, the creativity in it, the ethnicity of it and anything fusion, I have long since convinced myself that I kid no one with my personal pledge to resort to cold chicken sandwhiches and greens for the rest of my life. But yes, something, something I'll definitely miss during my 3-year sejour abroad in search of over-rated educational qualifications and experience living amidst the hustling, bustling metropolitan anglo-pakistani population is without a doubt the sheer greasy, cholestrol-ladden, scary yet crazy/ beautiful things the typical Malaysian Bazaar Ramadhan has to offer. One can always agree that none other as such exists anywhere in the world.
The most striking character of the Bazaar Ramadhan is, I find, the fact that every single bazaar has hawkers and food vendors putting on sale the same thing. And by same, I mean that more than 1 producer/ retailer sell one item of food and also ALL Bazaar Ramadhans, anywhere in Malaysia, sell the same food item. Set up on both sides one long stretch of tarmac every time Ramadhan comes along, such "festivity" can be assured to sell almost all kinds of food, ranging from starters, snacks, main courses, desserts, cold drinks, kurmas (dates) and kuih, savoury and sweet alike. One can guarantee that almost ALL Bazaar Ramadhan there is offers the following
The most striking character of the Bazaar Ramadhan is, I find, the fact that every single bazaar has hawkers and food vendors putting on sale the same thing. And by same, I mean that more than 1 producer/ retailer sell one item of food and also ALL Bazaar Ramadhans, anywhere in Malaysia, sell the same food item. Set up on both sides one long stretch of tarmac every time Ramadhan comes along, such "festivity" can be assured to sell almost all kinds of food, ranging from starters, snacks, main courses, desserts, cold drinks, kurmas (dates) and kuih, savoury and sweet alike. One can guarantee that almost ALL Bazaar Ramadhan there is offers the followingRoti John (not my particular favourite, but a definite Malaysian classic)=
sausage buns fried with an egg-and-meat concoction.
- Kebab (again, some can be good but this is not always the case, worth a try for first timers)
again, sausage bun filled with grilled on-the-spot slices of meat (beef, chicken, sometimes mutton) WITH the classic Malaysian favourite, chili ketchup and, I'm serious, mayonaise.
Murtabak (if you're a fan of fried anything, u'll love this- I swear there are at least 5 at every >300m Bazaar Ramadhans)
Again meat, beef or chicken, cooked in a thin layer of kneaded flour-dough, on-the-spot, on a hot, usually black, usually very greasy, pan
Laksa Asam (always claimed to be of Penang-Chinese origin, but is really produced massively Nationwide, may be chinese may be Malay. Personal opinion, the Chinese ALWAYS make em better!)
Thick rice noodle in sour blended fish and tamarind sauce. A staple Malaysian thang! Almost the only not-so-greasy item available, besides drinks. Right, Drinks!
Colored Drinks (lord knows how much Malaysians love these stuff)=
Usually disguised under the labels Corn, Honey Dew, Cendol, Rose syrup etc, these colorful liquids are vendored, by more than 1 stall, in huge plastic containers with LOTSA LOTSA LOTSA ice in it. They're essentially sugar water, coloring and yep, ICE!
- Rice Dishes (The fact that they are mostly sold, aside from Nasi Campur, in polystirene cases, arranged opened for all to see, each and every single one of them, makes me one that stays away- yet there is ALWAYS supply, which is evident to the existence of demand for it)-
Nasi Minyak, Nasi Tomato, Nasi Ayam, Nasi Briyani... enough said.
Otak-otak (A household favourite)
hardened fish paste mashed with spices, shallots and garlic grilled in Coconut/ palm leaves
Ayam Percik (OMG a Bazaar Ramadhan may almost be illegitimate without this)
Of Kelantan origin, this dish is essentially chicken grilled with sweet-savoury sauce, sometimes red, sometimes orange, sometimes, beige-white in color.
Most other kuihs, and lauk (dishes, dry or gravy usually consumed with white rice) exist also abundantly in amount, and types, depending on the degree of variety each hawker opts for. But I can assure almost ALL of them have lotsa Chili and lotsa oil in them. The Bazaar Ramadhan, typically Malaysian. An irresistable gastronomical galore for all Malaysians, fasting and non-fasting ones.
*Another amateur food commentary attempt
*Another amateur food commentary attempt
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