Roti Canai for Breakfast

Still the best Asian cookbook out there
(from Book Depository)

Back to the travelogue. I can't leave Malaysia without some comment on their glorious food.  Despite the obvious influx of western style foods, there are still plenty of food halls (and open air market stalls) selling delicious local food. Back then, we used to eat out regularly in the local style, trying most of the restaurants and stalls in PD and beyond. Our local night market was also an opportunity to sample out-of-town specialities.  Best of all was the little man on his scooter who delivered fresh goodies to our houses.

Delight of the Orient  - for some!

I learned to cook special curries from our acquaintances and loved to shop with the locals at the Seremban market for fresh, seasonal fruit and vegies. Pork, located in a separated complex, was available as was mutton (goat), beef (buff) and quite an array of birds, aside from the usual chicken - all melt-in-your-mouth.  I even found a man that sold frozen New Zealand lamb - well, it was perhaps best described by those of us with a taste for lamb, as mutton or really ancient sheep - but at least we were able to get our fix.  Malays find the taste of lamb too strong.... beats me how they can taste it over all that chilli heat!! 

Malaysian hospitality is wonderful and I loved their all-inclusive style of celebration called "open house" and method of serving food in "banana leaf" style - no plates or cutlery, just a variety of curries and  condiments served on a banana leaf and eaten with your fingers. A very free and relaxing way to run a party or entertain!  Here's a few of our favourite dishes that we encountered back then and hoped to re-sample this visit:

Nasi Lemak.  Rice in coconut milk served with cucumber, egg, peanuts, ikan bilis (small fried fish) and finally, lashings of a fiery, chilli sambal.  To make it more of a meal, a meat or vege curry such as beef rendang or sotong sambal could be added. Of course, it's best served banana leaf style.

Noodle Dishes. Char kway teow made with fresh vege and flat rice noodles, stir fried in a wok and prawn laksa, a rich coconut "soup" with prawns served over rice vermicelli rank as my favourites. We were often served these dishes at the Port Dickson Club on weekends. Mee, thick yellow wheat noodles, were also good either stir fried (mee goreng) or in a soup dish.

Other Staples. Roti canai, papery thin breads whirled over your head by the cook as you wait for this breakfast treat. Add some curry gravy, dhal or perhaps a little ayam curry and I'm in heaven.  Karipaps (curry puffs) helped fill in those gaps when you felt a bit hungry!!
  
Stall Specials.  Nothing beats chilli mud crabs.  Coat freshly caught & steamed mud crabs in chilli sauce, eat with your fingers and try not to get too emotional! 

Chicken satays fanned whilst being cooked over hot coals, then served with peanut sauce are too good to pass up on hot, steamy nights.

Kitchen Essentials.  Belacan - smells ghastly but adds that special zing to your curries.  Charmaine Solomon has written extensively about food in South East Asia. Try one of her comprehensive cook books. And a wok - can't live without my wok! 

Deserts. With an abundance of fresh fruits such as lychees, bananas, mangosteens etc, etc - too many to list - we only tried a few very sweet deserts or cakes such as dolol - coconut cakes wrapped in banana leaves to make cute triangles, then steamed.  Most memorable however, was ais kacang; shaved ice served in a tall glass with toppings of cendol (small gelatin cubes), peanuts, cincau (black jelly), red or black beans, rose syrup, coconut cream (santan) and finally gula melaka.  Makes your teeth rot just thinking about it!  I can't finish without mentioning durian. Yes, we tried it and it tasted to me like creamed garlic. Mind you I had my fingers firmly holding my nose at the time. 

Drinking.  Finish it all off with a Tiger Beer or a foamy teh tarik (stretched tea - you'll understand once it is served!). 

Of course you can't really cook up a storm without the help of Charmaine Solomon.  Her Cookbook has been around for years and is still the best available if you want an authentic recipe or several.