As a Malaysian food blog, I really haven't done a good job in introducing my readers about Malay-style cooking, which is essentially the main cuisine type in Malaysia as the ethnic Malays make up about 2/3 of Malaysia's total population. So, today, I am going to introduce you to Nasi Melayu (literally means "Malay rice") or the cooking of the Malays in Malaysia. This rice plate of "Nasi Melayu" pretty much sums up the essence of Malay cooking--spicy, fiery, and lots of mouthwatering variety. The dishes (from closewise) are: fried fish in spicy sauce, sambal udang (prawn sambal), sweet and sour egg, fried tofu with turmeric and bean sauce, okra in sambal, and ulam (Malay-style salad with sambal belacan). There are definitely more to Malay cooking than those that meet your eyes here, for example, the famous Malay beef rendang. There are also many other wonderful chicken, vegetables, fish, rice and noodles dishes. I simply adore Malay cooking. It's colorful and absolutely delicious--one of the staple cuisines enjoyed by many Malaysians, regardless of our race, religion, or origins... Nasi Melayu can be easily found at roadside stalls or hawker centers all over Malaysia. There are also restaurants selling various kinds of Malay dishes. At these stalls or restaurants, a diner usually gets a plate of steamed white rice and selects the dishes to go with the rice. (This is also known as "Nasi Campur" or mixed rice locally.) The total price of the rice plate depends on the quantity and the kind of dishes you order. There are also many popular Malay "Tomyam" food stalls selling made-to-order rice dishes. In this case, the foods served are influenced by Thailand, for example: various kinds of Tomyam (Tom Yum), Nasi Pattaya, Nasi Paprik, etc. ("Nasi" means rice in Malay language.) In the near future, I hope to share more Malay-style cooking with you on Rasa Malaysia. For now, please let me know if this rice plate whets your virtual appetite. *wink* Labels: Food Porn, Malay Cooking, Malaysian Food Continue Reading "Introducing Nasi Melayu / Malay Cooking"

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Penang Assam Laksa--commonly referred to as Laksa by Penangites--is one hawker food you don't want to miss if you come to Penang. (Georgetown, Penang is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.) This Laksa is not to be confused with the other Laksa--a coconut-milk and curry-flavored noodle dish. Penang Laksa is a noodle dish in spicy fish broth topped with various shredded vegetables. Give me a choice of Penang Assam Laksa and Curry Laksa (which Penangites aptly call "Curry Mee"), I will always choose this tangy, spicy, sour, and appetizing dish. The reason is simple: nothing gives me a better satisfaction than a bowl of piping hot Laksa with cut bird's-eye chilies and dollops of pungent heh ko (Penang-style prawn paste). All the ingredients used might seem odd and bizarre to many--please believe me when I say this--but they are perfect matches made in food heaven. Penang Laksa is really that good... Looking for a recipe? You've got it as it was featured on Rasa Malaysia a few months ago. There are many instant Assam Laksa mix that you can buy, but as a born and raised Penangite, I will tell you very candidly that there is really no cheat for a great bowl of Penang Laksa. Click here for my secret recipe of Penang Assam Laksa and here for an insider's guide to eating Penang hawker food. This Penang Laksa picture is shot at one of my favorite kopitiam (coffee shop) in Penang: Kek Seng Coffee Shop 382-384 Jalan Penang 10000 Penang Business Hours: 8 am - 5 pm Labels: Food Porn, Hawker Food, Penang Food Guides Continue Reading "Penang Laksa"

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Big, fat, succulent grilled oysters. Grilled with chopped garlic and chili powder, they are very yummy...(more picture after the jump) Do you like your oysters raw or cooked? Sound back via "Comments" and let me know. Labels: Chinese Food, Food Porn Continue Reading "Food Porn: Grilled Oysters"

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One of the best things about eating in Malaysia is the different kuih available--literally means "cake" but comes in different shapes, forms, textures and could be sweet or savory. Sold by street vendors, hawkers, peddlers and also available in specialty kuih shops, kuih is very popular as a light snack and can be eaten anytime of the day. I underlined "anytime of the day" because it does seem like we Malaysians eat all the time. With so many good foods available, anytime is a good time to eat! Anyway, I wanted to introduce you to Or Kuih or Yam Cake today. In Malaysia, Taro is referred to as Yam. Or Kuih is basically steamed savory yam with flour. Topped with dried shrimps, chopped scallions and fried shallot crisps, it's best served with chili sauce... My favorite Or Kuih stall is found at Lam Heng Cafe at McAslister Road, Penang. It's the same place where you can find the famous Sister's Char Kuey Teow (read the review here). The Or Kuih is available from late morning to early afternoon. To learn more about Penang street food and its best offerings, do check out this website. I personally use it to get the most up-to-date information about Penang hawker food. Labels: Food Porn, Malaysian Food, Penang Food Guides Continue Reading "Food Porn: Or Kuih/Yam Cake"

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My breakfast this morning--Nasi Lemak or Malaysian Coconut Milk Rice. Nasi Lemak is the de-facto national dish of Malaysia. Nasi Lemak is usually served in the morning as breakfast. The toppings include anchovies sambal, hard-boiled eggs, fried fish and shrimp. Other common toppings include roasted peanuts and cucumber slices. This pack of banana leaf-wrapped Nasi Lemak is fiery and very delicious--probably one of the best you can find in Penang. It's available at Sri Weld Hawker Center at Beach Street, Georgetown, Penang. By the way, Georgetown has just been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site; other than lip-smackingly great food, there are lots of heritage buildings and hidden treasures in the city of Georgetown... Too far away from Penang? Try my Nasi Lemak recipe here. Labels: Food Porn, Malaysian Food Continue Reading "Food Porn: Nasi Lemak (Malaysian Coconut Milk Rice)"

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I have blogged about this here and here before, but xiao long xia/小龙虾 or crawfish is something I've never missed out whenever I visit China. I usually get my fix of crawfish in Beijing, but I have to say that these spicy and aromatic crawfish (香辣小龙虾) I had in Shanghai--cooked without huajiao/花椒 or Sichuan peppercorns--are no less incendiary and addictive compared with their Beijing's version. One kilogram of these babies cost RMB24 or US$3.00+...(more picture after the jump) Spicy and aromatic with garlicy flavors, I couldn't get enough of them and wanted more! Would you eat these fiesty looking crawfish? Labels: Chinese Food, Food Porn, Travel Continue Reading "Food Porn: Aromatic and Spicy Crawfish in Shanghai (上海香辣小龙虾)"

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The slimy but savory reason why I love Paris. For the sweet reason, please click here. Escargot (AKA edible snails) is a popular French gourmet food--an appetizer that I never miss whenever I dine at French restaurants or in France. I just love them with parsley butter or prepared A La Bourguignonne... (more picture after the jump) The soft texture of the snails and their woodsy flavor just go so well with the garlicky parsley butter mixture. They are simply delicious and irresistible! Yum. Labels: Food Porn, France, French Food, Paris, Travel Continue Reading "Food Porn: Escargots"

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There are probably a thousand reasons why I love Paris, but here is the sweet one...(more picture after the jump) I am not even sure what it's called, but look at it, does it even matter? Labels: Food Porn, France, Paris, Travel Continue Reading "Food Porn: Fresh Fruits Cup"

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(Click the above to view the bigger picture) The best Spaghetti alle Vongole I have ever tasted in my life! Spaghetti alle Vongole is a very popular pasta dish in Italy and can be found in most restaurants serving Italian or Mediterranean fares. Savored at the L'Incontro Bar and Restaurant in Hotel Savoy--one of the best and most refined ristorante in Firenze (Florence), Italy. Labels: Food Porn, Italian, Travel Continue Reading "Food Porn: Spaghetti alle Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams)"

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(Click on the above image to view the complete photoset of 4 pictures) I have written about Yong Tow Foo a couple of times here and here but here is the real stuff. Foong Foong's Yong Tow Foo (Yong Tau Fu) is one of the best in Kuala Lumpur (KL), and I hope my pictures do justice to its fame. This is one of the items that I never miss out whenever I am in KL (Kuala Lumpur). The restaurant is a little hard to find, but once you find it, you will never want to forget it... Foong Foong Restoran (鸿鸿酿豆腐) 621-A, Jalan Besar Ampang, 68000 Ampang Selangor Darul Ehsan Closed on Tuesday Labels: Food Porn, Malaysian Food Continue Reading "Food Porn: Yong Tow Foo (Yong Tau Fu)"

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I fell in love with the street food of India. Despite multiple warnings from many people that I shouldn't be eating outside of my hotels, I ventured onto the streets of Mumbai and Bangalore searching for street food and local taste and was rewarded handsomely. This is Dahi Aloo Puri, a type of "chat" (sometimes spelled as "chaat"). I am no strangers to Indian food as Malaysia has abundant offerings of Indian food, but I have never tasted anything like this before... Crispy "puri" (the shells) are filled with mashed peas potatoes and then drenched in yoghurt, sweet tamarind chutney, and topped with loads of unknown cripsy yellow crunchies. (Will someone please tell me what are the toppings?). They were so delightful and tasted "new" to me...simply delicious. If you have the recipe, please share with me. Please also educate me more about Dahi Aloo Puri. I am also interested to learn more about the difference between "Bombay chat" and "Dahi chat." Thanks in advance! P.S.: If you haven't visited my travel blog for a while, do check it out as I have posted a few new pictures, taken during my recent travels. :) Labels: Food Porn, Indian Food, Photoblog Continue Reading "Dahi Aloo Puri"

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This is part 2 of my 5-hour layover in Kuala Lumpur International Airport. You can read all about Part 1 here. This is Portuguese baked fish (plus squid and clams), found at the obscure corner of Petaling Street/Chinatown in KL. In my opinion, this is the best baked fish/seafood that I have ever tasted. (I can't even find similar offerings in Penang!). I got hooked when I was attending college in KL many years ago and haven't had the fix for at least 5 years. So, I was just so delighted to savor the taste, aroma, and the very spicy kick that this seafood parcel delivered... Food mission accomplished and I headed back to KLIA--just in time to catch my flight. ;) Portuguese Grilled Fish Petaling Street (at the corner of Hong Leong Bank) Note: You can't actually see the fish, but it's buried under the spices, okras, clams and squid. Labels: Food Porn, Malaysian Food, Travel Continue Reading "Food Porn: Baked Fish and Seafood Parcel in KL"

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What do you do when you have 5 hours layover in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia? For me, as a foodie, and a true Malaysian, I hopped on the 28-minute KLIA Ekspres straight into downtown KL for some serious chow. Inflight food? No thanks! I have better grub for my stomach...(more picture after the jump) 3:30 pm--Arriving at KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) 3:35 pm--Calling up my fellow flogger Delicious Asian Food to make "makan" (means eating in Malay) plans 3:40 pm--Hopping on KLIA Ekspres 4:08 pm--Arriving at KL Sentral Station 4:10 pm--Meeting up with Delicious Asian Food and then onto KL's famed Chinatown/Petaling Street or in Cantonese "Wai Sek Kai" which aptly means Gluttons Street. 4:30 pm--Feasting on these yummylicious chicken satay and peanut sauce (I slurped it dry), fresh coconut juice, and more food--a dish that I have been missing for years... ...to be continued in my next post! Labels: Food Porn, Malaysian Food, Travel Continue Reading "Food Porn: Malaysian Chicken Satay"

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While in Beijing, do load up on pot stickers or guotie (锅贴), which one can get pretty much anywhere in the city. Here are the pot stickers at Made in China (长安壹号), a much celebrated Chinese restaurant in Beijing, located at the Grand Hyatt. I love the shape, which is definitely a lot more easier to make than the traditional pleated version, but still pretty. :) Labels: Chinese Food, Food Porn, Travel Continue Reading "Pot Stickers (锅贴)"

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Remember my Sichuan-style crawfish post? Well, here is the real stuff. To get some of the best ma la xiao long xia/麻辣小龙虾 or numbing and spicy crawfish in Beijing, head over to this restaurant called "Hua Jia Yi Yuan/花家怡园" at the famed Guijie (簋街), a street packed full of neon-lit restaurants and hungry patrons... Hua Jia Yi Yuan (Rasa Malaysia Recommended) 235 Dongzhimennei Dajie (簋街) Dongcheng District, Beijing Tel: 010-64051908; 64030677 花家怡园(花家店) 东城区东直门内大街235号 To read more about what Beijing has to offer, head over to Diana Kuan's blog at Appetite for China, a food writer who is currently based in Beijing. You can also check out my previous adventures in Beijing here, here, here, here, here, and here. On an unrelated note, you can now stalk me and practically follow me everywhere my stomach takes me. Look over to your right, below the Foodbuzz badge. ;) Labels: Chinese Food, Food Porn, Travel Continue Reading "Food Porn: Ma La Crawfish (麻辣小龙虾)"

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My bounty at Sydney Fish Market--salt and pepper Australian Mud Crab. I originally picked a live green-lip abalone but it was DOA (dead on arrival), but you can't go wrong with giant mud crab, deep-fried with salt and pepper batter. If you like Chinese/Cantonese-style seafood, head over to Christie's Seafoods. You can't miss it as they are the first one to your left as soon as you enter the market; Christie's Seafoods is also the busiest one with throngs of hungry tourists (mostly Chinese naturally) lining up for their fresh catch. Just pick your seafood--live mud crabs, yabbies, abalone, lobsters, pippies, vongole (clams), mussels, fish, etc.--then tell the waitress exactly how you wanted your selection(s) prepared, and voila, you're in seafood heaven. And oh, at a much decent price, too... Sydney Fish Market is a seafood connoisseur's dream come true. :) Labels: Chinese Food, Food Porn, Travel Continue Reading "Food Porn: Salt and Pepper Mud Crab at Sydney Fish Market"

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Seafood is exceedingly expensive in Sydney--think $150/kg lobster sashimi (average 5-7 kg per lobster, so do your math), $88/kg mud crab, and $48/kg clams or "pippies." (Edited: Read the comments area) OUCH! I'm not moving to Sydney anytime soon, regardless how nice and how much closer it is to Malaysia. (Edited: I just came back from the Sydney Fish Market today and have a much better picture about the price of seafood here. They are still more expensive compared to the US, and with the weakening US$ which is almost at par with AU$ now, it doesn't help. But, they are acceptable to me now. So, I might move to Australia sooner than you think. *wink*) Anyway, these big, fat, and succulent New Zealand oysters are affordable. Priced at $3 per oyster, they were delicious. Steamed oyster with ginger and scallions is something that I miss dearly since moving away from San Francisco; somehow steamed oysters are impossible to find in Chinese restaurants in LA and Orange County. I don't know why?! Now onto the insanely expensive pippies, but probably the best stir-fried style I've ever tasted, after the jump... What a great recommendation from Grab Your Fork! Unlike the Manila clams we get in the US (which could get mushy sometimes), or Kepah/Lala in Malaysia, these pippies come in a different shape, the texture is slightly chewy and rubbery, but they taste heavenly stir-fried with the XO Sauce. (XO Sauce is a Cantonese-style sauce made of chilies, onion, garlic, and dried seafoods such as scallops, shrimp, and fish.) I just love them so much! If you love shellfish like I do, I strongly recommend you to try them out if you are in Sydney. Golden Century Seafood Restaurant 金唐海鲜酒家 393-399 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Tel: (61) 2 9212 3902 Note: just some quick comparisons, in the Chinese seafood restaurants in the LA area, you can get live Boston lobsters for $19.95/lb. For king crab, you can get it about $39.95/lb or less, and Dungeness crab for only $9.95/lb. For manila clams, they are sold for $3.95/lb in Asian stores. 1 kg = 2.2 lbs US$1 = AU$1.10 Labels: Chinese Food, Food Porn, Restaurant Reviews, Travel Continue Reading "Eating Sydney: Steamed Oysters and $48/kg Pippies!"

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(Click the above image to view the complete photoset of 36 pictures) I am back from 9 days sun, fun, and food filled cruise vacation to South Caribbean (Dominican Republic, British Virgin Island, Antigua, Barbados, and St. Lucia) on Norwegian Cruise Line/NCL--which coincidentally is owned by Malaysian Star Cruise. What a blast! I like to think of myself as a tasteful traveler, hence I have always felt skeptical about cruising. The notion of being with a shipload of 65 years olds and their horde of families who jam swimming pools and Jacuzzis while live band plays Kokomo in the background are not my definition of a great vacation. And oh, let’s not forget about being fed 24/7 with really crappy "international” buffet. Cruising was never high on my travel wishlist but I decided to give it a shot after strong recommendations from my neighbor who recently celebrated their honeymoon on Norwegian Cruise Line. I am glad I did. This virgin voyage of mine has since changed my perception—and skepticism—about cruising. Cruising is actually not half bad. For starters, there are lots of things to do onboard: gym, shows, ping pong, ball games, karaoke, gambling, even attending Photoshop classes! Cruising is also great for people who can’t afford a lot of holidays but wanted to maximize each vacation with more places to see. I liked the cruise and thoroughly enjoyed the foods served on board (read: I have packed on pounds) due to my binge eating on the cruise... The biggest selling point of Norwegian Cruise Line is “freestyle cruising.” Put simply, it means there is no fixed dining time onboard and you can eat anytime, anywhere, and as many times as you want, free. There are 13 restaurants on the ship but only one serves buffet (click here to see the decadent desserts), the rest are sit-down restaurants with real menus. At the main dining room, the menu even changes daily!—a result of the collaboration between NCL and Cooking Light. There are also specialty restaurants such as French, Asian, and Steak House. In these specialty restaurants, you pay a small cover charge (average $10-$20 person for dinner, but 50% off after 9 pm) and you get really delicious food and more attentive service. The foods served on Norwegian Cruise Line are by no means gourmet food or 5-star worthy, but they are good, considering the fact that they are cruise food. And get this: in any of the sit-down restaurants on NCL, you can order multiple items on the menu from each category if you want; 2 appetizers, 2 soups/salad, 2 entrees, 3 desserts, sure, why not?! All you have to do is ask. Case-in-point: one night I requested an extra lobster tail for my main entrée and the waiter brought me two! Now, that’s what I call “Exceed Expectations” on my customer satisfaction card! Anyway, let’s check out some of the yummy foods I savored here. I only have one advice to give: if you are a real foodie, you might want to book your next cruise on NCL, the only caveat is I can’t guarantee you will maintain your current waistline. *wink* P.S.: The food pictures were shot under various light settings. All I can say is that without natural sunlight, my food photography is worth nothing! P.P.S.: Another highlight of the trip was the meeting with the very sweet and warm Cynthia (and Susan) of Tastes Like Home. Thanks for the round-the-island tour in Barbados, great lunch, and the seasonings...I can't wait to try them out. :) Labels: Food Porn, Travel Continue Reading "Cruise Food: Norwegian Cruise Line and the Concept of Freestyle Cruising"

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(Click the above image to view the complete photoset of 6 pictures.) I have written about this famed street food/hawker food dish (known locally as Penang Hokkien Mee) a couple of times; you can check out my previous entries here and here. This time I added extra toppings on my prawn noodles with fresh water prawns. In Malaysia, we call this "加料"/"Gar Liew"/"Keh Liao"--which means you pay extra for more toppings... This prawn noodles dish is the bestest hawker food dish EVER! The satisfaction of slurping down a bowl of this piping hot and prawnylicious noodles is simply beyond my English vocabulary, so I will leave you with this food porn of Malaysian prawn noodles. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Want to try out Malaysian hawker food? Check out the following recipes on Rasa Malaysia: Penang Assam Laksa (Hot and Sour Noodles in Fish Broth) Char Hor Fun/炒河粉 (Malaysian fried flat noodles with gravy) Nasi Lemak (Coconut Milk Rice with Anchovies Sambal) Penang Chee Cheong Fun (Steamed Rice Rolls with Shrimp Paste) Indian Mee Goreng / Indian Fried Noodles ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Enjoy! Labels: Food Porn, Hawker Food, Malaysian Food Continue Reading "Food Porn: Malaysian Prawn Noodles (Again!)"

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(Click the above image to view the complete photoset of 5 pictures) This week is going to be a crazy busy bee week as I am hosting an important event at my company, and then I am off to San Francisco for more work. My regular recipe posting will be taking a hiatus while I juggle my professional life (and shmooze and mingle with the corporate kinds). Instead, I will be serving up some food porn for your ogling pleasure. I hereby kick start my food porn series with these savory Chinese biscuits filled with chopped scallions. They are called 蟹壳黄, or literally yellow crab shell (?!), and yes, chopped scallions do make a fanstastic filling! I love these biscuits; they are my favorite weekend munchies... They are available at my favorite Taiwanese joint here in Irvine, California: A & J Restaurant (半亩园) 14805 Jeffrey Rd # D Irvine, CA 92618 949-786-3585 There are branches in San Jose, California, too. For more food porn, click here for my food photography. Happy President's Day! Labels: Food Porn Continue Reading "Chinese Biscuits"

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Click on the above image to view the best of Rasa Malaysia food photography--a total of 57 droolsome and mouthwatering food pictures. Can't get enough of food porn? Check out my favorite photosets below or go to my archives or individual post to view each photo album. Enjoy! FEATURED PHOTOSETS Pineapple Tarts Banana Nut Muffins Nyonya Kuih Pie Tee (Top Hats) Roti Jala (Lacy Pancakes) and Curry Chicken Matcha (Green Tea) Ice Cream Raspberry Muffins Banana Bread Assam Laksa FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY I love photography and I am more passionate about photography--especially food photography---as days go by. I receive a lot of comments, questions, and emails about my food photography: what camera I use, how I shoot my pictures, etc., so I've decided to share some of the common Q&A's here... Q: What camera do you use? A: Prior to March 24, 2007, I used Canon Digital Elph SD450. Currently, I shoot with Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR. Q: What are the tricks to great lighting? A: I shoot all my food pictures close to the windows (with the blinds up) or in my patio (I never take food pictures with direct sunlight casting on my food because it's too harsh). Q: What kind of lenses do you use for food photography? A: I use the kit lens which is Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 and also Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II macro lens. I use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II mostly nowadays because it takes really great shots and great for traveling. Q: What are the tips and tricks to take great food photography? A: My food photography is really simple and minimalist. I like to focus on the food more than anything else. I use mostly white dinnerware and white background to call out the color and texture of the dishes I presented. I love the food photography in Donna Hay Magazine--clean, crisp, and sophisticated--so I try to replicate the look and feel of that style. Labels: Food Porn Continue Reading "Food Photography"

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