Food Porn: Yong Tow Foo (Yong Tau Fu)

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 Continue Reading "Food Porn: Yong Tow Foo (Yong Tau Fu)"

Food Porn: Baked Fish and Seafood Parcel in KL

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. Continue Reading "Food Porn: Baked Fish and Seafood Parcel in KL"

Food Porn: Malaysian Chicken Satay

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! Continue Reading "Food Porn: Malaysian Chicken Satay"

Pineapple Tarts Filling

Since my last post on pineapple tarts, I've received a few emails asking me about the filling--how it looks, the texture, the inside of the pineapple tarts--and I thought I would share this picture of pineapple tarts filling with you. A perfect pineapple filling should be golden brown in color, with a sticky texture. The golden hue comes from the sugar added during the cooking process. Last night, I made another two trays of pineapple tarts and converted them into pineapple shortcakes by adding 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening. Oh my, what a phenomenal improvement--the pastry was soooooo crumbly it practically melted in my mouth. Needless to say, I finished all of them, again! What about the 7 pounds I lost? Well, I've gained back 4...time for more salad and tofu! *wink* View the inside of the pineapple tart after the jump.... To read the original post and get the complete recipe of pineapple tarts, please click here. Continue Reading "Pineapple Tarts Filling"

Food Porn: Malaysian Prawn Noodles (Again!)

(Click the above to view 6 pictures. Best viewed with Internet Explorer 7.) 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! Continue Reading "Food Porn: Malaysian Prawn Noodles (Again!)"

Recipe: Penang Assam Laksa (Nyonya Hot and Sour Noodles in Fish Soup)

(Click the above to view all pictures. Best viewed with Internet Explorer 7.) Before I start writing this post, I have a confession to make. I have an Asian (Chinese/Malaysian) mouth. In my gastronomic dictionary, it simply means that I can't live without rice and noodles, soy sauce, sambal belacan, spicy and pungent food--the foods of my Chinese-Malaysian root. Just this past week, I had a massive Asian mouth attack. Granted, I savored some of the best French foods--foie gras, cheese, mussels, seafood, duck, terrine, and the list goes on. However, three days into eating meals after meals of immaculate French food, I got bored of it...it's too heavy and luxurious for my cheap taste. No offense to French cuisine connoisseur, I wanted something without cream or butter or sauces or excessive details; I wanted something simple and straightforward such as my Asian rice and noodle dishes--Hokkien mee, fried rice noodles, steamed rice rolls, char kway teow, chicken rice, and especially Penang Assam Laksa. On the flight back home, I knew that I had to make Penang Assam Laksa to cure my Asian mouth disease and fix my craving. So, I went to the market and assembled the long list of ingredients and made myself a small pot of Penang Assam Laksa, or Nyonya noodles in spicy and tangy fish broth/soup... A staple--and arguably the most famous--hawker food in Penang, Penang Assam Laksa is very addictive due to the spicy and sour taste of the fish broth. Tamarind is used generously in the soup base and hence the word Assam (means tamarind in Malay). In addition to tamarind, assam keping or peeled tamarind is also commonly added to give it extra tartness. Another secret ingredient is Polygonum leaf (marketed as Vietnamese mint leaf in the United States) or daun kesom/daun laksa. While the best Assam Laksa broth is infused with the aromatic ginger flower (bunga kantan), I made without it because I couldn't find this special ingredient in the market. Of course, no Assam Laksa is complete without belacan and dollops of heh ko/prawn paste (the dark paste on the spoon). Anyway, my Penang Assam Laksa was spot on--hot, spicy, sour, pungent, and full of flavors. It was very delicious and as good as the ones served by hawkers in Penang. At the first taste of this Penang Assam Laksa, I felt like being home. For now, I declare my my Asian mouth syndrome sorted...*wink* Other "rice & noodles" recipes on Rasa Malaysia: Penang Char Hor Fun (炒河粉) Penang Hokkien Mee (Prawn Mee / Har Meen / Mee Yoke / 福建虾面) Claypot Chicken Rice (without Claypot) Penang Chee Cheong Fun/Steamed Rice Rolls Kerabu Bee Hoon Indian Mee Goreng/Indian Fried Noodles Fried Vermicelli Xiamen Style Indonesian-style Soto Ayam/Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe: Rasa Malaysia Penang Assam Laksa Ingredients: 1 lb Mackerel fish 8 cups water 5 pieces assam keping (peeled tamarind) 1 pack dried laksa noodles Spice Paste: 12 dried red chilies (de-seeded) 5 fresh red chilies (de-seeded) 8 small shallots 2 teaspoons belacan 1 stalk lemon grass (use only the white part, about 6 inches) Tamarind Juice: Tamarind (about golf ball size) 1/2 cup water (repeat 3-4 times) Seasonings: 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon fish sauce Garnishing: 1 cucumber (julienned) 1 bunch mint leaves (use only the leaves) 1 bunch polygonum leaves/Vietnamese mint leaves (daun kesom/daun laksa) 1 bungan kantan (cut into small pieces) 1 red onion (sliced thinly) 1 lettuce (thinly cut) 1 red chili/3-4 bird's eye chilies (cut into small slices) 1 small pineapple (cut into short strips) Condiment: Heh Ko/Prawn Paste Method: Clean the fish, remove scales and guts. In a pot, bring 8 cups of water to boil. Add in the fish and boil for about 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked fish out into a bowl and let cool. Strain the fish stock, then add in the peeled tamarind, and the polygonum leaves and continue to boil in low heat. Wet your hands constantly with a bowl of water, pick the flesh out of all the fish and discard the bones. Break the fish meat into tiny pieces and put the fish back into the stock, cover the lid, and lower the heat. Using a mini food processor, grind the spice paste until fine. Heat up a wok and saute the spice paste with cooking oil for about 6-8 minutes or until it smells aromatic and spicy. Transfer the spice paste into the boiling stock. Extract the tamarind juice and add it into the stock. Strain the tamarind juice and keep the seed. Repeat it 3-4 times with 1/2 cup of water each time to make sure you extract all the essence from the tamarind. Continue to taste your Assam Laksa stock to make sure it's sour and to your liking. For seasoning, add sugar, salt, and fish sauce. Prepare the laksa noodles by following the packaging instructions. In a serving bowl, add in the laksa noodles and garnish all vegetables on top. Pour the Assam Laksa soup into the bowl and serve immediately with a spoonful of Heh Ko/prawn paste. Cook's Notes: For the best laksa noodles, please use Mount Elephant brand "Guilin Rice Vermicelli" (象山牌桂林濑粉) found at Asian/Vietnamese stores. (In Vietnamese, it's called Bun Bo Hue Guilin.) It's very smooth and exactly like the laksa noodles back home. If you are lucky, you might even find the fresh ones. For a good alternative, try LaiFen Rice Stick/中山濑粉 from Guangdong, China. Fresh rice noodles or laifen/濑粉 are available in Asian grocery stores, but I don't like the texture: they are a tad too thick and not smooth enough. Canned sardines DO NOT make good Penang Assam Laksa. They make the soup base fishy and unappetizing. There is no shortcut to making great Assam Laksa, you just have to find certain freshest fish and make it from scratch. P.S.: I heard that New York-based Chef Pelaccio of Fatty Crab fame claimed Assam Laksa to be the ultimate Malaysian dish. Personally, I think this Malaysian Assam Laksa fish soup tastes much better than French Soupe de Poisson (fish soup). *wink* Continue Reading "Recipe: Penang Assam Laksa (Nyonya Hot and Sour Noodles in Fish Soup)"

Malaysian Indian-Style Seafood Curry

(Click on the image above to view the complete photoset of 3 pictures) Remember I told you that I hardly ever make my curry from scratch because there are many good curry pastes readily available in Malaysia? Go to any markets or stores one can find various selection of curry pastes--they usually come packaged in small plastic bags. All you have to do is adding your meat or seafood to the curry paste and you will have a pot of sinfully good--and authentic--Malaysian Indian-style curries. That being said, this seafood curry was prepared just that--from a seafood curry paste that I brought back from home. The curry paste was very good; there are mustard seeds, cardamons, cloves, and curry leaves in the paste--which are some of the secret spices/ingredients for a very good pot of Indian-style curries... For my US readers, you might be more familiar with Thai or Indian curries offered here at Thai or Indian restaurants. Malaysian curries are quite different. Unlike Thai curries, Malaysian curries are not sweet because coconut milk is used sparingly to complement the spices but not overshadow their tastes. Also, no sugar and fish sauce are added so you get the natural flavors of the ingredients--be it meat, chicken, fish, or other seafood. Malaysian curries are also heavier in spices and thus hotter. Compared to the Indian curries, Malaysian curries are also different because yoghurt isn't used. The cooking style originated from the southern part of India, but had since been localized to a Malaysian taste. Anyway, everytime I go home to Penang, I am sure to bring back loads of these curry pastes. They keep well in the fridge and last a few months. If you would like to find out more about what brands I like, drop me a comment or email. Enjoy! Other Curry Recipes: Malaysian Indian-style Squid Curry (Gulai Sotong) Thai Panang Curry with Chicken Thai Yellow Curry with Seafood Malaysian Indian-Style Seafood Curry Ingredients: 1 pack seafood curry paste 6 large prawns 6 squids 6 scallops 1/2 lb. seabass fillet (cut into small cubes/pieces) 1 tomato (cut into wedges) 2 tablespoons coconut milk 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp (soaked in 4 tablespoons water and extract the juice) 2 shallots (peeled and sliced) 1 1/2 cups water 1 tablespoon oil Salt to taste 1 sprig curry leaves (optional) Method: Heat up a pot and saute the shallots until aromatic. Add the curry paste into the pot and do a few quick stirs. Add 1 1/2 cups water and bring it to boil. Then add the seafood, cover the pot until cooked. Add the coconut milk and salt to taste. Serve hot. Continue Reading "Malaysian Indian-Style Seafood Curry"

Recipe: Malaysian Turmeric and Honey Wings--A SuperBowl-Worthy Recipe!

(Click on the image above to view the complete photoset of 6 pictures) If you have been reading and following Rasa Malaysia for a while, you would notice that I am not much a carnivore. I prefer seafood, but I do like chicken a lot, especially chicken wings. While most people perceive chicken as boring, I personally think that chicken--with the right recipes and preparations--can be very versatile and delicious. And I feel very lucky to be a Malaysian because the Chinese, Malay, and Indians in Malaysia have many creative ways and interesting recipes when it comes to cooking chicken. Satay, ayam percik (Malay-style grilled chicken with coconut milk and spices), various Indian-Malaysian chicken curries (both wet and dry), Chinese BBQ, salt-baked chicken, soups or stews, Nyonya varieties, the list just goes on. Everybody loves chicken in Malaysia. (Find out the SECRET TECHNIQUES used by chefs to make chicken picture perfect like the above, after the jump...) This past New Year's Eve, my friend F at Princess Journals prepared these turmeric and honey wings that have me craving for more since I tasted them. Coincidentally, the Asian market in my neighborhood has a special wings promotion, so I loaded them up on my shopping cart and made them myself. Superbowl is just around the corner, so if you are throwing a party, try something different this year. I am quite certain that these Malaysian turmeric and honey wings will impress your guests. :) Other chicken recipes on Rasa Malaysia: Chicken Satay - Malaysian Recipe Jalan Alor Chicken Wings - Malaysian Recipe Pandan (Screwpine Leaves) Chicken - Malaysian/Thai Recipe Chicken Panang Curry - Thai Recipe Kung Pao Chicken - Chinese Recipe Chicken Siu Mai/Shu Mai - Chinese Recipe Ginger and Scallions Chicken - Chinese Recipe Sichuan Wok-Fried Chicken - Chinese Recipe Chicken Kabob Koobideh - Persian Recipe Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken - Vietnamese Recipe Recipe: Malaysian Turmeric and Honey Wings Ingredients: 1 lb chicken wings (middle section) 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/8 teaspoon chili powder 2 inches ginger (skin peeled) Prepare the ginger by pounding with a mortar and pestle or grinding with small food processor. Extract the juice by squeezing with your hand and discard the ginger. Marinate the chicken wings with the ginger juice and all the seasonings above for 1-2hours. Grill or bake them in oven (at 375 degree F) for 20-25 minutes until cooked or golden brown. Serve hot. Cook's Notes (SECRET TECHNIQUES revealed): At Asian restaurants, chefs often pan-fried satay and then grill them over the stove top flame to get that perfectly charred surface. I baked my chicken wings for 20 minutes in the oven (when they just cooked through) and transfered the wings out of the oven. I then held the wing with a tong, and grill them over my gas stove top (set to medium heat). Voila. You've got picture perfect grilled chicken wings that are juicy and moist. :) Continue Reading "Recipe: Malaysian Turmeric and Honey Wings--A SuperBowl-Worthy Recipe!"

Recipe: Stir-fried Napa Cabbage

(Click on the image above to view the complete photoset of 5 pictures) A simple and delightful dish--stir-fried napa cabbage with dried shrimp (and straw mushrooms). Straw mushrooms are optional but I put them into the stir-fry as I had some leftover in the fridge. Surprisingly, they transformed this humble recipe and added extra flavor, texture, and color to my stir-fried napa cabbage. I loved it! If you are a Chinese-Malaysian or Chinese, I am sure many of you have had this dish growing up; perhaps you are still preparing it at home. It's one of those homey dishes that reminds you of your mother's--or your grandmother's--cooking... I served my napa cabbage with a dollop of garlic oil and fried garlic on top of this dish. What a great idea. It infused the serving with garlicky aroma. You should try it, too! To make other nostalgic and homey Chinese-Malaysian dishes, AKA the food of my childhood, please check out my recipes below (recommended and pair well with stir-fried napa cabbage): Malaysian Sweet and Sour Eggs (Eggs Masak Branda/Belanda) Stir-fried Eggs with Red Onions and Shrimp Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish Malaysian-style Ladies Fingers/Okras Pork Ribs and Lotus Root Soup Bean Curd Sticks and Pork Ribs Soup Stir-fried Bean Curds with Leeks Braised Bean Curd/Firm Tofu with Mushrooms Steamed Tofu and Ground Pork Steamed Eggs with Cincaluk/Steamed Eggs with Fermented Shrimp Recipe: Napa Cabbage with Dried Shrimp (and Straw Mushrooms) Ingredients: 3 cups chopped napa cabbage 6 straw mushrooms (cut into halves) - optional 3 cloves garlic (chopped finely) 2 tablespoons dried shrimp (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, drained and set aside) 1 teaspoon oyster sauce 1 tablespoon cooking oil Method: Make the garlic oil first by stir-frying the chopped garlic with the cooking oil. Dish out half of it when the garlic turns golden brown. With the remaining garlic oil in the wok, add in the dried shrimp and do a few quick stir until you smell the aroma of the dried shrimp. Add in the straw mushrooms and do a quick stir, then follow by the chopped napa cabbage. Stir fry for 1 minute and then add in the oyster sauce. Stir well and dish out the napa cabbage when it's still somewhat "crunchy" and not over-cooked. Top the stir-fried napa cabbage with the remaining half of garlic oil. Serve immediately. Continue Reading "Recipe: Stir-fried Napa Cabbage"

Malaysian Satay...Now with Peanut Sauce

(Click on the image above to view the complete photoset of 7 pictures) Many readers sent me emails requesting for Peanut Sauce recipe to go with my chicken satay, a recipe that I shared on this blog last September. I apologize it look me this long to post the recipe for satay peanut sauce; it's just one of those things that I procastinate. Last weekend, I was devising and perfecting my Malaysian satay recipe for the Southeast Asian cooking class that Jaden of Steamy Kitchen and I will be co-teaching, so it sort of forced me to make the peanut sauce and documented my recipe, finally... The cooking class will be held tomorrow and I am so looking forward to it. This will be my first venture into cooking instruction and I hope that it will turn into something meaningful in the near future (read: my own cooking class!). I have made many friends from food blogosphere, but Jaden is a real gem. We share a lot and constantly exchange ideas and share our dreams; she has helped and supported me so much and "hooked me up" with many great opportunities. I can't thank her enough, she is a star, really! I will post my recipe after the cooking class tomorrow...for now, you can feast your eyes with my Malaysian Satay with Peanut Sauce photoset. To check out my Malaysian satay recipe, please click here. If you haven't visited Steamy Kitchen's spanking new design that promises more bling, fortune, and fame to her, please teleport there immediately. *wink* SPECIAL NOTES TO MY LOYAL READERS I sincerely apologize for being non-responsive to your comments in the past two months or so. Of course I treasure and appreciate all your kind comments, but life has been too hectic in the past 8 weeks that I can no longer afford to reply to them. That being said, don't stop commenting (I love them), but if you have questions about the recipes or anything that you wanted to ask me, please drop me an email to get prompt response. Thanks for your understanding! Recipe: Malaysian Satay Peanut Sauce Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts (unsalted) 1 cup water 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis) 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar (palm sugar preferred) 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup oil 1 heaped tamarind pulp (soaked in 1/4 cup water for 15 minutes, squeeze the tamarind pulp for juice and discard the pulp) Spice Paste: 6-8 dried red chilies (seeded and soaked in warm water) 3 cloves garlic 3 shallots 2 lemon grass (white parts only) 1 inch ginger (galangal preferred) 1 tablespoon coriander powder (optional) Method: Crush the peanuts coursely with mortar and pestle or mini food processor and set aside. Chop the spice paste ingredients and blend until fine. Heat oil and fry the spice paste until aromatic and smell spicy. Add the peanuts, tamarind juice, water, sugar, sweet soy sauce and stir thoroughly. Simmer in low heat while continue stirring for about 3 minutes until the peanut sauce turns smooth. Serve at room temperature with the satay. Cook's Notes: For the peanuts, I used Planters brand Dry Roasted Peanuts. They are easily found at any food stores. For sweet soy sauce / Kecap Manis, I always buy ABC brand because it's widely available in Asian stores. However, my Indonesia reader Andaliman at The Art and Science of Food (a native Indonesian) recommends Bango brand. Another reader of mine Graham suggests Conimex. So feel free to experiment and find your preferred brand. Continue Reading "Malaysian Satay...Now with Peanut Sauce"

Oyster Gem

Plump, juicy, succulent, perfectly cooked, soft, smooth, and absolutely DELICIOUS. Prepared with the simplest of ingredients--fermented bean paste (taucheo), ginger, scallion, red chilies--this dish is a gem... Where? Goh Huat Seng Restaurant (AKA my favorite Chinese restaurant in Penang) 59A Lebuh Kimberly 10100 Penang Malaysia Tel: (6)04-2615811, (6)04-2615646 Recipe? Yes, I do know how to make this dish, but where do I find fresh baby oysters that won't cost me US$2 per oyster?! And no, those giant alien-like-shell-on oysters at Asian supermarkets in the United States won't work. If you know where to find affordable (fresh) baby oysters, please let me know! Continue Reading "Oyster Gem"

All I Wanted for Dinner Tonight Was...

A plate of hot-off-the-wok Penang Char Kuey Teow (fried flat noodles) with shrimp and cockles/bloody clams (circled), with a cup of Kopi-O (dark coffee). For readers who are not familiar with Malaysian street food, Char Kuey Teow is one of the most popular street food in Malaysia. It's also a much-recommended dish at Malaysian restaurants in the United States. To read more about the origin of this dish, please click here... If you wanted to learn more about the fabulous street food offered in Malaysia and their recipes, please check out my following posts: An Insider's Guide to Penang Hawker Food Penang Char Hor Fun Penang Hokkien Mee 1 and 2. Photoblog: Introducing Penang Hawkers Now what is that one food that you constantly miss from your hometown? Continue Reading "All I Wanted for Dinner Tonight Was..."

My Favorite Childhood Junk Food

(Click on the image above to view all pictures) Favorite childhood junk food = satay jellyfish. Ingredients: jellyfish, salt, vegetable, oil, starch, chili. Method of preparation: Eat them as is, or--most deliciously--lightly grill them over charcoal fire, or in the absence of it, over your gas stove! Price = RM1.10 (equivalent to US$0.35) for 12 sticks. Reminiscing the taste of my childhood = PRICELESS. What is your favorite childhood JUNK food? Note: To my Malaysian readers, I hope this post reminds you of your childhood, too. I am sure you have had this delicious junk food. ;) Continue Reading "My Favorite Childhood Junk Food"