Glorious Culinary

Thai food is out of the world.

The spicy and tangy dishes are unforgettable and the tastes linger in your buds long after the meal is over. The Thais are absolutely superb in their recipes and their preparation skills are reasons why Malaysian long for Thai cuisines.

Koh Samui is home to rich sea harvests and the catch is fresh ; so very essential for seafood galore. So we had our stints and a good share of seafood while on the island.

The siakap was steamed over charcoal and the tangy sauce could be eaten as soup. Absolutely delicious.

Another way of preparing fish; but I prefer the steamed version.

Shell fish cooked with a good combination of spices.





Hey I remember this dish well. I used to consume plenty of them as mama is skillful in the preparation. However, I also remember suffering from bouts of food poisoning when it was not prepared well especially during my varsity days when I took it with friends at Medan Selera. That evening, the cockles were done tastefully and I did not suffer from food poisoning.




Tom Yam done with coconut milk. I prefer the version without the coconut milk.




This is a typical Thai salad... lime, vinegar and sugar. The Thais like sugar a lot. Some of the noodles were added with sugar and it took a large part of me to consume them. Don't like sweet noodles.


At local side stalls, we ventured into some dishes which were a delight.





I cannot for the life of me decipher this concoction. Could be fish paste dipped into flour before being fried. Good.




This I have been told was a typical Thai dish...fish paste dipped in oil. Quite a taste.

Fishes grilled over charcoal.

Chicken wings and internals grilled over charcoal fire. Dare not try.

This is another Thai salad sold at a side stall.

All in all, we had meals after meals connected with seafood and Thai spices. Unable to forget the taste till today.

Pancake !

The Samui Version

When I first saw how it was prepared, I did not think much of it. After all, it's only roti canai!

Along the street of Lamai, stores are set up in the evenings for tourists to savour local tastes.

So, step 1. Not an unfamiliar sight in Malaysia.



Then he added cut bananas ; not unfamiliar too. Oh you can request for pineapple too.





By special request, some chocolate can be included.

Soon, the pancake is ready and looks so so like our very own roti canai.

Next, the sharp knife cuts the pancake neatly; ready for the next addition.

How about this? Ewe...condensed milk? Who would want to try that?

Hey... then sugar was added. It's sugary stuff?

Would you wanna try?





After a sumptuous meal, these not so young folks decided to give it a try and still find it a pleasure to consume the Samui pancake ! And... one try was not enough; there was another order for a second time.

The verdict : Surely it was very good.

You must try when on the island.

Local Specialities !

Try Them

Savouring in snakes, pythons, rats, rabbits, bats and whatever may sound grotesque to some ; but wait till you see what are considered treasured cuisines to the Cambodians; the true and authentic ones.

On the way to Phnom Penh from Siem Reap which was a whopping 6 hours' drive , we were interrupted by a group of vendors offering local specialities which can only be acquired in taste.

What's that? Local goodness?



Yes, deep fried... not squids.





Crickets! If you have watched Chinese Operas like the Beauty and the Kingdom starred by the evergreen Lin Dai , you will be introduced to the Emperor who's daily indulgence was to see crickets fight. Yes...the locals consume crickets for special treats !

Not only crickets mind you... plus... spiders !

All packed at US2 for 10 pcs of spider and another price (not sure) for the crickets.

Watch San Chey perform his devouring acts...



See... cricket.

Put into your mouth with glee...

Wow...it's finger-licking good!



The humble cricket possibly found in great numbers here because of the wide-spread padi fields is exported to Thailand as a specialty too. So if you consume them in Thailand, remember it may have come in from Khmer Rouge.

Of spiders and crickets...acquire the taste...urgh !

Fish Head Noodles !

After a hard day's work, it is good at times to savour some commendable cuisines along Old Kuchai Road in good old Kuala Lumpur. The place seems so far from Subang Jaya but we have to learn not to give in to excuses but instead just move la.

With some food enthusiasts hovering you all the time, I found myself joining in the fun and after scouring through the jam this afternoon, we finally landed at the humble place.

Strange that people came from all corners just to taste the cuisine ; eh, actually not strange after you have tasted them. In fact, you will go back again.

Restoran Goon Wah ; quite a site to look for. No amount of signs and directives can actually bring you there ; you've got to be led there along Old Kuchai Road. However, if you can find SMK Sri Sentosa , you may just be able to find it. People will lead you there.

The display of cuisines is limited to a few renowned ones, chicken wings, fish head noodles, lou shi fun (rat's tail noodles) and a couple more.

The fish head noodles is yummy; right amount of milk, salted mustard, ginger, toufu and the fish head is meaty ! Last Sunday at the Pasar Tani, I bought a plate of fish head at RM15.00. The amount served at the restaurant today was a larger portion and more meaty. A dish cooked and served shown above was at a really reasonable price ... RM22.00 only !

I don't know how to name this dish ; but I call it "chap sui" a term I learnt from watching Flower Drum Song which I think connotes a mixture of everything . It's actually internals; cooked tastefully; a rare concoction.

Lou shi fun...cooked with minced meat and dried prawns but I grade it so so only.

This is a fatty dish ; Chinese bread (mun tou) dipped in stewed belly meat black sauce. Good.



But of course, the best part is having friends who will make the effort to get together on a Friday afternoon to listen to small talks, heartbeats and enjoy moments of genuine care. I will miss them when I retire . Ok la, I will continue this journey of spontaneous trips to wonder food centres whenever I am invited. At the most, I fast in the evening after the sumptuous meal.

Of food and friends.

By Popular Demand

Chicken Rice Wine Soup

Well, at the request of some colleagues, I felt led to prepare a dish that has long been associated with confinement staple...Chinese rice wine chicken soup. This dish is delicious and taste acquisition has to come through practice as I can see in my girls; for though banana in many ways, have also grown to love the dish .
Simple and easy to prepare, the dish can be served as a main dish at meals.
The ingredients are easily gotten ... if you stay in Malaysia...rice wine, ginger, garlic, eggs & black fungus (optional), sesame oil, cooking oil, salt and sugar to taste.

Sesame oil

Rice wine from my faithful supplier, the generous, gracious Por Por...I need to get acquainted with her supplier too.



I minced quite a bit of ginger...the amount depends on how much ginger one prefers ; but when under confinement circumstances , the more the better. Also, some garlic was minced and added to the ginger...maybe a clove.




Saute the minced ginger and garlic in a combination of sesame and normal cooking oil until the fragrance of the ginger in sesame oil is in the air...an indication that it is now ready to add in the sliced chicken pieces. Last evening, I used a whole chicken and 2 big portions of chicken thigh.



Stir fry the chicken pieces patiently until it is slightly brown and the richness of the ginger and sesame oil is thoroughly absorbed.



Meanwhile, you can on a separate pan, fry some eggs and leave them aside. If you like the black fungus, soak some in water until soft and ready for cooking.



When fried until slightly brown, add in the rice wine. For that amount of chicken cooked, I had to pour in a whole bottle of rice wine. Then I added 2 small bowls of water. If you are alcohol resistant like Puan Loy, add in more wine and don't add water.



A spoonful of sugar will enhance taste. Then add salt to taste. There is an old tale here which says that if the rice wine is prepared for a baby girl, it will come out sweet otherwise...sour when it is a boy. Believe it or not? When your turn comes, you will know.



Next, add in the fried eggs and black fungus...both are optional...but they do enhance the final concoction.


You need to continue to simmer the concoction under low fire for at least 20 minutes before it can be finally served.

It's so very good ; that was the general verdict; truthful or not...try the recipe. Besides chicken, some have tried using lean pork or even pork kidneys and it can turn equally palatable. The sesame oil and ginger supposedly remove unwanted 'air' from women during confinement times and prepares the womb for the next intake...powerful.

Puan Looi : Puan Chong, how to cook ah? I need to get ready for my son's wife and my daughter's turn.
Puan Chong : Read the blog...no need to repeat so many times...hahahah, like real.

Puan Daisy : Puan Chong, your rice wine caused us to recall our confinement days...everyone of us has stories to relate ; so nostalgic...we are getting old ; lots of stories to tell.

Maybe, I should do catering when I retire...Sara bakes, mama cooks...hmm ;

perfect combination.