Yum..! Yum..! Yum..!
I am not someone who live to eat; I am a eat to live guy; eating mostly for sustenance. :)
But as a red-blooded Malaysian, I do indulge in the potpourri of Malaysian cuisine. Ask any foreigner in Malaysia and their eyes will glaze over with the incredible multitude of Malaysian cuisine. For centuries, Malaysia has been the melting pot of Asia. The tagline "Malaysia truly Asia" is very apt. The potruding Malay Peninsula receives influences from the Indian and Chinese landmasses and many other cultures. This resulted in culinary creations that have to be seen and savoured to be believed.
I have no problem with my current bland vegan diet. But I do think of fondly of some food. Today I will share with you the food which I had since childhood in Seremban. The food brings back memories of family get-togethers, and especially going with my dad to the stalls. I remember as a toddler holding dad's hand as we go for our regular weekend take-aways. Thanks, dad, for the memory and yumyums :)
Asia Curry Chicken Laksa in Senawang, Seremban - The shop is across ON Semiconductor in the Senawang Industrial Estate. Sinfully creamy curry laksa with a piece of chicken, best taken with mee + mee hoon. The wafting fragrant of the curry makes you float towards the shop. The shop is full most of the time, and prepare to stand and wait during weekends. It has been like this since I can remember.
Beef Noodle- The universe's best beef noodle can be had at the grand Hainanese old man's shop in the Main Market, or the son's shop across the old samsu factory. Dont go to other pretenders' shops. I remember carrying the blue steel tiffin as I follow my dad to old main market. I heard another of the old man's kid had another shop somewhere in Malaysia. Dry or soup beef noodle with beef sauce made in the secret chamber somewhere up there in heaven. I usually partake this on the sly with Dad because Mom frown upon taking beef as Buddhist...shhhh...hehehe
Ah Pok Char Siew Mee - Home made crunchy mee with generous helpings of char siew. Their suei kau is thick with fillings. Their curry mee is delicious too, 2nd only to the Asia Curry Laksa.
Roti canai + kari kambing - No particular shop in Seremban. I think roti canai must be taken with kari kambing (mutton curry). The more pungent the kari kambing, the closer I am to enlightenment :)
Ah Heng Rahang fish ball noodle - Was introduced by our 3rd uncle a long time ago. Ah Heng variety of fish ball (flat, round, taufu-filled, chili-filled, other vege-filled fish paste) makes me salivate onto my keyboard. But as in most things, the 1980s huge 4cm fish balls has shrucken to 21 century 2 cm teeny weenies. No problem, just order more to compensate!!!
Char Kuei Tiaw - Extinct. Previously charcoal fried char kuei tiaw on banana leave can be had in the makan stall in front of the old Convent Schools. The stalls are gone for a long time now. Then another coal fired char kuei tiaw appeared at the main market. It is also gone now.
Cameron Cafe Yee Mee - Cameron cafe is gone now, but remembers fondly mun yee mee take-awayed from here.
Cendol - When my dad goes for his weekly fix of lumba kuda lottery tickets, I will tag along. There are many cendol stalls near the lottery shops. Dad will get me a bowl of cendol while he lines up for his tickets.
The dhoti-clad Indian cendolmen will make shaved ice, pour the authentic thick rich gula melaka and the creamy white santan with green cendol into porcelain bowls. The cendolman would then hand the brimful bowl to this drooling wide-eyed young boy. The boy clasps both his hands on the sides of the now-already sticky bowl, delighting in the cold of the bowl.
Carefully the boy takes the even colder stainless steel spoon, eagerly stirring the colorful mixture to bring it into a uniform brown color. As he stirs the fragrance wafted towards his nostril whipping up his anticipation. He brings the bowl and spoon closer to his mouth, the cold stainless steel spoon touches his lips, takes a sip at this nectar of the gods...and instantly everything besides him recedes into nothingness...nirvana....
...alas, where art thou now, dhoti-clad cendolmen?
Satay - The thick thick satay at the shop across the former Wearnes' Brothers. What can I say? Those were the days where the skewered satay meat is as thrice as thick as the emacipated ones now. Creamy crunchy peanut sauce which the satayman ladeled out to your heart's content.
Hainanese food - Hainanese are the main stay of chefs in Seremban restaurants. This Chinese dialect group is a favourite chefs of the British expatriates in time long gone. They whip up mean array of Western and Chinese cuisine. Their western cuisine like chicken or pork chop is a class by itself. Their Chinese noodle dishes have their own unique touch no other dialect group can replicate. Their shops are the ones where the waiters will shout orders from the front end of the shop to the chef at the end of the shop. There is still one more such shop called Jaya Restaurant. I go there occasionally to relieve memories, and of course the delicious halal dishes.
Dim Sum - The ones at the main market. Where you sit for hours savouring chinese tea with the scrumptious dim sums.
Nasi minyak - My favourite occasions are Malay weddings; where nasi minyak (fragrant oily rice) and lots of curries and Malay dishes are served. My dad was a civil servant with lots of Malay friends, and we stay near the police barracks, so going for Malay weddings are the norm. I enjoy tucking in the food with th right hand, and smelling my fragrant fingers afterwards, letting the fragrance and memories of rendang, pineapple chicken curry, acar and other exoticans lingers on...hehe. I think eating curry with hands is a natural order of things; forks and spoons should be banished from curry meals :)
I remember one peculiar trait of my dad at Malay weddings. He is a non-smoker, but when offered one at weddings, he smokes. He explained that he don't want to hurt the feelings of the person offering the cigaratte. He will smoke but he never gets addicted. Maybe he is like Bill Clinton; he doesn't inhale!
OK, these are the makan in Seremban which I think fondly of. Next time I will move beyond Seremban. :)
But as a red-blooded Malaysian, I do indulge in the potpourri of Malaysian cuisine. Ask any foreigner in Malaysia and their eyes will glaze over with the incredible multitude of Malaysian cuisine. For centuries, Malaysia has been the melting pot of Asia. The tagline "Malaysia truly Asia" is very apt. The potruding Malay Peninsula receives influences from the Indian and Chinese landmasses and many other cultures. This resulted in culinary creations that have to be seen and savoured to be believed.
I have no problem with my current bland vegan diet. But I do think of fondly of some food. Today I will share with you the food which I had since childhood in Seremban. The food brings back memories of family get-togethers, and especially going with my dad to the stalls. I remember as a toddler holding dad's hand as we go for our regular weekend take-aways. Thanks, dad, for the memory and yumyums :)
Asia Curry Chicken Laksa in Senawang, Seremban - The shop is across ON Semiconductor in the Senawang Industrial Estate. Sinfully creamy curry laksa with a piece of chicken, best taken with mee + mee hoon. The wafting fragrant of the curry makes you float towards the shop. The shop is full most of the time, and prepare to stand and wait during weekends. It has been like this since I can remember.
Beef Noodle- The universe's best beef noodle can be had at the grand Hainanese old man's shop in the Main Market, or the son's shop across the old samsu factory. Dont go to other pretenders' shops. I remember carrying the blue steel tiffin as I follow my dad to old main market. I heard another of the old man's kid had another shop somewhere in Malaysia. Dry or soup beef noodle with beef sauce made in the secret chamber somewhere up there in heaven. I usually partake this on the sly with Dad because Mom frown upon taking beef as Buddhist...shhhh...hehehe
Ah Pok Char Siew Mee - Home made crunchy mee with generous helpings of char siew. Their suei kau is thick with fillings. Their curry mee is delicious too, 2nd only to the Asia Curry Laksa.
Roti canai + kari kambing - No particular shop in Seremban. I think roti canai must be taken with kari kambing (mutton curry). The more pungent the kari kambing, the closer I am to enlightenment :)
Ah Heng Rahang fish ball noodle - Was introduced by our 3rd uncle a long time ago. Ah Heng variety of fish ball (flat, round, taufu-filled, chili-filled, other vege-filled fish paste) makes me salivate onto my keyboard. But as in most things, the 1980s huge 4cm fish balls has shrucken to 21 century 2 cm teeny weenies. No problem, just order more to compensate!!!
Char Kuei Tiaw - Extinct. Previously charcoal fried char kuei tiaw on banana leave can be had in the makan stall in front of the old Convent Schools. The stalls are gone for a long time now. Then another coal fired char kuei tiaw appeared at the main market. It is also gone now.
Cameron Cafe Yee Mee - Cameron cafe is gone now, but remembers fondly mun yee mee take-awayed from here.
Cendol - When my dad goes for his weekly fix of lumba kuda lottery tickets, I will tag along. There are many cendol stalls near the lottery shops. Dad will get me a bowl of cendol while he lines up for his tickets.
The dhoti-clad Indian cendolmen will make shaved ice, pour the authentic thick rich gula melaka and the creamy white santan with green cendol into porcelain bowls. The cendolman would then hand the brimful bowl to this drooling wide-eyed young boy. The boy clasps both his hands on the sides of the now-already sticky bowl, delighting in the cold of the bowl.
Carefully the boy takes the even colder stainless steel spoon, eagerly stirring the colorful mixture to bring it into a uniform brown color. As he stirs the fragrance wafted towards his nostril whipping up his anticipation. He brings the bowl and spoon closer to his mouth, the cold stainless steel spoon touches his lips, takes a sip at this nectar of the gods...and instantly everything besides him recedes into nothingness...nirvana....
...alas, where art thou now, dhoti-clad cendolmen?
Satay - The thick thick satay at the shop across the former Wearnes' Brothers. What can I say? Those were the days where the skewered satay meat is as thrice as thick as the emacipated ones now. Creamy crunchy peanut sauce which the satayman ladeled out to your heart's content.
Hainanese food - Hainanese are the main stay of chefs in Seremban restaurants. This Chinese dialect group is a favourite chefs of the British expatriates in time long gone. They whip up mean array of Western and Chinese cuisine. Their western cuisine like chicken or pork chop is a class by itself. Their Chinese noodle dishes have their own unique touch no other dialect group can replicate. Their shops are the ones where the waiters will shout orders from the front end of the shop to the chef at the end of the shop. There is still one more such shop called Jaya Restaurant. I go there occasionally to relieve memories, and of course the delicious halal dishes.
Dim Sum - The ones at the main market. Where you sit for hours savouring chinese tea with the scrumptious dim sums.
Nasi minyak - My favourite occasions are Malay weddings; where nasi minyak (fragrant oily rice) and lots of curries and Malay dishes are served. My dad was a civil servant with lots of Malay friends, and we stay near the police barracks, so going for Malay weddings are the norm. I enjoy tucking in the food with th right hand, and smelling my fragrant fingers afterwards, letting the fragrance and memories of rendang, pineapple chicken curry, acar and other exoticans lingers on...hehe. I think eating curry with hands is a natural order of things; forks and spoons should be banished from curry meals :)
I remember one peculiar trait of my dad at Malay weddings. He is a non-smoker, but when offered one at weddings, he smokes. He explained that he don't want to hurt the feelings of the person offering the cigaratte. He will smoke but he never gets addicted. Maybe he is like Bill Clinton; he doesn't inhale!
OK, these are the makan in Seremban which I think fondly of. Next time I will move beyond Seremban. :)
posted by Hee Boon at 10:18 am
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