Of Belimbing Buluh...

Belimbing Buluh is a tropical fruits. It tree grows easily in any soil condition thus folks would just grow this tree in near their houses. Since the fruits could not be easily obtained in the marketplace it at time became difficult to get it when one want to use it in traditional cooking or for the making the Belacan paste with this fruits. It is a very sour fruits and the tree bears fruits all throughout the years especially during the hot season. So when the tree bears fruits the whole three would be full of these little green fruits. Because it is very sour and acidic it is not eaten right like one does with other fruits. So folks would use it in Sambal Belacan [Shrimp paste sauce] or in the cooking of tradition curry especially as a sauce for the famous Nasi Dagang. In the state of Pahang folks there would turn the fruits into a Sambal Hitam [Black sauce] which could be kept for a long time and use as an appetiser. About is an image of one way of using this sour fruits to add flavour to a traditional dish. It is call Tumis Belimbing Buluh. It goes real well with steamy white rice and I loved it.  

Have a nice day.

The Curry soup Yong Towfoo...

It was a beautiful Sunday in February. We decided to go for lunch at the Pavilion. I drove the Honda and park it at the basement and move on toward the main concourse of the mall. Although it was still early the place was already thronging with folks coming to enjoy their weekend in the cool comfort of the mall.  As it was early we decided to just do a little shopping at the Little Japan on the top floor. There were many people there too. We did a little shopping at the Daiso where everything there are sold at RM5.00 each and then move on to have lunch at the Food-court down below. Here too we saw folks queuing to buy their lunch. After browsing along we decided to go for the Yong Towfoo. It a self-serving joint where one selects the many spread of things Towfoo and then get the soup put in by the caterer. We ordered two bowls with the plain soup; the usual one we often ordered. After paying for it I waited while my spouse went to look for table to sit. The caterer place one bowl with plain soup on the tray and then I saw they put a curry soup on the other bowl which I did not ask. I told them that I had ordered plain soup for the two bowls. Realising their mistake they apologised.  In that few seconds I though why not I just take the bowl with the curry soup and not to make a fuss of it. I told them so and that made them happy.  Had I not taken it and adamant in getting the one with the plain soup they would surely incurred a lost but by my split seconds decision not to make a fuss of it and take it anyway did save the situation making it a sort of a win win situation of sorts for both parties. I took the two bowls and sat to enjoy it; my spouse the one with the plain soup and I the one with the curry soup.  I soon found the one with the curry soup that I am enjoying taste really go. I did not expect it to taste that good and for that I did enjoy that lunch. Had it not been for the mistake at the outlet I would not have known that the Yong Towfoo with the curry soup taste better than the plain one. Well it looks like a small incident like this and the split decision one made not only save the day at the outlet but it actually give one a new experience of tasting the Yong Towfoo in the curry soup. Well we can never tell the unexpected could turn out to be a beautiful experience in one's life.  

Have a nice day.

Of Coffee and living...

It the beginning of the month of December 2014 and I thought that I would just write about the drink I love. I love coffee and have been enjoying this drink since I could remember. The first cup of drink I take when I wake up in the morning is a steamy cup of coffee that I made myself. I always make my own cup of coffee so that I know it is perfect to my taste. I would sip it along and enjoy it aroma when it is still hot. To me even a cold cup of coffee taste as good, especially the last drop. I always end my meals with a good cup of coffee. When I am out I often take coffee at the Coffee outlet at the mall where they brewed their Coffee of the Day. Recently while at KLCC I found a new coffee outlet call the 8 Oz Coffee. I tried and found their coffee is good and to my liking. So now I would go there to enjoy my cup of good coffee. Above is an image of that cup of coffee. 

Have a nice day.

Malay foods @ Simple Restaurant in Kuantan...

Last August I was in Kuantan. It was lunch time and we decided to go to Wak Sufiah restaurant in town. On arrival there we found the shop closed. It seems it has been closed since the Eid Fitri holiday a week before. Our nephew who was driving the Nissan decided to take us to another place but before that we decided to stop at a Dry Fish shop at Jalan Besar. After buying what we need at the shop I went out and saw one of the workers brought a plate of rice filled with dishes and I ask him where he had that. He replies that next door.

I went to have a look and sure enough there is a simple restaurant there. Nothing fancy. I went in to have a look and saw many people enjoying their lunch. I then look at the spreads and saw some very tempting dishes; simple home-cooked like. It does wet my appetite. I then told my spouse and my nephew why not we just have lunch here. They agreed. We select a table and then served ourselves on the buffet spreads.

I just selected a simple grilled fish and some sauce together with a bowl of Siput Sedup [Fresh water snails- Cerithidea obtusa]] cooked in coconut milk which I had not taken for such a long time since it difficult to get such dish in Kuala Lumpur. Without much ado I sat down to enjoy my lunch. It was a sumptuous meal indeed. After the meal I had a talk with the owner and soon found that this restaurant is a Ma and Pa business.

The name of the restaurant is R and R. I thought the R and R mean Rest and Recreation but soon found that it the the first alphabet of their names. Both of them was working in Kuala Lumpur and had retired. After retirement they decided to open a restaurant. Since she was from Kuantan she decided to open one in her home town. She managed to rent a shop at the Main Street [Jalan Besar] and open the restaurant. Here are some images of the spreads served at the restaurant.

 

Have a nice day.