0 Nasi Lalap in Sabah .. sadap-bah! (delicious-bah!)

New Recipe?

Eat local! I get both excited and intimidated at the same time when I decide to try food I've never eaten before.

Along the way to Kinabalu Park, we stopped by a shoplot eatery for lunch.

There was a big framed "C" rating on the wall. Mmm..not too clean but no swarming flies is a good sign surely.

The other thing that caught my attention was the "Nasi Lalap" sign stuck on the food display cabinet.

Bzzzt! "Should I? Should I? Should I?" - A tape recorder in my brain gone haywire from replaying the same question over and over again.

Aaah..the heart wins over. I ordered a plate of nasi lalap, a silly grin plastered on my face. Am I gonna get diarrhea for this..*thoughts*

What is nasi lalap anyway? I think it means "rice salad" but I cannot confirm this. Mock not this local for her lack of knowledge - She only has so much space in her tummy to accommodate the vast variety of gastronomical splendour that is out there.

Tempe, Steamed Brinjal, Chicken and Sambal

Nasi lalap came served on a neat wooden plate. A heartwarming take.

A small bowl of soto soup was also included. It complimented the dish perfectly. Tempe, brinjal and fried chicken with sambal on the side - Mixed together in rice, it was booming with flavour. I loved every bite!

If the opportunity arises, this is something I would eat again.

I'm glad I did not judge the food by its restaurant. It would have only served to limit my makan (eating) adventure to city-like standard restaurants.

Other photos :

Journey to Nasi Lalap. We crossed a one-lane bridge before getting there.

Heading towards Nasi Lalap

The employees in the eatery were busy peeling these tiny red chilis when we arrived. I'm not comfortable eating these because it's very spicy!

Cili Padi (Bird's Eye Chilli) - common here

Next cooking project: Nasi Lalap.

0 Banana Fritters Dipped in a Spicy Soy Sauce?

Banana Fritters (Pisang Tanduk Fritters)

I was in Melaka for a short holiday during the Merdeka weekend - a trip I thoroughly enjoyed. The streets were packed with smiling people. I felt their joy. Aaahh..holidays! Always good medicine for the tired soul.

The one thing that caught my eye during my walkabout around the touristy areas of town was these huge bananas hanging from several food stalls.

Long and horn-shaped, these bananas are locally known as Pisang Tanduk ("tanduk" means horn in Malay).

I had this petty notion that banana fritters are a common thing and "I wouldn't want to try something so common on a holiday"...??

Roadside stall

BUT curious me fueled the need to "check things out". So I finally pestered my other half to visit one such stall in Ayer Keroh Height, where we had stopped for lunch.

It was probably one of the best decisions I had made on the trip. The makcik and pakcik flashed a heartwarming smile as they welcomed us to their stall.

A young man enthusiastically packed the banana fritters we ordered into a transparent plastic bag while the pakcik enthused over the bananas.

"Thudd!" , the sound of tearing cloth followed. A coconut had fallen. It was a near-miss from the small pakcik. We all sighed relief.

The makcik continued with conversation, showing us some of the freshly peeled bananas. Before we left, they shared with us the "best way" to savour these banana fritters, which is, to dip it in a blend of chilli and soy sauce. A small packet was popped into our plastic bag.

We left with banana fritters, cendol and another great moment in memory.

Stop and smell the roses - stop, because it is the little things that colour your trip.

Banana fritters in chilli soy sauce? I must say, it tastes wonderful - the perfect zing that zapped our taste buds alive - sweet and salty all together, absolutely yummy!

Pisang Tanduk - ready to be dipped in batter

Pisang Tanduk on display, to attract passerbys

The yummiest Cendol from the same stall

 

A unique banana dip

I tore a piece to get more sauce inside

2 The Fluffy Pandan Cake

It's fluffy! The fluffiest cake I have ever eaten and now, I can't get it out of my mind. It's probably a blessing that I don't live near the area, otherwise.....

It's non-sugared cream

I'm beginning to realise that the best tasting cakes are not always found in high end bakeries. It's the little obscure stalls that seem to surprise me.

I stumbled across this kueh (cake) stall when I was scouring for food at the Neighbourhood Cafe Food Court in Kota Damansara. The kueh owner had a table of tea goodies on display.

Everything looked so delicious but the pandan cakes attracted me most because of its vibrant colour and interesting take.

I purchased two varieties, one folded with cream and the other, Swiss roll style. Both were extremely light and soft very much like the chiffon cake. It wasn't "dry". Everything went into my mouth so quickly and easily. I had thought that the cream would be sweet, but it was bland on its own. Just the perfect touch on a cake that's already rich in flavour.

Sigh..there goes my waistline. And now, I share this with you with fat hopes that you too will join me in the "No WaistLine Club". Of course not! ^.^

With green custard stripes

We had it for tea

2 Snooping the Neighbourhood in Torrential Rain

21 August 2012, 2.30PM - 4.00PM. The rain has been punishing these past days. Hubs and I were having lunch in Kota Damansara when it poured, swift and hard with gusts of wind that serves only to remind me of Mary Poppins floating in with her umbrella.

Raindrops keep falling on my head ♪♫

"Wanna check out Desa Parkcity's roundabout in this weather? " , I ask from a past experience and a curiosity if things were the same.

Minutes later, we were in our car, drenched but still adamant about going to check out our dream neighbourhood in stormy conditions. We also explored the roads surrounding the area. This includes Bandar Manjalara and some of Kepong.

The main roads were generally flood-ridden, even those leading us out of Kota Damansara. I felt as though we were driving through an obstacle course. Every corner was filled with pools of water, some deeper than comfortable.

The more dangerous ones were the sloped roads with rushing water and traffic lights. No one broke the traffic light rules even though the road was flooded. If anyone thought Malaysians were rogue drivers, they would have changed their minds after seeing this phenomena.

Stranded at the roundabout outside Desa Parkcity

Smaller cars owners chose to wait by the roadside against angry honks by those who owned larger vehicles. I root for the sensible. Some drivers braved the waters, only to be stranded.

We are a long way from a proper drainage system and a clear head for the little people.

I just wonder if we should start planning for an underwater city instead.
My statement isn't meant to be taken seriously of course, but it would certainly put an end to flooding woes.

More photos:

The roundabout at the main entrance, Jalan Residen Utama, Desa Parkcity

The second entrance into Desa Parkcity from Persiaran Residen 3, facing Bandar Manjalara 62B

More roads flooded along the way

Jalan 3/36, near SRJK (C) Kepong 3

4 My new oven.. (★.★) and the beehive cake

Note from a fan

The first thing I did when I got my new oven was to look for a recipe to try. No I didn't, of course.

Honestly, I updated my Facebook status and tweeted about my new kitchen toy because I could not contain my excitement.

It was something I wanted to shout to the world although it meant nothing to them. That's how thrilled I am about it.

It was only after that, that I started to think about what to bake. I settled on the beehive cake after pouring through a ton of recipes.

Not because it looked attractive on Google Images.

I just recalled that it was my late aunt's signature cake. She was considered the "sifu" (guru) in our family because she could always get the honeycomb-like texture to form beautifully. It was a talent everyone admired.

The recipe I chose is called the "Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake". It's pandan based and should have been green but I used real leaves without any colouring.

As I gathered the ingredients, feelings of trepidation started to overwhelm me. Bah! I soldiered on. Off my two baking trays went into the oven with fingers crossed.

30 minutes later, I took a peek just to check. Liar! My eyes were glued on the oven the entire time. My hand was armed with a torchlight, to shine through the glass for a better look. Every few minutes, my face was warmed as I leaned closer to check on its progress. The cake never had a chance to burn!

I finally took out the perfectly browned baked mounds after what seemed like eternity. I imagine my home smelt as good as the witch's in Hansel and Gretal. The aroma was just heavenly.

A carve and a bite later, I was craving for more. It was so scrumptious that I could not stop eating it, nor could the family. Further woe to waistline. 

I was happy that it turned out well at my first attempt. And happier than happy if there were such a thing, because it was my way of reconnecting to my late aunt.

Into the new, shiny oven you go

The Dark Knight rises..I mean, the beehive cake rises

Tadaa..oh my, it formed!

Side view, cake popped out nicely and easily

0 A Birthday candle for my Aunt

A candle for my Aunt so dear,
Who now walks with the Lord.

It's her Birthday. I've lit a candle in memory.

The night is still. I relive the happy moments we've shared in my mind.

May she rest in peace..

0 Of chopsticks and food

Yummier with chopsticks!

I've a love for eating with chopsticks. Not just any chopsticks though. I particularly like the ones made from wood.

Now, while I enjoy using chopsticks, I have never learned to hold it correctly. Boo.

There are times no matter how I twist and turn, the food just slips through. In the privacy of home, desperate measures calls for using the fork instead. In public, I try my best to avoid food that look too challenging to handle.

Other than that, I'm happy with using chopsticks for just about anything - Cinnabon rolls, doughnuts, Famous Amos cookies and even fruits, like the Durian.

The benefits? My hands are clean...but really, I find that food tastes better this way *cross my heart*

0 Feasting on Durians

Tis the season.. for Durians and  I've had my fair share of feasting, in a small way.

I say small because I can't get past more than three pieces per session without starting to feel uncomfortable. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise. My friends have fallen victim to Mr. Sore Throat. I can hear croaks of disapproval whilst I continue my little Durian expedition.

Durian has come a long way, more complicated than how I used to see it back in my kampung (village). You pick one and gobble it all up. That's all there was to it. These days, there's D24, D2, Musang King, Red Prawn and what sort.

"What? ..Any one lar, Uncle. I just want to eat!" ,I explained to one Durian seller years ago. It was then that I was introduced to varieties and the price that came with.

Now, I'm more Durian savvy. So, when close family friends from my hometown ..?? ..my BFF.. stayed over one weekend, hubby and I took the opportunity to introduce them to "Musang King". Like me before, they had never heard of it. 

We baited them with words like "Creamy", "Rich", "Heavenly", "Premium" and "Stanley Ho". 

By the next day, everyone including us, was pumped up for a taste. We landed ourselves in SS2 at Donald's. There was a good haul of Musang King for sale there.

Choosing our Durians

 The nice weather serves only to whet our appetite.

Blue skies and the outdoorsy feel

The feasting began as soon as the Durians were selected from the basket.

Breaking the Durian open

Oh-so-luscious

My, my!

Musang King is well known for its delectable flesh and pricier tag, costing between RM20-RM35 per kilo on average. It's a once in a season treat for us and in great company, it's extra special, very much like the ice-cream ordered on top of Ais Kacang (Malaysian ice dessert).

0 Green Matter

Not kryptonite, not The Hulk..just the greens.

I had to give Putrajaya Floria 2012 a miss because my days were packed to the brim. Aaah, it was just one of the moments where I wish I had more hours in a day.

BUT I was no less inspired to do the right green thing after reading through Autumn Belle's blog posts. The world would be a better place if all of us, the apartment dwellers, played our part in greening it. I think of Mother Earth's sustainability out of a sudden...with sorry realisation that I haven't really done much.

It would be a dream to see tall buildings laden with plants on every floor because everyone is growing something. Chirping birds, butterflies, laughing neighbours. The building would be alive with lovely flowers, vegetables and cheerful banter from happy residents...I think plants make people happy!

This is my haul from Ikea. I'm starting small. My know-how on plant survival isn't very impressive..I know nuts.

Fresh Stash

One of the plants in my Ikea blue bag is the Ficus Ginseng Jade. I bought it because it seemed "solid". Whether this is a logical move is beyond me. I'm shamefully judging the plant by its looks and it looks like a survivor.

Ficus Ginseng Jade (I don't suppose it's edible)

The plants hanging on the wall have been with me for close to seven years. At the advice of my aunt, I've trimmed it "botak" (bald). She says it'll grow out prettier if I do.

Trimmed hanging plants

The common houseplant that's crawling up my wall began from a very small pot some eight years ago. I don't really know what happened. It just gained in size and off-springs. I have another three indoors.

New and old plants

These pretty clay dolls have been added to liven things up a notch. They've been in my storage cabinet for a couple of years. Not a hoarder...ehm. I just knew it'd be of some use one day....

RM5 each from Daiso

I hope I know what I'm doing. I wish I knew how to take care of flowering plants. I am praying that my plants don't wither if I travel for week-long periods.

I ...........should stop spraying my new plants with water every couple of hours or so.

0 Stop! Love is in the air ..

And then there are days when people just touch you with their creativity. I saw these heart-shaped traffic lights in Subang Jaya more than a month back.

Love is in the intersection

I'm not sure if it's still there but it made an impact on how I felt all over. I was smiling inside out. I guess I'm easily entertained.

It was a good stop. I was reminded about love, to drive with care for the sake of loved ones, to be patient with my fellow drivers, to put up my hand in a friendly wave when I wanted to cut in - all that warm fuzzy feeling and happy thoughts in one traffic light.

In the midst of all that mushy-ness, there were questions that plagued my curious nature, unimportant, but keen-to-know.

Was this done in the stealth of night? What were they thinking? Are they rebels of conformity? Can I join the gang ...? ..Kidding.

Black cut-out cardboard

Some people think it's a bad joke. I think if you're going to speed over the red light, it doesn't matter if the traffic lights are round, square or triangle!

A person of good character will always know right from wrong. No shape or size of a warning signboard will change that. The "Do Not Litter, Fine RM$$" signage is perfect example, with bags of rubbish dumped under it, don't you think?

2 Sri Sinar Terrace House - Jalan 34D/38A Segambut (Kepong)

We (hubby and I) came across these neat little 2.5 storey terrace houses in Segambut a couple of months ago. It has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths - perfect for small families. Only two rows were constructed. It is located within an old neighbourhood facing the Nova II apartments.

Priced from RM500k onwards, it is a tall order for property agents to get these homes sold. I'll elaborate and this is my personal opinion.

Granted, it sits on freehold land but it isn't exactly prime area, nor a gated community. The surroundings speak for itself.

Notice the cars parked along the left side of the road (from the photo below). These are, I presume, owned by those living in the older houses across the road since the new units are still vacant. I can only imagine how congested it would be later on. 

In light of this, I'd definitely opt for the lots behind if I were considering a purchase.

Surroundings (new houses on the left)

The units behind

On a positive note, the finishes look neat on first impression and the overall design is pleasing to the eye. If it were built elsewhere in better surroundings, I may even think about putting a down-payment on it, in all earnestness.

I had to use Wikimapia to find the exact location

Other landmarks : These units can be seen, on your right, from the main road leading into Anjung Tiara (Semi Ds).

Click here to see an advertisement I found on PropertyGuru if you're keen on looking into it further.