I hope we are all having a delicious morning!! I am currently sitting in a "Street food" cafe in Kuala Lumpur International airport waiting for one of my best friends Tash to jump off her flight from Perth so we can board our flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Now, I hate airport food. I hate, hate, hate it. But I can still blog about 2 traditional Malaysian dishes even if I am not eating the best that is available on the peninsular (of Malaysia) at this point in time, because I have tried both these.
One thing I love about Malaysia food, is that it is a true fusion of Chinese, Indian and traditional Malay food. I have chosen a traditional malay breakfast and an Indian Malay drink to write about.
The first is Nasi Lemuk. Nasi, meaning rice, and lemuk, meaning fatty, or creamy, as it is cooked in coconut milk. This stuff is awesome! I have even had a variation of it in Miri (Sartawak, on the island of Borneo, which was served to me on a regular basis while drunk, fending off lady boys). So, this could be breakfast, or it could be drunk food. Win win either way really!!
Traditionally the dish is made up of six different elements. The rice, Ikan Bilis (dried anchovies), Sambal (chilli paste), sliced cucumber, Boiled egg, peanuts. However, I love it with beef rendang as well. It just adds something else to it.
Being stuck in KLIA, I couldn't meet someone to show me how to make Nasi Lemuk, so here is a recipe I found online, and a recipe for beef rendang here. For those who want to cheat, there is a fake recipe here. Whenever I ate Nasi Lemuk in Miri, the egg (Telur) was fried, not boiled, and it tasted better I thought, so why not try that as a variation!!
Here is how my nasi lemur was served. It has a chicken curry (Beek rending is much better) and a pupadum... I have never had a pupadum with nasi lemur before, nor do I actually care for it. If you a a pupadum fan then maybe you'll like this, but I'd say give it a miss.
Also, most malaysia dishes (and other South East Asian countries) eat their food with a fork and spoon (Fork in the left hand, spoon in the right). You use the fork to push the food onto the spoon which then takes the food to your mouth. Do try it. Once you've got the hang of it, eating the local food is much easier!!
Here is how my nasi lemur was served. It has a chicken curry (Beek rending is much better) and a pupadum... I have never had a pupadum with nasi lemur before, nor do I actually care for it. If you a a pupadum fan then maybe you'll like this, but I'd say give it a miss.
Also, most malaysia dishes (and other South East Asian countries) eat their food with a fork and spoon (Fork in the left hand, spoon in the right). You use the fork to push the food onto the spoon which then takes the food to your mouth. Do try it. Once you've got the hang of it, eating the local food is much easier!!
Now the beverage a chose to have with my Nasi Lemuk, is a traditional Indian-Malay drink call Teh Tarik. Teh meaning tea, and tarik, meaning pull. Hence, pulled tea. Basically, once you've made the tea, you pull it from the glass and a pot until the desired head is acquired.
This stuff not only tastes amazing, and you can have it hot or cold, but if you find an entertainer, watching it being created can be a show in itself. Here is a video I found online of it being made (ok, this is being made in Thailand, but it's still freaking awesome!), and, of course, a recipe and more interesting information on teh tarik, see here.
This stuff not only tastes amazing, and you can have it hot or cold, but if you find an entertainer, watching it being created can be a show in itself. Here is a video I found online of it being made (ok, this is being made in Thailand, but it's still freaking awesome!), and, of course, a recipe and more interesting information on teh tarik, see here.
OK, so, I hope you get to taste a little of Malaysia. Sorry it isn't more comprehensive, but its the best I can do from an airport!!
Until next time, when we start getting into Cambodia!!!!
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