Bah Kut Teh (肉骨茶)

Just a couple of days back when I was at the city's grocery store, Morrisons, looking to grab a bottle of milk and some beef for curry later, I over heard 3 girls conversation at the butcher's department. They were arguing about which part of pork would be best for their dinner. They will be having "Bah Kut Teh". (For How to make Bah Kut Teh, scroll to bottom)

I couldn't help but to think of my hometown upon hearing one of them exclaiming "No, no, no... this one is good for Bah Kut Teh!" refuting the other two's choice of a pork steak. Every time I heard those three words was as though they have just pronounced my hometown -- Klang. They couldn't be from anywhere else but from Malaysia and most probably Subang or Petaling Jaya area. I know just from the way they spoke and their accents.

Being a little nosy as I was a little more amused at the commotion they were creating, I neared my cart pretended to be looking for pork. They must have just moved to Leeds as university students and already missing Malaysian food. HF and I have just returned from Malaysia and we had plenty. In fact, I didn't realize I had too much of Malaysia food (already fear of deprivation while still back home) that my pants size up'ed 2 size!! Horrified!! Absolutely gutted! Went through several episodes of self-denial.

Anyway, their drama was indeed peculiar in a funny way. All three of them wanted to make my hometown's most famous herbal pork [boned] soup and couldn't agree which pork cutting to use. They have repeatedly took different packs of pork off the refridgerator's shelves and put them back, and again. Each time one will say the one she picked is better. There I was still pretending, my searching hands settled on a pack of pork shank. I was telling myself, "Listen you three dungu's (idiots), this is the better meat substitute for your Bah Kut Teh's dinner. If you have a little more to pay, choose pork ribs! It's the best!"

I avoided looking like a retard & a busybody by not saying anything. But my smile (and an almost silent snigger) gave it all away. Their drama paused for a moment and one stole a glance at me and said in Cantonese to her friends, "Is he Malaysian? You think he understood us?"

Time to cart away! My identity was blown! Sighed and shook my head as I head off without any pork. My reconnaissance mission was over! My wish to tell them which pork that would best fit for the Bah Kut Teh quickly evolved into thinking WHEN am I going to make one for myself and HF!? Maybe next week would be perfect!

This is how you can make Bah Kut Teh from scratch. No cheating by using ready-made packs/sachets. It's easy! Remember, this is my recreation of Bah Kut Teh, which may or may not taste like that of my hometown's.
Assumptions:
1. No access to all necessary herbs
2. You are living outside of Malaysia, Singapore, and China.
3. You've been deprived of all the good food in Malaysia! You want to make some of your own.
4. For frack's sake, they're English pork. Pigs here are fed differently. (Pigs 101)
5. At least 2 litres (8 Cups) of water is used for the soup.

You'll need:
A
3-5 star anises

1 TBSP kay-zi 枸杞 (those Chinese herbs red seeds that are known to be good for the eyes)

1 cinnamon stick

2 tsp cloves

2 tsp cumin seeds (optional)

1 tsp Chinese peppers (花椒）

1 Ginseng root (optional; for the extra ummph! Never Tongkat Ali, please!)


1 roll bandage dressing (optional, but preferred)
3-5 big garlics (whole)
10-15 Chinese mushrooms
1 TBSP salt
1 tsp Chicken powder OR preferrably MSG
3 TBSP Dark Soy Sauce (老酱油)
2 TBSP Shaoxing Chinese Cooking Wine
1 Iceberg lettuce (optional)
Pork shank, AND/OR pork ribs (1-1.5kg or depending on your appetite) would be nice. Get those with bones in. Recommended.

Method

In large pot, fully immerse pork and bring to boil. Discard broth (cooked blood)

Fill up pot again so that pork are all submerged.

Unless you have teabag, insert all ingredients listed under "A" in bandage and tie up. This will be your herbal pack.

Insert garlics

Bring to boil then simmer for 2 hours.

Add in chicken powder/MSG, dark soy sauce, mushrooms and salt to taste.

Let stand for 4 hours on very low heat. For best result, remove from heat, leave it overnight (at least 12 hours). Reheat by bringing to boil. Add vegetables.

Serve with steam rice. Garnish with fried shallots. Adjust soup to taste with salt.

There's plenty of room for you to modify the taste to your likings. If you don't like my version, check out The Star's Kuali's version. Alternatively, you may replaced pork with [whole] chicken. Everything else are the same.

Enjoy!
Comments welcomed!

Snake in a stomach

Fear eerily crept from the tips of my fingers and toes gradually reaching the center of my body; my mind froze temporarily at sight of a 3 foot-long live snake, bagged up in a white sac, which was presented to us as the Chef's best selection! I was stunned then I started getting goosebumps in my seat each time the waiter comes in to our [private] dining room (at the restaurant) to serve our other dishes. I was afraid it could be the snake! Actually, it was very much of a mixed feeling of fear, excitement, and anticipation by the fact that it will be my first time having went against my moral-instinct on food -- Eating SNAKES!! It was last Saturday, Sept 8 2007.

It is, however, still a delicacy in most part of China! Despite that, I was told that not many restaurant dishes out snake and even if they do, it is often NOT on the menu for ordering. It must be requested either in advanced or when you step in the restaurant. It costs around 160元 to 290元 depending on the size and the type of the reptile you wish to have.

I was afraid, yet each time somebody knocks on the door my camera was ready for the waiter to present the dish! It was our night's specialty. HF wanted to have snake meat... O for the love of God, as she misses it much! After waited 30 minutes, another knock on the door and in came the waiter... with a small bowl in his hand. It was, I was informed, the snake's gall bladder (蛇胆: shédän) immersed in rice wine. While I shivered briefly and felt as though cold breeze had just gushed through me at the sight of it, everybody else was trying to convince everyone else not to be afraid as the snake's gall bladder is, supposedly, very nutritious and good for our eyes (sight)!

I should, my thoughts start running wild, have at least a hundreds of those IF what-they-say-was-true and so that I don't need to live through the traumatic phase of having to consider LASIK surgery. I am short-sighted, by the way. But that would mean having to feast on a hundred snakes when I am still seated there waiting with mixed anticipation for them to dish out the specialty! I shuddered the thoughts out and try to focus NOT to gulp down that gall bladder. It is a gall bladder for God's sake! Mind you, it's from a snake! What makes me think I would down it? Ah! I will admit to you soon.

Not long after there was another knock. THE SNAKE is served! At this time, I was like "oh my god! Oh my God! OH-MY-GAAAWD!! I can't believe I am here!"



The snake was... delicious!! There were no bones like you'd find having any fishes. At the end of it, I found myself 'playing' with the vertebrae of the snake!! It was hilarious yet seriously silly! The vertebrae of the snake was very strong and was not easy to be detached like that of fishes. Considering it was my first time eating snake, it was nonetheless quite delicious frankly speaking.

Now, when everyone's done with their fillets, I was next tempted to go for the bowl (the gall bladder) where nobody had the guts to take. I was only tempted because of this. Not because the gall bladder appeals to my appetite!! NO! It does not appeal to my appetite! I was there purely and only for the experience of it all and just because no one is having it, I don't think I'm going to let them influence me to forgo my experience that I can only have here in China. So, I gathered up my guts and balls to grab the bowl that everyone is giving the "Eeeeyeeeewww!!" look. Ironically, they are the ones who seemed to know best of how to, ahem, consume it!

"Just drink it! Just gulp it down! Pinch your nose and swallow it! Don't chew it... or you will spit everything out! It's very bitter!"

"Why don't you have it?", I offered.

"No, no! No thank you! You should try it", a shuddering response.

I did not even know what this (蛇胆) was then (because none were able to translate it into English). All I knew about this was that it was good for the eyes! In the video below, I was told it was the liver!! It was like telling a little boy that the worms in front of him is peanut-butter! When I had the bowl (gall bladder in it) in my hands and ready to down it just like the way everybody has been telling me so, I didn't even remember the name of it! To be perfectly honest, it was only because of the enticing aroma of the rice wine that made me tilt the bowl up at my lips and took everything in it down. It was such a thirst quencher!

And, NO, there was not a problem with me at all the next morning.



Below are photos of other dishes we had for the evening. They are not as special as the "main dish" of the evening, however, it does at the very least that there still remains some sanity in Chinese people when comes to culinary delights!

Seafood. This is between a lobster and a giant tiger prawn. No, it's not a mutant... I just don't know its name.

Some glutinous rice with pork steamed in bamboo. Absolutely delicious!

The variety of dishes for the evening. The aloe vera (front left) was very appetising!

The deep fried snake fillets. Trust me, they are delicious!

The skin of the snake! This stuff should be on every appetiser's menu of every restaurant! Good stuff! Chewy and tasty!.

HF and myself with our finished snake fillet. Look! I'm smiling!

To conclude this posting, it was a rather satisfying experience for all that I have been through that evening!! "Will I ever have snake again?" would probably be the biggest question at the moment. My answer to this question is definitely a resounding "YES!" ... but in the next 3 years or so. ;)

Home

Food
Already three weeks in the Peninsula and the only thing I seems to enjoy doing the most is a favorite past-time most Malaysians enjoy-- eating round the clock! I paused to think that the English's Breakfast, Lunch, Tea, and dinner topped the list but after giving a second thought to that, I realized that it isn't so for the Malaysians.

I have been heads over heels for a typical Malay delicacy called "Nasi Lemak" (椰浆饭) since the day I landed. However, I had a 'taster' version of Nasi Lemak on flight which has effectively led me to a crave and now an addiction. For a week, I had Nasi Lemak with all sorts of other condiments for breakfast, lunch, post-lunch, "tea", dinner, and late supper! Mind you, there is even a "much later-supper", otherwise known as pre-breakfast! Since I will only be back for a short while, I didn't think I should be too mindful about my weight. They're all good food! ;) Believe me, Malaysia is a food haven!

In-flight's version of "Nasi Lemak" on Malaysian Airlines.

A typical Nasi Lemak by food hawkers with standard condiments such as fried anchovies, ground nuts, sambal chilli paste, cucumbers, and an egg (either hard-boiled or fried). I had an extra fried chicken for this.

Prawn Noodles! OMG! I didn't even had the time to think about fish and chips.

"Yee Mee" a kind of noodles with delicious soup served with fresh tiger prawns, vegetables, scallops, and some white meats. Very good!

Malay style fried noodles. Very, verrry good!

Desserts! These, however, are not the typical local desserts. Will show soon!

Desserts!

Welcome home to...

Durians! The thorniest fruit with the strongest smell and taste ever in the fruit kingdom! At least I would like to think that my "Welcome Home" platters were these creamy delicious sweet desserts.

Look it up in Wikipedia if you don't already know what this is. But if you're not Malaysian, Thai, Cantonese, or Singaporean, you would most probably hate everything about this king of fruits!

**durian farts...!!**

So, I haven't visited curry houses yet nor had I had much curries. **pinches nose** However, the one thing I am trying to 'have' is a normal biological clock. Jetlag has left me **durian belched** totally restless! Just had 4 hours of sleep. The worst is probably trying to re-adjust to the humid heat here. I'm still having hard time trying to breathe properly. My brother and cousins advised that I will probably need a week to get used to the weather here.

I can't wait to have a walk-in freezer so I can live there till I get used to it! I sucked!

Tomato Mozzarella

Literally simply the best. Easy to make. It's what I had at Cafe de la Nuit in Arles, Provence. (Note: This is a recreation, not the left over from the Cafe).

All you need is just:
2 Tomatoes
1 Mozzarella ball
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Oregano

Method:
1. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella cheese into slices as illustrated above.
2. Place tomatoes and mozzarella in alternate manner like that of sandwiches.
3. Pour evenly Olive oil
4. Spinkle oregano.
5. drool! take pictures. eat!

Enjoy!

French Croissant

My very first extra crispy fresh from the oven French croissants! Extra crispy because it was a little over baked, but otherwise they really taste like croissants! The entire process from preparation to removing it from oven took me 28 hours! Preparation: 6-18 hours. Baking time: 23 minutes. Phew! They're worth it!

How to make Traditional Greek Salad

The only thing I was determined to do after having had several traditional Greek salads while in Greece was to recreate it. They look so much more simpler than those served in some restaurants in England. The recreation is a success and is similar to the ones we had in Greece. It is absolutely delicious. Definitely a recommendation from me. Don't believe me? Try it!

Here's what you need.

• 2-4 Beef tomatoes; depending on size.
  
• 2 Red onions, sliced into semi-rings.
  
• 1 cucumber, thick quarts.
  
• 2/3 Cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
  
• 5-10 whole black olives; or any of your favorites.
  
• 200g Feta cheese, cut into slabs.
  
• Oregano
  
• 2 Tbsp Lemon juice.
  
• Pinch of salt (optional)
  

Preparation time: 7-10 minutes
Serves: 2-3 people

Methods
1. Prepare the vegetables. Wash them thoroughly. Cut them, illustrated (below).
2. Pour in olive oil, olives and lemon juice. Mix well with salad. If you like, sprinkle a pinch of salt in.
3. Dish out.
4. Place feta slabs on salad or on the side.
5. Sprinkle some oregano on the feta cheese (mmmmmhh!)
6. Enjoy!

The main ingredients to a delicious traditional Greek salad!

Cucumbers cut into quarters. Best if all your vege's are chilled.

The way to dice the tomatoes. Not too wide, not too narrow. Bite size cubes would be perfect!

All in.

There is no need to cube feta cheese. Just feta slabs. Break them into the size you wish with your fork or whatever utensils you use when having salads.

The finished product. Mmmm... cheese!

Greek Grills & Food

WARNING: Not suitable for vegetarians!


We connected our flight in Amsterdam and I did not want to leave the land of many delightful Cheeses. It was, for a moment, a paradise for me -- just like Scrat who got sent to Nuts heaven in Ice Age 2: The Meltdown. in Amsterdam. As much as I regret I had to forsake my fictitious paradise and arrived at the land famed for only one cheese -- Feta cheese! Unbelievable! How can people survive by consuming only one type of cheese in their lifetime?! (just exaggeration)

Anyhoo... I digressed too far.
The Greeks seem to have almost everything they eat grilled. Tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and what not are skewered with other meats to be placed on the grill. It's the perfect place for me... love grilled food! I thinking of purchasing a BBQ grill soon... this is what traveling has made me into.

"Everything else belongs to the government! But at least I know I belong to my wife"

Grilled squid, otherwise known as Greek style calamari. Must try.

Greek's traditional Moussaka (μουσακάς). It's very appetizing! Don't leave Greece without trying this.

Grilled succulent lamb meat. It's not just meat, it's Thomas Grill lamb meat!

Fava. It is absolutely delicious and a specialty of Santorini. Taste very much like the Indian's Dahl.

Grilled mussels with, uhh, tomato sauce? I'm not too sure but they are lovely! I know, everything is lovely at this point but the ARE really, really nice! Trust me!.

Grilling octopus! Yeah, it's OCTOPUS! Fresh from the Mediterranean Sea! It is a delicacy peculiar to Greece, but best from the islands.

Grilled little fishes. Looks like anchovies but they're not. We look into the waters (the Mediterranean sea) we actually saw these exact same fishes swimming in there while I was busy enjoying another piece in my hands!