Khoo Kongsi

The grandest clan house in South East Asia, the Khoo Kongsi in Penang actually consists of a clan-house called Leong San Tong, a grand Chinese temple, an opera stage and an administrative office complete with its own meeting rooms and shop houses. The history behind such clan houses, which are located all over Peninsula Malaysia, is rather interesting. These clan houses actually sprouted in the 19th century, when many male laborers from South China arrived in the Malay Archipelago in search of jobs. Feeling homesick and wanting to maintain a sort of link with fellow clansmen in Malaysia, they stayed in these large dwellings we now refer to as clan houses. It is built to resemble villages in China, and also became a place for ancestral and deity worship even for clansmen who have moved out of the Khoo Kongsi.

The Khoo Kongsi was built around 1900, after a mysterious fire razed it to the ground in 1902; it took another four years to complete. During World War II, the Japanese destroyed the Khoo Kongsi completely, bringing heartache to its clansmen. A massive restoration project immediately after the war and in 1999 has turned the Khoo Kongsi into a striking mansion, right in the middle of Penang.

05:36 AM PDT Permalink |

Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice)

A staple food for two-thirds of the world?s populations, rice is regarded as sacred in many third world countries. In Malaysia, harvest festivals are held to give thanks for bountiful harvest. So, it is not surprising that there are many styles of fried rice in Malaysia. While usually prepared from leftover rice from dinner the night before, fried rice is also served at main grand dinners in Malaysia. In fact, many cooks claim that rice cooked overnight makes the nasi goreng more delicious!


Here is a simple fried rice recipe to try: Yong Chow Chinese Fried Rice.

Ingredients:
Two bowls of rice
2 fresh eggs
2 cloves of garlic
2 cloves of shallot
200 grams chicken minced meat
200 grams frozen mixed vegetables
1 tablespoon cooking oil.

Ingredients B:
1 teaspoon powdered chicken stock
2 tablespoon soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste.

Method:
Heat cooking oil in frying pan. Fry shallots and garlic until fragrant. Add chicken and mixed vegetables. Keep stirring the ingredients until the chicken and vegetables are cooked. Push the ingredients to the side of the frying pan and put the rice in the middle. Stir well, and then add the eggs. When the eggs are cooked, add ingredients B and mix everything well.

Optional: If desired, add a sprig of spring onion and parsley leaves as garnishing.


09:08 AM PDT Permalink |

Chicken Rice
In Malaysia, there are several versions of this humble dish. In a Malay restaurant, special herbs are used to marinate the Nasi Ayam. The chicken is barbequed over the fire before being served with soup. In a typical Chinese stall, there are two types of chicken available: steamed or roasted. A popular dish that is available in almost every Chinese coffee shop or food court, this is a must-try for travelers. If you happen to be in Malacca, there is yet another version known among the locals simply as Chicken Rice Ball. Here, the rice is rolled into rounded balls before being served with chicken. A typical "serving" consists of five rounded ball of rice. Now, even McDonald's in Malaysia is jumping into the chicken rice bandwagon?with its very own "Westernized" Chicken Rice. For around RM 5, you get a plate of rice cooked with mixed vegetables and served with a piece of fried chicken!
08:23 AM PDT Permalink |

Engkala

A relative of the more common avocado, the engkala (Litsea garciea) is one of the few savory tropical fruits. The tree only grows in Sarawak and along the South-west coast of Sabah along riverbanks and scattered near villages. In Sabah, it is sometimes known as pong labon. The foliage resembles that of an avocado. However the leaves are longer and droop more gracefully. It has a slightly flattened top and bottom, have thin, edible bright pink skins. Medium to thick flesh surrounds the single, avocado-like seed. It is creamy-white and similar to avocado, but softer with a more delicate flavor. Eaten fresh or used to prepare foods. The fruit can be used in the same way as the avocado. Litsea seeds are a source of fat and are used to manufacture candles and soap.

08:39 AM PDT Permalink |

Malacca

Also known among the locals as Melaka, this historical city in Malaysia is actually named after a tree. Geographically, Malacca is protected from the monsoon winds by Peninsula Malaysia and Sumatra. Soon after Parameswara, a Javanese prince became its first official ruler; Malacca transformed from a fishing village to an important port visited by Chinese, Indian and European traders. Once considered the crown jewel of the Malay Archipelago, Malacca was ruled in turn by the local Malays, the Portuguese and the Dutch before the British took over. Today, some forty years after Malaysia achieved independence, the colonial identity remained stamped in and around Malacca town. A windmill sits right in the center of town, proclaiming its Dutch heritage. Visitors to the Portuguese Settlement can enjoy a wide array of Portuguese food and experience the local Portuguese culture, which is an interesting mix of original traditions brought by Portuguese rulers years ago and the local Malaysian tradition. Over in another part of Malacca town, the Baba and Nyonya heritage is the highlight. Here, travelers can still see how the traditional Straits Chinese live. If you are lucky, you will even see an elderly Nyonya (lady in her sixties or seventies) dressed in traditional Nyonya attire wondering around the area!

07:31 AM PST Permalink |

Atsukan

Atsukan sake is the term for Japanese rice wine served hot. Sake should never be heated above 140 degrees (60C).

For more on Sake, see David P. Jones' Sake to Me.

07:29 AM PST Permalink |

Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of Burma’s independence hero, U Aung San, who was assassinated in 1947 when Suu Kyi was two years old. She has become an international symbol of peaceful resistance to the country’s military repression. For much of her sixteen years in Burma, she has been under house arrest in Rangoon. While detained, in 1991, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Burma. “I could not, as my father’s daughter, remain indifferent to all that is going on,” Suu Kyi is quoted as saying. For the Burmese people, Suu Kyi represents their hopes for freedom from oppression.
07:27 AM PST Permalink |

Agra
The Taj Mahal has made Agra famous all over the world. But the royal Mughal city has a lot else to offer by way of tourism. The scores of monuments and relics that are scattered all over the city epitomize the high point of Mughal architecture. The tomb of Itmad-ul-Daulah, or the Baby Taj, for example, which exhibits the same pietra dura style of inlay work on marble that has made the Taj Mahal so special. Then there is the Agra Fort, built in 1565 AD and representing the first major building project of Emperor Akbar. The deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's 12-year capital which boasts of some amazing pieces of architecture, is also located nearby.
07:26 AM PST Permalink |

Anime

Anime is the Japanese word for the art of animation. These animated films are based largely on characters and storylines from Japanese comic books called manga, although not exclusively. Japanese anime, easily recognizable for its wide-eyed characters, highly stylized design and classic plots, has become an increasingly popular art form both in Japan and worldwide. Anime has its roots in early Japanese brush and woodblock prints, and Osamu Tezuka, best known for his 1963 creation of Tetsuwan Atomu (AstroBoy), is generally considered to be the father of modern anime. Today, there are dozens of distinguished anime artists, including Akira Toriyama, Rumiko Takashi, Hayao Miyazaki, and Isao Takahata, whose style has had a significant impact on the art of animation around the world.

07:11 AM PST Permalink |

Burma (Myanmar)
The history of this country dates back to the early 11th century when King Anawratha unified the country and formed the First Empire in Bagan more than twenty years before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. King Bayinnaung founded the Second Empire in the mid 16th century. King Alaungpaya founded the last Dynasty in 1752.

Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-86) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; the Japanese occupied the country from 1942 until 1945. Independence outside of the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Burma is one of the poorest and least visited countries in the world. The capital, Rangoon (Yangon), in the south, is the main gateway for travelers who come to see magnificent and ancient Buddhist temples as well as the sights of Bagan (Pagan), Inle Lake, Golden Rock, and Mandalay. The world famous Shwedagon Pagoda is in Rangoon.

Burma borders Laos, China, India, Thailand, and Bangladesh, and its coastline defines the eastern shore of the Bay of Bengal. Southern Burma consists largely of the western slopes of the Bilauktaung Range, which constitutes the northern base of the Malay Peninsula. Northern Burma, which comprises the great bulk of the country's area, consists largely of the broad river valley of the Irrawaddy. Originating high up in the very eastern extremity of the Himalayas, the Irrawaddy rushes down through great mountain gorges in northern Burma before spreading out into one of the largest river deltas in Asia. Both of Burma's principal cities, Rangoon and Mandalay, are situated along the Irrawaddy, and the 1,000 mi (1,600 km) river is navigable for almost two thirds of its length. The Irrawaddy valley is surrounded by a great horseshoe of mountain ranges, which rise in the east to the highlands of the Shan Plateau. The vast majority of Burma's people live in the lowland regions of this river valley, in the Irrawaddy basin. This fertile expanse, which sits within the tropical monsoon belt, is one of the world's great rice-growing regions. Burma's population includes dozens of different racial and ethnic groups, including the Mons, Burmans, Kachins, Chins, Shans, Rakhines, and Karens, each of which have historically dominated a particular area of the country. Although Burmese is the major and official language, more than a hundred local and regional dialects are spoken throughout the country.
09:30 PM PST Permalink |

Ais Krim Potong

Back in the good old 70's and 80's, when having a refrigerator at home was a luxury, those who had refrigerators at home came up with a brilliant idea - sell ice. But since sucking on plain water wasn't the most exciting thing to do, someone thought of putting syrup and sugar into the ice instead. Today, even with the advent of refrigerators in most homes, the humble ais krim potong remains a favorite with children and adult alike. Over the years, this humble dessert has evolved and there are many flavors of ais krim potong to choose from. Take your pick from creamed corn flavored ais krim potong to pandan flavored ones and even some made from the famous durian! The ais krim potong can be purchased from most ice cream vendors or from pasar malam (night market) vendors.

08:03 PM PST Permalink |

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and a symbol of eternal love and devotion expressed in marble. The marvelous structure was built by Shah Jahan - third in the line-up of Mughal emperors - in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal who died during childbirth. Construction work began in 1630, and masons, master craftsmen and calligraphers were recruited from Persia and Europe to complete the mammoth task. It took 12 years and a workforce of 20,000 labourers to build the mausoleum, which stands like a jewel in the middle of vast, emerald gardens. A monument with various moods, the Taj is said to look completely different at different times of the day. The most amazing sight is that of the Taj on a full-moon night.

See Kenneth Champeon's One Man's Love: The Taj Mahal

08:34 AM PST Permalink |