FRESH LOTUS SEED (LIANZI)

Twenty years ago, I had my first taste of fresh Lotus seeds (Lianzi) while fishing for Haruan fish in Lotus ponds and disused mining ponds around the Batang Padang District in Perak.
As most of these ponds are far, off road and remote, the fresh Lotus seeds was a good snack to sustain my hunger while waiting to reel in the vociferous fish.

This is a Lotus pod of the Nelumbo species which i bought for only RM0.50/ from the Tanjung Tualang market.

The Lotus seeds are used in most Chinese cuisine, traditional medicine, dessert and mostly sold shelled or in dried form.

To eat it fresh, break the individual green seeds out of the cone shaped Lotus pod head.

The fresh green Lotus seed with it's skin peeled.

Before eating it, crack it into half- remove the thin membrane and the bitter green germ in the middle-the fresh Lotus seed was crunchy with a nutty flavor, some sweetness and nutritious too!

Do try it, if you have the chance.

RESTORAN MAKANAN LAUT (HAWA DINGIN) SUN SWEE KIONG.-TANJUNG TUALANG.

Restoran Makanan Laut (Hawa Dingin) Sun Swee Kiong is a grand and new double storey restaurant with it's own parking lots in Tanjung Tualang, a sleepy hollow in Perak.
The exterior of the restaurant is resplendently decorated with red Chinese lanterns, potted green plants and some aquariums filled with live fishes and river prawns in one corner.
The interior looks pleasant, clean, bright and spacious with a huge round plastered ceiling and is fully air conditioned.
My niece HLingand her husband CCChoong was our host and they did the ordering which included Tanjung Tualang's famous river prawns and river fishes if not it will be like what CUMI & amp:CIKI said-eating"Nasi Lemak without Lemak"

The main entrance is at the right hand side of the restaurant.

The spacious interior.

Wild river Prawns was sold out the previous night-have to settle for steamed cultured Prawns-garnished with sliced Ginger and Coriander leaves-Prawns was small in size but tender and succulent-Rm45/.

House made White Beancurd bathed in sweet Soy sauce and complemented with a topping of chopped Spring Onion and deep fried Shallots-lusciously smooth and melt in the mouth-Rm8/.

Cultured Prawns tossed in Soy sauce-was firm, juicy and fragrant - a fabulous choice -preferred it done this style-Rm45/.

Snakehead Fish (Chim Choi Pan)-a wild and rare Snakehead fish for fish connoisseur-was deep fried "SMOOTH" (deep fried in a hot wok of cooking oil under a low flame until cooked)-the skin was smooth and the meat was sweet and very fine in texture-Rm57/.

Chee Kiok Sheen (Vinegar pig trotter)-was ready cooked-the meat detach easily from the bone and was full of the black Chinese vinegar flavor and sweetness from the Palm sugar and Black Dates-with lots of smashed old Ginger-average-Rm16/.

Stir fried Petai (Twisted cluster beans) in Sambal Belacan (Shrimp paste) with chopped Red Chillies, Onions and Cuttlefish cutlet-the Petai was crunchy and pungent-Rm10/.

Stirfried Kangkong (Water Spinach) in Sambal Belacan (Shrimp paste) with fresh prawns-leafy and salty with an explosive aroma-RM8/.

Lychee in Ice to end a delicious dinner-thick flesh and sweet-a good thirst quencher-FOC.

(Thanks to Mr & Mrs CCChoong)

Total bill:Rm208.
Location:15-17, Jalan Homan,
Tanjung Tualang,
Perak.
Tel:05-360-6288 H/P 012-509-3288.

RESTORAN NASI AYAM KAM KEE.

Saturday lunch with my buddies, we went to Restoran Nasi Ayam Kam Kee in Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur. It is located a few doors away from Hotel Swiss Inn.
Restoran Nasi Ayam Kam Kee was one of the participants of the Best Chicken Rice in Malaysia, contest. Their specialty are Chicken (Farm and Free Range) rice, Beef Brisket soup and blanched Beansprout.

The difference between Farm and Free range Chicken:
1. Farm Chicken or Broiler are reared (caged) on an unrestricted high protein feed diet for 45 days with a market weight of 2.5 kg.

2. Free range Chicken are left to roam with Corn as an extra supplement and reared for 90-100 days until a market weight of 3 kg and above.

Located on the right-a few doors away from Swiss Inn.

Business was brisk with eat-in and takeaway.

Boiled Farm chicken-meat was bland, soft and tender-have to dip with garlic, chillies sauce for extra flavors-Rm10/

Boiled Free range chicken-we ordered two plates-meat was firm, muscled, fragrant with a Yellow layered skin-best eaten on it's own or with blended Ginger/dark Soy sauce- Rm14/

Beef brisket with White Radish soup-meat was coarse-soft Radish and the soup was mediocre-Rm8/

Blanched Beansprout-fat, fresh and crunchy-Rm5/.

Oil rice-was surprised that the broken rice was fluffy and flavorful- Rm1/

Total bill:Rm54/
Location: Jalan Sultan off Petaling Street,
Kuala Lumpur,

ZONG MENG RESTAURANT-2

Zong Meng Restaurant is located in Tapah, Perak, a quiet town between Bidor and Kampar. The site of the restaurant was formerly a petrol station, now converted into an open eatery with overhead ceiling fans (can be very hot in the afternoon) for comfort and vehicles viewing while waiting to be serve .
The owner cum cook, Meng has many years of culinary experiences and worked with chefs from Hong Kong at Chinese restaurants in Holland and Belgium.
While overseas, he was more into fusion Chinese cuisine, the influences are evident in some of his dishes.
It was fun to see him flipped and cooked with his pan/wok and the way he controlled the many gas knobs with his knees was awesome!!!
He is a staunch believer in using fresh ingredients and do not compromise on quality.
He recommended us some of his signature dishes.

Deep fried Haruan (Snakehead)-with a dash of light Soy sauce and Chinese wine-was small but fresh and crispy-Rm21/

Koong Por Mantis Prawn-lightly battered - with sauteed Onion, Spring Onion and dried Red Chillies-firm with roe running along the back of the shelled Mantis Prawn-Rm10/

Stir fried sweet Potatoes leaves-home grown, plump, leafy and smooth-Rm5/

Stir fried sliced Haruan fish (Snakehead) with sauteed onion, spring onion-meat was springy, fresh and tender-Rm11/

Deep fried Fish head soup with Salted Chinese Mustard, sliced Bittergourd, Tomatoes and sour Plum -clear, robust and tangy soup-Rm7/.

Location:411-D, Jalan Timur, (riverside after Tapah town bridge)
Tapah, Perak.
Tel:016-533-9804/012-506-3695.

NYONYA RESTAURANT

Nyonya Restoran opened in 1974, was owned by our family friend, Auntie Rose and because of family commitments she sold off the thriving authentic Nyonya food business.
Nyonya Restoran have changed owners a number of times but surprisingly they still maintained the consistency of it's food.

They even has a new tag line "Yesterday's taste, Today"

The decor is now more modern with comfortable cheap Beige colored leather chairs, wall mounted and framed prints of major landmarks of Malacca city and a floor to ceiling glass panel front offering view of a bustling traffic choked SS2 street.

Besides Nyonya dishes they also served Nyonya sweet delicacies like Yam cakes, Onde Onde, Kueh Koci,Kueh Pisang, Angkoo Kueh, Kueh Talam.....etc.

Front of the restaurant.

Sambal Petai-big and crunchy Petai (Twisted Cluster Beans) was pungent and slightly bitter-fresh devein juicy Prawns, sliced big Onion but the Sambal chillies was hot, fiery and numbling -Rm15.50.

Ayam Pongteh with Potatoes-it was ready cooked-meat was soft and tender-very flavorful gravy of blended Shallots, sweet Bean paste, Garlic with the intense aroma of Cinnamon-Rm14/

Ikan Gulai Tumis-the 4 small block of White Snapper was fresh-served with Okra, Pineapple slices and garnished with Daun Kesom (Laksa leaves)- with a addictive piquant, sweet and sourish Tamarind broth-Rm25/

Sayur Paku-the dried Shrimps was freshly pounded and the young and tender shoots of the wild Fern was stir fried with Chillies and Coconut milk-a refreshing dish-Rm12/

Mengkuang Char-the sweet Turnip, strips of toasted Cuttlefish, sliced French Bean,Carrot was freshly fried-sitting on a bed of fresh Lettuce-a world of different from others-Rm12/

Kueh Onde Onde-filled with sweet and coarse Palm sugar and coated with grated fresh Coconut-for sweet tooth eaters-Rm1.20/

Cendol-finely shaved ice with Red Bean and Pandan flavored Green starch Noodle and fresh Coconut milk-fragrant and Best !-Rm3.50.

Ice Kacang-Grass Jelly , shaved Ice, Red Beans, evaporated Milk-nothing to shout about-Rm3.50/

(This is for Z (Happy Birthday) and family)

Total bill:Rm110/.
Location:52, Jalan SS2/24,
Petaling Jaya,
Tel:03-7875-9709.