Pasar Ramadan 03

The Muslim normally buka puasa - resume consumption of food and water - by 7.30 in the evening. The Bazaar Ramadan therefore will be very crowded from 4pm - 6pm. However if the stall is popular enough, and when it's weekend, you can expect the crowd to start coming in as early as 3 in the afternoon.
Just like this Popiah stall. When I reached the bazaar at 3.45pm, there was already a long line waiting. It's the same condition every year. Sometimes if you reach there late, you are likely to go home empty-handed.
Festive is big business here.

Pasar Ramadan 02

Ahh..the glorious choices of Nasi Campur! :)
Nasi Campur literally means mixed rice. As rice is a staple here, each race will have their own variety of dishes that go well with rice.At Bazaar Ramadan, you are simply spoilt with choices. There are different types of curry, rendang, vegetables, fried chicken, seafood..and yes...even crabs! As rice itself is tasteless, the dishes that go with it will normally be rich with taste.

Pasar Ramadan 01

Time flies, the Ramadan season is here again. Going to the Ramadan Bazaar is a highlight for all Malaysians.
I always frequent this bazaar at Section 14 every Ramadan. This is a new stall I think.
That's a barbecued lamb you see in the picture. After the meat is cut, it is put on a grill pan to further enhance the taste with seasoning. This should be a nice dish to go with rice.

Fruits

The mixed fruits sold n this shop are more pricey that those of street vendors. However the variety wins hands down. There are the usual watermelon, papaya, guava, pineapple, mango..and some different variants of the same kind i.e green kiwi and golden kiwi, red dragon fruit and white dragon fruit. Other fruits which you normally don't find it in normal street stalls are apples, grapes, and buah delima - which is pomegranate. All the fruits are cut and packed. Even the pomegranate are painstakingly removed bit by bit from the hard crust.
Convenience sells.

Putu Piring

This is how they are steammed..

The yummy end product

Found this stall at Kelana Jaya, near the old Giant. There were a row of stalls selling snacks on a weekend afternoon.
Putu piring is one of the kuehs you can find in Malay night markets or markets. I am not very sure on the ingredients. It looks like rice powder or flour, mixed with 'gula melaka' or thick brown sugar. After they steam in the round containers, they become the soft white puffs you see above. Topped with coconut crubs, when you bite into it, you can taste the sweetness of the brown sugar. 
As usual on all my posts on food...cool and yummy huh :)

Crispy Snacks

This is one of the stalls in front of the old Giant outlet in Kelana Jaya. Most of the stalls are selling snacks for those who want a quick bite or tea on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
This stall has a variety of homemade potato chips, peas, and other fried snacks.
The yellow peas you see in a big pile here is called Kacang Kuda in Malay. Not sure what it's called in English. The peas are steamed. I think.
What do you like for afternoon tea during the weekends?

Chicken Nuggets for you, dear?

This stall at SS2 Night Market is very popular. And they only sell fried chicken nuggets and chicken chops.
Nicely marinated pieces of boneless chicken is fried and sold piping hot. They are crispy and smell really good. If you like your fried chicken spicy, they will sprinkle chilli powder on it.
1 packet is sold at RM 4.
There is always a long queue in front of the stall. Business is good.
The F&B business is definitely very lucrative. Something as simple as fried chicken can make someone a millionaire soon.
What's your favourite street food?

Banana Leaf Rice

If you are a regular at Indian restaurants, you will be familar with banana leaf rice.
Instead of bowls or plates, the rice is served on banana leaves. It is eaten together with vegetables and other cooked dishes. You also get to choose if you want fish, chicken curry or dhal to go with it.
Besides having a variety of cooked dishes like sambal prawn, beef rendang, most Indian restaurants have raw seafood and meat that they will fry for consumers on the spot.
Eating banana leaf rice is a happy experience. You'll need to try to know it :)

Durians - For Bundawah

Durian stall at night market. They were selling 3-4 packets for RM 10. There were around 2-3 seeds per packet. Of course there are better quality ones where they charge RM 10 per kilo.
Durian used to be a seasonal fruit but I see them very often nowadays.
Loving durian is an acquired taste. It's quite common that the foreigners who visit Malaysia find the fruit a bit 'overwhelming'. As easily as it can be found in Malaysia, there are still some local people I know who simply can't stand the smell of durian.
Haa but durian is not my favourite fruit. I would post some of it soon. :)

Bread Tree

This reminds me of the trees in one of the enchanted lands visited by the children through the Faraway Tree :) Fancy that, bread growing on trees.
Alas, the last I check, it seems you still can't grow money on these. LOL.

Homegrown Vitamins

Ahh..the glorious fruits of Malaysia. Bananas, mangosteens, papayas, mangoes... They come in all shapes, colors and textures. And not forgetting the king of fruits - Durians.
I remember learning in school that local fruits are rich in vitamins and cheap compared to imported fruits. Eating local fruits has something connected to patriotism, at least for me. As a food lover, nothing beats doing something you are passionate about and feeling you are doing something good for the country as well.

Claypot Chicken Rice

Both the Chinese and Malay have their own version of Chicken Rice here. Besides the traditional one served on a plate, the Chinese has another version of chicken rice, served in piping hot claypot.
The chicken, normally marinated with special sauce is cook together with the rice in the claypot. Other ingredients include salted fish, spring onions and dried pork sausages. You get to taste the rice which has acquired the fragrance of the ingredients.
Another must-try if you are around the area. As usual :)

Cut Fruits

These mobile fruit stalls are pretty common, especially in working districts and eateries. Fruits sold are mostly papayas, watermelons, pineapples, guavas, honeydews and mangoes.
A year ago, a piece was priced at RM 1, but now the price has increased to RM 1.2o.
The plastic bottles at the front contain...er...I don't know the exact name, but we know it as sour plum powder. Adds a little sour sweet taste to the fruits, normally only goes with guavas.
The working crowd find this a convenient way of getting the vitamins they need. Most people are too lazy or doesn't have the time to bring cut fruits from home.
The word - Rojak - you see at the top of the van, is actually a local version of salad. Sometimes it's made up of purely fruits, sometimes it's just veggies. The dressing is sweet prawn paste and sugar.

Kuih Muih

These are sweet kuihs.

The white rectangular kuih is yamcake. The other 2 kuihs on the left are sweet. The brown mixture on a little white tray is kaya - our version of jam (made from eggs and sugar)

When Malaysians are abroad, the thing they miss most is the food. A good part of being a multi racial country is that variety is the middle name of Malaysian food. Judging from the types of kuih (the malay word for cakes) above, you will definitely be spoilt for choice.
You feel like having a light snack, well would you like it to be savoury or sweet?
Ok, you like sweet stuff, would you like it with coconut? kaya? multi-layered?
The list just goes on. :)
Most of the kuih are nyonya kuih. Nyonya or the Peranakan Chinese is yet another unique ethnic group in our country.
Well, that's another story.
When you come to Malaysia, remember to savour as many cuisine as you or your tummy possibly can :)

Char Siew Pao

Have you ever been to a chinese dim sum restaurant? If you have, then you must be familiar with one of the most popular dim sum - Char Siew Pao. It's my favourite.
Char Siew is supposed to be roasted pork. Pau means bun. Therefore Char Siew Pao literally means roasted pork bun. After they are made, they must be steamed before they can be eaten.
I like it best when I slice the bun into two and the sweet aroma escapes from the bun.... Yummmmyy..
Besides pork there are other types of buns which look rather similar besides the fillings. The lotus seed bun is its sweeter cousin.
Head down for dim sum this weekend. Coupled with hot chinese tea, these buns are simply heavenly. :)

Tribute to Mums

Mother's Day is another opportunity for retailers to garner extra income. Most people do not spend much time with their family. Therefore these occasions give them the perfect opportunities to make amends. And they have all the help they need. Mother's Day Special Meal, Mother's Day Special Value Package...
At the end of the day, all mothers want the same simple thing-to spend more time with their children. It's the presence not the thought that counts.
Happy Mother's Day to all mummies of the world.

Lontong

I finally got to eat my favourite lontong - before Ramadan that is. There is this stall which will be
selling lontong at Sect 14 Ramadan Bazaar. They have the perfect kuah kacang - peanut gravy.  Well finally found their stall at 
the foodcourt inSect 14. So I can have lontong anytime of the year :P
For those who is not familiar with asian food, lontong is made of compressed rice that is then cut into
small cakes. the dish is usually served cold or at room temperature with sauce-based dishes such as gado-gado and salads, although it can be eaten as an accompaniment to other dishes such as curries - definition from wikipedia.

Goreng Pisang

This is one of the must-haves when I am at my kampung (hometown). The fried bananas aka goreng pisang are sliced thinner and crunchier compared to those sold in KL. You dip it into a sauce made up of soy sauce and chilli. Simply delicious.. Yum Yum... Besides fried bananas, the stall also sold fried sweet potato.

Chinese Sausage

Chinese sausage is quite common in night markets here. I think it's the Chinese version of hotdogs. Think it originated from Taiwan. The sausages are roasted and can be eaten with chili sauce. Or maybe they have some sweet sauce to go with it.
I have never tried it before, quite surprising for a greedy kid like me :P I always think it's too much meat on the small little stick.
Have a good weekend! Go try some new food :P

Iced Peas

This is what we call - Ais Kacang. In English, it literally means Iced Peas.

It is one of the most popular dessert in Malaysia. The ice is scrapped into snowy flakes. Syrup and condensed milk are poured in. Sweetened red beans, peanuts and 'chendol' is added in as well. Some will add in jellies as well.

It is the best to be taken during a hot and sweaty afternoon.