Penang Acar | Penang Achar (Penang Spicy Pickled Vegetables)

13/06/2013 by Shannon Lim-de Rooy | 20 Comments

Penang Acar | Penang Achar (Penang Spicy Pickled Vegetables)

Penang Acar (also spelled as Achar) is a very special pickled vegetable dish. I think every Penangite loves it because of the appetizing, sour and spicy great taste. Who wouldn’t? There’s this lady at the pasar (wet morning market) near my Penang childhood home that sells mouth watering acar. Besides buying from the pasar, many economy rice vendors also include acar into their dishes. Maybe that’s the reason why my Mama never made acar before. Continue Reading →

Eucheuma Seaweed Kerabu (Eucheuma Seaweed Salad)

29/05/2013 by Shannon Lim-de Rooy | 7 Comments

Eucheuma Coral Seaweed Kerabu

Everytime I were to step into Tuck Heng Ginseng Hall, I have to spare 2-3 hours. Time just flies when I’m tasting and learning new produce with the herbalist Ah Wai.  There’s more than herbs in that shop. Each visit always end up with new discoveries, I feel like a kid unwrapping presents, except I have to pay for them..

One of the things Ah Wai was very adamant on me to try is the Sea bird nest or San Hu Cao (珊瑚草) in chinese. Eucheuma Seaweed is nicknamed sea bird nest because it supposedly have the same collagen benefits of birds nest, with a whole list of health benefits. Always willing to try anything for beautiful skin and it’s a cheap alternative, boiling the seaweed as suggested by Ah Wai ended up with a pot of gooey slimy goo.. which wasn’t appetising at all. Continue Reading →

Nasi Kerabu Kelantan (Kelantan Herb Rice Salad)

01/04/2013 by Shannon Lim-de Rooy | Comments Off on Nasi Kerabu Kelantan (Kelantan Herb Rice Salad)

Nasi Kerabu Kelantan

Nasi Ulam (Herb Rice Salad) is a feature in Malay cuisine, usually it’s a steamed rice mixed with various herbs, vegetables, spices and accompanied with various side dishes. There’s 2 popular variation – Nasi Ulam on the northwest Peninsular Malaysia and Nasi Kerabu (with rice dyed blue) on the northeast Peninsular Malaysia, in state of Kelantan and Terengganu. Continue Reading →

Kacang Phool / Kacang Pool (Spiced Fava Beans)

25/03/2013 by Shannon Lim-de Rooy | 13 Comments

Kacang Phool

Kacang Pool or Kacang Phool is a rather popular food in Johor Bahru, and everyone seems to be talking about Kacang Pool Pak Haji at Larkin. As this dish is adapted from the Middle eastern way of eating fava bean, I think the name Kacang Pool most likely got its name from the Egyptian word foul (or pronounced “ful”) for fava bean. Foul Medames is considered to be Egyptian’s national breakfast. Continue Reading →