When it comes to my preferred taste bud stimuli, people always say that I am pretty weird. As in not-pretty-just-weird kinda weird. You see, I cannot bring myself to touch stinky petai and jering. But I am a sucker for all sorts of ulam, from daun pegaga to daun selom to daun tenggek burung to mengkudu and jantung pisang.
During my post-natal confinement, I popped chunks of fresh turmeric (ibu kunyit) like they are Californian Grapes. I ate so much of those that my teeth were stained yellow and my tooth brush turned into the grossest personal hygiene tool you have ever seen. Even beats Miki’s poopie diaper. And you haven’t seen his DIARRHEA poopie diaper!
The thing that makes me odd is actually the way I consume all those ulam – without the legendary sambal belacan. People always go what the hell, why are you eating all this bitter ulam with ayam masak kicap? Then I would tell them again what would happen the moment those chickens got to One Utama. I am trying to save the earth here,okay? Leave my ayam masak kicap alone!
Well yeah I don’t eat sambal belacan despite all the hardcore ulams. But I do savor the notorious budu. Which always make me wanna say “Huk aloh! Menatang gapo pulok superpoke facebook nih!?” right after dinner. And nope I don’t eat tempoyak. But hell yeah, durian rocks!
I always decline chili in my food too, which makes friends raise their eyebrow “Mana ada anak mami tak makan pedas?” A question that would get me started with point no. 3. I am NOT anak mami!
Sigh..
I remember my first Nasi Kandar in KL. The Mamak got a plate of white rice ready, I told him I want this chicken and that squid and this overcooked cabbage before he asked “apa kuah mau?”
I was like Why are you asking me? You see, in Penang all the Mamaks are Nasi Kandaq expert. They don’t ask us what gravy we want. They just dump about a scoop full of lamb curry gravy, another scoop of spicy beef gravy and about a gallon of fish curry gravy. Just the way nasi kandaqs are supposed to be. And poppadum too. They just know. They don’t have to ask. I don’t know how they do it, they are just genius!
And yeah, weird me.. tak makan pedas but makan nasi kandar. I had this last Monday night when I insisted on my whole family to go mamaking at my favourite Restoran Makbul in Bayan Baru, Penang.
A plate of sensational tasty fusion. Bursting with flavor. Loaded with taste. My favourite food – Nasi Kandar! Yeaahhhh!!! Penang food rocks!
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