2011 Ramadan Bazaar @ Taman Melawati, KL

kuih seri ayu, a steamed pandan flavoured sponge cake topped with freshly grated coconut


Sharing experiences are always way more fun I reckon. Especially when it is with people who have never been to Ramadan Bazaars.



            vadai, a deep-fried Indian snack made from gram flour and spices


Apologies for the super long absence but as usual I got tangled up with work (the nemesis of my life!!). It's slowly getting back to normal this week. While any normal person would rejoice on that thought, I am secretly dreading it (shock, horrors those are the niggling signs of a workaholic).



                             grilled bishop's nose (tongkeng in Malay)


Back to the bazaar, I've been promising my friend J to introduce him to the joys of trawling through these month-long-only "eat streets" for some time. I finally managed to fulfill the promise last Sunday. Together with two fellow Ramadan Bazaar novices, we tackled the Taman Melawati bazaar in full force.



                                  lempeng, banana pancake with coconut


I guess they all got carried away....the three of them went forth into bazaar land and grabbed everything that took their fancy. I was just happy to stroll around snapping pictures.



                                           lobster at the ikan bakar stall


I've always loved returning to a familiar bazaar - you spot people you recognise from past years like the tempoyak guy with his solitary pot doling out the durian scented coconut milk broth, the multiple nasi lemak bungkus varieties and the Indian family selling vadai and putu mayam.



              akok, a Kelantanese delicacy made from eggs and coconut milk


Balancing the tension of the old are new and fascinating stalls like the akok seller who uses the traditional charcoal fire to cook the East Coast egg-and-coconut-milk delicacy. Usually a gas fire is used to cook this sweet treat since it is less tedious. The charcoal fire method produces a soft wobbly custard infused with a slight smoky flavour that makes it one of the better akoks I have tasted.



kuih cara berlauk, savoury Malay kueh with minced meat, deep fried shallots chopped spring onions


I was equally fascinated with another rarity, the lempeng stall. The pancake like dessert is made with freshly grated coconut and chopped bananas that is wrapped in banana leaf to grill. While I don't see this often, it seems this delicacy is also offered at theTaman Greenwood Ramadan Bazaar, a place I visited quite a few years back.



                                             ayam percik, grilled chicken


With the traditional, there'll always be stalls selling whatever is trending, like Angry Bird fondant topped cupcakes. I guess these will appeal to the younger set.



                                 ikan kembung bakar with sambal


Since we were a little late, the bazaar was in full swing, chicken being grilled in various ways - over charcoal fires - in specially made rotisserie cabinets. The whole chicken stall near to the highway seemed to be doing roaring business with a huge queue but we did score some aromatic ayam bakar that didn't need much wait.



                                           deep fried cempedak fritters


The traders seem to have upped their game here. Spotted one ikan bakar stall touting deluxe lobster! I almost missed it until they kept pointing it out. There's a sign on it which says it has been sold, wonder who scored the crustacean for buka puasa that night.



                                                     rendang daging


Instead we settled for the more humble ikan kembung bakar topped with lots of sambal. It lacked much punch though. Would have preferred the stuffed cencaru variety usually found in Kelana Jaya.



                                                angry bird fondant cupcakes


A must-have for Raya would be lemang, the glutinous rice cooked and grilled in bamboo tubes. Accompanying it would be rendang, slow cooked beef in a rich coconut milk spiced gravy. One of my all time favourites is the drier but super aromatic rendang tok from Perak.



                                                          creme caramel



                                    ayam golek, rotisserie whole chicken



                                                    petai, stinky beans


We made a hasty retreat from the bazaar with the raindrops falling, a prevailing hazard nowadays especially since the monsoon rains beckon round the corner. Tasting the whole haul (imagine one table full of plastic bags with various items) was a mix of hits with some mediocre and one super fail item (the tofu bakar).


I'm not too sure if this could be the last bazaar posting but I definitely will try and slot in the Kelana Jaya one this week since I have always loved the laksam from a particular stall there. Hopefully they have not packed up and gone back to kampung as I have heard that most people are now making their way home for the celebrations already. Fingers and toes crossed I get to eat my favourite laksam this year.


Ramadan Bazaar Taman Melawati
Off MRR2
Taman Melawati turn off.
Kuala Lumpur

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Makan-Makan

Ayam Masak Cili Padi from Negeri Sembilan to set your tastebuds alight 

For countless city folks whose roots lie beyond the Klang Valley, Ramadan is that time of the year when they crave for comfort food; simple, rustic dishes lovingly prepared by one's mothers and family matriarchs back in the kampungs come time for berbuka puasa or breaking of fast.

To assuage these culinary longings, they can either trawl the numerous Ramadan bazaars or head to the nearest hotels or restaurants that proffer a profusion of local Malay delicacies from all over Malaysia.

This is exactly what Malay chef Azhar Alias and his Nipah CoffeeShop team have set out to do - conjure up 150 homely kampung-style fare for buka puasa nightly.

“We've drawn inspirations from every nook and cranny of the country. Some specialities are prepared according to treasured family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation,” says Chef Azhar. 

Kambing Gulai Kentang...hearty mutton curry with potatoes

Few Johoreans would be able to resist Nasi Briyani Gam, the ubiquitous spiced-infused basmati rice cooked with chunks of scrumptious chicken or beef. Fluffy and flavourful, you just need some Jelatah (pickled cucumber, pineapple and onion) or Acar Buah (subtly sweet fruit pickles) to complete the dish.

Kerabu Daging to whet the appetite for starters 

If you're from the East Coast then you'd love the Nasi Dagang with Gulai Ikan Tongkol, a rich and spicy tuna curry that's the requisite accompaniment for this unique rice dish.Another perennial delight from this part of the country is Ayam Golek with Percik Sauce, grilled whole chicken basted with a thick spice and coconut milk-based sauce.

It was an evening of meat overload as we feasted on Grilled Stingray, Mutton Keema (thick Indian mutton curry), Chicken Satay and the piece de resistance of every buffet worth its salt, Kambing Panggang Berempah - a whole roast lamb rubbed with exotic spices.

My good Penangite friend gave the Prawn Noodle her stamp of approval which means the dish is as close to the real deal as you'd get at five-star hotels. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the mushy Otak-otak.

Spicy Mussels on half shell is one of the many piquant dishes on the buffet 

Thank goodness, the meat-filled Murtabak with Onion Pickles came up to mark as did the Sweet and Sour Razor Clams which was prepared on the spot at the live cooking station. 

Colourful desserts from East and West to sweeten the breaking of fast 

From the dessert section, my favourites are the velvety soft and smooth Soya Bean Curd, and unusual Fried Ice Cream, dodol and assorted fresh local fruits such as jackfruit, longans, water apple, and watermelon. The Apam Balik was too chewy for my liking but my dining companions had a field day rounding up their meal with Ais Krim Potong, Ice Kacang, traditional Malay kuihs and sweet broths.

The Aneka Sajian Tradisional Buffet Dinner is priced at RM99.00++ per adult andRM49.00++ per child.

For reservations at Nipah CoffeeShop, call: 03-2161 7777 ext 8555.

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2011 Ramadan Bazaar @ Bandar Tun Razak

It always amazes me how good plans go awry at the last minute. I had grand plans for tackling the far flung ramadan bazaars for the weekend BUT a shoulder sprain or strain plus that stupid thing called work threw life in disarray. Since there was no way I would even be able to hold a camera and snap pictures, I decided to forgo the bazaar.


   


 Luckily after some much needed bed rest, popping celery seed pills (the miracle cure), it felt so much better that despite a twinge and wince at the shoulder, I could manage the Bandar Tun Razak bazaar. It is still up and down with the shoulder where pain seems incredibly correlated with the lack of beauty sleep. Sleep 8 hours and it works perfectly but give it the usual 4 hours ration and it goes into whack


 


 Back to the bazaar, which I stumbled upon last year. Unlike the previous year, the authorities seem to have done away with the massive tents that covered the walkway and left people to fend in the forces of nature. It makes slightly better picture taking since it is brighter but I do wish they had not picked magenta as the tent colour since some pictures end up with a reddish tinge.
  


The bazaar is massive. I reckon there are 250 stalls all jam packed in this space in front of the lake. There's some new fangled items here such as the adorable polka dotted steamed rice flour cakes or apom. The artful dots and contrasting colours give it a ladybird look that kids adore and obviously can't resist.


 The creme caramel and fruit puddings stall I featured in Taman Tun Dr Ismail also has a branch here selling the same wares. There are slight differences though as they don't look so artful. Nevertheless they have the fuschia pink dragonfruit jelly that makes the knees weak. Incidentally, I had a taste of the creme caramel from this stall and its pretty darn good stuff - smooth eggy texture that goes well with the sweet caramel.





In terms of unique stuff on sale, there seem to be quite a few vying for that award. We stumbled on an old favourite, tepung pelita. The soft wobbly dessert is usually in a leaf basket. Usually made of coconut milk with a pandan layer below, they serve the taro version here - purple lavender layer with a wobble and a harder layer below studded with taro cubes. It's unusual to look at but honestly, I didn't think much about its taste, probably because not a lot of taro was used.
  


A twist to an old favourite is the pandan flavoured kuih bambu. Rice flour is beaten with pandan flavouring (the guys claim with real pandan leaves). Technically meant to give it a bang of pandan flavour, the stall failed in executing it since most of the steamed rice flour cakes seem a little overcooked and not as fluffy as the other putu bambu stalls.


  


 The authorities seem to have segregated some stalls together i.e those with the huge smoke flumes are banished to a corner to smoke out their competitors. Special to this area I notice is the ayam istanbul or turkish - glistening chickens being cooked on the charcoal grill that is basted in a honey like sauce.


  


 Around this corner is one stall selling deer meat. It's pan fried on the griddle and chopped onions and capsicums are added into the whole meat mixture. It's a little underseasoned and not as tender as


. 


 Another specialty from here is the nasi lemak ayam dara - fluffy steamed rice perfumed with coconut milk and crispy chicken. Just spot the stall with the longest queue and you won't go wrong there.


  


 There are also akok stalls, the eggy custard rich cake. I spot so many stalls selling akok that trying to locate the guys I featured last year was like a needle in a haystack.
  


Overall, I enjoyed the bazaar with its mix of new and traditional food. Parking is on the roadside, ample space there for you to slot the car provided you don't arrive super late.

Ramadan Bazaar Bandar Tun Razak

Carpark Taman Tasik Permaisuiri in front of the Selangor Sains Secondary School

Jalan Yaacob Latif

Bandar Tun Razak

Just off Jalan Loke Yew

Kuala Lumpur

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2011 Ramadan Bazaar TTDI

@ Taman Tun Dr Ismail

                                            stained glass jelly


Taman Tun Dr Ismail's bazaar may be oldie  but it still draws a big crowd here.


One of this bazaar's draws is their fruit puddings. They're so pretty that since you eat with your eyes, you are immediately lured into its colourful charms. It is RM3 a piece and eaten chilled, it is perfect to break fast with. The girls who run this stall that also serves creme caramel, that sweet essential are both very friendly.



                                      rainbow hued dadih similar to yoghurt




I find a lot of colour here, there's even multi coloured dadih, a milk based dessert that has a texture similar to agar-agar. Ice cubes were laid on top of the containers to try and keep it cool in the hot heat.



                                         beef satay


There are quite a few grill stations set up around the bazaar. One of my big favourite is the satay stall, since the whole combination of smoky grilled meat combined with rice cubes and peanut sauce.



                                    roti arab murtabak


Murtabak is definitely a big favourite everywhere and each bazaar has their own versions.


This place sells an unusual combo served akin like a 10 inch burger - a thin murtabak sandwiched between roti arab. It lacks the condiments and sauces that it can be a little dry so it may be best to add on the tomato and chilli sauces yourself.



                                                  grape pudding


I was fascinated with the Raja Murtabak stall as they added pieces of cheese within the murtabak - yummy combination indeed.



                                             ayam masak merah


Since I was early, I didn't manage to catch my favourite briyani rice stall as they often arrive at the last minutes. Despite their lateness, people will queue up ahead for their food. Will definitely try and catch them another time.



                                       ayam percik


One stall sells two versions of ayam percik that make my mouthwater  since you get to choose between the Northern pale thick coconut rich version and the Southern orange spicy version.





                                             grilling ayam percik


Kudos to those guys who stand under that heat and cook up the ayam percik over a hot grill.


They are really our food champions since it is not easy to do that when fasting.



                                                 putu piring on a steamer   


Putu piring is always a big draw here too and this version (the one with this lady on a poster) is quite small. They have also expanded to two stations to tackle the queues a little faster.



                                        fluffy putu piring


It is simple to assemble - place a mound of ground rice flour on top of the mould, add a pinch of the semi melted gula melaka, top it off with more ground rice flour, sweep it over to flatten and wrap it with a piece of white muslin cloth. Place it over the steamer (upside down and take away the mould).


Once it is ready, remove and sprinkle with freshly grated coconut and a piece of pandan leaf. Eat when hot as it is fluffy and soft with a meltingly good sweet center.



                                                       kiwifruit jelly


Whole lamb stalls seem to be growing here. There's two of them here slowly grilling the lamb over charcoal fire.



                                                           roti jala


I stumble on this roti jala stall with four stoves going on at one go. They have a great rhythm - one guy swirls the batter, another will take it out once it is done and another folds it for packing.



                                 popiah basah (wet popiah)


One of the most popular popiah stalls is Power Popiah (I can't remember the actual name) with his tall stack of deep fried popiah rolls but I reckon this smaller stall is a better draw. It always make a great picture with the spread of popiah skins and the different stuffings.



                               Bread and butter pudding


Sweets always dominate and this innovative stall came up with their various bread and butter puddings. Each piece is RM1.80 and you get flavours like banana, chocolate chip, almond, peanut butter, blueberry and strawberry. And don't forget the custard sauce.


Like all newly started bazaars, the authorities are out in great force checking to make sure the stalls are orderly and following rules. Have a go at the bazaar but watch out for the crazy traffic around it since the infamous jam for the road that leads to 1 Utama is forever clogged up.


Ramadan Bazaar
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
Fronts the Guardian Pharmacy

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Bazaar Ramadan Comingggg 2011!!

@ Subang Jaya SS18

 
                rotisserie chicken on hot charcoals (there's another turning variety)


Let the fasting and feasting begin.


This month of August marks the holy month of Ramadan. It is also the best time for foodies to enjoy a plethora of Malay food from all over Malaysia at the bazaars.



                                                        fluffy briyani gam 


As usual, everyone seems to pack themselves in the first week to the bazaars to see what's on offer.


Limited by where I'm located, I decided to give Subang Jaya a try. It took me a breeze to get there but traffic back to the office was like playing bumper cars in an amusement park.



                           slow cooked rendang Tok, a specialty from Perak


It's fun to rewind back to almost one year and visit these places. Kinda like looking back to old friends.


As usual, whenever I walk down Subang Jaya, I'll bump into one of my blog readers, fulltimemomkl who lives around the corner.



          lemang - glutinous rice is cooked in a bamboo tube over a charcoal fire


So what's on offer this year?


The usual stuff I reckon with a few stalls peppering the regular ones.



               Sabri Hoi's roast ducks are now a common feature in bazaars


It is not only about Malay food as Western themed stalls are also a great draw here for the variety.


Hence you have roast potatoes (foil wrapped with various cheesy fillings), oblong or a Chinese twist as they call them prosperity burgers, deep fried potato chips (those funny rotating ones in one long stick) and there's even Uncle Bob's fried chicken.



        A permanent feature in this market, the roast potatoes with various fillings


Being a multi-cultural country, there's even Chinese influences like roast ducks, a common thing you see in this part of the town as Shah Alam's bazaar will also have these gleaming feathered chaps.


I was quite surprised to see the Petaling street's Air Mata Kuching there but I suspect the banner was all about marketing since it also proclaimed to see Taiping Ling Chee Kang!



                         crispy crunchy prawns to crackle your way through


Some changes also to regular stalls.


The most popular Malay dishes stall that is usually nearer to the main road had shifted across and done away with his signature large enamel trays. Instead it looks almost unrecognisable with their steel long containers that remind me of a buffet spread. Nevertheless, the varieties are still there such as crab curry, vegetables and etc.


.
                             double decker grill for ikan bakar (grilled fish)


Grilled items are often a big draw here. I've often said spot the smoke and you will sniff out a bazaar. It's one of my "tricks" to suss out where a place is if I'm ever lost. Kinda like smoke signals.


There's not too many grilled fish stalls (2 to 3 I think) but one chap did something innovative with his grill - a double decker version to keep his fish warm. Hopefully it does not dry it out as his fish looked really carbonised.



                                              the busy stall owners


There's also the rotisserie chicken stalls - whole chicken turning on a steel pipe over charcoal fire.


And strangely enough, this daging bakar rimau nangis stall. The guy manning this stall was pulling my leg saying it was tiger meat but it looked like beef slices rubbed in a chilli mix that is grilled on an open charcoal fire.



                                            daging bakar rimau nangis


One stall completely grabbed my attention span for most of the time i.e. Azmi Murtabak.


Usually when the stall is full of people, it's either the murtabak chaps are super slow or they are incredibly good, rising above the many other stalls. (pssst, but when you have no time you buy the no queue ones since you're rushing to go home)


          some love this while others hate the strong jasmine scented Teh Sosro


There's a lot of effort in cooking this RM3 murtabak.


First, the roti canai like dough is pulled and stretched till thin. Then it is pan fried on a hot plate with oil till both sides are crisp.






The pan fried piece is placed back on the hot plate. An eggy meat mixture is whipped up in a jug and poured on top of the pan fried pieces. Flip it over like an omelette and it gets cooked even though it kinda looks like an eggy mess.




Top with another slice of pre fried roti canai and then repeat with egg mixture, flipping it over. Remove it and place on another piece of stretched roti canai dough.


Wrap this up and pan fry until both sides are brown. Literally a "murtabak lasagna" as I heard one of the queue people mention since you get the layers of crispy roti canai dough sandwiching the eggy meat layers. Incredibly innovative I reckon.


Desserts though seems to be the big downfall here with few kuih muih (Malay cakes) available. There was one stall selling jelly that sold like hot cakes. One interesting stall sold ondeh ondeh using gula melaka from Thailand. Seems this variety does not melt so fast hence I can imagine it'll still be whole when you bite into each green morsel covered with fresh coconut. For drinks, there's Teh Botol Sosro, the jasmine scented tea drink and Barbican non alcoholic beer.


Ramadan Bazaar
Along Jalan SS18/6

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