Mum's Hakka Fried Yam Abacus

With my Dad being a Hakka, I am a Hakka in nature but I'm really hopeless in speaking Hakka language. However, it's the opposite when it comes to Hakka food as I really love some of their cuisine.

One of it is the Hakka Fried Yam Abacus or we refer them as Shun Pun Chi. When I was young, Mum prepared this cuisine pretty often and as I grow older, I realized I have not had it for years until recently where Mum suddenly recaptured her mood to prepare this cuisine.

Hakka Fried Yam Abacus

After hearing from Mum, I finally know why Mum has been so reluctant to prepare this dish. Ingredients that you need are yam, tapioca flour, mushrooms, dried shrimps, diced bean curds, dried slices of cuttlefish, minced black fungus, minced garlic and minced chicken meat.

Firstly, you need to boil the yam until it is tender. Then, you will need to mash them and mix it with the tapioca flour. Continue by kneading the mixture until it turn into dough. Then have a pinch of the dough and roll them to form the shape of a ball Finally, use tip of the finger to press slightly on both end of the ball to form abacus shape. Keep continuing the previous two steps until you reached a sizable amount of abacus.

Next, fry the abacus together with the mentioned ingredients. Topped it of with some coriander and spring onion. Now I know it's not easy to prepare a plate of Hakka Fried Yam Abacus.

In a shape of abacus

I know there are some stalls that sell this cuisine. However I have yet to try them nor came across with anyone telling me about stalls that serves really good Hakka Fried Yam Abacus. Until now, I'm still relying very much on my Mum to prepare this for me. Wondering when will be the next time.

Seoul Garden Korean BBQ IOI Mall Puchong @ Bandar Puchong Jaya [11th June 2010]

It was the birthday of my buddy Chee, and we decided to celebrate it by having dinner at Seoul Garden in IOI Mall Puchong. From it's name, you've guessed it right as Seoul Garden offers Korean BBQ, in a buffet style.

Priced at RM 35.88++ per head, they offer variety of marinated meat for you to bbq at your table with an accompanying hot pot for some steamboat. Drinks however is not included, and you will required to top up RM 3.88++ per head for a free flow of soft drinks and juices.

Seoul Garden, IOI Mall Puchong

Space is valuable and as such, you could see them fully utilizing every inch of the space made available to them.

Space is being fully utilized

Each table is equipped with a hot plate and hot pot for you to cook at your pleasure and it can occupy up to 4 adults.

Hot pan and a hot pot
The hot pan can be replaced with a new one upon request should it stained badly after some grilling.

Time to scroll for food and drinks. I went to their drinks station first and I was overwhelmed to see the fruit juice station made available to us.

Nestle Fruit Drinks

They have marinated chicken, beef, lamb, fish and squid to choose from for you to grill. Flavours ranges from black pepper, bbq, curry to the exotic coffee flavour.

Variety of meat for BBQ purpose

Ingredients for steamboat

Vegetables and side condiments

Sauce staion
My personal favourite would be the Seoul Garden Special Sauce as it adds flavour to the grilled meat.

Time to take the raw marinated meat to the table. My first helping consisted a variety flavour of chicken meat.

Chicken meat in different flavour

Time for some Bar-be-Q

Keep an eye as not to overcook them

After a few minutes of grilling them, it's time to enjoy them while they're still sizzling hot!

And it's ready to go
The chicken meat marination were pretty decent, not something that really 'wow' you but you won't complain it either. On a side note, the coffee flavoured chicken tasted too exotic for my taste bud!

If you are tired of grilling, you can have a short break by having some steamboat.

A mini steamboat

The grilling won't stop at the first helping. It continued with lamb meat marinated with black pepper sauce.

Black Pepper Lamb
This was the bomb! Not only the marination was good, but the meat were well infused with the black pepper marination as well. And if you grill them in the right way, you are off to enjoy some really good juicy black pepper lamb!

Curry Flavour Squid
Squids are usually very resistant to marination, but the squid somewhat are well infused with the curry flavour marination in this case. It makes me wondered how they get it done.

More lamb chop with green and red pepper

Grilling them in a teppanyaki style

A fully utilized hot plate

Some Garden Salad

I continued by having more black pepper lamb and some Bulgoki flavoured chicken. I took some lettuce too so that I can enjoy the grilled meat in a Korean BBQ way.

Black Pepper Lamb and Bulgoki Chicken

As the grilling is done, it's time to savour the Bulgoki flavoured chicken in a Korean BBQ way by wrapping the grilled meat with a slice of lettuce.

Bulgoki Chicken wrapped in lettuce
The fresh and crunchy lettuce went so well with the grilled Bulgoki flavoured chicken.

Here are some of the ready food made available to you.

You can make your own rojak

Stuffed cheese meat in crab shell
I thought it was lacking in flavour and tasted awful.

Dessert Bar
Consisted of a few fruits and various condiments for you to shape your own bowl of ais kacang (shaved ice).

Ais Kacang
I tried mixing a few of this and that condiments but it ended up not nice. The ais kacang tasted bland and could have been better if they provide some gula Melaka.

Ice Cream Bar
They offer King's ice cream. My favourite were the chocolate and honey dew flavour.

Happy 26th Birthday to you Chee!

This was my first time visiting Seoul Garden and I must admit that I really enjoyed savouring their grilled meat in a very cozy atmosphere. Not only that, their customer service of this branch was great as well, as we were attended almost instantly upon request. I also noted that the food are always replenished when they are finishing.

Making things better, we only paid for 7 pax as they have a promotion which entitled birthday person on the same day to eat free with a minimum of 7 paying adults. I would definitely revisit them for more and more grilled meat! Do visit their website at http://www.seoulgarden.com.my/promotions-br0.php for the latest ongoing promotions.

Atmosphere: 6.5/10
Overall varieties: 6/10
Food: 6.5/10
Price: 6/10
Verdict: Black pepper lamb and Bulgoki flavoured chicken are those meat that you should not miss out.

Seoul Garden IOI Mall Puchong
Lot EG 9 & EG 10, Ground Floor
IOI Mall New Extension
Batu 9, Jalan Puchong
Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47170
Puchong, Selangor
Malaysia
Tel: 603 - 8076 8726
Fax: 603 - 8076 8736

Business hours: 11.30am - 10pm daily
Website: http://www.seoulgarden.com.my/seoulmenu0.php

Review: Aeroline Malaysia Bus for Bandar Sunway to Penang Route

Aeroline bus has been in operation for years and been providing executive bus service for the route of Kuala Lumpur to Singapore and Penang and vice versa. I have not travel with them because I usually thought it is more convenient to travel by car especially to Penang.

However, after hearing feedback from my parents about Aeroline bus service to Penang, I decided to give them a try for my first trip to Penang earlier this year. And as expected, I travel again with them on my previous May trip to Penang as I don't see any reason not to. Firstly, their boarding station is just located at a a very convenient place to me, Sunway Pyramid and the drop off is at Queensbay Mall, Penang.

Aeroline Bus, the Double Deck coach

With a double deck coach, it has 30 seats on the upper deck, providing a very spacious and comfortable traveling experience.

Just 30 seats, with a layout of 3 seats per row

Sizeable LCD screen for you to enjoy the movie while on the move

On the lower deck, there is a lounge which can accommodate up to 6 adults. The availability however is based on first come first serve basis.

The lounge on the lower deck

There is also a small washroom available on the lower deck for a short relief. The washroom is not intended for long usage, and should you required so, you will need to speak to their Cabin Crew for a stop at rest area.

A tiny washroom

If you ever need to get some sleep, don't worry as their comfortable wide reclining seats comes with leg support. It feels as good as you are on a cozy sofa.

Very comfortable seat

As the coach started to move, the entertainment station which is available right in front of you will be switched on. However, do take note that not all the coach are equipped with such facility and it is very much depends on the coach schedule.

Tiny LCD screen right in front of your seat

Select your preferred entertainment

A game pad which act as an controller as well

Each passenger will be served a complimentary bottle of mineral water. You may ask the crew for some hot drinks too.

Complimentary mineral water

As the coach nearing it's halfway journey, a meal will be served by the cabin crew. The meal may varied from time to time and is very much at the discretion of Aeroline. At time I get Subway's sandwiches, Chicken Rice Shop's Nasi Lemak and for my previous journey back to Klang Valley, I get a Chicken Rice from Chicken Rice Shop.

A complimentary meal will be served

It definitely does lived up to it's tag line of The Convenient Way to "FLY". The cabin crew was courteous and their service were excellent. Together with the comfortable ride and the spacious seat with a lounge to spare, what else could you have ask more for a RM 60 single way journey ticket.

The convenient Way to FLY

Four hours of driving might not sound too hard, but after considering all the opportunity costs and especially when you are driving alone, you are just thankful to have Aeroline Bus for providing such a pleasant journey to Penang and home.

See you again Penang!

This post concludes my previous holiday experience of Penang in last May. Till we meet again in the near future and thank you Pei Yee for your precious time spent with me while I was in Penang!=D

Aeroline Service Centre Bandar Sunway
OB3.LG2.1A, Lower Ground Two
Oasis Boulevard, Sunway Pyramid
No 3 Jalan PJS 11/15
Bandar Sunway, 46150
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Malaysia
Tel: 603 - 5631 1313
Business hours: 7.30am - 7.30pm
Website: https://www.aeroline.com.my/

Asam Laksa & Homemade Durian Ice Cream Kek Seng Coffee Shop @ Penang Road, Penang

If you are a fan of asam laksa, you just can't have enough of it when you are Penang. With almost every coffee shop offering the famous Penang asam laksa, you must know where to get it to avoid disappointment.

Not many tourist may have heard of this coffee shop, but Kek Seng Coffee Shop hosts one of the better asam laksa you can find in the island. It might be hard to spot it's existence due to it's location along the main busy road of Penang Road.

Kek Seng Coffee Shop, Penang Road

There were other stalls that offers other Penang delicacy but you definitely would not want to miss out ordering a bowl of asam laksa if you happen to be here.

Kek Seng Asam Laksa Stall

The lady who operates the stall

It was 12 noon on my previous visit and understandably, the crowd were not there yet, hence my bowl of asam laksa was served almost instantly.

Kek Seng Asam Laksa (RM 3)
It was my first time being here, but from the look of it, I know I would not be disappointed.

One of the best Asam Laksa in Penang

Do not be deceived by the look of the soup diluteness, as it was brimming with flavour thanks to the perfectly perking up of tamarind stock and is enhanced by the shrimp paste. Spiciness level was as great, and it clearly did not disappoint. A two thumbs up asam laksa!

On their own, Kek Seng do serves their very own signature dessert of ais kacang that is topped off with their homemade durian ice cream.

You are forced to order a drink?

I was amazed by their ais kacang which was served on a plate rather than typically on a bowl. This is cute really.

Kek Seng Signature Ais Kacang (RM 3.50)
Consisted of the usual ingredients that you may find in a typical ice kacang, but this came with an extra jelly pudding and double scoop of ice cream. The shaved ice were very rough though. Personally, I do not find it of any special apart from the homemade durian ice cream, which tasted pretty decent.

The asam laksa soup version might be of the same as the one served in Joo Hooi Cafe, but personally, I think the Kek Seng asam laksa had the upper hand in term of the taste. I will definitely return for this newly found favourite asam laksa of mine.
Asam Laksa: 8.5/10
Ais Kacang: 5.5/10

Atmosphere: 4.5/10
Price: 7/10
Verdict: I have found a new place to savour my favourite asam laksa, but not the ais kacang.

Kek Seng Coffee Shop
382-384, Penang Road
10000, Georgetown
Penang
Malaysia
Business hours: 11am - 4pm daily

GPS Coordinates: N05 24.974' E100 19.759'

Pandan Coconut, Anba Coconut Trading @ Lorong Abu Siti, Penang

With the soaring temperature of Penang, it is hard not to find something to cool down your body. Think about thirst quencher, I will not fail to think of coconut drinks.

There was this stall which I had always visited whenever I feel like having some coconut drinks in Penang. Located at Lorong Abu Siti, Anba Cocunut Trading Sdn Bhd does not only sell coconut on a wholesale but they offers coconut to individual as well.

Anba Coconut Trading Sdn Bhd, Lorong Abu Siti

You will notice that there is a lot of coconuts lying everywhere as though you are in a coconut warehouse. There are two choices of coconut, the ordinary one and the pandan coconut.

Ordinary Young Cocunut (RM 1.70 each)

My choice has always been the pandan coconut. Slightly more expensive, but it is all worth for the sweeter taste of the juice with hints of pandan fragrant.

Young Pandan Coconut (RM 2.50 each)

Just placed an order and the worker will choose the best coconut for you before slicing it off for you to enjoy the drinks.

Professional coconut slicer

Sliced Pandan Coconut
The coconut isn't chilled nor they are any ice within. However, the drinks were sweet and simply refreshing with a great pandan fragrant. Definitely will be better if they were serve chilled.

Should you want to have the coconut meat, do ask them for assistance.

Coconut meat

The flesh are sweet and soft, living up to it's billing of young coconut.

They do not provide spoon for you to scoop the coconut meat. Instead, they adapted a very environment friendly approach by slicing part of the coconut shelf to resemble a spoon.

Scooping the meat in a natural way

Thumbs up for the pandan coconut!

There are no proper tables or even seats for you to enjoy the coconut drinks. However, you will not complain the moment you had your first sip of the drink.

Coconut drink: 8/10

Price: 7/10
Verdict: Refreshing pandan coconut drinks that have you refreshed!

Anba Coconut Trading Sdn Bhd

Lorong Abu Siti
off Jalan Burma
Georgetown, 10400
Penang
Malaysia
Business hours: 8am - 7pm (Monday to Saturday)

Tel: 012 - 450 9194