Kota Kinabalu: the markets & the food

“Welcome to Sabah”, a uniformed officer at the Kota Kinabalu International airport smiled as he greeted us with his right hand on his heart and an ever-so-slight bow. I realize later that this is a typical greeting of the warm and gentle Malaysian people.

So there I was, finally, eight months after we booked our (super cheap!) flights to KK on Air Asia, with the “Macau group” – the friends I went to Macau with this exact same weekend last year. We had had such a wonderful time then, that we vowed to do a trip together every year.

Kota Kinabalu, or KK, is the capital of the Malaysian state of Sabah and is located on the coast of the island of Borneo. It is named after South East Asia’s tallest mountain, Mt. Kinabalu, a massive granite dome of molten rock popular with mountain climbers everywhere. Because KK is surrounded by a wealth of natural wonder, we decided to experience the best of both worlds by staying 2 nights downtown and 1 night at the Shangri La Rasa Ria resort 45 minutes away.

Our home in the city, Le Meridien, was conveniently located across the Waterfront where most of the city’s best restaurants and bars are located and within walking distance to the markets. On our first night, we ate out on the boardwalk and ordered our food from the Oregano Café. The food was excellent. We had tom yam soup, steamed mussels, nyonya spicy crabs, fried rice, sambal prawns, sweet & sour fish and tons of fresh baby kailan. We ordered practically everything on their menu!

We were stuffed and needed to do what we could to aid the digestion process. So we strolled along the boardwalk past coffee shops, hip bars, english pubs, satay stands, massage stations and other restaurants. Each place pulsed with it's own unique sound and vibe, with varying smells wafting from invisible kitchens, intermingling with that of their neighbors, as locals and tourists occupied both their indoor and outdoor areas. It was after all, a Friday night.

Before retiring to our hotel, we checked out the sprawling central market located just beside the Waterfront esplanade. We walked through stall after stall of vegetables and fruits, some of which were unrecognizable. They had a fish market towards the rear near the water, and a large section with tables and chairs surrounded by stalls of cooked food, chicken and fish on the grill and all sorts of native sweets. It was already 10 pm yet the market was in full swing.

We tried some snake fruit (top left photo), so named because of it's leathery snake-like brown skin. The fruit is native also to Thailand and Indonesia and known locally as salak. The flesh is firm and acidic, not very sweet. I wasn't too fond of it, but I'll take it over durian any day! We did buy some pomelo and guava sprinkled with plum powder to take to the hotel. My sister had introduced me to the apple and plum powder combo recently and even gave me a tub of the stuff, now I have a new fruit to eat it with.

guava with plum powder

The open-air Sunday market on Gaya Street is open from 6 am until 2 pm. They sell pretty much everything here: pets, vegetables, antiques, orchids, fruit, clothes, shoes, name it. It was hot and crowded with tourists and locals but not stinky or dirty. I hadn't had breakfast so I bought some donuts and lemonade. My favorite food item was the mini pancake sandwiches (middle picture below)with assorted fillings of chocolate, peanut, kaya, butter and cheese.

The food. Omigosh the food! There was lots of it. Malaysian cuisine is a perfect representation of the multi-cultural aspects of Malaysia. It is strongly influenced by Chinese, Thai, and Indian cuisine. Like in most Asian countries, rice and noodles are staples together with Indian-style bread such as roti and naan. The dishes are colorful and flavored with a tantalizing mix of spices and herbs that include lemongrass, turmeric, nutmeg, pandan leaves,kaffir lime leaves, cumin, fenugreek and of course garlic, onions and chili paste. Malaysia is like disneyland for the tastebuds! Here are some of the meals we enjoyed:

tom yam soup, chicken satay with peanut sauce and compressed rice, roti canai with egg

curried chicken, lamb kebab, nasi goreng

Nasi Lemak is is a hearty meal of rice, sambal (a thick chili paste), boiled egg, cucumber and peanuts which is usually enjoyed for breakfast. The breakfast buffet of both hotels had a DIY nasi lemak station with all the condiments. It was my first encounter with nasi lemak (it is nasi goreng I am most familiar with) and I thought it was pretty good. Another favorite of the group was the laksa, a tangy soup dish of noodles, shrimp, lettuce and fish.

Another first for me is teh tarik . I becamse an instant fan! It is tea sweetened with condensed milk. They serve it with a nice layer of froth which is achieved by pouring the tea from mug to glass repeatedly with outstretched hands. It's so good, I would have it as dessert.

teh tarik

Next: Kinabalu Park and canopy walk

The Chutney Project & The List

I am constantly making lists. I've got them all over the place, in scraps of paper in my wallet, on my pda phone, in notebooks, and if you go through my laptop you'll find lots more. It gives my life some sense of order. But above all, it helps me remember since I have such a horrible memory. The best part about making these lists is the gratification one gets from taking that pen and drawing a line across that item, or placing that neat check mark beside it.

Yesterday, I did just that. I almost danced a little jig as I crossed out mango chutney from my 'list of food to try and make at home', from hereon we will refer to simply as The List. Our chutney supply comes from my tita who lives in our village. The fact that our source is only a few blocks away has proven to be so convenient especially when curry is served for Sunday lunch and we whip out the jar only to find that we're running dangerously low on chutney. So while on one of these chutney runs I thought, why don't I make my own? And so that was the day it was added to The List.

I had so many recipes to choose from for my first attempt. Eventually, I settled on the one from The Gourmet Cookbook (pp. 906-907). I tried to stick to the recipe as much as possible but didn't have any red pepper flakes on hand so I left that out.

Mango Chutney from The Gourmet Cookbook

3 large firm but ripe mangoes (I used 4 Philippine mangoes), peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds

Chill a small plate for testing chutney.

Combine all ingredients in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming away any foam and stirring frequently as chutney thickens for about 30-35 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat while testing for doneness. Drop a spoonful of chutney onto the chilled plate. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then tilt plate; chutney should remain in a mound and not run. Transfer chutney to a bowl to cool, uncovered. Once thoroughly cooled, refrigerate for at least 1 day to allow flavors to develop.

I doubled the amount of sugar to 1 cup and simmered it for another 10 minutes to allow more of the vinegar to evaporate because I felt it was a little too sour. It turned out sweet and tangy with the nice juicy chunks of mango. All in all, it was not exactly what I hoped for, but a pretty good start.

The chutney didn't come out as dark as I would have liked, and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I used light brown sugar instead of dark brown. Now all I need is a good chicken tikka masala or lamb curry to test it with. Meanwhile, I'll be trying other recipes that include raisins, allspice and cloves, which I think are essential in a good chutney.

For those of you who live in Manila and haven't already heard: Assad's (that wonderful Indian mini-mart from UN Ave.) has opened a branch on Jupiter St. (Yay!) They haven't installed a phone yet, but you can easily find it next to Red Ribbon and near Nullah. That's where I got all the spices I needed and at super reasonable prices. I'm so happy I no longer have to go all the way to UN Ave. for that! :)

Lunch at Charley's

The estate as seen from the questhouse rooftop

"Hi! I just made a comment on Anton's post on The Popit De Leon Experience: "road trip!" to Charley's in Lipa! And he emailed back, why not? So. Here's an open invite to bloggers i read (and lurve!!!)".

Upon receiving this email from Poch, I thought great idea! A food trip with fellow foodies, some of who I was yet to have the pleasure of meeting in person, fun! So over the next couple of weeks we selected the menu, fixed car arrangements and set the meeting place: 10:30 am at the Petron gas station along SLEX.

I think we were all so excited about the food and the company that we weren't prepared for the scene that awaited us. Hidden behind a massive stone wall lined by mahogany trees, was a beautiful first-class ranch complete with thoroughbreds roaming freely. Perhaps I was expecting something a little more rustic because it was out in the country. But whatever it was, I was pleasantly surprised.

As we pulled up, we found Popit outside ready to welcome us. Soon after, our group of 16 gathered around the table in the sunny dining room. Though the setting may have been formal, the vibe was relaxed and casual. What followed was a comfortable and enjoyable lunch among friends, old and new. The wine and conversation flowed freely as the seven course meal was served.

Chef Popit at his crepe station

Not surprisingly, my favorite part of the meal was dessert. Popit whipped up crepe suzettes and topped each one with vanilla ice cream. It was sinful and delicious. The intoxicating smell of butter lingered in the air for hours after.

We had the pleasure of meeting Charley, who treated us to a grand tour of her property. As you can see, I went a little crazy with the camera, especially with the horses. I love, love, love horses. I think they are one of God's most gorgeous creatures. I just wish they weren't such a darn expensive passion.

Anyway as they say, pictures are worth a thousand words, so I'll leave you with these.

"I'm ready for my close-up.
Ummm, I think this is my better side. Erm, no this one is!"

A tale of two cuties: Aidan with the Shetland pony

Just horsin' around

Isn't she a beauty!? She was my favorite.
She nibbled on my arm and had Aidan squealing with delight.

Wachoolookinat?!

Thanks Poch for planning this trip for all of us! :)

* * *

Read what the others had to say about the trip and check out their beautiful pictures:

Socky

Wysgal

Anton

For reservations, call Charley at 0920-9507032

Driving directions: From SLEX, exit Calamba heading towards Batangas/Laguna (exit 50) until Sto. Tomas. Enter the Star Tollway, exit at Lipa and turn right. Continue down this road until the fork (across Robinson's) and take the left, passing Jollibee and SM. A billboard of the Sto. Nino Parish marks your next left to Gov. F Leviste Highway.

Green thumb or sore thumb?

So I figured it would be nice to have my own supply of herbs at home from which I could snip when I'm doing one of my little experiments in the kitchen. My mom already had a nice big pot of basil so I moved her closer to her new friends with the pretty names (parsley, rosemary, coriander and dill) to help make them feel welcome in their new home and so they could start a little scarborough fair of their own.

So here they are, I'm transferring them to clay pots this weekend.

My sister wants to give me some seeds that she's had for a while now. But I've never actually grown anything before except for that monggo (mung bean) seed in 6th grade for Home Ec class. But I'll give it a shot. I don't know anything about growing and taking care of herbs, so I'm a little nervous. Please, if any of you have any tips, I would love to hear it and I would be forever grateful!

I'm crossing my fingers that some of my dad's green thumb genes were passed on to me. (He actually grew grapes in the heart of Makati before). Hopefully if this works out and I have a garden of my own someday I could actually pick my own produce from my backyard. How nice that would be! Delusions of grandeur maybe? Let's hope not! :)

That's me, the helmet head, and my sis under my dad's grapevine

PS: I found this website when I was looking for information online. It's got some pretty neat info about the herbs commonly used in cooking.

Slow-roasted garlic and lemon chicken

Last Saturday, a girl friend of ours who lives in Singapore came home for the weekend. Instead of going out to eat, we opted to do a pot-luck dinner at a friends apartment for a more casual and relaxed atmosphere.

These are my girl friends from my first job, one of who was even my first boss. I couldn't have asked for a more thoughtful and fun bunch of coworkers. Whatever fear and anxiety I might have had about venturing into the corporate world for the first time were immediately forgotten. Because of them I loved my work. I even found myself getting up before the alarm would go off. Seriously. Me.

Now, we've all taken different career paths since then but we've remained very close and we make it a point to have at least one dinner together every month. Last year, we took it a step further. We flew to Hanoi, Vietnam and had ourselves a fabulous time. So fab in fact that we've decided to do it every year, take a trip somewhere together, though not necessarily out of the country.

For the dinner, I initially wanted to do a curry and chutney pairing but had to nix that idea as one of them isn't fond of Indian food. So I went with a safe yet always-welcome choice: roast chicken. This is a recipe I took from Nigella's Forever Summer. I had this recipe bookmarked for a while now so this was the perfect time to try it . I liked that the chicken was infused with the aroma and flavor of the lemon instead of having it squeezed on or rubbed in. For me, there is a fine line between chicken that is enhanced with lemons and that lemon chicken from Chinese restaurants which I don't care much for. This is so incredibly easy. It turned out as Nigella promised it would, "with the summer scent of lemon and thyme - and of course, mellow, almost honeyed garlic".

The night had all the ingredients for a super time. The best of friends, free flowing wine, good music, and wonderful food! The table was crammed with goodies like a cheese platter, yummy Spinach dip, crackers and bread, and anchovy garlic pasta dish that I loved. Then of course dessert: Strawberry Shortcake from Costa Brava.

I was a bit nervous about my chicken since I hadn't tested this recipe before. But to my relief, it received praises all around. They're quite the critical and brutally-frank bunch, these ladies. They'd tell you if it tasted like feet just because they loved you. Did I mention how great they are? :)


Slow-roasted Garlic and Lemon Chicken
Serves 4-6

10-12 choice chicken pieces (about 2-2.5 kg)
2 heads garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves, wtih tips chopped off
2 lemons, cut into eighths
small handful of fresh thyme
2 tbsps olive oil
150 ml white wine
3/4 cup white wine
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt
potato marbles
brussel sprouts

Preheat the oven to 320F.

Put the chicken pieces into a roasting tin and add the unpeeled garlic cloves, lemon chunks and the thyme. Just roughly pull the leaves off the stalks, leaving some intact for strewing over later. Add the oil and using your hands mix everything together, then spread the mixture out, making sure all the chicken pieces are skin side up.

Sprinkle over the white wine. Grind on some pepper and sprinkle over with sea salt. Then cover tightly with foil.

On a separate roasting tin, scatter your choice vegetables. In this case, I opted for brussel sprouts and potato marbles. Whole onions would do well too. Repeat the same process as the chicken, but this time omitting the wine.

Put both tins in the oven to cook, at a flavor-intensifyingly low heat. 2 hours for the chicken, and about an hour and a half for the veggies.
Remove the foil from the chicken roasting tin, and turn up the oven to 390F. Cook the uncovered chicken for another 30-45 minutes, by which time the skin on the meat will have turned golden brown and the lemons have begun to scorch and caramelise at the edges.

The original recipe didn't include potatoes and brussel sprouts, but I like roasted vegetables with my protein. I might try it with turnips and onions next time. Scatter the potatoes and brussel sprouts over the chicken or serve separately. Then strew with remaining thyme.

Because I was taking this out of the house, I transferred the vegetables into the other tin so I would only need to carry one and served it as is. Oh and please pardon the lousy picture, it was the only I managed to snap before it was attacked. :)