Foods for thought....

Do you know the origins of some of our so called authentic Malaysian's foods ? I was having my Dim Sum for Breakfast this morning. While having my breakfast, I was asked by a friend on the origin of some of the Malaysian's "local foods".

I guess, as the Chinese saying goes, "when you drink the water, please don't forget the source...". I know, there are a lot of ungrateful souls out there with misguided pride will always do otherwise, but whatever it is, please try your very best to respect the truths.

I did some quick surfing and guessing, and here is my answers.......

• Nasi Lemak, which we claimed to be a Malaysian dish, is actually originated from Sri Lanka. The Sinhalese has a similar dish called Kirebat.
• Roti Canai ( pronounce as Chennai ) is originated from Kerala, India.
• Rojak is originated from South India
• Satay is originated from India
• Popiah is orignated from China.
• Kopi - o - Peng ( Black Coffee served with lots of ice cubes ), as the name implies, definitely originated from Malaysian Chinese.
• Bakut Teh ( Pork stewed in Chinese Herbs) is orignated from Klang Malaysia. The concoction was introduced by a Mr Teh, who was a Chinese herbalist.
• Curry Mee ( Noodle served in Curry Soup) is originated from India
• Laksa ( Noodle served in Spicy Fish paste soup ) is originated from Thailand.

Well, we may have different local names for these dishes, but it looks like most of our "local foods" are originated from various parts of India. To all Malaysians of Indian origin, thank you so much for bringing so much flavours into Malaysia. I guess, without the past contributions of the "Indian foods", our Malaysians varieties will be very boring...... The next question that came to my mind is, are there any original local authentic Malaysian dishes ? Ipoh Gar Choi Kai ? Ipoh Kai See Hor Fun ? Penang Hokkien Mee ? Penang Hokkien Char ? Malacca Liew Hoo Char ?.........

But whatever it is, the next time you eat Nasi Lemak or Roti Canai, please do think of the contributions of Malaysians of Indian origin......Or at least, in your heart, say a heartfelt thank you to all Indians for inspiring such a varieties of great foods which we now claimed to be Malaysian's.

Oink, Oink, Oink... I am a Pig ?

I read a loop sided article regarding the consumption of pork. Please read HERE. I had a funny feeling that the author is trying to insult other religions and glorify his own religion.

To quote one of the phrase "Consumption of swine-flesh reduces the feeling of shame and as such the standard of modesty. Those nations, which consume pork habitually, have a low standard of morality with the result that virginity, chastity and bashfulness are becoming a thing of the past. " Wow, what a mouthful of stupidities........ Oink, oink, oink.....

I guess the author was driven by religious biases and ignorance to have the mentality to think that it is always okay for him to attempt to insult others using the justification of his religion. But I am a civilized man, and so is a lot of others. Despite his self deluded assertion that people who eat pork based products have less morality, at least a lot of other civilized people like me don't react to his insult by going around conducting violent demonstrations and issuing death threats. Honestly, I do not feel offended or insulted by the author's statement because I know, only people with low self confident and inferiority complex will go around digging in all the wrong places for reasons to glorify their stupidities. The world is now so used to noisy and smelly farting by ignorance people. I felt sorry for his ignorances and his exposed biases.

Holy cow ! I ate eggs, bacons, and ham sandwich this morning for breakfast. But the question is, does that made me a person with lower standard of modesty and low morality ? Well, the author can said whatever he want, I respected his right to make his "religiously scientific" assertions in an attempt to glorify the superiority of his religion. But sorry to disappoint the author, it is a fact that, there are also many great religions in this world. Great religions do not need its misguided followers to belittle other religion to gain mental delusion of superiority. No offense intended to the author, but other great religions does not forbid its followers from eating pork based products. I sincerely do not think God cares about what you eat. It is who you are in words, deeds, and actions that matter most to your perception of morality and modesty.

I also find it interesting to note that, there are quite a number of women who go for medical reconstruction of hymen to comply with their strict cultural and religious requirements, so that they can be married off as virgins. Does these reconstructed virgins eat porks ? I serious don't think so! In these cases, are those reconstructed virgins have higher morality than other virgins ? LOL.
.
Does Mad Cow diseases, E Coli contamination, Avian Flu, Aids, and a host of other diseases come from the consumption of pork ? Well, I don't think so. My dear friends, eating of animals ( I meant all animals ) come with the risks of contaminations. Personally, I think it is cruel to slaughter animals for our foods. But I am a hypocrite, whatever food that is served to me, if it is prepared hygienically, I will take it. You have problem with my flexibility of diets ?

In the article, the author also assert that "a man becomes what he eats", well, what can I said, with all the wisdom he acquired from the religious teaching, I guess he is educated but not learned. I don't think I am what I eat and you are what you eat. Otherwise, this world will end up having a lot of people oinking like pigs, behaving like mad cows, dressing like goats, and talking with bird languages.

So, "People who eat pork have low standard of morality " ? For heaven sake, please look within you and around yourselves, then repeat your assertions again to this porkoholic ! Oink, oink, oink, oink........

Let's all have mutual respect for religions, people ways of life, and other people's culture and foods. Is it so difficult to keep your religion to yourself ? As much as you want others to respect your religions and faiths, don't you think you should have a little "Morality, modesty, and chastity" to have some self respect to respect others' ?

To the author of that article, you are what you said of others, sincerely, no apology needed, because people like me and a lot of others are not habitual apology and grivenace seekers. We are all educated, learned, and rational people trying to convince people like you to appreciate the beauty of diversities and peaceful cohabitations.

Om Mani Padme Hum...... Om Namo Amithaba Buddha....

My top ten Malaysian's foods

This morning, woke up a bit late, and naturally was late for office. Habitually, it doen't really matter what time I reached office. The first place of visit during weekday is to go to the coffee shop to have my breakfast. Breakfast for today ? Funny, my favorite fried koayteow ( fried rice noodle) is not available today, and I can't decide what to take for breakfast today. Probably a bit bored with all those other usual hawker foods around the vicinity of my office. Maybe I will change my venue for breakfast tomorrow. Maybe I will have Dimsum for a change tomorrow. Maybe I will shift my office to somewhere where there are more varieties of foods . Why not ?
Talking about foods, what are my top ten favorite foods ? Here goes my choices :

1) Charsiew & Siewyoke (Barbecue Pork & roasted Pork). Halal or non halal, who cares ? I am not a Muslim. Barbecue Pork & roasted pork are my favorite and most popular in Malaysia, Go to any coffee shop in Malaysia, there will be at least one hawker stall selling Charsiew and Siewyoke Fun (rice). There are easily thousands of hawker stalls in Malaysia specializing in this gastronomic fares.

2) Instant Noodles would probably rated number Two in my Malaysians' top ten foods. Go to any Malaysian's home, you will probably find packets of instant noodles of various flavours in the Kitchen. I grow up in a generation where I am constantly being bombarded with TV advertisement by Maggie Mee's "cepat di mask, sedap di maken" or "fast to cook, nice to eat". Believe me, in another twenty years time. Instant Noodle will become part of our culture and the national diets.

3) Bak Kut Teh. Stewed pork in black herbal soup. This has been my favorite Sunday breakfast for the past "many" years. Friends and family members has warned me that this soup is extremely high in cholesterol, and at my age, I should reduce consumption of this sinfully delicious foods. But who cares ? There are many type of foods out there that are much more dangerous than my pot of harmless looking bak kut teh.

4) Poh Piah. Mixed vegetables stuffed in thin bread spread or commonly known as Spring Roll. When I was broke and living from hand to mouth in Penang. I befriended a hawker selling spring rolls. The daily unsold Spring roll was my daily diet for many months. The humble spring roll nurtured my characters ! However, my opinion is, the best Spring rolls are from Ipoh and Taiping.

5) Sweet potatoes porridge. This is one of my favorite weekday lunch. You usually eat the porridge with side dishes such as fried eggs with salted white carrot, stewed pork, deep fried pork intestines, etc. Sadly, there are not many restaurant serving this type of porridge anymore. But I recently found one new restaurant in Shah Alam serving sweet potatoes porridge, and it has been one of my regular lunch venue.

6) Chap Fun aka Economic Rice, Mixed rice, etc. One of Malaysians' favorite DIY lunch and dinner usually served in Coffee shops. I acquired the taste for Chap Fun when I first started working in Penang. Nowadays, I eat chap fun for lunch when I am indecisive of what to eat. Chap Fun gave you the freedom to mixed whatever dishes you fancy at less than RM 5.

7) Toasted Breads with Black Coffee. How simple can life be ? Occasionally I love to start my day by tempting my senses with the smell of freshly toasted breads spreads with margarine and the aroma of hot black coffee.

8) Roti Canai with Curry gravy. Indian pancake made of wheat flour, best taken when hot. This is one of my favorite breakfast. Watching the dramatic and acrobatic preparation of roti canai is an experience by itself.

9) Nasi Lemak. Coconut milk rice served with spicy side dishes and Sambal belachan. The Malaysian Indians made the best nasi Lemak.

10) Curry Fish head. The Malaysians of Indian origin served the best curry fish heads. This is one of my favorite dinner time dishes. Many verbal wars has been conducted with my wife over my urge for curry fish head. I am a negotiable and amiable person, but when I have the urge to eat curry fish head, I shall have my way, no further discussion is needed, and definitely no compromise. Either I have my curry fish head or no dinner for everybody !

It is very sad that my religious obligations forbid me to eat beef. But who cares ? Occasionally I do take beef, not as an act of religious defiance, but out of convenient. I seriously doubt God is going to punish me for eating beef. Food is food. I think my God understand. Do you, Mr God ?