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Tips You Should Know Before Going to The Kuching Food Festival

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Kuching Food Festival is back!

Taking place at the Kuching South City Council from July 27th to August 19th, the month-long festival is one of the most talked about festivals in Kuching.

And as usual, it would not be the same without our Facebook acquaintances posting pictures of what they had at the food festival.

For those who have been to Kuching Food Festival before, I think we can all agree that it is definitely the best festival in Kuching (what with Kuchingites being obsessed with food, and all).

However, going over to the Kuching Food Festival is not without its struggles.

And so, here are some Kajo-worthy tips for those who are heading towards the Kuching Food Festival!

 

  1. Pick a theme before heading over to the Kuching Food Festival

Kuching Food Festival will have at least 280 food stalls, 15 of which will be serving halal food. This might be overwhelming for some and it would also not be a surprise if you leave without buying anything. Before going, do set a theme in mind to avoid being overwhelmed with choices. For instance, you might want to try only desserts during your food expedition.

  1. Do park your car at a safe and nearby parking lot and then walk over to the food festival

Every year Jalan Padungan is congested with traffic due to the overflowing crowd at the festival. While this may be a norm for festival goers, it may be a hassle for others. Therefore, it is advisable to just park your car at nearby parking lot to ease the traffic.

  1. Come in a group

Exploring new food is better if you experience it with good company. As Kuching Food Festival offers possibly over hundreds of dish types, it would be time efficient to come with friends and family. As you may have different preferences in food, this means you get to sample different types of food in one sitting.

  1. Bring a portable mini fan

This might sound weird, but it does make sense in this kind of weather and setting. As the festival tends to be overcrowded and hot, it is advisable to stay cool with a mini fan. If you do not have a mini fan, you can easily get one at the festival.

  1. Wear loose, cool attire

Our hot humid tropical weather combined with the heat from the open-air cooking at Kuching Food Festival can get overpowering. Do stay cool by wearing loose cooling clothing.

6. Bring your own tissue and wet wipes

This might sound insignificant but you will thank me for it. Often, the food stalls will provide you tissue upon purchasing their food. But it might not be enough as you might want to use that tissue to wipe your tables or utensils before eating.

7. Bring your own water bottle

Again, this is mainly because of the heat and is also economical. During your food expedition, you will be surprised how much you will save just by bringing your own water. It also cuts down on extra plastic waste.

8. Be adventurous

Instead of having the usual food you can get all the time outside the festival, be brave and try food that you have never tasted before. By doing this, you can avoid being overwhelmed with the choices of food. Apart from that, you will leave with unforgettable memories of the food you have sampled.

9. Do not eat too much before going for the fun rides

Apart from food, visitors also have the chance to go on fun rides such as the Merry-Go-Round. This may seem fun, but it can be otherwise if you had too much too eat before going on one of the fun-rides.

10. Do clear your table

MBKS has provided chairs and tables for festival-goers to enjoy their special purchases. Even though there are cleaning staff, bear in mind that the festival has recorded up to 280,000 visitors coming in the first week, so clearing the table after you use it  will make the festival much more enjoyable for everybody.

11. Bring your own plastic containers

As a part of MBKS’ ‘No styrofoam’ campaign, none of the food stalls will be using styrofoam packaging, so bring along your own containers. There will also be 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) dustbins around the festival site as part of their efforts to promote a green city and an environmentally-conscious people.

6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mount Singai

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If you have not visited Mount Singai before, now is the best time to do so. Due to our love of being outdoors, KajoMag has listed six reasons why it should be on everyone’s bucket list to visit.

6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mount Singai

1. Close to town

Located in Bau District, Mount Singai takes only 30 to 40 minutes’ drive from Kuching City.

As it does not take a lot of time to reach there, you do not have to worry about getting up early or using a lot of gas.

2. Good spot for beginner’s training

If you are not particularly athletic but still want to be active, then Mount Singai is perfect for you.

6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mount Singai

Mount Singai hiking area can be split into two sections. The first half is a set of stairs leading to the Catholic Memorial and Pilgrimage Centre (CMPC) while the second half is the hiking trail leading to the summit.

Typically, an average hiker can reach the pilgrimage centre within 20 to 30 minutes while the hiking ground can take about an hour to reach.

Visitors might find Mount Singai relaxing and enjoyable as the hiking terrain is not as hard and challenging as most hiking spots around Kuching.

Also, due to the steps and the inclining nature of Mount Singai, it is the best spot to pump up your cardio and enjoy nature.

3. Friendly hikers

On average, Mount Singai can have a few hundred visitors in one weekend.

And due to that, you will always bump into other fellow hikers along the way.

At Mount Singai, the hikers will typically greet you and some will even give words of encouragement  to reach the summit.

When meeting these friendly and supportive hikers of Mount Singai, it makes the hiking trip even more memorable.

4. Spiritual experience

6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mount Singai

On your trek up to the retreat centre, you will notice there are monuments stationed along the way up.

They are the 14 stations of the Cross which represent Christ’s last day on earth as a man.

Mount Singai has long been a pilgrimage destination for devoted Catholics, with the earliest converts to Catholicism in the area among the Bisingai people dating as far back as 1885.

5. Help the community build their church

6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mount Singai

Upon reaching the entrance point of Mount Singai, you may find a heap of bags containing pebbles and sand.

These are to build a new church hall at the pilgrimage centre.

As there are no access roads for vehicles leading towards the centre, the only way to bring these building materials up is on foot.

6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mount Singai

While there are no entrance fees for Mount Singai, visitors can do their part for the kampong community by helping them carry the bags up to the construction site.

Consider it your personal Rocky or Shaolin monk challenge by carrying a bag up. You can also help trick your mind into thinking you have some extra weight to lose.

6. Instagrammable view

6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mount Singai

Millennials with an active Instagram account would understand the novelty of having awesome pictures in their IG account.

6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mount Singai

When you reach the top of the steps, Mount Singai offers a rest stop with one of the best viewing spots.

Apart from that, the summit also offers an equally breath-taking view for visitors to take picture.

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10 adult art projects to try for non-creative people

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Italian poet Eugenio Montale once said, “In reality art is always for everyone and for no one.”

As comforting as it might sound to non-creative people that art is for everyone, the reality is there are people out there who are just not artistic at all.

Having said that, non-creative people sometimes find ways to channel their inner creativity and craftiness.

Of course, the results might not be as good as those who are artistically-inclined and sometimes even far from being sell-able.

If you are looking for adult art projects to try own especially when you are feeling crafty, here are few suggestions:

1.Collage

To make collage art, you can use everything under the sun, from magazine and newspaper clippings to photographs and old postcards.

You can even recreate a famous art piece such as Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.

Watch the video here.

2.Hand lettering

If you love quotes and poems, this is an adult art project for you. Pick up a brush or a calligraphy pen to practice your hand lettering.

Once you get the hang of it, move on to create a homemade card or a quote display as a gift or just hang it in your room.

Watch the video here.

3.Photo embroidery

Forget about conventional embroidery, embroidered photographs is the in thing now.

Take your favourite photos and embroider something on it. Maybe put a pair of wings on the photo of your mum or a pair of horns on your least favourite teacher.

4.Origami
10 adult art projects to try for non-creative people
How about giving origami a try? Credits: Unsplash.

All you need for origami is origami paper and of course tutorials which can be easily found online.

Once you master the art of origami you can turn them into wall decorations or simply as a gift.

Watch the video here.

5.Mod podge craft

The art of decoupage was originated in France in the 17th century. Now with the existence of mod podge, the craft of decoupaging has never been this easy.

Known for its fine finish and strong adhesiveness, you can use mod podge on flip flops, coasters, wooden boxes, cake stands and even table tops.

Watch the video here.

6.Tie-dye

If someone told you that tie-dye was for hippies, don’t believe them.

Widen your imagination and you can tie-dye almost everything, from a bag to a curtain and your short jeans.

Watch the video here.

7.Fabric Marker

Unleash your inner craftiness by drawing on a plain T-shirt with a fabric marker.

Draw a random asymmetrical design or write your favourite quote. You can also use fabric marker to personalise your own shoes, tote bag and cushion cover.

Watch the video here.

8.Vegetable printing

Vegetable printing are not just for kids. With the right materials, you can make your own cushion covers, coffee mug, paper wrappings and gift tags.

As for what vegetables you can try, see if you can use potato, carrot, celery and winged beans.

Watch the video here.

9.Washi tape

The Japanese people are a source of tons of brilliant ideas, one of those ideas including washi tape.

This decorative tape can be used for anything you can imagine.

You can decorate your book, table, computer keyboard, plastic cups for a party, even use it as wallpaper.

Watch the video here.

10.Beading

Beadwork can be easy if you stick to the basic of stringing beads together with a thread to produce a necklace, lanyard, or bracelet.

If you want to challenge yourself, you can also move on to harder beadwork skills such as bead crocheting or 3D beading.

Watch the video here.

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Your ultimate guide to Malaysian nasi goreng

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Nasi goreng, which literally translates to “fried rice” in Malay, has ignited a few cross-country fights over the past few years.

The most famous incident was when former England footballer Rio Ferdinand twitted “Nasi goreng lunch… Keeping it local in Singapore.”

Indonesians were quick to correct Ferdinand saying nasi goreng is not from Singapore, but Indonesia.

Meanwhile, some Malaysians jumped into the squabble, slamming Indonesians for wanting to claim every dish in the region including rendang.

However, do you know that chao fan or fried rice in Mandarin has been served in China since 4,000 BC?

Perhaps now China can stop claiming the South China Sea and stake their claim on nasi goreng instead?

Regardless of who owns nasi goreng, a visit to any Southeast Asian country especially Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore would not be complete without tasting this dish.

In Malaysia, there are plenty of nasi goreng variations served in different parts of the country.

Some of these variations cannot be found in its neighbouring countries.

So here is your complete guide to Malaysian nasi goreng:

1.Nasi Goreng Ayam/Udang/Kambing/Daging

If you see this on the menu, you just need to choose your type of protein.
This fried rice is cooked with chicken (ayam), udang (prawn), kambing (mutton) and daging (beef).

2.Nasi Goreng Special

Nasi goreng special is usually an in-house specialty. However, most often they just add a sunny side up egg with a piece of fried chicken on top of your nasi goreng.

3.Nasi Goreng Tom Yam

This Malaysian nasi goreng has a Thai inspiration.
It is cooked with tom yam paste, lime, sometimes with a bit of lemongrass and fish sauce.

Watch how to make it here.

4.Nasi Goreng Pattaya

This Malaysian nasi goreng might sound like it comes from Thailand but it is believed to originate from Malaysia.
It is made by wrapping chicken fried rice in a thin fried omelette, almost similar to Japanese omurice. Nasi goreng Pattaya is often served with chili sauce, tomato ketchup and slices of cucumber.

Watch how to make it here.

5.Nasi Goreng Hailam

Hailam refers to a Chinese cooking style which usually uses watery soy sauce.
Hence if it is Nasi Goreng Hailam, it is fried rice served in vegetables, chicken or prawn cooked in Hailam-style.

6.Nasi Goreng Kerabu

Nasi Goreng Kerabu is a fried rice dish serve with ginger flower (bunga kantan), curry leaves and fried anchovies.
It is inspired by Kelantanese famous dish nasi kerabu, a blue-coloured rice served with dried fish or fried chicken, pickles and keropok.

Watch how to make it here.

7.Nasi Goreng Cina

The irony of nasi goreng cina (Chinese) in Malaysia it is usually can be found in Malay restaurants instead of Chinese restaurants.
There are plenty of nasi goreng cina variations out there but they all have one thing in common, sesame oil.

Watch how to make it here.

8.Nasi Goreng Kampung

If you love fried anchovies and kangkung (water spinach) then you will love this dish.
A nasi goreng kampung is not nasi goreng kampung without fried anchovies and kangkung.

Watch how to make it here.

9.Nasi Goreng Yong chow
Your ultimate guide to Malaysian nasi goreng
Yong chow fried rice.

This dish can be found mainly in Chinese restaurants.
It is fried rice cooked with char siu pork or lap cheong (Chinese sausage), scallion and vegetables such as long beans, carrots and green peas.

10.Nasi Goreng Belacan

Nasi goreng belacan is rice fried with shrimp paste (belacan), fish or chicken and long beans.

Watch how to make it here.

11.Nasi Goreng Ikan Masin

If you are into salty food then this is the Malaysian nasi goreng for you.
It is fried rice cooked with salted fish.

12.Nasi Goreng Mamak

Nasi goreng mamak is cooked in Indian-Muslim style. Nasi goreng mamak tends to be oilier than most Malaysian nasi goreng. Besides chilli paste, other main ingredients of this dish are dried tofu, fish cakes and curry powder Maggi’s instant noodle

13.Nasi Goreng DabaiYour ultimate guide to Malaysian nasi goreng

This is a Sarawak specialty of fried rice. It is rice fried with a seasonal native fruit called buah dabai (Canarium odontophylum).

14.Nasi Goreng USA

Again no, this Malaysian nasi goreng does not get any inspiration from the United States of America.
In fact, the acronym USA means udang (prawn), sotong (squid) and ayam (chicken).
Thus, this fried rice is served with prawn, squid and chicken.

15.Nasi Goreng Paprik

The key ingredient in nasi goreng paprik is the sauteed chili paste. With a bit tom-yum paste, this fried rice is a little bit on the spicy side.
This is another Malaysian nasi goreng inspired by its neighbour Thailand. The word paprik refers to Thai phrase pad prik where pad is stir-fry and prik means chilli.

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How to order drinks in Sarawak coffeeshops?

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Ordering drinks in foreign countries can be confusing. Even here in Malaysia, how to order drinks might even be different depending which state are you in.

Adding on the difficulties to order drinks, most Sarawak coffeeshops and food courts do not even have proper menus.

So here is a quick guide on how to order drinks in Sarawak coffeeshops.

How to order drinks in Sarawak coffeeshops?
How to order your drinks at Sarawak coffeeshops?

If you want to order coffee, take note that you have to say “kopi” or “Nescafe”. “Kopi” usually refers to drinks made with local coffee brands like Kopi Cap Kapal Api or Anggerek, while Nescafe is a Nestle brand of coffee. A cup of Nescafe costs slightly more than a kopi.

So here’s a basic list of what you can order at almost any coffeeshop, ‘kopitiam’ or ‘kedai kopi’ in Sarawak:

Kopi ‘O’ Kosong – ‘Kosong’ means ’empty’ in Malay. This is the Malaysian version of Americano or Long Black since it is just a hot cup of black coffee.
Kopi ‘O’ – Hot black coffee with sugar
Kopi ‘O’ Peng – Anything with the word ‘peng’ means ‘iced’. A Kopi ‘O’ Peng is iced black coffee with sugar.
Kopi – Malaysians love their condensed milk. A cup of kopi is coffee with condensed milk.
Kopi Peng – This is basically iced coffee with condensed milk.
Kopi ‘C’– Malaysians apparently love their alphabet. So a drink with the letter‘C’ means ‘with evaporated milk’. A cup of Kopi ‘C’ is coffee with added sugar and evaporated milk.
Kopi ‘C’ Kosong – If you want a kopi ‘C’ without the sugar, then it is a Kopi ‘C’ Kosong.
Kopi ‘C’ Peng – A glass of iced Kopi ‘C’.
Kopi ‘C’ Peng Kosong – The iced version of Kopi ‘C’ Kosong.
Kopi ‘O’ Peng Kosong – A glass of iced black coffee with no sugar, condensed milk or evaporated milk. An iced Americano, in other words.
Neslo –  Here is a Malaysian version of mocha. It is a mixture of Nescafe coffee and the chocolate and malt powder drink, Milo.

When you’re asking for tea and all its variants, just replace the word ‘kopi’ with ‘teh’ which means tea in Malay. The same rule applies to Malaysia’s favourite chocolate and malt drink, Milo.

If you are in Sabah, change the word ‘Peng’ to ‘Ping’ and you are good to go.

Good luck!

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What you need to know about Glycemic Index (GI)

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When it comes to food, there are so many numbers that we have to take note of.

These include calorie count, fat content, sugar levels but there is one number that the casual dieter might not have heard of.

It is the glycemic index or GI. According to the Glycemic Index website (yes, there is a website dedicated to it updated and maintained by the University of Sydney’s GI group), GI is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according the extent to which they raise blood (glucose) levels after eating.

What you need to know about Glycemic Index (GI)

Rice is one of the foods with high GI number. Credit: Pixabay.

What is Glycemic Index (GI)

It is the incremental area under the blood glucose response curve of 50g of carbohydrate portion of a test food expressed as a percentage of the response to the same amount of carbohydrate from a standard or reference food taken by the same subject.

There are three groups of GI:  low (where food GI is below 55) moderate (56 to 69) and high (70 and above).

According to Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Malaysia (RNI) report, research on glycemic response of foods is still low. The argument is that the practical use of GI to assess one single food item is questionable.

This is because there are many other factors including carbohydrate content or even cooking method influencing the glycemic response of foods.

However, there are reports that reducing food intake with high GI can improve overall blood glucose control.

Should you take Glycemic Index into account?

Does it mean that having low GI foods are good for you? Not necessarily.

Some low GI foods may not be good because they have high fat content.

Conversely, some high GI foods maybe be good because it has high nutrient content. Thus, it is unnecessary to completely avoid all high GI foods.

In other countries, nevertheless, GI is advised to be used as part of the nutritional management for people with diabetes.

American Diabetes Association, Canadian Diabetes Association and Diabetes United Kingdom recommends people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to take note of the glycemic index of food.

Moreover, one study found that a moderately high protein, low GI diet works best for longer-term weight management.

Generally, what experts agree now is that the use of GI is only a base for choosing carbohydrate-containing food.

As for Malaysians, our high GI foods are fried meehoon (99), fragrance rice (97), kuay teow (90), wholemeal bread (85), pineapple (82) and sardine sandwich (73).

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What you need for the perfect clutter-free office desk

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Albert Einstein once said, “If a cluttered desk is sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”

Most of us spend a lot of time sitting at our office desks every day. According to Herbalife’s Nutrition At Work 2016 survey, nine out of 10 Malaysian workers spend at least six hours a day sitting at their desk.

While Einstein might be right about cluttered desks and busy minds, a clutter-free office has it perks too. (Admit it, there are desks out there that look like a hurricane passed through your office.)

Besides being clean, clutter-free desks definitely offer less distraction as they keep your mind on the project you are working on. Plus, a minimalist office desk is always looks good on Instagram or Pinterest-worthy.

What you need for the perfect clutter-free office desk
A clutter free desk offers less distraction when doing your work. Credits: Unsplash.

One of the best ways to have a clutter-free office desk is to go paperless. The trees would appreciate your effort too.

Furthermore, you can skip having letter trays and files on your workspace.

Always remember to put away all your books on the shelf unless you need them for your work.

Another tip to have a clutter-free desk is to make sure you clear your desk at the end of day.

That way you can come to a neat, organised office desk every morning.

Here are just the basic things that you need to achieve that clutter free office desk:

1. Planner
No matter if it is a digital planner on your smartphone or a good old book planner, everybody needs one.

It makes your working life easier to create new plans, organise your work and arrange your schedule.

What you need for the perfect clutter-free office desk
Always plan your day ahead in order to be more productive. Credits: Unsplash.

2.Basic Stationery
No, you do not need colourful stapler bullets in your life. And no, you also do not need 12 different colours of highlighters unless you are in the creative field.

If you are in Malaysia, chances are that you will have all sorts of pens from various official functions, hotels or government agencies. Clear or donate them away.

Every job has different needs when it comes to stationery. The plan here is to narrow down which of these stationery are required for your job and stick to the basics.

What you need for the perfect clutter-free office desk
Narrow down your stationaries needs. Credits: Unsplash

3.Stationaries holder
Now that you have all the stationery you need, it’s time to pick your stationery holder.

Again, pick the simplest of them all or choose the cutest mug out there and stuff everything inside.

What you need for the perfect clutter-free office desk
Be very basics when comes to choosing your office accessories.

4.Sticky notes
A sticky note is a miracle piece of paper with a re-adherable ability. It works wonders by attaching itself to documents or desk temporarily.

It also helps people as a reminder or sometimes a to-do list.

For those who are nature-lovers and prefer to go paper-less, you can always use the app version of sticky notes on Windows 7, 8, and 10.

What you need for the perfect clutter-free office desk
The ever useful sticky notes.

5.A small plant

Studies have shown that having some greenery in your office can have positive effects.

Plants reportedly can help reduce stress, increase your productivity and even reduce sickness.

So what are you waiting for? Pick a small plant which suits the size of your office desk.

What you need for the perfect clutter-free office desk
Have you chosen your plant yet? Credits: Unsplash.

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8 easy Japanese recipes to try at home

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Forget about sushi and sashimi, there are easy Japanese recipes out there for you to try at home.

Fellow Asian countries like Malaysia already have the basic Japanese ingredients like rice and soy sauce.

Other traditional ingredients that you might require to make your own Japanese cuisine at home are miso, dashi, sake and mirin.

In Sarawak, most of Japanese ingredients are easily available at local supermarkets such as Everrise and Ta Kiong.

Here are 8 easy Japanese recipes for you to try at home especially on weeknights:

1. Omurice
8 easy Japanese recipes to try at home
Omurice. Credits: Pixabay.

For Malaysians, omurice is the closest thing you have to nasi goreng Pattaya.

It consists of fried rice covered with an omelette.

The rice is usually fried with chicken and various vegetables. Then a thin sheet of fried rice covers the top of the rice.

2.Tonkatsu
8 easy Japanese recipes to try at home
Tonkatsu anyone? Credits: Pixabay.

Tonkatsu is one of those easy Japanese recipes you might think is NOT so Japanese.

Tonkatsu (a combination of ton for ‘pork’ and katsu for’cutlet’)  is a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet often served with shredded cabbage.

It’s easy to make. Salt and pepper your pork fillet, then cover it with flour. Dip the meat into a beaten egg before coating it with panko. Panko is a kind of Japanese bread crumb easily available at the supermarket or a Japanese store.

Can’t find panko? Make your own bread crumbs by ripping up some bread, spread it on a baking sheet and put it in the oven at 300 F degrees for 6-8 minutes or until it’s a golden brown. Then crush it into powdery form.

You can either deep-fry the tonkatsu or bake it in the oven for a healthier option.

3.Katsudon

Once you know how to make your own deep-fried pork cutlet, now you can make katsudon.

This dish is a bowl of rice topped with pork cutlet, egg and some vegetables.

4. Gyudon

What you mainly need to make gyudon is beef, onion, dashi, soy sauce, mirin and salt.

Simmer the thinly sliced beef and onion with all the seasoning above. Once it is cooked, pour the beef on top of hot steaming rice.

If you like, add on a raw egg or soft poached egg.

For a complete Japanese experience, serve your gyudon with Japanese pickled ginger (beni shoga) and ground chili pepper (shichimi).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGdOZBQcbbg&pbjreload=10

5.Oyakodon

Oyakodon is almost similar to katsudon and gyudon.

But for oyakodon, the ingredients such as chicken, egg, scallion, onion are simmered together in soy sauce and stock.

After it is cooked, it is poured on top of a bowl of rice.

6.Onigiri Rice Balls

Forget about Korean kimbap, onigiri is much easier to make for that perfect lunch takeaway.

It is made from normal plain rice formed in triangular shapes and wrapped in seaweed.

Traditionally, the filling is usually made from pickled ume, salted salmon and other fancy Japanese ingredients.

But you can always make your own simpler version of onigiri with ingredients which are already available in your kitchen.

For example, tuna with mayonnaise, or even small portions of fried food such as fried chicken or pork.

7.Miso Soup with tofu

This is one of those easy Japanese recipes which only requires you to boil.

Apart from being easy to make, it is also a healthier cooking method.

Firstly, boil water your nori (seaweed) for few minutes. Then, put in some tofu and if you like some green onions. Finally, add in your miso paste.

8.Niratama Donburi

The word niratama comes from nira which means garlic chives and tama which is an abbreviation of tamago (egg).

So this dish is basically made of eggs and garlic chives stir fried together to make an omelette.

After that, put it on top of a bowl of rice and get ready to dig in.

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Nando’s: The PERi-fect Dish Chicken Lovers Simply Adore

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As a big fan of anything delicious, KajoMag was invited to Nando’s 20th celebration in Malaysia at Aeon Mall on June 7th.

Nando's: The PERi-fect Dish Chicken Lovers Simply Adore
Nando’s: The iconic Mozambican-Portuguese style chicken dish

Did you know that Nando’s first came to Malaysia 20 years ago?

Serving up their signature flame grilled chicken with its PERi-PERi sauces adored by chicken lovers all around, Nando’s first outlet to open in Malaysia was in Kuala Lumpur.

Today, Nando’s has 73 outlets nationwide, including three in Kuching (tHe Spring, Vivacity Megamall and Aeon Mall Kuching Central) and three in Kota Kinabalu (Imago Shopping Mall, 1 Borneo Hypermall and Oceanus Waterfront Mall).

“We are excited about reaching such a significant milestone here in Malaysia, We started in 1998 and 20 years on and we are still firing up the tastebuds of our amazing fans and hitting a few new-comers as well,” said CEO of Nando’s Malaysia, Stephen Chow. “Our magical little chilli called PERi-PERi is to thank for this as it is our heart and it is truly unique to Nando’s.”

Nando's: The PERi-fect Dish Chicken Lovers Simply Adore
The juicy and savoury chicken wings smothered in its PERi-PERi sauce

At Nando’s, we were served its usual iconic mouth-watering dishes such as their succulent chicken, savoury Portobello mushrooms, chicken wings, Mediterranean rice, coleslaw, grilled vegetables, potato wedges and sweet potato fries.

Nando's: The PERi-fect Dish Chicken Lovers Simply Adore
A must try: Nando’s sweet potato fries are simply addictive!

Later, we were served a plate of PERi-PERi chocolate brownies sprinkled with chilli flakes.

Nando's: The PERi-fect Dish Chicken Lovers Simply Adore
Assorted vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots and cucumber with their smokey PERi-PERi drizzle. To eat, mix the PERi-PERi sauce with the drizzle before dipping your choice of food into the mix.

That night, Nando’s also provided raw ingredients for guests so that they could custom-make their own PERi-PERi sauces.

In conjunction with Nando’s 20th anniversary in Malaysia, here are some interesting facts every Nando’s fan should know about the iconic Mozambican-Portuguese style chicken dish.

How it all started

Nando’s began in a small town of Johannesburg in South Africa in 1987. The restaurant was founded when Portuguese born audio engineer Fernando Duarte introduced his friend, entrepreneur Robbie Brazin to a Portuguese takeaway called Chickenland. After tasting the chicken, cooked in piri piri, a Portuguese chilli sauce from a pepper found in Mozambique, they bought the restaurant and renamed it Nando’s.

The restaurant was named after Fernando’s first born son.

After two years, the restaurant has four outlets, three in Johannesburg and one in Portugal.

Today, Nando’s has about 1,000 outlets in 30 countries.

The African bird eye chilli is the heart of Nando's great flavour and PERi-PERi sauces.
The African bird eye chilli is the heart of Nando’s great flavour and PERi-PERi sauces.

The Bird’s Eye Chilli

The iconic tiny red PERi-PERi chillies are unique to Nando’s.

They are grown in the rich soil and under the blistering hot sun in South Africa.

It takes 42, 000 chillies to fill one 14 kg bag and every year, they produce 25, 000 bags. That’s over a billion chillies!

Each chilli plant produces about 300 chillies which are hand-picked and plucked one at a time.

Hand sorted and naturally dried, the PERi-PERi chillies grow pointing up towards the hot sun.

The who, how and where of the PERi-PERi chillies

Nando’s grows its own PERi-PERi chillies with the help of 1,400 independent farmers in Southern Africa.

Nando’s sell PERi-PERi seedlings to the farmers and guarantees to purchase their crop at a pre-agreed fair price.

The chillies are grown on 494 acres of PERi Farms in Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

What is in the sauce?

Every Nando’s lovers know that the chicken gets its awesome flavour from the marinating process. In Nando’s, the chickens are marinated for 24 hours before they are grilled to perfection.

And depending on one’s choice, you can smear the chicken with your choice of heat level.

Tailored for a variety of customers, Nando’s choice of sauces consist of Extra Hot, Hot, Mild, Mango & Lime, Lemon & Herb and Plain…ish.

And if you ever wonder how the got its mouth mind-blowing flavour, it contains the mixture of onions, oil, herbs, fresh lemons and a kick of garlic.

The feel-good effect of PERi-PERi chillies

Eating spicy food gives a feel good effect for your body.

This would explain why you would feel happy after spending some time eating at Nando’s. The PERi-PERi chillies contain capsaicin which is responsible for the feel-good sensation causing your pupil to dilate and your metabolic rate to increase as you feel the rush of endorphins.

Apart from that, PERi-PERi is also rich in vitamins A, B and C.

To know more, check out their website at www.nandos.com.my

Nando's: The PERi-fect Dish Chicken Lovers Simply Adore
Nando’s Malaysia CEO Stephen Chow (second left) at Nando’s 20th year in Malaysia celebration at Aeon Mall Kuching Central.

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5 fast food chains we wish would come to Sarawak

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Sarawakians are known to be proud for our own local food but we also appreciate foreign flavours even – and in some cases, especially – if it comes in the form of fast food chains.

While Sarawak already enjoys KFC, McDonalds, Nando’s, Subway, Burger King and Pizza Hut, most of us want more.

Here are 5 fast food chains we wish would come to Sarawak:

  1. Domino’s Pizza

Although in February 2018, Domino’s Pizza became the largest pizza seller worldwide, it has yet come to Sarawak.

Now there are two pizza restaurant chains in Sarawak, Pizza Hut and Pezzo.

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2. In-N-Out Burger
For celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain who called our Sarawak laksa the breakfast of the gods, he called In-N-Out “the only fast food chain that I actually like, and think is reasonably good for the world.”

If Bourdain thought In-N-Out Burger was reasonably good for the world, it is good for us Sarawakians.

Their menu features three burger varieties; hamburger, cheeseburger and double-double (two patties and two slices of cheese).

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3. Jollibee

This Filipino fast food chain serves American style dishes such as burgers, spaghetti, chicken on top of some Filipino dishes.

Jollibee also offers a range of rice meals include Garlic Pepper Beef, Ultimate Burger Steak, All-day Garlic Bangus (milkfish) and Burger Steak.

As of April 2018, there are about 1,200 Jollibee outlets worldwide. Interestingly, the only Jollibee opened in Malaysia was closed down due to the 1997 financial crisis. Perhaps the next one will open in Sarawak?

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4. Dunkin’ Donuts

Sabah has Dunkin’ Donuts… so how come Sarawak doesn’t have one?

When it comes to doughnuts in Sarawak, we have to settle with local bakeries and Big Apple Donuts.

If we were to compare these two joints, Dunkin’ Donuts serve better coffee than Big Apple Donuts. What do you think?

5 fast food chains we wish would come to Sarawak
A piece of doughnut goes well with a cup of coffee. Credits: Pixabay.

5. 4Fingers Crispy Chicken

At 4Fingers Crispy Chicken, the food is only prepared when you order which is why you can taste the crispiness of the chickens right away.

They serve Korean-styled fried chicken, which is usually seasoned with spices both before and after being fried.

Another highlight of this food joint, is its kimslaw, a side dish made of kimchi and coleslaw.

As for the fries, you pick your own flavour such as kimchi or seaweed.

This Singapore fast food chain was only established few years ago in 2009.

Now it has expanded its business to Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia.

5 fast food chains we wish would come to Sarawak
4Fingers Crispy Chicken

Any fast food chains you wish would come to our shore? Let us know in the comment box.

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