Food Archives | Page 6 Of 12

3 things you might not know about Osborne crackers

Published on August 9, 2019

Lifestyle

Some Malaysians might not know the name Osborne cracker, but most would definitely recognise the shape and flavour of it.

This oval-shaped cracker is generally made from wheat flour, vegetable oil, sugar, corn starch, salt and glucose syrup.

Here are three facts you might not know about Osborne cracker:

3 things you might not know about Osborne crackers — Cap Ayam is one of the famous brands producing this cracker.

1.It has a royal origin, of sorts.

This humble piece of cracker has a history dating back to 1860.

According to The Huntley and Palmers Collection, the crackers were intended to be named after Queen Victoria.

Her Majesty declined to be associated with a commercial product but gracefully suggested that they could name the biscuit after her favourite home, Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

The cracker was one of the first semi-sweet varieties of biscuit to find mass favour in the 19th century.

Malaysians have many names for this cracker, including roti tawar, roti kapal and biskut kering.

In Sarawak specifically, the locals call it roti sebayan, biskut mayat, biskut pending and many more.

2.In the Krayan Highlands of North Kalimantan, they call it roti tasu and there is a historical reason behind it.

In the Krayan Highlands of North Kalimantan, Indonesia, the Lundayeh community call it roti tasu or dog crackers.

The reason behind this interesting name can be traced back during Indonesian-Malaysian confrontation in early 1960s.

Located near the border of Sarawak-Indonesia, the highlands was one of the hot spots for military operations such as Operation Claret.

British and Australian troops were carrying out secret missions while hiding out in the jungle.

Nonetheless, some local Indonesians knew about this and secretly helped the Commonwealth forces during the confrontation.

According to tour guide Alex Ballang, some of the locals even helped in sending rations to the forces.

“The troops had a pet dog and the locals noticed the soldiers were feeding the dog with Osborne crackers.”

Since then, the local Krayan residents started to called it roti tasu or dog crackers.

3.There are recipes using Osborne crackers for you to try at home.

Most would agree that the best way to enjoy Osborne crackers is to dip it in a hot drink. Some even eat it just like cereal or porridge, mixing it in their beverage before eating it with a spoon.

But did you know that there are a few recipes out there using Osborne crackers as its main ingredient?

The most common recipe is bubur roti Osborne or Osborne cracker porridge.

It is made from Osborne crackers, coconut milk, sago, pandan leaves, water and sugar.

But when it comes to the weirdest recipe found online, it is none other than Osborne goreng.

The crackers are stir-fried together with garlic, onion, egg and vegetables such as bean sprouts.

Do you have interesting names, recipes or stories behind the Osborne cracker? Let us know in the comment box.

5 things about tarap fruit of Borneo you wouldn’t learn in the classroom

Published on August 8, 2019

Lifestyle

Tarap is always on the list when comes to types of fruits you should try in Borneo.

Sometimes known as the cempedak of Borneo, this fruit usually shares the same fate with durian. It is commonly being banned from entering most hotels for its strong smell.

If you are not familiar with this fruit, here are five things you should know about tarap:

5 things about tarap fruit of Borneo you wouldn't learn in the classroom — It is also known as marang in the Philippines.

1.It is also known by many names.

Does the tarap fruit seem familiar but you’re not sure if you’ve tried it before? You may have heard it called by any of these other names: terap, marang, johey oak, green pedalai, madang or timadang.

The scientific name of tarap is Actocarpus odoratissimus, and it is actually a tree in the mulberry and fig family Moraceae.

2.It is found in Borneo, Palawan and Mindanao islands.

While it is famously found on the island of Borneo, this fruit is also native to the Palawan and Mindanao islands.

In the Philippines, the locals call it marang.

3.There are two other species of fruit similar to tarap.

The first fruit species that is similar to Actocarpus odoratissimus is Artocarpus sericarpus. It is also known as pedalai, gumihan or terap bulu.

Terap bulu does not have strong odour like tarap. As for its outer appearance, terap bulu is hairy and looks like a giant rambutan.

The second one is Artocarpus sarawakensis (pingan or mountain tarap). It is the same shape as the Artocarpus odoratissimus but it is orange in colour and has smaller kernel sections.

4.Once you open it, you need to eat the fruit really fast

Unlike durian, it does not fall to the ground when it is overripe. So farmers can harvest tarap when they are deemed a mature size and leave it to ripen.

The flesh is sweet and has a creamy texture.

Once opened, you need to eat the fruit immediately because it oxidizes fast and loses its flavour quickly.

This is also the reason why the commercialisation of this tropical fruit is limited. It has a very low shelf life.

5.The many uses of tarap fruit.

If you have the chance to visit Tarakan in North Kalimantan, Indonesia, give the city’s signature tarap juice and tarap layered cake a try.

The tarap layered cake is one of the city’s own original products. As for tarap juice, it is one of the must-try drinks in Tarakan.

You can actually make it at home using tarap, sugar, ice, water and condensed milk.

Besides the fruit, the peels were reported to be useful material for the removal of colouring agents.

Even the seeds are edible; just like jackfruit seeds they can be boiled or roasted and then eaten as snacks. Just like Actocarpus odoratissimus, terap bulu’s seeds are edible after boiling or roasting.

KajoPicks: 5 best foods to go with your beer at Kuching Food Fest 2019

Published on August 6, 2019

Travel

So by now, you might have seen all the reviews for Kuching Food Fest 2019. From the most popular foods, most popular ice-creams to the classic and best foods you should actually try.

But we, at KajoMag are going to share with you the type of food that actually matters to us – food that goes well with beer.

First of all, what kinds of foods are compatible with your brew? That actually depends on what kinds of beer you are having.

Generally, foods that digest well with your beer are barbecued meat (think Sabahan sinalau bakas) and fried salty foods.

According to Men’s Journal, cheese, sandwiches and pizza could go well with almost any beer. While chicken, seafood, pasta go well with light beer and fried foods should be paired with any brew which cleanse your palate like Stella Artois.

If you prefer your brew as dark as your soul like stout, be a carnivore and choose burgers, steak and roasted meats instead.

Some of the choices of beer offered at the Kuching Food Fest include Carlsberg, Asahi, Tiger, Royal Stout and various flavours of Somersby cider.

So here are our picks for five best foods to go with our Carlsberg Draught, Asahi and Somersby Blackberry Cider during Kuching Food Fest:

1.Thai Pork Barbecued at Stall No.211 (3 sticks for RM15)

KajoPicks: 5 best foods to go with your beer at Kuching Food Fest 2019 — Thai BBQ Pork Meat

If you have been to any night markets in Thailand and tried their barbecued pork, this is the closest thing you can get to it here.

Although Kuching Food Fest does not offer any Thai beers like Chang, this flavourful and tender barbecued pork is a champion because it goes well with any other beer.

The stall also offers other items on the menu such as garlic and cheese sausages. But take it from us; if you are planning to drink beer, the garlic sausage can leave a funny after-taste on your palate, so this is best eaten on another day.

2.Swedish Kurobuta Meatballs at Stall No.190 (6 balls for RM10)

Just by taking in the aroma, you can tell these Swedish meatballs are made from fresh ground pork because it gives off that warm smell of your mum cooking minced pork soup in the kitchen.

Surprisingly, the best pairing for Swedish Kurobuta Meatballs is Somersby Blackberry Cider.

So you might want to try other fruity ciders to go with it.

3.Sausages from Pinoy Lechon Baboy at Stall No.122 (1 stick with 3 sausages for RM10)

While the meatballs go well with cider, the pork sausages from Pinoy Lechon Baboy are sweet and the flavours tend to get lost with the sweetness of the ciders.

These sausages go best with punchy beers or lagers like Carlsberg and Asahi.

4.Takoyaki at Stall No.10 (One box for RM12.90)

Unlike most takoyaki which are filled with minced or diced octopus, this one has its legs poking out from the batter.

Plus, the best part of this snack is that the octopus is nicely cooked and not chewy. Choose this if you are looking something light to go with your beer.

5.Stuffed Chicken with Rice at Stall No.176 (One piece for RM8.50)

This food item is a random find at the festival and unexpectedly, it is compatible with beer.

It is made from chicken stuffed with rice. You can choose the original normal white rice and Malaysian favourite nasi lemak.

The marinade for the chicken is more on the sweet side and the rice is equally flavourful.

About Kuching Food Fest 2019

Kuching Food Festival or widely known as Kuching Food Fest is part of Kuching Festival, an annual event organised by Kuching South City Council (MBKS) to celebrate Kuching being elevated to city status on Aug 1, 1988.

This year the food fair happening from July 26 to Aug 16 is made up of 281 stalls selling a wide variety of food ranging from local, Japanese, Korean, Western Indian and Taiwanese cuisine.

While it might not be easy to find a seat due to the crowd, there are designated places for those having beer.

Do take note that some of the beer brands might run out sooner then you think, so you might want to go early.

Besides food, the festival also features nightly entertainment and a trade fair.

Have a taste of Sabahan cuisine at Little Sulap

Published on June 27, 2019

Travel

Delicious local food, excellent service, environmentally conscious, Insta-worthy setting and accessible location; these are all traits that describe Little Sulap in Kota Kinabalu.

Located at Jalan Dewan, the cafe is accessible even for tourists staying in the city centre area.

Have a taste of Sabahan cuisine at Little Sulap — A view of Little Sulap from its mezzanine floor.

Little Sulap’s unique menu

Firstly, thumbs up to Little Sulap for unique and creative names for its menu items.

One dish which consists of locally grown brown rice, fried crispy basung fish and turmeric sour soup is called Sumandak Godoot. “Sumandak” means young lady while “godoot” usually refers to someone who is a glutton in local Kadazandusun language. It’s great for those who get ‘hangry’ around mealtimes.

Another dish with an interesting name is Teruna Kesepian, which literally translates to ‘lonely young man’. The dish is similar to Sumandak Godoot except that it is served with fried chicken wings instead of fish.

So imagine telling the server, “I would like to have one Teruna Kesepian and two Sumandak Godoot, please.”

Both the fish and chicken are fried to perfection and the rice has a wonderful aroma. The turmeric soup might be a shocker for those who are not used to sourish food, but it is still palatable.

But the must-try dish for KajoMag at Little Sulap is a dish that befits its name, Original Sabahan. On top of the brown rice and fried chicken, you can enjoy a selection of two local veggies and tuhau. You cannot not have tuhau when it comes to trying out local Sabahan cuisine.

Don’t feel like having rice? Then try their ambuyat set. Similar to Sarawak’s linut, it is a porridge-like type of food made from sago.

If you don’t feel like eating local cuisine, tell them that you want “OhMyBalls!” It is a dish made of homemade meatballs topped with creamy black pepper gravy.

An environmentally conscious eatery

While the food is worth trying when visiting Kota Kinabalu, Little Sulap deserves another thumbs up for being environmentally conscious.

It does not use plastic straws but metal straws. Plus if you are looking for environmental-friendly straws, they also offer bamboo straws for sale. Buy and use them during your visit at Kota Kinabalu.

Before you leave Little Sulap, do not forget to strike a pose in front of Little Sulap. Its bright pink door definitely makes a good background for your Instagram photos.

5 things to know about Malaysian cake Apam Beras

Published on May 31, 2019

Lifestyle

In the Malay language, “apam” generally refers to any dessert with a fluffy texture. The batter can be made from either wheat or rice flour and then baked or steamed.

So there are plenty types of apam out there such as apam balik, apam gula apong and apam gula melaka.

However, one of the popular kinds is none other than apam beras which is made from rice.

Here are five things you need to know about Malaysian cake apam beras:

1.It is known by many names

Besides apam beras, it is also known as apam nasi. Sometimes people might also refer it as apam gebu (fluffy).

In Indonesia, it is simply called as kue apam or kue apem. Their version of apam beras is made of rice flour, coconut milk, yeast and palm sugar, served with grated coconut.

2.The basic ingredients are?

Speaking of ingredients, the basic things you need to make your apam beras at home are rice flour, yeast, water, sugar and some colouring (optional).

However, some people prefer to put in equal ratio of wheat flour and rice flour for the batter. This will make the cake denser than the ones using solely rice flour.

Once you mix everything together, another important step is to let it set for at least for three hours.

Then you can pour the batter into a small mould before steaming the apam beras for at least 15 minutes.

3.You can use leftover rice to make it

If you wandering how to make a dessert out of your leftover rice, apam beras is your answer.

The ingredients are pretty basic; two cups of leftover rice, two and half cups of water, one cup of sugar, two cups of wheat flour, two cups of rice flour and one packet of yeast.

The key step is to blend your rice with water in a blender before putting in the rest of the ingredients.

4.One trick to make apam beras fluffy is by putting in ENO.

With the beauty of internet, many tend to share tips and tricks, especially when cooking traditional recipes such as apam beras.

One of the tricks shared online is that in order to make your apam beras fluffier than usual, you should add in one packet of ENO. It is an over-the-counter antacid brand containing sodium bicarbonate and citric acid.

5 things to know about Malaysian cake Apam Beras — There are many types of apam in the world, which apam is your favourite?

5.There are other types of steamed rice cakes from other countries as well

Apam beras is essentially a steamed rice cake. Here in Asia, making a dessert out of rice is a common technique.

Besides Indonesia and Malaysia, there are other types of steamed rice cakes in other countries as well.

In Chinese communities, there are two types of steamed rice cakes, namely Huat Kueh (Fa Gao) and Bai Tang Gao.

Watch how to make Huat Kueh here.

Some Huat Kueh do not use rice or rice flour at all, only the wheat flour just like apam.

And just like apam, Huat Kueh comes in different types of flavours such as palm sugar, pandan and pumpkin.

Meanwhile for Bai Tang Gao, it traditionally uses uncooked rice, soaked overnight before blending it. Other ingredients are water, granulated sugar, water, salt and instant yeast.

Another similar cake to Bai Tang Gao is the Vietnamese Banh Bo. The ingredients for Banh Bo are exactly the same with Chinese Bai Tang Gao except that the Vietnamese rice cake sometimes uses coconut milk.

Watch how to make Bai Tang Gao here.

Do you have your own family recipe to make apam beras or apam nasi? Share with us in the comment box.

10 easy Korean dinner recipes you can try at home

Published on May 26, 2019

Lifestyle

With plenty of Korean grocery shops popping up around the world, it is becoming easier and easier to buy ingredients and whip up your own Korean recipes at home.

Korean cuisine is easily accepted in Asia since it is largely based on rice, vegetable and meats… unless you can’t stand spicy food. Speaking of which, there are plenty of non-spicy but still delicious Korean food for you to try.

The basic ingredients are usually kimchi, gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes), gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste), sesame oil, doenjang (fermented bean paste) and soy sauce.

For beginners out there, here are 10 easy Korean dinner recipes you can try at home:

1.Sundubu jjigae (Soft tofu stew)

The main ingredient for this Korean dinner recipe is freshly curdled soft tofu which has not been strained and pressed.

Other ingredients are mushroom, onion, vegetables such as spring onion with common seasoning like gochujang and gochugaru. You can turn this stew into a vegetarian dish or put in some seafood or meat.

Traditionally, soft tofu stew is cooked and served directly in a robust porcelain vessel. But if you don’t have that, you can always cook it in a pot.

Add in some kimchi and replace the soft tofu with cube tofu and you can turn it into a spicy kimchi stew.

Watch how to make it here.

2.Kimchi Bokumbap (Kimchi Fried Rice)

Fried rice is a favourite dish here in Asia especially in Southeast Asia. Plus, it is so easy to make since you can use leftover rice along with other ingredients.

As for this dish, add ingredients such as kimchi, egg, spam, radish, carrot and onions.

It is a perfect inexpensive dinner that can be whipped out in a short period of time.

Watch how to make it here.

10 easy Korean dinner recipes you can try at home — Kimchi Fried Rice.

3.Bibimbap

The key to making bibimbap for your Korean dinner at home is preparation. You mostly need to prepare different kinds of namul (sauteed and seasoned vegetables).

Among the basic vegetables served in a bibimbap are kimchi seasoned spinach, seasoned bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, green onions, radish and cucumber.

As for your protein source, a bibimbap is usually served with fried egg and slice beef.

Once you have all of these ingredients, it is time to serve them on top of a bowl of warm rice along with some gochujang.

Watch how to make it here.

4.Army stew

If you are not a big fan of processed meat, this is not for you. The main ingredients for this Korean stew are kimchi, Spam (or luncheon meat), bacon and hot dogs; basically all processed meat.

Why these ingredients? The story goes back to the Korean War in the 50s. When it ended, food was scarce in South Korea. Those who lived around US army bases started to make dishes of surplus foods from these army bases, whose rations typically comprised of processed meat.

Even with food aplenty today, this army stew continues to be popular among South Koreans.

One of the reasons is perhaps because they are easy to make. Basically just boil the broth and throw all the ingredients into it.

To season the broth, add in gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce and garlic. While the broth is boiling, put all of your processed meat together with some vegetables such as spring onion and cabbage.

Watch how to make it here.

5.Spicy Korean stir-fried pork

What makes this Korean dinner recipe easy to make is that you can prepare it ahead before cooking it.

You can marinate your pork the night before or early in the morning before you leave for work then stir-fry it once you reach home.

Or you can marinate your pork only for 30 minutes.

To make your marinade, throw in the basic ingredients such as gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, gochugaru, apple, onion and black pepper into the food processor.

Watch how to make it here.

6.Doenjang jjigae (Soybean paste soup)

So you can’t stand anything spicy? Here is a Korean dinner recipe which uses doenjang or soybean paste, instead of gochujang.

Boil it with available ingredients in your kitchen such as carrot, mushroom, radish, scallions and tofu.

But if you still need that hint of heat, add in a little bit of gochujang (red chilli paste).

Watch how to make it here.

7.Bulgogi

Originally, this dish is grilled on top of a griddle or a barbecue. However, you can always stir-fry it in a pan.

You can prepare the ingredients ahead of time by marinating thin slices of sirloin with soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and black pepper.

When you pan fry it, add in other ingredients such as scallions, ginger, onions and mushroom.

Watch how to make it here.

8.Dakgangjeong (Sweet crispy chicken)

Do you love fried chicken? Take your favourite dish up a notch with dakgangjeong.

Basically you need to season your chicken and cover it in starch before you deep fry it. After that, coat your deep fried chicken with seasoning sauce.

The seasoning sauce is mainly made from gochujang, garlic, ginger soy sauce, honey or corn syrup to give it the sweet taste.

Your fingers might be messy and sticky when eating this dish but if the seasoning sauce is made right, your dakgangjeong will definitely be finger-licking good.

Watch how to make it here.

9.Tangsuyuk (Sweet and sour pork)

There are two parts to making tangsuyuk for your Korean dinner at home; at first you need to deep-fry your pork and then you need to fry the meat again with your sauce.

To make your pork batter, you need to soak a mixture of potato and corn starch in water for several hours before draining the excess water. This traditional method of making the batter is to ensure the crispiness of your fried pork.

Meanwhile for the sweet and sour sauce, boil soy sauce, sugar, water with other vegetables and fruit like carrot, cucumber, onion, apple, pineapple and wood ear mushroom. To thicken the sauce, pour a little bit of starch slurry.

Watch how to make it here.

10.Mauentang (Spicy fish stew)

If you are looking for a new way to cook your fish, making a maeuntang or spicy fish stew is a good start.

Again, it is seasoned mainly with chilli powder, gochujang, garlic and soy sauce with fish as its main ingredient.

You can also add in some vegetables such as radish and watercress into your spicy fish stew.

Watch how to make it here.

4 simple Kajo-tested recipes with terong Dayak you can try at home

Published on May 24, 2019

Culture/Lifestyle

My mouth automatically waters just thinking about terong Dayak….

4 simple Kajo-tested recipes with terong Dayak you can try at home — The Borneo Sour Brinjal is a native vegetable in Sarawak

When you visit the local wet market, you will see a variety of local fruits and vegetables available here in Sarawak.

One of the most iconic (and pretty) vegetables is the terong Dayak, or Borneo sour brinjal.

As a native Sarawakian, I have a moral obligation to tell everyone that if they are going to buy some, it is better to get them from the market since they are fresh.

Since the Borneo sour brinjal is easy to get here, KajoMag thought it would be helpful to list down some of the popular ways to cook this iconic vegetable.

Simple yet tasty Terong Dayak Soup

This is perhaps the simplest yet most tasty way to really enjoy the natural tanginess of terong Dayak.

All you need to make this dish is just two bowls of water, two cloves of garlic and some anchovies (ikan pusu). As with many dishes, you will have to slice the brinjal into equal slices of eight, and wash away the seeds.

To start, add in the garlic, anchovies and some belacan (optional) into a pot of water.

Then, add your brinjals into the pot and boil until tender.

Terong Dayak with Ikan Salai (Smoked Fish)

The terong Dayak and smoked fish combo is one of the most popular ways to cook this iconic vegetable.

To prepare, cut the brinjal into eight slices again and discard the seeds.

Add in lemongrass and a couple cloves of garlic into a pot of water.

When the water starts to boil, add in the smoked fish and after about 15 minutes, add in the brinjal.

For extra flavour (and colour), you may add in some chillies or upa tepus.

Terong Dayak Asam Pedas

Since terong Dayak has a natural tangy taste, it complements spicy flavours really well.

Which is why we like to cook it with asam pedas.

To make this, the brinjal is cut into equal 1/8 slices and the seeds washed away.

Then, place three cloves of garlic, one shallot, one piece of chilli, lemongrass, some turmeric, about a tablespoon of asam jawa with a little splash of water into a blender and blend.

When the oil is hot, add in the blended mixture. Add in the brinjal first since it takes more time to cook.

Stir fry the brinjal for a while and then add two bowls of water. After about 10 minutes, add in the fish and salt to taste.

Stir fried terong Dayak

If you are not really a soup person, then this recipe is perfect for you.

Unlike the other recipes that require you to cut the brinjal into 8 slices, this one requires you to slice it thinly.

After prepping the brinjal, pound together three cloves of garlic, shallots, anchovies or dried shrimp, belacan and some chillies into a paste.

You may want to discard the seeds from the chilli as this dish can be quite spicy.

Stir fry the pounded paste and add in the brinjal with a little bit of water. Cook until soft. Add salt to taste but not too much as the paste is already quite salty on its own.

Tumpik, the Sarawak pancake

Published on May 10, 2019

Culture

Like most pancake dishes, whether they’re from Western or Eastern cuisines, tumpik is guaranteed to be both satisfying and delicious.

Tumpik KajoMag — Tumpik is a must-try dish when you are in Bintangor town.

The word “tumpik” generally means “pancake”. It is a Melanau dish made from sago flour called ‘lemantak’ and dried coconut flakes. It is commonly made at home for personal consumption.

This local pancake is an iconic dish from a small town called Bintangor, which is about half an hour drive from Sarikei.

So, if you find yourself visiting either towns, do make some time to look for this special type of pancake – you will not regret it.

In Bintangor, you can look for stall No. 15 located at the local wet market along Jalan Teo Kin Ngo which specialises in tumpik.

The stall is owned by Haji Abang Saini B Abg Bantin and customers can choose between two types of tumpik; original and the special.

The original is basically just plain sago pancake with dried coconut flakes.

As it has a neutral taste, it is usually eaten by dipping it in sweet gula apong or palm sugar syrup.

Since the pancake is baked and not fried, you will find that it is not oily and has a nice golden brown on the surface.

It is lightly fragrant and has a nice soft crunchy texture that soaks up the sweet sauce which complements it perfectly.

The special, on the other hand, is thicker than the original tumpik since it has prawn filling.

With a chewier texture, the prawn also gives the tumpik a tangy and savoury flavour. The special tumpik is also visually pleasing as it has a beautiful white-to-pink gradient in the middle.

While both types of tumpik can be eaten with the gula apong sauce, the tumpik with prawn already has a lovely taste, and so is better on its own.

If you are not the type to go for a big breakfast, you might want to try tumpik for a change.

While sago is definitely a healthy source of carbohydrates, this pancake will leave you feeling satisfied without feeling overly full.

The changing flavours of tumpik

While the plain and fish flavour ones are the more traditional types of tumpik that have been enjoyed by Sarawakians for the longest time, these days you can find people selling tumpik with various fillings such as chocolate or jam.

In Kuching, it is said that this type of modified versions can be found in the Matang area.

While I personally have not tried any of the modern versions yet – so watch this space for another post on these unconventional flavours – reactions to these sweet version are mixed, with some still preferring the traditional tumpik.

Pasar Batu Tarakan, where Indonesians shop for Malaysian products

Published on April 25, 2019

Travel

When visiting Indonesians want to buy souvenirs at Tarakan island in North Kalimantan, the place most people suggest is Pasar Batu Tarakan.

But for Malaysians, it might not be the most ideal place. This was because Pasar Batu Trakan sells mostly Malaysian products.

Most of these products were brought in from Tawau, Sabah which is a 40-minute plane ride or four-hour boat ride from Tarakan island.

Malaysian Milo, the most sought after item at Pasar Batu Tarakan

If you ever take a flight from Kuching to Pontianak, you might notice many Indonesians carrying Milo as their hand-carry items.

They found Malaysian Milo to be more delicious than the Indonesian-made one. Plus, it is thicker, less sweet but richer in cocoa flavour than theirs.

So Malaysians, do not be surprised if you can find Milo at every stall at Pasar Batu Tarakan.

They are sold in different weights as well as 3-in-1 versions, just as you would find them in Malaysian supermarkets.

Other Malaysian beverages sold at Pasar Batu Tarakan were Nespray milk, Old Town Coffee, Ovaltine, Quaker Oat and children’s milk Lactogen.

Speaking of oats, one of the hottest items at Pasar Bayu Tarakan is made-in-China Twinfish Oat Choco. However be careful, as this is supposedly the most counterfeited item in Malaysia. Its distributor Jie Cheng Hang Sdn Bhd claimed that there are over 16 brands of the similar product in Malaysia. And the one found at this souvenir market came from Malaysia.

Apart from Twinfish Oat Choco, Indonesians also love Malaysian Apollo cakes. A Malaysian favourite childhood snack, the market also sold plenty variety of Apollo cakes there.

So what do Malaysians buy at Pasar Batu Tarakan?

Although Malaysian products made up 90% of the items being sold at Pasar Batu Tarakan, it does not mean Malaysians cannot buy anything interesting from there.

You can buy affordable crackers (kerupuk) made from locally caught fish like ikan tipis and ikan bulu ayam.

If you are a coffee lover, you must take one packet of Kopi Malinau Equato. It is one of North Kalimantan’s very own robusta available in dark and medium roasted variety.

Pasar Batu Tarakan, where Indonesians shop for Malaysian products

A memorable dinner at Coffee Malabar Tarakan

Published on April 24, 2019

Travel

During my recent trip to North Kalimantan organised by WWF-Indonesia, I had the opportunity to spend a night in Tarakan.

The island of Tarakan is located in northern Borneo, just across the border from Sabah, Malaysia.

After enjoying our evening view at Pantai Amal while devouring countless numbers of crunchy fried shrimp and hard clams, I thought I had enough.

However, my friends convinced me to eat something or at least try something new. How often do I get to visit Indonesia, let alone Tarakan right?

We were then brought to Coffee Malabar Tarakan at Pamusian, Tarakan Tengah.

At a glance, it looked like a typical hispterish, Insta-worthy dining place. They had funny and interesting quotes about coffee on the wall, antique decorations, unique lighting and old doors for the ceiling. The patrons all seemed to be relaxed and enjoying themselves.

A memorable dinner at Coffee Malabar Tarakan — Coffee Malabar Tarakan

There were plenty of choices of Indonesian, western and fusion cuisines. Too many for me that I couldn’t decide what to have.

After few suggestions from my friends, I decided to give nasi gudeg a try. Without even asking any more details, I just left my taste buds and gastronomic experience in the hands of my new friends.

My first nasi gudeg at Coffee Malabar Tarakan

When my order finally arrived, the first thing I tried was the gudeg. Originally from Yogyakarta and Central Java, gudeg is made from young unripe jackfruit stewed for several hours with palm sugar and coconut milk.

So you can imagine my first thought was that it was sweet.

Some of the additional spices for gudeg are galangal, bay leaves, garlic, shallot, coriander seed and teak leaves. Teak leaves give it its reddish-brown colour, making it looked like stewed beef.

The nasi gudeg was also served with other side dishes such as opor ayam, telur pindang and krechek – all of which were new for me.

Let me start with opor ayam; it is basically chicken cooked in coconut milk. For Malaysians, imagine ayam masak lemak but with less ‘lemak’ or coconut milk.

Telur pindang looked like my favourite Chinese tea egg (where a boiled egg is cracked and cooked again in tea) but without the herbal fragrance. The telur pindang is boiled slowly in water mixed with salt, soy sauce, shallot skins, teak leaf and other aromatic spices.

Last but not least, my first ever nasi gudeg came with krechek. To be honest, I could finish all of my side dishes including the gudeg, but not the krechek.

When my friends asked what I thought about the taste? I honestly answered, “Unique.” For me, its almost-rubbery texture was unfamiliar hence making it unique. It is made from skin of a cattle, cooked in a coconut-milk based stew.

Glancing over at my friends’ orders, I thought ‘Dang, I should have ordered the Nasi Pecel’. It came with pecel, a salad dish made of cooked vegetables with peanut sauce, steamed rice and other side dishes.

There were other dishes on the menu as well such as Crispy Cheese Chicken Rice, sandwiches and burgers.

Sampling the different coffee beans from all over Indonesia at Coffee Malabar Tarakan

Coffee lovers would definitely love Coffee Malabar. You can choose your beans, which come from different parts of Indonesia.

Did you know that Indonesia was the fourth-largest coffee producer in the world in 2014? They have more than 20 varieties of arabica coffee being cultivated in the country.

Even if you are like me, who doesn’t like arabica in general due to its acidity, give Indonesian arabica a try. Their arabica coffee generally has low acidity compared to those from Central America and East Africa.

Coffee Malabar offered the choices of Luak, Bali Kintamani, Toraja Kalosi, Java, Aceh Gayo, Flores and Papua coffee beans.

Each came with descriptions of aftertaste, acidity, roasting and popularity levels.

I chose the Bali Kintamani; it was thick with a rich herbal aroma. It also had a slight citrus-y aftertaste.

There were plenty of other drinks as well and the one caught my attention was Iced-blended Avocado with Coffee.

As much as I wanted to be daring in my dining experience, I only had room for one and it was for nasi gudeg and its unique krechek.

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Food - Page 6

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About Kuching Food Fest 2019

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