Feastication IV. The Art of Cake Layering

Kek Lapis Sarawak or its translation, Sarawak Layered Cake.
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If you said you have seen layered cake, you have not seen enough just yet. These cakes you see above are a well known art by cake bakers from Sarawak, Borneo. I would say, its the Art of Constructing & deConstructing Layered Cake. They are not only beautiful, but deliciously moist and flavorful. These are only a few of many you can see during festive seasons all across Sarawak, Malaysia.

I have experienced the painstaking detail (to me) and its tedious process of making this type of cake. Mixing the ingredients, eggs, lots of them, butter, sugar, flour, then comes the spices or color, depending on what you will flavor your cake. The lists are endless. Then come layering it, one at a time making sure the cake is not over baked or over steamed. yes, some of the recipes requires only steaming. yummm...

Now, the even more creative professional bakers made it even more complicated, like one you see above. As for me? I just layered them plain. Nothing special at all. Blah! They, the professional Kek Lapis bakers, will be constructing it like as if they would weave a mat. I bet Martha Stewart have not seen anything like this yet!:) Making these cakes was, I think a few baking experience that I have not done for a long while.

Those in the pictures above and below, no, I did not make those. These pictures are taken from one of my sister's house during the Eid. I have to ask my sister what they named these cakes, yes, they have names, as creative as the cake itself. All of them, are oh so yummy! Just watch your weight as these cakes do not skim out on ingredients. No, M'am! Eat at your own risk as you can never stop. These are serious cakes! Seriously!:)


Layered cakes were first introduced to Sarawak by the Indonesian who layered their cake with ground spices, which was introduced to the Indonesian by the Dutch during its colony. Spekkoek. A Thousand Layer Spice Cake.

BananaRama- I run for bananas!

Pictured above are Pisang Keling or Pisang Rastali.

Pisang. Banana in English. These are fruits that most love and some may not like. I love, love bananas. I started to learn the different names when I was a "banana runner" for my late Great grandmother. She would ask me to run to the small stall to get bananas just for her. Hmm...I love running errands for my mom, running back and forth just for for fun of it. As a 7-8 year old, what the heck. My mom said to obey the elders so I did. In my mind, I would get my "fruitful" reward:)

My great grandmother says bananas. I run! To the stall of course. She would say, "Get me Pisang Madu" - Honey Banana, a small pinky finger sized banana that is super sweet. As sweet as honey. Hence the name. Or Pisang Keling (Pisang Rastali in Bahasa Melayu ) a dark dotted banana which is almost with a slight tartness to it, my other favorite, or Pisang Embun (Embun is Dew in Malay) the closest to most banana species sold in most supermarkets around the world. Then there is Pisang Otel (Pisang Lemak Manis in B. Melayu with English direct translation as Creamy & Sweet Banana) my true favorite. It's small & sweet. Smooth yellow skin, when ripe with a green tip and almost has its own sweet fragrance.

Pisang Pisang. This banana mostly use for baking, is very good for Cekodok Pisang - fried banana dumpling. Made with just flour, mashed banana & a pinch of salt fried to perfection & Lepat Pisang - a banana kueh, made with mashed ripe banana with flour and a bit sugar and sometimes with grated coconut, wrapped in banana leaves, steamed till cooked. Yes, Add a pinch of salt to enhance the sweetness of this fruit.

Pisang Nangka - A banana species that taste like that of Nangka - Jackfruit. Interesting enough. Pisang Tandok (Plantain) - Tandok/Tanduk is Horn in Malay as most of these bananas are the size of a water buffalo horns. It is mainly use for cooking, frying will be best. Fried ripe plantain, where its sugar caramelized when fried, oozing through the crunchy fried flour batter. You can see small stalls selling these in the afternoon near roadsides and do ask for Pisang Goreng (Fried Banana.)
Pisang Mas - Sweet but not as good as Pisang Otel to my taste bud, also known as Baby Banana in most Western supermarkets.
Pisang Kapok (Pisang Kapas in B Melayu & kapas is cotton in Malay) Like that of Plantain and Pisang Pisang, this is best for cooking and be made into fried banana.

There are about 9 names of bananas that I knew and can differentiate when I run banana errands for my late great grandmother. I thank her for this knowledge she had given me, yet I know, even after all these errands, she do not like me much. I assumed of my mischievousness :)
Pictured above are Pisang Otel or Pisang Lemak Manis.

Feastication III: Fruits & more Food.

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Day 11th. Eid 9th day. Thursday. I was browsing real fast yesterday at the Market when I spotted these. Chempedak. So I thought. Opened them up and oh how I cannot wait to get my hands on these big succulent fruit! Sweet and juicy! hmm..its a bit different but who cares. Its good! Shove it to my sisters face to let her get a taste. she is not too keen on chempedak unless its made into a fritter. Fritter or fresh, I am diggin' it! She got a taste and said, " its Cenangka. A mixture of Cempedak and Nangka."
"Oof..whaaaa?!Wahaaaat?! hmm..oh yummm....whatever! its good anyway you name it " The aroma of both this super sweet fruit was as mix as the breed. Cempedak is known to be mushy but sweet and Nangka, very sweet and crunchy. a mix even made it better:) I cannot complain. How do I describe this fruit? It almost have an aroma of Mango when its ripe with an almost a mix of vanilla and mango. The fruit itself are amazing. How it holds all those fruit within a fruit and what I meant is that the fruit holds the fleshy (the part that you eat) covered seeds in a casing that should be an inspiration for most fragile product packaging design. Click on the image for a more detail picture and drool:)

Brunch at Sri Shan Curry & Such.
This place screams Yummy Good Food! Indian food to be exact. Ahhh...Putu Mayam. My, how I long for this dessert cum breakfast food:) Clean noodle created from rice flour steamed and sprikled with fresh grated coconut and sugar. Oh, how my sweet palette dance with glee. It is such a delectable dessert. Next come Vadai. A fritter made of Dhal - yellow lentilof the legume family, mixed with chilli, cumin, onion and other goodness and spices.

Then, Thosai or Dosai to some. A flat almost crispy yet soft bread served with coconut chutney and curry. My father & I went with the plain. My mother didn't come along as she is fasting today. Bummer:( My sister with something that sounds more interesting than mine. Dosai with Planta (margarine) and sugar. Then my other sister, Dosai Vege. What? did I miss all the goodness? Those two are so good! Anyone who orders Dosai, do the Vege and Planta & Sugar. Oh so good! Even dipped with Curry! Fish Curry to be exact. Man...I miss so much all these time.Wash this all down with Teh Tarik! hmmm...should I write more or let you discover this yourself. This place offers more than what I wrote above.

Sri Shan Curry & Such
No. 383, Persiaran Ban Hock,
93100 Kuching
Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: 6082-244118, 6082-421008

Feastication II: Food & more food!

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Day 10th. Eid 8th day. Wednesday. Its Mee Jawa time. One of my many favorite noodle. How it came to be a well known Sarawak or Kuching dish to be exact, I have to find out more, but I know the source to this noodle comes from Island of Java, hence the name " Mee Jawa - Java Noodle." Indonesian who had resided in Borneo, brought with them this wonderful sweet, savory and a bit on a spicy note to its gravy.

How should I describe more of this unbelievable mixture of Noodle meet Satay? Its yellow noodle with boiled eggs, Chinese celery, sliced fried tofu, fried onion, sliced chillies as garnishing & gravy to die for! The gravy made with base of sweet potatoes or yam, to some part of the globe, that makes this gravy different from most. It is a little bit spicy with a slight light curry taste but not crazy too spicy to kill your appetite for this delicious sweet & savory, exotic dish. Topped it with Satay, a sweet & savory, spiced, herbed, grilled marinated chicken or beef on a stick or both and you can have them on the side, if you like. When I said, topped with satay, meaning, the satay sauce (peanut sauce) goes with it, mixed with the Mee Jawa gravy. Oh yummm..should I describe more or should you get it yourself?

My favorite place and also to most who knows this is one is Syn Nam Hui on Main Bazaar, in Kuching. Across Kuching Waterfront close to the Big Chinese Temple. You won't miss it. You do have to be patient as it is the best in town, unless if anyone else knows of one that I may not.

Satay is serve here and this goes fast and you too have to be quick to order! Patience is key to happy tummy! This place is happening! I really think this is the place my friend Jean was saying:) Thanks Jean:)

My Eid "Feastication" at Home, Oct 2008.

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My excitement started the day I got my ticket to fly home. That was about 1 month before my 24hrs flight to Malaysia. uuurgh..that's the only part I do not like. long flights, but my anticipation of being back home overpowered my tiredness.

Day 1. touchdown in KUL at 11.47pm Sept 28th. My 5th sister startled me from behind at the luggage area covering my tired eyes. Slept only a few hours from Friday night. Too excited to sleep. I can't help tearing happy tears seeing very familiar face. Gave her a good hug.

Got at her place, showered, rest up a bit before leaving early morning at 7am, left for KL to do some document before my real vacation.

Day 2. Left for Kuching the next day the eve of Eid, the day all Muslims celebrate the holy month of Shawal after the holy month of Ramadhan, where fasting is observed, from sun up to sun down.

Oh, how I miss the air, the humidity, the aroma of food cooked for the feast in the morning. Mmmmmm.

Day 3. Eid 1st day. Wednesday.
Family & Food. There's emotion, happiness & sadness all in one on this very day. meeting them after so long was truly an event for me to absorb and observe.

Day 4. Eid 2nd day. Thursday.
Family, Friends, Food. Met my old classmates, Jean, Angela and Rita. Oh how good they looked! Reminiscing the high school days! Then my closest friend and ex colleague, June came, and I went to my first house visit, an old colleague, Azlan, a fellow schoolmate too!

Day 5. Eid 3rd day. Friday.
My 2nd sister's housewarming. Food prep - Lontong. That was one of the best I've tasted. More family! more FOOD! No images taken as I am helping prep & absorbing my many, many food experience that I forgot my camera!

Day 6. Eid 4th day. Saturday.
Aaaaah...a breather. Had KFC. yup..I got KFC. just because:) they have the new lime flavor. yumm. with my 7th sister for a haircut. Ooof! the hairdresser is not listening, doing his thing!

Then at nite, more FOOD!!! this time, the ones that I have longed for. the ordinary food, nothing fancy, but dang good! Dabei - an olive like fruit, oh so good, so creamy almost taste like avacado and Engkalak - a pinkish, soft flesh fruit , both prepared with just pouring hot boiled water, when soft, drained and sprinkled with salt. Oh so good! Both only found in Borneo. Had salted fish with hot rice. Heaven! Sorry, no images here as I am so engrossed with Food I have with my mom!

Day 7. Eid 5th day. Sunday.

Sunday Market! my favorite day when I got to go to the local Farmers market.Pictured here from L to R, Top to bottom are Kedondong, Purple Yam, Okra (aka lady finger), Tapioca, buah kepayang (local only to Borneo), fresh Bamboo shoot, Asam Macang, Kacang Botol, Red chillies, Rozelle, Engkalak, Papaya, More chilies, Curry & Kefir Lime leaves and Jering. Click on the images for a bigger view. Drool:).


Had Mee Kari ( Curry Noodle) for breakfast! yes, breakfast! went with Mom, my eldest sister, my three brother-in-laws at Kaya and Toast. I must say, that is very good Mee Kari! oh yes, with Teh Tarik.

Got back to help my 2nd sister get ready for another open house. Sorry, no images (which I should have taken as its Laksa Kedah made by my 7th sis! ) here either as I was helping to prep for her big day and also heading out after all is set with my girlfriends..Man..my schedule is so tight!
Then off I go. My girlfriends, Idah, Has and Elon picked me up for my other friend Madinah's for the Eid visit. Upon arrival, all of us became high school girls again! screaming and giggling talking about old times.

It is also today, at night, on my full swing schedule, that I had my first Durian Feast after 3 long years! ooohh...come to Mama!

The owner of a tree who bears this fruit, my eldest sister's husband's buddy, Zul. I am not shy but JUMP to the invitation with just one word. DURIAN. Thank you Zul, for those delicious Durian and Rambutan!

I managed to have a taste of these sweet Rambutan at his house.

Day 8th. Eid 6th day. Monday.
Another personal thing I need to do.
Lunch at my 6th sister's place. Man, its Jering, Kacang Botol ( direct translation, Bottle Nut - yet it doesn't look any like a bottle) Oooh...tiger prawns, Yam leaves with another rare family eggplant, Terung Asam or Terung Dayak as we called it, which I only saw and found in Borneo. Pictured here from L to R, Top t bottom, are Sambal Udang, Sambal Halia with Jering & Kacang Botol, Engkalak with sprinkled salt..yummm, Sayur Keladi, Udang Galah ( Tiger Prawn), Pisang Otel aka Lemak Manis, Mussel, Ikan Tongkol (local Tuna) with Terung Asam and more Jering.

Well, actually, its Durian again, but I am having dessert before main meal:)

Day 9th. Eid 7th day. Tuesday.
Pick up my renewed passport. Bought and made eyeglasses and lunch - Mee Kolok* - oh so good!, ABC** [air batu campur] and CucurUdang*** (shrimp fritter)!

Taken with my eldest sister's blackberry camera phone and in her own words. -
Local breakfast fare - the infamous kolok mee, authentically Sarawak Chinese dish, which some Singaporeans don't mind to fly home with kilos of them. Oh, of course to other overseas destinations where there are diaspora of Sarawakians, regardless of their race.
More of this will continue in another blog entry.

Right now as I am writing, its Laksa Sarawak at my 6th sister's place for another dinner. Tell me if this is not feastication!:) Pictured here are Udang Galah; in row btm to top, cilantro, kalamansi lime, small shrimp, sprouts, shredded chicken, jullienne egg omellette ; Laksa Sarawak Gravy, on other serving plates; Lamb with cumin, more buttered shrimp, and potatoes. Drooling yet?

My trip didn't end there just yet. To be continued...

Petronas Raya (Eid) Ad - The Seven Sons

First time when I saw this Ad, I was laughing so hard that I was literally crying! This Ad was on Malaysia airwaves during the Eid, a celebration after the fasting month of Ramadhan, about the love of seven sons who would go all the way to not hurt their mother's feeling, following the sayings, "For Heaven lies at a mother's feet."



I will be breaking down the shots and you will understand why. Kudos to the brains behind this Ad.

- “For Heaven lies at a mother’s feet."

Note: 1 catty is equivalent to 1.323 lb or 600 gms (*Catty is the English word for a traditional Chinese unit of mass called a jīn)

Petronas Merdeka Ad 2008

Petronas never failed to make me laugh and cry at the same time in one Ad. Enjoy!