Chempedak

Cempedak is one of my favourite fruits. I love them raw, I love them fried. Yesterday, a dear friend Wai Wai delivered a cempedak to my office. She did warn that the smell is extremely overpowering but I little did I know that it is that strong! I put it in our office pantry and we can all smell it from the reception he he.

Some more Wincy had the odesity to kutuk my cempedak :P

So I have fried cempedak for breakfast today before I went hiking - to 84 Hill again!! This time I made it for 44mins plus. Trying to get in below 40mins the next time.

I Made It!

I made it to 84 Hill! I think it is quite an achievement for me, someone who is not really fond of hiking. And never did I know that 84 Hill is so high up in the sky!

But having your friends there with you can really motivate you to never give up. To think that they are waiting upon your arrival. Ermm not to mention the highly sought after isotonic drink and char mee hoon, served at the pit stop. Doubly yummy!

It so happened that there was a Penang Hill Hiking Competition on the very same day and I was surprised at the number of people who joined the competition! From kids at the age of maybe 5 or 6 to uncles and aunties in their 70s maybe. Or older. That is why I have to keep on moving up up up though my body wants me to go down down down wishing I never should have woken up that morning to purposely torture my body!

I wish I have four lubang hidung though to memudahkan pernafasan.

And I want to do it again!

I'm Hungry!

Contrary to the popular belief, never did I think that Penang is a food haven for everyone. For those who can only consume halal food, you are left with not much choices other than the mamak food, which you can practically get it wherever you are from, judging from the speed of growth of the mamak restaurant businesses of late.

It is hard having to decide what to eat come lunch hour! So much that I like mamak food, I don't think it is wise for me to eat nasi kandar everyday. I did that last year while working in KL. Look what happened to my body. And I don't think I ever regain a normal metabolism momentum after that. Anyways, it is funny now, how my current colleagues will turn to look at me when someone wonders what's for lunch. It's like, wow, I almost feel like a dietitian to have to decide what my friends take for their meals.

But yeah, I do admit there are some pretty kicking mamak food stalls lying around Penang (tips: don't fall for the proper restaurant-y like look, confirm food dia tak sedap. Go for the most shabby and dodgy stall). The one yang duduk sebelah longkang, parit, smelly and with big furry rats jugak yang sangat menyelerakan. Nyum!! Here are some of the best nasik kandar ever: -

1) Nasi Kandar Kampung Melayu (bawah flat) - walaupon semua lauk dia kari kaler oren, tapi memang terangkat habis lah. Try take the beef with boiled egg. The kari memang rasa lain macam yang takkan dapat dirasai kat mana-mana mamak la. Fuhh...

2) Nasi Kandar Line Clear (Penang Road) - ni pon sedap jugak nih. Yang malasnya nak pegi sana is because susah betul nak park kat situ. But then, it is Penang. I seldom eat here but I know the food is quite good. And I know I am not the only one to say this.

3) Nasi Kandar Rifle Range (Pdg Tembak, near Blok G) - This is another mamak stall that serves nasik kandar of which the taste is really rare and of its own. The ayam masak merah is the best, coupled with nasi tomato. Marvellousss.

4) Nasi Kandar Shariff (Gelugor, opp. 7-11) - Love the ayam goreng! Rangup nyerrrr

5) Nasi Kandar Cargas (Bayan Lepas town) - This one always have a verrry long queue no matter what the time is. But then again this stall is only open until 2pm or so. This stall serves more to Malay-style cooking and dishes but the owner looks like a mamak so maybe a mix of both la kot.

I think that is all laa kot. I wish I can put in a more varied food and dishes in the list but mamak food is what Penang is famous for.

I am hungry!!!