Penang! (The Eating)

Sausages galore! Preview of what was to come that weekend:


Veggies at a market:


Pickled fruit at a market:


Fish at a market:


Candy at a market:



I just realized that you have been waiting for a Penang post for a while. And I have had a Penang post for a while! There's just one small problem...it isn't mine! Kathy wrote us an e-mail describing everything we ate, which was a good 50% of the trip. All I need to do is add my own pictures, and voila! A post. All text credit Kathy Houng:

Saturday

Nasi Lemak, Cendol, Rojak at Penang's Famous Teochew Cendol Shop

(Unfortunately not pictured!) Nasi lemak is rice cooked in coconut milk, with egg, ikan bilis (dried anchovies), and sambal (spicy chili sauce)

Cendol was the sweet "soup" with the green "noodles" with coconut milk, red bean, and shaved ice flavored with gula melacca:


The rojak sauce is a combo of belacan (shrimp paste), chili, sugar, and lime juice. I think our mix had some fried tofu in it:


Fried Oyster Pancake on Jalan Macalister


Nyona Food at Mama's on Abu Siti Lane


Kangkong sauteed with garlic:


Wild boar rendang:


Otak-otak (fish "mousse" with coconut milk, kefir lime leaves, and other herbs):


Lor bak (marinated minced pork in 5 spice powder rolled in thin crispy tofu skin, deep fried), perkut ikan (pickled fish innards), Jui Hoo Char (sauteed yambeans, shredded turnip, mushrooms, and cuttlefish):



Durian & Mangosteen on Jalan Macalister


Sunday

Char Koay Teow on Penang Road at Ho Ping Coffee Shop

A signature Penang dish! One of the last coffee shops that still uses the charcoal fire to cook the CKT. Most use gas stoves, but you lose out on the "smoky flavor":



Pork Rib Noodles on Kuala Kangsar Lane

Also known as "pai gu mien" in Mandarin. The spare ribs were SO tender and the rice noodles nice and "Q", an expression for noodles being really chewy and al-dente:


Asam Laksa at Air Itam Market


The soup is a fish stock complete with fish flakes, asam (tamarind, ah hah they are the same!!), lemongrass, gelengal (similar to ginger), and chili. Top it up with the thick rice noodles, ginger flower bud, onion, cucumber, lettuce, mint, chili, drizzle of Heh Koh (prawn sauce), and NOM.

And LOTS of the eternal favorite, kopi peng! (buying condensed milk for my coffee upon my return!)