Restaurant Orange, Crab burger and Crab Maggie at Wakaf Che Yeh

After the walkabout of Wakaf Che Yeh in Kota Bharu, my cousin, my friends from Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia (the participants of Jom Jelajah Koperasi Kelantan in June 2014) and I were attracted to the banner “Jom pakat try Maggie Ketam, sekali try teringat sokmo” (Let’s all try Crab Maggie, once you try you will always remember). That was how I was introduced to Restaurant Orange, Crab burger and also Crab Maggie.

Restaurant Orange is situated along the main road of Jalan Kuala Krai, Wakaf Che Yeh, not far from Old Town White Coffee Kopitiam and Holiday Villa Hotel and Suites Kota Bharu. The restaurant is an open air restaurant that can accommodate about 100 diners. The walls and pillars are painted orange in conjunction with the name Orange.

Besides the normal menu of rice dishes, noodles, fishes, meats and vegetables, there are also stalls that sell specialty foods such as Keropok Lekor, Fish Crackers (Keropok Kering) Mee Celup, Mee Combo special, Honey Chicken Rice (Nasi Ayam Madu), Eel Soup (Sup Belut), Mee Basah and varieties of burgers.  What attracted Awang, my Brunei friend, and I are the Crab kiosk that offers Crab Maggie (Maggie Ketam), 3 flavored Crab (Ketam 3 Rasa), Pepper Crab (Paprika Ketam), Chili Crab (Ketam Masak Merah), Ketam Singgang and Black-peppered Crab. He decided to try the Maggie Ketam. My choice was just Yellow noodle soup, nothing worth bragging. I am sticking to my diet that no heavy meal after 10.00pm. So far, so good!!

In the meantime, he ordered the Soft Shelled Crab Burger which arrived 10 minutes later. It looked very appetizing with a generous amount of mayonnaise, chili sauce and BBQ sauce on the burger and on top of the roasted sesame bun. For a balanced meal, a few shredded of lettuces were placed inside the bun and a few leaves as side items. After watching Awang gobbled the Crab burger within 5 minutes and two thumbs up sign from him, I knew that I must go on a quest for a Crab Burger in the Klang Valley, closer to home. 

  

Ten minutes later, the star dish Crab Maggie was ready. In the bowl, there were three prawns and 1 ½ huge crabs complete with its shells and claws. The price RM 30.00 is worth it. For light eaters, two or three people can share this bowl of Crab Maggie. 

My cousin gave a tip to eat the Crab Maggie – eat the noodle first before it thickens. Crab claw cracker is also available to extract the cooked crab meat inside the claw.

This time I tasted the noodles and its soup. The Maggie noodles were springy as it should be. It was perfect timing between cooking in the Curry broth and serving the Crab Maggie. Well done, Chef!! I really liked the well-balanced taste of its broth with its spicy crushed Bird’s eye chili (Cili padi) and coarsely chopped red chili (Cili hidup), fragrant yellow Bombay onions, aromatic coriander leaf (daun ketumbar), sauteed mustard leaf (sawi hijau) and a sprinkle of thinly sliced spring onion (daun bawang).

She told us that there are some other restaurants that sell Crab Maggie

1. Alemy Maggie Ketam at Bangunan MDPP, Jalan Pasir Putih, Cherang Ruku, Pasir Putih. Tel: 019-958 4657, 012-952 4657 Open daily 5.00pm – 2.00am
2. D’SyaZ Café Maggi Ketam at Jalan Pantai Cahaya Bulan, Kota Bharu Tel: 013-943 5050 (Kak Zah), 019-962 5390 (Abe Di), Open daily 4.00pm – 3.00am
3. D’Lah Maggi Ketam at Hadapan Kem Kijang, Jalan Pauh Sembilan, Bachok Tel: 017-909 6421
4. Nick Café Maggi Ketam at Jalan Tok Hakim, Kota Bharu
5. Relas Café Maggi Ketam at Kg Kutan, Pasir Pekan
6. Indra Tomyam at Kampung Pasir Pekan. Abang Ju 017-887 4702 Open daily 1.30pm – 1.30am

KCC1M Terengganu - Terengganu's mouthwatering snacks

This is the continuation of the article titled “KCC1M Terengganu - Sumptuous array of Terengganu’s food” dated 7 July 2013 which is mainly about the hearty food such as Nasi Dagang, Nasi Kerabu and Masak Singgang, with some intermission of the traditional snacks of boiled sweet potatoes, fried oyster mushroom, glutinous rice with fresh mango and Nasi Pulut Gaul Nyior at Peladang Setiu Agro Resort.

This time, I will highlight the snacks of Terengganu. Let me start with the ever-popular Kerepok Lekor, which is readily available anywhere in Malaysia. But of course, the tastier Keropok Lekor comes from Terengganu, found in a proper restaurant or small stall along the roadside that also sells Satar, salted fish and fish crackers.

Keropok Lekor is actually made from processed fish meat, preferable from ikan tamban or ikan selayang or sardine fish due to its sweetness, mixed with salt and sago flour. This mixture is then kneaded into a dough and hand rolled into sausage-shaped around 6 to 10 inches long and immediately boiled.

Hand rolled the dough of Keropok Lekor

The whitish Keropok Lekor with less fish meat

These Keropok Lekor have more fish meat

There are three types of Keropok Lekor; boiled chewy ones, fried chewy ones and sun dried fried ones, all best eaten dipped in chilli sauce. If you don’t like the fishy smell, then it is better to eat the deep fried ones because the boiled ones will have some fishy smell when they are no longer hot.

The thin vs fat deep fried Keropok Lekor

Satar from Terengganu differs from the ones from Kelantan; the latter is made kangkung or water spinach mixed with the normal fish meat, ginger paste and freshly grated coconut. The Terengganu Satar is a bit spicy with finely sliced birds’ eye chilli mixed together with the other concoctions. Whether it is Satar Terengganu or Kelantan, the smell is unbelievable when you remove the slightly scorched banana leaves. The little pyramid of Satars has to be grilled over medium charcoal fire, giving it a smoky fragrance and the texture will be soft and flaky. It is best eaten hot from the grill. Whenever I want to take the Satars home to Shah Alam, I have to take the cooked one, immediately placed them in the refrigerator and will oven-grilled, not fried, each and every time I want to eat the yummy Satar. My advice to all Satar lovers, the Satar in Kuala Lumpur and anywhere outside Terengganu lacks the fish meat and uses more sago flour, hence it loses the oomph factor!! 

 

Me and Zulfa with our Satar bamboo skewer!!

Satar dipped in chilli sauce

Otak-otak is literary brain-brain, this savory snack somewhat resembles brains; being reddish-orange, soft and mushy. The well-known ones are the Otak-Otak Nyonya and Otak-otak Kempas, the former is steamed as a cake in a daun pandan or screwpine leaf whereas the latter and is wrapped up as a thin slice using the coconut leaf and grilled over a slow charcoal fire, giving it a drier texture with a more distinct smoky fish aroma.

 

Otak-otak Nyonya is simply delicious!

Filling the otak-otak in a coconut leaf

Grilling the otak-otak over a slow charcoal fire

The grilled otak-otak

Enough of these fish-based snacks; it’s time for Sekaya Telur Terengganu, a steamed egg pudding. Here’s the recipe …

Ingredients

1 big chunk of Gula Melaka or palm sugar

½ cup water

12 grade B eggs

200ml coconut milk

1 or 2 tablespoon Tepung Jagung or Corn Flour (optional. Just to the thicken the mixture)

Methods

Boiled the water, placed the palm sugar in the boiling water until it is completely dissolved

Sieved the liquefied palm sugar and set it aside to cool down.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs.

Pour the coconut milk, corn flour (optional) and palm sugar in the said bowl and mix thoroughly.

Sieved the egg custard and pour in a 7-inch square baking pan.

Steamed the custard for 40 minutes until 1 hour or until a fork inserted near the center comes out clean.

Let the baking pan cool on the wire racks before refrigerated

Best served chilled

The brownish Sekaya Telur at Restoran Kuah Singgang

Another weird-name Terengganu dessert is Lompat Tikam which literally means to jump and stab. Actually the name implies the rise and ready to start the day after eating this dessert. This sweet and cold dessert comprises two main layers, the green part underneath and the white part on top. A generous helping of coconut palm syrup compliments the sweetness of Lompat Tikam.

Lompat Tikam at Warung Otak-Otak Che Wan, Kemaman

Like the “Save the Best for Last” expression, Laksam has my double thumbs up for the best local delicacy in Terengganu. It is a delightful yet simple rice noodle dish with mackerel or sardine fish gravy. The noodle is made from rice or wheat flour, steamed and rolled up, like chee cheong fun and sliced before eating. The gravy is made from fish meat which is boiled, pureed and later mixed with coconut milk. It is served with condiments such bean sprout, long bean, cucumber, bunga kantan or ginger flower, daun kesum or laksa leaves and other local herbs. Laksam Terengganu is different than the famous Penang Assam Laksa, Laksa Sarawak, Nyonya Laksa and any other kind of laksa from the other states in Malaysia.

Laksam at Laman Polo, Terengganu Equestrian Resort

If you wish to venture on a special tailored-made Terengganu Food Heritage Trail package, do contact me – Wan – at 03-2260 3667 / 4667 or email leisureincentivetours@gmail.com for more information.

To all my family and Muslim friends, Happy Fasting for the Ramadan 2013 month! For all my readers, have a nice day and remember “There is no love sincerer than the love for food” – George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman

KCC1M Terengganu - Sumptuous array of Terengganu food

For the Visit Malaysia 2014, instead of taking the normal tour of the numerous places of interest in various parts of Malaysia, you must venture on a gastronomical journey of each state. Join me and discover the many culinary delights of Terengganu, complete with its recipe. Thanks to Gaya Travel Magazine and Tourism Malaysia Terengganu for the invitation for the KCC1M “Kembara Cuti-Cuti 1 Malaysia” from 17 – 20 June 2013.

Let me start with the ever popular rice-based dishes such as simple Nasi Dagang and healthy Nasi Kerabu. The name Nasi Dagang derives from the word Dagang which means travelling from one place to another, in those days it mainly involved trading trips. During such trips, the traders packed along the Nasi Dagang to be eaten along the way. It must be simple to prepare but yet nourishing! This dish is made by steaming the Nasi Dagang rice or a mixture of regular and glutinuous rice in a coconut milk over low heat. The trick is the method of steaming. Initially, the rice is steamed for 20 to 25 minutes or until half-cooked. Next, stir in the thin coconut milk and continue steaming for 15 minutes until the rice is nearly cooked. Lastly, stir a combination of thick coconut milk, shallots, garlic, ginger (these 3 ingredients are all sliced finely), fenugreek seeds or halba and a pinch of salt into the cooked rice and let it steam once more for 10 to 15 minutes or until the rice is properly cooked. Nasi Dagang is usually eaten with side dishes of tuna curry or kari ikan tonggol and pickled cucumbers and carrots

 

Nasi Dagang Terengganu rice sold at Pasar Payang

Nasi Dagang rice in the neighbouring state of Kelantan is special reddish brown glutinous rice

Nasi Dagang Terengganu

Compare to Nasi Dagang, preparing Nasi Kerabu is more complicated, with its condiments of Sambal Ikan, Kuah Sambal and Ulam-ulam. The rice with 1 stalk of lemongrass and permitted blue food coloring is cooked like ordinary rice. For Sambal Ikan, pound the onion shallots, ginger, lemongrass, black pepper and grilled mackerel or ikan kembung panggang until fine. Mix the pounded ingredients with grated coconut and cook over low heat, stirring all the time until it dries. As for the Kuah Sambal, pound the dried chilli, onion shallots, garlic, shrimp paste (slightly roasted) and ginger. In the meantime, simmer the coconut milk until it produces a thin layer of oil, indicating that it is properly cooked. After which, you add the pounded ingredients, lemongrass, brown sugar and dried tamarind into the cooked coconut milk and simmer until it thickens and it is ready to be served. The normal Ulam-ulam or Salad side dish used is long bean, cucumber, laksa leaves or daun kesum, cabbage and ginger flower or bunga kantan, all these condiments are sliced finely and immediately seasoned with a pinch of salt to retain its freshness. Nasi Kerabu can also be eaten with raw bean sprouts, fried fish crackers, roasted meat, fried fish, salted eggs and sambal belacan – the choices are yours!

Nasi Kerabu served at Peladang Setiu Agro Resort is simply the best!

I need to side track a bit … a special mention of Peladang Setiu Agro Resort, with its agrotourism concept, has the best selection of authentic traditional Terengganu cuisines, whether for tea break, dinner and breakfast. The local Mak Ciks prepare the meals with fresh vegetable and herbs plucked from the Resort’s Vegetables and Herbal Garden, delicious fried mushroom from its Oyster Mushroom Project and delicious mutton curry from its Goat Livestock Project. Seasonal fruits, from its Fruit Orchard, such as durian, dokong, limes, rambutan, mangosteen, jackfruits and others are available in abundant at every meals.

Boiled sweet potato and tapioca served with chilled anchovies at Peladang Setiu Agro Resort is a reminder of the Japanese Occupation in Malaya !

 

Huge chunky fried oyster mushroom at Peladang Setiu Agro Resort is out of this world!

Fresh mango with steamed glutinous rice and coconut milk (plenty of it) at Peladang Setiu Agro Resort will make your day !

 

This is Nasi Pulut Gaul Nyior or simply glutinous rice eaten with grated young coconut with salted fish at Peladang Setiu Agro Resort is a must try !

I prefer this Nasi Pulut Gaul Nyior which is cooked with brown sugar at Peladang Setiu Agro Resort

Another popular dish in Terengganu is Singgang, you can either use fish or squid. In my birth place Kedah, this simple dish is called Ikan Pindang Kuning. The method is so simple that my 12 year old daughter can cook this dish. Put onion shallots, garlic, galangal and turmeric, which give the dish its yellowish colour (all these ingredients sliced,) dried tamarinds, fresh chilli and fish in a pot of water. Bring it to the boil until the gravy is reduced to about half of the original portion. You must use fish with a thick texture such as Tuna or Mackerel. It is best eaten with raw vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber, kacang botol or winged beans and daun pegaga or pennywort leaves and Sambal Belacan.

Ikan Singgang served at Restoran Kuah Singgang is very tasty!

 

Sotong Singgang is another dish served at Restoran Kuah Singgang

 

Me and Nalini at Restoran Kuah Singgang

 

During the KCC1M trip, my plate is filled to the brim with delicious spread of food on the table. My saying … I eat to live but I live to eat at KCC1M … My advice to you, food lovers and adventurers, you must visit Terengganu to taste the real flavor of their food, prepared with lots of TLC (Tender Loving Care) by the proud local communities.

Lunch at Terrapuri Heritage Village. The oyster is from the Setiu Wetland

 

Lunch at Terengganu Islamic Civilization. The curry meat is simply delicious !

My next blog will be all about the common snacks of Terengganu, only in Terengganu for the people of Terengganu and most local and foreign visitors.

Please contact me – Wan – at 03-2260 3667 / 4667 or email leisureincentivetours@gmail.com for more information on special tailored-made Food Heritage Trail package.