Monday, September 29, 2003

The roti canai, the nasi lemak and the teh tarik [ these are Malaysian favourites snacks and hot drink] for Malaysian of all the ethnic or racial group, they love it and to them it is really Malaysian, where else in the world for a mere two ringgit one would have a hearty breakfast of roti canai plus teh tarik or nasi lemak plus teh tarik. The teh tarik [tea with milk] is real special in that it is truly Malaysian, you do not get teh tarik in the subcontinent of India where the great Mamak people originated. It was the Mamak[Indian Moslem] that started this teh tarik, which at one time was just a poor man's drink found only at road side stall or at Mamak's run restaurant, but to day it has graduated to a more classy places in coffee house's even in the five star hotels in the country. Where once youth would order beer at a gathering in a coffee house, now they order teh tarik, well teh tarik has gone places from it humble beginning at the road side stalls to the top of the hospitality industries. Say teh tarik and every Malaysia would agree that it is a sort of their national drink and everyone enjoy it and it goes very well with either roti canai [ a pan cake like bread fry on oil ]or the nasi lemak [rice cooked with coconut milk and served with spicy gravy and anchovies] The teh tarik, roti canai which is also the started by the Mamak and the humble nasi lemak, a Malay special dish eaten at breakfast has now became a national breakfast for all Malaysian. And to add to the already great breakfast menu, now another food from Chinese has became popular for all Malaysian, it is the Chow Kwai teow [ fried noodles with special sauce, Chinese style]so now it has became a truly Malaysian breakfast do, a blend of the taste of the three main races of Malaysian and they also say ' let have teh tarik..... Malaysian love to eat and this breakfast is only the beginning of the great Makan [eat] that Malaysian love to do all days and nights, Makan [eating] another of the many past times of all Malaysian. There is a saying here that Malaysian 'live to eat' and not 'eat to live'. With eating places sprouting all over the town center and open from early morning till late night and some even open for twenty four hours, some time one wonder when do Malaysian really stop eating. In is indeed a great place to live and enjoy eating and it has become a sort of a Malaysian past time, eating....

No comments: