6 famous Indian foods to try in Malaysia

You might not think of Malaysia as a hotbed for Indian cuisine, but any respectable foodie will love the Malaysian take on the subcontinent’s dishes. Malaysian Indian food make up the most popular restaurant choices in Penang and Kuala Lumpur, enhancing the local food scene with their liberal use of fragrant spices and curries along with healthy vegetarian options.

Nasi Kandar

Perhaps the most common Malaysian Indian food, nasi kandar is simple and delicious. You get a choice of meat, fried chicken, vegetables, or seafood on white rice; several small scoops of different rich curries are then added on top. A green vegetable can be added on the side. The most popular choices found in Mamak stalls are chicken, fish, prawns, squid, beef, and mutton; pork is never served.

Mee Goreng

The Malaysian Indian food answer for noodles, mee goreng is simply stir-fried yellow noodles served with diced potatoes, bean sprouts, and chilies. The gravy is made from tomato puree with a squeeze of lime to balance the sweetness. Some places add crushed peanuts on top.

Murtabak

Murtabak is a small, delicious sandwich of curried meat or vegetables between two pieces of chewy roti canai. Like all bread snacks, murtabak is served with rich lentil and dhall dipping sauces.

Nasi Biryani

Offered as a pricier upgrade from white rice, nasi biryani is a yellow rice packed with complex flavors. Cumin, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, and a staggering arsenal of other pungent spices create a unique taste that will have you hooked on the first bite.

Chapati

Much like a Mexican tortilla, chapati is a thin wrap made from whole wheat flour cooked on a flat surface. Chapati is usually made to order and is stuffed with your choice of meat or vegetables in curry sauce. Chapati is a delicious, healthy choice for vegetarians.

Dosa

Sometimes spelled as "thosai", dosa is a South Indian dish thought to be over 900 years old. A thin crepe made from pounded rice and lentils is fried golden-brown on one side only, then folded around meat or vegetables. Dosa is a good Malaysian Indian food choice for people with wheat allergies.

See more: Nasi Lemak, a Malaysia's national dish

Source: Internet

Top classic Singaporean desserts you should try

Desserts in Singapore are a melting pot of diverse influences. They come together in a colorful smorgasbord of food that is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. From icy cool dishes to jellies and cakes, here are the most popular delicious local desserts you’ve got to try when traveling to the sunny island.

Ice Kachang

This list would not be complete without what might be the mother of all Singapore desserts, Ice Kachang. There are red beans, jelly, chendol and attap chee (palm seed) hidden under a mountain of shaved ice, then soaked in the rainbow and doused with evaporated milk. A hit of Ice Kachang is sublime in the hot and humid weather. At many stalls, you can also add extra toppings like sweet corn, mango, durian or chopped peanuts.

Durian Pengat

The durian pengat is a stinky-fruit lover’s decadent delight, though non-durian lovers may also be converted if they only dare to give it a try. The dessert has its roots in Malay and Peranakan communities, where pengat refers to fruits or root vegetables cooked in a concoction of coconut milk and sugar. In the case of the durian pengat, the durian is cooked to a silky smooth mousse-like consistency, topped with extra durian for a double helping. Some innovative versions have it topped with butter croutons and dollops of palm sugar syrup, which only makes this well-loved dessert all the more flavourful.

Cheng Tng

Served hot or cold, this golden colored soup typically contains dried longans, white fungus, barley, gingko nuts and sweet syrup. Ingredients can vary. Some vendors may add other yummy additions like dried persimmon, sweet potato or lotus seeds. As a hot dessert, cheng tng is a warming and comforting treat – simply satisfying. If the weather is just too hot, have the dessert icy cold instead. So sweet and cooling.

Pulut Hitam

This dessert of Indonesian origin has all the typical Southeast Asian ingredients: coconut milk, pandan leaves and palm sugar. Black glutinous rice is painstakingly boiled until soft and creamy, then simmered with palm sugar and pandan leaves and served with swirls of coconut milk. Also a fixture of many dessert stalls in Singapore’s hawker centres, pulut hitam is both a filling snack and dessert of choice for many locals.

Ice Cream Sandwich

Ice cream carts can often be found in Singapore’s city centre, offering ice cream sandwiches instead of conventional cones or cups. These colourful carts are helmed by ice cream uncles or aunties (the endearing term Singaporeans give to these traditional vendors), delighting both kids and adults. They play a vital role in preserving an old-school Singaporean way of eating ice cream: sandwiched in fluffy pandan-flavoured bread, or crispy wafer slices. Flavours are typically chocolate, vanilla or strawberry, but if you are lucky, you can also find durian, sweetcorn or red bean varieties for a truly Singaporean take.

Read more: Taste the traditional sweets from Asia

Source Internet

The best Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo has held the world record for the most Michelin-starred restaurants within a city, beating even Paris. Here are seven favorite restaurants where you are sure to get a high-quality dining experience.

Ginza Kojyu

Ginza Kojyu is usually regarded as a good value for the price compared to similar restaurants. Choose from sushi, over 60 different wines, sake, seasonal offerings or go for its multi-course kaiseki menu in a Zen-like dining room. Chef Toru Okuda has other 2 restaurants in Tokyo, in case a reservation is not available during your stay in the city.

Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi

Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi is the Michelin 2-starred sushi restaurant which is run by Takashi Ono, the son of Jiro Ono. You can taste the best-quality sushi both for lunch with 15-piece course and dinner 20-piece course. If you cannot find the seats available at Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza, just check the availability of Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi!

Joël Robuchon Restaurant

World-famous chef Joël Robuchon places an emphasis on his absolute love for food, cooking and eating, an ethos evident in the dishes he creates. Meticulous about the finer details as well as the overall creative process, he succeeds in making every one of his international restaurants personal and individual, providing the customers with his dynamic take on French cuisine. Having been awarded three Michelin stars, it is an unmissable experience when visiting Tokyo.

Kanda

Kanda’s minimalist interior is the perfect setting to allow diners to focus on the quality and intensity of the many dishes placed before them. With a modern twist on Japanese cuisine, the restaurant is small and intimate, with customers often finding themselves chatting to the head chef. Care and attention is carried out in every element, characterized by the restaurant’s impeccable service. The anago sushi and the shark’s fin rice are not to be missed.

Tempura Kondo

Tempura Kondo, a top-rated Tempura restaurant located in Ginza, Tokyo, has got Michelin stars for over a decade. The chief chef Fumio Kondo has dedicated his life to make Tempura and spread the recognition of Tempura across the world since he was 18 years old. Tempura Kondo is the first luxury Tempura restaurant which offers vegetables as well as seafood. If you have to travel on a limited budget, you can experience the Kondo’s authentic Tempura dishes more affordably at lunch time.

Azabu Yukimura

This three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Azabu Yukimura blends traditional kaiseki with contemporary twists and ambitious presentation. Signature plates include mouthwatering combinations of lightly steamed sea urchin with lobster broth jelly and flying fish roe, all enjoyed within the minimalist interior of the restaurant.

Read more: Japan, the quintessence of cuisine in Asia

Quintessence

No two dining experiences at Quintessence are ever the same. Customers are given a contemporary French menu selected by the chef which changes daily according to the availability of ingredients at the local market. Quintessence prides itself on its “cuisson”, a unique process of “low-temperature long-time roasting” which releases the best extracts from the meat.

Source Internet